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But Emuin was alive, and so was Paisi, and so was Ninévrisë, and
they could be here, if they chose. He invited them, if they chose…

Eeave Lusin in charge, he said, and showed Emuin the way.

"Where's Dys?" he asked, for he longed to find that other heart he could not touch at a distance: he relied on Uwen, and on Crissand, and sure enough, now his guard had found him, Gweyl and the rest, and would not be shaken lightly from his tracks. "Cefwyn's out there."

"Ye ought to send a messenger, m'lord," Uwen said. "Ye ought to sit fortress of dragons.html

here safe and send one of these lads."

"But I won't," Tristen said, with the least rise of mirth. "You know that I won't."

"As I ain't the captain of Amefel any longer," Uwen said, "I can shake free an' ride with ye; an' as your guards has to go, though probably ye can call the lightnin' down on any leavin's of Tasmor-den's lot… still we'll go, m'lord."

Idrys' men had gone out, probing toward Ilefínian, and came back again to say there was a strange assortment of banners before riders on the road: the black banner of the High Kings that Tasmor-den had claimed, in company with the Tower and Checker of the Regent and the Eagle of Amefel, with two and three others less clear to the observers.

"Tristen," was Idrys' pronouncement, where they had established not a camp, but a staying place on the hilltop, under the open sky, a place for dressing wounds and collecting the army in order. "Did I not say this egg would hatch?" Idrys asked. And Cefwyn finding no word:

"What shall we do, my lord king?"

What indeed should they do? Cefwyn asked himself somberly. Go to war with Tristen? Call a battered Guelen army to take the field against the friend of his heart, who had claimed that banner?

"Bring Danvy up," Cefwyn said, looking out and down the hill.

Close after the battle, two of Anwyll's men had found Anwyll climbing uphill with Kanwy in hand and a handful of the company behind him, but Kanwy had a wound and was due a rest: it was his light horse that would serve now, for a short ride and a meeting.

"What shall we do?" Idrys repeated his question, hammering it home.

"Do? I think I shall meet my friend and hope for my lady's safety at his hands."

"Hope?" Idrys echoed him. "Is hope what we have, now? Nothing of faith? The hatchling's spread wings, my lord king, and it's no damned pigeon we deal with."

Cefwyn gave a wry and silent laugh. "A dragon. A dragon, master crow. But he is still my friend."

Idrys said nothing for a moment, only gazed at him as if in reproach.

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Then: "He was still your friend when he sent me to the Olmernmen.

He was still your friend when he marched, and he leads those who are my lord king's sworn men, but now, now there is a question."

"What should I do?" Cefwyn repeated. "If you have any notion, crow, out with it."

"Demand," Idrys said. "Impose. Insist, my lord king. You owe the kingdom that."

"The kingdom." The ache had settled hard into his body. Even drawing a deep breath hurt, and he swept a glance about him, at those who had been faithful, whatever their reasons… some even for love of him. He looked at that, rather than the betrayals, but not wholly successfully. "He has the knack of gaining love. That's to envy."

"My lord king has those who love him."

He glanced at Idrys, catching something perhaps by surprise. He did not know why, after all else, he was embarrassed to catch Idrys thus unaware. But he pretended to have looked elsewhere, for both their sakes, and folded his arms. "Horses."

"My lord king," Idrys said, and relayed the order to a page, who called a groom, who called his assistants, for where the king of Ylesuin went was no small number.

Riven trees marked the battle in the elements, a trail of splintered trunks and wrecked limbs, bright wood through the leafless forest; so Tristen saw as they rode. The limbs were bare as those in Mama's depths, where the wood wound around the end of the ridge.

But there color bloomed, the bright red Marhanen banner, and the Tower and Checker of the lady Regent, and so they came within sight one of the other.

Tristen set Dys to a faster pace, and rode ahead of his banners and those who chased after him; so did the king of Ylesuin, and they met under the afternoon shadow of the ridge, slid down from their horses and embraced as friends too long parted.

"High King, is it?" Cefwyn asked, setting Tristen at arm's length.

And it was a question Tristen had to answer, but not in few words.

Ninévrisë had come with Emuin: he knew that while he rode. It was brave of them, but arrive they had, by the old mews, and Tarien with fortress of dragons.html

them, for Ninévrisë would not leave Tarien or the baby behind in Henas'amef. There was one Aswydd who ruled there, and it was neither of them.

"Emuin's come," Tristen did say. "And Her Grace. Not by the road, by the old mews. And Crissand's the aetheling, which I don't want to be."

"What
do
you wish?" Cefwyn asked him, and he knew the seriousness of that question, as he knew the significance of the banner he could not set aside.

"To ride with my friends and see the summer again," he said, which was indeed the best thing in the world to him. In the gray space Emuin might say the banner had to fly, and Owl was surly and insistent, winging constantly toward Ynefel, but he was determined not to stay there, nor at Althalen, where the frail wooden tower still stood.

"Come to Ilefínian," he asked Cefwyn. "Owl wants me to come with him, but I won't, yet. There are things I don't know yet. There are things I haven't seen." A crown and the duties of a king were not at all within his longing: rather escape from both was what he plotted, escape for him, and the freedom of the kingdoms and the kings and lords to live in peace. A king over all could be a king in name, but the rulers of the lands had to live there.

A bough had broken its buds, the least small hint of gold and green, recalling whole forests that sighed and moved with the breezes.

Spring and promises: everything was new and old at once. Tristen saw it with wonder and saw the pledge of the summer to come, green grass and gentle winds.

A child danced before them, as they rode back to Ilefínian. Cefwyn and Uwen neither one could see her, but Tristen and Crissand did.

LEXICON
Concordance for the Fortress Books

YLESUIN

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Amefel
—
southern province; banner: black Eagle on red field
Royalty / Lords

Aswydd Household

Heryn Aswydd—Duke of Amefel, the aetheling, His twin sisters: Orien Aswydd—Duchess of Amefel; Tarien Aswydd—secondborn Thewydd—Heryn Aswydd's man
Tristen's Household
Tristen—Marshal of Althalen, Lord Warden of Ynefel Uwen—Lewen's-son, Tristen's man, sergeant of Cefwyn's Dragon Guard, captain of Tristen's guard
Tristen's Guard
Lusin—Captain of Tristen's bodyguard Syllan—one of Tristen's guards. Aran—one of Tristen's guards. Tawwys—one of Tristen's guards Aswys—groom

Cassam, Cass—Uwen's warhorse, bow-nosed, blue roan gelding Dys, Dysarys—Tristen's warhorse, black, full brother to Aryny and Kanwy Gery—Tristen's light horse, red mare Gia—Uwen's light horse, bay mare Liss—Uwen's horse, chestnut mare Petelly—Tristen's cross-country horse, a bay of no breeding

Amefin Earls and Their Households

Edwyll Adiran—earl of Meiden, remotely related to Aswydds; banner: gold sun

Crissand Adiran—son of and successor to Edwyll Azant—lord of Dor Elen province, which borders the ver orchard district.

A daughter: widowed twice, once when married only seven days Brestandin—Amefin earl Cedrig—elderly Amefin earl living in retirement, owner of room Tristen lodges in, then where Ninévrisë lodges in Henas'amef Civas—Amefin earl Cuthan—earl of Bryn, distant relative of Aswydds Drumman—lord of Barardden, youngest of earls except for Crissand; his elder sister is Edwyll's wife, fortress of dragons.html

Crissand's mother Drusallyn—elderly lord, married local gentry in Amefel Drusenan—earl of Bryn, successor to Cuthan. wife: Ynesyne, an Elwynim.

Durell—Amefin earl Edracht—Amefin earl Esrydd—Amefin earl Lund—Amefin earl Marmaschen—Amefin earl Moridedd—Amefin earl Murras—Amefin earl Prushan—Amefin earl Purell—Amefin earl Taras—earl of Bru Marden Zereshadd—Amefin earl
Other Persons

Clergy / Clerics

Cadell—Bryaltine abbot in Henas'amef

Faiseth—Bryaltine nun

Emuin Udaman—wizard/tutor/priest, Teranthine, tutored Cefwyn and Efanor

Del'rezan—Bryaltine nun

Pachyll—priest, Teranthine patriarch in Henas'amef
Military

Cossun—armorer

Ennyn—Guelen Guard second in command

Gedd—sergeant in Tristen's guard

Aman—gate-guard

Nedras—gate-guard

Ness—gate-guard

Selmwy—cousin of Ness at town gate Wynedd—Guelen Guard commander

Minor Officials

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Tassand—started as Cefwyn's servant, now Tristen's chief of household

Haman—stablemaster at Henas'amef

Local Gentry

Ardwys—thane of Sagany, leader of the peasant contingent from Sagany and Pacewys

Miscellaneous

Auld Syes—witch, in Emwy village, near Althalen Paisi—street urchin Seddiwy—Shadow, Auld Syes' child Wydnin—former junior archivist

Titles, Places, et cetera

Aetheling, atheling—title, used instead of king in Amefel; royal in their province Althalen—old Sihhë capital, where last of Sihhë died, now Tristen's, in ruins, banner is silver Star and Tower on black Amefin—of Amefel province Anas Mallorn—Amefin village, on riverside Ardenbrook—brook after Maudbrook on way to Henas'amef Arreyburn—camping spot of Emuin on the way back to Henas'amef from retreat Averyne crossing—crossing to Guelessar from Amefel on the way out of Henas'amef Arys—district/town, Arys Emwy, Emwy village: destroyed when Inareddrin was killed; district contains Althalen and Lewen field Arys bridge—bridge near Emwy to west, where Elwynor rebels could enter Amefel Arys district—near Henas'amef, contains villages of Emwy and Malitarin Asfiad—old name for Aswyth Asmaddion—place in the province Assurn Ford—river border of the province Assurnbrook—river Aswydd, Aswydds—surname, Heryn's house, also Orien's, Tarien's; there is Sihhë blood in this line Aswyddim—of the Aswydds fortress of dragons.html

Aswyth—a village Athel—Amefin district bordering Meiden's land Baraddan—Drumman's district, contains orchards Bru Mardan—Taras district Bryn—Cuthan's estate

Ceyl, Trys—Trys Ceyl—Amefin village south of Henas'amef. Dor Elen—Anzant's district, orchard district Drun, Trys Drun—next to Trys Ceyl, village south of Henas'amef ealdorman, ealdormen—council of Henas'amef

Edlinnadd—old name for Ellinan

Ellinan—a village

Emwy—village/district, see: Arys, Arys Emwy, Emwy village Emwysbrook—brook near Emwy

Forest of Amefel—near Althalen

Grayfrock, grayrobe—nickname for Emuin

Hawwyvale—village

Hen Amas—old name for Henas'amef

Henas'amef—capital of the province

Kathseide—old name of Zeide, fortress in Henas'amef Levey—Amefin village, part orchard, part pasturage for flocks Lewen—brook giving its name to area of battle Lewen field, Lewen plain—near Althalen, battlefield where Hasufin was destroyed Lewenbrook—brook

Lewenford—area of battle, see Lewen field Lewenside—area of battle, see Lewen field Lysalin—Amefin village Maldy village—Amefin village with crossing to Elwynor Malitarin—Amefin village two hours from Henas'amef Mallorn, Anas, Anas Mallorn—Amefin village on riverside Margreis—ruined village, haunt of outlaws, near Emwy Marna, Marna Wood—haunted forest Marshal of Althalen—Tristen's title, bestowed by Cefwyn Massitbrook—camping spot on way to Lewen field for Cefwyn and troops Master grayrobe, grayfrock—nickname, refers to Emuin, wizard/tutor/priest,

Teranthine Maudbrook—on the way to Henas'amef Maudbrook Bridge—bridge on the way to Henas'amef Meiden—sheep district; fortress of dragons.html

banner: blue with gold sun

Pacewys—Amefin village, sent troops to Lewen field, commanded by Lord Ardwys, thane of Sagany Padys Spring—one hour south of Henas'amef, once called Batherys

Ragisar—Amefin village Raven's Knob—past Emwy on way to Lewen field, Lewenbrook near Althalen Sagany—Amefin village on way to Althalen and Lewen field, sent troop to Lewen field commanded by Lord Ardwys, thane of Sagany

Sagany Road—on way to Althalen and Lewen field Tas Aden—town in Meiden Trys, Trys Ceyl—Amefin town near Trys Drun Zeide—shortened name for Kathseide fortress in Henas'amef
Catys
—
northern province

Guelessar
—
north-central province; banner: quartered, gold Dragon
on red, gold Quinalt sigil on black

Royalty

Selwyn Marhanen—Cefwyn's grandfather, king of Ylesuin; banner: gold dragon on red Inareddrin Marhanen—king of Ylesuin, father of Cefwyn and Efanor

Cefwyn Marhanen—third king of the Marhanen dynasty, brother of Efanor

Idrys—Lord Commander of the Dragon Guard Annas—Cefwyn's chief of household in both Amefel and Guelessar. Later Lord Chamberlain Lasien—senior page at Henas'amef Efanor Marhanen—His Royal Highness, Duke of Guelessar, Prince of Ylesuin Gwywyn—soldier, Inareddrin's captain at Althalen, made captain of Efanor's guard at Guelemara

Lesser Royalty / Household

Alwy—Ninévrisë's maid and one of Cefwyn's former lovers Brysaulin—Lord Chancellor after Cefwyn is crowned Cressen—Lady, one of Cefwyn's former lovers Fisylle—Lady, one of fortress of dragons.html

Cefwyn's former lovers Trallynde—Lady, one of Cefwyn's former lovers Parsynan—Guelen gentry, Cefwyn's viceroy at Amefel until Tristen's appointment as lord of Amefel

Horses

Aryny—heavy, warhorse, full sister to Dys and Kanwy Danvy—Cefwyn's light horse Drugyn—Idrys' warhorse, black stablemate of Cass, Kanwy, and Dys Kanwy—Cefwyn's warhorse, black Synanna—blaze-faced black, usually Efanor's horse
Clergy/Clerics