a sleep on a straw palette in a room strewn with vegetables and crockery is hodge, a wrinkled old retainer. a flickering candle and empty jug are beside the bed. he is snoring gently.
hold your tongue. if the master's got a mind to go, he'll go.
what do you want with us?
aye, this be the place of ulrich.
you'd best keep your distance -- and your manners.
aha -- it's a test you're looking for. we don't do tests.
and you're not going to get one.
just making my farewell, thank you very much.
be careful with that! you don't know what you're doing.
oh, it's a vale of tears in which we dwell. it doesn't matter who you are, a king in his robes, a peasant in his rags, when your time comes, no magic can save you.
the kindest lord a man could ask for.  now he's gone. ye gods he was fussy about his bath. and you'd think he could boil his own eggs with the snap of a finger, but no, he had old hodge do it, of course. up before five i was, mucking out the cages, slopping the pigs, and never once got so much as a thankyou or a pat on the back.  i'm going to miss him.
no you don't. all you care about is the tricks and knavery. well, you don't pull any wool over these old eyes. it'll be a mighty long walk before you fill his shoes, you mark my word.
careful with that!
stop it!
stop it, i say! out of respect for the master!
good morrow, good morrow. peace be with you.
no tests!!
hodge marches along with the rest. when he's sure no one else is looking he burrows into his garments and brings out the leather pouch containing ulrich's ashes. reassured that it's still with him, he tucks it away again. galen falls into step.
none of your business.
save your jokes for someone else. me, i don't care for braggarts.
and i don't care for frauds.
call it fool then. upstart. whatever pleases you.
oh, i'm here of my own free will, all right. we each do the master's bidding in our own way.
home, is it? you've seen to that, haven't you? gone to seed, i'd say.
galen? can you hear me?
you know, somebody shot me, but i can still talk. there's something that has to be done.
not that cockatrice. ulrich's ashes. here.
take it. sorry, you'll have to peel it loose.
burning water.  find the lake, throw it in.
burning water.