The Oak and the Ram - 04 Read Online Free
Author: Michael Moorcock
."
Medhbh was laughing, for she knew what he thought. "You come close to condescending to us, Sir Silverhand," she said. "Do you think King Fiachadh a fool?" "Far from it, but ..."
"If you knew our legends you would understand the power of that much-worn mantle. Arianrod used it for many great feats before she herself was slain by some Fhoi Myore during the last great battle between the Sidhi and the Cold Folk. Some say she slew a whole army of Fhoi Myore singlehanded while wearing that cloak."
"It makes the wearer invulnerable?"
' 'Not exactly,'' said King Fiachadh, still proffering the mantle to Corum. "Will you accept it, Prince Corum?"
"Gladly will I accept a gift from your hand, King Fiachadh," said Corum, remembering his manners, and he reached out and took the cloak gently, in his fleshly hand and his hand of gleaming silver.
And both hands vanished at the wrists so that it seemed he was again crippled, though this time twice-crippled. Yet he could feel his fleshly hand and feel the texture of the cloth with his fingers, for all that the mantle had made his hands disappear.
"It does work, then/' said King Fiachadh in tones of great satisfaction. ‘ 'I am glad you accepted it with hesitation, Sir Sidhi. ‘'
Corum began to understand. He drew his fleshly hand away from under the cloak and there was his hand again!
"A mantle of invisibility?"
' 'Aye,'' said Medhbh in awe.' 'The same mantle used by Gyfech to enter the bedchamber of Ben while her father slept across the door. That mantle was much prized, even amongst the Sidhi."
Corum said: "I believe I know how it must work. It comes from another plane. Just as Hy-Breasail is part of another world, so is this mantle. It shifts the wearer into another plane, just as the Vadhagh could once move from plane to plane and remain aware of activities on different planes ..."
They knew not of what he spoke, but they were too delighted to question him. He laughed. ' 'Brought from the Sidhi plane, it has no true existence here. Yet why will it not work for Mabden?"
' 'It will not always work for Sidhi,' ‘ said King Fiachadh.' 'There are some—Mabden or others—possessed of a sixth sense which makes them aware of you even when you are invisible to all others. Very few possess this sixth sense so that you may wear the mantle without detection most of the time. However, someone whose sixth sense is well-developed will see you just as I see you now."
"And this is the disguise I must use to go to the Tower of the High King?" Corum said, handling the cloak with care and equally as much reverence as had King Fiachadh, marveling as its folds hid first one portion and then another of his anatomy.' 'Yes, it is a good disguise." He smiled. "There is none better." He handed the mantle back to the King. "Best keep it safely in its chest until it is needed."
And when the chest was locked with all five keys, Corum sank back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Now," he said, "there is much to be planned."
So it was late before Corum and Medhbh lay together, in their wide, low bed, looking out through the windows at the summer moon.
"It was prophesied," said Medhbh sleepily, "that Cremm Croich should go upon three quests, face three great dangers, make three strong friendships ..."
"Prophesied where?"
"In the old legends."
"You have not mentioned this before."
"There seemed no point. Legends are vague. You are not what the legends led us to expect, after all." She smiled quietly.
He returned her smile. "Well, then, I begin the second quest tomorrow."
"And you will be gone long from my side," said Medhbh.
"That is my fate, I fear. I came for duty, not for love, sweet Medhbh. The love must be enjoyed while it does not interfere with duty."
"You could be killed could you not? For all you are an elfin lord?"
"Aye, killed by sword, or poison. I could even fall from my horse and break my neck!"
"Do not mock my fears, Corum."
"I am sorry." He rose on one elbow and
Medhbh was laughing, for she knew what he thought. "You come close to condescending to us, Sir Silverhand," she said. "Do you think King Fiachadh a fool?" "Far from it, but ..."
"If you knew our legends you would understand the power of that much-worn mantle. Arianrod used it for many great feats before she herself was slain by some Fhoi Myore during the last great battle between the Sidhi and the Cold Folk. Some say she slew a whole army of Fhoi Myore singlehanded while wearing that cloak."
"It makes the wearer invulnerable?"
' 'Not exactly,'' said King Fiachadh, still proffering the mantle to Corum. "Will you accept it, Prince Corum?"
"Gladly will I accept a gift from your hand, King Fiachadh," said Corum, remembering his manners, and he reached out and took the cloak gently, in his fleshly hand and his hand of gleaming silver.
And both hands vanished at the wrists so that it seemed he was again crippled, though this time twice-crippled. Yet he could feel his fleshly hand and feel the texture of the cloth with his fingers, for all that the mantle had made his hands disappear.
"It does work, then/' said King Fiachadh in tones of great satisfaction. ‘ 'I am glad you accepted it with hesitation, Sir Sidhi. ‘'
Corum began to understand. He drew his fleshly hand away from under the cloak and there was his hand again!
"A mantle of invisibility?"
' 'Aye,'' said Medhbh in awe.' 'The same mantle used by Gyfech to enter the bedchamber of Ben while her father slept across the door. That mantle was much prized, even amongst the Sidhi."
Corum said: "I believe I know how it must work. It comes from another plane. Just as Hy-Breasail is part of another world, so is this mantle. It shifts the wearer into another plane, just as the Vadhagh could once move from plane to plane and remain aware of activities on different planes ..."
They knew not of what he spoke, but they were too delighted to question him. He laughed. ' 'Brought from the Sidhi plane, it has no true existence here. Yet why will it not work for Mabden?"
' 'It will not always work for Sidhi,' ‘ said King Fiachadh.' 'There are some—Mabden or others—possessed of a sixth sense which makes them aware of you even when you are invisible to all others. Very few possess this sixth sense so that you may wear the mantle without detection most of the time. However, someone whose sixth sense is well-developed will see you just as I see you now."
"And this is the disguise I must use to go to the Tower of the High King?" Corum said, handling the cloak with care and equally as much reverence as had King Fiachadh, marveling as its folds hid first one portion and then another of his anatomy.' 'Yes, it is a good disguise." He smiled. "There is none better." He handed the mantle back to the King. "Best keep it safely in its chest until it is needed."
And when the chest was locked with all five keys, Corum sank back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Now," he said, "there is much to be planned."
So it was late before Corum and Medhbh lay together, in their wide, low bed, looking out through the windows at the summer moon.
"It was prophesied," said Medhbh sleepily, "that Cremm Croich should go upon three quests, face three great dangers, make three strong friendships ..."
"Prophesied where?"
"In the old legends."
"You have not mentioned this before."
"There seemed no point. Legends are vague. You are not what the legends led us to expect, after all." She smiled quietly.
He returned her smile. "Well, then, I begin the second quest tomorrow."
"And you will be gone long from my side," said Medhbh.
"That is my fate, I fear. I came for duty, not for love, sweet Medhbh. The love must be enjoyed while it does not interfere with duty."
"You could be killed could you not? For all you are an elfin lord?"
"Aye, killed by sword, or poison. I could even fall from my horse and break my neck!"
"Do not mock my fears, Corum."
"I am sorry." He rose on one elbow and
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