The day after receiving the welcome news that he had found a new companion on his travels, Telli rose to find his foot completely well and expressed his surprise to Setisia, already cooking something on the fire.

"Of course it is better. I'm a very useful little witch. Now come and eat, and I shall tell you our plans for the day." He joined her at the table to eat a cake made of eggs and milk, like all of her cooking new to him, and very good. He prided himself on his own culinary skills, having been easily first choice as cook while journeying with Brakis, and volunteered to prepare the meal that night.

"What a capable slave I have found! But we do not have time to hunt today, so I shall advise you what to buy in the Bhuin market, because we must spend the day there on other business."

"And what is that business, if a humble slave may know?"

"We shall buy a boat, and it must be good as it will be our home for some time. Although my little canoe might get us as far as the Great River, there it could easily be blown over or swept away. Like you, I have never been there, but by all accounts your Goddess can show fury as well as friendship, and we must show respect for this, the greatest of her works."

"It will have to be big if it must contain a philosopher, a poet, a hunter, a fisher, a good cook, a healer, a beautiful nymph and a witch all at the same time, as well as me," Telli commented. He saw the cheeks under the bright green eyes turn slightly pink for the first time.

"Go and wash, and we are ready, dirty goblin. We shall walk, as canoeing back up river tonight would be harder work, but take one of those sticks as your foot will still tire easily."

The track leading south to Bhuin was wide enough to take an ox-cart, and after walking halfway they overtook one, driven by a couple from West Hartlet as Setisia's village was known. They were carrying vegetables to market, and also their two young children who recognised Setisia at distance, calling out to her by name to hurry and join them on the lumbering vehicle. As he and Setisia jumped in the back, Telli was amused and charmed to see the two tiny urchins immediately showing Setisia their cuts and bruises, while she gave him a brief introduction to their parents. The journey passed in discussion of market prices and the prices of boats, as Setisia revealed her intention to buy one. Telli noted that the adults called her Set, and the children, endlessly, Setti, Setti, Setti, so that the sound was still ringing in his ears for some time after he and Setisia had climbed down from the cart on the outskirts of the town.

He had confessed to Setisia his excitement at the prospect of seeing Bhuin, much larger than Larisroot, with about three times its population. He had a guide who had known the river port all her life. They passed by well-built stone houses, through cobbled streets to the waterfront. The town nestled between the river and the low hills Telli had crossed two days before. They could see through gaps between the buildings how the streets sloped up to the Lord's castle, built some two hundred feet above the river level. Setisia led the way to a tavern beside the wharf, where they could sit at tables set outside in the morning sun and watch the river traffic go by.

"This was where I first saw the conspirators," she said, pointing out the table where they had been, so giving him a picture to add to her story. She recommended that he should try a local brew made of apples, and proving to be similar to that made in the Khrelling slave camp. They sat enjoying this, sitting and soaking in the sun, for some time.

"Today will be a lazy day. We shall not work with our arms, worthy slave, but just a little with our heads. You see the man with the long hair tied behind his neck, the one just about to climb from the red painted barque onto the quay? That is someone who can sell us a boat, and will not give us a sieve that fills with water once we are downstream out of his sight. He is a cousin of my mother's, although I must say I am thankful I bear no resemblance to him in looks."

The man approached the tavern and, seeing Setisia, greeted her with a wave and made a gesture in answer to her signal to join them, tipping an imaginary cup to his mouth with one hand while holding the other to his throat. He entered the tavern, returning soon with a huge mug brimming with beer in his hands. He then sat at their table, bowing politely to Telli as he did so. Setisia introduced them.

"There is no need to indicate your thirst to those who know you my good cousin, as we all know you were born in that state, and have been in it ever since. This is Tellimakis, hunter. Telli, this is Jarith, drinker."

Jarith was a stocky, middle aged man, his face red and smiling, and dominated by one of the largest noses Telli had ever seen, looking slightly out of place as if stuck on quickly as an afterthought. He quaffed half the contents of his mug, before placing it on the table, commenting that the first taste of the day was always the best. Setisia said she doubted that this was his first taste as the sun had risen three hours before, and after the two had exchanged banter and news on family and friends for a few minutes, she came around to her business.

"Telli, in the rare moments when my good cousin is not busy quaffing beer, he finds time to make, repair, buy and sell boats. Jarith, Telli needs a good boat to take him all the way south to Kellmarsh. It must be solid and strong, as it will be carrying a most valuable cargo, none other than me. Do you know of anything immediately available that would suit our purpose, being small enough for one to handle if necessary alone, but large enough to be safe on the Great River?"

Jarith expressed his surprise and concern that she should be making this voyage, and this led to a lengthy discussion, during which he tried to dissuade her. Telli liked the man, clearly concerned for his cousin, and not caring about the sale of a boat. Eventually Jarith said that, as he could not stop her from going south, he would make sure they had a craft fit in every way for the voyage. Setisia had no need to pay him for it, as he was indebted to her for a lotion she had given his wife to treat a pain in her hip.

"Worth a pot full of gold to me, it was, as I had not slept in weeks for her complaining," he said. "If you have a lotion to shut her up in the daytime as well, I shall give you two boats."

Setisia insisted she would pay the proper price, saying she would hand the money to his wife if he refused it.

"No, no. Don't waste good silver this way when it can be converted into beer. If you are sure to have the plenty you will need for your voyage left to you, then I will accept something for a fine little craft I bought just a few days ago, and have started to work on. It has just made the voyage up from Kellmarsh, so should easily make it down again." Jarith finished his beer and led them a few hundred yards to the edge of the town where he kept his boats, teasing his cousin on the way.

"I shall have to show you the workings of this boat, Tellimakis, as you know how women are at such things. The first time I made a canoe for Set, she got in the wrong way round and tried to paddle it backwards."

"Only because you were so sozzled with beer in the making of it that you gave it two sets of bows. Anyway, Telli, I was just seven years old. He got in later to show me how it was done, head so full of drink that we spent a happy hour on the river going round and round in circles, him not able to understand why we never arrived at the town wharf. When I had recovered from laughing, I took my paddle and brought him home, happily, or he would probably still be there."

They arrived at a small inlet and Jarith took them to his mooring place, where he had several boats chained to a large rock on the bank.

"You will need the chains on your voyage," he commented, "or this fine little thing might disappear if left unguarded." He pointed to a boat about twenty-five feet long, by six broad at the beam. Telli was impressed. It had a mast lying flat on the deck, and Jarith showed them how it could easily be stepped by one person with the aid of ropes.

"The hull is sound, though I shall give it a good painting of waterproof. She has a square sail on two booms, which I shall see is fully repaired, and there is little else to do to make her ready. If I slap the paint on tomorrow morning, she will be ready to sail not the next morning, but the one after. Her history is good. This is southern work of the best quality, possibly made in or around Kellmarsh itself. She has made the voyage up here twice. The first time she arrived with two southerners who sold their cargo here, then took a job as rowers on one of the fast boats to get back home, having decided to sell this little beauty to the excellent repair man you see before you. I sold her on to two local brothers this spring for fifty crowns, and they ran a full load of laris-root and apple wine back down to her birthplace, Kellmarsh. They pulled a good load of fine southern grape wine back up here, selling most to the Lord's cellarman, and bought a house for one of themselves with the profits from the two cargoes, which shows what a lucky girl she is. I took her back off them for thirty crowns, making your price, after repairs to the little beauty, perhaps forty, but only if you can really afford it."

"If you talked of your wife as you talk of a boat, you would make a kind husband. Forty crowns I can afford, but are you sure you would not have asked more if it was another who showed interest?"

"Asked more? I always ask for more, but that doesn't mean I get it. I asked the brothers for sixty. I assure you, Set, it is only a day's work for me tomorrow to have her ready, the next day being only for the drying of the paint. Ten crowns profit for a day's work will easily keep me in beer 'til you are half way to Kellmarsh, don't you think?"

"Agreed then. Do you know if the Lord is in his castle?"

"He is not. I heard this morning that he had left early to visit the Lady of Flarin, down river, for a few days. So, my fine little lady of West Hartlet will have to make do with more rustic company today, and join me at the tavern for a while before I go to the market to find her paint."

They made their way back to the waterfront tavern, Setisia buying them all a meal and, of course, beer for Jarith. Jarith then insisted that they join him to eat that night in another tavern, as his wife would be coming out with him to celebrate the twenty-five years they had been married. Setisia said she must certainly come to commiserate with the poor woman on having had such ill fortune for so long. He then left them, going off to buy their paint, and to repair another boat he must have ready that day.

When they were alone, Setisia explained to Telli that she had wished to try and arrange an interview with the Lord Granis for him, and that she must write a letter instead.

"I do not think it is urgent that the people here know about your Khrelling, as we are too far away to be at great risk of child stealing. But the Lord has become a good friend and, if you approve, I could ask him to contact your friend Flankis and the Lord of Larisroot. However, Telli, I think you are right in your judgement that only with the weight of the King's support behind us can an expedition be organised to free the slaves. The area is too remote, and the Khrelling sound too organised from your account for anything else to succeed. Granis has already sent news of the conspiracy I overheard to the King, but this has little use. There are more than seven hundred fiefdoms in the Kingdom, with their ruling Lords or Ladies bound to the Monarch. The King can hear stories of conspiracies every day, and indeed of slavery like yours, although not by foreign creatures. So, we must go, and if others might wonder what two people who have only just passed their fourteenth year can do alone in Kellmarsh, we do not, my good slave, do we, knowing that witches and flying goblins can work magic others cannot."

Telli smiled at this. He loved listening to her when she made long speeches, or delivered lectures.

"I am sure you will have the High King kneeling before you and eating from your hand like a tame bird in no time," he said.

"Treason!" she cried, in mock alarm, then covered her face with her hands in embarrassment as several of the tavern's clients looked around. Recovering after a moment, she continued.

"I said it would be a lazy day, and as the Lord is away, and the invitation of Jarith has saved me from experiencing your cooking for the time being, it has become even lazier. We really do not have much to do, and could leave tomorrow if the boat was ready. Instead, tomorrow we shall hunt, and gather together food and other supplies for the voyage. The next day, Jarith will have finished his work for us, and the boat will be drying. We can come here that day, moving all we need from West Hartlet in my canoe. Then we can work on the boat ourselves, and make it comfortable for our needs. Now, I have things to show you, not as beautiful as yesterday's, as what's made by man cannot rival the work of the Gods, but nonetheless still worth seeing. I also wish to buy you a present, as you have been such a good slave." With this, Setisia led Telli out of the tavern and into the town.

They passed a pleasant afternoon in Bhuin, Setisia teasing Telli at his interest in sights he had never seen; a stone bridge, a merchant's house built four stories high, and many other things mundane to her

"Have you caught many flies yet, standing there with your mouth open? It is called a shop and people buy things there. That is called a pillar and it holds up a roof, which keeps off the rain, which comes from the clouds. And this (she slapped Telli on the back) is a country simpleton." More seriously, she commented that all people in the world must see exactly the same things in different ways, as all have different experiences. She predicted that they would both be walking round open mouthed when they reached Kellmarsh.

They climbed up onto the old wall of the city, now in a state of disrepair as there had been no major conflicts in the area for three centuries. Here they could see some distance, and it was clear that Bhuin was on the river's bend as it turned to the east, coming out of the great loop to their north. Setisia pointed out the only other town visible, Flarin, about twenty miles down stream, and the furthest she had ever been.

"After that, it will be the great unknown for us both."

"Shall we stop there?" asked Telli.

"If we wish to, but we could easily pass it on the first day, even without using the oars, if we start early."

Setisia led the way down from the wall to a small spring trickling from a rock under its shadow. A miniature shrine to Setisia, Goddess, had been carved expertly out of the rock.

"Once the wall ran right round the town, going along the waterfront, and cutting off the river. There was a great siege, the surrounding enemy denying the town's defenders all access to the river, and the Goddess's little spring here provided them with their only source of water. So, when the siege was finally broken, they made this shrine to her." Setisia threw a coin into a pool below the spring where others lay, and gave Telli one so he could do likewise. "We shall need her by our side," she said, in one of her serious voices.

Telli's present proved to be a scroll of parchment, or rather several bundled together. Setisia bought them from a little shop selling nothing but parchments for reading, and asked him to keep it bound up until they reached the cottage that night, where he could read in comfort by the light of a good lamp she kept for that purpose. She would write her letter to Lord Granis at the same time. Telli's guided tour of Bhuin finished back at the wharf, where they sat again outside the tavern, watching the world go by and waiting for Jarith and his wife, whom they would meet there.

A young fisherman from West Hartlet arrived by canoe, and Setisia jumped up and ran to the wharf to speak with him. She returned after a few minutes, saying that she had arranged for them to go back with him late that evening. She explained that although she had planned to walk back during daylight, they would now be returning after dark, as she knew how long Jarith took with his celebration meals. Therefore, it was better to go by river, as big cats occasionally strayed near the forest path. The young fisher had welcomed the arrangement because it was much easier paddling back upriver with three than alone.

"So we can relax tonight," she said, and relax they did.

Jarith's wife, Bartha, was a fat, jolly woman, who proved to be the life of the party. She was as fond of the beer as her husband, and downed it from the same size of mug, at the same speed. They both finished two measures by the wharf before the party adjourned to a cosy establishment known for the quality of its food. For one silver crown, the four could eat (and drink) all they wanted. Bartha took a great liking to Telli and, as the evening wore on, it became obvious she had been matchmaking in her mind, to the amusement and embarrassment of the two youngsters. Far from trying to dissuade Setisia from making the forthcoming voyage, as Telli would have expected, she seemed to think it a great idea.

"Ah, if I had left for Kellmarsh at your age, I might have found myself a fine prince to marry, who knows. But you are taking this handsome young man with you. How wise! Where on earth did you find him?"

"He comes from the west, from over the mountains."

"The west? Is that upriver or down? Never mind, I know nothing of the world. Twenty-five years of taking care of this lump left no time for anything else. Beer, boats and babies, that's him. Nine little ones I've had. He makes more babies than boats, and they're more fun in the making, I say, as you'll soon find out!"

Jarith gave them commercial advice when he could get a word in edgeways.

"Gold, laris-root and apple wine, that's what you want to take. Buy in bulk, at the right price, and all these can more than double in value from this region to Kellmarsh. Set, you must go buying with my brother in law, Larris, who used to run boats down there. Coming back, you buy fruits which grow in the warm lands, and all that they make from them, like the grape wine, and fill every corner of your boat with the fine works of art and craft made there. Back here, you double your money again. So each silver crown you have to your name now will have become four when we next see you."

"Then you can take us here for a meal, and all the children with us," said Bartha. "I would have sent Jarith down river to make such money years ago if I didn't know he would get lost in a tavern on the way. Mind you, his sister only has one child to her name, with Larris having spent so much time down south, so you miss a lot of fun with that life. You've the right idea, Set, my dear, go yourself and take your young man with you, so you have the best of both worlds." She laughed raucously, while Telli spluttered a mouthful of beer, and tried to avoid Setisia's eye.

Setisia tried to keep the conversation towards commerce, but was often fighting a losing battle as the formidable Bartha downed more and more beer. During the course of the evening, they decided to spend most of Setisia's savings on goods, although she pointed out that this would fill only a small part of the boat ('still enough for a good dowry' said Bartha). Jarith suggested they could always pick up passengers on the way for a small fee ('no, no, they want to be alone, my dear, can't you see'). When the evening was over, Telli and Setisia made their way to the wharf, still recovering from Bartha's warm farewell embraces, and both bursting out with pent up laughter at the same moment.

"They are fine people, your cousins," said Telli, "I have not enjoyed myself so much since leaving Elneside."

"This is good. You need to relax after what you have been through since then. You seem to have taken your hardships lightly, but even goblins cannot survive such things without scars." It was the village medicine woman speaking.

They found the young fisherman at the tavern by the wharf, ready to go. His name was Callik, and he bowed politely on introduction to Telli, saying any friend of Set's was a friend of the whole village. Although he had three paddles in the canoe, he refused to let Setisia take one. Not because of her sex, but because she had set a badly broken arm for him once, which had mended like new, and he declared himself always willing to make the limb do her share of the work. So she sat in the middle, holding the lamp carried on the river to show their presence, as fast trading boats moved on it at night as well as day.

Callik was strongly built, arms rippling with muscles from a life spent in the canoe, and they made good time up river. Two fast trading boats passed them at speed going downstream, warning torches flickering on their bows. Boats whose owners would make as many voyages as they could to maximise their profits, and which could carry perishable goods a great distance. Callik exchanged greetings with them, cheerfully wishing them the speed of the Gods. Telli, kneeling in the bows and paddling hard, failed to notice a third unlighted craft approaching until it was nearly upon them. He twisted his paddle to send the canoe towards the left bank while shouting a warning. The other craft, also a canoe, veered towards midstream, Callik calling out to it in annoyance.

"Light there. Night lights, boys!" Then, as the canoe sped past without apology or reply, he let out a stream of oaths, shouting every insult that came to his mind after them, until they were out of sight. There had been three men in the boat, and he described them, their mothers, fathers, and all their personal habits in such detail that eventually his passengers had to laugh. Callik apologised as they went on, explaining to Telli that they could not be local, and that such behaviour was not tolerated on the river. He put his anger into his paddling, and Telli felt the power as they surged forward, reaching West Hartlet's little jetty about ten minutes later.

They were surprised to see the light of many torches in the village as they arrived.

"Something's going on," Callik said as he jumped out of the canoe and tied it up. Two men came out of the gloom towards them.

"Callik? That you? Is that Set with you?"

"Yes, yes, what's up, Barith?"

"Someone started a fire."

"At my house?" Setisia didn't wait for an answer, running towards her cottage having seen where the torchbearers were gathered. Telli and the others followed, Telli noticing that the two men carried long knives in their hands. They reached the house, a pall of smoke showing above it in the torchlight and the smell of burning wood in the air.

"Set? It's all right dear, it was mainly the firewood store, and we put it out. The thatch is still damp from the rains, but we shall watch it for a while, in case it hides a spark." Setisia went round to the back of her cottage with the speaker, a huge, black-bearded bear of a man, who appeared to have taken charge. The whole village seemed to be congregating, excited voices asking and answering question, as Telli followed Setisia. Her fuel store was a pile of wet charred wood, still smoking, and the side of the cottage was scorched above it.

"Danrik's girl saw the light on her way to the privy, and your well was full, so there's no real harm done," said the big man. "Who's this?" he added, spotting a stranger in the torchlight.

"Telli, a friend," Setisia said, absently.

"Ah, sorry young sir, we were looking for strangers. One of the children saw this as we were dousing the flames." He walked a few paces to a tree, and indicated something white in it, then reaching up, pulled the object down. Setisia stared at it for a moment, then called out.

"Callik?" Then, as the fisherman came forward, "it was the men in the dark canoe."

"Damn it, yes, they were fleeing something." Callik raised his voice, calling two names.

"I will chase them with my brothers as far as Bhuin. If they've stopped there we'll break every bone in their bodies. Who would do this?

"Grenwald the madman," Setisia sounded sure.

Callik's brothers had come up, and they ran for the canoe, other men following, and three canoes were soon streaking down the river, men with bows in the middle of each.

Setisia handed the object from the tree to Telli. It was a wooden board with a very accurate white painting of a skull on it.

That night, Telli and Setisia waited up late for news of the chase down the river. Setisia took the attack on her calmly, but Telli could tell that she was shaken, and also worried that one or more of the village men might come to harm in the unlikely event that they caught up with their quarry. The big bearded man and others stayed around the house for a while, and came in and out of the cottage to discuss the night's events, and introduce themselves to Telli, whom they all seemed to accept easily as a friend, because Setisia did. He overheard them arranging a rote to watch the house that night.

When they were alone, Setisia gave Telli her thoughts on the attack.

"It was Grenwald for sure. You remember I told you he was known for torturing animals. The stories told of him as a boy are horrific. He would catch small animals, squirrels, or whatever he could, and cage them. He would never kill them with his hands, or even starve them to death, just frighten them in any way he could, until they went mad and lost their will to live. Sometimes he would see that they were dying, and seek to revive them, so he could prolong his sad little games. He would cut off body parts, but never those essential to life, and show other children his squirrel with one leg, or his rat with no ears, laughing at their horror and fright. This is why I am sure he is behind the attack, and quite likely the man in the middle of the canoe, who was not paddling. He would not wish to kill me immediately. And if you think of what was done, would not have been likely to achieve that, as I would probably have escaped out of the door even if I had been asleep here, and if the whole cottage had gone up in flames. More important was the death's head sign, to scare me out of my little girl wits, to force me to flee from the village in fear, always looking over my shoulder and waiting for the next attack. Do you see what I mean?"

"Yes, by your description of his character, that fits perfectly. It was not an attempt to kill, but that does not mean he will not seek to inflict harm on your person in the future." Telli didn't say it, but the cutting off of body parts in her story chilled him with horror. Voices outside and a knock on the door interrupted them. Telli opened it to Callik and one of his brothers, still slightly breathless, and dripping with sweat.

"No luck, Set. They passed by the wharf at Bhuin about twenty minutes ahead of us, we know, as the watchman had called out warning to a canoe with no light and three bastard devils in it who paddled on at full speed, taking no heed. At five minutes difference, it would have been worth chasing on, but they had too great a start. Our only hope really was that they would be fools enough to halt at Bhuin. So, saving the fact we set a racing time record on our run, there is no good news. The others stayed on at the tavern to make sure all Bhuin will know the news tomorrow, and no doubt to refresh themselves."

Setisia embraced the brothers, and poured them wine for their own refreshment. They left after discussing the strange attack, both knowing that Setisia had feared something like this months before when she had alerted the area to Grenwald's return. Callik's brother, the elder of the two, had childhood memories of the tyrant, and also clearly knew Setisia well. He warned her not to go her ways alone as she so loved to do, and to ask him, his brothers, or other men of the village to accompany her when she must go somewhere.

"You know we all love you, and value your good work here, little doctor, so do not be too proud to ask anything of us," he said in parting.

The youngsters settled for the night, far too tired to read parchments or write letters.