much about religious matters, Chieftains,” he said. “All I know is that if God is not God, then life ain’t worth living anyhow. But if He is God, then we might as well have faith in Him, and not do anything we’ll be sorry for later.
“I don’t know where Ryons is, or when we’ll find him. It’d be too bad if he came back and found his army run away on him. He’d still be king, but you won’t be his men anymore. I don’t reckon you’d be much of anything.”
Chagadai said, “We Ghols will stay no matter what! It was our fault the king wandered into the woods, but we’ll do anything to get him back. We’ll hunt for him ourselves if no one else will, even if we have no woodcraft.” He turned to Obst. “Old man, we have seen your God do marvelous things. Three times has He saved us in hard battle. Pray to Him and ask Him to give us back our king.”
So Obst raised his hands and prayed before them all: “Save us, Lord! Give us a sign so that we might know your will. Have mercy on these men who are only newly come to you. They’ve never been instructed in your Scriptures: they are as babes in their understanding. Won’t you speak to them, O Lord?”
Silence reigned. Obst didn’t know what else to say, Helki thought.
But then Jandra scrambled off Abgayle’s lap. By now they all knew when she was about to prophesy.
“I have heard your prayer”—it was a voice almost like a grown man’s voice coming out of that little girl—“and you shall see your king again, and he shall do exploits before your eyes.
“Go to Obann, to the city that I will not spare: to Obann by the river, where the Heathen are as thick as locusts and no man can count their number. Go to Obann, my people—who were not my people, until you lifted up your voice to Me. Go there, and I shall be with you.”
That was all. Abgayle gathered the sleeping girl into her arms. “You have your prophecy, Obst,” she said. “Your prayer is answered.”
Obst nodded; but Chief Zekelesh snatched off his wolfskin cap, smacked his knee with it, and laughed out loud.
“It’s the most foolish, loony, daft, and crazy thing I’ve ever heard!” he said. “Go to Obann, where all the armies of the Thunder King will be waiting for us! They’ll be fifty to one against us, maybe more.”
“Will you go?” asked Helki.
“Of course I’ll go!” the chieftain said.
So said they all, even Shaffur. “I heard God promise to go with us,” he said. “I’ll hold Him to that promise, and I will go to Obann, folly though it be.” He glared at Obst. “Is that what you mean by faith, old man?”
Obst bowed to him. “It is! It most certainly is.”
We’re all mad, Helki thought. But we’re going to Obann all the same. God help us!
CHAPTER 9
Wanderers
Nearer and nearer to the forest with each step they took, Jack, Ellayne, and Martis continued their journey. But one night they lost Ivor.
They were camped by a stand of waxbush, where a little fresh water bubbled out of the ground and made a tiny pool. They had speckled eggs for supper and were tired from a long day’s trekking. The depopulated plain hereabouts swarmed with rabbits, but neither Martis nor Jack was able to bag one.
“Something’s made them cautious,” Martis said, after he’d missed again with the slingshot. “I wonder what it is.”
“Foxes, I’ll bet,” Jack said. “There are a lot of foxes around Ninneburky. Once I found one in my shed. They eat rabbits.”
Wytt spent most of the day standing atop the pack on Ham’s back. Even if you couldn’t understand his Omah-speech, you would have realized he was keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings.
“What is it, Wytt?” Ellayne asked. “Are there people around somewhere?”
He chattered at her. “It’s not people,” she told the others. “He doesn’t know what it is. But he’s sure there are animals around here that he’s never seen before. He’s not sure whether they’re dangerous.”
Ivor
“I don’t know where Ryons is, or when we’ll find him. It’d be too bad if he came back and found his army run away on him. He’d still be king, but you won’t be his men anymore. I don’t reckon you’d be much of anything.”
Chagadai said, “We Ghols will stay no matter what! It was our fault the king wandered into the woods, but we’ll do anything to get him back. We’ll hunt for him ourselves if no one else will, even if we have no woodcraft.” He turned to Obst. “Old man, we have seen your God do marvelous things. Three times has He saved us in hard battle. Pray to Him and ask Him to give us back our king.”
So Obst raised his hands and prayed before them all: “Save us, Lord! Give us a sign so that we might know your will. Have mercy on these men who are only newly come to you. They’ve never been instructed in your Scriptures: they are as babes in their understanding. Won’t you speak to them, O Lord?”
Silence reigned. Obst didn’t know what else to say, Helki thought.
But then Jandra scrambled off Abgayle’s lap. By now they all knew when she was about to prophesy.
“I have heard your prayer”—it was a voice almost like a grown man’s voice coming out of that little girl—“and you shall see your king again, and he shall do exploits before your eyes.
“Go to Obann, to the city that I will not spare: to Obann by the river, where the Heathen are as thick as locusts and no man can count their number. Go to Obann, my people—who were not my people, until you lifted up your voice to Me. Go there, and I shall be with you.”
That was all. Abgayle gathered the sleeping girl into her arms. “You have your prophecy, Obst,” she said. “Your prayer is answered.”
Obst nodded; but Chief Zekelesh snatched off his wolfskin cap, smacked his knee with it, and laughed out loud.
“It’s the most foolish, loony, daft, and crazy thing I’ve ever heard!” he said. “Go to Obann, where all the armies of the Thunder King will be waiting for us! They’ll be fifty to one against us, maybe more.”
“Will you go?” asked Helki.
“Of course I’ll go!” the chieftain said.
So said they all, even Shaffur. “I heard God promise to go with us,” he said. “I’ll hold Him to that promise, and I will go to Obann, folly though it be.” He glared at Obst. “Is that what you mean by faith, old man?”
Obst bowed to him. “It is! It most certainly is.”
We’re all mad, Helki thought. But we’re going to Obann all the same. God help us!
CHAPTER 9
Wanderers
Nearer and nearer to the forest with each step they took, Jack, Ellayne, and Martis continued their journey. But one night they lost Ivor.
They were camped by a stand of waxbush, where a little fresh water bubbled out of the ground and made a tiny pool. They had speckled eggs for supper and were tired from a long day’s trekking. The depopulated plain hereabouts swarmed with rabbits, but neither Martis nor Jack was able to bag one.
“Something’s made them cautious,” Martis said, after he’d missed again with the slingshot. “I wonder what it is.”
“Foxes, I’ll bet,” Jack said. “There are a lot of foxes around Ninneburky. Once I found one in my shed. They eat rabbits.”
Wytt spent most of the day standing atop the pack on Ham’s back. Even if you couldn’t understand his Omah-speech, you would have realized he was keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings.
“What is it, Wytt?” Ellayne asked. “Are there people around somewhere?”
He chattered at her. “It’s not people,” she told the others. “He doesn’t know what it is. But he’s sure there are animals around here that he’s never seen before. He’s not sure whether they’re dangerous.”
Ivor
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