Again, unanimously, Jaidur was elected and ordained. The ceremony would take place later. For now, Jaidur was a Krzy.
When I told Delia she was pleased.
“When you went away, Dray, and I will tell you of that later, Drak was mad to join the Krozairs, as you had instructed. So I sent Segnik there very young. And he-”
“He will stay in the Eye of the World and become the king of Zandikar. Later on he will mature. Now he is obsessed.”
“Yes, Dray. And Jaidur, too, wanted to go — and-”
“I would have liked him to be named for Inch.”
She looked up at me. We stood on the high outer terrace of the sacred Isle of Zy. Our friends laughed and sang and drank within hail. She said, “But he is. Inch is only Inch’s use-name. Jaidur is Jaidur’s use-name. Their real name is the same and is known only to them.”
I nodded. It was right.
“You have done what you said you would do.” She leaned close.
“Yes, my heart. And I will tell you what I should have told you seasons and seasons ago. But only when we are safe in Esser Rarioch.”
“And what of Nath and Zolta?”
“They seem to get on well with the other rascals. I think they might relish a visit home.” I held her to me.
“And Lela and Dayra?”
“They are about their business. The Sisters of the Rose make demands very like your famous Krozairs of Zy.”
“Hai!” I said, and I laughed. “But although we have won through against great peril, there is a thing we must do yet.”
“Yes. You are a Krozair again, and I am happy. This inner sea is a wonderful place; but I yearn for Vallia!”
“Drak is anxious to return to Vallia. He tells me there are forces at work your father would do well to take notice of. And-”
“Hush, dear heart! The stars shine and the breeze is soft and all the problems of Vallia can wait a while.”
“Yet will I call Grogor, who is a renegade and should be chopped for it, and yet who tried to help our daughter Velia.”
“Yes — you will tell me of this Gafard?”
“I will.”
“Did you know that when Seg heard this king Zo in Sanurkazz had you on his list of infamy, Seg said -
did you know?”
“No.” But I could imagine.
“Seg just stroked one of his terrible steel-tipped arrows and said, ‘If this onker, King Zo, does not rub my old dom’s name from his damned list we shall have to pay him a visit.’ And, dear heart, he meant it!”
“Oh, aye,” I said. “That would be like Seg Segutorio.”
“And Inch said his great ax was feeling dry again.”
“Let us forget everything for tonight,” I said, holding my Delia. She lifted her face to me, rosy in the streaming pink moons-light, for the Maiden with the Many Smiles and She of the Veils smiled down on our foolishness.
“Yes, my heart,” said my Delia of the Blue Mountains, my Delia of Delphond.
“Although,” I told her as, our arms about each other, we went into the chamber prepared for us, “we must take that great rogue Grogor and go to Green Magdag of the Megaliths and there find our granddaughter, Didi, and bring her home with us.”
“Yes. Do you think Gafard would have liked that — for I know Velia would have longed for it.”
“I think Gafard would,” I said, and turned to close the shutters. I thought I caught a hint of lambent blueness beyond the window.
