Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [81]
Then Baerauble waved at him to stand back, took a deep breath, and began weaving a real spell. From his throat issued strange, twisted vowels and strings of consonants, and from his palm, laid flat against the door, issued a pale blue glow. Strands of the blue radiance streamed between the mage's fingers and lanced out, like the strands of a spider's web, to the edges of the doorframe. There was a series of snaps from the other side of the door, and one large thunk that could only be a bolt being released.
The doors swung open inward.
The throne room had been part of the original house built on this site, over the long years, the rest of the stonework had grown up around it and consumed it. Along the walls hung tapestries and a few battle banners. Along one side of the hall, a small series of broad steps led up to a single throne. Iltharl was standing on the top step, Gantharla at the bottom. Both were in armor, with their swords drawn.
Iltharl was decked in gold and white, his normally immaculate robes covered with a bronze breastplate and leg guards. The plate and guards were chased and sculpted into images of fantastic beasts and stood out in bold relief. Ceremonial, thought Sagrast, and the thought struck him that Iltharl had probably never owned a real suit of armor or had any cause to use it. On his head he wore the Crown of Faerlthann, the elven circlet that commemorated the origin of the realm.
Gantharla was in her foresters' leathers, a mottled green from neck to foot, with a hood of the same material thrown back from her head. A shirt of elven chain, fine-linked and tinted green, tightly hugged her torso. Her hair, a brilliant red, was short and mannish. Her eyes gleamed, and Sagrast thought of Boldovar's madness.
Baerauble apparently thought the same, for he raised his hands to work a spell.
Iltharl raised a hand that held the heavy, broadbladed sword of his father and shouted, "Hold!"
The wizard broke off in midword, but he strode on toward the pair at the dais. Uncertainly, Sagrast followed.
"I am glad you could make it, old teacher," said the king. "My sister and I were discussing affairs of state."
"My lord, I heard that you-" began Baerauble, but the king cut him off.
"Relieved my sister of command and summoned her here," said Iltharl. "You heard correctly. Had I thought it would cause this much consternation, I would have consulted you in advance. I did not think Gantharla would respond by marching her entire unit here with her."
"What was I to think upon receiving your letter?" Gantharla said, ice water in her words. "We had one of the better-marshaled areas among the western settlements, so naturally you would want to stop that. It makes the rest of the nation look bad."
"And is our kingdom in desperate straits?" asked Iltharl softly, looking down on his sibling.
"I have told you," spat Gantharla. "It is ill, but all it needs is a good king."
"And am I a good king?" asked Iltharl in that same gentle voice, smiling.
Gantharla frowned and chose her words carefully. "You are my brother. You are thoughtful and sweet. But, no, you are not a good king." The words echoed around a room that was suddenly very still. The woman in green drew in a deep breath, threw back her head, and continued. "But you are my king, and I will remain loyal, regardless of the foolishness of your decisions."
"I thank you for your loyalty," said Iltharl, "and I agree with your judgment. I am good at many things, but not at being a king. Therefore I now serve my country as best as I know how."
And with that, the young king reached his free hand to his brow and doffed his circlet. "Kneel, my sister."
Gantharla dropped to one knee and Sagrast saw what was about to happen. The young noble stepped forward, but Baerauble reached out and took him by the shoulder. Sagrast winced as he came to a dead stop. Now he knew why the Truesilver page had gasped, the old man had a grip like iron.
Iltharl laid his weapon aside and held the crown in both hands. "I have given this much thought," he said. "I love Cormyr as