Taking a deep breath she reversed the grip on her blade, placing the tip just below her sternum, teeth clenched in anticipation of the thrust. Vaelin lashed out before she could drive the blade home, striking just below her nose with his fore-knuckles. Her head snapped back and she staggered, rapidly dimming eyes finding the strength to regard him with a glare of pure hatred before she slipped senseless to the deck.
“Now what?” Nortah asked, breaking the silence that followed.
Vaelin raised a questioning eyebrow at Erlin, who offered a weak smile in return. “We allied ourselves with outlaws,” he said. “We also gave succour to smugglers and travelled the Merchant King’s domain without licence. All offences punishable by death.”
Vaelin looked at the rapidly approaching ship-sized boat, drawing closer by the second with every sweep of its many oars. It was close enough now for him to note that the archers on the foredeck all had arrows nocked to their bows, although he took a morsel of comfort from the fact that they hadn’t yet raised them.
“Put your weapons down,” he told the others, unbuckling his own sword and letting it fall to the deck. Climbing up onto the roof, he gave a precisely measured bow to the oncoming vessel, head lowered by three inches and chest only fractionally forward, hands raised level with his waist, held open and out to the sides. It was a bow Erlin had taught him on the Sea Wasp, insurance against a circumstance such as this; the greeting of a noble emissary to the court of the Merchant King. His uncertainty as to its effect was not enhanced by the spontaneous ripple of laughter that came from the assembled archers on the foredeck.
“I’d guess that’s not a good sign,” Nortah muttered before the prow of the Merchant King’s craft slammed hard into the hull, sending them all sprawling.
PART II
Fear the man with a spear more than you fear the man with a sword.
Fear the man on a horse more than you fear the man with a spear.
Fear the man with a crossbow more than you fear the man on a horse.
Most of all, fear the old woman who comes with a knife as you lie bleeding at the battle’s end, for she fears you not at all.
—SOLDIER’S PROVERB, EMERALD EMPIRE, C. EARLY THIRD CENTURY OF THE DIVINE DYNASTY
LURALYN’S ACCOUNT
The Second Question
Having read several accounts of my brother’s life from those who flatter themselves with the title “historian,” I find myself struck by how often they employ the phrases “reign of terror” and “path of destruction,” particularly in relation to the commencement of his conquests. Whilst I emphatically reject any suggestion that I would ever style myself as my brother’s apologist, it is my intention to provide an honest account in these pages. Therefore, it is my duty to relate that the first steps of Kehlbrand Reyerik on the road to godhood were neither terrible nor destructive. Throughout history many conquerors have built their power through a combination of military might and subsequent subjugation of a cowed and fearful populace. Others, like my brother and the fabled Fire Queen of the Barbarous East, are wiser, for they knew that, for power to endure, the conquered must be given reason to love their conqueror.
Kehlbrand’s ascension to Skeltir of the Cova had been followed by a year-long period of consolidation. Rivals were summarily dealt with through a measured employment of battle or personal challenge. Alliances with many of the other Skeld were secured through marriage, Kehlbrand taking four daughters of fellow Skeltir to wife and marrying off his half sisters and cousins to various sons and Stahlhast luminaries. By the time he was called to the Great Tor to answer the Second Question, he was without doubt the most powerful Skeltir who had ever lived, although full dominance had not yet been achieved.
This time there was no drama when the Mestra-Dirhmar made his pronouncement, although I once again detected a distinct reluctance in the old man’s demeanour. Also, I noted how the assembled lesser priests all turned their back and walked swiftly away at the completion of the proclamation, once again confirming the success of Kehlbrand’s second step towards recognition as Mestra-Skeltir.
The Mestra-Dirhmar lingered for a brief second before following his brethren into the confines of the Great Tor and I managed to catch his softly spoken words to my brother. “Abandon this path, Kehlbrand Reyerik. We both know the third question will be