Read Online Sons of the Falcon (The Falcons Saga) by Court Ellyn - Free Book Online
Authors: Court Ellyn
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he
almost died, but you saved him … and it was then that you … saw her. The
Mother-Father. Is it true?” When she took her vows to join the Order of the
Shaddra’hin, she dedicated her life to the study of Ana-Forah’s ways and the
preservation of her sanctity.
“Yes, it’s true,” he whispered. To
speak of it aloud seemed sacrilegious.
Etivva’s breath quickened and a
smile threatened to break free. “Her face. You saw her face?”
“No.” He closed his eyes,
remembering. “Only light. Light everywhere. It was everything, everything real
and desirable. The world, our world, it was nothing but dust and ghosts. But I
heard her voice, Etivva.”
“She spoke to you?” Her
almond-shaped eyes grew large, as if the news were too much to believe. “What
did it sound like? What did she say?”
“It was neither male nor female.
Almost impossible to describe, Etivva, but if love had a voice, it is the voice
of the Mother-Father. It moved through me until I was no longer separate from
it. I didn’t want to be separate from it, and when I had to return … it
felt like having my heart broken all over again.”
“She told you to come back to us?”
He nodded. “My family needed me,
she said.” And something else. When this Age of Kings is over … What did
that mean? How long must he wait until she came for him?
Etivva listened eagerly for more,
but Thorn kept those words to himself.
~~~~
4
“The Houses of Athmarr and Nathrachan
are implored upon to restrain their tenants and militias from the raiding and
seizure of Aralorr’s livestock and property upon pain of immediate and complete
retribution…
— Precepts for Peace,
by King Rhorek, 982
A.E.
T hat spring at Assembly,
Laral was knighted, and after eight years of serving at Ilswythe, he returned
home to Tírandon, cringing under his father’s boisterous approbation. Lander
clapped his son on the back so often on his first day home that Laral felt
bruises rising. “Your brother would’ve been proud of you. And your mother. Now
to teach you how to be a lord of Tírandon.” How to tell Da that he had other
obligations first? Better just to go.
Laral saddled the dapple-gray
warhorse Kelyn had given him and stuffed a pair of saddlebags full of food and
supplies for a long journey south. Nothing would keep him from this journey,
not even his father’s temper.
“Son, this girl hasn’t replied to
your letters in over a year. You said so yourself!” Lander’s red-faced bellowing
filled the stable yard. The grooms made themselves scarce. Waiting at the gate
to the courtyard, Drys and Kalla kept their eyes down and their mouths shut.
Laral was grateful his friends had agreed to accompany him; otherwise, his
resolve might crumble under his father’s onslaught. “She came to her senses.
Why can’t you? Or maybe she married somebody else by now, eh? Consider that?
She thought so little of you, an Aralorri , damn it, that she didn’t even
bother telling you. Son, I know how these things are. Boys go off to war, they
see a pretty face, they think they fall in love and will die without their
enemy’s daughter. Mother’s bosom, Laral, do you see how ridiculous this is?
She’s a Fieran! Think, damn you.”
“I have thought!” Laral shouted,
startling the warhorse.
“With your head or with something
else?”
“I promised, all right? If she’s
forgotten about me and refuses, at least I will have kept my word.”
“To a Fieran ?”
Laral’s face flushed hot. It must
match Da’s in hue by now. “ Bethyn , Da. Her name is Bethyn.” He didn’t
need his father listing the possibilities; he had lain awake at night, sick
with wondering. Was she ill? Was she dead? Had she grown impatient and married
someone else? Did she burn his letters the instant they reached her? Had she
received them at all?
“I don’t care if her name is
Ana-Forah,” Lander retorted. “You will both be subject to scrutiny and insult,
not to mention
almost died, but you saved him … and it was then that you … saw her. The
Mother-Father. Is it true?” When she took her vows to join the Order of the
Shaddra’hin, she dedicated her life to the study of Ana-Forah’s ways and the
preservation of her sanctity.
“Yes, it’s true,” he whispered. To
speak of it aloud seemed sacrilegious.
Etivva’s breath quickened and a
smile threatened to break free. “Her face. You saw her face?”
“No.” He closed his eyes,
remembering. “Only light. Light everywhere. It was everything, everything real
and desirable. The world, our world, it was nothing but dust and ghosts. But I
heard her voice, Etivva.”
“She spoke to you?” Her
almond-shaped eyes grew large, as if the news were too much to believe. “What
did it sound like? What did she say?”
“It was neither male nor female.
Almost impossible to describe, Etivva, but if love had a voice, it is the voice
of the Mother-Father. It moved through me until I was no longer separate from
it. I didn’t want to be separate from it, and when I had to return … it
felt like having my heart broken all over again.”
“She told you to come back to us?”
He nodded. “My family needed me,
she said.” And something else. When this Age of Kings is over … What did
that mean? How long must he wait until she came for him?
Etivva listened eagerly for more,
but Thorn kept those words to himself.
~~~~
4
“The Houses of Athmarr and Nathrachan
are implored upon to restrain their tenants and militias from the raiding and
seizure of Aralorr’s livestock and property upon pain of immediate and complete
retribution…
— Precepts for Peace,
by King Rhorek, 982
A.E.
T hat spring at Assembly,
Laral was knighted, and after eight years of serving at Ilswythe, he returned
home to Tírandon, cringing under his father’s boisterous approbation. Lander
clapped his son on the back so often on his first day home that Laral felt
bruises rising. “Your brother would’ve been proud of you. And your mother. Now
to teach you how to be a lord of Tírandon.” How to tell Da that he had other
obligations first? Better just to go.
Laral saddled the dapple-gray
warhorse Kelyn had given him and stuffed a pair of saddlebags full of food and
supplies for a long journey south. Nothing would keep him from this journey,
not even his father’s temper.
“Son, this girl hasn’t replied to
your letters in over a year. You said so yourself!” Lander’s red-faced bellowing
filled the stable yard. The grooms made themselves scarce. Waiting at the gate
to the courtyard, Drys and Kalla kept their eyes down and their mouths shut.
Laral was grateful his friends had agreed to accompany him; otherwise, his
resolve might crumble under his father’s onslaught. “She came to her senses.
Why can’t you? Or maybe she married somebody else by now, eh? Consider that?
She thought so little of you, an Aralorri , damn it, that she didn’t even
bother telling you. Son, I know how these things are. Boys go off to war, they
see a pretty face, they think they fall in love and will die without their
enemy’s daughter. Mother’s bosom, Laral, do you see how ridiculous this is?
She’s a Fieran! Think, damn you.”
“I have thought!” Laral shouted,
startling the warhorse.
“With your head or with something
else?”
“I promised, all right? If she’s
forgotten about me and refuses, at least I will have kept my word.”
“To a Fieran ?”
Laral’s face flushed hot. It must
match Da’s in hue by now. “ Bethyn , Da. Her name is Bethyn.” He didn’t
need his father listing the possibilities; he had lain awake at night, sick
with wondering. Was she ill? Was she dead? Had she grown impatient and married
someone else? Did she burn his letters the instant they reached her? Had she
received them at all?
“I don’t care if her name is
Ana-Forah,” Lander retorted. “You will both be subject to scrutiny and insult,
not to mention
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