last day, after a procession that had wended its gorgeously barbaric way about the canals, everyone of the guests and high nobility, and as many of the citizens of Vondium as could be squeezed in, crowded into the vast Kyro of Opaz Omnipotent, Best and Greatest.
The square in its immensity could hold thousands of people, and its extent had been considerably increased by the destruction of buildings all along one side. The people perched on the rubble looked like flies.
Bands played music and the people sang. Sweet scents invigorated the evening air, and the Moon Blooms drenched everything with their perfume. The whole mass of people were intoxicated on emotion and the splendors of the occasion.
With care I had selected a Stentor Corps, men with expansive lungs and carrying voices, and these were stationed about the Kyro to carry on the words spoken from the dais to the furthest corners.
The priests performed their final rites. Various notables spoke in praise of Drak and Silda. Drak and Silda, themselves, each said a few heartfelt words.
Man and wife, they turned as I called: “Now.”
Drak said: “If it is your wish, father.”
“It is your mother’s wish, also, my son.”
Delia said: “Yes, oh, yes! And I shall say so!”
My arm about Delia’s waist, my right hand at my side gripping the old Savanti sword, I stepped forward and Delia stepped forward with me.
The radiance of the Suns of Scorpio fell full upon us. We stood looking out across the Kyro of Opaz Omnipotent, and over that immense multitude fell a deep hush.
I raised that superb sword high and the light flashed upon the blade.
I made it short and brutal.
“People of Vallia! Friends! Opaz has willed this joy upon us in the happiness of Prince Drak and Princess Silda.” I twisted the sword and the opaline radiance gleamed. “The Empress Delia and I have decided. I have to tell you now that the Empress and I take our farewells of you. We abdicate.” Absolute silence in that enormous congregation. I repeated myself. “The Empress Delia and I abdicate and renounce the crown and throne of Vallia.”
Delia called across: “I, the Empress Delia of Vallia, abdicate and renounce the crown and throne of Vallia.”
The stentors bellowed repetitions of our words over the heads of the throne. The crowd began to stir.
I half turned, still holding Delia, to stare at Drak and Silda.
“On this happy wedding day here stand before you the emperor and empress.”
The sword above my head glittered a shaft of light.
“Hai Jikai, Drak, Emperor of Vallia. Hai Jikai, Silda, Empress of Vallia! Hai Jikai!”
Then the tumultuous roars burst full-throated from the crowds.
“Hai Jikai! Drak and Silda, Emperor and Empress of Vallia!”
Chapter nine
Armada against Csitra
I, Dray Prescot, the Lord of Strombor, and Krozair of Zy, was no longer the Emperor of Vallia.
“By Zim-Zair!” I said. “And about time, too!”
“Well, my old dom, you always said you would, yet precious few people believed you.”
Thelda chattered on, fussing away: “I can’t believe it, Dray, my dear. Why, if I were empress I’d
never
abdicate.” Then she put her head on one side and in her funny way added: “But it does mean I am now the mother of the empress. That is
very
nice.”
Lol Polisto gave her a look and I noticed Milsi put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile.
After we’d seen the married couple safely off, a few of us had gathered to talk over the events of the day and, inevitably, given the situation, to gape at Delia’s and my decision.
The lads of my guard corps were in a quandary.
I said to Targon and Dorgo and Cleitar and the other chiefs: “You are the emperor’s bodyguards. You formed yourselves at a time when the emperor’s life was in danger. Your duties remain. There is the emperor to serve.”
“Yes, but he’s not you!”
“He is my son and the emperor.”
Just before they took themselves off to sort it out among themselves in the
The square in its immensity could hold thousands of people, and its extent had been considerably increased by the destruction of buildings all along one side. The people perched on the rubble looked like flies.
Bands played music and the people sang. Sweet scents invigorated the evening air, and the Moon Blooms drenched everything with their perfume. The whole mass of people were intoxicated on emotion and the splendors of the occasion.
With care I had selected a Stentor Corps, men with expansive lungs and carrying voices, and these were stationed about the Kyro to carry on the words spoken from the dais to the furthest corners.
The priests performed their final rites. Various notables spoke in praise of Drak and Silda. Drak and Silda, themselves, each said a few heartfelt words.
Man and wife, they turned as I called: “Now.”
Drak said: “If it is your wish, father.”
“It is your mother’s wish, also, my son.”
Delia said: “Yes, oh, yes! And I shall say so!”
My arm about Delia’s waist, my right hand at my side gripping the old Savanti sword, I stepped forward and Delia stepped forward with me.
The radiance of the Suns of Scorpio fell full upon us. We stood looking out across the Kyro of Opaz Omnipotent, and over that immense multitude fell a deep hush.
I raised that superb sword high and the light flashed upon the blade.
I made it short and brutal.
“People of Vallia! Friends! Opaz has willed this joy upon us in the happiness of Prince Drak and Princess Silda.” I twisted the sword and the opaline radiance gleamed. “The Empress Delia and I have decided. I have to tell you now that the Empress and I take our farewells of you. We abdicate.” Absolute silence in that enormous congregation. I repeated myself. “The Empress Delia and I abdicate and renounce the crown and throne of Vallia.”
Delia called across: “I, the Empress Delia of Vallia, abdicate and renounce the crown and throne of Vallia.”
The stentors bellowed repetitions of our words over the heads of the throne. The crowd began to stir.
I half turned, still holding Delia, to stare at Drak and Silda.
“On this happy wedding day here stand before you the emperor and empress.”
The sword above my head glittered a shaft of light.
“Hai Jikai, Drak, Emperor of Vallia. Hai Jikai, Silda, Empress of Vallia! Hai Jikai!”
Then the tumultuous roars burst full-throated from the crowds.
“Hai Jikai! Drak and Silda, Emperor and Empress of Vallia!”
Chapter nine
Armada against Csitra
I, Dray Prescot, the Lord of Strombor, and Krozair of Zy, was no longer the Emperor of Vallia.
“By Zim-Zair!” I said. “And about time, too!”
“Well, my old dom, you always said you would, yet precious few people believed you.”
Thelda chattered on, fussing away: “I can’t believe it, Dray, my dear. Why, if I were empress I’d
never
abdicate.” Then she put her head on one side and in her funny way added: “But it does mean I am now the mother of the empress. That is
very
nice.”
Lol Polisto gave her a look and I noticed Milsi put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile.
After we’d seen the married couple safely off, a few of us had gathered to talk over the events of the day and, inevitably, given the situation, to gape at Delia’s and my decision.
The lads of my guard corps were in a quandary.
I said to Targon and Dorgo and Cleitar and the other chiefs: “You are the emperor’s bodyguards. You formed yourselves at a time when the emperor’s life was in danger. Your duties remain. There is the emperor to serve.”
“Yes, but he’s not you!”
“He is my son and the emperor.”
Just before they took themselves off to sort it out among themselves in the
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