"I'm enough of a Darkovan to resent it sometimes. I heard a rumor that there would be war with Aldaran. Any truth to it?"
"None whatever, Tm glad to say. Beltran has enough trouble. The fire at Caer Donn destroyed nearly eighty years of loyalty to Aldaran among the mountain people‑and eighty years of good relations between Aldaran and the Terrans. The last thing he wants is to fight the Domains."
"Rumor for rumor," Lawton said. "The man Kadarin seems to have vanished into thin air. He'd been seen hi the Dry Towns, but he's gone again. We've had a price on his head since he quit Terran intelligence thirty years ago‑"
Regis blinked. He had seen Kadarin only once, but he would have sworn the man was no more than thirty.
"We're watching the ports, and if he tries to leave Darkover well take him. Personally I'd say good riddance. More likely he*ll hide out in the Hellers for the rest of his natural life. If there's anything natural about it, that is."
The recess was over and they began to return to the Crystal Chamber. Regis found himself face to face with Dyan Ardais. Dyan was dressed, not in his Domain colors, but in the drab black of ritual mourning.
"Lord Dyan‑no, Lord Ardais, may I express my condolences."
"They are wasted," Dyan said briefly. "My father has not been in his right senses for years before you were born, Regis. What mourning I made for him was so long ago I have even forgotten what grief I felt. He has been dead more than half of my life; the burial was unduly delayed, that was all." Briefly, grimly, he smiled.
"But formality for formality, Lord Regis. My congratulations." His eyes held a hint of bleak amusement. MI suspect those are wasted too. I know you well enough to know you have no particular delight in taking a seat in Council. But of course we are both too well trained in Comyn formalities to say so." He bowed to Regis and went into the Crystal Chamber.
Perhaps these formalities were a good thing, Regis thought. How could Dyan and he ever exchange a civfl word without them? He felt a great sadness, as if he had lost a friend without ever knowing him at all.
The honor guard, commanded today by Gabriel Lanart‑Hastur, was directing the reseating of the Comyn; as the doors were closed, the Regent called them all to order.
"The next business of this assembly," he said, "is to settle certain heirships within the Comyn. Lord Dyan Ardais, please come forward.**
Dyan, in his somber mourning, came and stood at the center of .the rainbow lights.
"On the death of your father, Kyrfl‑Valentine Ardais of Ardais, I call upon you, Dyan‑Gabriel Ardais, to relinquish the state of Regent‑heir to the Ardais Domain and assume that of Lord Ardais, with wardship and sovereignty over the Domain of Ardais and all those who owe them loyalty and
allegiance. Are you prepared to assume wardship over your people?"
"I am prepared.*"
"Do you solemnly declare that to your knowledge you are fit to assume this responsibility? Is there any man who will challenge your right to this solemn wardship of the people of your Domain, the people of all the Domains, the people of all Darkover?"
How many of them could truly declare themselves fit for mat? Regis wondered. Dyan gave the proper answer.
**I will abide the challenge."
Gabriel, as commander of the Honor Guard, strode to his side and drew Dyan's sword. He called in a loud voice, "Is there any to challenge the worth and rightful wardship of Dyan‑Gabriel, Lord of Ardais?"
There was a long silence. Hypocrisy, Regis thought Meaningless formality. That challenge was not answered twice in a score of years, and even then it had nothing to do with fitness but with disputed inheritance! How long had it been since anyone seriously answered that challenge?
"I challenge the wardship of Ardais," said a harsh and strident old voice from the ranks of the lesser peers. Dom Felix Syrtis rose and slowly made his way toward the center of the room. He took the sword from Gabriel's hand.
Dyan's calm pallor did not alter, but Regis saw that his breathing had quickened. Gabriel said steadily, "Upon what grounds, Dom Felix?"
Regis looked around quickly. As his sworn paxman and bodyguard, Danilo was seated just beside him. Danilo did not meet Regis' eyes, but Regis could see that his fists were clenched. This was what Danilo had feared, if it came to his father's knowledge.
"I challenge him as unfit," Dom Felix said, "on the grounds that he contrived unjustly the disgrace and dishonor of my son, while my son was a cadet in the Castle Guard. I declare blood‑feud and call formal challenge upon him."
Everyone sat silent and stunned. Regis picked up Gabriel tanart‑Hastur's scornful thought, unguarded, that if Dyan had to fight a duel over every episode of that sort he'd be here fighting until the sun came up tomorrow, lucky for him he was the best swordsman in the Domains. But aloud Gabriel only said, "You have heard the challenge, Dyan Ardais,
and you must accept it or refuse. Do you wish to consult with anyone before making your decision?"
"I refuse the challenge," Dyan said steadily.
Unprecedented as the challenge itself had been, the refusal was even more unprecedented. Hastur leaned forward and said, "You must state your grounds for refusing a formal challenge, Lord Dyan."
"I do so," Dyan said, "on the grounds that the charge is justified."
An audible gasp went around the room. A Comyn lord did not admit that sort of thing! Everyone in that room, Regis believed, must know the charge was justified. But everyone also knew that Dyan's next act was to accept the challenge, quickly kill the old man and go on from there.
Dyan had paused only briefly. "The charge is just," he repeated, "and there is no honor to be gamed from the legal murder of an old man. And murder it would be. Whether his cause is just or unjust, a man of Dom Felix* years would have no equitable chance to prove it against my swordsmanship. And finally I state that it is not for him to challenge me. The son on whose behalf he makes this challenge is a man, not a minor child, and it is he, not his father, who should rightly challenge me hi this cause. Does he stand ready to do it?** And he swung around to face Danilo where he sat beside Regis.
Regis heard himself gasp aloud.
Gabriel, too, looked shaken. But, as protocol demanded, he had to ask:
"Dom Danilo Syrtis. Do you stand ready to challenge Lord Dyan Ardais in this cause?"
Dom Felix said harshly, **He does or I will disown him!"
Gabriel rebuked gently, "Your son is a man, Dom Felix, not a chad in your keeping. He must answer for himself."
Danilo stepped into the center of the room. He said, "I am sworn paxman to Lord Regis Hastur. My Lord, have I your leave to make the challenge?" He was as white as a sheet Regis thought desperately that the damned fool was no match for Dyan. He couldnt just sit there and watch Dyan murder him to settle this grudge once and for all.
All his love for Danilo rebelled against this, but before his friend's leveled eyes he knew he had no choice. He could not protect Dani. He said, "You have my leave to do whatever honor demands of you, kinsman. But there is no compulsion
to do so. You are sworn to my service and by law that service takes precedence, so you have also my leave to refuse the challenge with no stain upon your honor."
Regis was giving Dani an honorable escape if he wanted it He could not, by Comyn immunity, fight Dyan in his place. But he could do mis much.
Danflo made Regis a formal bow. He avoided his eyes. He went directly to Dyan, faced him and said, HI call challenge upon you, Lord Dyan."
Dyan drew a deep breath. He was as pale as Danflo himself. He said, **I accept the challenge. But by law, a challenge of this nature may be resolved, at the option of the one challenged, by the offer of honorable amends. Is that not so, my lord Hastur?"