knocked about and cut up so badly. But I don't imagine Assistant Pig-Keepers are often called on to do that sort of thing.” The girl tore a strip from the hem of her robe and began binding Taran's wound.
“I didn't let myself be cut up,” Taran said angrily. “That's Arawn's doing, or your aunt's--- I don't know which and I don't care. One is no better than the other.”
“I hate Achren!” Eilonwy burst out. “She is a mean, spiteful person. Of all the people who come here, you're the only one who's the least bit agreeable to talk to--- and she had you damaged!”
“That's not the end of it,” Taran said. “She means to kill my friend.”
“If she does that,” said Eilonwy, “I'm sure she'll include you. Achren doesn't do things by halves. It would be a shame if you were killed. I should be very sorry. I know I wouldn't like it to happen to me...”
“Eilonwy, listen,” Taran interrupted, “if there are tunnels and passages under the castle--- can you get to the other cells? Is there a way outside?”
“Of course there is,” Eilonwy said. “If there's a way in, there has to be a way out, doesn't there?”
“Will you help us?” Taran asked. “It is important for us to be free of this place. Will you show us the passage?”
“Let you escape?” Eilonwy giggled. “Wouldn't Achren be furious at that? She tossed her head. ”It would serve her right for whipping me and trying to lock me up. Yes, yes,“ she went on, her eyes dancing, ”that's a wonderful idea. I would love to see her face when she comes down to find you. Yes, that would be more fun than anything I could think of. Can you imagine..."
“Listen carefully,” Taran said, “is there a way you can take me to my companion?”
Eilonwy shook her head. “That would be very hard to do. You see, some of the galleries connect with the ones leading to the cells, but when you try to go across, what happens is that you start to run into passages that...”
“Never mind, then,” Taran said. “Can I join him in one of the passageways?”
“I don't see why you want to do that,” said the girl. “It would be so much simpler if I just go and let him out and have him wait for you beyond the castle. I don't understand why you want to complicate things; it's bad enough for two people crawling about, but with three, you can imagine what that would be. And you can't possibly find your way by yourself.”
“Very well,” Taran said impatiently. "Free my companion first. I only hope he is well enough to move. If he isn't, then you must come and tell me right away and I'll think of some means of carrying him.
“And there is a white horse, Melyngar,” Taran went on. “I don't know what's been done with her.”
“She would be in the stable,” Eilonwy said. “Isn't that where you'd usually find a horse?”
“Please,” Taran said, “you must get her, too. And weapons for us. Will you do that?”
Eilonwy nodded quickly. “Yes, that should be very exciting.” She giggled again. She picked up the glowing ball, cupped it in her hands, and once again the cell was dark. The stone grated shut and only Eilonwy's silvery laugh lingered behind.
Taran paced back and forth. For the first time, he felt some hope; though he wondered how much he could count on this scatterbrained girl. She was likely to forget what she started out to do. Worse, she might betray him to Achren. It might be another trap, a new torment that promised him freedom only to snatch it away, but even so, Taran decided, they could be no worse off.
To save his energy, he lay down on the straw and tried to relax. His bandaged arm no longer pained him, and while he was still hungry and thirsty, the water he had drunk had taken some of the edge from his discomfort.
He had no idea how long it would take to travel through the underground galleries. But as time passed, he grew more anxious. He worked at the flagstone the girl had used. It would not move, though Taran's efforts
“I didn't let myself be cut up,” Taran said angrily. “That's Arawn's doing, or your aunt's--- I don't know which and I don't care. One is no better than the other.”
“I hate Achren!” Eilonwy burst out. “She is a mean, spiteful person. Of all the people who come here, you're the only one who's the least bit agreeable to talk to--- and she had you damaged!”
“That's not the end of it,” Taran said. “She means to kill my friend.”
“If she does that,” said Eilonwy, “I'm sure she'll include you. Achren doesn't do things by halves. It would be a shame if you were killed. I should be very sorry. I know I wouldn't like it to happen to me...”
“Eilonwy, listen,” Taran interrupted, “if there are tunnels and passages under the castle--- can you get to the other cells? Is there a way outside?”
“Of course there is,” Eilonwy said. “If there's a way in, there has to be a way out, doesn't there?”
“Will you help us?” Taran asked. “It is important for us to be free of this place. Will you show us the passage?”
“Let you escape?” Eilonwy giggled. “Wouldn't Achren be furious at that? She tossed her head. ”It would serve her right for whipping me and trying to lock me up. Yes, yes,“ she went on, her eyes dancing, ”that's a wonderful idea. I would love to see her face when she comes down to find you. Yes, that would be more fun than anything I could think of. Can you imagine..."
“Listen carefully,” Taran said, “is there a way you can take me to my companion?”
Eilonwy shook her head. “That would be very hard to do. You see, some of the galleries connect with the ones leading to the cells, but when you try to go across, what happens is that you start to run into passages that...”
“Never mind, then,” Taran said. “Can I join him in one of the passageways?”
“I don't see why you want to do that,” said the girl. “It would be so much simpler if I just go and let him out and have him wait for you beyond the castle. I don't understand why you want to complicate things; it's bad enough for two people crawling about, but with three, you can imagine what that would be. And you can't possibly find your way by yourself.”
“Very well,” Taran said impatiently. "Free my companion first. I only hope he is well enough to move. If he isn't, then you must come and tell me right away and I'll think of some means of carrying him.
“And there is a white horse, Melyngar,” Taran went on. “I don't know what's been done with her.”
“She would be in the stable,” Eilonwy said. “Isn't that where you'd usually find a horse?”
“Please,” Taran said, “you must get her, too. And weapons for us. Will you do that?”
Eilonwy nodded quickly. “Yes, that should be very exciting.” She giggled again. She picked up the glowing ball, cupped it in her hands, and once again the cell was dark. The stone grated shut and only Eilonwy's silvery laugh lingered behind.
Taran paced back and forth. For the first time, he felt some hope; though he wondered how much he could count on this scatterbrained girl. She was likely to forget what she started out to do. Worse, she might betray him to Achren. It might be another trap, a new torment that promised him freedom only to snatch it away, but even so, Taran decided, they could be no worse off.
To save his energy, he lay down on the straw and tried to relax. His bandaged arm no longer pained him, and while he was still hungry and thirsty, the water he had drunk had taken some of the edge from his discomfort.
He had no idea how long it would take to travel through the underground galleries. But as time passed, he grew more anxious. He worked at the flagstone the girl had used. It would not move, though Taran's efforts
Similar Books
