throneroom of the Rivan King is dank and unused, and the dampness of
the sea hath crept in, and the Sword bleeds red rust from its point
onto the black face of the rock, weeping away its substance, since the
Rivan Kings are no more.’
‘Behold, Brand, Warder of Riva,’ quoth the woman, ever
imperious. ‘The Sword of Riva may bleed rust for ten thousand years and
lose not one ounce of its substance. It is a holy thing forged by Riva
himself, and the Spirits of Belar ‘ and of Aldur are in it. It may not
pass away, neither may it change nor alter. It abides against the
coming of the great battle wherein the fate of the world shall be
decided. That is its purpose; for that only was it forged. It is an
instrument fated to be raised in the contention of Gods – forged was
it to spill out the immortal life of Torak. It hath no other purpose,
and it will abide against the time of the accomplishment of that
purpose – even if it must be unto the very end of days.’
And Brand was content, and set he his armies to cleansing the
battlefield before the city of the wreckage of Angarak, of Murgo and
Thull, of Nadrak and Grolim, and of the unnumbered dead of vast
Mallorea.
And when it was completed the nobles of Arendia came unto
him, saying, ‘Behold, the King of the Mimbrates is dead and the
warlord of the Asturians also, for they have slain each other in single
combat, so great was their hatred one for the other Remain with us,
Brand, and be thou our King, lest the civil war which hath sundered
the Arends for uncounted centuries break forth again and set
Arendia aflame.’
And Brand spake, saying, ‘Who is the heir to the Mimbrate
Throne whom my Kingship would dispossess? And where is the
fruit of the Asturian Dukes who would also contend my ascension to
the Throne?’
‘Korodullin is Crown Prince of the Mimbrates,’ quoth the nobles.
‘Is there none other?’ quoth Brand.
‘None, Lord,’ quoth the nobles. ‘The line ends with him. One
sword-thrust and the house of Mimbre is no more.’
Brand looked upon them and spake not.
‘And Mayaserana is the last of the Asturian line,” quoth the
nobles. ‘She is quite young and slender. A sharp knife drawn across
her throat will end Astur as easily as Mimbre.’
And Brand spake, saying, ‘Bring them to me.’ And it was done.
And he spake unto them, saying, ‘Now ends the bloodshed between
Astur and Mimbre. It is my will that thou be wed, one unto the
other.’
And Korodullin, Crown Prince of Mimbre, spake hotly, saying,
‘Sooner would I die than suffer the dishonor of marriage to some
foul whelp of forest brigands.’
And Mayaserana, Duchess of Astur, spake with equal heat,
saying, ‘Thou mayest command, Great Brand, Warder of Riva, but
if rope or knife or spear or high wall or the deep, cold river still
have power to take life, thou shalt not bring me breathing unto
the marriage bed of some degenerate offspring of thieves and
usurpers.’
And Brand was wroth at their pride and their despite unto his
will, and he caused them to be imprisoned together in a high tower
on the south wall of the city. And the barons of Arendia were gloomy
at this and swore that the two would never be reconciled nor would
they bend to the will of Brand.
But Brand counseled patience and turned to other matters.
And it came to pass that the Kings of the West gathered in the
great encampment before the City of Vo MimBre on the plain of
Arendia. Splendid was the pavilion in which they met, and mighty
were the Kings.
And Ormik, King of the ever-practical Sendars spake, saying,
‘Behold, the Kings of the West are assembled. Might we not.here
resolve those disputes which have divided us and thus wrest from
the grim fist of war a felicity for our kingdoms and our people which
they have never known? Let us here, my brothers, upon this field of
war examine peace.’
And the other Kings marveled at the good sense of the King of the
Sendars, for in truth he seemed a foolish man.
But Rhodar, King of Drasnia, spake, saying, ‘Not yet is the war
against Angarak ended. Still are there Nadrak garrisons in the ruins
of Boktor and Kotu, and dark Grolim priests hunt the marshes of
Mrin for the sons and daughters of Dras Bull-neck to sacrifice on the
altars of Torak One-eye.’
And Cho-Ram, King of Algaria and Chief of the Clan-chiefs
spake, saying, ‘And still is there war in Algaria. The Stronghold of
the Algars is besieged by Murgos.’
But Eldrig, white-bearded King of Cherek spake, saying, ‘Dear
Brothers, these are but minor internal problems for Aloria. The
eviction of a few unwanted guests is not a problem with which we need
concern Imperial Tolnedra, Noble Arendia, nor Holy Ulgo. Now that
Torak is overthrown, Aloria may dispose of the rags of Angarak at
its leisure. The Kings of the West face here a greater destiny.
Boundless Mallorea hath sent her unnumbered hordes against us,
and Murgo and Nadrak and Thull have tried our strength, and we
have overcome them. More than this, we have witnessed here, upon
this very field, the overthrow of a God. Surely the hands of the other
Gods were in this, and Brand of Riva hath been their instrument.
What better omen than this? Know now, dear Brothers, I, Eldrig,
King of Cherek, of the blood and bone of Cherek Bear-shoulders,
eldest of the Alorn Kings, swear fealty to Brand of Riva as Overlord
of the West.’ And rose he and saluted Brand, Warder of Riva, with
his great war-axe.
And Cho-Ram of Algaria rose also, saying, ‘Great indeed is the
wisdom of my venerable Brother of Cherek who hath pointed out
the will of the Gods. For their guidance was with Brand of Riva as he
led us against the hordes of Angarak, and their guidance will surely
be with him still in the peace we now face. I, Cho-Ram, Chief of the
Clan-chiefs, King of the Algars, descendant of Algar Fleet-foot, also
swear fealty to Brand of Riva as Overlord of the West.’And saluted
he Brand with his great curved sword.
And then rose Rhodar of Drasnia, saying, ‘The children of the
Bear-God speak as one. All of Aloria is again one people and one
nation. I, Rhodar, King of Northernmost Drasnia, descendant of
Dras Bull-neck, pledge fealty to Brand of Riva as Overlord of the
West.’ And saluted he Brand with his short, broad-bladed sword.
And rose Ormik, King of the Sendars, and troubled was his face,
and he spake, saying, ‘Dear Brothers, Kings of the West, truly is
Brand of Riva a man like unto no other man. Who else among us
hath overthrown a God? And I say unto you now, that whatsoever
Brand commandeth me to do, that will I do. And wheresoever he
leads, there will I follow – yea, be it into fire or into water, and
pledge I here fealty unto Brand of Riva – I and all of Sendaria with
me. And Sendaria stands with Aloria as one people under the
Overlordship of Brand of Riva. But, dear Brothers, some there are
here who perceive not the glory which we have here beheld. For
some it is a simple matter to perceive the touch of the Gods upon a
man. For others such perception comes not easy. A miracle can be
not seen or can be ignored if the import of the miracle is not to their
liking. The force of the West is here upon this field. The war which
might here arise could rend us as Boundless Mallorea or the might
of Angarak with Fell Torak at their head might never have done.
Truly, dear Brothers, might the cities of the West be pulled down
and the Kingdoms laid waste and the people harried into the
wilderness. Aloria is one and Sendaria with them, but what of
Imperial Tolnedra? How speaks Holy Ulgo? What says the Queen
of the serpent people in Dark Nyissa? If we war, dear Brothers,
what will remain? What spark of humanity will be left to us? If we
fall upon each other, may not Mallorean and Murgo, Thull and
Nadrak fall upon our remnants and herd our poor survivors into
the hands of Dark Grolim priests for their unspeakable rites in
celebration of the victory of the Dark God we have here seen
overthrown?’
Then rose Podiss, emissary of Nyissa, ambassador of Salmissra,
Queen of the Snake People, and spake with great despite unto the
Alorn Kings, saying, ‘Much have I wondered here at the readiness of
Sovereign Kings to submit to the will of one with no name of known
heritage. My mistress, Eternal Queen Salmissra of deep-wooded