men affected scarves in the same colors.
They look so fine, they smile so politely, but they're just here to see if the rumors about you are true , she thought, looking down at her child. He, as usual, looked back up at her with a steady and somewhat suspicious gaze. Well, let's get on with it.
She'd stood up—hoping she looked like a proud new mother and not terrified and alone—and let them all see the baby, who despite his odd shaped eyes was the image of his mother and of his grandfather. She tackled the unanswered question before anyone could whisper it behind a hand. She gathered herself and took a deep breath.
"This child was born a year ago," she told them. "A time we all remember too well. This child belongs to the ones we lost—the men in the fields, the women at their tables, the Mages at their books. This child comes to us from the brave and the proud and the vanished. We will never forget those who went before, but we thank Light and Wind for the gift of this day, and of this child. He is the son of Eriis, and Eriis is his father. His name is Rhuun, Prince of Eriis and Heir to the High Seat. Thank you for helping to make him welcome here today."
She sank into her seat and pressed her forehead against Rhuun's. There was a generous and genuine round of applause and even some cheering.
There, that ought to hold them. For now.
"He really does resemble your father, rest him now." Counselor Yuenne leaned over her shoulder to examine the child more closely. "And I must say, Your Grace, it's almost an act of what those human friends of yours used to call 'magic,' the way you produced this child, at a time when your people need it most. How very clever of you." He smiled thinly.
"Yuenne, you've known me nearly my whole life. Please dispense with Your Grace." Yuenne had been one of her father's most trusted advisors. It had been the sheerest luck he and his wife had been spared by The Weapon.
"Funny thing, though. I believe it was our very last conversation, your dear father and mine, when he was telling me he was concerned for you. Spending so much time with those people. The ambassador’s boy he disliked in particular. Well, you wouldn’t know that. Your father never wanted to trouble your mind. But the humans, he never really trusted them—and for good reason, as we all know to our own grief. The eyes, you know. He never got used to the shape of their eyes." He lifted his sarave in a toast and called to the assembled:
"To our queen and to Prince Rhuun, given to us, it seems, as if by magic."
The roomful of party goers echoed his words. Her throat had gone dry and she was glad for the sip of sarave to gather her thoughts.
He knows. Any fool could see it and Yuenne is no fool. What now?
She rose to her feet.
"Counselor Yuenne, everyone in this room knows your name and how my father ( rest him now , murmured the crowd)—how my father relied on your bravery. Well, I say the time for bravery is not past. It is one year since the Weapon was unleashed on us. And look! We live. We thrive. We increase our numbers." She indicated the baby in her arms, the families with children, and the handful of women who would soon join her ranks. "We know we will live, but we don't know about the world beyond the mountains. Where are our brothers and sisters? Are they gone? Is Eriis alone? Counselor Yuenne, I call on you to lead an expedition into the Vastness. Seek our people, or at least find the footsteps of their passing. Counselor Yuenne, will you take up this quest?"
Yuenne wasn't smiling anymore.
He lifted his glass again.
"I shall leave at once. It is my honor to do your bidding, as I did your father’s. I will travel to the Vastness," he paused. "And I will come back, Your Grace. That's a promise."
The cheers and applause were heartfelt.
Hellne clutched the child to her chest . I made this boy, and whether he's an embarrassment or a weapon or takes my seat one day, he is mine to use, Yuenne. Think on that as
They look so fine, they smile so politely, but they're just here to see if the rumors about you are true , she thought, looking down at her child. He, as usual, looked back up at her with a steady and somewhat suspicious gaze. Well, let's get on with it.
She'd stood up—hoping she looked like a proud new mother and not terrified and alone—and let them all see the baby, who despite his odd shaped eyes was the image of his mother and of his grandfather. She tackled the unanswered question before anyone could whisper it behind a hand. She gathered herself and took a deep breath.
"This child was born a year ago," she told them. "A time we all remember too well. This child belongs to the ones we lost—the men in the fields, the women at their tables, the Mages at their books. This child comes to us from the brave and the proud and the vanished. We will never forget those who went before, but we thank Light and Wind for the gift of this day, and of this child. He is the son of Eriis, and Eriis is his father. His name is Rhuun, Prince of Eriis and Heir to the High Seat. Thank you for helping to make him welcome here today."
She sank into her seat and pressed her forehead against Rhuun's. There was a generous and genuine round of applause and even some cheering.
There, that ought to hold them. For now.
"He really does resemble your father, rest him now." Counselor Yuenne leaned over her shoulder to examine the child more closely. "And I must say, Your Grace, it's almost an act of what those human friends of yours used to call 'magic,' the way you produced this child, at a time when your people need it most. How very clever of you." He smiled thinly.
"Yuenne, you've known me nearly my whole life. Please dispense with Your Grace." Yuenne had been one of her father's most trusted advisors. It had been the sheerest luck he and his wife had been spared by The Weapon.
"Funny thing, though. I believe it was our very last conversation, your dear father and mine, when he was telling me he was concerned for you. Spending so much time with those people. The ambassador’s boy he disliked in particular. Well, you wouldn’t know that. Your father never wanted to trouble your mind. But the humans, he never really trusted them—and for good reason, as we all know to our own grief. The eyes, you know. He never got used to the shape of their eyes." He lifted his sarave in a toast and called to the assembled:
"To our queen and to Prince Rhuun, given to us, it seems, as if by magic."
The roomful of party goers echoed his words. Her throat had gone dry and she was glad for the sip of sarave to gather her thoughts.
He knows. Any fool could see it and Yuenne is no fool. What now?
She rose to her feet.
"Counselor Yuenne, everyone in this room knows your name and how my father ( rest him now , murmured the crowd)—how my father relied on your bravery. Well, I say the time for bravery is not past. It is one year since the Weapon was unleashed on us. And look! We live. We thrive. We increase our numbers." She indicated the baby in her arms, the families with children, and the handful of women who would soon join her ranks. "We know we will live, but we don't know about the world beyond the mountains. Where are our brothers and sisters? Are they gone? Is Eriis alone? Counselor Yuenne, I call on you to lead an expedition into the Vastness. Seek our people, or at least find the footsteps of their passing. Counselor Yuenne, will you take up this quest?"
Yuenne wasn't smiling anymore.
He lifted his glass again.
"I shall leave at once. It is my honor to do your bidding, as I did your father’s. I will travel to the Vastness," he paused. "And I will come back, Your Grace. That's a promise."
The cheers and applause were heartfelt.
Hellne clutched the child to her chest . I made this boy, and whether he's an embarrassment or a weapon or takes my seat one day, he is mine to use, Yuenne. Think on that as
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