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which formerly belonged to Hron."
She held the shield before her, and a smell of scorching rose as the paint
shriveled and blackened and the image of the boar burned away. Then she handed
the shield to Lilith, who said, "May the land and its people prosper under my
rule. Thank you, Aradia."
"The lands belonging to Trang and Yolo I retain for my own," said Aradia.
"The lands that Drakonius ruled, however, are larger than all these lands
combined. Therefore, I divide them, and give to my brother Wulfston, Lord
Adept, the lands from the western sea, eastward to the natural border formed
by the Western Hills."
"As Wulfston moved forward to give his formal thanks, Lenardo felt a warm
triumph to note that Aradia had neither claimed for herself nor given away the
central portion of land from well north of Zendi to the Aventine border at
Adigia. So she had set aside land to cede to the empire in negotiating peace.
He felt inordinately pleased that she had taken his advice, and more certain
than ever that peace could be achieved.
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Until Aradia turned to the assembly once more, saying, "Finally, the portion
of land sduthward from the border of Lilith's land, east from Wulfston's, and
west from mine, I give to Lenardo, Lord Reader, to hold or to distribute as he
sees fit"
Lenardo was dumbfounded. All eyes turned to him as he stared in shock for a
moment, then burst out, "Aradia, you can't "
"The land is mine, honorably won. I choose to give it to you. Will you not
thank your liege lady, my lord?"
The public assembly was no place to argue. Mustering all the grace he could,
he said, "I am unworthy of the honor you do me, my lady, but I thank you."
That was the end of the ceremony. As soon as most of the officers were out of
the room, Lenardo hurried after Aradia, who was heading for the staircase with
Lilith and Wulfston.
"Aradia why did you do that?" he demanded. "I thought you were going to hold
that land to negotiate with!"
She turned. "I would like peace with the empire, Lenardo, and you may be the
one person who can achieve it.
Truly, I think the Aventine government's terror of Adept and Reader alike
will prevent there ever being peace between us but if there is a chance, I
want to give it to you. My father was right: you must negotiate from strength,
not weakness. There would be a degree of strength in negotiating as my
emissary, but I think the only true chance you have and that a slim one is as
a lord in your own right, representing an alliance of Lords Adept."
"But "
"Go claim your lands, my lord. Make the people your own. Think of what I have
said and what you know of human nature." She looked up at him, her violet eyes
huge and deep. "If you must prove to yourself that I am right, to the
detriment of us all, go now present yourself to the Aventine emperor and give
him the lands I have just given you: that is your right. He will take them, I
guarantee it And after that, he will listen to nothing you have to say; I
guarantee that, too."
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Lenardo stared at her, realizing how acutely she read the truth he dared not
admit to himself. "Then what do you expect me to do?"
"Go teach your people to love you, as my people love me. You will have to
overcome the fear Drakonius instilled in them, but if you work with human
nature you will gain their undying loyalty as Drakonius never did. Then,
Lenardo, we will work out a scheme to negotiate peace."
"Lenardo," said Wulfston, "we share a border. We should be allies. Will you
swear here and now, each to come to the other's defense in time of need?"
"Defense? My personal service, of course, Wulfston, but I'm not an Adept, and
I don't have an army."
"Neither have I," Wulfston said with a laugh, "but Aradia and Lilith will
lend us troops until we train our own. If we make alliances with them, that
is." . In moments, a four-way alliance was concluded, there at the bottom of
the great staircase, Lenardo too bewildered to do more than follow the Adepts'
lead. As the four began to climb the stairs, Wulfston hung back, saying to
Lenardo, "My sister has plans for you."
"I know."
"No ... I don't think you realize all her plans. I'm not sure if Aradia
does."
"She's sending me away from her," Lenardo pointed out.
"Just as she is sending me away," said Wulfston. "To grow. I still have much
to learn. I suppose I'll learn it faster if I don't have Aradia to pull me out
of a jam."
"You pulled her out, in that last battle," said Lenardo. "I'll breathe
easier, knowing I have you for a neighbor."
They caught up with the women, and Lenardo said, "Aradia, I don't have the
power "
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"Lenardo," she interrupted, "I have given you only what you have the right
to. Can you not see that your powers, although different, are the equal of
mine?"
His powers. He had used that term for his abilities all his life, but he had
never thought of them in the sense the Adepts did, as giving him the right to
control others. "I am no ruler," he said as they moved down the hall. Aradia
followed him into his room, clearly wanting to speak privately.
"You will rule," she said. "You must. It is the only way you will make what
you want of the world."
Could he do that? He knew what he wanted of the world now: Zendi risen from
the ruin Drakonius had made of it, to shine as a place of beauty, culture,
cooperation. A symbol of peace. Home of a new academy where Readers and Adepts
would study together.
"You will have to make it for. yourself, Lenardo," said Aradia.
He wanted to do it as much for Aradia as for himself. "I will. I came here on
a negative errand, Aradia to stop something. But when I return, it will be to
start something. We've already started it, you and Wulfston and Lilith and I.
And Nerius."
She nodded, tears shining in her eyes. "Not an ending, but a beginning. Make
your plans, my lord. And when I call for your services "
"You will find me ready to help, my lady." He bowed formally, and watched her
leave his room, not looking back. For the moment, she had taught him all she
could. Now, as he had left the shelter of the academy to discover a new world
beyond the borders of the empire, he must leave Castle Nerius to make a new
life for himself and for his people. All people. He didn't know how he would
do it, but he knew the chance was his. The door stood open, leaving up to
Lenardo the direction he would go from here.
Page 204 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
which formerly belonged to Hron."
She held the shield before her, and a smell of scorching rose as the paint
shriveled and blackened and the image of the boar burned away. Then she handed
the shield to Lilith, who said, "May the land and its people prosper under my
rule. Thank you, Aradia."
"The lands belonging to Trang and Yolo I retain for my own," said Aradia.
"The lands that Drakonius ruled, however, are larger than all these lands
combined. Therefore, I divide them, and give to my brother Wulfston, Lord
Adept, the lands from the western sea, eastward to the natural border formed
by the Western Hills."
"As Wulfston moved forward to give his formal thanks, Lenardo felt a warm
triumph to note that Aradia had neither claimed for herself nor given away the
central portion of land from well north of Zendi to the Aventine border at
Adigia. So she had set aside land to cede to the empire in negotiating peace.
He felt inordinately pleased that she had taken his advice, and more certain
than ever that peace could be achieved.
Page 201
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Until Aradia turned to the assembly once more, saying, "Finally, the portion
of land sduthward from the border of Lilith's land, east from Wulfston's, and
west from mine, I give to Lenardo, Lord Reader, to hold or to distribute as he
sees fit"
Lenardo was dumbfounded. All eyes turned to him as he stared in shock for a
moment, then burst out, "Aradia, you can't "
"The land is mine, honorably won. I choose to give it to you. Will you not
thank your liege lady, my lord?"
The public assembly was no place to argue. Mustering all the grace he could,
he said, "I am unworthy of the honor you do me, my lady, but I thank you."
That was the end of the ceremony. As soon as most of the officers were out of
the room, Lenardo hurried after Aradia, who was heading for the staircase with
Lilith and Wulfston.
"Aradia why did you do that?" he demanded. "I thought you were going to hold
that land to negotiate with!"
She turned. "I would like peace with the empire, Lenardo, and you may be the
one person who can achieve it.
Truly, I think the Aventine government's terror of Adept and Reader alike
will prevent there ever being peace between us but if there is a chance, I
want to give it to you. My father was right: you must negotiate from strength,
not weakness. There would be a degree of strength in negotiating as my
emissary, but I think the only true chance you have and that a slim one is as
a lord in your own right, representing an alliance of Lords Adept."
"But "
"Go claim your lands, my lord. Make the people your own. Think of what I have
said and what you know of human nature." She looked up at him, her violet eyes
huge and deep. "If you must prove to yourself that I am right, to the
detriment of us all, go now present yourself to the Aventine emperor and give
him the lands I have just given you: that is your right. He will take them, I
guarantee it And after that, he will listen to nothing you have to say; I
guarantee that, too."
Page 202
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Lenardo stared at her, realizing how acutely she read the truth he dared not
admit to himself. "Then what do you expect me to do?"
"Go teach your people to love you, as my people love me. You will have to
overcome the fear Drakonius instilled in them, but if you work with human
nature you will gain their undying loyalty as Drakonius never did. Then,
Lenardo, we will work out a scheme to negotiate peace."
"Lenardo," said Wulfston, "we share a border. We should be allies. Will you
swear here and now, each to come to the other's defense in time of need?"
"Defense? My personal service, of course, Wulfston, but I'm not an Adept, and
I don't have an army."
"Neither have I," Wulfston said with a laugh, "but Aradia and Lilith will
lend us troops until we train our own. If we make alliances with them, that
is." . In moments, a four-way alliance was concluded, there at the bottom of
the great staircase, Lenardo too bewildered to do more than follow the Adepts'
lead. As the four began to climb the stairs, Wulfston hung back, saying to
Lenardo, "My sister has plans for you."
"I know."
"No ... I don't think you realize all her plans. I'm not sure if Aradia
does."
"She's sending me away from her," Lenardo pointed out.
"Just as she is sending me away," said Wulfston. "To grow. I still have much
to learn. I suppose I'll learn it faster if I don't have Aradia to pull me out
of a jam."
"You pulled her out, in that last battle," said Lenardo. "I'll breathe
easier, knowing I have you for a neighbor."
They caught up with the women, and Lenardo said, "Aradia, I don't have the
power "
Page 203
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Lenardo," she interrupted, "I have given you only what you have the right
to. Can you not see that your powers, although different, are the equal of
mine?"
His powers. He had used that term for his abilities all his life, but he had
never thought of them in the sense the Adepts did, as giving him the right to
control others. "I am no ruler," he said as they moved down the hall. Aradia
followed him into his room, clearly wanting to speak privately.
"You will rule," she said. "You must. It is the only way you will make what
you want of the world."
Could he do that? He knew what he wanted of the world now: Zendi risen from
the ruin Drakonius had made of it, to shine as a place of beauty, culture,
cooperation. A symbol of peace. Home of a new academy where Readers and Adepts
would study together.
"You will have to make it for. yourself, Lenardo," said Aradia.
He wanted to do it as much for Aradia as for himself. "I will. I came here on
a negative errand, Aradia to stop something. But when I return, it will be to
start something. We've already started it, you and Wulfston and Lilith and I.
And Nerius."
She nodded, tears shining in her eyes. "Not an ending, but a beginning. Make
your plans, my lord. And when I call for your services "
"You will find me ready to help, my lady." He bowed formally, and watched her
leave his room, not looking back. For the moment, she had taught him all she
could. Now, as he had left the shelter of the academy to discover a new world
beyond the borders of the empire, he must leave Castle Nerius to make a new
life for himself and for his people. All people. He didn't know how he would
do it, but he knew the chance was his. The door stood open, leaving up to
Lenardo the direction he would go from here.
Page 204 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]