The Twilight Lord (40 page)

If he had struck her he could not have hurt her more. “I was only the means by which Kol’s sons were birthed,” Lara told him, her voice shaking. “They were not mine.” Her eyes were filled with tears. “And I did not want them.”

Magnus Hauk closed his eyes briefly. Her honesty touched him. Kaliq was correct. His pride had been hurt but it was not Lara’s fault. Opening his eyes he reached out and pulled her into his arms. “Forgive me, Lara! I am a fool, but I love you so greatly that the thought of any other man possessing you is like a knife to my heart.”

Feeling his strong arms about her Lara began to cry, her tears wetting his tunic front. “I am pained to have hurt you so, my husband,” she sobbed. “Even though I didn’t know what was to happen or what I was destined to do. You are my life, Magnus! And now I carry a new life,
our son,
within my womb. I do not want you angry at me and I do not wish to be angry at you.” She clung to him and his arms tightened about her.

Knowing that they would now settle their differences Prince Kaliq stepped quietly into the shadows and disappeared. They never realized that he was gone, so wrapped up in each other were the Dominus and Domina of Terah. Lara caressed her husband’s strong face with gentle fingers, her eyes devouring him. Magnus Hauk stroked her golden hair tenderly, whispering small endearments into her ears as he did so. It was a hard truth for them to swallow, but they both realized that their love for one another was greater than the hurt each had suffered when Kol of the Twilight had involved himself in their lives. Their love would always be stronger than anything meant to harm them.

And having faced the hard truth of the lost year, Lara and Magnus decided together to tell no one else. They had Hetar to consider. Lara insisted on using her magic to go to Lady Gillian and learn what was really happening. The Dominus was concerned but his wife assured him that she would be safe. She was surprised that Gillian had not called to her for she had given her that privilege.

She found the retired headmistress of the Pleasure Guilds in her privy chamber. Gillian looked up surprised as Lara appeared in a burst of mauve smoke. “Tell me what is happening,” Lara said by way of greeting. “If Terah is to help Hetar at this time I must have accurate information. Have the Wolfyn invaded The City yet or are they still rampaging about the Midlands?”

“Did you work your magic to destroy our fleet?” Gillian responded.

“No,” Lara said. “And I did not know it would be done. My mother was simply to create a thick fog bank in which your ships would sail about until they ran out of water and supplies. They would then have been forced to return home. But then she created a great storm. I think she did it more to frighten your people,” Lara lied to defend her mother for as appalled as she was by what Ilona had done, she still loved her. There was no need for Gillian or anyone else in Hetar to know the truth of the queen of the Forest Faeries’ cruelty. “I am sorry, Gillian, but sadly in war lives are lost no matter our good intentions. This is why we must prevent war if it is at all possible.”

Lady Gillian sighed. “The Wolfyn have not yet attempted to breach The City’s walls and gates,” she said. “The Celestial Actuary help the Midland folk, for no one else can. Most of our army is caught in the Coastal Province. The Crusader Knights remaining in The City are older men who have seen better days.”

“And the emperor?” Lara asked.

“Holed up in the Golden District, reinforcing its defenses, of course. He is frantic, especially now that word of the fleet’s demise has reached The City,” Gillian replied. “I thought the Wolfyn were mythological creatures, Lara.”

“Nay, they are all too real,” Lara answered. “They made their home in the Dark Lands, which is ruled over by the Twilight Lord. His name is Kol and he means to begin a war that will eventually yield him both Hetar and Terah. He himself is penned by magic in his castle right now but he is capable of giving orders from there. He believes that Hetar is weak and easily taken, while Terah is stronger.”

“Alas, Hetar
is
weak,” Gillian said. “The Mercenaries and the Crusader Knights have become useless and exist only because of tradition.”

“As long as The City remains locked and barred the Wolfyn should not be able to enter it. The Shadow Princes have cast a spell making it impregnable, but that knowledge is ours alone. We do not want Gaius Prospero feeling safe, for that would be foolish. Besides, without supplies from the Midlands the food will eventually run out and being safe behind these walls will not matter then,” Lara said.

“But without aid from the Coastal Province and with no food, how can we prevail over these creatures? Over this Twilight Lord?”

“Your only hope is Terah,” Lara told her. “The rightness of the Women’s Movement that you have begun is now proving to be truth. Gaius Prospero must be removed from his imperial seat. What Hetar does about a new government is their decision, but the emperor cannot be allowed to rule any longer.

“You cannot hope to beat back the Wolfyn or any other of the Twilight Lord’s minions. His armies are great, and are comprised of dwarfs and giants. The Wolfyn are the most frightening of his creatures, so he has sent them first to burn and loot and do rapine in order to terrify you. But when he finds The City is blocked to him he will destroy the forest and the Midlands, then move on to the coast. The desert is useless to him, and he is afraid of the Shadow Princes. They will be left in peace. In the end The City will be isolated. Terah will be his next objective after he has destroyed Hetar and brought it under his heel,” Lara said.

“But how,” Gillian asked, “can we stop him?”

“Here is where our women can help,” Lara told her companion. “We have among our group several wives and daughters of Crusader Knights. Many will have been widowed when the fleet was destroyed. There are women among the Mercenaries now without husbands, fathers and sons. These women must convince those remaining of their men to work with Terah. When the Wolfyn have gathered before The City, as they eventually will, we can catch them in a pincer movement. The remaining fighters in The City will march out to do battle with the Wolfyn while the Terahn forces come at them from the other side. Caught between us the Wolfyn will be crushed and defeated. The Twilight Lord’s remaining armies will reconsider their position at that point.”

“The emperor will never agree to work with Terah,” Gillian said.

“Of course he won’t, for he is a fool,” Lara agreed. “This is where the women come in. They must force Gaius Prospero to do their bidding—and they can, Lady Gillian. The emperor would like to dismiss the women as he previously has done but too many of your men have died in pursuit of his dreams. We all need peace.”

Lady Gillian considered Lara’s words in silence for several long minutes. Finally she spoke. “Aye, we need peace and the prosperity that comes with it. Would your husband really aid Hetar even after we attempted to war with you? Why would he do that? What advantage does it give Terah over Hetar?”

“Aye, Magnus would aid you, for it is to all our benefit, not just Terah. We wish to live in peace, trading with you for our handcrafted and luxury goods as we always have, but other than that Terah wishes no communion with Hetar at this time.”

Lady Gillian nodded and then she said, “What happened in the Outlands before Hetar invaded? The common folk do not question, Domina, but I know you were first wed to an Outland clan chief who was murdered by his brother.”

“The plot to murder Vartan was instigated by Gaius Prospero, who believed by killing him he would set the Outlands into confusion, making it easier to conquer them.”

“But the Outlands were empty of people, of livestock, of villages when Hetar pushed into it. Even the mines in the mountains were gone. What happened?”

“The Shadow Princes were not pleased with what Gaius Prospero wanted to do. They took the clan families under their protection, and as a final punishment for the emperor they sealed the mines and raised up growth over them. It will be many years before they are discovered again,” Lara said. She didn’t really think it was necessary for Lady Gillian to know the entire truth of the matter.

“The Shadow Princes are really the most powerful among us, aren’t they?” the older woman said softly.

“I believe they are,” Lara agreed.

“You have great powers, too. Oh, you need not answer. I remember the exquisite innocent you were the night Gaius Prospero displayed you for sale,” Lady Gillian reminisced. “Your aura was light and beautiful. Now it shimmers with incredible force. To have survived all you have survived, that strength had to be already within you.”

“You have the sight?” Lara asked, surprised.

Lady Gillian nodded. “That is how I knew you must not be sold within The City,” she answered. She paused and then said, “I almost forgot! Kigva, a trusted servant of Lady Vilia, has been attending our meetings. Since she is not a woman who makes decisions on her own, I must assume she had been coming as Vilia’s spy, but to what purpose I am not entirely certain. I sense that Lord Jonah is preparing to attempt to unseat Gaius Prospero and will use his failures against him with the magnates and the High Council. But why does Vilia’s woman bother with us?”

“Perhaps Lord Jonah will use the Women’s Movement against the emperor or perhaps he wants their support if they appear to be gaining momentum,” Lara suggested.

“Lord Jonah’s mother is my successor,” Lady Gillian said. “Farah is no fool. Whatever she does will be to protect herself and her position. But so will Lady Vilia. She is a patient woman and willing to bide her time to gain her objective.”

“If she is like many women,” Lara considered, “she will be in silent competition with her mother-in-law to be her husband’s chief advisor. It is just possible that we might win her over to our side if she believes it is to her own benefit. She may be Gaius Prospero’s former wife but I will wager she yet has influence with him. She would be more of an advantage to us than Lady Farah. Can you arrange a meeting between us?”

“I can,” Lady Gillian said. “When?”

“This time tomorrow night,” Lara replied. “Now I must go, for Magnus worries when I am gone too long.”

“I will try,” the older woman said. “Do we have time though?”

“Not a great deal, but enough,” Lara told her. And then with a nod she disappeared in a puff of mauve smoke.

When Lara told her husband of her meeting with Lady Gillian and the plan she had devised, he was well pleased. “I will go with you tomorrow night,” he said.

“Why?” Lara wanted to know.

“Lady Vilia is a proud woman. While I believe she will respect you and listen to what you have to say, I think we would get quicker action from her if the Dominus of Terah were to ask for her aid. You must remember that this lady has been raised in a society where they are taught to revere their men. Time is of the essence for us, and if the Mercenaries and Crusader Knights remaining in The City are to be brought back up to their strength, then we must begin training them sooner than later.”

“You are right!” Lara agreed. “I had not thought of that. I have been so busy strategizing I did not consider Lady Vilia’s sensibilities. I am certain that your charm will win her over. But the question is, who will she win over? Gaius Prospero, her former husband, or Lord Jonah, her power-hungry new husband?”

“It doesn’t matter as long as Hetar will ally with us to defeat the Twilight Lord,” Magnus Hauk said. “And if Og can win over the giants, Kol will be truly weakened.”

“I will ask him to meet with his sire upon the Dream Plain again,” Lara answered. “But we must have something to offer Skrymir and his people. We cannot just ask for their aid and give nothing in return. The hilly lands that abut the Dark Lands are uninhabited and the clan families do not need them and are far from them anyway. Can I tell Og that you will offer those lands to Skrymir in exchange for his aid?”

“He must pledge me fealty yearly, the price to be at his discretion,” the Dominus answered his wife.

“It is generous,” Lara said and then kissing her husband upon his cheek she wafted herself to Kaliq’s palace of Shunnar, sought out her mentor and told him of their plan to lure the giants to their side.

“I think you may win Skrymir over,” Kaliq answered. “His people were never really hard or brutal. They only became so to protect themselves after the Forest Lords betrayed their long friendship and the survivors were forced to flee. In all the years they have sheltered in the Dark Lands, Kol has never before asked of them what he will soon request. I believe they will welcome an opportunity to leave his realm and settle on the far edge of the New Outlands. Yes, find Og, and speak with him. When he is ready to sleep, tell him to come to me as he did before.”

Lara sought out Og in his green valley among the horses, and explained to him what she wished of him. “Your father was not hostile to you when you last met,” she said. “Do you think he can be turned from the dark back to the light?”

Og sighed. “Oddly, Lara, the impression I got was that he was afraid of what might happen to his people if left to Kol’s tender mercies, but that he did not know what else he might do. I can but make the offer and attempt to convince him. I will seek him out tonight with the prince’s help,” Og agreed. He absently rubbed the muzzle of a small bay mare. “Aye, the sooner the better.”

“Thank you, my dearest friend,” Lara said and then she wafted herself back to her own castle in Terah.

Og chuckled at the puff of mauve mist that she left behind. Then giving the little mare a swat on her rump he sent her off as he walked across the great green meadow to the palace, where he knew the prince his master would be awaiting him. Again, as the first time, Prince Kaliq set the green enameled gold amulet in the shape of a tree about Og’s thick neck. Then he conducted him to the great chamber with its long bed. Og drank down the cup of frine that had been mixed with herbs to help him sleep. Then he lay down while Prince Kaliq sat in a chair by his side. Soon the giant was snoring.

As he was falling asleep Og had concentrated on his father, silently calling out his name as he drifted into unconsciousness. Then he found himself standing surrounded by a gauzy mist and knew he had once again attained the Dream Plain. “Father,” he called out. “I need you to come and speak with me.”