Cobweb Empire (49 page)

“Then, drink . . .” said
Death. “But remember—drink once, then drink again. Two sips. But no
more. For such death as will come upon you if you drink for the
third time is even beyond my scope. It will take you and cast you
out beyond the universe, further destroying this mortal world.”

“Then, My Lord,” Melinoë said, “stand here
beside me and help me drink each time, and hold me up when I forget
myself entirely.”

“I am here with you, always,” he replied,
placing his ivory fingers upon her own, and uncorking the
flask.

And Melinoë drank. She took one sip, and
swallowed, and then set down the flask, into Death’s hands.

She stood, her face becoming radiant and her
eyes clear, as though the grey world itself was shifting all around
her in the Hall, surrounding her with golden light.

“Your remember nothing now, Lady Melinoë,”
said Death, gentle as the wind. “Now, drink again.”

“No,” she replied. “Now I—remember
everything
.”

And as they all gazed upon her in amazement,
noting not only her remarkably clear eyes but also the radiance
coming from her, she continued.

“I remember everything now, because I have
drunk the water of Lethe once before.
This
is the second
time. And no, she is indeed no mother of mine. For I am
hers
. My true name has never been
Melinoë. . .  I am not dead, and I can never
be.”

The light grew around her, golden and
radiant, and her visage changed, so that Percy felt a crack in her
own heart and with it a flood of recognition.

“You know me. . . .” She who
had been Melinoë spoke directly into their minds. “I am the one
known as Thesmos. You know me also as the Goddess of Tradition. I
am not the Cobweb Bride, for I am Demeter, and I am immortal.”

The End of Cobweb Empire, Book Two

The story concludes
in . . .

Cobweb Forest, Book Three

Coming Soon!

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Author’s Note:
Imaginary History
, Geography, Weather, and
Warfare

If you’ve made it this far, you are probably
wondering about some of the liberties taken with history, in
particular the fantasy version of the Renaissance, and the unusual
European geography and topology in this alternate universe.

The
Cobweb Bride
trilogy takes place
in an imaginary “pocket” of Europe sometime in an alternate version
of the 17th century Renaissance. I’ve modified the continent of
Europe by inserting a significant wedge of land between France and
Italy, dissolving Austria and Hungary into Germany and pushing the
whole thing up north, shifting Spain halfway to the east and
lowering the northern shores of the Mediterranean by pushing the
southern portion of the continental landmass further down south so
that the French Riviera is now where the sea is in our own
reality.

Imagine a cross, with Germany up north,
Spain to the south, France to the west, and Italy to the East. In
the heart of the cross lies the imaginary land that comprises the
Realm and the Domain.

The weather is an enchanted microcosm, with
a greater range of temperature contained within a smaller area than
in its counterpart in our own reality, continental Europe. The
Realm is a cold land, especially the Kingdom of Lethe, with harsh
winter in the north and a mild summer. The southern portions of
Styx and Morphaea are temperate, with milder winters and hot
summers. Meanwhile, the Domain is hot and subtropical, with no
snowfall except the temperate northern portion of Serenoa and the
small northern tip of Balmue that borders with the Aepienne
Mountain range.

The Renaissance warfare here portrayed takes
full advantage of the complexities of a remarkable transition
period between the brute force of the Middle Ages and the more
sophisticated mixed warfare that followed, expanding the use of
gunpowder and explosives, so that firearms are employed alongside
plate armor, swords, and pole weapons, similar to the way it
happened in our own reality.

The culture of the Realm and the Domain is
an uneven mixture of French, Italian, Spanish, and German
influences of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The
language spoken is Latin-based “Romance,” and the linguistics are
also a mixture of the same.

Other minor liberties taken include the
referral to some physical parcels of land as “Dukedom” as opposed
to the correct term “Duchy.” Royal and noble titles, ranks, and
their terminology are similar, but not the exact equivalents of our
own historical reality.

And now, please see the next page for a list
of all the character names with a pronunciation key.

List of
Characters

(Dramatis Personae)

With Pronunciation Key

Death
, Lord of the Keep of the
Northern Forest

Village of Oarclaven
(Lethe)
(Oh-ahr-CLAY-ven)

Persephone
(Per-SEH-phonee) or
Percy
(PUR-see)
Ayren
(EYE-Ren), middle daughter

Parabelle
(Pah-rah-BELL) or
Belle
(Bell)
Ayren
, eldest daughter

Patriciana
(Pah-tree-see-AHNA) or
Patty
(PEH-dee)
Ayren
, youngest daughter

Niobea
(Nee-oh-BEH-ah)
Ayren
,
their mother

Alann
(Ah-LAHN)
Ayren
, their
father

Bethesia
(Beth-EH-zee-ah)
Ayren
, their grandmother

Johuan
(Joh-HWAN)
Ayren
, their
grandfather

Guel
(Goo-EHL)
Ayren
, their
uncle from Fioren (south of Letheburg)

Jack Rosten
(ROS-ten), villager

Jules
(JOOL-z), Jack’s second son,
promised to Jenna Doneil

Father
Dibue
(Dee-B’YOU), village
priest

Nicholas
(NIH-koh-luss)
Doneil
(Doh-NEYL), village butcher

Marie
(Muh-REE)
Doneil
, his
wife

Faith Groaden
(GROW-den), village
girl

Mister
Jaquard
(Zhah-KARD),
villager

Uncle
Roald
(ROH-uld), villager, the
Ayrens’ neighbor across the street.

Bettie
(BEH-tee), village girl

Kingdom of Lethe
(LEH-thee)
(Realm)

The Prince Heir
Roland
(Roh-LUND)
Osenni
(Oh-SYEN-nee) of Lethe

The Princess
Lucia
(Liu-SEE-ah)
Osenni
of Lethe

Queen Mother
Andrelise
(Un-dreh-LEEZ)
Osenni

Prince
John-Meryl
(JON MEH-reel)
Osenni
, son and heir of the Prince.

Dukedom of Chidair
(Chee-DEHR)
(Lethe)

Duke
Hoarfrost, Ian Chidair
of
Lethe

Lord
Beltain
(Bell-TEYN)
Chidair
of Lethe, his son, the black knight

Rivour
(Ree-VOOR), Beltain’s old
valet

Father
Orweil
(Or-WAIL), Chidair
family chapel priest

Riquar
(Reek-WAHR), Beltain’s
man-a-arms

Laurent
(Loh-RENT), pennant bearer of
Chidair

Annie
, girl in the forest

Dukedom of Goraque
(Gor-AH-k)
(Lethe)

Duke
Vitalio
(Vee-TAH-lee-oh)
Goraque
of Lethe

The Silver Court (Realm)

The Emperor
Josephuste
(Jo-zeh-FOOS-teh)
Liguon
(Lee-G’WON)
II
of the
Realm

The Empress
Justinia
(Joo-STEE-nee-ah)
Liguon

The Infanta
Claere
(KLEH-r)
Liguon,
the Grand Princess

Lady
Milagra
(Mee-LAH-grah)
Rinon
(Ree-NOHN), the Infanta’s First Lady-in-Attendance

Marquis
Rinon
of Morphaea, her
father

Lady
Selene
(Seh-LEHN)
Jenevais
(Zheh-neh-VAH-is), Lady-in-Attendance, of Lethe

Lady
Floricca
(FLOH-ree-kah)
Grati
(GRAH-tee), Lady-in-Attendance, of Styx

Lady
Liana
(Lee-AH-nah)
Crusait
(Kroo-SAH-eet), Lady-in-Attendance, of Morphaea

Lady
Alis
(Ah-LEE-s)
Denear
(Deh-ne-AHR), Lady-in-Attendance, of Lethe

Baron
Carlo
(KAR-loh)
Irnolas
(Eer-noh-LAH-s), Imperial knight

Lord
Givard
(Ghee-VAHR-d)
Mariseli
(Mah-ree-SEH-lee), Imperial Knight

Doctor
Belquar
(Behl-KWAH-r), head
Imperial physician

Doctor
Hartel
(Hahr-TEH-l), Imperial
physician

Kingdom of Styx
(STEEK-s)
(Realm)

King
Augustus
(Uh-GUS-tus)
Ixion
(EEK-see-ohn) of Styx

King
Claudeis
(Kloh-DEH-ees)
Ixion
of Styx, deceased

Queen
Rea
(REH-ah)
Ixion
of
Styx, deceased

Marquis
Vlau
(V’LAH-oo)
Fiomarre
(F’yoh-MAH-r) of Styx

Micul
(Mee-KOOL)
Fiomarre
of
Styx, Vlau’s father

Ebrai
(Eh-BRAH-ee)
Fiomarre
,
Vlau’s older brother

Celen
(Seh-LEH-n)
Fiomarre
,
Vlau’s younger brother

Marquise
Eloise
(Eh-loh-EEZ)
Fiomarre
, Vlau’s mother, deceased

Oleandre
(Oh-leh-AHN-dr)
Fiomarre
, Vlau’s younger sister

Lady
Ignacia
(Eeg-NAY-shuh)
Chitain
(Chee-TAY-n), of Styx/Balmue

Kingdom of Morphaea
(Mohr-FEH-ah)
(Realm)

King
Orphe
(Or-FEH)
Geroard
(Geh-roh-AHR-d) of Morphaea

Duke
Claude
(KLOH-d)
Rovait
(Roh-VEY-t) of Morphaea

Andre
(Ahn-DREH)
Eldon
(Ehl-DOH-n), the Duke of
Plaimes
(PLEY-m’s), of Morphaea

Duchess
Christiana
(Khree-stee-AH-nah)
Rovait
of Morphaea

Countess
Jain
(JEY-n)
Lirabeau
(Lee-rah-BOH) of Morphaea

Lady
Amaryllis
(Ah-mah-REE-liss)
Roulle
(ROOL), of Morphaea

Lord
Nathan
(NEY-th’n)
Woult
(WOOL-t), of Morphaea

The Road

Grial
(Gree-AHL), witch woman from
Letheburg
(LEH-thee-b’rg)

Ronna
(ROHN-nuh)
Liet
(LEE-eh-t), Innkeeper at
Tussecan
(TUSS-see-kahn), Grial’s
cousin

Mrs.
Beck
(BEH-k), cook at Ronna’s
Inn

Jenna
(JEH-nuh)
Doneil
(Doh-NEY-l), butcher’s daughter from Oarclaven

Flor
(FLOH-r)
Murel
(M’you-REH-l), baker’s daughter from Oarclaven

Gloria
(GLOH-ree-ah)
Libbin
(LEE-bin), blacksmith’s daughter from Oarclaven

Emilie
(Eh-mee-LEE)
Bordon
(Bohr-DOHN), swineherd’s daughter from south of Oarclaven

Sibyl
(SEE-beel), tailor’s daughter
from Letheburg

Regata
(Reh-GAH-tah), merchant’s
daughter from Letheburg

Lizabette
(Lee-zah-BET)
Crowlé
(Krow-LEH), teacher’s daughter from Duarden (Doo-AHR-dehn)

Catrine
(Kaht-REEN), sister of
Niosta, from south of Letheburg

Niosta
(Nee-OHS-tuh), sister of
Catrine, from south of Letheburg

Marie
(Mah-REE), girl from
Fioren
(F’YOH-rehn), originally from the Kingdom of
Serenoa
(Seh-REH-noh-ah) (Domain)

The Sapphire Court (Domain)

The Sovereign,
Rumanar
(Roo-mah-NAH-r)
Avalais
(Ah-vah-LAH-ees) of the Domain

Kingdom of Balmue
(Bahl-MOO)
(Domain)

King
Clavian
(Klah-vee-AHN)
Sestial
(Ses-tee-AH-l) of Balmue

Marquis
Nuor
(Noo-OHR)
Alfre
(Ahl-FREH), ambassador of Balmue, Peer of the Domain

Viscount
Halronne
(Hal-RONN)
Deupris
(Deh-oo-PREE), Peer of the Domain

New Characters Introduced in Cobweb
Empire