 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
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,