At the Queen_s command

The Prince gave Mugwump a touch of his heels. Even if he'd worn spurs with foot-long spikes the beast would have felt no pain. Mugwump, however, responded, cruising up the river easily. The Prince rode tall in his saddle, aware that soaking wet he cut a ridiculous figure. Still, given the nature of his mount, he suspected his visitor would not much notice.

Within a hundred yards he recognized the man in the back of the canoe and raised a hand in greeting. The young boy in the bow pulled his paddle from the water and appeared ready to fend Mugwump off. The Prince pulled back on the reins and Mugwump slowed so that his propulsion matched the river precisely.

Msitazi, wearing the bright red coat of the Queen's Own Wurm Guards, brought the canoe in close. "Greetings, Great Prince Vladimir."

"I welcome your visit, Great Chief Msitazi. I am honored."

"I present to you my grandson, William."

Nathaniel's eldest, I would imagine. Despite the gray-green hue of the boy's flesh, there was no mistaking his lean frame and strong nose. And his eyes, so wary, like his father.

"Greetings, William."

"Thank you, Highness."

The Prince pointed back in the direction of his estate. "May I offer you hospitality? Unless, of course, you mean to make Temperance before nightfall."

"We have come to see you, Great Prince." Msitazi smiled broadly. "I bring you a message from Aodaga."

"Who?"

"The great killer of the Ungarakii." Msitazi straightened the jacket. "Captain Owen Strake."

Prince Vlad sped Mugwump back to the estate and let Baker return him to the wurmrest. He took the towel from the servant, then sent him off to gather food. Then he helped William drag the canoe into his back lawn. The trio of men moved up to where just two months before the Prince had entertained Kamiskwa, Nathaniel, and Owen. He waited for his guests to seat themselves, then he sat as they did, cross-legged.

Though he desperately wished to see Captain Strake's message, he prepared himself to observe Shedashee convention and allow the chief to get to the message in his own time. Though frustrating, the Prince had come to realize that the native Mystrians did not view time as Norillians did. For them time was measured as sufficient or not. While the need for urgency did not go unrecognized, haste was considered closer to a sin than a mere vice and often the height of foolishness. To suggest otherwise was to forfeit Shedashee respect, and this was a thing not easily regained.

Msitazi handed the Prince a gorgeously beaded belt four inches wide and a yard and a half long. "This my daughter Ishikis has made for you, Great Prince. I should consider it a great honor if you would take her for your wife."

Vlad accepted it. The shell and turquoise, coral, onyx, and malachite had all been worked into a beautiful mosaic that featured bears at either end and a creature much like Mugwump through the rest of the design. The colorful stones had come from afar and were of incalculable value to the Altashee. The gift was as much an honor as the offer of his daughter.

"I regret that I must refuse your daughter's hand, Great Msitazi. I sent notice of your previous offer to my aunt. She has not yet given me leave to marry. I shall write her again."

The elder Altashee smiled. "You men of Norisle, you mistake the true treasures of this land."

"I know you speak the truth." Vlad stroked the belt with a hand. "Captain Strake also refused a similar offer?"

"You shall write your aunt and ask her to send brave officers who do not have wives, please."

"I shall, indeed, do that. How is it that you wear Captain Strake's coat?"

"He gave it to me, and I gave him robes of great medicine. He has gone off on the great mission you have given him. He will need such medicine."

Msitazi opened a pouch and produced a sealed note. "Aodaga sent this for you. We brought it as directly as we could. We had a little adventure on the way."

Vlad accepted the note and broke the seal. He glanced at the date on the top of the first sheet. He traced a finger along through the numbers and did some figuring. His having committed A Continent's Calling to memory made swift translation possible. Strake modestly described their trip so far and informed the Prince of details about a man who might no longer be dead.

He read it over twice, just to make sure he was translating correctly, then looked up. "What did they say of this man who may have returned from the grave?"

Msitazi's face darkened. "Pierre Ilsavont. Magehawk did not like him. Shot him. They burned his head. He was supposed to have died during the bad winter. He was wendigo."

"Did they say anything of a man named Guy du Malphias?"

"No. The wendigo kept company with Ungarakii. My son said they were off to hunt great prey. They were bound for Hattersburg."

Vlad nodded slowly. "The note mentions a journal and a ring."

William glanced at his grandfather, then opened his pouch and produced both of them. "I would not have let anyone have them, Highness."