The Eye of the Hunter Read Online Free PDF Page A

Glacier. Aye, the children knew of the pursuit and its devastating conclusion, with Urus and Stoke plunging unto their death in the depths of an icy crevasse, a crevasse that slammed shut behind.
    How could they not know? For in one way or another, all the children had been named after Urus or Riatha. And on many a long winter night in yesteryears, Tomlin or Petal had spoken of those bygone days, had told their buccoes and dammsels of the deeds of their namesakes, and of the monster they pursued.
    And now their sire had named the fiend again:
“Stoke.”
    “Mayhap, Pebble. Mayhap,” replied Riatha, glancing at her sword, hanging in harness from a porch rail newel post.
    “A destiny?” blurted out Bear, the youngest. “This Lady Rael, she foresaw a destiny affecting us? A destiny far beyond?”
    Riatha turned her silvery eyes upon the stripling. “Aye, Bear, a prophecy.”
    Now Atha spoke: “What—what did she say, this Lady Rael?”
    Riatha looked at her namesake, the Waerling no bigger than an Elfchild, though no Elfchild was she. Even so, Waerlinga resembled Elfchildren in all respects…but for the eyes, for those of the Wee Folk were large and jewel-like, holding deep glints carried by no child of Elvenkind.
    Nevertheless, Riatha looked upon these Waerlinga and wondered if it was this resemblance between them and the children of Elvenkind that caused these Folk to be so beloved by her own kindred. For children of Elves had not set foot on Mithgar for more than four thousand years, since the Sundering during the Great War, since the last Dawn Ride, and this filled Riatha’s breast with a great sadness. Here on Mithgar, no Elfchild could be conceived, none could be born; only upon Adonar was this possible for Elvenkind. And although the Twilight Ride would bear an Elf out of Mithgar and unto Adonar, the way back into this world was sundered. Hence to leave Mithgar was perhaps to leave it forever, for only at the end, in the last days, was it said that the Dawn Ride would be restored. Even then it was not certain whether the way would be open for any and all to come once more to Mithgar, or open for but a single rider, a rider of impossibility, a rider bearing the Silver Sword.
    Regardless, there was now no way for any to come from Adonar unto this Plane, and so, Elfchildren were no longer seen upon Mithgar. And the Waerlinga were a poignant reminder of what had been lost.
    Riatha shook her head to clear her mind of these fey thoughts as Atha spoke again, the young damman rephrasing her as-yet-to-be-answered question: “What did Lady Rael say in this prophecy of hers, Lady Riatha?”
    One by one, Riatha again looked into the faces of each, faces reflecting curiosity and concern but not fear. “Wewere sitting in Arden on the banks of the Tumble, Rael and I, playing at scrying through crystals. Of a sudden Rael looked at me, or rather, through me, for her eyes were focused elsewhere…beyond. And she spoke a rede, for they come at their own time and not at will. Even so, it seemed that her words were aimed at me and none else. And this is what she said:
    “When Spring comes upon the land,
    Yet Winter grips with icy hand,
    And the Eye of the Hunter stalks night skies,
    Bane and blessing alike will rise
.
    Lastborn Firstborns of those who were there,
    Stand at thy side in the light of the Bear
.
    Hunter and hunted, who can say
    Which is which on a given day?”
    “Ooo,”
whispered Silvey, glancing about, peering into the darkness beyond the lantern light as if to see what danger approached, “what do you suppose it means?”
    None said aught for a while, each pondering the words of the rede. At last Small Urus, eldest bucco, sitting down upon a porch step, looked up at his sister, Little Riatha, eldest dammsel. “If, as Dad suspects, it refers to Baron Stoke, then I think it speaks of you and me, Atha, for we are the firstborn bucco and firstborn dammsel of those who were there.” He pointed his chin first at