Kaliam stood near the three-tiered fountain in the courtyard where he had proposed to Merewen. He was thankful for the bright afternoon sun overhead, though he knew that in a matter of hours, that would change.
King Brower, Mallik, and the rest of the Blue Mountain folk had worked day and night on the new walls. And now, just two days later, the walls were nearly complete. But still, Kaliam wondered if it would be enough. He remembered all too well the carnage at Clarion . . . and Yewland. The Wyrm Lord and the Seven Sleepers—they might turn the tide of the battle alone.
“Kaliam,” a voice said. “It is time to prepare for your wedding.” Turning, Kaliam saw Sir Oswyn standing at the door and nodded.
The guests had gathered in the garden. Sir Oswyn stood directly in front of the fountain. Kaliam took his place near the center, near Farix. Then all turned and looked. Between the trees, shrubs, and statues, they saw brief glimmers of white. And then, at last, Lady Merewen appeared riding a tall white unicorn. Her luminous violet eyes sparkled. A circlet of tiny white flowers rested above her brow. Her gown seemed to shimmer like cloth made of both white diamonds and deep blue onyxes. Draped across her shoulders and under her brilliant silver hair she wore the black velvet hand-embroidered heirloom sash that Kaliam had given her. Kaliam grinned. The unicorn stopped beside Kaliam, and he helped Merewen down.
Oswyn read from a scroll. “Children of The Realm!” Sir Oswyn’s great voice rang out. “King Eliam the Everlasting calls you to this celebration to bear witness this day. If you are willing, so say you Aye!”
The crowd spoke as one voice. “Aye!”
“Very well then,” Sir Oswyn said with a broad smile. “May King Eliam and all the glad souls in the Sacred Realm Beyond the Sun witness this event also. And may all the blessings of our mighty King be upon you all.”
From his pocket Oswyn produced two halves of a golden coin.
“Kaliam and Merewen, I offer you each a half of this betrothal coin. If you accept, that means you agree to betroth your life to each other before King Eliam and these witnesses gathered here. Do you accept this coin?”
Kaliam and Lady Merewen answered together, “I do.”
Sir Oswyn placed one half in Lady Merewen’s hand and the other half of the coin in Kaliam’s hand. Turning to Kaliam he said, “Lord Kaliam, take this half as a—”
But Os never finished the sentence. Kaliam interrupted, saying to Lady Merewen, “I gladly take the coin, but I will never need a reminder of what you are to me and what we are together.” Then he took the coin, joined hands with Lady Merewen, and kissed her.
The crowd erupted in cheers far louder than Sir Oswyn’s plea, “Wait, Kaliam, you are not supposed to do that yet!” At last, Oswyn laughed and said, “In that case, by the power granted me by King Eliam, the provider of all that is just and good, I declare that you are husband and wife! Let the merrymaking begin!”
In another corner of the garden, far from the merrymaking, King Ravelle sat alone on a stone bench. He looked up forlornly at a statue on the corner of a row of trees and hedges. It was the image of a maiden who appeared to walk forward and hold out her hands as if releasing a dove into flight.
“It is a marvelous statue,” came a voice from the path to King Ravelle’s right.
He looked, and his mouth fell open. “Ariana!” he exclaimed. “My wife! Of all the unlooked-for joys on this day!”
She took him into her arms and they embraced. “I should never have left you,” she said. “You were a foolish, pigheaded warrior, but I was equally stubborn.”
King Ravelle laughed aloud. “I hope we are wiser now.”
She smiled.
“I searched for you; where did you go?” he asked.
“Many places. Eventually I found refuge in Balesparr.”
“The hidden village?” he asked.
“Yes. Come, Ravelle,” she said, her eyes glinting bright blue. “We have much to talk about.”
As the celebration continued, Kaliam entered the courtyard where all the Knights of Alleble and their allies were assembled.
“There is a time for all things,” Kaliam said loudly. “There is a time for singing, and we of Alleble sing each month at the fountain to remember the dawn where King Eliam returned to us and cast out the enemy. There is a time for weeping, and we have all wept bitterly for our losses at Mithegard, Clarion, Yewland, Ludgeon, and most recently at Balesparr.”
Looks were exchanged. Many nodded, and some tears fell.
Kaliam’s expression darkened. “Our enemy of old sits now on our doorstep. He has committed unspeakable evils and stands ready to do more. But I say we deny him!”
The crowd cheered. Some raised fists high.
“Our enemy has brought an army larger than any he has wielded before. An army built by deception, greed, and wanton violence. He is coming here to increase his force of slavery, but I say we deny him!”
The cheers grew louder, and a buzz grew in the crowd.
“Our foe has released ancient evils—names many thought were merely harvest tales for frightening children. But I assure you, they are real. The Seven Sleepers, the Wyrm Lord are under Paragor’s command, and he intends to bring down our strong new walls, but I say . . .”
“DENY HIM!!!” the crowd answered together. But no voice was louder than that of King Brower from the Blue Mountains.
When the noise quieted down somewhat, Kaliam went on. “The enemy was cast out by the one true King. And Paragor now comes to claim a throne that does not belong to him, but we say—”
“DENY HIM!!!”
Kaliam’s eyes smoldered. “I began by saying there is a time for all things. A time to sing, a time to cry, a time for peace—” Kaliam drew his sword and shouted to the crowd, “There is a time for all things, yes? But now I say it is TIME TO FIGHT!!!”
The crowd went into an uproar. Shouts went up: “Deny Paragor!” “Defend Alleble!” “Fight now!” and “Man the battlements!”
The crowd’s shouts were so loud, they did not hear the rumbling thunder in the storm clouds gathering overhead.
