Read Online The Riddle by Alison Croggon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alison Croggon
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trying to keep down a surge of despair; even if Turbansk were attacked, it didn’t mean that Hem would be killed.
Nerili kept speaking. “In this climate of danger, Igan tells me, the First Bard of Norloch and the King of Annar, Enkir of Norloch, seeks the loyalty of all Schools and all Kingdoms. We are to give our undivided fealty, without question, to the triple scepter, or we are to be regarded as rebels. And he gave me to understand, in not so many words, that to choose rebellion, and thus to earn the enmity of Norloch, would be to risk the full wrath of Norloch’s might and power.”
The final statement nearly caused a riot. Almost everyone in the room stood up and started shouting. Nerili again held up her hand for silence, and her voice rang out over the room.
“My friends,” she said. “My dear fellow Thoroldians. I know as well as you that never, even in the times of the Kings of Annar, were we or any of the Seven Kingdoms under the authority of Annar. And you can be sure that I said this to Igan, emissary of Enkir of Norloch. And he said to me, ‘Nerili of Busk, things change. We have entered dangerous times, and if we are to survive them, we must change our free ways. Thoroldians must obey the new laws or be the victims of them.’ Such is the edict of Enkir of Norloch.” Nerili bowed her head. “I am ashamed to be the bearer of this news. It casts a shadow over all Bards.”
There was a wrathful murmur around the table, and Arnamil stood up again, his eyes flashing. “What did you say to this insult, Lady of Busk?” he asked. “Did you throw him out of the School, with his tail between his cowardly legs, as he deserved?”
“I did not.” Nerili looked him steadily in the eye. “Arnamil, to do so would be tantamount to severing all connection with Norloch, and would risk open war. Such a thing has not happened since the Kings ruled in Annar, and I am not prepared to risk warfare solely on my own authority.” She again looked around the table, where everyone now sat in tense silence.
“I received him politely. I listened politely. I told him that I was aware that we live in dangerous times, and that we must take heed of such that threatens us. I said I would consult with the Bards and Chamber, and then would let Norloch know of our response.” She paused. “He gave us a week. And he said again that if our fealty was withheld, we would suffer grave consequences.”
“I say, then,” said Arnamil, thumping the table with his huge fist, “that in a week we send back his damned edict, torn into little pieces.” Most of the table cheered. “We don’t need Norloch.” He sat down truculently.
Now Elenxi stood. “I suggest, for the meantime, another way,” he said. “If we can avoid a war with Norloch, I think we should. Let them force the issue. If Norloch seeks to betray the covenant between Annar and the Seven Kingdoms in this way, then let Norloch break it. Not us.”
“What do you suggest, then?” Owan, who had hitherto sat silently throughout the noisy meeting, twisted around to look up at the old warrior.
“I suggest we offer Norloch our fealty.” There was an angry rumble. “We offer them our fealty, I say, under our unwavering allegiance to the Light. That covenant guarantees our freedom and our independence. If Norloch doesn’t like it, Norloch has to say on what terms our fealty is unsatisfactory. This will take a little time, since we have broken no promises. Meanwhile, we send emissaries to other Schools in the Seven Kingdoms and seek to know their own answers to this outrage. I think their minds will be like to ours. Will Annar seriously declare war on all of the Seven Kingdoms? And, in the meantime, we look to our fortifications.” Elenxi glared around the table from under his bushy eyebrows and sat down.
After a short silence, Arnamil started chuckling. “They always said you were a fox, Elenxi. I like it.”
“This is the course I and the full First Circle
Nerili kept speaking. “In this climate of danger, Igan tells me, the First Bard of Norloch and the King of Annar, Enkir of Norloch, seeks the loyalty of all Schools and all Kingdoms. We are to give our undivided fealty, without question, to the triple scepter, or we are to be regarded as rebels. And he gave me to understand, in not so many words, that to choose rebellion, and thus to earn the enmity of Norloch, would be to risk the full wrath of Norloch’s might and power.”
The final statement nearly caused a riot. Almost everyone in the room stood up and started shouting. Nerili again held up her hand for silence, and her voice rang out over the room.
“My friends,” she said. “My dear fellow Thoroldians. I know as well as you that never, even in the times of the Kings of Annar, were we or any of the Seven Kingdoms under the authority of Annar. And you can be sure that I said this to Igan, emissary of Enkir of Norloch. And he said to me, ‘Nerili of Busk, things change. We have entered dangerous times, and if we are to survive them, we must change our free ways. Thoroldians must obey the new laws or be the victims of them.’ Such is the edict of Enkir of Norloch.” Nerili bowed her head. “I am ashamed to be the bearer of this news. It casts a shadow over all Bards.”
There was a wrathful murmur around the table, and Arnamil stood up again, his eyes flashing. “What did you say to this insult, Lady of Busk?” he asked. “Did you throw him out of the School, with his tail between his cowardly legs, as he deserved?”
“I did not.” Nerili looked him steadily in the eye. “Arnamil, to do so would be tantamount to severing all connection with Norloch, and would risk open war. Such a thing has not happened since the Kings ruled in Annar, and I am not prepared to risk warfare solely on my own authority.” She again looked around the table, where everyone now sat in tense silence.
“I received him politely. I listened politely. I told him that I was aware that we live in dangerous times, and that we must take heed of such that threatens us. I said I would consult with the Bards and Chamber, and then would let Norloch know of our response.” She paused. “He gave us a week. And he said again that if our fealty was withheld, we would suffer grave consequences.”
“I say, then,” said Arnamil, thumping the table with his huge fist, “that in a week we send back his damned edict, torn into little pieces.” Most of the table cheered. “We don’t need Norloch.” He sat down truculently.
Now Elenxi stood. “I suggest, for the meantime, another way,” he said. “If we can avoid a war with Norloch, I think we should. Let them force the issue. If Norloch seeks to betray the covenant between Annar and the Seven Kingdoms in this way, then let Norloch break it. Not us.”
“What do you suggest, then?” Owan, who had hitherto sat silently throughout the noisy meeting, twisted around to look up at the old warrior.
“I suggest we offer Norloch our fealty.” There was an angry rumble. “We offer them our fealty, I say, under our unwavering allegiance to the Light. That covenant guarantees our freedom and our independence. If Norloch doesn’t like it, Norloch has to say on what terms our fealty is unsatisfactory. This will take a little time, since we have broken no promises. Meanwhile, we send emissaries to other Schools in the Seven Kingdoms and seek to know their own answers to this outrage. I think their minds will be like to ours. Will Annar seriously declare war on all of the Seven Kingdoms? And, in the meantime, we look to our fortifications.” Elenxi glared around the table from under his bushy eyebrows and sat down.
After a short silence, Arnamil started chuckling. “They always said you were a fox, Elenxi. I like it.”
“This is the course I and the full First Circle
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