All were here to watch him stand before the Stone of Ochan, awesome in its splendor beneath the winter Sun. To watch Osraed Saxan, Apex, set the Malcuim Circlet on his brow. They had come to hear Taminy chant the words of ceremony that called upon him to respond as, six hundred years before, the first Malcuim Cyne had responded.
He glanced to where the waljan stood, his mother among them, before the gallery. The look of loving pride in her eyes, the radiance of peace that smoothed her brow—that was the world to him. In that glance Airleas fully realized that his perception was no longer limited to what he could see or hear or touch. He could feel the pride his mother’s heart held, he could scent the perfume of affection that rippled to him on the crisp currents of river air from the others who had shared his exile.
Even sad Iseabal smiled at him, even sober Wyth, even Taminy’s new husband, the unreadable Catahn. Even bristly Aine’s face was softer this morning—gone, the scowl that usually flirted between her garish brows.
Of course, he realized, his eyes shifting to Saefren Claeg, who also stood among the waljan, he might not be entirely responsible for that miracle.
He found Gwynet Alheart, front and center. Felt her touch, warm and sweet, within his very soul. Playmate, sister, dearest friend, closest confidante. She smiled at him, tears glistening in her eyes. He returned the smile, not quite sure that was appropriate to this moment of moments, but not caring.
Lastly, he let his eyes and aidan go to Taminy who stood with him upon the low gallery against Halig-liath’s eastern wall. She did not block him, just now, and what he received from her made his heart swell almost to bursting. She had finished the verses and now waited for him to make the refrain.
Around him, the air stilled, anticipating, the only movement in the banners of cloth and breath that unfurled in the crisp air. He turned, facing the Western Sea, and removed the Osmaer Crystal from its pedestal. It woke to a blaze in his hands, brighter than the Sun or the clouds that framed it. He came to his knees on the stones of Halig-liath, and bowed his head to drink the stillness.
Then, raising his face to the sky, he spoke in a clear loud voice, wanting all of creation to hear him.
“I look to the Meri, Firstborn of the Spirit, divine and enlightened. She who lives, abides, sustains Herself and teaches the Art. Pure in name, glorified in every corner of the world of being, the blessed Meri, Her manifestation equal to the sand of the Sea, gives the Tell of the Spirit and answers the needs of men eternally. Her Name I honor, celebrate and glorify.”
Osraed Saxan moved then, stepping forward to place the Circlet on Airleas’s head. Airleas smiled at him, unable to resist the gladness bubbling up from inside. Saxan returned the smile and bowed. That was not part of the ceremony.
Airleas turned his eyes to Taminy, but she was not looking at him. She now faced the great gathering spread out before the gallery and said, “I give you Airleas Malcuim, heir of the First Malcuim, Cyne of Caraid-land.”
Airleas rose to the cheers of the crowd, some sincere, some perfunctory. Soon, he thought, they will all be sincere. I will be a good Cyne.
Holding Ochan’s great Crystal before him, he faced his people, bowing to each quarter to make of himself a humble offering. Then, he moved to return the Osmaer Crystal to its pedestal.
Taminy stopped him.
In the moment of chaotic thought that followed, he was vaguely aware that the crowd had, once again, stilled. Taminy smiled at him, moving her fingers to cover his upon the Stone.
Turning her gleaming face to the assemblage, her voice ringing to the farthest corners of the courtyard, she said, “I give you Airleas Malcuim, Osric. Cyne by Divine right.”
While the crowd around them reacted to her words, cheering, crying, gasping in astonishment or outrage, she leaned close to him and murmured, “You asked for a stone to focus your gift. Here it is. Use it with wisdom.”
Hands quaking, Airleas held the Stone before his face and let it pull his gaze deep into its brilliant heart.
“My first decision must be to appoint a Durweard,” he said, and glanced at Taminy. “May I have two?”
Her mouth tilted with humor. “You can have as many as you please, Osric Airleas.”
“Then I’ll have two—you and Catahn. I doubt I could do better than that.”
Taminy smiled. “Humility prevents me from commenting.”
Airleas laughed, and raising the Osmaer Crystal over his head, turned back to the embrace of the people to whom he now belonged.
THE END
Appendices
Phonetics Key
ay = “ay” as in “hay”
bh = “v” as in “victory”
dd = “th” as in “the”
dh = a soft “d” with a slight aspirant
ey = “eye”
fh = the softest possible “f”; almost a “v”
gh = a hard “h”
th = “th” as in “the”
y = a long “i”
Appendix 1: The Noble Houses of Caraid-Land and Their Banners
Claeg (Clayg): “House of Earth” — midland House of traditional warriors; sword-cleft rock on a field of red.
Cuillean (Kwil-een): “House of the Bear” — northern House; brown bear on a green field.
Dearg (Deerg): “House of the Red Man” — midland House; red hand on a white and yellow field.
Floinn (Flown): “House of the Red Child” — breakaway northern House related to the Dearg; dagger-bearing hand on a yellow and white field.
Feich (Fyke): “House of the Raven” — southern neighbors of the Claeg; raven on a yellow field.
Gilleas (Gi-lee-as): “House of the Disciples (of the Meri); midland House, traditionally strong allies of the Malcuim; golden star on a midnight blue field.
Glinne (Glin): “House of the White One” — House traditionally dedicated to the worship of the Gwenwyvar or White Wave; white wave cresting on a purple field.
Graegam (Gray-am): “House of the Bray Man” — western neighbors of the Feich; castle keep on a red and white field.
Jura (Joo-rah): “House of the Broken Heart” — the family of the martyred Osraed Gartain; twained heart on a white field with a red border.
Madaidh (Mah-dayth): “House of Wolves” — a sea-faring House thought to be descendants of Deasach immigrants to Caraid-land; brown wolf on a yellow and blue field.
Malcuim (Mal-kwim): “House of the Sands” — the Royal House of Caraid-land; clasped hands on a gold and green field.
Skarf (Skarf): “House of the Cormorant” — a House of fisherman and merchant seamen; white cormorant on a teal field.
Teallach (Tee-lak): “House of Iron” — northern House; sword on an orange field.
Appendix 2: Names
Aine (Ayn): “fiery one”
Airleas (Ayr-lee-as): a traditional Caraidin name meaning “a pledge” or “an oath”
Ardis (Ar-dis): “warm”, “ardent”
Arundel (Ar-un-del): “dwells at the eagle’s grove”; family estate of the Osraed Wyth
Bearach (Bay-rak): “spear carrier”; heroic Cyne of Caraid-land who won the First Battle of the Crystal against Buchan Claeg
Bebhinn (Beh-vin): “melodious lady”; swift-flowing northern branch of the Halig-Tyne
Bevol (Bay-vol): Hillwild name meaning “wind”
Bitan-ig (Bee-tan-eegh): “preserving”; Cyne and hero of the Battle of the Chalice and the Skull
Brys (Bryss): “quick” or “ambitious”
Caime (Kaym): “crooked”
Calach (Kah-lak): “companion”
Caraid-land (Car-ayd-land): “land between the streams” hence, “friendly land”
Catahn (Ca-tawn): Hillwild name meaning “champion” or “warrior”
Ciaran (Kee-ar-an): Hillwild name meaning “dark one”; the most famous (or infamous) Ciaran was Cyne Ciaran, grandfather of Cyne Colfre
Ciarda (Kee-ar-da): a Hillwild name meaning “child of the dark one”; a Cyne of Cara
id-land and Colfre-s father
Colfre (Kol-fray): Hillwild name meaning “a dove,” hence, peaceful
Creiddylad (Creh-dee-ly-ah): “jewel of the sea”; traditional home of the Malcuims and capitol of Caraid-land since the reign of Malcuim the Uniter
Cuinn (Kwin): “wise”; family name of Taminy-a-Cuinn; from a small settlement east of Nairne
Daimhin (Day-fin): “poet” or “savant”
Deasach (Dee-sak): “southern”; Caraidin word for the country beyond the southwest arm of the Gyldan-baenn; also used to refer to its people
Desary (Deh-sa-ree): a Hillwild name meaning “longed for”
Doireann (Dwa-ree-an): “sullen”
Eada (Yah-da): “prosperity” or “blessedness”; large seaport to the north of Creiddylad situated on the mouth of the Ead-Tyne
Ealad-hach (Ay-lad-hak): “ingenious” or “a scientist”
Faer-wald (Fayr-wald): “mighty traveler”
Feich (Fyke): “a raven”; one of the Caraidin Houses
Fhada (Vah-dah): “long”
Gled (Gled): “glad”, “joyous”
Goscelin (Jos-e-lin): “the just” ; a great Caraidin heroine
Gwenwyvar (Gwen-wy-var): “white wave” or “white phantom”; Eibhilin being associated closely with the Meri; often a bearer of Her messages
Gwynet (Gwi-net): “white” or “blessed”
Gyldan-baenn (Gil-dan-bayn): “golden mountains”; chain of mountains that wraps from northeast to southwest about Caraid-land, forming a border with the Deasach lands.
Haefer (Hay-fer): “sanctuary”, “safety”; given name of the great Hillwild Osraed and hero Haefer Hillwild
Hageswode (Hag-es-wode): “from the high forest”; family name of Osraed Haefer Hillwild
Halig-liath (Ha-lig-lee-ath): “holy fortress”
Halig-tyne (Ha-lig-tyne): “holy river”
Hrofceaster (Rof-kays-ter): “sky fortress”
Ileane (Ee-lee-an): “light bearer”
Iobert (Yo-bayrt): “glorious warrior”
Iseabal (Eesh-a-bal): “dedicated to God”
Lach (Lak): “by the water”
Ladhar (Lah-dar): “path”
Ladmann (Lad-man): “guide”
Lealbhallain (Leel-val-layn): “loyal champion”
Liusadhe (Lee-oo-sath): “bringer of light”
Lufu (Loo-foo): Hillwild name meaning “love”
Madaidh (Ma-dayh): “the fox”
Meredydd (Mer-e-dith): “guardian from the sea”
Meri (Me-ree): “star of the sea”; the Being through whom the teachings of the Spirit are conveyed to earth. The Meri is the firstborn of the Eibhilin beings of which the only the Gifted are truly aware
Mertuile (Mer-tweel): castle around which Creiddylad is built; ancestral home of the House Malcuim
Nairne (Nayrn): “place by the river alder grove”
Ochan (O-kan): “boy” or “youth”
Osmaer (Oz-mayr): “divinely glorious”; station-name of the human Vessel of the Meri-s spirit
Paeccs (Payks): “peaceful”; second Cyne of Caraid-land; son of Malcuim the Uniter
Phelan (Fay-lan:) “little wolf”
Ruadhe (Roo-ah): “the red”
Ruanaidhe (Roo-nayh): Hillwild name meaning “red one”; treacherous nephew of Haefer Hageswode; said to have been turned into a river silkie after murdering Cyne Siolta
Saxan (Sak-san): “swordsman”
Scandy (Skan-dee): “boisterer”
Siolta (Shee-ol-ta): “teal”
Taminy (Ta-mi-nee): “pure”
Thearl (Thayrl): “stern one”; Cyne of Caraid-land during the Blue Cusp; son of Cyne Siolta and Goscelin the Just
Toireasa (Twa-ree-sa): “reaper”
Wyth (Wythe): “dweller in the willows”; by implication, “a healer”
Appendix 3: Terms
abbod (ab-od): the foremost Osraed at Ochanshrine
aidan (ay-dan): Hillwild term for the aislinn Gift; literally “little fire”; indicates the touch of the Eibhilin realm
aingeal (ayn-geel): “messenger”; Eibhilin guardian spirit
aislinn (ays-lin): “vision” or “dream”, a vision experienced either dreaming or waking which is a reflection of reality
ambre (am-ber): “golden” unit of Caraidin currency minted in gold
anwyl (an-weel): “beloved” or “dear”
backstere (bak-steer): “baker”
Cirke (Keerk): Caraidin place of worship
cailin (kay-lin): “girl”, “maiden”
claefer (clay-fer): “clover” small silver coin. There are four claefer to the ambre.
cleirach (clee-rak): “scholar”, “teacher”; the cleirach is educator, administrator and adjudicator in the rural holdings and settlements. Trained in religion, he may also be called upon to lead worship
cwen (Kwen): “female ruler”
cyne (Kyne): “ruler”, “leader”
cyneric (Kyne-erik): “lord ruler”; clear heir to the Throne and Circlet
daeges-eage (daygs-eeg): “eye of the day”; a customary Caraidin greeting
duan (doo-an): the song that accompanies a Runeweave
Eibhilin (Eye-vi-lin): “light”; of the spiritual realm or realm of light. Also, beings of this realm.
eiric (Eye-rik): “home ruler” or “master” or “lord,” usually of an estate or holding
inyx (ee-niks): “spell” or “magic”; combines with the duan to create the Runeweave
jagger (jag-ger): “teamster”, “wagon driver”
lorimer (lo-ri-mer): “saddle maker”
marschal (mar-shal): “steward”, “horse master”, hence, a leader of troops
mercer (mer-ser): “merchant”, “shopkeeper”
moireach (mwa-reek): “mistress” or “lady”; as of an estate or holding
oonagh (oo-nah): “one”, “single”; brazen coin, smallest monetary unit of Caraid-land. There are 100 oonagh to the ambre.
Osraed (Awz-rayd): “divine counselor”; chosen of the Meri to convey the teachings of the Spirit to society
Osric (Awz-rik): “divine ruler”; Cyne by Divine right as was Malcuim the Uniter
ren (ren): foremost Hillwild Chieftain
renec (reh-nek): female Chieftain; the most famous of the Hillwild Renic was Garmorgan, an ally of Bearach Spearman during the First War of the Crystal
riagan (ree-gan): “little cyne”; male child of the House Malcuim
saphir (sa-fir): “silver”; a tiny silver coin. There are ten saphir to the ambre.
sorcha (sor-sha): “bright”; half-ambre coin minted in pure silver
steadman (sted-man): “farmer”, “stead owner”
tannere (ta-neer): “tanner of hides”, “leather worker”
tyne (tyne): “river”
weard (weerd): “watcher”, “guardian”; the weard accompanies a Pilgrim on his travels, providing food, shelter and assistance
webber (web-ber): “weaver of cloth”
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Copyright & Credits
THE CRYSTAL ROSE
Book Three of the Mer Cycle
Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Book View Café Edition May 21, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-61138-261-7
Copyright © 1995 Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
First published: 1995, Baen Books
Cover illustration © 2013 by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Cover design by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff
Production team: K.E. Kimbriel, proofreader; Vonda N. McIntyre, ebook formatter.
v20130517vnm
v20130519vnm
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About the Author
New York Times Bestselling author of Star Wars: Shadow Games and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (collaborations with Michael Reaves).
Maya became addicted to science fiction when her dad let her stay up late to watch The Day the Earth Stood Still. Mom was horrified. Dad was unrepentant. Ma
ya slept with a night-light in her room until she was 15.
She started her writing career sketching science fiction comic books in the last row of her third grade classroom. She was never apprehended. Since then her short fiction has been published in Analog, Amazing Stories, Century, Realms of Fantasy, Interzone, Paradox and Jim Baen’s Universe.
Her debut novel, The Meri (Baen), was a Locus Magazine 1992 Best First Novel nominee (also available as a trade paperback from Sense of Wonder Press and an eBook from Book View Café). Since, she has published ten more speculative fiction novels, including collaborations with Marc Scott Zicree and Michael Reaves.
Maya lives in San Jose where she writes, performs, and records original and parody (filk) music with her husband and awesome musician and music producer, Chef Jeff Vader, All-Powerful God of Biscuits. The couple has produced five music albums: RetroRocket Science, Aliens Ate My Homework and Grated Hits (parody), and the original music CDs Manhattan Sleeps and Mobius Street. To top it off, they’ve also produced three musical children: Alex, Kristine, and Amanda.
www.bookviewcafe.com
Other books by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff:
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Coruscant Nights Book Four
Del Rey / Lucas Books 2012
with Michael Reaves
Star Wars: Shadow Games
Del Rey / Lucas Books 2011
with Michael Reaves
The Meri
Book One of the Mer Cycle
Book View Café 2012
Taminy
Book Two of the Mer Cycle
Book View Café 2012
A Princess of Passyunk
Book View Café 2010
Taco Del & the Fabled Tree of Destiny
Book View Café 2010
Mr. Twilight
Del Rey 2006
with Michael Reaves
Magic Time: Angelfire
Harper-Collins/Eos 2002
with Marc Scott Zicree
About Book View Café
Book View Café is a professional authors’ publishing cooperative offering DRM-free ebooks in multiple formats to readers around the world. With authors in a variety of genres including mystery, romance, fantasy, and science fiction, Book View Café has something for everyone.
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