long pool where many tables had been set with food. Against the backdrop of great, spraying fountains lit up with glowstones, these tables fairly groaned beneath the weight of mutton joints, beef roasts and whole roasted pigs. There were fowls and cheeses and breads, too, pastries and fruits, and many vegetables: buttered lentils with scallions, baked potatoes, asparagus drowning in a sauce made from lemons and eggs – and strange-looking roots called yams that were said to be grown in the Eiyssu. This being Tria, the King's cooks had also set before us braised salmon, smoked herring and huge, insect-like shellfish called lobsters. I couldn't believe that human beings could eat such things, but the Trians seemed to relish and regard them as a delicacy. The nobles, I thought, were used to feasting on delicacies, and to drinking the finest wines, as well. These were set out in bottles on marble tables around the fountains. The best vintages, it was said, came from Galda before it had fallen and from the vineyards of Karabuk. Although the Alonians were forbidden to trade with this kingdom directly, cargoes of wine - and spices such as pepper, doves and cinnamon – had somehow found their way into the holds of ships sailing up the coasts of Galda and Delu and then through the Dolphin Channel into Tria.
It was a clear, beautiful night with a full moon and many stars. The city spread out in all directions below us. little lights like those of fireflies flickered from the many houses and buildings. Some areas were dark, such as the Narmada Green, a two-mile long expanse of woods just to the west of the palace grounds. There the King rode to take his exercise and to hunt the few boar and deer that still remained there. To the south, the great Tower of the Sun stood like a silver needle between the Hastar and Marshan palaces, while to the north, arising from Narmada Hill and Eriades Hill, were the Tower of the Moon and the Tower of the Western Sun. East of the palace, on terraces cut into the lower slopes of the hill on which it was built, the Elu Gardens seemed almost suspended in space below us. In the bright light of the moon, I could still make out its many acres of lawns, flower beds and well-tended trees. It formed a great barrier between the palace and the populous districts below it. A little farther to the east, the great, golden Star Bridge – now almost silver in the moonlight – spanned the Poru River and drew the eye out toward the harbor and the gleaming sea to the north. Following Maram's lead, we all filled our plates with mounds of food, and found an empty table near some lilac bushes where we could take our meal in peace. But peace we could not have, for even as we finished eating and stood around the table drinking wine, various men and women began coming up to us and presenting themselves. The first of these I was very glad to see for he was a Valari knight whom I knew from my childhood: Sar Yarwan Solaru of Kaash, King Talanu's third son and my first cousin by my mother, who was sister to the King. Sar Yarwan, a striking man with a great, hawk's nose, clasped hands with me warmly, and then told me the names of the six other knights who accompanied him. These were Sar Manthanu of Athar, Sar Tadru of Lagash, Sar Danashu of Taron, Sar Laisu, also of Kaash, Sar Ianar of Rajak and Sar Avador of Daksh. These last two knights were the sons of Duke Rezu and Duke Gorador; I admitted to them that I had met their fathers on our passage through Anjo and that I had been told to look for them in Tria. Sar Ianar, who had his father's sharp features and sharpness of eye, looked at some Alonians milling about a nearby table and said,
'Sar Valashu Elahad, it's good to see another Valari here – so few of us made the journey.'
Sar Yarwan rested his hand on my shoulder and said, 'We all appreci-ate what you said to the King.'
'The truth is the truth and must be told,' I said.
'Nevertheless, it takes courage to tell it – especially when few wish to listen.' He bowed his head to me and continued, 'We didn't know you would be coming to Tria. It's too bad you arrived so late.'
Although he was my cousin, I didn't tell him about the Grays and that we'd had to fight for our lives to arrive at all.
'We would have asked you to join our company,' he said to me. His bright eyes seemed to be searching for something in mine. 'We would still ask you. There are seven of us, and that is good luck and accords with the prophecy. But we're all agreed that it would be even better luck to have you with us.'
'You honor me, I said. Then I nodded at Kane, Maram, Atara and Mas-ter Juwain.
'But as you can see, we've already formed our own company.' I presented my friends, who each bowed in turn to the Valari knights. 'Five is too few to make a company,' Sar Yarwan said. And then in that blunt, outspoken manner of too many of my people, he went on, 'Kane almost looks Valari, and he would be a welcome addition, too. And Atara Ars Narmada – Atara Manslayer. If any warriors are almost the equal of the Valari, it would be the Manslayers of the Sarni. But as for your other friends, well, we're a company of knights. Surely they could find other companions who shared their sensibilities and skills.' Sar Yarwan's artless words seemed not to perturb Master Juwain in the slightest. But Maram stood there biting on his mustache and blushing. For once, he was speechless. And so I spoke for him instead, saying,
'Thank you, Sar Yarwan – we would certainly welcome your company, to say nothing of your swords. But we journeyed here together, and we'll journey from here together as well.'
'As you wish, Sar Valashu,' he said. He glanced at his companions again and nodded at me. 'We wish all of you well, wherever your journeys take you. May you always walk in the light of the One.'
I said the same to him, and Atara did, too. Then she looked over towards one of the fountains and her face brightened. I turned to see Queen Daryana walking toward us accompanied by a large knight bearing the crest of two oaks and two eagles on his green tunic.
'Mother,' Atara said as she greeted the Queen, 'may I present Sar Valashu Elahad? I was hoping you might be able meet him in less difficult circumstances.'
I bowed to Queen Daryana, who smiled at me before glancing at the fountain where the King stood talking with two of his dukes. Then she said to me, 'It seems that all circumstances will be difficult so long as you remain in Tria.'
And with that, she motioned toward the knight standing next to her; with a wry smile, she said to me, 'This is Baron Narcavage of Arngin. The King has sent him with me to make sure that you don't attack me.'
I nodded my head slightly to this great Baron, who reluctantly returned the bow. He had a deep chest and great arms, and his large head was sunk down into a thick neck swollen with muscle or fat – it was hard to tell which on account of his thick, blond beard. His little blue eyes seemed the only small thing about him; they were almost lost beneath his overhanging forehead and bushy eyebrows. But they peered out at me with a sharp intelligence all the same. There was cunning and resentment there – and the wit to hide them as well.
'Sar Valashu Elahad,' he said to me, 'the King sends his regrets that he is too busy to further make your acquaintance. But he has also sent his finest wine to thank you for honoring him tonight.' So saying, he showed everyone a large green bottle that he had held in the crook of his arms. 'This comes from the Kinderry vineyards of Galda. May I pour you a glass?'
'Perhaps in a moment,' I said. 'We haven't finished making the presentations.'
I told the Queeen the names of my friends, then presented Sar Yarwan and the Valari knights. She cast them, sn me a wary look. We were Valari, afterall, and she was still the daughter of a Sarni chieftain.
As the moon rose higher over the cool lawns and bubbling fountains, we stood talking about the quest. Sar Yarwan announced has plan to journey to Skule in the wilds of northern Delu. Me would search among the ruins of that once great city for any sign that Saran Odinan might have brought the Lightstone there.
'Skule lies on the other tide of the Straights of Storm,' Baron Narcavage said fo him
'If you'll be crossing them from Alonia, you'll have to pass through Arngin. Which you may do with my blessing.' 'Thank you, that would be the most direct route,'
Saw Yarwan agreed. 'And the safest – to go back down the Nar Road and skirt along the Alonian Sea would take many months. You'd have to cross through most of Delu. which is now nothing more than a dozen savage provinces practically ruled by their warlords.'
'No, you're wrong about Delu,' a strong voice called out. Here Maram stepped forward and looked Baron Narcavage in the eye. 'Delu is certainly much more than you have said.'
'Forgtve me,- Prince Maram,' the Baron said, 'but I've journeyed through what is left of your father's kingdom while you've been off learning your dead languages at the Brotherhood's school.'
'Delu has its troubles,' Maram admitted. 'But it wasn't so long ago that Alonia had worse.'
To cool their rising tempers, I came between them and said, 'We live in a time of troubles.'
'We do indeed,' Baron Narcavage said, smiling at me. 'We've all heard that we can expect war between Ishka and Mesh.'
'That hasn't been decided yet,' I told him. 'We can still hope for peace.'
'How can there ever be peace in the Nine Kingdoms when each of your so-called kings insists on coveting his neighbors' lands?' 'What do mean, 'so-called'?'
'Is thhe King of Anjo truly a king? Or Anjo a kingdom? And what of Mesh? My own domain is bigger than your
