Dawn of Dusk
Chapter 31: Palace at Myra

The green Teleportation circle glowed brightly for a few seconds, then it went dim, only to glow brightly again. Marshak, Vistyral, Chertal, Victorial, and Mentel appeared within the circle. All were dressed in royal splendor, but Vistyral outshone them all. He was usually more comfortable in rather plain clothes but today he wanted to be as impressive as he could possibly be.

Today was his wedding day; it had been twice delayed by funerals in Fulsimter. Kremoral had, of course, committed suicide at his father’s funeral. Because he took his own life he had not been allowed a funeral. Carmental had been swept off the deck of a ship in a storm and Morientel had apparently been killed by a wild animal while hunting. Even though Vistyral could not prove it, he knew that Borrial was behind some if not all of the deaths.

Toverak had been waiting near the circle, she now greeted the men. She formally offered Vistyral a room in the castle to finish preparations for the wedding that would take place in two hours.

“Welcome to Artermador, as representative of the royal house of Arterma I welcome you, Vistyral, Duke of Cryarlac, Guardian of the East, Torchbearer of Arborlea, Keeper of the Flame of Artermador and your representatives. On this wonderful day of gladness, I would show you to a room where you can prepare for the joyous event.”

“Thank you Toverak, Seer to the Keeper of Light, Oracle of Artermador, I accept your hospitality and I bring you a gift.

Marshak came forward and opened a case, within was a bracelet of a serpent holding a seer stone in its fangs. The serpent was coiled to make the bracelet and it magically tightened around her arm so it fit perfectly. She looked up at Marshak recognizing his magical touch.

“Thank you your grace, the magic I recognize, but the beautiful gold and silver workings, I know not.”

“I have recently hired a midget from Landsdown who is a gifted blacksmith and metalworker. The seer stone has been mine for most of my life. I have not been able to get it to show me much, so I thought you might be able to use it. The mate to the stone is on the ring of my friend Marshak. It is rumored that people who are gifted magically can communicate through mated seer stones. You will have to let me know if the rumor is true.”

“I will your grace, thank you. This way please.”

She took them to the room that had been assigned to Vistyral since he and Mirtar had become engaged. It was one of few rooms in the castle that did not have secret panels and passageways. The princess had been moved from the room she had been in most of her life and put into another room with no secret passageways on the other side of the castle.

When they reached the room, Vistyral started to enter when Victorial grabbed him gently by the arm and Mentel stepped up to him.

“Excuse me your majesty; I will enter the room first. It is my pleasure and duty to protect you. Please allow me to do it.”

Vistyral sighed, but Mentel was right, he nodded his assent.

Mentel entered the room followed closely by Victorial. The other three remained outside until Mentel signaled them in. As soon as Vistyral’s foot touched the floor he was enveloped in total blackness.

“...think he’s coming around now. Yes he will be fine.”

He opened his eyes, Marshak was crouched over him, Chertal was there, Toverak, Victorial, Mentel, he noticed that Montrosal, and Virtimar were also there he looked around further for Mirtar.

Montrosal smiled, “He’ll be fine, the first thing he did was look for Mirtar. We would not let her in here Vistyral, if someone set a magical trap for you; we thought one might be set for her as well. Veritak is with her, she wanted to come but we would not permit it.”

“Good, as long as she is safe, what in the Gods of Karron happened?”

Marshak came up to him; I was so busy thinking about the wedding, I wasn’t even thinking that someone might be setting a magical killing trap. They are very rare. Probably, only six or seven people in the world know how to set them. I am so sorry, I...”

“It’s okay Marshak, you can’t be looking for that kind of thing all of the time. Who would know that spell?”

“Well Toverak, Koripak, Thorak, maybe Veritak, I’m not sure but he has a good enough understanding of magic that he should Ferthak head of the guild and Marterlak, keeper of the spells. That is about all I can think of. None of them would have tried to harm you.”

“There is another,” Toverak fumed “and she would!”

“Oh yes, I forgot about her,” Marshak admitted, “Vientak, Borrial’s sorceress, she has as few scruples as Borrial does. She would do anything that would help her get what she wants.”

“And what is it that she wants?” Vistyral asked.

Marshak and Toverak answered at the same time.

“Power!”

“…and my husband,” Toverak added.

Vistyral smiled, “Well it looks like you are agreed on what she wants. One thing my brother wants is me dead. It looks like he just made his first real effort and apparently he is not beyond using someone else to do his dirty work.

Tell me, what is this spell and how is it supposed to work?”

“This is a spell attuned to certain people so it doesn’t kill until it is sure it has the right person or people. The spell paralyzes its suspected target and then examines the body to see if the characteristics of the target are present. I used a magical sight to see the spell and I noticed that most of the search spell was directed at your right foot. I changed your eclipse tattoo into a crown. Apparently, the spell was looking for an eclipse. The spell released you. I can destroy it now if you want me to.”

“No, don’t destroy it, but If you could move me into another room and give this one to my dear brother. Make sure his entire entourage is with him when he enters the room and then the creator of the spell can destroy it.”

“Done!” Montrosal smiled, and I will put you into the wedding suite now to prepare, I’m afraid your hair will have to be brushed again, other than that you look very groom like, can you get up?”

“Yes.” Vistyral rose, he really felt pretty good now. “When will I get my eclipse back? I’m sure that Mirtar is going to want to see it ... ugh... later.”

Vertimar smiled, “I expect she will at that, I taught my daughter to be very careful.”

“Once we leave the room, I’ll give you back your eclipse, and then I’ll put a ward on you, to protect you from any other attempt from magic. I’ll make it as invisible as I can but any Grand Wizard will recognize it.”

“That won’t be necessary Marshak, you are going to be with me every minute until I, we, want to be alone, and then I will be in a room that we will already know is safe. You can ward the bridal suite though.”

“As soon as we get there.”

“Toverak, since Montrosal and Virtimar are escorting us to the suite, would you go and stay with Mirtar until it is time, and, Toverak?”

“Yes your grace?”

“Make sure it’s really her.”

“Yes your grace.”

Montrosal and Vertimar stopped in front of a large oak door. Virtimar put her hand on the latch and then turned back to Vistyral.

“You know Vistyral; it is a custom for the crown prince and princess to spend their first night together in the royal bedchamber. My husband and I have had many years of happiness together. Almost all of our private time has been spent in this room. We know that Mirtar loves you and that you love her. We also understand that until you actually become King and Queen of Artermador that you and Mirtar will live in Stronghold at Cryarlac. I think that the transportation circles that you had Marshak and Toverak equip between the two castles is wonderful.

“I wanted to tell you now, before all of the revelry, how thankful we are to the Gods of Karron that you and Mirtar have each other. You will each complement the strengths of the other and fortify the few weaknesses that each of you have. It is unfortunate that as talented as the two of you are to lead a nation, it appears that much of the time you will be engaged in warfare.

“I want you to know that you are marrying a very strong woman. Count on her, believe in her, but don’t endanger yourself needlessly to protect her. If she replaces herself in a dangerous situation, she knows how to take care of herself. I have told her the same thing about you.

“Don’t allow others to use the strong bond of love that you share to destroy you. They will try. You will not always be able to be together. There will be times that you will be on the battlefield and she will be elsewhere. I am her mother and I am telling you that if word ever comes that she has been taken or is in danger, that I expect you to first do your duty as a king, then your duty as a military leader, then as a husband. Everyone believes that we live privileged lives, and in times of peace we do. No peasant has ever had to choose between the safety of the people he has sworn to protect and the family to whom he has sworn his heart. I am not a seer, but today I believe we have seen that those who oppose you, or better said whose tyranny you have sworn to oppose, will stop at nothing to keep you from your destiny. Your destiny is to oppose the evil of your brother. My daughter has chosen well. You both have, I hope and pray to the Gods of Karron that you will have some years of peace to spend together in happiness.”

She opened the door the room and beckoned Vistyral to enter. The room was completely decorated in the crimson red, tawny and sky blue of Artermador. The main room had an oak table with chairs for eating or for study. The chairs had the crest of Artermador on them and had crimson cushions on the seat. The corner to the near left had a stuffed chair that had obviously been used as a sewing place. The corner to the near right corner was a small oak desk with the Artermadorian crest on the seat cushion in needlepoint. A sofa in sky blue and yellow with crimson piping sat beyond the table along the left wall. Facing the sofa were two side chairs. Beyond them against the right wall was a buffet with several decanters in cut crystal and glasses.

A large fireplace between two glass doors that led out onto a balcony filled the back wall. The balcony overlooked the palace fountains and gardens. The rear right corner had a door that led off to the right. Montrosal opened the door and ushered Vistyral in to the room. The large room was dominated by the large bed. The head of the bed was adjacent to the far wall and on each side of the bed was a closet. Another fireplace and two windows were on the wall to the left. The nearer closet had clothes for Vistyral the one on the other side of the bed clothes for Mirtar.

A door opened at the far end of the room. Vistyral opened the door and there was a very large tub with a drain in the bottom a large cork on a chain was there for plugging the drain. A pulley with buckets allowed hot water to be brought up from a heating tank down below. The wall to the right had different scents of soaps, scrubbing cloths and sponges, and other cleaning items. The wall to the left had a sanitary stool full of water and two buckets of water to pour down the stool after use to flush any residue down the drain. The floor of the wash room was blue marble with yellow grout and the tub and sanitary stool were crimson with the crest on them. The buckets for filling the tub were blue, and the buckets of water by the stool were crimson. The entire washroom was walled with mirrors. A small crimson sink stood in the right rear corner. It also had a drain with a cork in the bottom.

The floor in the other rooms was carpeted in thick sky blue wool except for about a foot around the perimeter of the room which was crimson wool. The fireplace and the floor directly in front of the fireplace was yellow marble. The yellow marble also tiled the balcony. Each room including the washroom had a crystal chandelier with no fewer than 100 beeswax candles.

“They are beautiful.” Vistyral found himself whispering.

“They will be your living quarters one day. But tonight they are yours as well. Enjoy them together.” Vertimar smiled.

“And I want grandchildren soon!” Montrosal added, “And if that isn’t enough motivation on its own, remember, until you have children, Borrial is your heir.

Before you marry our daughter you need to know what she learned only two weeks ago. We could not have children, Mirtar is adopted. We do not even know who her biological parents are. She was found by one of our royal huntsmen under a tree near the coast. She had not been there very long or she would have starved to death or been eaten by some wild beast. He brought her to us and we took her as our own. My wife had stillborn child only weeks before the child was found so having a child was no real surprise and she even nursed Mirtar herself. We never even told her until just a few weeks ago. We love her as if she was our own and legally she is. Mon Grael presided over the official ceremony only three months before he died and Mon Treel became high priest.

“I appreciate that you shared this with me, but, I am a bit confused, what significance does this have?”

“Some people might have been concerned that Royal Blood might not flow in her veins.”

“That is ridiculous; anyone who has spent any time with her at all would know that she is as royal and regal as any one person can be. I was raised in one of the finest and most civilized kingdoms in the world, but I sometimes feel like an unrefined klutz around her.”

“That is just love, boy, you are just fine.”

“Well I still intend to make her my wife.”

“We didn’t expect any less of you, but there would have been no hard feelings if you had felt differently.”

“How much longer until the wedding begins?”

“I think it is less than an hour. We will leave you with your companions and we will see you in about half an hour.”

Vistyral saw them to the door and returned to his friends after he sent for Captain Bermal. In the weeks since he had met the man, they had become fast friends. Bermal had also indicated that he had a few close friends that he wanted to introduce to Vistyral once his honeymoon was over.

Bermal arrived and Pa Kerial arrived in the room as well. Pa Kerial was one priest that Vistyral actually had confidence in. Of course this was a marriage of state and Mon Treel would preside at the ceremony, but Vistyral had requested, at Mirtar’s agreement, that someone both of them could trust actually say the words of the marriage ceremony.

Pa Kerial had actually been the only son of a major baron in Flageran, where Vistyral had been temporarily detained at Mon Treel’s instruction a few months ago. It had caused something of a stir when Pa Kerial had renounced his family name in order to enter the priesthood. His father had disavowed him as his son and reluctantly had named Pa Kerial’s brother-in-law as his heir.

It was the commitment to religion that Pa Kerial emanated that had earned him Vistyral’s respect and admiration. Vistyral believed that most of the priests in the priesthood were in religion for the power, and the lavish lifestyles they lived. He felt that donations given by the people, who lived comfortably in most of the world, should be used to build up the church, not to allow the priests to live a lifestyle that rivaled some kings.

A few years earlier, Lamercal had refused to allow an addition to the high priests residence. Had he allowed the construction, it would have made the high priests residence (the Holy Place) larger, more ornate, and glamorous than the palace in Karrondor, which was one of the wealthiest kingdoms known to humankind. He had also tried to change the name of his residence from ‘the Holy Place’ to ‘the Holy Palace.’

Pa Kerial lived modestly. He didn’t wear homespun cloth because he said that would be making him look like a martyr for leaving his inheritance and entering the priesthood. He looked like any other priest; no one would ever tell by looking at him that he had been born a noble. Many priests and sisters were from royal blood, but Pa Kerial was the only heir, most of the others had joined the priesthood or sisterhood for the power they were denied in their royal heritage.

Mon Treel himself was the son of a king. He had three older brothers two of which were married and had heirs of their own already, Mon Treel had Gone into the priesthood, and had quickly ascended to the pinnacles of power there.

Pa Kerial truly believed that the Gods of Karron were real and that they would not intervene in the lives of man except to counter the direct involvement of the Dark One. The greatest of the gifts of the Gods, Pa Kerial always said was their power to choose. If they forced all men to be righteous, then they would be no better than the Dark One who constantly tried to enslave men to his evil ends.

Vistyral wasn’t sure if he believed all the stories from the Tomanihah, the writing of the prophets of Karron, part of the problem was that they had been translated from languages that no longer existed. The translations may not be entirely accurate. Vistyral did believe that there were beings that were much more advanced than humankind, who were concerned with its progress.

The problem he had was not with the Gods, or even that they sometimes talked to certain men. Vistyral’s problem was with the religion that men claimed to worship them with. Too many evil things had been done over the centuries in the name of religion.

In Vistyral’s opinion, people like Mon Treel who used religion for their own aggrandizement and enrichment, were unlikely to really know what the Gods of Karron wanted for men. He felt that someone who had given up all that they had in order to serve their fellow humans, would be the type of person that the Gods would use to do their work. That is why Pa Kerial received Vistyral’s confidence and was the only man of religion from whom Vistyral would seek advice.

He would be the man that actually married him to Mirtar he checked the water clock and saw it was time to go to the temple. His friends also noticed and gathered to escort him. He turned to Chertal.

“Do you have the Necklet?”

Chertal smiled, removed a small jeweled case from his pouch, and opened it for Vistyral to see. A beautiful wedding necklet of pale purple sparkled in the sunlight, Alexandrite. It was Mirtar’s birth color and her favorite as well.

“You trust me to run your duchy when you are away, but you aren’t sure if I can remember to bring one of two things I am supposed to deliver to the temple.”

“Two? What is the other thing?”

“You,” they all laughed. “If you didn’t show up, I’m not sure who would be in more trouble, you or me.”

“Well let’s go then, I don’t want to get you in more trouble than you get your own self into.”

He felt as if something wasn’t quite right. He rubbed his tattoo and thought of himself fifty feet in front of where he actually was. Almost instantly an arrow flashed through the air in front of them and two men jumped out with axes swinging them viciously at empty air.

Mentel and Victorial had both been carrying Strung longbows with arrows knocked. The man who had shot the arrow into the illusion of Vistyral did not have time to reach for another before two arrows pierced his chest and a fireball struck him as well from Marshak. He fell from the rooftop where he had been waiting. At the same time Chertal had drawn his sword, Bermal, his cutlass and Pa Kerial the short sword he carried within his robes they rushed the two ax wielders. The would-be attackers were soon disarmed and brought before Vistyral.

When they saw him both men lunged at him with their bare hands. Chertal’s sword and Bermal’s cutlass ended their attacks permanently. The pulled their weapons from the men and wiped them on the dead men’s clothes.

“Two attempts on your life in two hours,” Chertal mused, “Were they sent from your brother or some other foe, maybe a rival for Mirtar’s affections.”

The levity released the tension that the short skirmish had invoked and all the men laughed hysterically for two or three minutes. Vistyral noticed that all men were shaking visibly from the adrenaline rush the fight brought on.

They went around a few more buildings and Montrosal was waiting with an honor guard. When the guards saw Vistyral’s men advancing on the king with drawn swords and knocked arrows, they responded to protect the king.

They drew their swords and surrounded the king in a protective circle. The captain called to the guards on the walls for assistance. One of the guards on the walls was too startled with the captain’s cry and an arrow was released.

Vistyral watched as the arrow came toward his heart. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. He raised his hand to protect himself knowing that an arrow traveling at that speed, would either go completely through his arm and pierce his heart anyway, or pass part way through his arm and still lodge the protruding end into his chest, regardless he would be dead.

Just as it was about to strike, the arrow vanished.

“Montrosal shouted, “All weapons down!”

Everyone in Vistyral’s party dropped their sword or bows. The kings’ guards seeing that they had disarmed themselves started towards them.

“I said weapons down! I mean now captain!”

The kings guards stopped looked at Montrosal and then slowly lowered their weapons. The captain never really dropped his weapon but he lowered it.

“Captain, if you cannot follow my orders, when I give them, you do not belong leading my troops. You are reduced in rank to commander. Now drop your weapon.”

The sword clattered to the stones and Montrosal then said, “Commander, accompany me.”

“Sir!”

The commander after being embarrassed by his failure to obey was immediately given an assignment of responsibility. Vistyral could tell from his eyes, that all resentment was instantly gone. He placed his hand on the hilt of his dagger and followed the king.

“Vistyral, what is going on?”

“I’m sorry your majesty, we were attacked in the street back there, we managed to capture two of the three attackers. When they were brought to me for questioning, they tried to kill me again, and Chertal and Bermal had to kill them.”

“Commander, send some men to investigate.”

The commander turned to his men and signaled to them. Half of the men stayed close the other half picked up their weapons and retraced Vistyral’s path.

In less than a minute, they were back dragging three bodies.

“Montrosal looked over at Vistyral and said, “What they couldn’t accomplish, I almost did. Are you all right? How did you do that?”

“I did nothing; Marshak?”

“I don’t know what I did. I was desperately trying to think of something to stop the arrow and my mind just kind of went off on its own. I don’t know what I did, but I know it was me that did it.”

“Well we will worry about it later, Montrosal; your daughter is waiting across the square in the temple, could we get over there before she becomes an unwed widow?”

“In a minute, commander, I want you to replace the soldier who shot the arrow. Were it not for Marshak, we would not only have killed my future son-in-law, but the uncrowned king of another sovereign nation. We cannot ever have another incident like that. Is that clear?”

“Yes your majesty, I will have the other responsible person with me when you want us, but, I must take responsibility.”

“Yes commander, you must. Think about that until we speak again. You may all put your weapons away.”

“I felt foolish, I brought no weapon, I could not have defended myself except with this dagger and it is more ornamental than useful.”

“If you had arrived to marry my daughter wearing a sword, I dare say she might not have had you! You have been gathering a good core of people around you. Trust them and allow them to do what they are there to do. If it ever gets to the point where you have to fight to protect yourself, the battle will most likely be lost anyway.”

“Good point. Is everyone okay?” Everyone nodded affirmatively.

“Good, your majesty? Let’s go.”

At last they walked the last twenty feet to the temple and went inside.

As they went inside Chertal looked over to where the Elves were sitting. He had made sure that Flor and her father Glade had received invitations. It was imperative for Glade, but Flor was the one he needed to see. Seating at the banquet had her sitting next to him. It even made perfect sense since he was about the only human other than Vistyral that she knew. Somehow her father had become aware that they were in love and had forbidden them to see each other while he was in Arborlea. He patted the poem to her in his pocket. He took his seat and pulled it out and began to read it:

The girl I will always love but can never marry

My whole life will be a burden I must long carry

Someone else will have your smile, your love, and your life

While I watch and smile while my heart is cut with a knife

She loves me too but our lives cannot join

Its God’s cruel joke, as our marriage will enjoin

So my duty is to help her replace another,

That will make her happy as a wife and a lover.

The actual wedding would take place with only about sixty people present. Afterwards, because it is a wedding of state, it would be reenacted on the balcony of the palace just outside the royal bedchamber. After the second vows, the groom then carries his new wife into the bedchamber and the rest of the kingdom goes to celebrate. The bride and groom are then expected at dinner, however occasionally they miss dinner and don’t reemerge into public life until the following day.

The first ceremony was to begin at the fourth hour, by the time that Montrosal and Vistyral entered the temple it was fifteen minutes shy of the fifth hour. The second ceremony was supposed to begin at midday (the sixth hour) and end by the eighth hour. The first hour of the day is the hour that the sun comes up; usually that is about six hours before midday.

As they entered the temple, Mirtar was waiting. She was wearing the special wedding clothes that were worn in the temple. She looked at Vistyral and then at her father. She became alarmed at his expression, Vistyral seemed like any groom about to be married she had ever seen him pale, perspiring and nervous.

When she saw her father looking the same way she became upset.

Vistyral took her into his arms, looked her in the eye and said, “I finally made it thanks to all of my friends. It has been a very long and difficult morning. I want to enjoy the rest of today, the best day of my life; at least it will be if you say yes.”

“Hey, I asked you to marry me remember?”

“Good thing too, or we would have to wait at least another six months until my brother got married, and a reasonable time had passed.”

As they entered the marriage room, the guests all arose. Lamercal was already seated in the front in one of the witness chairs, Montrosal and Vertimar would take the other seats. Vistyral and Mirtar walked in together after the king and queen were seated. An alter was in front of them, and Mon Treel and Pa Kerial stood on each side of it. They walked in and kneeled down side by side facing Mon Treel. He spoke for what to Vistyral seemed like a long time.

Finally Pa Kerial stood. Vistyral was holding Mirtar’s left hand in his right. There was an element of surrealism in his mind. At last Pa Kerial spoke.

“Vistyral, Duke of Cryarlac, Guardian of the East, Torchbearer of Arborlea, Keeper of the Flame of Artermador, do you take this woman, Princess Mirtar, Princess of Artermador, holder of the Candle of Light, Keeper of the Light of Artermador to be your lawfully wedded wife for all time?”

He looked into Mirtar’s eyes. “Yes.”

“Princess Mirtar, Princess of Artermador, holder of the Candle of Light, Keeper of the Light of Artermador do you take this man, Vistyral, Duke of Cryarlac, Guardian of the East, Torchbearer of Arborlea, Keeper of the Flame of Artermador to be your lawfully wedded husband, for all time?”

She looked down, blushing “Yes.”

“I declare you, then husband and wife. I do so by the power of the priesthood of the Gods of Karron, and in their blessings my you dwell through all time. You may rise.”

Chertal came forward with a jeweled box; He held it open for Vistyral, and Vistyral picked up the necklet, turned placed it around her neck, slid one end into the other and pulled the lock restraint off. The necklate was now one continuous ring. It would not be taken off ever again. Chertal returned to his seat.

Toverak arose holding a plain wooden box. She walked forward and opened the box for Mirtar. Mirtar took the band of gold which had no clasp. She slid it forward and it passed through his neck. He felt it settle at the base of his neck. It had a single red stone, about the size of a songbird egg with some kind of inlay work in the gem itself. He didn’t get much time to look at it. As she took her hands away from him he felt the necklet get warm against his skin. He knew there was magic of some kind in his wedding present. She returned to his side, Pa Kerial signaled them and they turned to the people sitting in the guest area.

“Kings and queens, princes and princesses, dukes and dames, lords and ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the prince and princess of Artermador. Vistyral, Duke of Cryarlac, Guardian of the East, Torchbearer of Arborlea, Keeper of the Flame of Artermador, and Holder of the keys of the city of Myra, and Princess Mirtar, Princess of Artermador, holder of the Candle of Light, Keeper of the Light of Artermador, Watcher of the gates of Myra.

“We now invite you to immediately go to your places in the public ceremony as it will take twenty minutes to seat everyone before the parents can be announced that will take another twenty minutes and then we will be ready to begin.”

The exit order had been pre-arranged and guests began exiting immediately. If they delayed, it meant they may lose their seat in the reserved seating section and they would have to stand along with the rest of the people. Vistyral watched them leave for a few seconds nodding at an occasional wave.

He turned to Mirtar. “You are my wife now, you do not need a chaperone, lets go be alone for a few minutes.”

Mirtar blushed. “Vistyral, patience; we will have time for all of that after the public ceremony.”

He blushed. “No, I did not mean it that way. I meant I want to be alone with you to talk with you without someone listening to what we say or watching how closely we walk to each other.”

She turned to her attendants. “I would like some time alone with my husband. I will meet you at the front door of the temple in a few minutes.”

He turned to his party. “I believe our carriage will be leaving from the same door. See you there in thirty minutes. Pa Kerial, is there a room where we can go and sit together and talk alone?”

“This room has been cleared for the entire day. As you know we have a number of weddings today because numerous young couples feel it is lucky to wed on the same day as the future king and queen. This room will be cleared in another few minutes, and I can close the door behind me. I’ll wait for you near the entrance. If you are not there in thirty-five minutes, I’ll come looking for you.”

“Fair enough thank you.”

True to his word, Pa Kerial emptied the room quickly and left the two of them alone.

Vistyral took his new wife by the hand and directed her to a seat where they could sit. She was very much the blushing bride. He realized how difficult it must have been for her to ask him to marry her in front of a large group of people not knowing for sure if he wanted to be her husband.

“Mirtar, I wanted to take a few minutes and tell you some things that I could not before because we were never alone. While you were betrothed to my brother, we were allowed free time together. That is when I fell in love with you. I have told you of my love publicly, but, I have not truly expressed my feelings for you.”

He took her hand and knelt down beside her. “I am a man of deep feelings, Mirtar. Most of my life I have had to school myself to keep those feelings hidden. Borrial found great pleasure in knowing that he had hurt me either physically or emotionally. As the years have passed, I have found more and more, the need to keep my feelings hidden deep within my heart.

Now that you are my wife I want to be able to let my feelings, especially for you unconfined; but I cannot. The next few years may be the most dangerous of our lives. If we survive them, then we may enjoy the remainder of our years as your parents have and as mine did before my mother died.”

She opened her mouth to speak but he held up his hand. “Please let me finish. I love you so much that I hurt inside, but for now, I have to publicly treat you like you were the vehicle that gave me a kingdom to rule. This will protect you somewhat from my brother. If he feels that he can hurt me by hurting you, he will hurt you. If he thinks I care no more for you than he does for Lymar you may be spared some of his venom.

Believe me no one knows my brother better than me. He hates you especially since a number of people know what he attempted to do in Karron. As long as you do nothing to provoke him, his hate for you will remain benign. I beg you to do nothing to awaken his anger. I alone must bear that burden. That is the only burden that I will not share with you.

I will keep you informed on how our conflict is progressing but it must be my conflict. You will not be able to share this with your parents, your ladies no one. The only way I will be able to counter my brother’s evil is to know that you are insulated from him.”

As he spoke she raised her right hand to his cheek. It was cool and soft, she slowly moved her hand forward and down until she covered his mouth.

“I know that you love me Vistyral, my love. I know your feelings for me. I asked you to marry me for more than one reason. I knew we would have to wait for your brothers wedding if you asked me and I didn’t want to wait. I also knew that it would appear that I loved you more than you love me. If the world wants to think that my love for you is unrequited, then it will make your work easier. Understand this, however, I cannot and will not appear to tacitly support your brother instead of you. I know you well enough to know you might ask me to do something like that.” She smiled. “So don’t because I won’t do it!”

He smiled and pulled her into a warm, tender embrace. “Don’t worry; I have a fair idea what I can get you to do for me and what you will refuse to do. You are right though, you know me fairly well.”

He turned and offered her his arm. She took it and they strode for the entrance of the temple.

After the second ceremony they went to the castle. Once inside they were directed to King and Queen’s bedchamber. Montrosal and Vertimar met them at the door kissed their daughter and hugged their new son-in-law. Vistyral and Mirtar were totally alone for the first time since their engagement.

“I never thought this day would come,” Mirtar said.

“It almost didn’t, we had several problems on the way to the temple this morning.”

“I heard there were some problems but nobody really said too much about it to me.”

“It doesn’t matter now we’re together, were married and nobody will bother us for several hours.”

Mirtar smiled, “six o’clock will come sooner than you think darling so we had best not waste our time.”

“Would you like a bath?”

“I think not but thank you I just bathed a few hours ago,” she walked out onto the balcony, and he followed her there.

He came up behind her put his arms around her and kissed her gently on the neck. She turned put her arms behind his neck and kissed him. He picked her up and carried her back into the room and closed the balcony doors.

*****

A procession of carriages was making its way to the castle to go into the great Hall where a meal would be served to all of the nobles in attendance at the wedding. As Lemmal’s carriage arrived at the debarkation point, the guards began to scream and shout. Lemmal was lying on the floor with a dagger in his heart. Lymeel his brother pulled the dagger from his boot, slashed at a guard, and then stabbed himself in the heart. Death was almost instantaneous. It was obvious that he had murdered his brother. Chertal and Marshak, being nearby were one of the first on the scene. The guards explained exactly what they had seen Lemmal laying on the floor dead and Lymeel stabbing himself in the heart.

“Well,” Chertal said quietly to Marshak, “Borrial didn’t wait long, did he?”

“I’m interested in how he did it,” Marshak said.

“I’m sure he won’t be giving any seminars,” Chertal said, but would be kind of fun to ask. Nevertheless we won’t spoil Vistyral’s day by making accusations that can’t be proven.”

Since the murder of a king took place on foreign soil an investigation had to take place. Borrial and his fiancé Lymar would be in charge of the investigation. Chertal instructed both the palace guards and Lemmal’s own coach guards that no one was to touch anything until Borrial arrived.

Borrial’s coach was the next to arrive; Chertal spoke to the coachman and asked him to bring Borrial to Lemmal’s coach. Borrial exited almost instantly and came over to our Chertal was standing. Lymar exited also Marshak went over to her and told her that she didn’t want to be there right now told Toverak arrived and took her into a private room.

Borrial made quite a show of how sad and distressed he was. He had Lemmal’s guards search both bodies thoroughly. In one of Lymeel shoes they found a letter, it was from Prince Regent Maltapel to Lymeel dated three weeks earlier. The letter congratulated Lymeel on his new appointment as counselor to his brother. In the letter he offered his assistance in helping Lymeel cover up the murder of his brother. Maltapel went on to recommend an alliance between the two of them once Lymeel became king to declare war on Artermador.

Vistyral was to be assassinated, Mirtar was to become the wife of Maltapel, and Artermador would be divided in two equally between the two kingdoms. Once this was done Lymeel would have a footing on the southern continent. Chertal had to admit it was a stroke of genius for Borrial to use something as an incriminating as the letter to go to war. He would be justified and there might be other countries willing to give assistance at such an outrageous attack.

“To my friend and cousin L

I received your correspondence of late indicating your desire to replace your brother as King. I too desire to be King and eventually that will come to me. However I also desire the hand of Mirtar of Artermador as my wife. She is of course betrothed to Duke Vistyral. I have come up with an idea that can help you reach your goal and to help me reach mine.

If Duke Vistyral were to die on his wedding day (mind you it would have to be before the wedding) I think you would be able to replace a poisoned dagger under your coach seat upon leaving the temple. I would have a coachman who will confess to the deed and you will be miraculously saved at the last second by one of your brothers’ guards who will testify to your innocence and your peril.

First the Duke, then your brother and I will split Artermador into two parts when married to Mirtar and give you a place in the south where you can avoid the cold Fulsimterian winters.

Sincerely,

M