“Alas, madam,” said he, “to our shame I may not deny it.”
“O trample out any thought of shame,” said she. “A score of them against every one of us: the glory of our defence shall be for ever. But now ’tis for me mainly he still beareth against Krothering so great and peisant strokes as thick as rain falleth from the sky. And now must ye obey me and do my commandment; else must we perish, for even this tower we are not enough to hold against him many days.”
“Divine Lady,” said Astar, “but once shall one pass the cruel pass of death. I and your folk will defend you unto that end.”
“Sir,” said she, standing like a queen before him, “I shall now defend myself and our precious things in Krothering more certainly than ye men of war may do.” And she showed him shortly that this was her design, to yield up the keep unto Corinius under promise of a safe conduct for Astar and Ravnor and all her men.
“And submit thee to this Corinius?” said Astar. But she answered, “Thy sword hath likely cut his claws for awhile. I fear him not.”
Of all this would Astar at first have nought to do, and the old steward withal was well nigh mutinous. But so firm of purpose was she, and withal showed them so plainly that this was the only hope to save herself and Krothering, and the Witches must else sack the house of Krothering and in a few days win the keep, “and then, snaky despair; and the fault on’t not in fortune but in ourselves, that could not frame ourselves to our fortune”; that at last with heavy hearts they consented to do her bidding.
Without more ado, was a parley called, Mevrian speaking for herself from a high window opening on the court and Gro for Corinius. In which parley it was articled that she should render up the tower; and that the fighting men which were within should have peace and safe passage whither they would; and that there should be no scathe nor outrage done to Krothering neither to the lands thereof; and that all this should be writ down and sealed under the hands of Corinius, Gro, and Laxus, and the gates opened to the Witches and all keys delivered up within an half hour of the giving of the sealed writing into Mevrian’s hand.
Now was all this performed accordingly, and Krothering keep rendered to the Lord Corinius. Astar and Ravnor and their men would have abided as prisoners for Mevrian’s sake, but Corinius would not suffer it, vowing with bloody imprecations that he would let slay out of hand any man of them he should take after an hour’s space within three miles of Krothering. So, under Mevrian’s strait commands, they departed.
