The Ruby Knight

distance off-shore. I couldn’t make out too many details, but it looks as if it’s just drifting, and there seems to be some splashing going on.’
    Sparhawk laughed wryly. ‘I guess Talen was right,’ he said.
    ‘I don’t quite follow, Sir Sparhawk.’
    ‘He said that Ghwerig probably stole a leaky boat, and that he has to stop every so often to bail out the water.’
    ‘You mean we’ve been waiting all night while Ghwerig scoops the water out of his boat?’ Kalten asked.
    ‘It looks that way,’ Sparhawk said.
    ‘They’re getting closer, Sparhawk,’ Tynian said, pointing to the west.
    ‘And they’re definitely Thalesians,’ Ulath added.
    Sparhawk swore and went to the edge of the trees. The approaching men were formed up in a column and at the head of the column rode a large man in a mail-shirt and a purple cape. Sparhawk recognized him. It was King Wargun of Thalesia, and he appeared to be roaring drunk. Beside him rode a pale, slender man in a highly decorated but somewhat delicate suit of armour.
    ‘The one beside Wargun is King Soros of Pelosia,’ Tynian said quietly. ‘I don’t think he poses much of a danger. He spends most of his time praying and fasting.’
    ‘We do have a problem, though, Sparhawk,’ Ulath said gravely. ‘Ghwerig’s going to be coming ashore very shortly, and he’s got the royal crown of Thalesia with him. Wargun would give his very soul to get that crown back. I hate to say it, but we’d better lead him away from here before Ghwerig reaches the lake-shore.’
    Sparhawk began to swear in frustration. His suspicions of the previous night had turned out to be all too correct.
    ‘We’ll be all right, Sparhawk,’ Bevier assured him. ‘Flute can follow Bhelliom’s trail. We’ll get King Wargun some distance away and then take our leave of him. We can come back later and chase down the Troll.’
    ‘It doesn’t look as if we have much choice,’ Sparhawk conceded. ‘Let’s go and get Sephrenia and the children and draw Wargun away from here.’
    They mounted quickly and rode back to where Sephrenia, Talen and Flute were waiting. ‘We’re going to have to leave,’ Sparhawk said tersely. ‘There are some Thalesians coming, and King Wargun’s with them. Ulath says that if Wargun finds out what we’re here for, he’ll try to take the crown away from us as soon as we get our hands on it. Let’s ride.’
    They left the trees on the margin of the lake at a gallop, heading north. As they had anticipated, the column of Thalesian troops moved in pursuit. ‘We need a couple of miles at least,’ Sparhawk shouted to the others. ‘We’ve got to give Ghwerig a chance to get away.’
    They reached the road that bore in a north-easterly direction back towards the city of Venne and galloped along, rather ostentatiously not looking back at the pursuing Thalesians.
    ‘They’re coming up fast,’ Talen, who could look back over his shoulder without seeming to, called to Sparhawk.
    ‘I’d like to get them a little farther away from Ghwerig,’ Sparhawk said regretfully, ‘but I suppose this is as far as we can go.’
    ‘Ghwerig’s a Troll, Sparhawk,’ Ulath said. ‘He knows how to hide.’
    ‘All right,’ Sparhawk agreed. He made some show of looking back over his shoulder and then held up one hand in the signal for a halt. They reined in and turned their horses to face the oncoming Thalesians.
    The Thalesians also halted, and one of their number came forward at a walk. ‘King Wargun of Thalesia would have words with you, Sir Knights,’ he said respectfully. ‘He will join us presently.’
    ‘Very well,’ Sparhawk said curtly.
    ‘Wargun’s drunk,’ Ulath muttered to his friend. ‘Try to be diplomatic, Sparhawk.’
    King Wargun and King Soros rode up and reined in their horses. ‘Ho-ho, Soros!’ Wargun roared, swaying dangerously in his saddle. ‘We seem to have snared us a covey of Church Knights.’ He blinked and peered at the knights. ‘I know that one,’ he said. ‘Ulath, what are you doing here in Pelosia?’
    ‘Church business, Your Majesty,’ Ulath replied blandly.
    ‘And that one with the broken nose is the Pandion Sparhawk,’ Wargun added to King Soros. ‘Why were you running so hard, Sparhawk?’
    ‘Our mission is of a certain urgency, Your Majesty,’ Sparhawk said.
    ‘And what mission is that?’
    ‘We’re not at liberty to discuss it, Your Majesty. Standard Church practice, you understand.’
    ‘Politics then,’ Wargun