Caves of Nazagor

Extract from part 4, Caves of Nazagor by Vanessa Read


The war fleet of King Daarkand and Queen Kaliar left the harbour of Pelgrux with the evening wind, the bear and falcon shining silver on the streaming banners as the long ships turned out into the Bright Sea and headed home to Ansalu. Balki and Burla swam with the leading ship and played in the foam of the prow.
Sylki and her sisters and their retinue were aboard the leading ship and Daarkand carried with him the signed agreement from Commander Balkir and Jopplin of the Mikkadorian Brotherhood that justice had been done in the matter of Ixticca of Nazagor. Sylki stood with her mother and watched as the islands of Mikk receded in the haze of evening. A single tear escaped and ran down the Princess’s cheek as she thought upon her stay there and upon the request to marry and her invitation to Konad to visit Ansalu.
“Have I done the right thing, my Lady Mother?” she asked the tall woman at her side whose silver hair streamed out upbraided upon the wind, a sign that the black fleet was no longer at war. The silver rings of Dragveldig shone upon Kaliar’s hands. She was a fully-fledged warrior Queen and had earned her own rings and tasted her own life’s bitter cup. The Knights of Ansalu would obey her as they would her husband and Daarkand and Kaliar held the power of Ansalu equally and were regarded as First Knights of the Flinsi. Sylki’s questions to a woman such as the Queen of Ansalu were not in vain and she knew that any answer her mother might give would be one she could trust.
“You have done what I would have done,” said Kaliar, “And although this does not mean that it is right or wrong, it means that you have chosen and this is always better than avoiding destiny in the belief that the gods will not knock again upon your door.”
“They have knocked so loudly I have wanted to die rather than answer,” admitted Sylki.
Her mother smiled. “He is the One, my child,” she said softly and pointed to the stars in the great green galactic cloud of Mag that swirled above them. There are the bright beings of Obed. You have chosen one and he has chosen you. There is nothing more to be said when you will wed a kinsman of Amkala and a servant of Bakkar whose mother’s blood flows in the people of Ansalu.”
Sylki gazed up at the veil of stars and sighed. “I shall show him Ansalu in her winter brilliance,” she said, “and if he loves her cold and clear and sparkling with snow then he shall love her even more in spring when she casts her blossoms at his feet and he becomes one of us.”
“You believe he will choose to stay?” asked Kaliar playfully.
“I cannot say,” replied Sylki, “I only pray that he will.”