The Icemark Chronicles: The Cry of the Icemark Read Online Free Page B

The Icemark Chronicles: The Cry of the Icemark
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he’d loved his wife and she’d never used her intelligence to bad purpose.
    “If I’m to grant you this favor, I must first know why you want the werewolf to live,” he said at last, in a voice that was quiet for him.
    “Because of what we were speaking about earlier. You know that not even the shield-walls of all your housecarls nor the thundering hooves of all your cavalry will be enough to keep out our enemies if they all decide to attack at once. Even if Scipio Bellorum and the Polypontian Empire attacked alone with none of our other enemies in support, we could never hold them. You yourself have said that the Imperial armies are unstoppable. Put simply,
we need allies.”
    “Ha, and you think the Wolffolk would make good friends?”
    “Yes.”
    “And one mangy werewolf will bring about an alliance?”
    “Look at his neck, Father. He wears the brass collar of a wolfman chief; he’s no ordinary werewolf.”
    Suddenly a deep growling voice cut in: “I wear the gold collar of the Wolffolk
King.
Don’t underestimate your prisoner!”
    A shocked silence followed. Few people knew the wolf-people could speak, let alone use words with intelligence and pride.
    Redrought looked at the prisoner. “Then you’re an ideal hostage for peace.”
    “No, Father! The wolfman is mine!”
    “My daughter wants to set you free. Would you promise to be an ally of the Icemark if she gets her way?”
    “I promise,” the deep voice growled again.
    “And your people?”
    “And my people.”
    “How do we know we can trust you?”
    A strange whining, snuffling noise came from the werewolf, and Thirrin realized he was laughing. “You don’t. You’ll just have to trust … me.”
    “And what happens if your allies call for war against us? Could you ignore the Vampire King and Queen?”
    “Look, if you’re going to search for problems, you might as well kill me now and have done with it,” the wolfman answered sniffily.
    Redrought nodded. “Sometimes you just have to take risks. Thirrin, the prisoner’s yours.”
    She shouted in delight, leaped onto the dais, and hugged her father. “Thanks, Dad,” she whispered in his ear. Then, recovering her composure, she knelt before him and said, “I give thanks, my father. May your decision be proved right and true.”
    “It’d better be,” he answered gruffly, and began to stroke Primplepuss, who’d recovered from her earlier fright and was having a quick wash.
    Thirrin turned to the guard. “Release the prisoner.”
    Again a roar of protest went up, but the King nodded his agreement and the bonds were cut.
    The werewolf stood rubbing his wrists and staring around the hall, his expression wary and amazed. The Princess had fought for his life and repaid his mercy.
    She’d taken a terrible risk and put her trust in a species that had been enemies of her people for centuries. The huge creature was suddenly moved by her bravery. There was something in her fire and fragility that touched him deeply, and as a monarch with more than twenty years’ experience ofrule, he knew quality and presence when he saw it. This Princess of the human-folk was going to be deeply important in the struggles to come.
    With a sudden urge to repay Thirrin’s courage, he strode forward and knelt before her. “By the ever-changing phases of the Blessed Moon, I, Grishmak Blood-drinker, King of the Wolffolk, pledge lifelong friendship to the Icemark and its ruler and particularly to Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield. Your pain is my pain, your joy is my joy, your war is my war!”
    The wolfman’s voice echoed around the strangely silent Great Hall, then the creature threw back his head and let out a long, blood-chilling howl, which slowly descended through the scales to silence.

 

3
     
    T hirrin led the group deeper into the forest. They’d been riding all morning, exercising some of the horses from the royal stables. There was no actual need for her to join the soldiers and stable

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