resonate in
harmony with his or her life-energy. Getting a crystal to resonate accurately
to the energies of a person not there, especially one absent for as long as the
prince, would require a very high degree of skill and luck. The danger involved
was in having a flawed crystal strike back at the energy source with possibly
lethal consequences.
"What is it you
planned to do with this crystal?" she asked curiously.
Colin said in some
frustration, "What we had hoped to do was to find out where the prince is,
but the crystal only tells us that he is alive...somewhere."
"Our plan now is
to present the crystal as evidence of the prince's existence at the council
session and try to forestall the succession question." Dinea looked
earnestly at Hollin. "We hoped that you would join with us. As you have
doubt been informed, the Duke of Mirvanovir has been pressing the succession
question and we know that he intends to pursue the question formally during
this session of the Pentacle Council. We are afraid that he intends to somehow
secure the throne for himself or his interests. You are considered by many to
have certain formidable claims to the throne yourself and are thus in a
position of power..."
Percamber had been
scrutinizing Hollin for several minutes, trying to gauge her response to what
she was being told. Suddenly his eyes brightened. "Wait a moment, Dinea my
dear," the old man interjected with a sudden burst of excitement.
"Lady Hollin, the ring on your finger, is that the ring I think it
is?" Confused looks passed between Colin and Dinea as Hollin nodded
solemnly.
"That,"
Percamber said with satisfaction, "may be the solution to at least one of
our problems. The ring is called the "Heartstone of Sandovar" and is
a very ancient family heirloom of House Sandovar. It is more than an adornment,
it is a resonating crystal itself and is aligned to the energies of House
Sandovar. Tell me, is this the ring that was given to you at the time of your
betrothal?'
"Yes," Hollin
replied, intrigued by what she was hearing.
"I think that it
would be reasonable to assume that, since it was given by Brian to Lady Hollin,
it is still in partial attunement to him. If this is so, then perhaps we can
effect a transference of the power of our resonate crystal into the
Heartstone."
"You may be correct."
Colin considered the problem with a frown. "In fact from what little I
know of this ring, I would guess that the amplification might even be used as a
sort of compass to guide us to him." He turned to Hollin. "It is up
to you, Lady Hollin. The ring is yours and, if I understand aright, you are
wearing it as something of a proclamation. Even though it goes against
tradition for the head of one House to marry another, you are legally still the
prince's betrothed."
"I am well aware
of my position in the political scheme of the Pentarchy, Lord Colin!" She
spoke a little too sharply. Continuing in more moderate tones, she said,
"I agree that somehow the prince must be found and returned to his place
on the throne. If you think that this ring will help you to find him, then by
all means do what you can." As she spoke she tugged at the ring, which
reluctantly slid off her finger.
Dinea stood and went to
a wall. There she deftly slid a small section of the panel aside and brought
forth a plain box of polished wood. Placing it on the table, she gestured for
everyone to join her as she opened the box. Holding the ring, Hollin advanced
and peered into the box. Inside, wrapped carefully in a square of silk, was a
uniform piece of clear stone about the size of a child's fist, its facets cut
and polished so that they caught the light and seemed to be shifting their
configuration as she watched. With great solicitude Dinea lifted the jewel in
its protective silk out of the box and placed it before her on the table. She
cupped her hands together and lightly touched the jewel, taking several deep,
steadying breaths as she did so. At last she stood
harmony with his or her life-energy. Getting a crystal to resonate accurately
to the energies of a person not there, especially one absent for as long as the
prince, would require a very high degree of skill and luck. The danger involved
was in having a flawed crystal strike back at the energy source with possibly
lethal consequences.
"What is it you
planned to do with this crystal?" she asked curiously.
Colin said in some
frustration, "What we had hoped to do was to find out where the prince is,
but the crystal only tells us that he is alive...somewhere."
"Our plan now is
to present the crystal as evidence of the prince's existence at the council
session and try to forestall the succession question." Dinea looked
earnestly at Hollin. "We hoped that you would join with us. As you have
doubt been informed, the Duke of Mirvanovir has been pressing the succession
question and we know that he intends to pursue the question formally during
this session of the Pentacle Council. We are afraid that he intends to somehow
secure the throne for himself or his interests. You are considered by many to
have certain formidable claims to the throne yourself and are thus in a
position of power..."
Percamber had been
scrutinizing Hollin for several minutes, trying to gauge her response to what
she was being told. Suddenly his eyes brightened. "Wait a moment, Dinea my
dear," the old man interjected with a sudden burst of excitement.
"Lady Hollin, the ring on your finger, is that the ring I think it
is?" Confused looks passed between Colin and Dinea as Hollin nodded
solemnly.
"That,"
Percamber said with satisfaction, "may be the solution to at least one of
our problems. The ring is called the "Heartstone of Sandovar" and is
a very ancient family heirloom of House Sandovar. It is more than an adornment,
it is a resonating crystal itself and is aligned to the energies of House
Sandovar. Tell me, is this the ring that was given to you at the time of your
betrothal?'
"Yes," Hollin
replied, intrigued by what she was hearing.
"I think that it
would be reasonable to assume that, since it was given by Brian to Lady Hollin,
it is still in partial attunement to him. If this is so, then perhaps we can
effect a transference of the power of our resonate crystal into the
Heartstone."
"You may be correct."
Colin considered the problem with a frown. "In fact from what little I
know of this ring, I would guess that the amplification might even be used as a
sort of compass to guide us to him." He turned to Hollin. "It is up
to you, Lady Hollin. The ring is yours and, if I understand aright, you are
wearing it as something of a proclamation. Even though it goes against
tradition for the head of one House to marry another, you are legally still the
prince's betrothed."
"I am well aware
of my position in the political scheme of the Pentarchy, Lord Colin!" She
spoke a little too sharply. Continuing in more moderate tones, she said,
"I agree that somehow the prince must be found and returned to his place
on the throne. If you think that this ring will help you to find him, then by
all means do what you can." As she spoke she tugged at the ring, which
reluctantly slid off her finger.
Dinea stood and went to
a wall. There she deftly slid a small section of the panel aside and brought
forth a plain box of polished wood. Placing it on the table, she gestured for
everyone to join her as she opened the box. Holding the ring, Hollin advanced
and peered into the box. Inside, wrapped carefully in a square of silk, was a
uniform piece of clear stone about the size of a child's fist, its facets cut
and polished so that they caught the light and seemed to be shifting their
configuration as she watched. With great solicitude Dinea lifted the jewel in
its protective silk out of the box and placed it before her on the table. She
cupped her hands together and lightly touched the jewel, taking several deep,
steadying breaths as she did so. At last she stood
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