by Alison Baird
“But where, Highness?”
“To Mera. To find Damion.” She turned back to the others. “I saw him in my dreams—only they weren’t dreams, but visions. He went into the Ether, he escaped death—just as Mother did, years ago. Those Zimbouran people have really seen him, lingering between the two planes. The old priest and the acolyte told the truth!”
“Ailia, I cannot allow you to travel anywhere,” said Tiron. “You are not well—”
“No! I know I’m right!”
Tiron and the others exchanged looks. A wild hope sprang into Lorelyn’s eyes. “She’s not dreaming, Jo—look at her! She’s seen him.”
“Jo.” Ailia put her hands in his. “Will you help me? I must leave Arainia in my father’s care, and go to Mera. Will you follow me there, and help me restore it? We will find Damion there, Jo. All they say of him in Zimboura is true—he has only changed, become something new and powerful.” She turned as a large group of palace guards ran up, alerted by her shouts. “Take down those black banners. They aren’t needed. And call the councillors,” she told them.
They stared at her. “But, Your Highness—”
“Do as she says,” rumbled Jomar.
Ailia turned back to her apartments. “And I don’t want priestesses with candles walking in front of me all the time. I will no longer have the light ritual performed.”
“But—”
Ailia swept past them impatiently.
Hope and joy had returned to her, sweeping away doubt, grief, and self-recrimination like a flood. Damion—she thought of the hovering butterflies down in the flowered pleasance, glorious winged creatures sprung from the cocoons of the lowly, wormlike larvae. He has changed, become something greater and stronger. She knew now to whom her heart belonged, and where her true destiny lay.
A FEW HOURS LATER AILIA, still pale but with a new look of determination on her face, walked out onto the roofs of Halmirion, accompanied by her friends and advisors. She wore her white mage-robe, and her only adornment was the sapphire ring.
In the sky something gleamed like a golden star—a dragon, hurtling through the air toward them. A great cry went up from the crowds assembled below, who had kept an anxious vigil during Ailia’s illness and now gathered in hope at the news of her recovery. Ailia lifted a hand in response to the sound, an oddly assured and gracious gesture so far removed from her former timidity that even her friends were awestruck.
“Look at her!” Lorelyn whispered. “I wouldn’t want to be one of the enemy, would you?”
As Jomar gazed at the princess he felt hope stir in him. “By all the gods, maybe she can lead us to victory after all!”
Ailia kissed her father, and looked solemnly at her friends. “Look for me in Zimboura, when you come there in your turn.”
Auron alighted in a storm of golden wings and lowered his neck for her. She climbed up and settled herself behind his mane. Then the dragon sprang skyward. As they watched, his shining form grew ever smaller, a tiny glimmer against the Arch of Heaven, a flicker passing across the face of the moon, seeking a distant door in the air and the world that lay beyond.
“She’s left us!” sighed Lorelyn.
“We’ll join her soon,” said Jomar. “In Mera we’ll put everything to rights.”
And then they were silent, watching the golden gleam until it vanished in the sky.
Here ends the second part of
The Dragon Throne
The third volume,
The Archons of the Stars,
will tell of the war between the worlds and the
final battle for the throne of the Celestial Empire.
APPENDIX
PRONUNCIATION OF ELENSI WORDS
Elensi words are pronounced as follows:
Vowels
A—always has the short sound, as in flat.
AA—has a long, drawn-out “ah” sound; before R, pronounced as in Car (in some instances I have rendered it as A for easier reading, as in Aana—Ana, Loanaan—Loänan)
AI—as in rain
AU—another “ah” sound; before R, pronounced as in oar
E—always has the short sound, as in bed
EI—like the German ei, an “eye” sound
I—like the French I, an “ee” sound
O—always the long sound, as in bow, except when it is the penultimate letter in a word (i.e., Damion, Halmirion), in which case it has the short sound, as in iron, lion
OA—not a diphthong as in road but two distinct sounds, as in coagulate
U—always the long sound, as in tune
Y—always a vowel, never a consonant: has the short I sound as in win, except before E, when it takes the long sound, as in wine
Consonants
G—always pronounced like the G in goose, never as in gin.
S—pronounced as in so, not the Z sound in phase.
TH—always pronounced as in thin, never as in then.
Note: these rules do not necessarily apply to words in languages other than Elensi, i.e., Zimbouran, in which the letter Y is a consonant.
GLOSSARY OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL WORDS
Ailia: (AY-lee-a) Elensi ai + lia, “lode star.” Island girl who joined the quest in Mera to find the Star Stone; later revealed to be the Tryna Lia.
Akkar: (AH-kar) Moharan. God of the earth, consort of Nayah the sky goddess.
Ana: (Ah-na) Elensi. Wise woman and guide to the Tryna Lia. See Eliana.
Andarion: (an-DAR-ee-on) Elensi aan + darion, “Lord Knight.” Title given to King Brannar of Maurainia in the Golden Age.
Arainia: (a-RAY-nee-a) Elensi ar + ain-ia, “bright homeland/sphere.” Second planet in the Auria system.
Arkurion: (ar-KYOOR-ee-on) Elensi ar-kuri + on, “bright torch bearer.” First planet in the Auria system.
Auria: (OR-ee-a) Elensi aur + ia, “place/sphere (of) life.” Elei name for the sun.
Auron: (OR-on) Elensi aur + on, “vessel of life.” An Imperial Loänan, friend and protector of the Tryna Lia.
Azar: (AZ-ar) Elensi azar, “calamity.” Name for the planet of the dwarf star Azarah. See Azarah.
Azarah: (AZ-a-ra) Elensi Azar’ah, from azar + rah, “bringer of calamity.” Name of a small dim star that became trapped in the Auria system’s gravitational field. See Terrestrial Terms: Disaster, the.
Byn-jara: (bin JAH-ra) Kaanish. A martial art practiced by the Kaans, emphasizing posture and breathing as well as meditation.
Damion: (DAY-mee-on) Elensi dai + mion, “welcome messenger.” (I have simplified the spelling of this name from the phonetic Daimion as there is an English name, Damien, pronounced similarly.) Priest of the Faith and companion of the Tryna Lia.
Dogoda: (duh-GO-duh) Dogoda. A race of the southern peninsula in the Antipodes, possibly a survival of the Neanderthal species long extinct in our own world.
Elaia: (el-LAY-a) Elensi El’aia, from el + laia, “lower gods.”
Elarainia: (el-a-RAY-nee-a) Elensi el + Arainia. Name of the goddess of the planet Arainia; also, the mother of the Tryna Lia.
Eldimia: (el-DEEM-ee-a) Elensi Eldim’ia, from el + dimi + ia, “(the) gods’ beauteous country.” Land in the world of Arainia to which the Elei fled after the Great Disaster.
Elei: (EL-eye) Elensi el + ei, “children of the gods.” Ancient race now vanished from Mera. They had special powers of the mind, believed by them to be the result of a divine ancestry.
Elendor: (el-EN-dor) Elensi el + endor, “holy mountain.” Sacred mountain in Trynisia, on whose summit the holy city of Liamar was built.
Elensi: (el-EN-see) The language of the Elei. From Elensi el + ensi, “holy tongue” or “gods’ tongue.”
Eliana: (el-ee-AH-na) Elensi el-i + aana, “lady (of the) spirit host,” or “queen of the faeries.” Former queen of Trynisia; see Ana.
Elmir: (EL-meer) Elensi el + mir, “spirit power.” The concept of Spirit, represented in Elei art as a bird.
Elmiria: (el-MEER-ee-a) Elensi el + Miria. Birth-name of the Tryn
a Lia.
Elyra: (el-LIE-ra) Elensi El’yra, from el + lyra, “higher gods.”
Falaar: (fuh-LAR) A cherub guardian of the Tryna Lia. This is an approximate phonetic rendition of his name, which means “Sun-hunter.”
Gemala: (gum-AWL-a) Zimbouran. General of King Khalazar’s army.
Halmirion: (hal-MEER-ee-on) Elensi Halmiri’on, from hal + Miria + on, “Castle Moonbearer.” The palace of the Tryna Lia in Eldimia.
Hyelanthia: (hye-el-AN-thee-a) Elensi Hyelanth’ia, from hy-el + antha + ia, “cloud-country belonging to the gods.” Land in Arainia where the Elaia were said to have dwelt.
Iantha: (ee-AN-tha) Elensi i-antha + a, “of many clouds.” The sixth planet of the Auria system, a gas giant.
Ingard: (EEN-gard) Elensi. Famed knight and friend of King Andarion.
Jomar: (JOE-mar) Moharan. One of the Tryna Lia’s companions, a warrior of mixed Moharan and Zimbouran heritage.
Kaans: (KAHNS) Kaanish. The inhabitants of the Archipelagoes of Kaan in Mera.
Khalazar: (KHAL-a-zar) Zimbouran khal + Elensi Azar, “born under Azar.” Name of the king of Zimboura in Ailia’s day. The “kh” sound is pronounced like the “ch” in the Scottish loch. (The western peoples, who had no such sound in their language, pronounced the name “Kalazar.”)
Kiran Jariss: (KEER-an JAH-riss) Zimbouran. A Zimbouran ally of the Zayim.
Liamar: (LEE-a-mar) Elensi lia + mar, “star city.” Holy city atop Mount Elendor in Trynisia.
Loänan: (LOW-a-nahn) Elensi Loanaan, from lo + an + aan, “lord (of) wind (and) water.” See Terrestrial terms: Dragon.
Loänanmar: (low-A-NAHN-mar) Elensi loanan + mar, “city of dragons.” Largest city in the world of Nemorah.
Loänei: (LOW-un-eye) Elensi lo + an + ei, “children of wind and water.” Race of beings descended from unions between humans and Loänan transformed into human shape.
Lorelyn: (LORE-el-in) Elensi Lor’el’yn, from lora + el-lyn, “daughter of sacred sky (heaven).” A gifted Nemerei and friend of the Tryna Lia.
Lotara: (low-TAR-a) Elensi Lot’ara, from lot + tar-a, “tail of the worm.” A star in Entar, the constellation of Modrian-Valdur. It is companion star to Vartara, the Black Star.
Marakor: (MA-ra-kor) Marakite. Country to the south of Maurainia in Mera.
Maurainia: (mor-AIN-ee-a) Elensi Maur + ain + ia, “homeland (of the) Maur (tribe).” Principal kingdom of Mera’s western continent.
Meldramiria: (mel-druh-MEER-ee-a) Elensi meldra + miria, “throne (of the) moon.” The Tryna Lia’s throne in Eldimia.
Meldrian: (MEL-dree-un) Elensi meldri + aan, “lord of thrones.” An ancient world, the capital of the Celestial Empire from the days of the Archons.
Melnemeron: (mel-NEM-er-on) Elensi Melnemer’on, from mel + ne-Mera + on, “repository of the lore of the Not-world (Ether).” Place in Arainia where the Nemerei gather to learn and share their knowledge.
Mera: (MARE-a) Elensi word for “earth” or “soil,” also used by the inhabitants of the third planet of the Auria system as the name for their world.
Meraalia: (mare-AWL-ee-a) Elensi Meraal’ia, from mera-al + lia, “star stone.” The star stone of the Archons.
Merei: (MARE-eye) Elensi Mer’ei, from mera + ei, “earth children.” True humans (as opposed to Elei, Loänei, and other altered races).
Miria: (MEER-ee-a) Elensi miri + a, literally “of radiance.” Elei name for Arainia’s moon.
Mirimar: (MEER-eem-ar) Elensi miri + mar, “radiant city.” Capital city of Eldimia.
Modrian: (MO-dree-un) Elensi name for a deity, chief of the sky gods (but subordinate to the supreme deity of High Heaven). Said to have rebelled and been defeated by the other gods of earth and sky, who confined him to the Pit of Perdition. See Valdur.
Mohar: (MO-har) Moharan. Country south of Zimboura, now an occupied territory.
Mohara: (mo-HA-ra) A people of the southern Antipodes.
Moriana: (mo-ree-AN-a) Elensi mori + aana, “lady/mistress of the nights.” A title given to Mera’s moon deity; also the name of Brannar Andarion’s queen.
Morlyn: (MORE-lin) Elensi mor + lyn, “night sky.” Son of King Brannar Andarion and Queen Moriana.
Morugei: (MOR-oo-guy) Elensi Morug’ei, from moruga + ei, “children (of) the night-haunts.” Also Demonspawn. The mutant humanoid races that worship Valdur. These creatures are reputed to be the misshapen offspring of true humans and evil incubi. They include numerous races, whom I call here Anthropophagi, trolls, ogres, and goblins. The first three subspecies breed “true,” passing on their characteristics to subsequent generations, but among goblins no two individuals are alike, and even their offspring do not resemble their parents. However, the goblins have a higher intelligence than the other races and are more skilled in the arts of sorcery.
Nayah: (NYE-uh) Moharan. Goddess of the sky in Moharan myth.
Nemerei: (NEM-er-eye) Elensi ne-Mera + ei, “child/children (of the) not-world.” (“Ne-Mera,” “Not-world,” is a literal translation of the immaterial dimension here called the Ether.) Beings able to communicate with their minds alone, in addition to other psychic powers.
Nemorah: (nuh-MOR-uh) Loänei-Elensi. A world once inhabited by the Loänei, now home to human beings.
Numia: (NYOO-mee-a) Elensi. Elei name for Mera’s moon.
Orbion: (OR-bee-on) Elensi. Name of the Celestial Emperor.
Rialain: (REE-a-lain) Elensi Riala + ain, “home (of the) Riala (tribe).” Country north of Maurainia in Mera.
Shurkana: (shur-KAN-a) Shurkanese. Country to the north of Zimboura in the Antipodes.
Syndra: (SIN-druh) Elensi. A Nemerei woman of mixed Elei and Merei parentage who betrayed the Tryna Lia.
Talandria: (tal-AN-dree-a) Elensi Talandri’a, from tal + an-dri + ia, literally “all salt water place/sphere.” The fourth planet of the Auria system.
Taleera: (t’yuh-LEER-a) T’kiri. A friend and guardian of the Tryna Lia. (The name is pronounced with a little roll to the R that makes it sound almost like an L.)
Talmirennia: (tal-meer-EN-ee-a) Elensi tal + mir + en + ia, literally “all-power-great-place.” Elensi name for the Celestial Empire.
Tanathon: (TAN-uh-thon) Elensi tana + thon, “tree eater.” Species of large saurian inhabiting the world of Nemorah. There is reason to believe these giant reptiles are not indigenous to that planet, but are descended from sauropods of our own Jurassic period, brought to Nemorah from our world by the Archons.
Tarnawyn: (TAR-nuh-win) Elensi tar-na + wyn, “white serpent-foe.” Unicorn.
Temendri Alfaran: (tem-END-ree AL-fa-ran) A world colonized by the Loänan, where many races dwell and meet.
Tiron: (TEER-on) Elensi tir + on, “blessing-bearer” or “blessed one.” Name of the father of the Tryna Lia.
T’kiri: (t’KEER-ee) T’kiri. An avian race, called “firebirds” by humans because of their brightly-colored, bioluminescent plumage.
Tryna Lia: (TRY-na LEE-a) Elensi Tryna Li’a, from tryna + lia-a, “Princess of the Stars.” Prophesied ruler awaited by the Elei, said to be the daughter of the planetary deity Elarainia.
Trynel: (TRY-nel) Elensi tryne + el, “royal and divine.” A title of the Tryna Lia.
Trynisia: (try-NEE-see-a; try-NEEZH-ee-a) Elensi Tryn’isia, from tryne + is + ia, “royal beloved country.” Land of the Elei in Mera, abandoned after the Great Disaster.
Trynoloänan: (try-no-LOW-a-nahn) Elensi tryno + loanaan, “dragon prince/ruler.” A male leader of the Loänan.
Twidjik: an amphisbaena of Nemorah.
Unguru: (oon-GOO-roo) Moharan name, derived from the Elensi name of the Maurainian hero Ingard. A warrior of the free Moharas who fought and gave his life for the Zayim.
Utara: (yoo-TAR-a) Elensi Ut’ara, from ut + tar-a, “eye of the worm.” Red star in Entar, the constellation of Modrian-Valdur.
Valdur: (VAL-dur) Elensi val + dur, “dark one.” Name given to the god Modrian after his fall from grace. Later appropriated by Zimbouran clergy
as the name for their chief deity.
Valdys: (VAL-diss) Elensi val + dys, “dark dwelling.” The fifth planet of Auria’s system.
Valei: (VAL-eye) Elensi val + ei, “children (of the) dark.” The followers of Modrian-Valdur.
Vartara: (var-TAR-a) Elensi var + tar-a, “mouth of the worm.” Black star in Entar, the constellation of Modrian-Valdur. Also called the Mouth of Hell.
Wakunga: (wuh-KUNG-guh) Moharan. Shaman of the last free tribe of Moharas.
Yehosi: (yuh-HO-see) Zimbouran. Chief eunuch in Khalazar’s palace.
Zayim: (z’eye-EEM) Moharan. According to Mohara legend, a divinely appointed savior who would one day free them from enslavement.
Zimboura: (zim-BOOR-a) Zimbouran. A country in Mera’s Antipodes.
GLOSSARY OF TERRESTRIAL TERMS
The words below are taken from our own terrestrial myths, languages, and cultures. I have utilized them for parallel concepts found in the worlds and cultures described in this book.
ambrosia: the Elei possessed an elixir, given them by the gods, according to tradition, which was taken from a fruit called the “food of the gods.” It was said to augment the latent powers of Nemerei.
amphisbaena: name of a two-headed snake in medieval myth, here used for a creature of Nemorah.
Anthropophagi: deformed humans, one of the races of the Morugei. This name (meaning literally “eaters of men”) belonged to a similar race featured in medieval European mythology.
Archons: a term used for an ancient race of beings that once dominated the galaxy and were worshiped as gods. Believed by some to be the origin of the Elaia, “lower gods,” in Elei mythology.
aspidochelone: a whalelike creature from our own mythology, which was sometimes mistaken for an island by sailors. If they lit a campfire on its back, the creature would submerge and drown them. It would seem that the inspiration for this myth is an actual beast in the world of Nemorah, though how our own storytellers learned of it remains a mystery.
avatar: a term taken from Hindu tradition, here meaning either the physical manifestation of a god or else its representation by a mortal being in such a way that the divine being can be said to be literally present.
