'Surely the existence of Piety Keep is a fairly obvious point of defiance,' interjected Vesna. The Fortress of the Devoted was jokingly referred to as Piety Keep, a nickname the Order despised. Lesarl had warned them all that using it in Narkang could easily result in big trouble.
Doranei scowled. Isak guessed that he didn't mind about the name, just that politics intruded on the pleasure of returning home. ‘The matter is not quite so simple, but I'm sure the king would prefer to debate it himself.' He broke off as the two rangers trotted up with a third man, dressed like Doranei, right down to the bee at his throat.
Doranei smiled, and said, 'My brother, Veil, has taken word to the king that you have arrived. Royal processions take a little time to get moving. I'm sure you understand.'
Veil didn't dismount, but touched his fingers to lips and forehead in salute to the followers of Nartis, struck his fist against Doranei's and then whipped his horse around to return. Despite the similarity in dress, the man looked nothing like Doranei. Isak thought it a fair assumption that under Veil's long dark hair was another tattooed ear.
Carel ordered the guards to dismount, brush down their horses to remove the morning's dirt and tend to their uniforms – just one morning back in the saddle had taken its toll on the cream cloth. Isak found a handful of oatcakes in his saddlebag and a hard hunk of cheese to chew on as he swapped his saddle from Megenn to the more impressive Toramin. The gelding was a fine horse and superbly trained, but the fiery stallion was Isak's favourite. Toramin's dark flanks were draped in a pure white cloth so that only his head, neck and hocks were exposed. Isak's helm dangled from his saddle, within easy reach.
Isak turned to see Vesna struggling into his armour for the first time in weeks, chuckling to himself as the man fought to free himself of a snag. Magic might have made the black-iron lighter than normal, but it was no less awkward. Tila was already wearing full court dress; she had ridden side-saddle all morning. Now she perched with practised ease, fastening charms and jewellery to her dress before wrapping a silken scarf artfully about her head.
The wait was much shorter than anyone had anticipated. Isak, lazing on Toramin's back, had been watching first Veil's passage to the city and then the activity on the plain. Veil had disappeared inside the city only a few minutes previously, but a faint chorus of trumpets prompted a double column of horsemen to trot out through the gate and split away to line each side of the road. Once these troops were out and ready, a second fanfare announced another group of horses, this time no more than twenty in number.
In their usual order, the Farlan cantered down the slope. The spare horses and baggage had been quartered with a merchant Doranei knew – Isak knew that this meeting of rulers could potentially be momentous and he saw no reason for either ranger to have to say he was a mile back and looking after the horses when Lord Isak met King Emin for the first time. They might have been stoical veterans, but they didn't deserve to miss out on the fun.
As soon as they heard the fanfare people arrived to line the broad thoroughfare that led to the city. There was quite a crowd by the time the Farlan neared the centre of the plain, all eyes straining to see the foreign white-eye. As he passed the first few, Isak caught mutters and whispered oaths but he ignored them. He knew as well as anyone that Siulents alone was an intimidating sight, and the enormous dragon-emblazoned charger only added to the effect. Toramin's shoulder was just shy of six and a half feet from the ground; with Isak on top the sight was absolutely awe-inspiring.
Looking ahead, Isak began to make out individual faces in the procession; he tried to fit them to what Tila had schooled him on over the past few weeks. Out at the front was obviously Emin Thonal, King of Narkang, dressed in his own colours. Some white material showed through slashes down the sides and arms, clearly the height of fashion, if the other noblemen were anything to go by. A wide-brimmed hat topped with a feather sat cocked to one side on his head, again echoed by those behind him. Isak couldn't help but wonder, with all he'd heard about this man, whether he chose his dress just to see who would follow.
At the king's side rode his queen, brightly clad in spring colours, on a slender bay. Though she was a little older than King Emin, Queen Oterness was both dignified and elegant, and neither the grey wings in her shining auburn hair nor the faint lines around her eyes detracted from her serene beauty.
The king's bodyguard rode behind the royal couple, a white-eye the size of General Lahk called Coran, who had been the king's closest confidant since he took power. Rumours about the king and his friend persisted as the queen failed to produce a child, despite the white-eye's well-known appetites for the city's plentiful whores. Lesarl's spies had
concluded there was little to the gossip; the pair were close through the attractions of power, not of the flesh. Coran was dressed soberly in a neat and functional tunic similar to that worn by Veil and Doranei: not quite a uniform, but enough that Isak knew to look for a bee device and tattoo when he was near enough.
As the two parties converged, Doranei gave a small twitch of the hand and the escorting columns of Kingsguard moved off to drive the burgeoning crowd back from the road. Careful to give the Farlan more than enough room, the soldiers turned their horses halfway out towards the crowd, then turned inwards in their saddles to salute.
Carel growled an order and the advance section of Ghosts split away and fell behind before the two parties actually met. Isak led the remainder a little way into the funnel of Kingsguard, then reined in so he could approach on foot. Tila had quietly mentioned that it would hardly be seeming for King Emin to greet his guest from two or three feet lower: there was still a huge difference in height, but on horseback it would only be accentuated.
Taking that as their cue, both parties followed suit and strode forward to meet each other. With hands out, palm up, Isak approached the king, who swept off his hat and executed a deep bow. Feeling awkward, Isak was about to follow suit when the king stepped forward to grasp Isak's arm in friendship.
'My Lord Isak,' King Emin declared in a clear, cultured voice, 'please be welcome in my kingdom.'
'King Emin,' Isak replied, keeping his voice at a similar level, 'I thank you, and all the people of Narkang and the Three Cities, for the welcome I have received every day I have spent in your kingdom.'
Isak bowed as he spoke. Tila had told him that the Farlan had never officially acknowledged Emin Thonal's self-coronation, so those words made a significant gesture, both politically and theologically.
Understanding showed in Emin's eyes as he returned the bow.
He looked younger than Isak had expected. He had ruled Narkang for twenty summers, taking over the city when he was only a little older than Isak was now, but his hair was untouched by grey, the light tan glinting in the midday sun. He had handsome features, dominated by a strong nose and brilliant blue eyes. Looking into those knowing eyes reminded Isak of Lord Bahl's own piercing stare. He lost himself there for a moment before remembering protocol required him to speak again.
'May I present those I bring with me? Count Vesna, the Lady Tila Introl, and Marshal Carelfolden, the Commander of my Guard.' The king nodded to each as Isak held a hand back to Tila and she passed him the gifts Bahl and his Chief Steward had so carefully selected.
'Your Majesty,' Isak continued, 'please accept these as gifts of friendship, the axe named Darklight-' he held out the wrapped weapon and Emin immediately loosened the cord to pull off the canvas covering. He lifted it up: a single-headed axe with a wickedly curved spike on the reverse, made from a single piece of dusky steel, not black-iron but something other, with four rods of steel strengthening the wooden shaft. Cut right through the body of the blade were five runes: light shining through as their edges glowed red. The king handed the covering to Coran and slipped one ring-bedecked hand about the grip. The Chetse had small fingers, so one of the guardsmen had carefully added extra leather binding to Darklight's grip. As King Emin flexed his fingers about it, Isak thought they had underestimated, but the king took a few practice strokes and appeared delighted with the result. He beamed at his guest and passed the weapon back to his bodyguard, who rewrapped it, then cradled it carefully in his