large force of nomadic warriors attacked from the
north out of the Tarrant Mountains. It was a particularly serious threat
because of their great numbers and bellicose nature, and they were very
difficult to defeat. Eventually they were repelled and most of them were
destroyed. Those few who escaped fled back into the mountains. Brian was but a
boy at the time, although he rode with his father to the battle.
"Years later, King
Gwydian received information that survivors of the ill-fated invasion had
banded together under the remaining two leaders and had returned to raid the
borders of the Inner Ward as well as attacking villages and travelers along the
Great Northern Road, threatening our trade route with the Northland. Brian led a
warband out of the Inner Ward and attacked the enemy in their stronghold in the
mountains. The stronghold was razed, but only a small number of the raiders
were killed and, as Brian's warband was returning to Sandovar, they were
ambushed. Brian was captured and taken far to the north as a prisoner. He
eventually escaped and made his way home. We expected that he would be content
to stay at home after his time in captivity, but he was restless and unhappy in
Pentarin. Gwydian and his son argued, his father feeling that the prince should
remain in Pentarin to marry and prepare himself to be king someday. But Brian
stubbornly demanded his freedom. In the end they compromised; Brian allowed
himself to be handfasted to you and then left, promising to return within five
year's time. The deadline came and went without a word. Eventually a trading
party from the north brought word from the prince to his father, saying that he
had taken up residence in a city that supposedly exists somewhere in the midst
of the Tarrant Mountains. Even I do not know all of what was in the letter, but
the king was mollified by it.
"More letters were
exchanged between Gwydian and his son, but I was not residing in Pentarin during
that time and do not know what was contained in their correspondence as the
letters were apparently destroyed. When King Gwydian knew that he was dying, he
sent his elite guard to bring his son home, but the messengers could not find
the city in which Brian dwelt. Gwydian was quite certain in his own mind that
Brian was alive and that he planned to return and assume his father's throne.
In the meantime, I was designated to be his regent until Brian should see fit
to return. Over the intervening years I have waited, fully expecting him to
appear at any time. It is only of late that rumours of his death have begun to
circulate widely and the question of succession has arisen." He finished
his narrative with a shake of his head.
Hollin sat quietly
reflecting on what she had been told. "It is almost ten years since his
father's death, how do you know that the rumours are false?" she finally
queried, looking hard at the old man before her.
Colin replied for the
regent. "Because we, Dinea, Percamber and myself, have resonated a crystal
to Brian's life-force."
Hollin's eyebrows
expressed her surprise, first at the claim that they had, apparently
successfully, performed a very difficult and rather hazardous procedure, and
secondly that the regent himself had been involved.
Percamber, guessing her
thoughts, smiled gently. "Yes, though it is not talked about, when I was
young I spent several years training at Dacara's Scholastium. My brother,
Medwyn, was heir to Morna so I was free to pursue my own interests for several
years until Medwyn died unexpectedly. It was then that I was wed to Lady
Glendalaurie of Pentarell and returned to administer Morna.
"I admit to being
a bit rusty in the arcane arts but I lent what aid I could. Colin and Dinea
managed most of the work."
With new respect,
Hollin regarded the couple who sat before her. She did not understand all of
the intricacies but she knew the basic principles involved. An adept of a
certain degree of skill can get the right crystalline substance to
north out of the Tarrant Mountains. It was a particularly serious threat
because of their great numbers and bellicose nature, and they were very
difficult to defeat. Eventually they were repelled and most of them were
destroyed. Those few who escaped fled back into the mountains. Brian was but a
boy at the time, although he rode with his father to the battle.
"Years later, King
Gwydian received information that survivors of the ill-fated invasion had
banded together under the remaining two leaders and had returned to raid the
borders of the Inner Ward as well as attacking villages and travelers along the
Great Northern Road, threatening our trade route with the Northland. Brian led a
warband out of the Inner Ward and attacked the enemy in their stronghold in the
mountains. The stronghold was razed, but only a small number of the raiders
were killed and, as Brian's warband was returning to Sandovar, they were
ambushed. Brian was captured and taken far to the north as a prisoner. He
eventually escaped and made his way home. We expected that he would be content
to stay at home after his time in captivity, but he was restless and unhappy in
Pentarin. Gwydian and his son argued, his father feeling that the prince should
remain in Pentarin to marry and prepare himself to be king someday. But Brian
stubbornly demanded his freedom. In the end they compromised; Brian allowed
himself to be handfasted to you and then left, promising to return within five
year's time. The deadline came and went without a word. Eventually a trading
party from the north brought word from the prince to his father, saying that he
had taken up residence in a city that supposedly exists somewhere in the midst
of the Tarrant Mountains. Even I do not know all of what was in the letter, but
the king was mollified by it.
"More letters were
exchanged between Gwydian and his son, but I was not residing in Pentarin during
that time and do not know what was contained in their correspondence as the
letters were apparently destroyed. When King Gwydian knew that he was dying, he
sent his elite guard to bring his son home, but the messengers could not find
the city in which Brian dwelt. Gwydian was quite certain in his own mind that
Brian was alive and that he planned to return and assume his father's throne.
In the meantime, I was designated to be his regent until Brian should see fit
to return. Over the intervening years I have waited, fully expecting him to
appear at any time. It is only of late that rumours of his death have begun to
circulate widely and the question of succession has arisen." He finished
his narrative with a shake of his head.
Hollin sat quietly
reflecting on what she had been told. "It is almost ten years since his
father's death, how do you know that the rumours are false?" she finally
queried, looking hard at the old man before her.
Colin replied for the
regent. "Because we, Dinea, Percamber and myself, have resonated a crystal
to Brian's life-force."
Hollin's eyebrows
expressed her surprise, first at the claim that they had, apparently
successfully, performed a very difficult and rather hazardous procedure, and
secondly that the regent himself had been involved.
Percamber, guessing her
thoughts, smiled gently. "Yes, though it is not talked about, when I was
young I spent several years training at Dacara's Scholastium. My brother,
Medwyn, was heir to Morna so I was free to pursue my own interests for several
years until Medwyn died unexpectedly. It was then that I was wed to Lady
Glendalaurie of Pentarell and returned to administer Morna.
"I admit to being
a bit rusty in the arcane arts but I lent what aid I could. Colin and Dinea
managed most of the work."
With new respect,
Hollin regarded the couple who sat before her. She did not understand all of
the intricacies but she knew the basic principles involved. An adept of a
certain degree of skill can get the right crystalline substance to
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