border
skirmishes a quarter of a century ago. To his right was the elderly Countess of
Pentarell, Lady Laurin, who had been attending sessions of the Pentacle Council
longer than anyone else present. Between her and Lord Niall sat Lord Colin de
Chantalcalm, with his long, slender hands resting comfortably on the arms of
his chair. To the left of Lord Brescom were the Earl of Gresha, Lord Lewys
Glendark, a sleek young man newly married and recently come to his earldom, and
Lord Aidan Ravenspur, the Viscount of Thurin, a man of middle-years with
thinning hair and the robust build of a warrior.
When the regent's
speech concluded Lord Talen stood again to read the decisions and their
implementations from the last council session. As he read, Hollin noticed
glances being exchanged between the lords of Gresha and Thurin. Both men
shifted in their seats nervously and Hollin speculated to herself as to which
lords or ladies had been canvassing them for support. At last, Lord Talen asked
for new business and Hollin was hardly surprised to hear Niall's voice.
"Let me begin by
stating at once that no disrespect is intended toward Lord Percamber, who has
ruled well and ably as our regent since the death of King Gwydian. However, his
tenure was meant to be a temporary measure, and the time is now at hand for us,
as the governing body of the Pentarchy, to consider and resolve the issue of
kingship. The Pentarchy has been many years now without a High King, and there
are rumours from beyond our borders that we are beginning to be viewed as a
headless state." Amid rumblings of protest, Niall went on. "Obviously
with our excellent regent we are far from headless, but the fact remains that
there is no king on the throne and no heirs to succeed him." At this
remark, a babble of excited voices erupted; some supporting and some denying
the Duke of Mirvanovir's statement.
Lewys finally took the
floor to speak and the other voices fell silent. Flicking his fair hair out of
his eyes, he spoke earnestly. "What Niall has said has much merit to it,
but I wish to remind everyone here that there is an heir to the throne: Prince
Brian ap Gryffyd, son of our late king."
"That is all well
and good, but where is the prince? He has not been seen or heard of for ten
years," Brescom interjected, looking around to see who there would argue
with this statement. "He may well be dead for all we know!"
"He is still
alive," Percamber refuted in a flat, unequivocal voice. "He is
residing of his own volition in a city to the north, beyond our borders."
"What's that you
say?" Gunnar snorted derisively. "Hidden away in a mountain retreat
for ten years! That's a bit hard to swallow. How do you know he's there? And why
isn't he here, where he should be?"
"I haven't seen
him in those ten years either, Gunnar, and I do not know why he has not
returned sooner. But he is alive and he is the legitimate heir to House
Sandovar and the throne." Percamber's reply held a note of weariness that
alarmed Hollin.
"How do you know
he is alive?" Gunnar persisted, clearly unconvinced.
"Because,"
Colin broke in smoothly, "We have resonated a crystal to his life
energies."
"Do you mean that
he left a resonating crystal behind when he left?" Lady Laurin asked
delicately.
"Not exactly. With
the help of Lord Percamber and my wife, we were able to activate a crystal to
him." Laurin's white eyebrows soared upwards in astonishment.
"Oh come now,
Colin," Niall said, his voice etched with skepticism. "You resonated
a crystal to the individual energies of a person missing for ten years?"
"Magician's
brew," Gunnar muttered shaking his head. "No good can come of playing
about with that mumbo-jumbo."
"This does stretch
our credulity quite a bit," Aidan was quick to point out.
"Come now
gentlemen, and ladies." Branwilde's deep, authoritative voice cut through
the speculative remarks being passed about. "Need I remind you that we
all, by being confirmed heads of our Houses, are capable of
skirmishes a quarter of a century ago. To his right was the elderly Countess of
Pentarell, Lady Laurin, who had been attending sessions of the Pentacle Council
longer than anyone else present. Between her and Lord Niall sat Lord Colin de
Chantalcalm, with his long, slender hands resting comfortably on the arms of
his chair. To the left of Lord Brescom were the Earl of Gresha, Lord Lewys
Glendark, a sleek young man newly married and recently come to his earldom, and
Lord Aidan Ravenspur, the Viscount of Thurin, a man of middle-years with
thinning hair and the robust build of a warrior.
When the regent's
speech concluded Lord Talen stood again to read the decisions and their
implementations from the last council session. As he read, Hollin noticed
glances being exchanged between the lords of Gresha and Thurin. Both men
shifted in their seats nervously and Hollin speculated to herself as to which
lords or ladies had been canvassing them for support. At last, Lord Talen asked
for new business and Hollin was hardly surprised to hear Niall's voice.
"Let me begin by
stating at once that no disrespect is intended toward Lord Percamber, who has
ruled well and ably as our regent since the death of King Gwydian. However, his
tenure was meant to be a temporary measure, and the time is now at hand for us,
as the governing body of the Pentarchy, to consider and resolve the issue of
kingship. The Pentarchy has been many years now without a High King, and there
are rumours from beyond our borders that we are beginning to be viewed as a
headless state." Amid rumblings of protest, Niall went on. "Obviously
with our excellent regent we are far from headless, but the fact remains that
there is no king on the throne and no heirs to succeed him." At this
remark, a babble of excited voices erupted; some supporting and some denying
the Duke of Mirvanovir's statement.
Lewys finally took the
floor to speak and the other voices fell silent. Flicking his fair hair out of
his eyes, he spoke earnestly. "What Niall has said has much merit to it,
but I wish to remind everyone here that there is an heir to the throne: Prince
Brian ap Gryffyd, son of our late king."
"That is all well
and good, but where is the prince? He has not been seen or heard of for ten
years," Brescom interjected, looking around to see who there would argue
with this statement. "He may well be dead for all we know!"
"He is still
alive," Percamber refuted in a flat, unequivocal voice. "He is
residing of his own volition in a city to the north, beyond our borders."
"What's that you
say?" Gunnar snorted derisively. "Hidden away in a mountain retreat
for ten years! That's a bit hard to swallow. How do you know he's there? And why
isn't he here, where he should be?"
"I haven't seen
him in those ten years either, Gunnar, and I do not know why he has not
returned sooner. But he is alive and he is the legitimate heir to House
Sandovar and the throne." Percamber's reply held a note of weariness that
alarmed Hollin.
"How do you know
he is alive?" Gunnar persisted, clearly unconvinced.
"Because,"
Colin broke in smoothly, "We have resonated a crystal to his life
energies."
"Do you mean that
he left a resonating crystal behind when he left?" Lady Laurin asked
delicately.
"Not exactly. With
the help of Lord Percamber and my wife, we were able to activate a crystal to
him." Laurin's white eyebrows soared upwards in astonishment.
"Oh come now,
Colin," Niall said, his voice etched with skepticism. "You resonated
a crystal to the individual energies of a person missing for ten years?"
"Magician's
brew," Gunnar muttered shaking his head. "No good can come of playing
about with that mumbo-jumbo."
"This does stretch
our credulity quite a bit," Aidan was quick to point out.
"Come now
gentlemen, and ladies." Branwilde's deep, authoritative voice cut through
the speculative remarks being passed about. "Need I remind you that we
all, by being confirmed heads of our Houses, are capable of
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