Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [82]
He placed the crown firmly on Gantharla's head, the gold shining against her red locks. "Arise, Queen Gantharla, first Queen of Cormyr."
The new queen rose unsteadily. "Brother, when you summoned me here and I saw you in armor, I thought…" she began.
"There has been a good deal of foolishness in the past two reigns," Iltharl replied. "Now comes a time for wisdom and strength. I hope you can do better than I."
Gantharla looked into her brother's eyes and slowly nodded.
Iltharl stepped down from the dais to the wizard and Sagrast. "Thank you for not stopping me, old teacher," he told the wizard, "I'm not sure if I could go through that twice. I hope Gantharla will be easier to protect than I was."
Baerauble looked into the Obarskyr eyes and nodded, but said nothing.
Iltharl turned to Sagrast. "And thank you, young Dracohorn. I caught wind of your plot, and I realized if I could not command the loyalty of my own steward, how could I hope to rule? As surely as any assassin's strike, you convinced me to think again, and in doing so I found the best path out. Now I will need your help in convincing the other nobles to follow a woman as their ruler."
Sagrast's mouth was as dry as flax. He managed to choke out, "What will you do, my lord?"
Iltharl smiled. "I think I wish to go north to Cormanthor to join the elves. They will take in a hapless king and leave me to my studies and my art. That way no one will be tempted to put me back on the throne. Can you arrange that, wizard?"
Baerauble bowed low. "As you wish, my lord."
Sagrast looked at the new queen. The young woman was adjusting the crown, setting it firmly on her brow. Looking up, she smiled at Sagrast, and the steward hastily bowed low. How had he missed the obvious? All the planning, all the scheming… and all it took was ignoring two and a half centuries of tradition to choose the best king!
Sagrast smiled to himself. Let Kallimar Bleth pledge his own troth to the new queen. Sagrast wished him luck. He flashed the queen a heartfelt smile and unbuckled his court sword, laying it at her feet so that there would be no misunderstanding as he drew it and offered it to her.
The steel grated out. As he drew it, on his knees and using only one hand, Sagrast was aware of Baerauble moving to one side and raising a hand. Ready to blast him with a spell, no doubt, if he tried any treachery now.
Sagrast smiled openly and laid his sword at the feet of his queen. "I offer you my life," he said faintly, "though I want so much more to build a bright Cormyr in service to you."
Gantharla touched his brow with her fingertips, and he looked up.
"Will you, Sagrast Dracohorn, be my loyal man and remain as diligent a steward of the realm as you have been?" she asked, eyes stern, yet dancing with excitement.
"Your Majesty, I will," Sagrast said. She extended her hand, and he kissed it and knelt.
Gantharla sighed. "Ah, yes… the kneeling part. Get up and take up your sword. Rise as Royal Steward and loyal subject, and may you bear both duties as long as the gods give you just strength to do so."
She turned her head to look at Baerauble. "Lord wizard-if that is indeed what I should call you-the Royal Steward has knelt to me. What will I say to those who refuse to kneel to a queen and insist that only a man can rightfully sit on the Dragon Throne?"
The old, gaunt wizard smiled at her. "Two things, lady. First tell them that I, Baerauble, have stood by the realm since its founding. I was there when Faerlthann was crowned, and I swore then to serve the Crown of Cormyr, not the King of Cormyr. So long as the crown rests on a head Obarskyr-born, Cormyr endures."
Gantharla closed her eyes and shuddered as if in relief. "I may live to see this year end, then," she said quietly, and then opened her eyes and asked, "And the second thing?"
Slowly, and in evident discomfort, the old