Crown of Destiny

great respect among the women of my family.”

“Faerie blessings on you then, descendant of Lady Gillian,” Lara said. “I counted that lady my friend.”

Lady Laureen colored prettily. “Thank you, Great-grandmother,” she said, and then she hurried off.

Kaliq sighed. “I am sorry that those whose hearts and souls are good will be caught in what is to come,” he said.

“I know the others must go,” Lara murmured low, “but why can we not stay, my lord? If we all leave, where is the light to come from?”

He shook his head. “We have another destiny, Lara, my love. We have done all we can do here. You know it even if your heart cannot admit it.”

She nodded sadly, but tears filled her faerie green eyes, glistening as they caught in her dark lashes like tiny crystals.

He put a comforting arm about her, and she rested her head against his shoulder.

Cadarn Hauk watched, intrigued by the scene being played out before his eyes. But then he looked about him, seeing the richness of Palben’s palace, and enviously began to consider how he might obtain such luxuries for his own castle. Next to him his wife admired the gown that had been magically produced for her, and wondered if she would be allowed to keep it. She had never seen such wonderful silk, and how did they get such a perfect color? The jewels sewn about the neckline and on the cuffs of the gown had to be worth a small fortune.

“If Vaclar is to marry this Hetarian girl, we are going to have to redo the entire castle, my lord,” Lady Paulina whispered to her husband. “The few things we have imported from Hetar are nothing compared to this palace. And today we will see how another of these Hetarians lives. If it is as magnificent as this palace, then we will be put to shame bringing this young noblewoman into our midst unless we can at least equal their splendor. We must convince her family to let her bring whatever she desires with her when she weds Vaclar.”

“And the marriage must be celebrated in Terah, as he is my heir,” Cadarn said, “so we will have to do what needs to be done, and quickly.”

Lara heard their words, and was astounded. Their world would soon be taken by the darkness. Evil would abound. And Cadarn and his wife conversed as if everything was going to remain the same. Had they not understood what she had told them? Or mayhap they did not believe what she told them.

It is too much for their mortal minds to fully comprehend, Kaliq said in the silent magical language. It is not that they don’t believe you. They simply refuse to understand. They can only survive by going on with their lives as they always have. Change is the most difficult circumstance for mortals to effect.

It is breaking my heart, I fear, Lara replied.

He held her tightly. Again that tiny bit of mortal blood rouses itself in you. But that is why you have become a powerful faerie entity, my love. You sympathize with them even if you don’t fully understand them.

She relaxed against him, and he felt the tension that had been building up in her ever since they reached Terah, and then Hetar, draining away. I need faerie bread.

Alas, I have none with me so you will have to satisfy yourself with Hetarian fare.

Lara laughed, causing Cadarn and his wife to cease their chatter. Looking about the chamber, she called to a servant. “I need food and drink,” she told the woman.

“At once, my lady!” the woman said, hurrying off.

“Is there time?” Cadarn asked. “Is not this wedding soon?”

“Palben and his wives were not garbed for the occasion,” Lara told them. “It will be several hours before we go. They will bathe and dress. And of course the second wife will have to be placated in some fashion for having realized her cousins are making better matches than she believes she has.”

“She seemed quite outspoken and spoiled,” Lady Paulina noted. “Quite unlike the Lady Laureen, whose manners and understanding of her place I quite admired.”

“Divsha Ahasferus is undoubtedly very spoiled, for she is a child of the wealthiest house in Hetar. Palben married her for the same reasons your son, Vaclar, will marry Yamka Ahasferus. To bind himself by blood to the Twilight Lord. He will have to get a child on her of course to do that, but he will. I see in him much of his grandfather Jonah, and Jonah was a man who always did what must or needed to be done,” Lara said drily. “After the infant is born Palben will give her a home of her own here within the Golden District, and a potent sex slave to amuse her while she raises their child. She will receive all the respect due a second wife who is Ahasferus born, and Palben will not have to be annoyed by her. Divsha will survive quite well.”

“Oh! Our poor son to have to marry into such a family,” Lady Pauline said, distraught. “And she will despise Terah certainly, and hate our castle, which is very old-fashioned when compared with this beautiful palace!”

“The girls are not sisters, but cousins. They have been raised by different parents. I am sure you will find Yamka Ahasferus a nice girl,” Lara tried to assure Lady Paulina.

“What choice have we?” Lady Paulina cried.

“You don’t!” Lara said sharply. “Unless, of course, you wish to have your husband’s kingdom completely taken over immediately by the Twilight Lord. Do you not comprehend that as long as you are kin to him he will give you a modicum of respect. Without that kinship Terah will cease to exist! This marriage Vaclar makes will save Terah. Yamka will have to make do like any other bride coming into her husband’s home.”

“Lara.” Kaliq spoke gently to her. Be calm. The woman cannot help but be what she is. A vain and foolish mortal. Be patient with her.

I am hungry, and not of a mind to be patient with this Terahn woman who cannot see her world collapsing around her, yet frets that her furnishings aren’t fashionable enough. Ohh, I am weary of these folk, Kaliq!

I know, he said. “Ahh, here are the refreshments for us.” He turned, smiling at Cadarn and his wife. “You must be hungry and thirsty, too, as we took you from your evening meal.”

“Oh, how beautiful the dishes are!” Lady Paulina trilled. She picked up a plate decorated with a floral design. “Look, Caddie, you can see through the china. We must have plates like this for the castle.” She turned to Prince Kaliq. “Do you think we might remain a few days here in The City, my lord? I must visit the shops.”

“I am certain that when the Ahasferus family learn you are here to personally take part in the negotiations for your son’s marriage, they will want you to stay with them,” Kaliq said. He was at his most charming. “If you remain, I shall see you have a trunk of the proper garments for your stay. And I shall return you to Terah when you wish to go.”

“Paulina, I cannot leave Terah without my governance,” Dominus Cadarn said.

“Ohh, Caddie, just two days? Terah will not fall apart in two days,” Lady Paulina pleaded prettily. “And if this young noblewoman is to be our new daughter, we really should get to know her family.”

“Two days, but no more, and only so I may oversee Cadoc and my uncle’s negotiations for this marriage,” Cadarn responded sourly.

As husband and wife spoke back and forth Lara suddenly realized that her passion for this world, her desire to save it, was not as strong as it had previously been. Was Kaliq right? Of course he was right. She could not recall the last time, if ever, when he had been wrong.

The door to the guest chamber opened suddenly. “Mother! I was told that you had come, but I would not believe it until I saw you with my own eyes.” Kolgrim, the Twilight Lord, stepped into the room and, coming over to her, kissed her on both cheeks.

“I was unable to resist wishing you my felicitations,” Lara said drily.

Kolgrim laughed aloud.

“This is your son?” Lady Paulina twittered.

Kolgrim’s changeable gray eyes looked directly at Lara, waiting for her answer.

“Aye, this is my son,” Lara finally said.

“He is very handsome,” Lady Paulina replied. “How fortunate his bride.”

“And extremely wicked, are you not, Kolgrim?” Lara taunted him.

The gray eyes darkened slightly. “No one knows my character better than my dearest mother,” he agreed. “Is that not so, Mother? She felt so sorry for my betrothed, she stole her away and hid her from me. Only when I threatened to destroy my sister did she relent and return Nyura to me.”