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〃Send for me when you want me。〃 Isgrimnur backed out of the room。 Josua did not look up or speak； but continued to watch the lamp as though it were the only thing that might lead him out of ultimate darkness。
〃I am trying to understand。〃 Miriamele's head ached。 〃Tell me again about the swords。〃
She had been with the dwarrows for several days； as far as she could tell： it was hard to know for certain here in the rocky fastness below the Hayholt。 The shy earth…dwellers had continued to treat her well； but still refused to free her； Miriamele had argued； pleaded…even raged for a long hour； demanding to be released； threatening； cursing。 As her anger spent itself； the dwarrows had murmured among themselves worriedly。 They seemed so shocked and unsettled by her fury that she had almost felt ashamed of herself； but the embarrassment passed as quickly as the anger。
After all； she had decided； I did not ask to be brought here。 They say their reasons are good…then let their reasons make them feel better。 I shouldn 't have to。
She was convinced of； if not reconciled to； the reasons for her captivity。 The dwarrows seemed to sleep very little if at all； and only a few of them at a time ever left the wide cavern。 Whether they were telling her the entire truth or not； she did not doubt that there was something out there that frightened the slender； wide…eyed creatures very badly。
〃The swords；〃 said Yis…fidri。 〃Very well； I will try better to explain。 You saw that we knew the arrow； even though we did not make it？〃
〃Yes。〃 They had certainly seemed to know something significant was in the saddlebags； although it was possible they could have made up the story on the spot after finding it。
〃We did not make the arrow； but it was crafted by one who learned from us。 The three Great Swords are of our making； and we are bound to them。〃
〃You made the three swords？〃 This was what had confused her。 It did not match what she had been told。 〃I knew that your people made Minneyar for King Elvrit of Rimmsersgard…but not that they forged the other two as well。 Jarnauga said that the sword Sorrow was made by Ineluki himself。〃
〃Speak not his name！〃 Several of the other dwarrows looked up and chimed a few unsettled words which Yis…fidri answered before turning back to Miriamele。 〃Speak not his name。 He is closer than he has been in centuries。 Do not call his attention！〃
It's like being in a whole cave full of Strangyeards； thought Miriamele。 They seem afraid of everything。 Still； Binabik had said much the same thing。 〃Very well。 I won't say 。。。 his name。 But that story is not what I was told。 A learned man said that 。。。 he 。。。 made it himself in the forges of Asu'a。〃
The dwarrow sighed。 〃Indeed。 We were the smiths of Asu'a…or at least some of our people were 。。。 some who had not fled our Zida'ya masters； but who were still Navigator's Children for all that； still as like to us as two chunks of ore from the same vein。 They all died when the castle fell。〃 Yis…fidri chanted a brief lament in the dwarrow tongue； his wife Yis…hadra echoed him。 〃He used the Hammer that Shapes to forge it…our Hammer… and the Words of Making that we taught to him。 It might as well have been our own High Smith's hand that crafted it。 In that terrible instant； wheresoever we were； scattered across the world's face。。。 we felt Sorrow's making。 The pain of it is with us still。〃 He fell silent for a long time。 'That the Zida'ya allowed such a thing。〃 he said at last； 〃is one of the reasons we have turned away from them。 We were so sorely diminished by that one act that we have ever since been crippled。〃
〃And Thorn？〃
Yis…fidri nodded his heavy head。 〃The mortal smiths of Nabban tried to work the star…stone。 They could not。 Certain of our people were sought out and brought secretly to the Imperator's palace。 These kin of ours were thought by most mortals to be only strange folk who watched the oceans and kept the ships safe from harm； but a small number knew that the old lore of Making and Shaping ran deep in all the Tinukeda'ya； even those who had chosen to remain with the sea。〃
〃Tinukeda'ya？〃 It took a moment to sink in。 〃But that's what Gan Itai 。。。 those are Niskies！〃
〃We are all Ocean Children；〃 said the dwarrow gravely。 〃Some decided to stay near the sea which forever separates us from the Garden of our birth。 Others chose more hidden and secretive ways； like the earth's dark places and the task of shaping stone。 You see； unlike our cousins the Zida'ya and Hikeda'ya； we Children of the Navigator can shape ourselves just as we shape other things。〃
Miriamele was dumbfounded。 〃You're 。。。 you and the Niskies are the same？〃 Now she understood the phantom of recognition that had troubled her upon first seeing Yis…fidri。 There was something in his bones； in his way of moving； that reminded her of Gan Itai。 But they looked so different！
〃We are not the same any more。 The act of shaping ourselves takes generations； and it changes more than just our outward seeming。 But much does not change。 The Dawn Children and Cloud Children are our cousins…but the sea…watchers are our sisters and brothers。〃
Miriamele sat back； trying to grasp what she had been told。 〃So you and the Niskies are the same。 And Niskies forged Thorn。〃 She shook her head。 〃You are saying； then； that you can feel all the Great Swords…even more strongly than you felt the White Arrow？〃 A sudden thought came to her。 〃Then you must know where Bright…Nail is…the sword that was called Minneyar！〃
Yis…fidri smiled sadly。 〃Yes； although your King John hung it with many prayers and relics and other mortal magicks； perhaps in the hope of concealing its true nature。 But you know your own arms and hands。 Princess Miriamele； do you not？ Would you know them any the less if they were still joined to you； but were clothed in some other mortal's jacket and gloves？〃
It was strange to think of her magnificent grandfather working so hard to hide Bright…Nail's heritage。 Was he ashamed of owning such a weapon？ Why？ 〃If you know these swords so well； can you tell me where Bright…Nail is now？〃
〃I cannot say； 'it is such and such a place；' no。 But it is somewhere near。 Somewhere within a few thousand paces。〃
So it was either in the castle or the under…castle； Miriamele decided。 That didn't help much； but at least her father had not had it thrown in the ocean or carried off to Nascadu。 〃Did you e here because you knew the swords were here？〃
〃No。 We were fleeing other things； routed from our city in the north。 We knew already that two of the swords were here； but that meant little to us at that time： we fled away through our tunnels and they led us here。 It was only as we drew close to Asu'a that we came to understand that other forces were also at work。〃
〃And so now you're caught between the two and don't know which way to run。〃 She said it with more than a little disapproval； but knew even so that what the dwarrows faced was much like her own situation。 She； too； was driven by things bigger than herself。 She had fled her father； trying to put the entire world between the two of them。 Now she had risked her life and the lives of her friends to e back and find him； but feared what might happen if she succeeded。 Miriamele pushed the useless thoughts away。 〃Forgive me； Yis…fidri。 I'm tired of sitting for so long； that's all。〃
It had been good to rest the first day； despite her anger over her imprisonment； but now she was aching to be on her way； to move； to do something； whatever that might be。 Otherwise； she was trapped with her thoughts。 They made painful pany。
〃We are truly sorry； Miriamele。 You may walk as much as you wish here。 We have tried to give you all that you need。〃
It was fortunate for them that she had the packs that held the remaining provisions； she reflected。 If she had been forced to subsist on the dwarrows' food…fungi and small； unpleasant burrowing creatures…she would be a much less congenial prisoner。 〃You cannot give me what I need as long as I am held captive；〃 she said。 〃Nothing can change that； no matter what you say。〃
〃It is too perilous。〃
Miriamele bit back an angry reply。 She had already tried that approach。 She needed to think。
Yis…hadra scraped at a bit of the cavern wall with a curved； flat…ended tool。 Miriamele could not quite tell what Yis…fidri's wife was doing； but she seemed to be enjoying it： the dwarrow was singing quietly beneath her breath。 The more Miriamele listened； the more the song fascinated her。 It was scarcely louder than a whisper； but it had something in it of the power and plexity of Gan Itai's kilpa…singing。 Yis…hadra sang in rhythm with the movement of her long； graceful hands。 Music and movement together made one singular thing。 Miriamele sat beside her for some time； transfixed。
〃Are you building something？〃 she asked during a lull in the song。
The dwarrow looked up。 A smile stretched her odd face。 〃This s'h'rosa here…this piece of stone that runs through the other stone 。。。〃 she indicated a darker streak； barely visible in the glow of the rose crystal。 〃It wishes to 。。。 e out。 To be seen。〃