gold?”
I wasn’t sure what she meant, “What else do I have to offer?”
“Land,” she stated simply. “Offer them land for farms and homes, with money to build once the fighting is done. There are a large number of men in Lothion who would jump at such an offer: the poor, the unemployed and dispossessed, the younger sons of farmers with nothing to inherit. The chance to become a freeholder with their own land would be a powerful incentive. It would give them a strong reason for fighting to win rather than just to survive long enough to collect their pay.”
That had never occurred to me. In fact most of the Cameron lands were uninhabited, more so now after seventeen years with no lord to maintain them. New freeholds would mean more taxes, more farming, and more men to defend the land in the future, not just today. If Dorian’s remarks about a lord’s power being built upon the strength of his people were correct then I was a relatively weak lord. More people would change that dramatically.
“I think you may have hit upon an excellent idea,” I replied after some thought. No man can own the earth; merely share it for a while. “Shut up!” I shouted at the voice. After a pause I realized everyone was staring at me. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t directed at you Rose.”
Rose studied me for a moment, I could almost hear the gears turning in that keen mind of hers, “The voices are getting stronger aren’t they Mordecai?” Concern was clear on her face.
“Not exactly… maybe, I’m not sure. Please, let’s move on. I’m fine and we have a lot to decide,” I said. The discussion continued but I kept catching my friends giving me worried looks from the corner of their eyes, whenever they thought I wasn’t looking.
You aren’t mad. It only seems so because they can’t accept the truth. Stop denying and accept it, this is what you are. The only insanity is your struggle to deny reality.
I closed my eyes again while everyone discussed what sorts of materials would be most useful for stopping the forces of Gododdin. Tears welled up from the corners of my eyes. I’m going insane, right in front of them, I thought. The voice was so clear; I could even tell it was a woman’s from the tone.
I was a woman once, the words answered my unspoken question.
What are you now? I thought back at it without meaning to.
I am not sure. Time is different now. No one can hear me, an age has passed and men have forgotten me.
Who are you? I asked. I had given up but shame had the tears flowing freely down my face.
I don’t remember. But I loved a man once… he bore your name.
He was an Illeniel? I thought back.
Yes, Mordecai Illeniel was his name. The voice paused but I could almost feel the pain behind the memory, then it continued. He was much like you.
Mordecai?
“Mordecai!” I could feel someone shaking me.
“Mordecai look at me!” I opened my eyes. Penny was holding my head in her hands while she crouched beside me. I hadn’t seen her look so worried since I had been thrown from that horse a year ago. “Come back to me Mort. Focus… stay with me. Can you hear me?”
“I’m not deaf Penny,” I smiled at her.
“You’re not normal either. You were sitting at the table with your eyes closed, crying,” she leaned in to kiss me, ignoring the eyes of everyone around us. “We have to do something Mort. I don’t think you have much time,” she said.
I was much calmer now. Something about my conversation with the voice had left me feeling better. I tried to convey that to her, “It’s alright Penny. I think I’m better now. I understand a little more. The voice has been talking to me… explaining things. It isn’t as sinister as I thought. Given a little time I think we can understand each other.”
Cyhan spoke up, “It’s almost too late. He’s much farther gone than I suspected. You need to form the bond now, before his mind slips completely away.”
“But I haven’t had any training,” Penny said.
“You don’t need it to form the bond; he’ll do most of that anyway. The training is just to help keep you alive afterward,” he replied.
“Honestly, I don’t think it is necessary,” I put in.
He ignored me, “Do you have a sword Penelope?”
As a matter of fact she did, though we had packed it away after reaching the capital. Rose ran to fetch it from her things while Cyhan pulled a clear gem from a pouch at his side. Marc stepped closer, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Cyhan glanced at him, “Leave. Your goddess may try to interfere with the bonding. He will be vulnerable during the process. If she takes advantage it could be our undoing.”
Marc was incensed, “My Lady is not like that. She bears only goodwill for us. If only men would accept that she could help us!”
“You have a choice,” Cyhan answered, “you may leave, or I can remove you.” He left it open to interpretation what he meant exactly by the word ‘remove’.
Marc left, but he certainly wasn’t happy about it. Rose returned a second later with Penny’s sword. It was the same slender blade she had carried with her the night we fought the shiggreth together. She passed it carefully over into Penny’s hands.
Penny looked at Cyhan, “What do I do now?”
“Nothing, hold the blade up across your palms, as though you were presenting it to him,” he replied.
“I don’t want to do this yet,” I said.
“You don’t have a choice. It’s either that or I’ll see to it that you never walk out of this room alive… understand?” His voice was calm but I could see violence coiled in his large frame. The man was ready to carry out his threat the moment he sensed any resistance.
No! They’ll geld you. This is wrong… don’t let them do this.
“I understand,” I made my choice. “What do I do?”
Cyhan pulled a small scroll from a pouch, “You can read Lycian?” I nodded at him that I could. “She will give you her oath, and you will respond. Place your hands on top of hers where she holds the sword,” he told me.
I put my hands over hers, with the sword between our palms. Cyhan reached over and set the clear gem he had been holding on the flat of the blade.
No!
I could hear the voice again, and the earth shook beneath us. The giant heartbeat had sped up. The gem slid off the blade and fell to the ground.
“What was that?” Penny asked.
Cyhan grabbed up the stone quickly, this time he replaced it and wound a long leather thong around it to hold it in place, “I think he’s losing control, we have to hurry.”
“That wasn’t me,” I said, but no one was listening.
Don’t you understand? This will kill you! the voice shouted at me.
“The voice says this is going to kill me… that can’t be true right?” I asked them.
“Your mind is splintering Mordecai. It’s fighting with itself. You have to focus on what we’re doing.” Cyhan looked worried. It was not an expression that suited him.
“But I can’t shake the ground… it’s impossible. It’s too big, no wizard could do that,” I protested.
He had already begun giving Penny her lines and she recited them flawlessly, “I, Penelope Cooper, do give my faith and trust to you, Mordecai Illeniel. My life is yours, to use as you wish. I am your sword; I will protect you and carry your burdens with you. In the light I will walk beside you, to face your foes, and should darkness enter your heart I will…” She faltered for a moment, “should darkness enter your heart, I will be your death.” She said the words proudly; looking straight into my eyes, though I could see the last part pained her to say.
Cyhan held the scroll up near me so that I could see it, “Read the response, in Lycian, and put your heart into it.”
The earth began a steady vibration that set my teeth on edge, while the house began to shake lightly. No! You are the last hope! They’ll destroy everything if you do this! A form began to flow up from the floor, taking shape
