ore, the Dragon Lords will walk Den’dra again. There is no clearer prophecy than that one uttered by Eld’or the Night Soul.” Em’risi gave a light laugh.
“I beg your pardon, my purpose was not to criticize.” Redzyn seemed slightly bewildered by the odd turn the conversation had taken.
“It is I who should be begging pardon. I always get contemplative when watching the surf so full of energy, but crushed by the immutable stone. If I were to watch this stone a thousand years, I could still continue watching it another thousand. Enough about the Silent Sea, I trust that the matter of the rumor is settled?”
“It would seem so.” Redzyn held a palm against the pitted stone of the rampart as the next breaker rolled in. He listened to the roar and watched the masonry like he expected it to quiver at the mighty wave’s impact.
“Good. Have you heard any news of the Asgare?” Just after Em’risi asked the question, a booming thunderclap rolled up from someplace below. Redzyn cautiously leaned over the edge and stared in puzzlement at the fog pouring out of a small cave opening a little above the water level, but safe from the rolling waves.
“Last I heard, he burnt the fleet in the northern port. In retaliation for that, Reigns started the troop advance.” Redzyn smiled wanly while nodding his head from side to side as if weighing benefits over the consequences. Apparently he had written off the odd weather below as nothing of concern. Em’risi looked over the edge as a flash of light illuminated the fog and the air shivered with another thunderclap. Em’risi laughed a little as she understood where the stormdancer had been going to practice. Redzyn seemed eager to move on down the wall when he saw the Princess’ reaction to the puzzling phenomenon.
“I was hoping that you had heard something else. The report I read indicated that a large body of troops marched overland from the port after the fire. I would much prefer they have to walk all the way south rather than they had gotten a boat ride to the southern end of the Sea Wall.” Em’risi obliged Savaro’s desire for privacy when practicing as much as Redzyn’s desire to be as far as possible from Gifted workings. A couple minutes later, when they were far enough away that the thunder caps were no different from the pounding waves, Redzyn responded.
“I still can’t picture him single handedly burning the north port. He was in Yrany, you know. Everyone thought he was a drunk. Did make a wonderful bitter. I still have a locket that he repaired, still is better than when it was new. Wore that ragged cloak and had a beard that looked like it had never met a razor. Now that I think about it, people always steered clear of him even though there was never a smell. Despite his appearance, he kept himself clean. Should have known he wasn’t just a commoner. Never would have guessed him to be a noble from a great house.” Redzyn flinched as he realized what he had said and saw the hard glint in Em’risi’s eyes.
“A noble? From a great house?” The simple questions made Redzyn uncomfortable enough that he wished he had joined Balinor at the front up north. The way that Em’risi was able to extract information from people made it exceedingly difficult to keep secrets. It occurred to Redzyn that Balinor may have gone to lead the army in the north in order to avoid telling Em’risi this one aspect of the Asgare. Along with every other secret he knew.
“I am certain that he could play any role he wished should he have the inclination. It was just a manner of speaking.” Redzyn braced himself as he recognized that determined tilt to Em’risi’s head.
“Ever since my Gift manifested, I was often confused. At first, it was the servants that would tell me they were just speaking of some boy one fancied when I would ask why they fell silent on my entrance to the room. I was isolated in my station, there were only a few people that would talk to me without lying about it being a pleasure to do something for me. Soon even the honest ones started lying. It was often the little things that most would take as encouragement. My tutor telling me that my letters were coming along well. My maid telling me that she thought a green dress, in