Read The Seventh Gate (The Seven Citadels ) Online
Authors: Geraldine Harris
The Seventh Gate (The Seven Citadels ) (29 page)
Forollkin picked up the little boy and
hugged him tightly. “Of course not. I'll scold you soundly if you try.”
“Like the ugly man,” whispered Kerish, too
softly for his father to hear.
Ellandellore stood up. “I must get back to
Tir-Rinnon.”
Kerish twisted round in his father's arms. “When
I visit you next, will you teach me how to be a king?”
“When you're a bit older,” promised
Ellandellore unwisely.
“How much older? When I'm seven?”
The sorcerer looked helplessly at Kelinda.
“When you are twelve,” she said firmly, and
passed a plate of bread and cheese to Forollkin.
“That's a long time, but I'll remember.
When I'm twelve, I'm going to Tir-Rinnon to learn to be a King, for a bit.”
“You like to plan your life do you?” asked
Ellandellore, “What do you think you'll be doing when you are thirteen or
fifteen or seventeen?”
“When I'm seventeen I'm going to Galkis to
look for Uncle Kerish. What is a jungle like? Is it like your orchards?”
“No,” Ellandellore's voice shook a little, “it's
much fiercer and wilder.”
“I think I shall like that.”
Ellandellore kissed the child goodbye and
walked alone to the sea shore where his black boat waited.
When Forollkin had finished his meal he
stretched and sighed.
“I suppose there are a thousand and one
tasks waiting for me?”
“The list is as long as you are tall,” said
Kelinda, “but first we are going for a walk to see Kerish's empire.”
Protesting mildly, Forollkin was marched
across the island, his sea-boots crushing spring flowers with each step.
“You are not to laugh!” hissed Kelinda, as
they reached the banks of a small stream.
“You said we had to build Galkis again, so
I have,” announced Kerish-lo-Kelin. “Come and look.”
He had dug a large and satisfyingly muddy
puddle to represent the Sea of Az. Shallow channels, filled from the stream,
stood for the four rivers: the Jenze, the Zin, the Zin-Gald and the Gal. The
mountains were made with heaps of stone and he had marked each of the Nine
Cities with a single bright pebble. Someone had lent him a gold bracelet to
put around the stone that was supposed to be the city of Galkis. Flowers had
been jammed into the ground to make the Empreror's garden, but they were
already withering. Further south, he had planted leafy twigs and a handful of
scarlet feathers,
Forollkin allowed himself to be led round
and patiently listened to rambling explanations of each feature.
“I like the feathers,” he said, “they make
your jungle look dangerous.”
“I'm not sure if the feathered people are
dangerous,” whispered Kerish. “They frighten me in my dreams but I don't think
they mean to.”
“No, I expect not,” agreed Forollkin
absently.
He was watching his wife and marveling at
the tenderness of her smile as she looked down on the pebble cities. What had
the real Galkis ever given her but pain? Yet of all the exiles, she best seemed
to know what was worth saving from their lost empire. If she had passed that
quality on to her son, perhaps there could be no exile.
“And this is the silver-white beach where
our Lady met Zeldin,” Kerish was saying. “I couldn't get it very shiny. Do you
think it matters?”
“Not if you tried,” answered Forollkin.
He linked hands with Kelinda and Kerish and
the three of them walked back together to the new city.
The Book of the Emperors:
Prophecy
And Jezreen
cried out to the Emperor and to all his court, “Do you still not understand why
Imarko died for us? Do you think that the answer can be found here, in this age
of splendor? No. Blessed are they who are born in shadow for they must seek
light. Weep for Golden Galkis in the hour of her fall. Weep and then rejoice;
for she shall rise again when each man's heart will be his Emperor and each
man's soul a Golden City.”
The End
