The vagrant was wearing dirty boots and a hooded cloak that had seen better days. He was sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, and when he spotted me, he held out the empty cup. I stopped Little Bee, reached into my purse, and tossed him a full gold piece. The beggar took the money and gave me a dignified nod. I nodded back to him and rode on.
When I’d ridden a quarter of a league from Avendoom, I threw the charter with the royal pardon into the ditch at the side of the road. I’d lived all this time without it and I could manage without it for the same number of years. I looked back. The walls of Avendoom were shrouded in light morning mist. I took a deep breath of the cool air.
Sagot take me, but that felt good! It was spring, after all.
“Forward, Little Bee,” I said, and didn’t look back again.
Glossary
Avendoom - the capital of the northern kingdom of Valiostr. The largest and richest city of the Northern Lands.
battery sword - a variety of sword with a midsized blade that can be wielded either with one hand or both.
Beaver Caps, or Beavers - soldiers of Valiostr, armed with heavy two-handed swords. Each soldier bears the title of “Master of the Long Sword” and wears a beaver-fur cap as an emblem to distinguish him from the soldiers of other units. These forces are used as a reserve striking force, to recover all kinds of difficult situations in battle. During military action the Beavers are also accorded the honor of guarding the banner and the king, taking the place of the royal guard.
bidenhander - a two-handed sword with a blade that can be a yard and a half long. They usually are designed with a massive handle, a heavy counterweight that is usually round, and a broad crosspiece. Sometimes the armorers would add massive metal spurs to prevent the blade running right through the opponent.
Border Kingdom, or Borderland - the kingdom beside the northern outcrops of the Mountains of the Dwarves and the Forests of Zagraba.
Borg’s link - named after a general of ancient times who invented the chain formation, in which every single soldier plays an indispensable part in repelling an attack.
brother and sister swords - the names of the two swords in the special school of swordsmanship that is widespread among the nobility of Garrak. During combat the weapons are held at different heights in relationship to each other. The “brother,” a narrow, double-sided blade held in the right hand, is used both for slashing and for thrusting. The “sister,” a shorter blade with no cutting edge, is only used for thrusting blows. The weapons are either carried behind the back or in a double scabbard.
Canian forge work - weapons made from the steel mined in the Steel Mines of Isilia. The steel is worked in the famous smithies of the kingdom’s capital, Cania. Following special processing and forging it acquires a ruby color and a unique quality—on encountering steel of a different type it emits a melodic ringing sound like small bells, or a shriek of fury. For this reason Canian-forged steel is also known as Singing Steel, Shrieking Steel, or Ruby Blood.
Chapel of the Hands - the assembly of the supreme priests of Sagot.
Cold Sea - the northern sea of the Western Ocean. It washes the shores of Valiostr and the Desolate Lands.
Commission - the agreement that is concluded between a master thief and his client. The thief undertakes to supply the item required or, in case of failure, to return the client’s pledge and a percentage of the total value of the deal. The client undertakes to make payment in full on receiving the article in which he is interested. A Commission can only be abrogated by the mutual consent of both parties.
Crayfish Dukedom - the only state in the Desolate Lands.
crayfish grip (coll.) - a grip from which it is impossible to escape. The expression derives from the common saying that the men of the Crayfish Dukedom have a strong grip, and once they take you prisoner, you will never get away alive.
crayfish sleigh - in the Crayfish Dukedom, men who had been executed were transported to their graves on sleighs. Hence the meaning of this phrase—if the crayfish sleigh has come for you, death is at the door.
Crest of the World - the highest mountain chain in Siala. It runs from north to south across almost the entire continent. The crest is very difficult to cross and the lands beyond it are almost entirely unexplored.
Defender of the Hands - one of the highest positions in the hierarchy of the priests of Sagot.
Desolate Lands - the forests, stretches of open tundra, and ice fields in the far north. They have been settled by beings of various kinds, several of which constantly attempt to gain entry to the Northern Lands of Siala, and only the unassailable Mountains of Despair, the Lonely Giant fortress, and the Wild Hearts hold back their invasion of the world of men. Ogres, giants, svens, h’varrs, winter orcs, and dozens of other races and varieties of creatures inhabit these vast territories. People also live here, savages and barbarians who are subjects of the Nameless One. In all the Desolate Lands there is only one human state, the Crayfish Dukedom on the Crayfish Claw peninsula.
In the far north of the Desolate Lands, beyond the Needles of Ice, lies the dwelling of the Nameless One, whom savages captured by the Wild Hearts’ scouts mention only in reverential whispers.
Disputed Lands - the lands lying alongside the Forests of Zagraba, between Miranueh and Valiostr.
djanga - a rapid, rhythmical dance, very popular in Zagorie.
Djashla - the kingdom of the mountain people that lies alongside the Crest of the World.
Djok Imargo, or “Djok the bringer of winter” - the man who supposedly killed the prince of the House of the Black Rose. The Long Winter began as a result of this murder.
Doralissians - a race of goat-people who live in the Steppes of Ungava.
Doralissian horses - a type of horse bred in the Steppes of Ungava and valued throughout the Northern Lands for their beauty, speed, and stamina.
dralan - a commoner who has been granted a title by a duke; the title is not hereditary.
drokr - an elfin fabric that is proof against water and odors and does not burn in fire.
D’san-dor (orcish), or the Slumbering Forest - a forest that lies in the Desolate Lands, close to the spurs of the Mountains of Despair.
dwarves - the race of short beings living in the Mountains of the Dwarves. They are quite different from their near cousins, the gnomes. It is astonishing how their short, thick-fingered hands can create the most wonderful items, which are valued highly in every corner of Siala, whether they are weapons, tools, or works of art.
E.D. - the Era of Dreams, the final age of Siala. The events described in this book take place in the final year of the Era of Dreams. This age was preceded by the Era of Accomplishments (the age during which men appeared in Siala, about seven thousand years ago), the Gray Era (the age deemed to have begun with the appearance of orcs and elves in Siala), and the Dark Era (it is not known who, apart from ogres, lived in Siala in these distant times and what happened then).
elves - the second young race of Siala. The elves appeared almost immediately after their relatives, the orcs. After living in the Forests of Zagraba for several thousand years, the elves became divided into light and dark.
