by Tad Williams
Midlan’s Mount with its walls and towers no longer loomed over them like a stern parent, but was beginning to recede, the bay widening between their little boat and the casde, the forested shore growing closer, a blackness along the southern horizon that blotted the starry sky. Only a few lights burned where she could see them in the castle’s upper reaches, a few in the Tower of Spring, a few lanterns in the guardhouses along the wall and atop the harbor breakwaters. She was filled with an unexpected, aching love for her home. All the things she had taken for granted, even some she had despised, the chilly, ancient halls as complicated as long stories, the portraits of glowering ancestors, the gray trees below her window in the Privy Garden that budded so bravely each cold spring—all had been stolen from her. She wanted it all back.
Shaso was asleep now, but Briony had missed her own chance at healing slumber. For this little while, anyway, she was queerly wakeful, exhausted but full of fretful thoughts. She could only sit and watch as the moon dove down through the sky and the waters of the bay grew wider between her and all of her life until this moment.
*
The streets of Funderling Town were lit but deserted, so that they had the feehng of unfinished scrapes instead of thoroughfares. Chert, walking like a man who had lately seen too many of the world’s strangest corners, could hear his footsteps echo from the stone walls of his neighbors’ houses as he trudged up Wedge Road and in through his own front door.
Opal heard him in the main room and rushed out from the back of the house, face full of misery and fear. He thought she would demand to know where he had been all these long, long hours, but instead she just grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the bedroom. She was moaning and he suddenly knew the worst had happened: the boy was dead.
To his shock, Flint was not dead but awake and watching. Chert turned to Opal, but she still had the look of someone who had discovered her most prized possession had been stolen.
“Boy?” he asked, kneeling beside him. “How do you feel?”
“Who are you?”
Chert stared at the familiar face, the shock of hair so pale as to be almost white, the huge, watchful eyes. Everything was the same and yet the child also seemed somehow slightly different. “What do you mean, who am I? I’m Chert, and this is Opal.”
“I . . . I don’t know you.”
“You’re Flint, we’re . . . we’ve been taking care of you. Don’t you remember?”
Slowly, weakly, the boy shook his head. “No, I don’t remember you.”
“Well . . . if you’re not Flint, who are you?” He waited in a kind of airless terror for the answer. “What’s your name?”
“I said I don’t know!” the boy whined. There was something in him Chert had never seen before, a trapped and frightened animal behind the narrow face. “I don’t know who I am!”
Opal stumbled out into the other room, clutching her throat as though she couldn’t breathe. Chert followed her, but when he tried to put his arms around her, she flailed at him in her misery and he retreated. Since he could think of nothing else to do he came back to the bed and took the boy’s hand; after a moment of trying to pull his fingers free, the boy who looked like Flint relaxed and let him hold it. Helpless and weary, all thought of what had just happened to him outside the city gates swept aside, at least for now, Chert sat this way for an hour, calming a terrified child while his wife cried and cried in the other room.
Appendix
PEOPLE
Adcock—one of the royal guard under Vansen’s command.
Agate—Funderling woman, a friend of Opal’s.
Agnes—daughter of Finneth and Onsin.
Anazona—Briony’s youngest maid.
Andros—a priest, proxy to Lord Nynor.
Angelos—an envoy from Jellon to Southmarch.
Anglin—Connordic chieftain, awarded March Kingdom after Coldgray.
Moor Anglin III—King of Southmarch, great-grandfather of Briony and Barrick.
Amssa—Queen of Southmarch, Olin’s second wife
Antimony—a young Funderling temple brother
Argal the Dark One—Xixian god, enemy of Nushash
Autarch—Sulepis Bishakh am-Xis III, monarch of Xis, most powerful.
nation on the southern continent of Xand
Avin Brone—Count of Landsend, the castle’s lord constable
Axamis Dorza—a Xixian ship’s captain
Back-on-Sunset-Tide—Skimmer extended family
Barrick Eddon—a Prince of Southmarch
Barrow—a royal guard
Baz’u Jev—a Xandian poet
Beetledown—a Rooftopper
Big Nodule (Blue Quartz)—Chert’s father
Blackglass—a Funderling family
Boulder—a Funderling.
Brambinag Stoneboots—a mythical ogre.
Bratchard, Lord—a nobleman.
Brenhall, Lord—a nobleman.
Brigid—a serving-woman at the Quiller’s Mint.
Briony Eddon—a Princess of Southmarch.
Brother Okros—physician-priest from Eastmarch Academy.
Caddick—soldier of the Southmarch royal guard, known as “Longlegs.”
Calkin—a Skimmer.
Caradon Tolly—Gailon’s younger brother.
Caylor—a legendary knight and prince.
Chaven—physician and astrologer to the Eddon family.
Chert (Blue Quartz)—a Funderling, Opal’s husband.
Cheshret—Qinnitan’s father, a minor priest of Nushash.
Child of the Emerald Fire—a Qar tribe.
Chryssa—Chief Acolyte of the Hive Temple in Xis.
Cinnabar—a Funderling magister.
Clemon—famous Syannese historian, also called “Clemon of Anverrin.”
Cloudwalker—another name for Perin, the sky god.
Collum—Willow’s younger brother.
Collum Dyer—one of Vansen’s soldiers.
Comfrey M’Neel—a noblewoman.
Conary—proprietor of the Quiller’s Mint.
Cononc, Sivonmc, and Iellic tribes—”primitive” tribes who lived on.
Eion before conquest by the southern continent of Xand
Cusy—chief of the Favored (eunuchs) of the Royal Seclusion in Xis
Daman Eddon—Merolanna’s husband, King Ustin’s brother
Dannet Beck—Raemon Beck’s cousin
Dawet dan-Faar—envoy from Hierosol
Dab Dawley—a Southmarch guard
Dawtrey—a legendary knight, sometimes called “Elf-spelled”
Derla—wife of Raemon Beck
Dimakos Heavyhand—one of the last chieftains of the Gray Companies
Donal Murray—onetime captain of the Southmarch royal guard
Droy Nikomede—a.k.a. “Droy of Eastlake,” a Southmarch noble
Durstin Crowel—Baron of Graylock
Dunyaza—Qinnitan’s friend, an acolyte of the Hive
Earth Elders—Funderling guardian spirits.
Eats-the-Moon—a Qar of the Changing tribe.
Ellis—Merolanna’s maid.
Elan M’Cory—sister-in-law of Caradon Tolly.
Ena—a young Skimmer girl, Back-on-Sunset-Tide clan.
Enlo—god of the harvest.
Erivor—god of waters.
Euan Dogsend—Chaven’s friend, “the most learned man in Blueshore.”
Evander—Syannese count, envoy to Southmarch.
Ever-Wounded Maid—a character out of legend.
Evon Kinnay—friend of Gailon Tolly, son of Baron of Longhowe.
Ewan—Finnith’s son.
Falk—a Southmarch guard.
Fergil—son of Finneth and Onsin.
Ferras Vansen—Captain of the royal guard.
Finton—Raemon Beck’s younger son.
Finn Teodoros—a writer.
Finneth—a woman of Candlerstown.
Funderlings—sometimes known as “delvers,” small people who specialize in stonecraft.
> Gailon Tolly, Duke of Summerfield—an Eddon family cousin
Gar Doiney—a scout
Gil—a potboy at the Quiller’s Mint.
Galhbert Perkin—Count of Craneshill, Lord Chancellor of Southmarch
Gowan M’Ardall—an earl, his fiefdom is in Helmingsea
Grandfather Sulfur—a Funderling elder of the Metamorphic Brothers
Gray Companies—mercenaries and landless men turned bandits in the wake of the Great Death
Great Mother—goddess worshipped in Tuan
Greenjay—a Qar of the Trickster tribe
Gregor of Syan—a famous bard
Grenna—a lady’s maid
Guard of Elementals—a tribe of the Qar
Gwatkin—soldier of the Southmarch royal guard
Gyir—a Qar, Yasammez’s captain, a k a “Gyrir the Storm Lantern”
Gypsum—a Funderling family
Habbili—a god, the crippled son of Nushash
Haketam—people of the Haketan tribe in Xand
Hammerfoot—a Qar, of Firstdeep.
Hand of the Sky—a Rooftopper deity.
Hanede—Shaso’s daughter.
Harry—Chaven’s manservant.
Harsar—Ynnir’s counselor.
Hasuris—a Xixian storyteller.
Havemore—Brone’s factor.
Hendon Tolly—youngest of the Tolly brothers.
Heryn Millward—a Southmarch royal guard.
Hesper—King of Jellon, betrayer of King Olin.
Hiliometes—a legendary demigod and hero.
Hisolda—Anissa’s midwife.
Hornblende—Funderling, Stonecutters Guild foreman.
Hull-Scrapes-the-Sand—Skimmer extended family.
Iaris—an oracle of Kermos, a semi-saint.
Idrin—young son of Gowan of Helmingsea.
Ivar Brenhill—a knight and nobleman of Silverside.
Jeddin—chief of the autarch’s Leopard guards, also known as “Jin.”
Jem Tallow—a Southmarch guard officer.
Karal—King of Syan killed by Qar at Coldgray Moor.
Kaspar Dyelos—Chaven’s mentor, a.k.a. “Warlock of Krace.”
Kellick Eddon—great-grandnephew of Anglin, first of Eddon family March Kings.
Kendrick Eddon—Prince Regent of Southmarch, eldest son of King Olin.
Kermos—earth god.
Kert hillmen—a wild tribe that lives northwest of Kertewall.
King Nikolos—Syan monarch who moved the Trigonarchy out of Hierosol.
Krisanthe—Queen Meriel’s mother, the twins’ grandmother.
Kupilas—god of healing.
Lander III—son of Karal, King of Syan, a.k.a. “Lander the Good,” “Lander Elfbane.”
Lapis—Chert’s mother.
Layhn—uncle of Tyne Aldritch.
Laybrick—a Southmarch guard.
Leotrodos—Perikalese scientist friend of Chaven.
Lepthis—an Autarch of Xis.
Lew—a Southmarch guard.
Lindon Tolly—father of Gailon, former First Minister of March Kingdoms.
Lily—Anglin’s granddaughter, queen who led Southmarch in time of Gray Companies.
Little Carbon—a Funderling craftsman.
Little Raemon—Raemon Beck’s oldest son.
Lord of the Peak—a Rooftopper deity.
Lorick Eddon—Olin’s older brother, who died young.
Ludis Drakava—Protector of Hierosol.
Luian—an important Favored in the Seclusion, previously known as “Dudon.”
Madi Surazem—goddess of childbirth.
Matthias Tinwright—a poet, a k a “Matty.”
Mayne Calough—a nobleman and knight.
Meriel—Olin’s first wife, daughter of a powerful Brennish duke.
Merolanna—the twin’s great-aunt, originally of Fael, widow of Daman Eddon.
Mesiya—moon goddess.
Metamorphic Brothers—a Funderling religious order.
Mica—Schist family member, Hornblende’s nephew.
Mickeal Southstead—a Southmarch guard.
Mistress Jennikin—Chaven’s housekeeper.
Moina Hartsbrook—a young Helmingsea noblewoman, one of Briony’s ladies-in-waiting.
Mokori—one of the autarch’s stranglers.
Mormng-in-Eye—a Qar of the Changing People.
Muchmore—a Southmarch scout.
Nevin Hewney—a playwright.
Nodule—Chert’s brother, a k a “Magister Blue Quartz.”
Nose, Grand and Worthy—a Rooftopper dignitary.
Nushash—Xixian god of fire, patron god of the autarchs.
Nynor—Steffans Nynor, Count of Redtree, Lord Castellan of Southmarch Castle.
Old High Feldspar—a wise elder of the Funderlings, now deceased.
Old Pyrites—a Funderling acquaintance of Chert and Opal.
Olin—King of Southmarch and the March Kingdoms.
Onsin—a Candlerstown blacksmith, called “Oak-arms.”
Opal—a Funderling, Chert’s wife.
Panhyssir—Xixian high priest of Nushash.
Parnad—father of current autarch, Sulepis, sometimes known as “the Unsleeping.”
Pedar Vansen—Ferras Vansen’s father Perin—sky god, called “Thane of Lightnings”
Pinimmon Vash—Paramount Minister of Xis
Prusus—scotarch of Xis, sometimes called “Prusus the Cripple”
Pumice—a Funderling guildsman
Purifiers—fanatics who banded together to punish Qar and others for the Great Death.
Puzzle—court jester to the Eddon family Qar—race of non-humans who once occupied much of Eion Quicksilver—important Funderling family
Quiet People—a name for the Qar
Qinnitan—an acolyte of the Hive in Xis
Raemon Beck—member of a Helmingsea trading family
Rafe—Ena’s friend, Hull-Scraped-the-Sand clan
Raven, Prince of Birds—character from legend
Robben Hulligan—a musician, friend of Puzzle
Rocksalt—a Funderling peddler.
Rooftoppers—little-known residents of Southmarch Castle
Rorick—Earl of Daler s Troth, an Eddon cousin of Brennish ancestry, related to Meriel.
Rose Trelling—one of Briony’s ladies-in-waiting, a niece of Avin Brone
Rugan—the High Priestess of the Hive
Rule—Avin Brone s informant
Rusha—a hairdresser in the Royal Seclusion
Sanasu—widow of Kellick Eddon, known as “Weeping Queen”
Sandstone—a Funderling family
Sawney Wander-Eye—a Skimmer
Schist—a Funderling family, one of them is chorister of Funderling Town.
Sedimentary—a Funderling clan made up of several families
Selia—Anissa’s maid, also from Devonis
Shaso dan-Heza—Southmarch master of arms
Silas of Perikal—semi-legendary knight
Sni’sni’snik-soortah—Rooftopper name for “Rooftoppers.”
Sisel—Hierarch of Southmarch, chief religious figure m March Kingdoms.
Siveda—goddess of night.
Sivney Fiddicks—a nobleman and knight.
