xx

Thunder Over Rerek

 

the baying to ragnarok  lesstngham forces peace  beroald's fore-judgement  the vicar will still play machiavel  yet is seemingly persuaded  coming of the parry to argyanna  homage done by him to barganax  the duke and his vicar  strange brotherhood  barganax to fiorinda.

 

Lessingham upon that night's morrow took his way westwards with his army slowly towards Mornagay, sending word before so that all the bruit should run in all Rerek, and so through Meszria to Zayana, of this back-winter, and of need come upon all that stood now in civil strife to lay that by, and think on an enemy indeed. He had it now fully from Amaury: how Derxis, by the employment of spies, by traitors whom he had greased well in their hands, or by some other advisoes, had obtained entry for himself and some few of his men into Rialmar; where, with the chancing together of several matters which fell out well to his hand and he used them better, he had contrived his purpose so close as procure the murder, at one chop, of Bodenay and a dozen more. Which done, the Queen's power, made headless, might no longer but sever and dissolve, leaving this Derxis to be his own carver: a beast un-merciless.