Lansar Raasharu pressed his horse forward as he stared at him. Then he turned toward me and said, 'But Sar Valashu, this cannot be! I've already told that I saw Prince Salmelu in the woods by Lake Waskaw on the afternoon you say he shot at you.'
Lord Raasharu had told this to Asaru and me, if no other, and it was courageous of him to declaim before two kings what he supposed was the truth - even if it aided Salmelu.
'You did not see Prince Salmelu there as you thought,' I told him. 'When he failed at my murder, the Lord of Lies sent an illusion to the most trusted man in Mesh so that suspicion wouldn't fall upon his priest.'
'What you say disquiets me greatly,' Lord Raasharu said. 'To think that the Lord of Lies could make me see what is not.'
'It has disquieted me, as well,' I told him.
'Illusion!' Salmelu cried out again. His squinting at the bloodstone crinkled the red dragon tattooed into his forehead. 'What you see is surely an illusion cast by this evil stone!'
I put away the bloodstone then, and watched as the red mark disappeared.
'Do you see?' Salmelu said. 'It's gone, isn't it?' I drew my sword an inch from its sheath. I touched my thumb to its blade, drawing blood. Then I pressed my thumb to the middle of Salmelu's forehead. The ink seared into his flesh grabbed at my blood and held some part of it. When I pulled back, the dragon tattoo now stood out red as blood for all to see. 'A trick!' he called. 'Another trick!'
He managed to wrench free his arm, and he clawed his hand furiously at his forehead in a vain attempt to rub away the mark that would remain there to his death. 'Is this a trick?' I asked him.
As the Ishkan lords regained their hold on him, I placed my hand on the dagger at his belt and drew it. I showed it to King Hadaru. Its blade was coated with a dark blue substance that could only be kirax. 'During the battle,' I said to him, 'if you weren't struck down, he was to have touched you with this.'
King Hadaru's eyes locked on Salmelu in disbelief. 'Why?' he asked him softly.
Salmelu, now seeing that his lies would no longer be believed, tried hate and terror instead.
'Because you're a blind old fool who can't see what must be done!' He tried to twist free from the men holding him, but could not. 'All the Valari - fools! Can't you see that Morjin will rule Ea? If we oppose him, he'll annihilate us. But if we serve him, he'll make us kings and lords over other men!'
King Hadaru climbed down from his horse. He drew out his sword and stepped in front of me. Then he raised it up above Salmelu's neck. In his wrathful eyes was horror and hate of his son - and a terrible love as well.
'Hold!' my father called out from on top of his horse. 'King Hadaru, hold! None of us would see a man slay his own son.'
'If not I, then who else?' King Hadaru said. 'My son has earned this death - no man more so.'
'So he has,' my father agreed. 'But let there be no blood spilled here today.'
His eyes met mine in a twinkle of light and then he glanced down at my hand. 'No more blood, that is.'
King Hadaru's sword wavered above Salmelu's neck. I knew that he did not want to kill him. And my father knew this as well. 'May a king ask another king for mercy?'
'Very well,' King Hadaru said. As quickly as he had drawn his sword, he sheathed it.
Although it was he who should have thanked my father, his manner suggested that he had granted him a great boon.
'Let me go, then!' Salmelu screamed out.
'Yes, let him go,' King Hadaru commanded his men.
As Lord Mestivan and the others set Salmelu free, King Hadaru took the tainted dagger from me, then bent and thrust it through the snow into the ground beneath.
He walked over to Salmelu's horse. He grabbed up the shield slung there and cast it to the ground as well. His war lance and three throwing lances followed in quick succession. Then, as Salmelu's cold eyes met the even colder stare of his father, King Hadaru commanded that Salmelu's helmet, armor, and ring be stripped from him. This was done. He stood almost naked in his underpadding before the lords of Mesh and Ishka waiting to hear his father pronounce his judgment.
'This is not yet Ishkan soil,' King Hadaru said, 'and so not even the King of Ishka can banish you from it. But you are so banished from Ishka, forever. No one in my realm is to give you fire, bread or salt.'
'And in my realm as well, Prince Salmelu,' my father said, 'you are denied fire, bread and salt.'
As twenty thousand men watched the badly shaking Salmelu, he climbed on top of his horse. Again he rubbed at the red dragon marking his forehead. And then, kicking his heels into his horse, he screamed out, 'Damn you, Valari!'
And with that he thundered off across the battlefield cursing and screaming. When he reached the Lower Raaswash, he drove his horse in a savage gallop through its swift waters. From the Raaswash to the Culhadosh was a distance of ten miles. And on the other side of that river was the kingdom of Waas.
After Salmelu had disappeared into the woods beyond the Raaswash, I turned to address his father and my own.
'King Hadaru,' I said. Then I looked at my father, 'Sire, in all the Morning Mountains, no other kings have so great renown. But a war between Ishka and Mesh will only diminish both realms. It will only please the Lord of Lies - he who has schemed and sent out assassins so that this war might take place. Will you do the bidding of a false king?'
'The King of Ishka,' King Hadaru said, touching the white bear of his purple surcoat,
'does his own bidding and no other.'
With his bushy white hair whipping about in the wind, I could see that he was still wroth over what had occurred with Salmelu. He scowled at my father and said, 'The Lord of Lies' schemes notwithstanding, there are still grievances between our kingdoms. There is still the matter of Korukel and its diamonds.'
I took back the Lightstone from Maram and stood holding it. Then I looked at my father and said; 'Sire, let the Ishkans have the diamonds. They'll need many diamonds to make armor to face the Dragon in the wars that are to come. All the Valari will.'
My father, Shavashar Elahad, known throughout the Morning Moun tains as King Shamesh, was not a vindictive or grasping man. For a long time, it seemed, he had been looking for a good reason to cede the Ishkans their half of Mount Korukel.
Only the stubbornness and ferocity of his lords such as Lord Tanu and Lord Harsha had kept him from this course. But now, in light of all that had occurred here this day, their hearts softened, and the greatest lords of Mesh nodded their heads to my father in assent of what I had suggested.
'Very well,' he said to King Hadaru. He dismounted and walked over to him. 'You shall have your diamonds.'
At this grace, Asaru and others struck their lances against their shields that my father's wisdom had finally prevailed.
King Hadaru inclined his head very slightly in acceptance of his offer. And then, most ungraciously, he said, 'It is perhaps easy to surrender one treasure when a greater one has so unexpectedly been gained.' And with that, he turned toward me to stare at the Lightstone. I held the golden cup higher for all to see. Once before, on this same ground, Mesh and Ishka had fought over its possession, and the Ishkan king, Elsu Maruth, had been killed. As I looked upon the thousands of warriors who had taken the field here this day, I prayed that we would not fight over it again.
'King Hadaru,' I said, 'the Lightstone is to be kept by all the Valari. We are its guardians.'
And with that, much to his astonishment, I stepped forward and placed it in his hands.
While Ishkan lords and Meshians came down from their horses and pressed closer, he gazed at the cup in wonder. His grim, old eyes were wide like a child's.
Something coiled tightly inside him seemed suddenly to let go. Then he raised his head up and stood straight and tall, looking like one of the Valari kings of old. And in a clear voice he called out, 'Ishka will not make war with Mesh.'
He surprised even himself, I thought, in surrendering the Lightstone to my father. As his hands closed upon it, a golden
radiance fell upon him. And in his noble countenance was revealed the lineaments of Telemesh, Aramesh and even Elahad himself.
'And Mesh,' my father told the assembled lords and knights, 'will not make war with ishka.'
Holding the cup in one hand, he stepped forward and clasped King Hadaru's hand with his other. As squires were sent off to report this news to the captains of the two armies, my father looked at the Lightstone and asked me, 'How were you led to find it?'
'This led me,' I said. And with that I drew Alkaladur and held it shining brilliantly before the Lightstone.
'There are stories to be told here,' my father said. His awe at the ancient silver sword was no less than that of the other lords staring at it. 'Great stories, it seems.'
As he passed the cup to Lord Issur, I began giving an account of our quest. I told of our nightmare journey through the Black Bog and the even greater nightmare of being pursued by the fearsome Grays. I told of meeting Kane and Atara, Liljana and Alphanderry. His death in the Kul Moroth was still a raw wound inside me; it opened in my father and in King Hadaru the anguish of sacrifice, for in their long lives they had witnessed many feats of heroism, and none had touched them quite like this.
Both of them were surprised - as were Asaru and Lord Harsha - when they heard of how Maram had almost singlehandedly saved the day at the siege of Khaisham. They nodded their heads when I declared that a great Maitreya had been born somewhere on Ea, and that the Lightstone must be guarded for him. They smiled to hear of Master Juwain's brilliant solving of the final clue that had led us into Argattha. And of the gaining of the seven gelstei and Atara's blinding that sometimes helped her truly to see, they listened with amazement.
Now it was Asaru's turn to hold the Lightstone; he gazed at the cup as if he couldn't quite believe it was real. Then he turned to me with a great smile and said, 'You've done well, little brother.'
'They've all done well,' my father said. 'It's too bad their other companions aren't here to see this.'
He suddenly turned his head and called out, 'Ringbearer! Send squires to summon the ringbearer! And Sar Valashu's brothers, too.'
At that moment Flick appeared and settled his sparkling form down into the bowl of the Lightstone like a bird into his nest. Asaru blinked his eyes, not quite daring to credit what they beheld. A dozen lords and knights shook their heads in awe.
'It seems,' Asaru said, 'that you've yet many more stories to tell.'
While he gave the Lightstone to Lord Nadhru, a thunder of hooves announced the arrival of my father's ringbearer and my other brothers. As they reined in and dismounted, I ran forward to greet them.
'Karshur!' I cried out throwing my arms around his solid body. 'Ravar! Yarashan!'
Quick-witted Ravar cast a glance at the Lightstone as if he thought that I had proved quite clever in finding it after all Yarashan of course, was envious of my feat; but his pride in being my brother was greater still. He embraced me warmly and kissed my forehead, as did the fierce and valorous Mandru. Jonathay, when he saw Lord Tomavar holding the Lightstone, let loose a great laugh of triumph as sweet and clear as a mountain stream.
With King Hadaru holding up his hand for silence, my father approached Master Juwain and said, 'Without your guidance, Sar Valashu might never have found the road that led him to seek the Lightstone. And without your courage and insight, none of you would have found your way to Argattha. Therefore it is my wish that the treasure that would have been wasted upon this battle be spent in raising up a new building for your sanctuary. There you shall gather gelstei to you that their secrets might be revealed. There, from time to time, the Lightstone shall be brought. And it shall be as it was in another and better age.'
Master Juwain bowed his head and said, 'Thank you, King Shamesh.'
My father next turned to Maram and said, 'Prince Maram Marshayk! Your courage at Khaisham and in Argattha was extraordinary; your prowess with the sword was the equal of great warriors; your faithfulness on this quest was as adamantine as diamond and worthy of a Valari.'
Then he smiled and said, 'Ringbearer!'
A young knight named Jushur stepped up to my father holding a broad, flat, wooden case. He opened it to reveal four rows of silver rings pressed into a lining of black velvet. The rings in the first row were set with a single diamond, while those in the second row showed two, and so on. It was my father's pride and pleasure, as king, to reward heroism by promoting knights and master warriors on the field of battle.
After studying Maram's fat fingers, he chose out the largest ring from the second row. Its two diamonds sparkled in the strengthening sun. My father grasped Maram's hand and slipped the ring onto his finger. It was the ring of a Valari knight, even as the one that I wore.
'For your service to my son,' he said, clasping Maram's hand. 'For your service to Mesh and all of Ea.'
As the lords of Mesh and Ishka crowded around Maram to stare at his knight's ring, Maram flushed with pride and thanked my father. For a hundred years, none but Valari warriors had been bestowed with such an honor.
Now my father turned to me and pulled off my knight's ring. He selected another from the case's fourth row. Then he placed this silver band with its four bright diamonds on my finger; he kissed my forehead and said, 'Lord Valashu, Knight of the Swan, Guardian of the Lightstone.' The golden cup, I saw, was now being held by one of the Ishkans whom I did not know. Others were whispering that they had never heard of a Valari knight being made directly into a lord.
Master Juwain came over to Maram to get a better look at his new ring. He said to him, 'I'm afraid that now you're a Valari in spirit.'
'Ah, I'm afraid I am, sir.' The diamonds of his ring dazzled his eyes. 'Ah, I'm afraid that I must formally renounce my vows to the Brotherhood.'
At this, Master Juwain smiled and bowed his head in acceptance. He said, 'I think you renounced them many miles ago.'
As the two kings sent squires to call for their armies to come closer and view the Lightstone, Lord Harsha limped over to us. On his bluff, old face was the brightest of smiles. His single eye fell upon me, and he said, 'Lord Valashu - you can't know how glad it makes me to say that.'
Maram, I saw, had pulled back behind the cover of Karshur's thick body. He looked away from Lord Harsha like a child at school who is afraid that his master might call upon him.
'And Sar Maram!' Lord Harsha said, finding him easily enough. 'We're all glad to see you.'
'You are?' Maram asked. 'I had thought you might be distressed, ah, about things that had distressed you.'
Lord Harsha looked at the two diamonds of Maram's ring and said, 'It might have been so. But my poor daughter has talked of little else but you since you went away.
And that distresses me.'
'Behira,' Maram said as if struggling to remember her name, 'is a lovely woman.'
'Yes, the loveliest. And she will be delighted to see that you've been knighted. What honor could we bestow upon you to equal that which you've brought to us?'
'Ah, perhaps some of your excellent beer, sir.'
'That you shall have, Sar Maram. And much else as well. The month of Ashte is a lovely time for a wedding, don't you think?'
'Yes, a lovely time.' Lord Harsha stepped forward favoring his crippled leg. He embraced Maram and said, 'My son!'
'Ah, Lord Harsha, I -'
'There is only one thing in the world that could distress me on such a fine day as this,' Lord Harsha added. He smiled at Maram as he rested his hand on his kalama.
'And that would be to see my daughter further distressed. Do you understand?'
Maram did understand, and he looked at me as if pleading that I might come to his rescue. But this one time, I was powerless to help him.
'Ashte,' I said to him, as Lord Harsha walked off, 'is half a year away. Much might happen between now and then.'
'Yes,' Maram said optimistically, 'I might come to love Behira, mightn't I?'
' You might,' I told him. 'Isn't it love that you rea
lly sought?' Now, as the Lightstone was passed back and forth between knights arriving at our encampment on the middle of the field, as my father stood conferring with King Hadaru, and Maram showed Yarashan the rock with the hole that he-had burned with his red gelstei in the Vardaloon, Asaru took my hand. Our lord's rings clicked together, and he said, 'My apologies for doubting that the Lightstone might be found. Our grandfather would have been proud of you.'
'Thank you, Asaru,' I told him. 'But you had me worried,' he said.
'When the news came from Ishka, about the Bog, we all gave up hope.'
I looked deep into the essential innocence gathering in his dark eyes, and I said, 'All except you.'
We clasped hands so tightly that my fingers hurt. And he said, 'You've changed, Valashu.'
All at once, as if ice were breaking beneath me, I felt myself plunging into unbearably cold waters. There pooled all the pain of Atara's blinding, of Kane's darkened soul, of Alphanderry's death.
'Valashu,' my brother said.
I blinked my eyes to see him suddenly weeping as all the anguish inside me flowed into him. I knew then that the gift of valarda that my grandfather had bestowed upon me had not left Asaru untouched. It lay waiting to be awakened in all Valari, perhaps in all men.
Now the twelve thousand warriors of Ishka and the ten thousand of Mesh had finally closed and met all about us in the middle of the field. At the commands of the warlords and captains, they laid their spears and shields down upon the snow. Its white crystals, like millions of diamonds, shimmered with blues and golds and reds.
Soon the morning sun would melt the ground's cold covering, even as the Lightstone melted six thousand years of hatred, envy and suspicion. I turned to watch the warriors of King Hadaru and King Shamesh passing the cup from hand to hand, along the ranks, up one file and then down another. The Valari drank in its radiance through their bright eyes and through their hands. It blazed like the sun through their beings. In each of them, as in Asaru, I saw a golden cup pouring out its light from inside their hearts. It melted them open, melted the very diamond armor encasing them. And in this grade that seemed almost an illusion but was as real as the water in my eyes, as real as my love for Asaru and for my brothers, for my father and King Hadaru and all the Ishkans, it melted even me.
The Lightstone Page 108