a simple Warlock, and poor farmer with eight
children, the youngest ones of which," he shouted, "should be trotting
up the hill to their mothers, and the eldest ones better be following
along behind them!"
98 Four young voices hollered, "Yes, father!" and headed out the door.
99 "It's hard to believe," commented The Hawk, "we've been here ten
seasons."
100 The Lady Hawk watched the older children leave, and she almost
looked as if she was going to cry. "Yes," she whispered, "ten seasons;
twelve since I left my homeland." She put her hands on her stomach, got
up, and left the room.
101 When she was out of sight The Hawk stared at the table. "Damn!" he
moaned, "Never have I seen a woman that loves children so much! Why
doesn't she bear any? She never says anything, but I know it is
breaking her heart."
102 "When it is time," comforted Gray Boar, "it will happen. Every year
she has burned yet you have no children. Perhaps it will be like my
mother. She had none until late in her life, and then she had three in
a row! My father said, at the WORST possible time!"
103 The Hawk laughed. "I have a feeling fate might do the same to me."
104 The two friends enjoyed a game of chess. The Lady Hawk rejoined
them and they played Points the rest of the evening. Three days later a
page from The First Speaker with two fighting people as escort rode
into The Hawk's yard.
105 The young man dismounted. "Lord," he announced, "I bring urgent
news from the capitol. The First Speaker is dying. The Council is
gathered. They ask that you come at once. There is little time!"
106 Within an hour their animals were ready and they sped north.
Cutting a day off their travel time they