CHAPTER XLI. THE HOST DEPARTETH FROM SHADOWY VALE: THE FIRST DAY'S
JOURNEY
It was about three hours before noon that the Host began to enter
into the pass out of Shadowy Vale by the river-side; and the women
and children, and men unfightworthy, stood on the higher ground at
the foot of the cliffs to see the Host wend on the way. Of these a
many were of the Woodlanders, who were now one folk with them of
Shadowy Vale. And all these had chosen to abide tidings in the Vale,
deeming that there was little danger therein, since that last
slaughter which Folk-might had made of the Dusky Men; albeit Face-of-
god had offered to send them all to Burgstead with two score and ten
men-at-arms to guard them by the way and to eke out the warders of
the Burg.
Now the fighting-men of Shadowy Vale were two long hundreds lacking
five; of whom two score and ten were women, and three score and ten
lads under twenty winters; but the women, though you might scarce see
fairer of face and body, were doughty in arms, all good shooters in
the bow; and the swains were eager and light-foot, cragsmen of the
best, wont to scaling the cliffs of the Vale in search of the nests
of gerfalcons and such-like fowl, and swimming the strong streams of
the Shivering Flood; tough bodies and wiry, stronger than most grown
men, and as fearless as the best.
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