we all leaned in troubled times. There is of a sudden a
huge vacancy in the world. and I feel it profoundly
Porenn has undertaken the regency in behalf of her young
son. This causes me some concern, since Porenn is a trifle
too much a creature of the Drasnian Intelligence service to
make me altogether comfortable.
Meanwhile, we have learned that ‘Zakath is retreating
northward, having abandoned the city of Rak Hagga and
apparently intending to winter in Rak Cthan near the
equator. To compound his difficulties, there are rumors
that civil war has broken out in Mallorea. There appear to
be strong separatist sentiments in the Seven Kingdoms of
Karanda in north central and east-central Mallorea.
Should this oblige him to return home to mend his fences,
I believe it will mark the end of his adventures on this
continent.
I visited Fulrach early this summer to consult with
him concerning events in Drasnia and southern Cthol
Murgos. Sendaria is of enormous strategic and logistic
importance in the overall posture of the Alorn Kingdoms,
so cordial relations between Fulrach and me are essential.
An epidemic of hog-cholera has broken out in Sendaria,
however, and I found Fulrach totally preoccupied with
the problem. I expect that the price of bacon and ham will
soar before winter.
Astounding news from Tol Honeth! General Varana, in
an effort at conciliation, called a meeting at the palace to
propose a series of steps which would lessen the tensions
surrounding the succession to the Imperial throne. The
Grand Dukes of all the major houses of Tolnedra were
present, as well as the Council of Advisors. The Council,
obviously aware that Varana’s proposals would seriously
cut into the bribes they were receiving from the great
houses, shrilly attempted to shout him down. Varana,
normally as patient as a stone, eventually grew irritated;
and, acting in his official capacity as regent, he dissolved
that body! The Council rashly declared that they would
refuse to accept his decree, and he immediately threw the
entire lot of them into the Imperial dungeons. Since the
die had been cast at that point, Varana, with a certain
pragmatism typical of the military mind, took all the
Grand Dukes of Tolnedra into protective custody, holding
them in comfortable, though well-guarded, apartments
in the palace. Then, following the inescapable logic of
the situation, he somewhat reluctantly assumed full
command of the Tolnedran Empire as military dictator.
The entire world trembles under the impact of these
events. Much as I dislike the Empire, I must admit that
Tolnedra is a tremendously stabilizing factor in world
affairs. If she crumbles, the Gods alone know what will
happen.
I am advised that the woman, Taiba, who appears to be
as fertile as a rabbit, bore Relg, the Zealot, a,,second child
(a girl) in late 5377 and that now she has just delivered
another girl. Given Relg’s tendencies toward extreme
asceticism, I’d be curious to know exactly what
blandishments she used to lure him to her bed. I mentioned this
jocularly to Islena, and she replied with uncharacteristic
heat, calling me (among other things) a lewd and
disgusting degenerate. Oddly enough, I found the conversation
more exhilarating than any I’ve had with her in years.
5380
ISLENA continues to behave peculiarly. If I had the
time, I’d investigate to find out what’s at the bottom
of her problem.
Trouble in Cthol Murgos! ‘Zakath has landed a huge
armada on the south coast of the Military District of
Hagga and has caught Urgit squarely between two huge
Mallorean armies. The battle took place on the border
between Hagga and Cthan, and our informants advise us
that Urgit was disastrously defeated, barely escaping with
his life. ‘Zakath has retaken Rak Hagga, and my belief that
he was done in this part of the world seems to have been
grossly premature. I think that I’d better have a long talk
with Belgarion. Things in the south are reaching the point
that we’re going to have to take steps.
Matters in Tolnedra have deteriorated even further, I’m
afraid. Ran Borune has ‘adopted’ Varana and has declared
the general to be his official and legal heir. The other
great houses are shrieking in protest, but the Emperor
holds firm. I personally feel that Varana would be an
excellent choice for the throne, but I fear that his elevation
will cause such tremendous turmoil in Tolnedra that
the advantages of having so able an Emperor will be offset
by the strife which now seems inevitable. Were times
less troubled, I might take pleasure in watching the
Tolnedrans go up in flames. The Empire has had too much
sway in the affairs of other nations to suit me. But with
‘Zakath loose in southern Cthol Murgos, this is not the
time for any of us in the west to be distracted by
internecine bickering.
MY ISLENA IS PREGNANT! What an amazing thing!
Either she has overcome her fear of childbirth or one of
the nostrums she routinely takes to prevent pregnancy
failed her. She refuses to discuss the matter. Merel, Barak’s
wife, is constantly at her side to shore her up in moments
of weakness. There is a woman that is made of steel.
Sometimes she even intimidates me. She purrs like a
kitten when Barak is around, however. I will never
understand women. After all these years, I’m going to be a
father. Barak and I are now going to go out and get
disgustingly drunk.
The commercial empire of Prince Kheldar and his
Nadrak accomplice has swelled beyond the bounds of
good taste. They totally dominate trade along the North
Caravan Route, and they have hired the shipyards at Yar
Marak to build them a fleet of merchant vessels so that
they might plunder Mallorea. The rascally Kheldar came
to Cherek like a thief in the night and hired away every
ship-builder he could find. So total was their defection
that I couldn’t even get a row-boat built in the yards at Val
Alorn if I needed one. It’s a sad reflection on the times
when money commands more respect than patriotism or
loyalty to one’s nation and one’s King. Islena swells like a
big-bellied sail, and she has developed an insatiable
craving for strawberries. Where am I going to find
strawberries at this time of year?
I have sent this day a remonstrance to Prince Kheldar.
I should have realized that the boats he was building
were only a prelude. He has now begun recruiting
sailors. I don’t have enough good men left in Cherek to
man the fleet. The wages he offers are absolutely
outrageous. I’d have to strip my treasury to match them. He
goes too far. He goes too far. I never really liked him
anyway.
Polgara has graciously sent Islena whole baskets of
strawberries from her own garden. How she made the
bushes bear in the fall is quite beyond me. After eating
only two, however, Islena lost interest in them. What am I
going to do with all those strawberries?
Ariana, wife of Lelldorin of Wildantor, has given birth
to their first son. I hope that’s a good sign.
I HAVE A SON! – a great squalling boy with black hair
and lungs like a set of bellows! May Belar be blessed! As
is our custom, Barak and I took him immediately to the
harbor and dipped his feet into the salt water of the sea
so that he will ever be a sailor. Upon our return, my
cousin and I broached a hogs-head of fine old ale to aid
us in our consideration of a suitable name for him. The
ale, unfortunately, hampered my creativity’ and my Earls
advise me that sometime after midnight I poured beer on
my son and named him Anheg, after myself. Oh well,
Anheg II isn’t such a bad name, I suppose. Islena’s labor
lasted only a day and a half, scarcely worth mentioning.
She is dramatizing it all out of proportion, however, and
I try to humor her. She did, after all, do a fairly good job
of carrying my child, and I suppose I owe her something
for that.
5381
‘ZaKATH has returned to Mallorea and has crushed
the rebellion in Karanda. I’m told that his
suppression of dissident factions in Zamad, Ganesia and Voresebo
was particularly savage. Will nothing halt the man’s run
of good luck? I suppose we can expect him back on this
continent again before long. My son has his first tooth! He
bit me with it this morning – not hard enough to draw
blood, but he was trying.
Ran Borune died this spring. The state funeral was
huge. I rather liked him, all things considered, but events
in Tolnedra have soured noticeably in the years of his
decline. Varana, never one to miss a strategic opportunity’
had himself immediately crowned Emperor of Tolnedra.
Technically his name is Ran Borune XXIV, but we all still
call him Varana. The great houses, of course, are all