His voice trailed off and he lowered his head. Asayaga was startled to see tears in the old man's eyes.

'You don't realize just how quickly the years pass until it happens to you. Someone of your years still thinks there's all the time in the world. Then one day you awake and you see the first wisps of grey in your beard, but you still feel strong enough, you can still tumble a wench and make her laugh come morning, you still think you have the entire world.'

'Then, one day, the girls you once so eagerly pursued, why, they are off chasing boys who seem like children to you, for in fact they are children compared to you!'

'You still have the fire in you,' Asayaga offered, smiling.

Wolfgar held out a trembling hand. 'I can barely hold my feasting cup without it slopping over me: it's been years since I could curl these fingers around a lute, let alone around the plump backside of any of the serving-girls. So don't lie to me, lad, though I bless you for trying.'

Wolfgar's gaze lingered on the mountain tops.

'They'll come over that pass. It's hard to defend, too broad at the top. When they hit, take the pass to the west; I doubt if they know of it. Roxanne can guide you. Take everyone with you.'

'You'll guide us,' Dennis offered, a note of concern in his voice.

Wolfgar shook his head. 'My last wife is buried here. My happiest memories are of this place. No, I think I'll stay.'

'No.' Dennis snapped the one word out, his voice filled with bitterness.

Wolfgar leaned back over, his trembling hand resting on Dennis's shoulder. Asayaga could see the sudden anguish in Dennis and understood. Here was a man who had no one, who thought himself completely alone, and then by the pure randomness of fate had rediscovered a long-lost friend from his childhood. It would be even harder to lose him again.

'You know it must be,' Wolfgar offered. 'I would only slow you down and the first night in the cold would most likely kill me anyhow. I'd prefer to die in my own feasting hall, my written ballads spread on the table before me, a good cup of mead in my hand.'

Dennis, sensing Asayaga's gaze, turned away, head lowered. 'Yes,' he whispered. 'You're right, damn it. I'm sorry we ever found this place.'

'I'm not. The war is spreading this way. Things in the north are stirring. It would have only been a matter of time before they came here. I think it a blessing. I know my girls will be safe, the other women and children as well. That was what I have been worried about ever since the men of this place disappeared.' Wolfgar patted him on the shoulder. 'That's why I ask you to protect my girls. I know what happens with girls who march with soldiers. I want better for them than that.'

He looked over at Asayaga.

'No offence meant.'

'And none taken. You speak as any father would and I swear my oath to you that I shall protect their honour with my sword and life.' As he spoke, Asayaga drew his hunting dagger and turned it so that the hilt was pointed towards the old man, thus showing his pledge-bond. Wolfgar smiled and bowed formally from the saddle, revealing for a moment the training and breeding of old when he had performed in the courts of kings.

'I know what the two of you intend to do once you're free of pursuit: to take up your old war again. If the two of you are fate-doomed to do that, I ask that you pledge before each other now that whoever survives will see my girls to safety, to somewhere beyond the wars.'

Dennis's eyes which had softened for a moment, now glazed over again into hardness.

'I pledge it,' Dennis said without enthusiasm and Asayaga did likewise.

Wolfgar noisily cleared his throat and wiped his eyes. 'Foolish tears of an old man,' he said huskily.

He reined his mount around and motioned for the two to fall in by his side. Together they started down the slope to the stockade walking in silence.

The afternoon was getting late, the sun starting to slip behind the western mountains, the long shadows of the peaks spreading out across the valley. Off to his left Asayaga could see another hunting party coming in, several Kingdom archers followed by half a dozen Tsurani, a couple of his men armed with bows as well.

The gates of the stockade were open and the bath-house constructed by Asayaga's men within days after their arrival was a hive of activity, smoke billowing from the chimney, a swarm of naked men spilling out of the doorway, laughing, jumping into the slushy snow; Gregory, who looked almost bearlike in their midst, bellowing from the shock. The Kingdom men were all from the north and the ritual of a snow roll after a midwinter's bath had caught on with the Tsurani. The Kingdom men seemed to be on the verge of addiction to the Tsurani tubs. Unlike Kingdom bathing, where you'd sit in a tub while someone else poured water over your head – often cold – the Tsurani had built large round wooden tubs, large enough to hold half a dozen people each. The water was warmed ingeniously, by heating up large rocks and lowering them into the water in a metal cage, over and over, until the water seemed to be on the verge of scalding.

Dennis had almost ordered the project halted when a few of the rocks had exploded upon heating, but Asayaga had insisted it was a common problem on his homeworld and that no one would be in danger once the rock had survived the first heating.

Dennis felt no pleasure at the sight of the cavorting men. The Tsurani had no shame, he had come to learn, and bathed openly in front of others, men or women, and his Marauders were becoming equally uninhibited. He did not consider this a good thing.

Other men piled into the bath-house, hanging up their tunics on pegs hammered into the outside wall, then sitting on the steps to pull off their foot-wrappings or boots before venturing in.

'I still say it's dangerous,' Wolfgar grumbled. 'All that hot water opens up the skin so evil vapours can get in and make you sick.'

'How many of your men have boils?' Asayaga asked, looking over at Dennis.

'I don't know. A dozen or so.'

'Diseases of the skin, you Kingdom soldiers are riddled with it. You're the filthiest people I've ever laid eyes on. How often do you bathe? Once a year whether you need it or not?'

'Like Wolfgar said, it's unhealthy. It's fine for women but they're different.'

Asayaga laughed and shook his head. 'Try it with me.'

'What?'

'The bath. Yes, you, Hartraft: or are you afraid?'

Wolfgar threw back his head and laughed. 'He's got you.'

'We don't have much time before evening parade, so will you?'

'Getting the dirt off you might make Alyssa notice you,' Wolfgar interjected with a grin, 'or even Roxanne.'

As if the mention of their names was a summons, the two daughters, along with several of the women of the stockade, came out of the gate wrapped in heavy towels, laughing and pointing at the men cavorting in the slush. The sight of them caused the Kingdom soldiers to scramble, running up to grab their tunics and pull them on, a sight which made Asayaga burst into laughter since the short jackets barely covered their backsides. Gregory, grinning, took his time, waving casually to the girls. The Tsurani nodded politely, but made no attempt to hide their nakedness.

Wolfgar urged his mount forward and rode up to his daughters, but it was obvious within seconds that whatever his objections the women were going into the sauna.

'If it wasn't his daughters going in there,' Asayaga ventured, 'I dare say that old man would go in as well, and it wouldn't be so he could get clean.'

Dennis actually smiled.

'Well, Hartraft,' Asayaga asked, 'are you going in?'

'What? Now?' He looked over at Alyssa who was sitting on the steps, pulling off her boots.

'Yes, now. Back home men and women bathe together all the time.'