The Nemesis Blade (50 page)

There was
convoluted wisdom in there.

“Caballa would
make any man an excellent partner, but she may not be an obedient
wife. I am not saying we expect our women to obey us, on the
contrary, but the Valleur expect certain standards and Caballa
flouts the rules. Besides, she would hate to be queen.”

“Tristan could
not marry her if he was Vallorin?”

A sigh.
“Probably not.”

“Poor
Tris.”

“Is it as
serious as that?”

“At this point
it’s all in their heads, I think.”

“Ah.”

Tianoman
frowned. “Is that bad?”

Torrullin
inclined his head. “It depends on your point of view.”

“Meaning?”

“You are too
young …”

“Try me.”

Smiling
briefly, Torrullin said, “You are as demanding as your father was,
always with the need for answers. Fine. Relationships that last
long begin in one’s head, not with that other part of you. If
Tristan has Caballa in his head, well, it may take a long time to
turn away, if ever.”

It was clear
Tianoman could not fathom it. “Were you and Saska like that?”

“We still
are.”

“Then -
why?”

“I prefer not
to talk about it.”

“Sorry, I
didn’t …”

Torrullin came
closer to draw Tianoman into an embrace. “Youth is impetuous, and
we love that it is so.” He let go and looked deep into Tian’s brown
eyes. The boy was confused, confused because someone had not
answered a question. He was the kind of person who required
answers. Even uncomfortable answers to ill-advised questions.
Torrullin stood back and said, “Saska and I have problems other
than attraction.”

“Lowen?”

Eyes
flickered. “Among other issues, yes.”

“Is Lowen in
your head?”

Oh, dear god, would the man stop asking now? “Yes, Lowen is
in my head.”
And in my blood, god help
me.

Somehow
Tianoman understood he asked too much. “Thank you for being open
with me.”

Torrullin
clasped his face. “My pleasure. Ready?”

A confident
nod answered him.

“Give me a
minute to find my place downstairs, then come down.”

“All
right.”

Torrullin gave
a final pat on Tianoman’s cheek, and left.

A dais was
erected beside the mosaic pool and an ornate chair sat in isolation
upon it.

At the foot of
the dais was a long wooden table with ten chairs facing the
gathered, and before the table was a simple wooden chair, and
beside it a golden urn. Tianoman’s name was carved into the
backrest.

The gathered -
Elders, Valleur, ambassadors, Valarian leaders and guests - sat on
bright cushions on the courtyard cobbles; there was no room for
seating. The courtyard itself was bedecked with bright hangings,
and flowers were everywhere. Many Valleur and guests watched from
the balcony. The feasting would commence after; the chambers
adjacent the courtyard held enough food and drink to feast ten
thousand for ten days.

As Torrullin
descended it was noted he donned the dark golden cloak with the
blue dragon emblazoned on the back. He last wore it at his sons’
Coming-of-Age.

Yes, the
knowing whispered, this young man was a son of one of those
sons.

It was also
noted he wore no sword; many wondered about it.

He waited at
the foot of the stairs and not long after Tianoman commenced the
lonely walk to his place in the proceedings.

Torrullin
smiled as he stepped to ground level and then preceded him along a
carpeted aisle through the gathered. At the wooden chair he halted.
He clasped Tianoman’s shoulder - the young man had to remain there,
standing - and made his way to the dais to turn before the ornate
chair. He nodded at Yiddin, who climbed onto the platform with a
tall staff.

Yiddin rapped
with it three times, calling, “All gathered! Hear the thrice
welcome!”

Valleur
responded in one voice, “We hear, oh Elder!”

Yiddin smiled.
“We are gathered to welcome Tianoman Valla into his future. Do you
agree he is ready?”

“He is
ready!”

Yiddin bowed
to the gathered, bowed to Torrullin, and stepped off.

Torrullin
nodded at Vanar.

She stepped up
and rapped her staff three times. “Hear the thrice recognition of
the Vallorin!”

A loud roar
resounded throughout the Keep and valley. They adored Torrullin.
“We hear, we hear, we hear!”

Seated behind
Tianoman, Tristan swallowed. It had been like this each time for
him and Teroux, but now he realised how entrenched Torrullin as
Vallorin was in Valleur psyche.

Gods, could a
future ruler even come close?

Next to him,
Teroux watched Torrullin as closely. He noted how his grandfather
flinched at the term ‘Vallorin’ and how it pained him to hear
adoration from his people.

A tear rolled
over Tianoman’s cheek.

Vanar smiled
as she stepped off the dais.

Torrullin
stood forward. His first duty was to fill the ten seats at the
table; these were the witnesses to the Coming-of-Age, and would put
a mark in the huge register of births, deaths, marriages, and this
ceremony.

He called out,
“Saska, Caballa, Tristan, Teroux, Isaiah Kronig, Yiddin, Vanar …”
and he lifted his gaze to the back of the gathered, “… Belun,
Declan and Quilla.”

The three
Kaval arrived ten minutes ago, and now made their way through the
gathered to take their seats with the others. Before they went on,
Torrullin leaned close to Declan. “Where is Sabian?”

“Teighlar,”
the Siric murmured. “We did not want to miss this.”

“We were here
for Tristan and Teroux,” Quilla added. “It would look odd.”

Torrullin
straightened. “Tianoman, before these witnesses are ratified, you
must prove your worth to all here.”

Tianoman
lifted his hand over the golden urn. The point was to prove mastery
over sorcery and it was to show respect to the one presenting him
to the gathered as an adult. His hand wavered there a time and then
Vanar moved to collect the urn. Tianoman resumed his formal stance,
his gaze on Torrullin.

Tristan, ten
years ago, gave rare coins collected from known worlds in the
universe - a valuable gift, and the effort involved spoke of his
love for his father. On that day Samuel stood where Torrullin was
now, and Torrullin was seated at the table as witness after the
thrice recognition. The sorcery lay in bringing the coins from the
place he kept them to deposit into the urn. Tristan earned honour
that day.

Teroux, four
years ago, presented, again to Samuel, an urn of semi-precious
stones. While the gift had not extraordinary value, Teroux knew his
adoptive father well enough to understand how much he would
appreciate it. Samuel was delighted, and fashioned his beloved
Curin beautiful jewellery in the years to follow.

Tianoman
collected his gift in the understanding Samuel would present him
this day.

Tristan and
Teroux, now seated at the table and able to see Tianoman directly,
held their breaths. While they had no doubt Tianoman would prove
mastery, they wondered how his gift would be received.

Torrullin’s
eyes were hooded; Tianoman had no doubt recognised the dilemma, but
were three days sufficient?

Vanar placed
the urn beside Torrullin.

Many craned
forward as he bent to the vessel, inserting his hand, and the ten
witnesses swivelled in their seats.

Torrullin
straightened, flicked a shocked glance at Tianoman, drew a ragged
breath and bent to the urn once more. He withdrew a stone, then
another and another, until he had five in his cupped hands.

While everyone
wondered about the gift, Torrullin stared at what he held. Five
oval stones, each a different colour - grey, purple, amber, black
and a shiny white - and warm in his hands.

“How?” he
croaked, his voice loud in the silence.

It was not the
reaction Tianoman expected. “I transferred them.”

“Where did you
get them?” Torrullin asked.

Tianoman
cleared his throat. “You are not supposed to ask that.”

Tristan and
Teroux glanced at each other.

“My Lord?”
Vanar murmured. “Is something amiss?”

Torrullin
closed his eyes and when he opened them again he was smiling.
“Amiss, Vanar? Ah, no. I find I am entirely amazed by the foresight
this young man has shown, and his genius in finding something rare.
In three days.”

“You are
pleased?”

Torrullin
laughed. “I am beyond pleased.” He winked at Tianoman. “Well done.
You may sit, son.”

Tianoman
smiled and sat as the courtyard and balcony erupted in an explosion
of sound.

Torrullin
moved to Quilla, who had a pouch ready to receive them. Covered by
the acclaim, he said, “Do you know what these are?”

The birdman
gave a brief nod. “I hear them. Give them to me; I shall guard them
with my life, if need be.”

“Where, in
god’s name, did he find them?”

“The real
question is, how did he know?” Quilla murmured.

The two smiled
as if happy with the gift, and Torrullin handed them over. Quilla
unobtrusively secreted it about his person. He ignored Declan’s
questioning look.

Torrullin
assumed his position and silence returned. “You are wondering about
the nature of the gift.”

“Yes!” someone
shouted, and general laughter erupted.

Torrullin held
a hand up. “It is a very rare thing to tool rock to perfection
without the aid of water’s erosion. The stones are handcrafted,
made thousands of years ago by a master sculptor and are as
priceless as a Keep full of diamonds.”

More cheering
erupted and many shouted, “Well done, Tian!”

Yes, well
done. You and I will be talking of this soon.

Aloud,
Torrullin said, “Valleur, it is time for the testing! Which two are
chosen?”

Two Valleur
men rose from the gathered and came to stand beside Tianoman facing
the dais.

“Sirlasin, you
are known to all here,” Torrullin said. “Who are you, young
man?”

Sirlasin
bowed, and the other spoke. “I am Cormarin, my Lord, of Menllik.”
He gave a smile and Teroux nearly choked.

Cormarin? His
skirt-chasing, drinking pal?

“Are you known
to Tianoman, Cormarin?”

“I am, my
Lord.”

“Very well.
Continue.”

These two
could ask Tianoman anything, from the most intricate point of
political history to the most obscure feat of sorcery. It did not
matter what was thrown at him; Tianoman had to answer, or fail.

He swallowed,
ignoring Cormarin’s wink.

Sirlasin stood
before him first. “Tianoman, who are the Nine?”

“The Nine were
the last of a caste of Valleur priests who fled into the Forbidden
Zone with the Dragon Taliesman. They went to a world called
Atrudis, which we now know by its original name Luvanor. They were
also the forefathers of the Valleur of that world. Apparently they
hid the taliesman …”

Sirlasin held
a hand up. “Enough. I am satisfied.”

A loud cheer
greeted his words.

It was
Cormarin’s turn. “Tianoman, what does the name Millanu mean?”

Tianoman’s
gaze flew to Torrullin.

“How dare
you?” Torrullin snapped out.

Vanar was on
her feet. “He is within his rights, my Lord.”

Silence, and
then, “Answer him, Tian.”

Cormarin was
not cowed as Tianoman glared at him. “My Lord Vallorin’s mother’s
name means ‘she who is of air, sky and space’.”

Cormarin
bowed. “Satisfied am I.”

Clapping
resulted, but it was for Tianoman alone, who said, “You will pay
for that, Cormarin, so help me.”

“I did nothing
wrong.”

Tianoman leaned forward - no easy task, considering his
bindings. “Watch your back, you fool; your number one enemy now is
Elixir. Nobody,
nobody
, bandies her name about the way you did.”

Cormarin
glanced over his shoulder … into a silver, unreadable gaze. He
vanished into the crowd.

Tianoman gave
a grin and then saw the thoughtful amusement Torrullin watched him
with. He shrugged and Torrullin’s smile widened.

Torrullin
spoke. “It is now expected of me to set your final test,
Tianoman.”

Silence
reigned.

At his sons’
ceremony Torrullin bypassed this nuance by offering his boys a gift
- the gift of Immortality. It came with the proviso that a year
pass before they speak their choice. Both men were dead before a
year had passed, and Torrullin had to be thinking of it at this
point; it explained his silence.

Samuel asked
Tristan to tame an unbroken stallion, and they wandered through the
Dragon doors to witness him do so with patience and kindness. The
skittish animal was his favourite mount. The stallion flourished in
luxurious stables in Menllik, and Tristan’s one sadness was that he
rarely had opportunity to ride.

Teroux was
asked to identify a host of plants from a tray of seedlings Samuel
prepared. Samuel reckoned a man needed to know how to feed himself,
from seeds, and amid much joking that day, Teroux identified them,
having spent many years on the farm with Samuel, Curin and his
cousins.

Torrullin was
not Samuel.

Tianoman was
anxious. He was not alone in that.

Torrullin
stepped off the dais. He stood before the young man. “I command
that you cloak four sacred sites of your choice … from here.”

“My Lord?”
Vanar queried, rising. “He cannot do that!”

Tianoman
stared at Torrullin. “Why?”

“My Lord, the
sites must be cloaked with proximity,” Yiddin called out.

Torrullin said
nothing.

Tianoman
asked, “Four simultaneously?”