Crown of Destiny

You will never have my daughter or her powers! Lara hissed angrily at Kolgrim.

He laughed mockingly.

Lara fought back her rage, which was threatening to boil over. Unreasonable anger weakened one. Her ear caught the soft humming now coming from Andraste. She drew a deep breath to calm herself. Beside her Kolgrim sat eating enthusiastically as if he had not a care in the world. A servant bent to fill her cup. Lara stopped him with her hand. “Spring water,” she said, and the servant nodded, snapping his fingers at an underling who, given the instruction, hurried to fill the silver goblet. Wine would fog her wits at a time when she needed them about her.

Kaliq, seated on the other side of her, reached out and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Marzina is safe,” he whispered in her ear. “It is but her image seated at this table. I spoke with her as we traversed the corridor between Hetar and Terah. Kolgrim was too busy speaking with the Lord High Ruler Palben to notice. She understood the danger today, and let me transport her to your mother in Belmair.”

“The queen is there now?” They murmured softly to one another so Kolgrim could not hear them, as he would have heard had they spoken in the silent language.

“All the good magic has gone from Hetar now but for you and me,” Kaliq said.

“Thank you for convincing Marzina to go,” Lara said, relieved.

THE FEASTING HAD GONE ON the day long. There had been many entertainers to amuse the guests. Oiled wrestlers both male and female had battled before them. Lithe dancers in translucent silks had woven their way about the trestle tables in the Great Hall. A troupe of gaily costumed dwarfs had danced and turned somersaults atop six black-and-white ponies, half of whom had black manes, and half who had white. And then an ancient bard had come into the hall, which grew silent.

His name was Knud, and he was famous throughout Terah. He sang songs of Terah’s past history. Then he concluded his entertainment by coming to stand before Lara while he sang of the beautiful faerie woman who had freed Terah from the curse of Usi the Sorcerer. Lara’s eyes were filled with tears when he had finished, for this same lay had been sung at her wedding to Magnus Hauk in this very hall well over a hundred years ago. The last notes of his lyre dying, Knud took Lara’s hand up in his and kissed it.

“Thank you,” she told him, nodding. “That was as beautiful as the first time I heard it. Thank you!”

The bard nodded his head in return. “My father taught it to me, Domina. It was he who sang it at your wedding. After today I shall not sing it or any other song again for the darkness is even now falling, and I shall die tonight. I am one hundred years old.” Then turning, Knud bowed to the Dominus and, walking slowly, left the hall, which was now wrapped in stunned silence.

The tension was broken with the entry of a magnificent cake of twelve tiers. It was covered in a purple sugar icing and gold leaf. This was a new innovation in Terah. Lara remembered her winter wedding to Magnus Hauk had concluded with baskets of winter fruits. Atop the cake were two naked sugar figures representing Vaclar and Yamka who stood facing one another. The male figure held a long rigid manhood in his hand that stuck straight out. The female stood, her hands pulling apart her nether lips, a coy smile upon her face. The cake was cut, and slices apportioned out to the guests, who devoured them eagerly. One fortunate among the guests would find a ruby in their slice. A shriek of delight erupted as a magnate’s wife from Hetar was the lucky one.

Dominus Cadarn now arose from his place at the center of the High Board. “It is now time, having watched the sun come up together on this auspicious day of Vaclar and Yamka’s wedding, to adjourn to the gardens to watch the sun set on the first day of their marriage. Please join us, my friends!” Then he and Domina Paulina led the guests from their Great Hall back outside.

The air was cooler now. The setting sun was every bit as beautiful as the rising sun had been. How many more days would it be? Lara wondered. And as the guests stood admiring the sunset sky Lara saw from the corner of her eye Vaclar and Yamka slipping off to their bridal chamber. Oddly they seemed well suited to each other, and were not unhappy with the dynastic match that had been made for them. Lara remembered how she and Magnus had remained with their guests for they were master and mistress of Terah then. And the entertainments had gone on long into the night. Finally Magnus had stood with Lara by his side. Together they had thanked their guests for coming, wishing them a safe journey home on the morrow.

How long ago had it been? One hundred and twenty or thirty years? Lara sighed with the memory. So much had happened since then. And yet little had changed. The sun still rose and set as it always had. She hoped that those Hetarians and Terahns who had come for this wedding would remember this day. Already some of them were beginning to return to The City through the corridor the magic had made for them. She felt Kaliq’s hand taking hers and, looking up at him, smiled, her faerie green eyes lighting with the deep and passionate love she felt for him.

“It is time to go,” he said to her, and she nodded.

Hearing them, Kolgrim turned. “But Marzina remains with me,” he said in a cold hard voice. His dark gray eyes danced with his triumph.

“Marzina is long gone, my lord,” Kaliq said softly. “Did you think I would let you use her to break your mother’s heart, to steal her magic?”

“Marzina stands there,” Kolgrim said, pointing to the figure of the beautiful young faerie woman who stood looking at the last bit of color as the sun disappeared beneath the purple horizon.

“’Tis but a shade of your sister,” Lara said, unable to keep the exultation from her voice. “Marzina is safe from you, Kolgrim. You will not have her magic or mine!” As she spoke the words she heard Andraste humming loudly within her scabbard.

“Curse you!” Kolgrim shouted angrily, and the remaining guests turned to look. Suddenly in the Twilight Lord’s hand was a large broadsword. Its pommel was shaped in the head of an ugly male with onyx eyes that glowed red as it spoke in a dark voice.

I am Jasha, the Supplanter, the sword shouted.

Andraste was shrieking to be freed from her scabbard, and Lara obliged her weapon, who answered, I am Andraste, and I will drink the blood of the supplanter! She almost leaped from Lara’s hand in her fury to do battle with Jasha. Lara’s eyes glittered dangerously. “Sheathe your sword, Kolgrim,” she told him, holding tight to her own weapon. “You do not want to do battle with me, boy.”

“Do you think I am afraid of you, Mother?” he drawled. “You cannot kill me. My fate is to rule this world, to grind it beneath my heel, to bring it into the darkness.”

“I killed before your coming was even written in the Book of Rule,” Lara warned him softly. “Perhaps I cannot kill you, Kolgrim, but you will not win in combat with me. If you wish to maintain your status with these poor foolish mortals, do not challenge me. Remember that I have a destiny, and it is not to be spitted upon your sword.”

“Can you be certain of that, Mother?” he demanded of her.

“Aye, I can,” Lara replied.

“Domina!” Cadarn cried. “Put that weapon away before you hurt yourself. My lord Kolgrim, I beg you remember where you are.”

Kolgrim turned to look briefly at Marzina. The shade faded away before his eyes. He turned back to Lara. “You cannot keep her from me,” he said in a deadly voice. Sister Marzina, hear my plea. Cease all else and come to me!

But Marzina did not appear.

Lara shook her head. You are pitiful, Kolgrim. Whatever you think you must do you will do without my daughter or her magic.

She is my sister! he said angrily. We share the same blood, a mother, a father. You have no right to keep her from me.

Cadarn looked to Prince Kaliq. “Why are they just standing there, my lord?” he asked the Shadow Prince.

“They converse in the silent language of magic,” Kaliq replied.

“Sheathe your weapon,” Lara repeated aloud so that the witnesses to this scene would hear her and know it was she who was being provoked.

Instead he leaped forward, the blade of Jasha meeting Andraste as Lara moved to defend herself. The sound the two swords made was loud and ferocious. Kolgrim was almost weeping with his frustration.

“He will kill her!” Palben shouted, but he made no move to help.

“Neither of them will kill the other,” Kaliq said quietly. “They cannot.”