The Twilight Lord

by Bertrice Small

  ACROSS THE SEA in Terah, Lara began to recover from the shock of the births she had just experienced. For several months she nursed both of her children before turning them over to wet nurses. By the time Taj and Marzina were six months of age each had distinctly different personalities. Marzina constantly wanted her mother’s love and attention. She could be a charming child but she had a decided temper when crossed. Taj, like his father, was quiet and determined. And he was the only one who could cajole his twin from her anger, or her doldrums when Marzina became depressed. Lara considered it an amazing connection, considering the only blood the twins shared was hers. She was not unhappy to release both children into the care of others for if she were honest with herself she had to admit that while she loved all of her children, she preferred her husband’s company and the governing of Terah to all else.

  It was late summer, and the royal family had been paying a brief visit to the New Outlands. In late autumn she would return for the Gathering with her husband so he might accept his yearly tribute from the clan families. In midautumn Dillon would go to Kaliq to begin his training. Lara could not believe that her son was old enough. But his powers were obviously growing; she had no choice. Without a complete understanding of the responsibility his powers carried, Dillon could easily allow his mortal nature to abuse them.

  Her oldest son came to her side now as she sat upon the hillside staring out over the land before her. “I will miss you, too,” he said sitting down next to her.

  Lara smiled. “I should find it disconcerting that you can so easily read my thoughts,” she said and took his hand up and kissed it.

  “I know all that happened to you, Mother,” he answered.

  “What on earth do you mean?” Lara replied.

  “The Dark Lands. All of it. Kolbein and Kolgrim, my half brothers. Marzina. All,” Dillon responded. “When Prince Kaliq erased everyone’s memories, mine did not disappear. I remember that year you were gone from us. When you walked upon the Dream Plain that night, Mother, I was there. I saw what the Twilight Lord did. It was then I spoke to the prince. He said it was obviously meant that I know, but for what reason he could not yet divine.”

  “Why did you wait until now to tell me?” Lara asked her son. She was very shaken by his revelation. And like Kaliq she was curious to know why he had been made privy to this part of her life she wanted to keep hidden.

  “I do not want to have secrets from you, Mother, and soon I will go to Shunnar. I wanted you to know that I share your pain and your sorrow.” Dillon moved now to sit facing his mother. He took her hands in his. “I am young, I know, but the love that you shared with my father, Vartan of the Fiacre, has made me stronger than most boys my age. And I seem to have inherited your talent for magic.” He gave her a small smile. “I am proud of what you did, Mother. You walked into the darkness, created chaos to protect both the magic and the mortal worlds, and then returned filled with more light than ever before. But I know all of it weighs upon you. And I know it is not easy to carry both mortal and faerie blood in your veins. I wanted to tell you that I am here for you to lean on, Mother. No matter my youth, I am here for you.”

  Lara pressed her lips together hard to stifle the cry that wanted to erupt. That this beautiful son of Vartan’s should offer to bear some of her sorrow upon his own shoulders almost broke her heart. He should not have known. He should not have! It was a hard burden for her, but he was still a child. And yet sitting there looking at Dillon, Lara could see he was not quite that child she thought him. She could see the man he was one day going to be. “I am not easy that you should know of Kol and what happened, my son, but there must be a reason that you of them all retained that knowledge. Because Kol was taunting me, I had Kaliq restore your stepfather’s memories of that time and told him of Kol’s sons. I could not keep secrets from him.” She reached out and ruffled her son’s dark hair. “You have not shared your knowledge with anyone, of course.”

  “Nay,” he said.

  She nodded. “I am glad you are here for me, Dillon.” She would not offend him by suggesting he was too young to help share her burdens.

  “I will miss you when I am gone,” he said. “Yet I am eager to go to Shunnar. The prince says Amir is trained and ready for me to ride. He says we will ride out into the desert and he will take me to the Oasis of Zeroun where he first saw you.” Dillon’s young voice was filled with excitement. “And I will finally come to know Og better.”

  Lara smiled at her son’s enthusiasm. “You understand that for your own sake it will be many months before we see one another again,” she told him.

  “I know, but if I grow lonely for you, Mother, I shall view your beautiful face in my reflecting bowl.”

  “You do not have a reflecting bowl,” Lara replied.

  “The prince says I am to have one,” Dillon answered excitedly. “I have tried to bring images up in the garden birdbaths, but I cannot hold them long enough to enjoy.”

  “Of course you can’t,” Lara remarked. “Birdbaths are not magical.” She was amazed that he had tried and impressed that he had managed to gain any image at all, even if it had dissolved. Yes, as much as she regretted losing him, it was definitely time that Dillon went to Prince Kaliq.

  Before the Domina’s return to the castle the Fiacre held an end-of-summer feast for Lara and her family. A field of flowers outside of New Camdene was the setting, with trestles and benches set up, the tables groaning with food. Representatives from the other Fiacre villages had come to join them. Lara delightedly greeted Vartan’s favorite cousin, Sholeh. “Before we speak on pleasantries, tell me of Cam?”

  “Though he does all he is asked and studies hard, I see the darkness growing in him,” Sholeh answered. “I do not know what we can do for him.”

  Lara nodded. “I should have strangled him when I slew his parents. But now time and the Celestial Actuary protect him, for no one else will.”

  Sholeh shrugged. “I suppose you are right,” she said. Then, “So you have twins! Did you bring them?”

  “We left them at the castle with their nurses. They are yet too young to travel,” Lara said. “But the others are with us. Dillon goes to Prince Kaliq in a few weeks for training. His magic is growing of itself.”

  “You were wise to take Dillon and Anoush to Terah when you did,” Sholeh said. “Our folk are not used to magic, and find it difficult to accept.”

  Lara knew that Sholeh was right. After all she had done for the clan families she had hoped they would be less suspicious of her. But many, despite their kind words, were not. It was their nature, she supposed, and it could not be helped.

  Dillon and Liam’s sons were playing with a ball in the meadow. Anoush was helping Noss add more food to the feast tables and Zagiri was helping with little Mildri, who was now walking and chattering away. Zagiri seemed to love the New Outlands even as her older siblings did. It was the freedom to run and play in the sunlight, Lara realized. At the castle the children were mostly confined to a small garden except when they rode.

  The whole day long the Fiacre ate, drank and played games in the meadow. There was music and dancing as the day began to come to a close. Shy at first of the Dominus, the women grew less so as he insisted on dancing with as many of them as he could. Lara laughed watching him, but then joined the circle herself to dance with the men of the clan family. Soon the children were emulating their elders in their own dance. Then as the darkness fell the sky was filled with flying stars and everyone stopped to watch the beautiful display as the fires grew dim. And then it was over and they gratefully found their beds.

  In the morning, Lara and the Dominus returned to the castle. The children were still tired and Lara was anxious to see her twins. Since their birth she had come to honestly love them both. Taj was a sturdy infant with a serious demeanor. He was, Lady Persis insisted, very much like his father at that age.

  “As I cannot remember,” Magnus said with a wry grin, “I cannot dispute it.”

  Mar
zina for all her hot temper adored her mother with an almost slavish devotion. Taj was the only other person with whom she would willingly share Lara. When any of her three older siblings came into proximity with their mother Marzina would begin to whine softly, sometimes so low that it could almost not be heard. But the look on her baby face was one of jealousy, plain and simple.

  When Lara saw it she would scold the little one. “Mama has other children, too, Marzina,” she would say. Having gained her mother’s attention Marzina would break into a smile and then laugh.

  As for the Dominus, Magnus Hauk loved all his daughters devotedly, Anoush among them, which pleased Lara.

  The time was drawing near for Dillon’s departure. Lara had thought to take her son to Shunnar herself, but Prince Kaliq himself arrived on the appointed day to escort his new pupil.

  “I thought it better that Dillon bid you all farewell here,” he told them.

  “Will Cirillo be there when we arrive, my lord?” Dillon asked excitedly.

  “Your uncle will not come for several months,” Kaliq explained. “He has magic, and has lived with it his whole life, Dillon. You will need to get use to living with magic. When you have then Prince Cirillo will join us. But you will have Og as a friend and Amir is waiting for you. And we will have many adventures as I teach you all about the world of magic, my son.”

  “Will you teach me about magic one day?” Anoush asked the prince.

  “Perhaps,” Kaliq answered her with a smile. “Now before we go I must tell you of Hetar and what has happened in the last months.”

  “Yes,” Lara said. “I would know. They are not planning any more invasions, are they? I shall be most put out with them if they are.”

  The prince laughed. “Nay, my love, they have far too much to do right now in Hetar to consider entering another land without an invitation. As you know Vilia delivered a son for Jonah. Egon is the light of his mother’s life right now. The elections for a more representative High Council have been put off until next spring. The magnates believe that they can stop the women if they hold them off long enough but of course all they are doing is making Gillian and her party stronger. They have, however, bribed Lady Farah lavishly and she is attempting to work her influence upon the women of the Pleasure Guilds. Sadly, she has not the respect of her constituents. The magnates have yet to learn that. They believe because their influence got her elected to her position that she will be able to wield her power as did Lady Gillian. Of course, she cannot. The Pleasure Mistresses and the Pleasure Women will give her lip service and then do as they please. Lady Gillian is not about to back down. They will get a number of their women elected to this new council but it will not be called High. It will be called the Hetarian Council. The High Council will remain as it has always been with two representatives from each of the provinces. With the Outlands added to Hetar that will mean a total of ten. And the Hetarian Council will also have ten members.”

  “What happens if their votes cancel each other out?” the Dominus wanted to know. “How will they break a tie?”

  “The head of the High Council will toss a coin and they will leave it to chance,” the prince told them. “Since the High Council head rotates with each term it simply becomes a matter of bringing hard matters up for a vote when you know you can get them passed. With women on both of the councils, common sense should prevail.” He looked to Magnus Hauk. “And what of Terah and your own High Council?” he asked quietly. “You cannot allow Hetar to get ahead of you.”

  “We will be moving ahead in the Icy Season, when the children are well settled into their schooling with Master Bashkar. Lara and I will visit the villages along each of the fjords to explain to them our concept for a governing body. By the time Taj is grown it will have long been in place and will not seem as strange to him as it does to me. We will ask for four representatives from each fjord for a total of twenty-eight members. As Dominus I will vote to break any ties should they arise.”

  The prince nodded. “Then I will leave you. Bid your mother farewell, Dillon.”

  The boy flew into his mother’s arms and she wrapped him tightly in her embrace. “Remember who you are,” she said. “You are Dillon, son of Vartan, lord of the Fiacre, and Lara, Domina of Terah. Your blood is noble and brave and faerie. Listen to the prince and his brothers. You will learn so very much from them. More than I, my son. But most of all, remember that I love you. That your stepfather and your family love you. Love is so important, Dillon. Without it we wither, both mortal and faerie. Without it the darkness creeps into our souls. But that will not happen to you for you are so dearly loved, my son, and you are filled with the light.” She kissed him on both his rosy cheeks and quickly on his lips. Then she said, “Before you go I have a gift for you, my son.” And she brought her walking staff forward. “Verica is now your companion as he was once mine. He wishes to accompany you, for my life has become too dull for him.”

  “Indeed it has,” Verica’s ancient voice agreed. “I spend more time in a corner now than on fine long walks, and ’tis no way for a creature like me to live. At least with you, young Dillon, I shall be able to go adventuring once again and escape all this domesticity.”

  They all laughed at Verica’s comments, then Lara said, “Make us proud, Dillon.”

  Dillon looked up at Lara, his father’s blue eyes shining with happiness. He took Verica from her. “I will make you all proud, Mother,” he promised her. Then gently extracting himself from her arms he went to his stepfather. “Will you give me your blessing, Magnus Hauk?” he asked and he knelt before the Dominus.

  Magnus placed both of his hands upon his stepson’s dark head. “You have my blessing, my son,” he told Dillon. “Go with it and return to us when you can. We will all miss you, but like your mother you have a destiny to follow.” He raised the boy up and kissed him on both cheeks.

  Dillon then stopped before Anoush. “Be patient with our parents,” he told her softly and Anoush smiled.

  “Indeed, young mistress,” Verica put in. “Do not try them too greatly. Your mother is a very wise faerie. Listen to her, I pray you.”

  “I think I have gotten better,” Anoush said. “But then you have always been here to remind me of my faults, Big Brother. And Verica, as well.” She patted the staff’s head.

  “But now you are the big sister and you must set the example for Zagiri and the little ones. I will think of you often, Anoush,” he told her. And then Vartan’s children embraced tenderly, tears in their eyes, for they had never before been separated.

  Dillon knelt before little Zagiri.

  “I do not want you to go,” Zagiri said, pouting.

  “But I want to go,” Dillon told her.

  “Don’t you like us?” Zagiri asked.

  “I love you with all my heart,” the boy said. “But I have inherited magic and magic must be taught and nurtured by magic, Zagiri. It is a great honor to be taught by the Shadow Princes. When you are older, you will understand that.”

  “Will you come back to us, Dillon?” Zagiri wanted to know.

  “I will come back,” he said.

  “When?” she demanded.

  “One day,” he told her and kissing her gently he stood up. He stopped before the nursemaids to hold his youngest siblings. He kissed them each, smiling at Taj. “Be strong, my brother,” he said. Then he kissed Marzina, chucking her beneath her fat chin. “Be good, my little sister,” he said and she favored him with a smile. Dillon turned now and walked over to the prince. He bowed formally. “I am ready now, my lord.” His fist clutched Verica tightly.

  Kaliq swung his great shining white cape about the boy by his side and in an instant they were gone.

  Zagiri began to cry, but Anoush picked her sister up and said, “It is his destiny, Little Sister, and destiny plays a strong part in this family.”

  “Do you have a destiny?” Zagiri asked her older sister and Anoush nodded. “And do I have one?” Zagiri pursued. Anoush nodded again. “And Taj and Ma
rzina?”

  “Aye,” Anoush said. “All of us possess a destiny. Some for good, some for great, but we all have one.”

  “Papa?” Zagiri persisted.

  “Aye, Papa’s destiny is to be Terah’s greatest Dominus.” She brushed the tears from Zagiri’s little face.

  “And Mama?” Zagiri queried.

  “Ah, Mama,” Anoush replied and suddenly her blue eyes grew so bright they seemed to be silver. “Mama’s destiny is the greatest of all, Zagiri, for she will one day unite us as one.” Anoush’s eyes returned to their own beautiful blue, then they closed and she grew pale, slipping toward the floor.

  Lara quickly snatched Zagiri from her older sibling’s arms before she could be hurt even as Magnus Hauk caught his stepdaughter before she crumpled to the floor. With a nod to the nursemaids holding the twins he sent them from the room.

  “Is Anoush all right?” Zagiri asked, her little face frightened.

  “Your sister is fine,” Lara assured her little daughter. “She possesses what we call the sight, which means she can sometimes see into the future.”

  Anoush moaned. Seeing that she was returning to herself the Dominus set the girl upon her feet. “What happened?” she asked them, looking a bit confused.

  “You had a small vision, my darling, that is all,” Lara said. “How do you feel now, Anoush?” Dillon had told her that Anoush had this gift, but Lara had paid it very little mind until this moment. “Have you done this before, my daughter?”

  “Not often, but now and again I see things,” Anoush admitted. “I’ve never fainted from it, however.”

  “I think the excitement of Dillon’s departure, followed by your vision, probably made you weak,” Lara soothed her. “Take Zagiri, go and lie down. I will come to you shortly.”

  Anoush nodded and taking her little sister by her hand she led her from her parent’s dayroom where they had been bidding Dillon farewell.