Farrell turned away, unable to bear seeing even more casualties among his friends.
“Weep not, Ancient One,” Esward said. “We come to honor our fallen, not grieve for them.”
“We can honor them, yet still mourn their passing.” Farrell met his friend’s gaze. “Nendor is poorer without them.”
The warriors stopped as Pojas and Esward continued toward Farrell. Rojas appeared from the crowd and stood behind his sister. The three bowed deeply. When Esward bent forward, the Shaman’s torque moved away from his chest. Farrell held out his arm when his friend straightened.
“She Who Guides and my grandsire died as they wanted.” Esward accepted the offered sign of friendship. “Like Kel, their time had passed. My grandfather died with his boots on and a sword in hand. There is no better way for a Bendari to leave the Endless Snows than defending our people.”
“Mother knew this would be her last run,” Pojas said. “She went gladly knowing our people are safer than when she arrived in this world.”
“She Who Guides speaks the truth,” the Shaman said with a nod.
Farrell motioned toward Flemin and Kel. “You should lay them next to their friends.”
Pojas nodded. “They would appreciate the honor you give them, Ancient One.”
“Ancient One?” Farrell looked at his grandfather. “I thought that was Kel’s name.”
“Just as there is always She Who Guides, there is always an Ancient One,” Rojas said.
“Are you now He Who Guides?” Farrell asked.
“No,” Rojas said. “There is only She Who Guides. I am nothing more than her brother.”
“You are far more than that, brother,” Pojas said. She rubbed her head against his. “Mother knew at your birth you were unlike any other. You are He Who Unites and are due the same respect as She Who Guides.”
“Only together can we keep the Deceiver’s evil at bay,” Esward said. “He Who Unites ensures the Bendari never drift apart from our sisters and brothers.”
“Rojas is welcome in my household, but even without him I would never forsake you.”
“Nor would we fail to answer your call for aid.” Esward opened his arms and the two embraced.
“May I pay my respects?” Farrell asked.
Esward nodded. “They would appreciate it.”
“Do you still see Them?” Farrell asked as they walked. “The Six.”
“Aye, Ancient One. They are visible to all who follow Their directions.”
Farrell paused and reached for Miceral. When he joined them, Farrell made the introduction. Nerti and Klissmor moved forward, as did Rothdin and Hesnera.
No one spoke as they walked to where Nordric still stood guard over the departed. Kel appeared at peace. He and his friend were together, and he would finally reunite with his beloved Teresa.
“They died saving others,” Farrell said.
“Do you think he planned to go this way?” Miceral asked.
Farrell snorted softly. “He was so secretive, I never knew what he planned. I think he and Flemin intended for their deaths to have meaning. I doubt they knew what that would be until the situation presented itself.”
They stopped in front of Basje and Tojas. The old Shaman’s head rested on a cushion of furs. His people covered him with a long fur, leaving only his arms visible. Someone had clasped his hands together and rested them on his chest.
Tojas looked ready to pounce. She sat on all fours with her head resting between her front paws. Numerous wounds covered her torso and she had a small one on her head. The Bendari somehow cleaned the blood from her fur and staunched the bleeding. Only the blood of her enemies remained on her massive claws.
“The wizard in charge of the southern part of the army had started to turn the beasts to face us,” Esward said. “Tojas and Grandfather charged through the ranks to kill her.”
Farrell knelt between the two and placed his hand over Basje’s. The guards gasped and Farrell looked up.
“Quiet,” Esward said. “The Ancient One honors our dead in his way.”
Farrell gazed on Basje’s face. “Rest well, old man. You and Kel have earned it.”
He squeezed the thick, callused hand and turned toward Tojas. “Will I dishonor her if I touch her?”
“Treat her as you would a friend,” Pojas said. “That is how she would have wanted it.”
He scratched the tuft of fur between her ears, careful to avoid the injury. “Join your friend and be at peace. The world will always remember the wisdom of Tojas and her final sacrifice.”
Farrell moved away to let the others near. He glanced at Flemin and Kel a last time and walked over to stand before the Six.
“I saw a child with my fath . . . my grandm . . . with Meglar’s mother. He’s another half sibling.” His words were a statement, acknowledging what he saw.
“He is,” Seritia said.
“Neldin already has a new champion.” The implication reminded him he’d never be free.
“No,” Lenore said. “Neldin will not choose another champion until He is ready to challenge Us again. The child is too young for that.”
Her words reminded him Geena almost inherited the mantle. “So we’ve only earned a short measure of peace.”
“Not so,” Honorus said. “After Trellham, the peace lasted for more than three thousand years. There is much to suggest this one will be equally long. The child you saw may never rise to challenge you. It may fall to a different heir to be Champion.”
“Do you require I hunt down my father’s relatives and kill them?” Farrell feared the answer.
“You must combat Neldin’s servants wherever you find them,” Falcron said. “Whether this child is a servant has yet to be determined. You are proof that birth does not determine what is in your heart.”
Farrell shook his head. “I was different. As long as he remains with Neldin’s priestess, he will never choose anything other than a dark path.”
“You have the power to change his fate,” Honorus said.
“To what end?” Farrell asked. “He will always be of the House of Meglar. Neldin will speak to him.”
“Before you slew Vedric, you said to Me you were sorry you never had the chance to save him,” Seritia said. “You have that chance with this child. Do you no longer wish to save your siblings?”
“Though I would still save them, I see things more clearly now than I did then. Neldin’s servant will come from Meglar’s family. How can I change that?”
“There are many others who carry the blood of Vedri,” Arritisa said. “Our Brother will choose His servant as He will, but you can still save your brother from that fate.”
“But his descendants could become Neldin’s vehicle to destroy the world,” Farrell said. “Neldin has an affinity for my immediate family.”
Seritia smiled and came toward him. “Vedri had many descendants. As a child of both Vedri and Kel, you were the Champion both sides sought. Once you made your choice, the outcome was not in doubt.”
Standing this close to the Goddess would have unnerved him in the past, but now he felt calm in Her presence. “Because of the Gifts?”
“Only you could possess the Hand without Neldin taking it back.” She touched his face and he smiled. “Once you had all seven Gifts, how could even Meglar defeat you?”
“And it’s why I couldn’t have descendants.” He sounded more disappointed than he felt. He had Miceral and the children; he didn’t need anything else. “They would be a greater danger to the world than any of Vedri’s other heirs.”
“No, Chosen, that is not correct,” Seritia said. “Neldin made certain Vedri’s tree has numerous branches. There are many of his line who do not know their true lineage. Now that Tilerstig is one with the world, there is a chance the two houses will mix again.”
“But . . . He said . . .” Farrell realized how foolish he’d been.
“Forget the poison Neldin fed you and think back to when you met Miceral.” Seritia smiled warm
ly. “We selected Miceral to be Our Champion’s mate long before you were sired. You are how you are so you two could live a long, happy life together.”
Farrell flushed in embarrassment as he tried to answer Seritia. He had believed Neldin, at least when it came to why he was attracted to men. “I’m ashamed to admit I accepted His explanation.”
“He is not called the Deceiver for naught,” She said. “His words had a ring of truth. When you and He spoke, you were the only child of both houses.”
“I believed Him.”
“You did, yet you did not accept Him. Do not chastise yourself for listening to Neldin. Despite His best efforts, you remained in the light. That is what I remember.”
Farrell stared into Her eyes and his guilt evaporated. The darkness he feared resided in his heart had never existed. He’d rejected Neldin and embraced the Six.
“Thank you, Blessed Mother. You were always there for me. Even when I doubted myself.”
“You are welcome, Chosen.” She took his hands again and kissed his brow.
Before She withdrew, he silently asked, “Honorus isn’t the first of the Six, is he?”
“Dear child, why would you suggest such a thing?” She appeared amused but didn’t release him.
“At every critical juncture, it was You, not the others, who provided the needed aid. Trellham, Agloth, Gharaha. When I faltered, You were there. When I grieved, You comforted me. When I needed help, You sent me who I needed. Jolella championed me when no one else believed I knew what to do. Honorus may rule the skies, but You rule us all.”
“Love is a powerful force. It inspires beings to fits of rage and acts of violence, but it also pushes them to great deeds of courage and sacrifice. Just as you cannot survive without food, water, and air, neither can you thrive without love. But you are wrong. Honorus is the first.”
“But You saved the world,” Farrell said. “At Trellham and today.”
“Neldin doesn’t understand love, so He believes Me powerless. Being invisible to Him gives Me the freedom to act in ways Honorus and the others can’t. You are the Champion of the Six, not any one of Us, because the Six work together as one. “You felt unworthy of love because of your sire. I did what I could to help you see otherwise.”
“Thank you.”
“As you have been before, so shall you remain favored of My heart. Do not fear to love he that others find unlovable.”
“My half brother?”
Seritia nodded and stepped back.
“What should I do?”
“Trust your heart,” Seritia said. She and the others nodded once and faded away. “We do.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Farrell stared out the window, a real window, and watched the sun rise. From the tower in the new palace he saw the curve of the horizon. A cold breeze blew across the threshold. It triggered the warming spells he’d cast when they arrived. It would take some time to transition from living inside a mountain to living on top of one.
And living in a new palace.
“Are you ready?” Miceral asked.
“No,” he said without turning around. “I’ll never be ready.”
Miceral slid his arms around Farrell’s waist and pulled them closer. “Let me rephrase that: Are you ready to go to the ceremony you have to attend?”
Farrell drew a deep breath and exhaled. “Yes.”
He didn’t want to rule. Not any one place, let alone most of Ardus. “Why can’t you be the emperor and I be your consort?”
“Leaving aside I don’t want to be the emperor, either, I’m also not the Champion of the Six.”
He almost pointed out that Kel never had to be emperor, but they had been over that before as well. “True, but doesn’t that mean I belong to everyone, not just Ardus?”
“You can’t get out of this that easily.” Miceral spun him around, cupped his face, and kissed him. “Honorus told you that we had to rule. That means both of us. Besides, everyone likes you.”
“Right.” He didn’t have time to list all the people who wished him ill.
At least Horgon agreed to stay and help. With Northhelm gone and Haven reverting back to a school for wizards, the Muchari, unicorns, and peregrines who wanted to stay on Ardus needed a home. The new city was perfect for all three. Just as the Six had planned.
Farrell took a last look out the window. The line to get into the palace stretched halfway to the outer wall. People had been arriving for days from all over Nendor. It wasn’t every day Ardus crowned new emperors with the blessing of the Six.
“Have all the arrangements been made?” he asked as he summoned his staff from the far wall.
“Mostly. Everyone but Jagwin knows of our plans for them. Only Aswick, Drendar, Thrinton, and you and I know what’s going to happen to him.”
“Serves him right.” Farrell smirked at what he was about to do. “He tortured me when I was king.”
“He’s going to be mad.”
Farrell shrugged. “He’ll get over it. Trellham needs a good king, not just a king.”
“Agreed.” He held out his hand. “Lisle didn’t take the news well, either.”
“Really?” Farrell laced his fingers between Miceral’s. “Who wouldn’t want to be a princess of Yar-del?”
“Well,” Miceral laughed. “I’d prefer to be a prince.”
“Funny.”
“She suspects it’s a plot by your mother to take ‘her babies’ away.”
Farrell rubbed his face with his free hand. “I’ll deal with her tomorrow.”
“So you say.” Miceral led them to the front door. “I’m sure she’ll try to corner you today.”
He stopped to compose himself. So much for trying to do something nice for her. “No one is taking the children away. Mother adopting Lisle into our family makes her their great-aunt. She’ll get to supervise their upbringing, but with the authority as my aunt. Why is she angry?”
“Did you ask her first?”
“Well, I told her before Mother signed the papers.”
“Right, you told her.” Miceral opened the door before Farrell could answer.
Jagwin and a squad snapped to attention. Farrell couldn’t suppress his smile. This would be the last time the guards would swarm him whenever he left his rooms.
“You’ll not get away from us, Your Majesty.” Jagwin raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. “You are both still kings of Trellham.”
Miceral snickered, but Farrell laughed outright. The confused look on Jagwin’s face made it even funnier. “Whatever you say, Captain.”
Jagwin stared suspiciously at Farrell but didn’t say anything. Finally, he turned away.
“Don’t you tell him,” Farrell said silently to Miceral. “I’m not giving him the chance to run away.”
“We should be off, Captain,” Miceral said. “Otherwise the new emperors will be late for their coronation.”
“That won’t bother King Farrell if that happened,” Jagwin said without turning around.
“Actually, I’m quite anxious for this ceremony,” Farrell said just as Jagwin was about to order the guard to move out.
The captain turned around and shook his head. “Wizards.”
Despite his taunts, Farrell wanted to skip the ceremony. Even with assurances from the heads of all six temples that it would be short, what followed after would take most of the day. It couldn’t be helped. Ardus would take decades to recover from the effects of the war. By uniting the continent as the Six directed, Farrell and Miceral could heal the wounds his father had caused. If people would let them.
It was lost on no one that while Zargon’s old king failed to conquer Ardus, Zargon’s new king would become emperor. Miceral’s presence as co-emperor didn’t make it better. Neither could they ignore Yar-del and Zargon were united in the east, the dwarves of Trellham answered to Farrell in the west, and Bendar had pledged its allegiance to Farrell in the south. As if that weren’t enough, Yar-del and Zargon announced a more formal alliance with
Dumbarten and Tilerstig.
Markus tried to assure the other kings that the pact was defensive. He said it was meant to prevent Neldin’s servants from conquering any of Kel and Hevnor’s heirs. But no one forgot Meglar had also claimed he had no designs on conquering Ardus at first. Were it not for Heldin, the other kings might have objected longer and harder.
Farrell hated Heldin, but the fool had turned out to be his best argument. Meglar had decimated the population of every nation except Bendar and Pelipan. That meant Heldin had the largest army in the Seven Kingdoms. He had marshaled his forces to defend against Meglar’s attack, but Pelipan avoided an invasion. When he moved units to the eastern border with Respital, the other kings realized their danger. Honal, Respital, Arvendia, and Endor joined Yar-del and acknowledged Farrell and Miceral as emperors of Ardus.
If that hadn’t been enough, the dwarves abolished the title of high king. In its place they acknowledged Miceral and Farrell as the first among equals. Bendar declared Farrell a son of the Endless Snows and vowed to defend him and Miceral to the last Bendari. Finally, Dumbarten, Tilerstig, Ze’arder, and Rastoria acknowledged Miceral and Farrell’s new title. They pledged their full military support.
Farrell suspected the Six had a hand in everyone’s agreement. It didn’t matter. He could have crushed Heldin before he left his palace. This way evoked less fear about Farrell personally. At least until the memory of Meglar’s atrocities wore off.
After accepting the fealty of others, Farrell and Miceral planned to announce the new western kingdom. Farrell had expected an outcry from the other princes when he told them his plans and that Peter would be the new king. They surprised him by expressing their full support. If they thought they’d control Peter, they were going to be disappointed.
Markus and Pertrice agreed to a situation similar to how the dwarf kingdoms had been ruled. Should anyone attack either of them or Ardus, Farrell and Miceral would speak for all three. It was hard to imagine any kingdom being able to stand up to such an alliance.
Those were the easy decisions of the new world order. Zargon presented a more difficult problem. The kingdom was nearly barren, but those who remained were loyal to Meglar. And he still needed to find his grandmother and half brother. He dreaded that task the most.
Champion of the Gods Box Set Page 226