Crown of Destiny

his old chancellor was borne along in an ebony-and-silver litter chair carried by four liveried slaves with silver neck collars.

Following Alfrigg was the household of the Twilight Lord. All the servants wore black, silver and purple. Two dozen of them marched behind the chancellor. Others drove the carts accompanying the Twilight Lord. The carts contained his household goods and the gifts he had for the Lord High Ruler. Looking at the assembled train, Kolgrim added a group of musicians and dancers behind the men-at-arms, dancing amid the flag bearers, and before him. The dancers were both male and female, and very beautiful. He would give them to Palben in a seemingly careless gesture of generosity. The Lord High Ruler would be impressed, Kolgrim decided.

The Twilight Lord’s impressive train exited the desolate wood following the road that, like all of Hetar’s roads, led into The City. Forewarned of his coming by the Lord High Ruler, the guardsmen on the wall, seeing the great train sent immediately to Palben. When Kolgrim reached the gates of The City, he was welcomed and ushered through. A guide upon a fine dark bay horse was provided to lead him to the Golden District.

Kolgrim was fascinated by The City. The streets while dirty were lively, filled with noise and smells both pleasant and unpleasant. The citizens of The City gaped at the spectacle passing by them, and the Twilight Lord felt a sense of deep satisfaction. First impressions were most important. Reaching the entrance to the Golden District, they were again welcomed and led to the palace where Palben awaited upon the steps of the building to welcome his honored visitor.

The Twilight Lord’s gaze quickly swept over this great-grandson of his mother’s. There was nothing of Lara visible in him, and Kolgrim was very pleased to note it. The man was pure mortal and would have all of a mortal’s weaknesses. The victory over Hetar was already his, Kolgrim decided. But still he must not judge too quickly. Palben might prove cleverer than he looked. He should know in a few days if this was so.

Dismounting his coal-black stallion, the Twilight Lord stepped forward, both of his hands outstretched in greeting. He was smiling his most winning smile. “My lord Palben, I greet you in friendship.”

Palben was pleased by the Twilight Lord’s words. The fellow did not seem at all a barbarian. “My lord Kolgrim, I greet you in friendship. Welcome to Hetar and my house!” He took the hands held out to him, squeezing them before releasing them. “We have prepared everything as you requested, but you will tell me if it is not correct. Tonight there will be a small banquet with a few of our more important citizens.”

“I shall look forward to it,” Kolgrim said, continuing to smile.

Palben took his arm, leading him into the palace. It was not a particularly grand home, Kolgrim thought, but it was lavish in its decor. “My wife, like all women, is curious as to why you have come. Our two lands have lived estranged for many years.” The Lord High Ruler brought Kolgrim to a garden and indicated he should sit.

Kolgrim sat, and patting the bench next to him, invited his host to sit, as well. Palben did, and at once servants brought heavily carved gold goblets decorated with rubies filled with blackberry frine. The two men accepted the vessels and silently toasted each other before drinking. “I have come with a specific purpose,” he told the Lord High Ruler.

“And what purpose would that be?” Palben asked. So it was not just a social visit. What could the Twilight Lord possibly seek from Hetar?

“I have come to take a bride,” Kolgrim said quietly, and then he waited.

“A bride?” Palben was surprised.

“Aye, a bride,” Kolgrim replied, smiling again. “There are few females in The Dark Lands, and none of rank from whom I could choose a wife. You see, my lord Palben, Twilight Lords can sire as many daughters as we choose, but only one son. My mother was a lady of high rank. I wish a bride of high rank.” Kolgrim drank the frine in his goblet, and set it aside.

Palben nodded slowly. “Of course,” he said. “I understand completely. And I am honored that you would come to me to help you find the proper lady.”

“The Twilight Lords live by a specific code that is laid out in our Book of Rule,” Kolgrim explained. “The book has directed me to choose my bride from the House of Ahasferus, my lord Palben. I am sure this family is of high rank, and known to you.”

“My youngest daughter is eighteen,” Palben began, considering that to have his family allied with this ruler would be an excellent thing.

Kolgrim held up his hand to stop the Lord High Ruler. “I mean no disrespect to you, my lord, and none to your daughter, who I am certain would make a good wife, but the Book of Rule has directed me to the House of Ahasferus. You will understand that I cannot go against the Book of Rule. It is our holy book.”

Palben nodded sympathetically, but the truth was, he did not understand. He wondered what kind of a god the Twilight Lord worshipped. It certainly wouldn’t be the Celestial Actuary. And in Hetar there was no holy book of which he knew. “Of course, if your holy book directs you to the House of Ahasferus, then it is there you must go,” he said to Kolgrim. “The current patriarch of that house, Grugyn Ahasferus, will be one of my guests tonight. He is a magnate, and his family can be traced to the earliest days of Hetar. Will you allow me to speak with him first, my lord Kolgrim? Then I will introduce you. He has several granddaughters who are of marriageable age. The women of that family are noted for their beauty, too. While it is said all cats look alike in the dark, a man lives more in the light with his wife.” Palben chuckled, giving Kolgrim a friendly poke.

Kolgrim joined his host laughing and gave him a friendly wink.

“You will want to see your quarters now,” the Lord High Ruler said. He clapped his hands, and his majordomo appeared immediately. “Take Lord Kolgrim to his quarters. His servants are already settled, I hope.”

“Indeed, my lord, aye,” the majordomo said.

“A servant will come to fetch you and bring you to the banquet,” Palben said.

Kolgrim bowed with an elegant flourish, and then without another word went off with the majordomo.

Palben rubbed his hands together, delighted. He could hardly wait to tell his wife of the reason for the Twilight Lord’s visit.

But Laureen said, “Thank the Celestial Actuary that he did not want our youngest child, my lord! I could not bear it if she were so far away.” In actuality she was relieved, for she had watched the Twilight Lord’s arrival from a window that fronted on the palace entry. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, but he had made her shiver. She remembered that when she was small and misbehaved, her grandmother would say, “If you do not behave, Laureen, you will be sent to the Twilight Lord, and live in his Dark Lands forever.” It was a common threat made to children of her generation.

“Well,” Palben continued, unaware of his wife’s genuine relief, “Grugyn Ahasferus will certainly be in my debt now. A match between one of his granddaughters and the Twilight Lord will bring our Hetar and the Dark Lands closer. I cannot speak for the citizens of that far place, but this ruler is a man of excellent breeding and good taste. Did you see his train, Laureen? The horses’ manes were braided with silver! The musicians and dancers were garbed in the finest silks. There have been rumors of great wealth in the Dark Lands.” Palben paused, thinking. “I wonder,” he continued slowly, “how we can profit financially from this possible marriage?”

“I am certain you will find a way, my lord,” his wife answered.

“Aye, I will,” he agreed, nodding. “Wear something beautiful tonight, my dear. I would have you shine before our guest.”

He would sell me to this dark lord if he thought he might profit by it, Laureen thought to herself. “Of course,” she answered her husband. “I have just the gown, my lord.” Then she curtsied to him and hurried off.

The Lord High Ruler sat alone, and considered to himself what possible riches the Dark Lands held. He rubbed his hands together again gleefully. Tonight would be just the beginning of his personal triumph. Palben II would be remembered as Hetar’s greatest ruler for bringing the Dark Lands into Hetar’s circle of power. He could hardly wait for his guests to arrive. It was a small party, but the guest list was made up of the most influential men in Hetar. They would be fascinated by the handsome and urbane Twilight Lord. They would be astounded to learn what had brought him to Hetar.

And they would be fiercely jealous of Grugyn Ahasferus’s good fortune. He would have to keep a tight line on his old friend Grugyn. There would be no marriage celebrated without the permission of the Lord High Ruler Palben. And it was going to cost the House of Ahasferus a goodly sum to gain their lord’s formal consent. Palben chuckled to himself. He had been considering taking a second wife for some time. Perhaps he would wed another of Grugyn’s granddaughters. Then he would have a blood tie with the Twilight Lord.

“My lord.”