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.The girl glided toward thecatafalque and stood looking down at the tranquil face.For a moment or two she remained thus, beforethe significance of what she beheld penetrated her weary mind.Then she simply sank to the floor next tothe plinth.Hours later, when darkness had long since covered Arcdur in velvet, she remained slumpedthere, beside the stone effigy, the perfect image of herself. The night wasted away.In the morning, the silence was broken by the clatter of hooves, the tinkling ofbridle bells, and the lilt of men's voices.Two riders leading a packhorse climbed the hill.The mendismounted and entered the mausoleum.Soon they backed out rapidly, ran partway down the hill, andhalted, staring at each other in fear and disbelief, before drawing their blades and cautiously approachingthe tower a second time.As they entered the open lattice they whistled and rang bells.They jingled their iron harness andmuttered a few rhymes."Sure and it's the lady, no other," they said in hushed tones.Ashalind opened her eyes and asked for food, which they gave willingly after they had satisfiedthemselves that she was neither wight nor illusion.Yet they were still half afraid of her."How came you here, lady?" they inquired."I came through a Gate," she said, as bewildered as they.The shock of discovering her own tomb hadrendered her numb, lightheaded, detached, and uncomprehending.She must have wept during the night,for her face felt stiff as a mask of plaster, her eyes stung raw with salt."What gate? This iron one?""No.A Faran Gate."The two men exchanged another significant glance."His Majesty must hear of this," said one."Send off the pigeons, Robin."Robin fetched a cage that had been fastened to his saddlebow.Painstakingly he wrote the same messagethree times on three tiny scraps of parchment.He tied them to the legs of a trio of pigeons and freed thebirds.Page 304 "Where is Angavar?" she asked.Their grim faces closed, as though they had drawn shutters across them."Lady, we shall take you to His Imperial Majesty, King Edward," they said guardedly, "but as regards allelse, we will say naught.""I do not understand!""We think it unwise, m'lady.Our knowledge is limited; unintentionally, we might convey falseimpressions.It will be best if all the answers to your questions are given to ye from His Majesty's ownlips.We are merely servants sent to tend your the lady's tomb.""Just let me know one thing only," she begged."How long have I been gone?""Seven years it is since the lady was last seen," they reluctantly divulged, still doubting their own eyes.Then they would answer her no more, despite that she pleaded piteously.The men gave Ashalind a cloak with a deep hood attached.They set her upon the best of the three horses, then led her through pathless Arcdur to the coast.ASeaship came to meet them, and as they waited for the rowboat to pick them up from the beach,Ashalind's rescuers bade her pull the hood up over her head and face."If we are to keep ye safe," they warned, "your discovery must be known only to us.There be too manypersons of doubtful character who might be interested in news of the whereabouts of a lady such as ye.We do not know who can be trusted among the crew, therefore we trust none.Hide yourself."She did not quarrel with them.It seemed, after all, a familiar thing to do. In fair weather, with a stiff nor'easterly following, the ship set sail for the south.It had not long departedfrom the Arcdur coast when something happened that set the teeth of the crew on edge and started theirspines crawling, and made them look askance at the hooded passenger.Some muttered that she hadbrought ill luck; others suggested she was some simulacrum, and ought to be cast overboard.What happened was this: The seas rolled calm and flat and the skies were clear, when suddenly therearose all around a sound like the sighing of many voices and a rustling as of yard upon yard of clean silk.With that sigh came a rush of air, and all those on board felt as if a throng passed close by, lightlybrushing them with soft fabrics.The sun's light mellowed to the color of a rose in amber, tinting the skyand sea from horizon to horizon.The curve of every wavelet became a camellia petal.At the same time afragrance drifted down the breeze, a scent of wildflowers so sweet and evocative it was nothing less thanheartbreaking, and many of those who breathed it fell to their knees on the deck, sobbing.The shipsurged forward on the crest of a wave and then the sigh passed with the strange light, away across thesea, leaving behind the creaking of the rigging and the slap of water on the hull.It was as though a lamp had gone out.After many hours, the flower-scent faded.Page 305 None could guess what it might mean, but all were certain of one thing: that after this, the world couldnever be the same.Neither did any man speak of the phenomenon, despite that it had touched all of themdeeply, or because of it.But they suspected the passenger.To her good fortune, not all on board werecommon sailors some were King's Men and Dainnan knights.They had pledged protection to thepassenger and she was left alone. The ship sailed without further event to Caermelor, where it was met by mounted guards.From theharbor they carried the hooded girl in a closed litter, ever cautioning her not to show her face.The guardsrode close around, but she peeped through the curtains of watered satin.The city had changed duringthose seven years.Gone were the Mooring Masts and the great Tower of the Stormriders.NoWindships bobbed high at anchor."What is the meaning of this?" cried Ashalind, but no man would look around or give reply."Keep within, my lady," Robin nervously admonished, tying the curtains shut.With all speed she was brought, hooded, before Edward.She found him in the solar of the palace, hisknights and musicians and servants having been dismissed from his presence.Only a page boy loiteredhalf asleep and overlooked in a corner, awaiting his liege's instructions.Where a young prince had stood, now stood a grown man of three-and-twenty years.Edward's glancewas grave and thoughtful, weighty with significance.On beholding him, Ashalind threw back her hood.They looked upon each other and neither found word to speak.Edward reached out his hand.His fingers were trembling."Sit by me," he said hoarsely.Side by side they sat at the tall window.Its arches framed gray clouds rolling in from the west, bringingrain.Dusk was drawing in.An owl wheeled past on wings as silent as thought."Do you know how long I have waited for you?" asked Edward.She nodded
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