Last King of Osten Ard 02 - Empire of Grass

by Tad Williams

  “It is as we feared, my lord,” Zakiel told him. “The report from the garrison on the Nabban border has been confirmed. And they sent this as proof.”

  For a long moment Tiamak could only stare at the object in Zakiel’s palm, wondering where such a thing as that gray velvet bag might have come from, the fabric smoothed shiny in many places by handling. Had one of the soldiers carried it as a reminder of a dead mother or sweetheart? Or was it something familar Zakiel himself had dug out of his own possessions in an attempt to make the horror less?

  He accepted the bag, feeling the small, hard thing through the velvet. It weighed less than he had expected, but the burden of it seemed heavy as a gravestone. Tiamak’s hands were shaking.

  “Shall I go in with you, my lord?”

  He shook his head. “Thank you, Constable. I have known him longer than anyone here. I think it must be me. I wish by all the gods of my homeland it was not, but I think it must be me.”

  Zakiel nodded and made the Sign of the Tree. “God’s mercy, then. On us all.”

  After the constable had left Tiamak stood outside the throne hall door for no little time, trying to decide what to say and how to say it. His stomach felt as if it wanted to squirm its way out of his body. The last month had been a growing storm of terrible news, and now this, the worst of all. First they had heard of the terrible events in Nabban, including the disappearance of Queen Miriamele. Then had come the tidings from the Laestfinger River that Duke Osric and his men had not only been attacked by Thrithings-men, but had been driven back by an astonishingly large army of grasslanders and forced to take refuge in Fellmere Castle some miles inside the border, whence the duke had called for reinforcements. No sooner had soldiers been sent than news had drifted in of the capture of Naglimund by the White Foxes, and the presumed death of all its citizens and defenders. Erkynland was besieged from two sides, and murderous chaos seemed to have taken root everywhere.

  And now this, Tiamak thought again. It seemed to spin through his head like a thrown ax; it whirled around and around, but its power would only be felt when it finally struck its target. And now this.

  King Simon was in the throne hall, sprawled on one of the ordinary council benches as his granddaughter Lillia clambered on him, trying to pull his beard while Simon, somewhat wearily, entertained her by resisting. The Dragonbone Chair stood on the daïs behind them, flanked by the almost invisible black statues of earlier kings; the great reptilian skull that canopied the chair loomed through the shadows like a vengeful spirit. Simon had always disliked the throne. For the first time he could remember, Tiamak wondered if the king might have been right after all—if the grim thing had been a harbinger of disaster all along.

  Simon must have recognized Tiamak’s expression, or perhaps his slumping, overburdened posture, because as soon as he entered the hall the king lifted his granddaughter under her arms and set her down on the floor. Laughing, Lillia tried to climb back onto his lap, but Simon would not let her.

  “Quiet now, child. Time to go back to your chambers so that I can talk to Tiamak.”

  One leg already up on the bench, clutching at Simon’s clothing, she turned to the new arrival. “Uncle Timo, he’s trying to make me go! Tell him you want me to stay.”

  “I can’t, my dear. He’s right. He and I have important matters to discuss. And you should be helping your grandmother the duchess to pack, in any case.”

  Lillia gave him a fiercely disappointed look, a look of betrayal. “No, don’t say that! I don’t want to go to the country. I want to stay here until Morgan and Grandmother Miriamele come back.”

  “Go along, Lillia,” Tiamak said. His heart was so heavy it was all he could do not to burst into tears at the sight of her angry, innocent little face. “Be a good girl.”

  Outflanked and unsupported, she slid off the bench onto the floor and made her way toward the door of the throne hall with the sullen defiance of a drunkard thrown out of a tavern. “I’m going to tell Auntie Tia-Lia that you’re the meanest man who ever lived in the Wran.”

  Tiamak did not have the heart for teasing today. “Go on, my dear. You and I can talk later, I promise.”

  He watched her out the door. When she was gone, Tiamak could feel Simon’s eyes on him even before he turned.

  “Well? More of it? All bad, I presume?” But the look on the king’s face made a mockery of the lightness of his tone. He looked like someone ready to be slapped.

  “I’m afraid so, Majesty. Simon.” Tiamak could barely control his voice. “We had more news from the commander of the Suthmark garrison.” His stomach was so roiled that Tiamak wanted nothing more at that moment than to go somewhere and be sick, but he pressed his hands against his stomach and continued. “Nabban is in a shambles, and the commanders of their northern forts are uncertain of what to do, suspicious of foreigners. But finally some of our men managed to reach the site and confirmed that they found the wreckage of the royal carriage. The queen’s carriage.”

  “Tell me everything.” Simon’s face was rigid.

  “It seems to have been a Thrithings attack, by the signs and the arrows they found. The coach was struck with several flaming arrows and was almost completely consumed. It seems that several Erkynguards were killed defending it, but no one can say for certain because animals have dragged the bodies away.”

  “But no sign of Miri, is that right?” Simon seemed to be struggling inside himself. “She will have gotten away. She is fierce and clever, my Miri.”

  Tiamak wanted to blurt it all out, just to end the torment he felt, but could not do that to his old friend, the king. “There was a body in the carriage. Badly burned. The Suthmark soldiers said they thought it was a woman.”

  Simon’s face was losing its solidity and growing more pale by the instant. “But that could be anyone—one of her ladies. We still do not know where half of them are—!”

  Tiamak swallowed, then held out the gray velvet bag. “The garrison commander sent this. He said they found it on the dead woman’s hand.”

  Simon stared at the bag as if it were a coiled adder, but took it at last. He shook the shining thing out onto his hand and stared in utter silence.

  “Oh, my God, my merciful God, how could this happen?” he finally asked. “Not . . . it couldn’t . . .”

  The ring dropped from his hand and bounced once on the floor with a loud clink, then bounced again and began to roll past Tiamak. Without thinking, he bent to snatch it up before it vanished under the benches or one of the hangings. As he stared at the twin dragons, entwining face to face, ruby eyes staring into eyes of diamond, the coils of the long bodies wrapped so tightly around each other as to make a single circlet of gold, he heard a tremendous crash. Shards and chunks of wood danced past him.

  Simon picked up the largest remaining piece of the bench he had just smashed to the stone floor and hammered it against the stone flags, breaking it into even smaller pieces, his face transformed in an instant from death pale to the scarlet of rage. With his height and his full beard, he looked like a towering prophet from the Book of the Aedon—a prophet of death and loss.

  “No!” Simon shouted, so loudly and brokenly that the guards outside the throne hall peered in through the doorway to see what was happening. “No! No! No!” But already the fury was dying like a smothered flame, and by the last negative the king was weeping. He fell to his knees. “It cannot be,” he said in a broken voice. Tiamak was weeping now too. “Not my Miri,” the king said, his voice halting and raw. “Not my happiness. Not my beloved . . . !”

  Tiamak could only go to him and put a useless hand on Simon’s shoulder. The king pressed his forehead down against the stone and wept and wept.

  Appendix

  PEOPLE

  ERKYNLANDERS

  Aart, Brother—St. Cuthbert Abbey’s blacksmith

  Abigal, Mistress—Mistress of Chambermaids of the Hayholt<
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  Aedonita—playmate of Princess Lillia

  Aldyn, Sir—Kenrick’s lieutenant in the Erkynguard

  Avel—a young servant

  Boez, Bishop—recently elevated Chief Almoner of the Hayholt

  Colfrid, Earl—Erkynland’s Lord Marine

  Cuff—a young man of Naglimund, known as “Cuff Scaler”; real name “Cuthbert”

  Denah—a woman in Queen Miriamele’s retinue

  Duglan, Lord—a noble; envoy to Hernystir

  Eahlferend—a fisherman; King Simon’s father

  Eahlstan Fiskerne, St.—King Simon’s ancestor and founder of the League of the Scroll; sixth king of the Hayholt; called the “Fisher King”

  Ealmer, Baron—lord of Grafton, known as “Ealmer the Large”

  Elias, King—former High King; Queen Miriamele’s father, killed in the Storm King’s War

  Elyweld—Lillia’s playmate; Aedonita’s sister

  Enok—Captain Zakiel’s young son

  Etan, Brother—an Aedonite monk, also known as “Etan Fratilis Ercestris”

  Evoric, Baron—baron of Haestall; Earl Rowson’s ally

  Fayn, Captain—guard captain of Naglimund

  Firman—soldier of the Erkynguard

  Gervis, Escritor—the highest religious authority in Erkynland; Lord Treasurer of the Hayholt

  Girth, Brother—wheelwright at St. Cuthbert’s Abbey

  Ham—a boy aboard the Hylissa

  Herwald—a fur merchant

  Idela, Princess—recently deceased widow of Prince John Josua; daughter of Duke Osric

  Jack Mundwode—a mythical forest bandit

  Jeremias, Lord—Lord Chamberlain of the Hayholt

  John Josua, Prince—dead son of King Simon and Queen Miriamele; Prince Morgan and Princess Lillia’s father

  John Presbyter, King—former High King; Queen Miriamele’s grandfather, called Prester John

  Josua, Prince—King Elias’ brother; Queen Miriamele’s uncle, who disappeared twenty years ago

  Jurgen of Sturmstad, Sir—Night Captain of the Erkynguard; Queen Miriamele’s protector

  Kenrick, Sir—a young Captain Marshal of the Erkynguard; former drinking companion to Prince Morgan, now member of Duke Osric’s host

  Leola—wife of Herwald

  Levias, Sergeant—officer of the Erkynguard

  Lillia, Princess—granddaughter of King Simon and Queen Miriamele; Morgan’s sister; called Lilly by her grandfather

  Loes—a nurse, one of Princess Lillia’s minders

  Melkin—Prince Morgan’s squire

  Miriamele, Queen—High Queen of Osten Ard; wife of King Simon

  Morgan, Prince—heir to the High Throne; son of Prince John Josua and Princess Idela

  Morgenes, Doctor—deceased Scrollbearer; young Simon’s friend and mentor

  Nelda, Duchess—wife of Duke Osric; Princess Idela’s mother

  Ordwine—soldier of the Erkynguard, from Westworth

  Osric, Duke—Lord Constable and Duke of Falshire and Wentmouth; Princess Idela’s father

  Putnam, Bishop—a cleric of the Hayholt

  Rachel—Mistress of Chambermaids of the Hayholt during King Simon’s youth; also known as “The Dragon”

  Raynold—Baron of Uttersall

  Renward—an Erkynguard bowman in Duke Osric’s troop

  Rowson, Earl—a nobleman of Glenwick

  Shulamit, Lady—one of Queen Miriamele’s court ladies

  Shem Horsegroom—groom at the Hayholt during King Simon’s youth

  Simon, King—High King of Osten Ard and husband of Queen Miriamele; also known by his birth name, “Seoman”; sometimes called “Snowlock”

  Siward, Father—a priest at Naglimund; Cuff’s mentor

  Strangyeard, Father—deceased Scrollbearer and former royal chaplain of the Hayholt

  Susannah—former servant of the Hayholt; King Simon’s mother who died in childbirth

  Sutrin, St.—an Aedonite saint, also known as Sutrines

  Tabata—resident chambermaid of the Hayholt

  Theobalt, Brother—a monk, Brother Etan’s “less than adequate replacement” per Tiamak

  Thomas Oystercatcher—mayor of Erchester

  Tostig, Baron– a wool merchant

  Tzoja—Lord Viyeki’s mistress; mother of Sacrifice Nezeru; daughter of Prince Josua and Lady Vorzheva; Unver’s twin sister, called Derra by her parents

  Zakiel of Garwynswold, Sir—Captain of the Erkynguard; Sir Kenrick’s commander

  HERNYSTIRI

  Aelin, Sir—grand-nephew of Count Eolair

  Aengas ec-Carpilbin of Ban Farrig—a merchant and scholar of ancient books

  Aerell—Sir Aelin’s father; husband of Elatha, Count Eolair’s sister

  Bagba—a cattle god

  Brannan—former monk, cook to Aengas

  Brynioch of the Skies—sky god, called “Skyfather”

  Cadrach ec-Crannhyr—deceased monk of indeterminate order; travel companion of Miriamele during the Storm King’s War

  Cuamh Earthdog—an earth god

  Curudan, Baron—Commander of the Silver Stags

  Dun—a god of death

  Eolair, Count—Count of Nad Mullach and Hand of the Throne

  Evan—one of Sir Aelin’s men

  Fintan—an Aedonite soldier of the Silver Stags

  Flann—leader of Flann’s Crows; a legendary bandit king

  Gwythinn, Prince—King Hugh’s father, killed in the Storm King’s War

  Hern, King—legendary founder of Hernystir

  Hugh ubh-Gwythinn, King—ruler of Hernystir

  Inahwen—Dowager Queen of Hernystir; last wife of King Lluth, Hugh’s grandfather

  Jarreth—Sir Aelin’s squire

  Lluth, King—former ruler of Hernystir; father of Maegwin and Gwythinn; killed at the Battle of the Inniscritch

  Maccus Blackbeard—a soldier; one of Sir Aelin’s companions

  Morriga—the Maker of Orphans, the Crow Mother; an ancient war goddess

  Murdo, Earl—a powerful noble; ally of Count Eolair and Sir Aelin

  Murhagh One-Arm—a war god

  Nial, Count—a nobleman of Nad Glehs; Countess Rhona’s husband

  Rhona, Countess—noblewoman of Nad Glehs; friend to Queen Miriamele; guardian of Princess Lillia, who calls her “Auntie Rhoner”

  Rhynn of the Cauldron—a god

  Samreas, Sir—Baron Curudan’s hawk-faced lieutenant; a Silver Stag

  Sinnach, Prince—historic prince of Hernystir, also known as “The Red Fox”

  Silver Stags—a Hernystiri elite troop; members are hand-picked by King Hugh

  Talamh of the Land—an ancient goddess of war and territory

  Tethtain, King—fifth king of the Hayholt; called the “Holly King” and “Tethtain the Usurper”

  Tylleth, Lady—widow of the Earl of Glen Orrga; betrothed to King Hugh

  RIMMERSFOLK

  Agnida—a woman among the Astaline Sisters

  Dror the Thunderer—storm god

  Dyrmundur—a chieftain of the Skalijar; Jarnulf’s former companion

  Einskaldir—companion of late Duke Isgrimnur, killed in the Storm King’s War

  Grimbrand of Elvritshalla, Duke—ruler of Rimmersgard; Duke Isgrimnur’s son

  Gutrun, Duchess—Duke Grimbrand’s late mother

  Hjeldin, King—second ruler of the Hayholt; King Fingil’s son, called the “Mad King”

  Isgrimnur of Elvritshalla, Duke—Duke Grimbrand’s late father

  Jarngrimnur—Jarnulf’s deceased brother

  Jarnulf Godtru—a man of unclear allegiance, self-proclaimed Queen’s Huntsman in Nakkiga; accidental companion and guide to Makho’s Talon

 
Morthginn—ancient queen of the underworld

  Narvi, Thane—a nobleman of Tach Bredan

  Roskva—a leader of the Astaline Sisters; Tzoja’s surrogate mother, called “Valada”

  Skalijar—an organized troop of brigands in northern Rimmersgard

  Vordis—a woman born to slavery in Nakkiga

  QANUC

  Binabik (Binbiniqegabenik)—Scrollbearer; Singing Man of the Qanuc; dear friend to King Simon

  Kikkasut—legendary king of birds

  Little Snenneq—Qina’s betrothed

  Qina (Qinananamookta)—daughter of Binabik and Sisqi

  Ookekuq—former Scrollbearer; Binibik’s master, killed on the Road of Dreams during the Storm King’s War

  Sedda—moon goddess, also known as “Moon-Mother”

  Sisqi (Sisqinanamook)—daughter of the Herder and Huntress (rulers of Mintahoq Mountain); Binabik’s wife

  THRITHINGS-FOLK

  Agvalt—a young bandit leader

  Anbalt, Thane—leader of the Adders Clan; from the Lake Thrithings

  Earth Hugger—the totem spirit of the Snake Clan spirit; called “the Legless”

  Edizel Shan—the most recent Shan, a legendary hero and leader of the Thri–things

  Etvin, Thane—leader of the Wood Duck Clan; born by Shallow Lake

  Fikolmij—former March-thane of the Stallion Clan and the High Thrithings; Vorzheva’s father, recently killed by her

  Forest Growler—the totem spirit of the Bear Clan

  Fremur, Thane—interim leader of the Crane clan; Unver’s first follower and closest friend

  Gezdahn Baldhead—a Crane Clan rider

  Grass Thunderer—the totem spirit of the Stallion Clan

  Gurdig—former thane of the Stallion Clan; husband of Hyara; recently killed by Unver

  Harat—a member of the Bustard Clan

  Hotmer—a bandit; son of Hotvig

  Hotvig—a Stallion Clan ally of Prince Josua during the Storm King’s War