Chapter eleven
Of weapons and colors — and the Scorpion“In Aphrasöe you will find only death!”
Threats of that kind had little effect on our company — By Krun! they had no effect whatsoever. We were a roughneck, reckless, harebrained bunch, and with the end of our long journey in sight, any tension that might have been expected did not show itself as these tough warriors — old and young — skylarked and joked, treating the whole expedition as a giant escapade put on for their especial benefit. Concern over the life of the emperor had sensibly diminished now we were so close to the Pool of Baptism where he would be cured.
No doubts or thoughts of failure entered anyone’s head.
The laggard burs flew past. The large island on which Aphrasöe was situated rose out of the sea before us as the
