King Edward, Part 2AnonymousKing Edward,Ò) 8ÃoI D˜¹!*&+„/‹4§9Ò=­B,G8KÂOöTùýKing Edward, Part 2ùýChapter 2:ýReunion at Firsthold Edward woke to a red sky. The sun was just peeking over thewestern mountains. They were nearing a glittering tower,fire flashing from every facet. The dragon veered to flynearer and shot a long blast of flame. A light flashedseveral times from the tower's top as they dropped suddenly. Edward's stomach felt very peculiar. He sighed and stirredand felt Moraelyn shift so that his right arm now held Edward.He stretched and yawned. "Not much longer now. It's several days by horse from theCrystal Tower to Firsthold but I judge that Akatosh will haveus there within the hour."ö "We're not stopping at the Tower? I'ric---" "Do not use that name so lightly, not even to me. TheArchMagister will not return for days yet. Unicorns arebrothers to the wind and travel as fast, even burdened, butnot as fast as dragons fly. You see the Elven homeland atdawn from the back of a dragon. Count yourself fortunateamong men." Edward's gaze roamed the deep green woods and rugged hills.There was no sign of habitation. "It's lovely," he saidpolitely, "but not so beautiful as High Rock," he added out ofloyalty and truth. "Are there no towns or villages orfarms?" "The Firstborn live nestled deep in the trees. And they do nottear up the earth and plant anew, but take gladly what Aurieloffers ... and make return. Ahhh, the green smell of growingthings." Indeed, the air was as heady as the wine Edward used to sip fromhis father's cup, before ... "I'm hungry." "I expect so." A bit of shifting and Moraelyn's left handproduced a small leaf-wrapped package. The dusky hand waslarge and strong and looked neither human nor animal. Edwardstared at it with revulsion, then took the package gingerly soas not to touch the hand. He felt Moraelyn stiffen and the handöthat held Edward relaxed its grasp a bit. Edward felt ashamedof his reaction. It was neither kind nor wise to give offense inthe circumstances. Moraelyn could quite easily drop himoverboard. "I need to bathe, but so do you," he said stiffly.Moraelyn was deliberately misinterpreting the reaction,Edward knew. "Yes, I'm very dirty," Edward bit into the cakewhich proved much better than it looked. "My lady mother'sused to seeing me like this--at least she used to be. Butperhaps I should bathe first?" "I think you will not be offered that choice. Ah, at last!"The dragon spread his wings, sent a huge gout of flamesoaring skyward and dropped to earth in a large clearing. Thelanding was abrupt and jarring. Elves appeared quitesuddenly and arms reached up to take him and Shag, who woke atlast, ran frantically in circles, and then sat panting atEdward's feet. A tall elf with fiery hair like copper greeted themformally. "Greetings, my lord King. Your lady wife awaitsyou. Prince Edward, I welcome you to the land of theFirstborn on behalf of all its people. May your stay hereprove pleasant and productive." Moraelyn nodded deferentially. "Thank you, my host. MyQueen has waited long enough; we will go to her now."öMoraelyn's hand on his shoulder steered Edward toward thelargest tree he'd ever seen. The trunk was hollow; steps insideled up; openings gave out onto more steps and bridges alongand among the mighty branches. They proceeded along theseuntil they reached a large canopied platform, furnished withseats and chests as if it were a room. A golden skinned womansmiled at them and waved them in, then left. A tall slender, pale-skinned, dark-haired human woman paced toward them, hereyes on Edward. Only Edward. "Why did you leave us!" The cry came from deep inside,ringing through him. It stopped her several paces from him.Now her eyes lifted to Moraelyn, who said in a harsher tonethan Edward had yet heard from him. "Thou wilt address thyMother with respect, cub!" A glancing blow made his eyeswater. Aliera crossed quickly to Moraelyn and placed her hands on hischest. "Greeting, my husband. All praise to Notorgo forbringing you and my son safely to me." "Thank also the Lord of the Dragons and the Bandit, who couldnot have lifted the boy more neatly himself. The ArchMagisterhad somewhat to do with it as well." Moraelyn's dusky handscame up to hold her bare arms lightly and tenderly. Helaughed, looking relaxed and happy. But the hands against hisöchest formed a barrier as much as a caress. "I am blessed indeed. But it has been long since my son and Ihave spoken. We may find words more easily if we seek themalone together." Moraelyn's smile vanished instantly. "Are words then a thingwhich two can find more easily than three? Well. Perhaps. Attimes. Wife." He turned on his heel and left. The bridge swungand creaked, but his feet made no sound at all. Aliera watched after him, but he did not look back. Edwardfelt again the curious mix of satisfaction and regret thatcame with giving pain to his enemy. "Edward, my son, come andsit by me." Edward stood where he was, "Madam mother, I have waited manyyears and travelled many leagues to have an answer. I willwait no longer, nor go one step further." "What have you been told?" "That you were most treacherously kidnapped by night with theaid of magic, while my father slept, trusting in the honor ofhis guest." "Your father told you that. And Moraelyn?" "Said that you came full willing. I would hear what yousay." "Would you hear why I left your father or why I did not takeöyou with me, having chosen to go." Edward paused, thinking, "Madam, I would hear the truth,therefore I must give the truth. I would hear why you left mebehind. The other, I think I know, as much as I can or wouldknow, unless you wish to tell me more or other." "The truth? Truth is not a single thing existing apart fromthose who apprehend it. But I will tell you my truth andperhaps then you may arrive at your truth. Aliera walked back to a softly pillowed chair and composedherself. Nearby a small ruby colored bird settled on abranch and trilled an accompaniment to her soft voice. "My parents arranged my marriage as is the custom of ourhomeland. I did not love Cyrlic, but in the beginning Irespected him and tried to be a good wife. He did not care forme, nor did he take care. And so he lost my respect and I died alittle each day, withering like an untended plant. I washappy only with you, but Cyrlic thought I was making you toosoft. "Womanish," he said, and so, after your third birthdayI was allowed to spend only an hour each day with you. Ilistened to your cries and sat weeping, without heart foranything. Finally, you ceased crying and asking for me, andmy heart was left empty. I formed the habit of walking andriding much of the time, alone save for a guard or two. ThenöMoraelyn came. He wanted to mine for ebony in the WrothgarianMountains. The land he wanted to use was part of my dowry. Hewas willing to train our people in the arts of its use andeven to give them weapons of Dark Elf making. In return ourpeople were to aid him in keeping the goblins away, and allowhim to form a colony of his people in High Rock. Cyrlic had nouse for the land and he wanted the weapons very much indeed --there are none better -- so he favored the proposal. There weremany details to be discussed and arranged and it fell to meto conduct these negotiations. Cyrlic despises Dark Elves andhe was jealous of Moraelyn, who was already famed as thefinest fighter in all Tamriel. "But Moraelyn is more than a skilled fighter; he's well-readand interested in everything under the sun. He sang and playedas if taught by Jeh Free and Jhim Sei both. He was a companionsuch as I'd only dreamed of ... that and no more, I swear. Weboth love to be outside, so our discussions took place whileriding and walking, but always accompanied by his men andCyrlic's. When all was arranged, Cyrlic gave a great feast tocelebrate the treaty. All of High Rock nobility came and manyfrom other provinces. At the end Cyrlic was deep in his cupsand let fall an insult that could only be washed out inblood. I had long since retired with the other ladies so I knowönot what it was, but I'd heard enough in private to know thatCyrlic had a store of such to choose from. Moraelyn gave thechallenge and gave Cyrlic until noon, that he might recoversuch wits as he had. "Then Moraelyn came to me, alone in my chamber, and told mewhat had befallen. 'Milady, I think he will choose yourbrother as his champion; in any case there will be a river ofblood between us that may not be crossed in this life or anyother. I can live without your love, but I would not haveyour enmity. Come with me now, as wife or honored guest, asyou choose. And you shall serve as blood price in stead ofyour kith or kin.' "And there, in the moonlight, in my terror, with my ladiessleeping about me, I knew I loved him. Doubted that I couldlive without him. And yet, I loved you more! 'My son,' Iwhispered. 'I can't--'. 'Milady, you must choose. I amsorry.' You see, don't you, Edward? If I stayed, it meant mybrother's death -- his innocent young blood. Or your father's!Or possibly that of the man I loved, though I counted thatmost unlikely. Moraelyn's fighting skills alone weresupreme, and in an affair of this sort he would be entitled tocall on magic aid as well. 'We could take him with us.' ButMoraelyn shook his head sadly, 'That I will not do. It wouldögo against my honor to part father and son.' "Leaving love alone, I am trained to duty", Aliera saidproudly. "Should I have robbed you of your father or yourloving uncle? And I thought it likely that Cyrlic, should hesurvive, would somehow blame me for the affair and use it asan excuse to put me away. I thought that Cyrlic would bepleased to have me gone. I knew he wanted the weapons verymuch. I could trade them for time with you, I thought." Allthis passed through my mind while Moraelyn stood waiting, notlooking at me. "Lady Mara, help me to choose wisely, I prayed. 'You trulywant me as wife? I--I could bring you nothing but trouble.' "Aliera, I would have you to wife. And I want nothing butyourself." He shed his cloak and wrapped it round my body,pulling the bedclothes away. "Moraelyn, wait--is this right, what I do?" "Milady, if I thought this wrong, I should not be standinghere! Of the choices you are given, this one seems to me mostright." He swung me up in his arms and carried me to his horse.And so I left your father's house, clad only in his cloak andriding before him. And wild joy mixed with my sorrow, so thatI scarce knew how I felt. That is my truth." Edward said quietly, "But he has parted my father and me inöthe end." "With great reluctance. And only becaue the dragon saysthat you and your father were in truth already parted inheart. It is only a matter of more leagues. Which provide ameasure of safety for you. Moraelyn insisted that you shouldfreely consent to come. You are as free to return any timeyou wish." "Moraelyn would have just taken me! It was I'r--I mean, theArchMagister, who insisted that I must consent." "He's not a patient man by nature. And he is anxious to doCyrlic no harm. Doubtless he felt the discussion could becarried on as well elsewhere." "He called him King of the Small Cock. And laughed. Why? AreDaggerfall cockerels smaller than Ebonheart birds? And whatdoes it matter, anyway? My father was very angry; I think hewould have liked to fight. But it's true he hates me. I knewthat, but I didn't want to know, so I pretended not to. Idon't suppose Moraelyn would do that." "No." "He'd lie, though. He thought about telling me he was my father.I could see it." Aliera threw back her head and laughed her pretty ripplinglaugh; he remembered it from long ago, and it sent shivers downöhis back. "He must have wanted to claim it very badly indeed ifhe let you see it; he's usually quicker than that. And he doesnot lie under oath, or to hurt those he loves." "He doesn't love me; he doesn't even like me." "But I do, my dear son. You--" Edward thought she was going tosay he'd grown; adults always remarked on his growth, even ifhe'd just seen them a week ago. Very strange, since he wassmall for his age. Instead she said, "You're just as I thoughtyou'd be," with deep maternal satisfaction. "And he loves you. But he said he was no one's errand boy. Yetyou dismissed him as if he were." Aliera's face and neck burned a deep crimson. "Nay, though I am reduced to serving man, it seems."Moraelyn had entered silently, bearing a huge tray piled highwith food. "Get me a stool, boy, you can play page if I canplay server. You must be famished and I thought I'd bestreturn before my wife gets round to the rest of my faults.Could take her most of the day listing them." He'd shed the mailand bathed and dressed in fresh black jerkin and hose with asilvery sash tied round his narrow waist. But the black swordstill swung by his side. "Mara help us, you've enough food for a small army. AndI've broken my fast." Aliera's small hand reached for the elf'söarm, slid down it caressingly, then clasped his hand andsqueezed it, lifting it to her still hot cheek, brushing itwith her lips. Edward looked away quickly, discomforted by thesight of his dusky skin against her fairness. "This's for me, and a bit for the boy. But pray join us, mydear. You've grown thin. Pining for me, no doubt." Hewrapped a lock of her dark curly hair around a finger andtugged at it, grinning, then fell on the food like a starvingwolf, attacking it with small silvery weapons instead ofeating with his fingers as humans did. The food was --wonderful. Edward ate until he could eat no more. "Eavesdropping," he murmured thoughtfully. He'd beenmulling over a list of Moraelyn's faults while he ate, andrealized too late that he'd spoken aloud. "By Zenithar, boy, if you humans will shout your privyconversation all over the tree, d'ye expect me to shut my earswith wool?" He tapped one of his large pointed ears. Edwardhurriedly tried to remember what they'd said. What he'd said.Lying. Oh dear. Maybe he hadn't heard. "So I'm a liar, am I, boy?" Vir Gil help him, Edward felt hewas drowning. Could the Elf read minds? He hoped that wasn'tthe insult his father had used! "I -- I meant I thought that youwere thinking about it. You did hesitate," Edward gulped. Heöwas making matters worse. "Possibly, I was trying to remember ... " the sardonic tonewas back. "You don't even like me!" Edward burst out. "That doesn't seem to have stopped your true father fromclaiming you." "Moraelyn! Don't!" Aliera interrupted, but the Elf held uphis hand to quiet her. "I'm not so sure." Edward flashed. "Why do you say that?" "I don't know--Roane says--things--and I'm not at all like him.Everyone remarks on it. And then stops talking." "What--things? Speak, boy!" "About how fond Mother was of her brother when they wereyoung. How sad and angry he was when she was carried off. Morelike a lover, she said, than a brother. She says it verysweetly, but like she means something by it. Something toodirty to say. Other times she talks about how elfin I look. Andhow quickly after marriage I came. Not as quickly as her firstson, though." Moraelyn leaped up. "By the Avenger, I will go back andwring the vixen's neck! The human--", he bit off the insult, buthis red eyes flamed rage; his muscles swelled and his hair stoodöon end. "You do not look half-elven. I never met your motheruntil four years after your conception. Roane, it seems,cannot decide which lie she wishes to use. But incest! May Kelstrike her down if I may not." The tall elf paced furiouslyabout the room, lithe as a Khajiit, hand fondling his swordhilt. The platform swayed and dipped. "She's ambitious for her sons, at Edward's expense. Thequestion is, how many will believe her. Not enough if she wasplanning to have him killed instead." Aliera's smooth browwrinkled a bit. "I never disliked her, you know. Nor she me. Shewanted my place and I was glad enough to let her have it savefor Edward." "You want me to be king so I'll let you have the ebon mines."Edward had just worked out the puzzle. "Oh, devil take the ebon, which he probably will. I've abetter chance of getting co-operation from Roane's boys onceyour father's dead. They'd have reason for gratitude and thebargain's a good one. Although the chances they could keep acivil tongue long enough to sign a contract seem poor, giventheir parentage." "Then why? You don't even like me." "Mara, help me! 'Liking' a person is a human concept. One daythey like you, the next day they don't. On Tirdas they're backöto liking you again. My own wife does this to me, but claims tolove me even when she doesn't like me. Except of course on thedays when she doesn't do either, and talks about joining theOrder of Riana. Fortunately that only happens once a year orso. I go hunting until she comes to her senses." "You exaggerate; that only happened once, and well you knowit." "I remember enjoying the recovery period. Maybe it shouldhappen more often." They grinned at each other. "But why do you want me to be King?" Edward persisted. "I told you; it's Akatosh's notion. And the ArchMagister's. Ijust came along for the ride. Ask them." "I shall ask the ArchMagister when I see him." "An excellent plan. You'll spend a few weeks at the Towerbefore heading north with us." "Only that?" "Does the prospect of spending the winter with your mother andme displease you so much?" "No ... no, sir. But I agreed to go with I'ric." Not you.The words hung unsaid between them. "You will, in time. A few weeks there now will fit you tobegin your training in magic; I can teach you spells. But youneed hardening; your body must catch up to your mind. It isöthe ArchMagister's will." "Fighting magic? I want to learn other things. How to callbeasts. How to heal. And float..." "You'll learn that, I doubt not. And d'ye think a fightercan't Heal? It's the first spell you'll learn. But a Kingmust know how to fight." "I'm not good at it." "Dragon's Teeth, boy! Exactly why you must learn!" "If I cannot?" "You've courage and a clear head and the potential to learnmagic; that's more than most people ever have. I can teachyou the rest." Edward's head whirled with the unaccustomed praise. "I do? Ihave? You can?" "D'ye think any of your father's fool court would stand nakedbefore a dragon, a unicorn, the ArchMagister, and theChampion of Tamriel and demand justice of them? Justice!Faced with such, they might have managed to beg for mercy, ifthey could speak at all, which is doubtful." "I did that? I did, didn't I?" Edward was astonished; hewanted to add that he hadn't known, hadn't thought about it... "Aye, you did. And it's a deed that shall be sung from here toöMorrowwind; I'll compose the ballad myself--as soon as Ihave a nap. I don't sleep as sound as some on dragon'sbacks." "You enchanted me and Shag asleep!" "And the rest of the castle, with the help of my friends." "Ooooohhhh. Can you levitate? Will you show me?" "Not so fast. I kept a holding spell on us all night to keepus on the dragon's back. Until I'm rested I couldn't light acandle with the aid of a match." "Oh. Well, I'd still rather be like the ArchMagister than be afighter." "Hah! It'll be news to the ArchMagister that he cannot fight!I hope he'll find time to show you how to wield a staff. Nobetter weapon for early training. And no better trainer.Now, of the four you saw before you, which would you saycould best the others?" Edward thought carefully for several minutes. "Sir, myjudgement is poor indeed, but if you would still have myanswer, it would seem that the one who claims the titleChampion of Tamriel must be the best. Yet must not theArchMagister be your master in magic? And trained to arms aswell, it seems. So which should prevail? Could any mortalstand against the dragon's fire and claws and teeth? And Iöknow naught of the unicorn, save that it is fleet and has avery sharp horn, and hooves as well. So I will guess theunicorn; it had the mildest manner. And since you asked thequestion it seems the unlikely answer may be correct." "Well answered, youngling! The unicorn would win easily inany single close combat. No mortal or even dragon can movequickly enough to land a blow and it cannot be burned ortouched by any magic or elemental power. It's hooves aredeadly and a single touch of its horn will kill any enemy,although the horn itself will burn away. The most powerfulcan regenerate it within moments, however. "And of the four the Champion of Tamriel would probably bethe loser against any of the others, although the title is noidle boast! Moraelyn is not accustomed to being sooutclassed. My manners may have suffered in consequence." "Milord King, I am most deeply in your debt. You have doneme great honor and service. If ever I can repay you, Iwill. Forgive my brash words and ill manners. I have dweltamong the rude and boorish. And it seems I have no father,unless I may call you so?" The elf held his hands out to theboy, who placed his own in them. Edward's feeling of distastewas quite gone...as if by magic...the thought drifted throughhis mind ... and then he released his hands and claspedöMoraelyn about his waist. The elf's hands stroked the dark hairand clasped the thin shoulders. "I thank you, my wife. After only five years of marriage, youhave presented me with a fine son, nine years of age.Remarkable. In fact...magical." ö