“Will you then wed me, a poor landless knight, with only a good name of Chidair that no one on this earth remembers, duke of a long-gone land, and no fortune except my great black horse, my retired suit of armor, and my sword? Will you give me sweet fat children? Will you strike me lovingly with a skillet once a year in memory of all good things?”
“Yes,” she said, “Sir Knight, ninny fool, love of my life.”
He pressed his lips against her forehead and held her very tight. “Then I think we will do very well together, you and I . . . My Lady Persephone Chidair.”
The ship was only a few hundred feet from the harbor when a strange light seemed to shine from the waters, from the hazy greenish depths below.
“Oh look! What is that?” Percy pointed to some strange fluid shape of translucence that passed beneath them as they moved through the occasional foaming swells.
Or rather, they passed over it.
Whatever it was, it suddenly caught the light of the sun like a prism, and it seemed to reflect a thousand tiny colored stars like a rainbow of fractured shards, a thing of molten blue and heliotrope and lavender and liquid sky. . . .
Sapphire blue.
Percy and Beltain looked overboard and gazed with wonder at what was surely a splendid chair, made of translucent glass . . . as though the wind had stolen itself underwater and taken the fluid form of a throne.
It was the Sapphire Throne of the Domain.
The only remainder of the past, it would thus grace the dreamland of the Mediterranean waters, and one day, a goddess might reawaken upon it and rise forth, bursting in delight, to play upon the waves.
The Beginning
If you enjoyed this series, you might also like
Lords of Rainbow and Dreams of the Compass Rose
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Author’s Note: Imaginary History, Mythology and Cosmology
If you’ve made it this far, you are probably wondering about some of the liberties taken with history, in particular the fantasy version of the Renaissance, and the unusual European geography and mythical topology and mindset in this alternate universe.
The Cobweb Bride trilogy takes place in an imaginary “pocket” of Europe sometime in an alternate version of the 17th century Renaissance. I’ve modified the continent of Europe by inserting a significant wedge of land between France and Italy, dissolving Austria and Hungary into Germany and pushing the whole thing up north, shifting Spain halfway to the east and lowering the northern shores of the Mediterranean by pushing the southern portion of the continental landmass further down south so that the French Riviera is now where the sea is in our own reality.
Imagine a cross, with Germany up north, Spain to the south, France to the west, and Italy to the East. In the heart of the cross lies the imaginary land that comprises the Realm and the Domain.
Now that you’ve read the third and final book, you see that this is really an origin myth about the creation of the Underworld. It is also a myth of the grand scheme of things—the cycle of life and death (as they are inseparably linked together) and the cosmology involved, based on ancient Greek traditions. Persephone and Hades take center stage in this worldview, and I think they fit remarkably well into the sensibilities of the Renaissance. Indeed many of the Renaissance ideals evolved from the classical world, so this is truly a “marriage made on Olympus.”
According to Greek myth, Hecate took responsibility for the polecat. Pomegranates are really an Underworld “thing.” What happened at the original Eleusinian Mysteries remains a mystery, but I choose to think that it could very well be the pantomime of the Longest Night. Of course, in the language of modern science, it is also the metaphor for the Big Bang.
The culture of the mythical Realm and the Domain is an uneven mixture of French, Italian, Spanish, and German influences of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The language spoken is Latin-based “Romance,” and the linguistics are also a mixture of the same.
Other minor liberties taken include the referral to some physical parcels of land as “Dukedom” as opposed to the correct term “Duchy.” Royal and noble titles, ranks, and their terminology are similar, but not the exact equivalents of our own historical reality.
I hope you enjoyed spending time with Percy, Beltain, Claere, Vlau, and all the other curious mortals and gods in this mythic tapestry of story.
May Queen Mab herself bring you the sweetest dreams of airy wonder and delight!
And now, please see the next page for a list of all the character names with a pronunciation key.
List of Characters
(Dramatis Personae)
With Pronunciation Key
Death, Lord of the Keep of the Northern Forest
Village of Oarclaven (Lethe) (Oh-ahr-CLAY-ven)
Persephone (Per-SEH-pho-nee) or Percy (PUR-see) Ayren (EYE-Ren), middle daughter
Parabelle (Pah-rah-BELL) or Belle (Bell) Ayren, eldest daughter
Patriciana (Pah-tree-see-AHNA) or Patty (PEH-dee) Ayren, youngest daughter
Niobea (Nee-oh-BEH-ah) Ayren, their mother
Alann (Ah-LAHN) Ayren, their father
Bethesia (Beth-EH-zee-ah) Ayren, their grandmother
Johuan (Joh-HWAN) Ayren, their grandfather
Guel (Goo-EHL) Ayren, their uncle from Fioren (south of Letheburg)
Jack Rosten (ROS-ten), villager
Jules (JOOL-z), Jack’s second son, promised to Jenna Doneil
Father Dibue (Dee-B’YOU), village priest
Nicholas (NIH-koh-luss) Doneil (Doh-NEYL), village butcher
Marie (Muh-REE) Doneil, his wife
Faith Groaden (GROW-den), village girl
Mister Jaquard (Zhah-KARD), villager
Uncle Roald (ROH-uld), villager, the Ayrens’ neighbor across the street.
Bettie (BEH-tee), village girl
Kingdom of Lethe (LEH-thee) (Realm)
The Prince Heir Roland (Roh-LUND) Osenni (Oh-SYEN-nee) of Lethe
The Princess Lucia (Liu-SEE-ah) Osenni of Lethe
Queen Mother Andrelise (Un-dreh-LEEZ) Osenni
Prince John-Meryl (JON MEH-reel) Osenni, son and heir of the Prince.
Dukedom of Chidair (Chee-DEHR) (Lethe)
Duke Hoarfrost, Ian Chidair of Lethe
Lord Beltain (Bell-TEYN) Chidair of Lethe, his son, the black knight
Rivour (Ree-VOOR), Beltain’s old valet
Father Orweil (Or-WAIL), Chidair family chapel priest
Riquar (Reek-WAHR), Beltain’s man-a-arms
Laurent (Loh-RENT), pennant bearer of Chidair
Annie, girl in the forest
Dukedom of Goraque (Gor-AH-k) (Lethe)
Duke Vitalio (Vee-TAH-lee-oh) Goraque of Lethe
The Silver Court (Realm)
The Emperor Josephuste (Jo-zeh-FOOS-teh) Liguon (Lee-G’WON) II of the Realm
The Empress Justinia (Joo-STEE-nee-ah) Liguon
The Infanta Claere (KLEH-r) Liguon, the Grand Princess
Lady Milagra (Mee-LAH-grah) Rinon (Ree-NOHN), the Infanta’s First Lady-in-Attendance
Marquis Rinon of Morphaea, her father
Lady Selene (Seh-LEHN) Jenevais (Zheh-neh-VAH-is), Lady-in-Attendance, of Lethe
Lady Floricca (FLOH-ree-kah) Grati (GRAH-tee), Lady-in-Attendance, of Styx
Lady Liana (Lee-AH-nah) Crusait (Kroo-SAH-eet), Lady-in-Attendance, of Morphaea
Lady Alis (Ah-LEE-s) Denear (Deh-ne-AHR), Lady-in-Attendance, of Lethe
Baron Carlo (KAR-loh) Irnolas (Eer-noh-LAH-s), Imperial knight
Lord Givard (Ghee-VAHR-d) Mariseli (Mah-ree-SEH-lee), Imperial Knight
Doctor Belquar (Behl-KWAH-r), head Imperial physician
Doctor Hartel (Hahr-TEH-l), Imperial physician
Kingdom of Styx (STEEK-s) (Realm
)
King Augustus (Uh-GUS-tus) Ixion (EEK-see-ohn) of Styx
King Claudeis (Kloh-DEH-ees) Ixion of Styx, deceased
Queen Rea (REH-ah) Ixion of Styx, deceased
Marquis Vlau (V’LAH-oo) Fiomarre (F’yoh-MAH-r) of Styx
Micul (Mee-KOOL) Fiomarre of Styx, Vlau’s father
Ebrai (Eh-BRAH-ee) Fiomarre, Vlau’s older brother
Celen (Seh-LEH-n) Fiomarre, Vlau’s younger brother
Marquise Eloise (Eh-loh-EEZ) Fiomarre, Vlau’s mother, deceased
Oleandre (Oh-leh-AHN-dr) Fiomarre, Vlau’s younger sister
Lady Ignacia (Eeg-NAY-shuh) Chitain (Chee-TAY-n), of Styx/Balmue
Kingdom of Morphaea (Mohr-FEH-ah) (Realm)
King Orphe (Or-FEH) Geroard (Geh-roh-AHR-d) of Morphaea
Duke Claude (KLOH-d) Rovait (Roh-VEY-t) of Morphaea
Andre (Ahn-DREH) Eldon (Ehl-DOH-n), the Duke of Plaimes (PLEY-m’s), of Morphaea
Duchess Christiana (Khree-stee-AH-nah) Rovait of Morphaea
Countess Jain (JEY-n) Lirabeau (Lee-rah-BOH) of Morphaea
Lady Amaryllis (Ah-mah-REE-liss) Roulle (ROOL), of Morphaea
Lord Nathan (NEY-th’n) Woult (WOOL-t), of Morphaea
The Road
Grial (Gree-AHL), witch woman from Letheburg (LEH-thee-b’rg)
Ronna (ROHN-nuh) Liet (LEE-eh-t), Innkeeper at Tussecan (TUSS-see-kahn), Grial’s cousin
Mrs. Beck (BEH-k), cook at Ronna’s Inn
Jenna (JEH-nuh) Doneil (Doh-NEY-l), butcher’s daughter from Oarclaven
Flor (FLOH-r) Murel (M’you-REH-l), baker’s daughter from Oarclaven
Gloria (GLOH-ree-ah) Libbin (LEE-bin), blacksmith’s daughter from Oarclaven
Emilie (Eh-mee-LEE) Bordon (Bohr-DOHN), swineherd’s daughter from south of Oarclaven
Sibyl (SEE-beel), tailor’s daughter from Letheburg
Regata (Reh-GAH-tah), merchant’s daughter from Letheburg
Lizabette (Lee-zah-BET) Crowlé (Krow-LEH), teacher’s daughter from Duarden (Doo-AHR-dehn)
Catrine (Kaht-REEN), sister of Niosta, from south of Letheburg
Niosta (Nee-OHS-tuh), sister of Catrine, from south of Letheburg
Marie (Mah-REE), girl from Fioren (F’YOH-rehn), originally from the Kingdom of Serenoa (Seh-REH-noh-ah) (Domain)
The Sapphire Court (Domain)
The Sovereign, Rumanar (Roo-mah-NAH-r) Avalais (Ah-vah-LAH-ees) of the Domain
Kingdom of Balmue (Bahl-MOO) (Domain)
King Clavian (Klah-vee-AHN) Sestial (Ses-tee-AH-l) of Balmue
Marquis Nuor (Noo-OHR) Alfre (Ahl-FREH), ambassador of Balmue, Peer of the Domain
Viscount Halronne (Hal-RONN) Deupris (Deh-oo-PREE), Peer of the Domain
New Characters Introduced in Cobweb Empire
Kingdom of Lethe (Realm)
Carlinne (Kahr-LEEN) Ayren, wife of Guel, in Fioren
Martin (MAHR-tin) Ayren, Percy’s cousin in Fioren
Mistress Saronne (Sah-RONN), tavern proprietress in Duarden
André (Ahn-DREH) Saronne, young boy, her son, dead, in Duarden
Jared (JEH-red) Gaisse (Gah-EESS), dead man in Duarden
Hendrick (HEN-drik), dead man in Duarden
Faeline (Fey-LEEN), girl in Chidair Keep
Jacques (ZHAHK) / Jack, the black knight’s horse
Village of Oarclaven (Lethe)
Martha (MAR-thuh) Poiron (Poy-ROHN), old village woman
Rosaide (Ro-ZAH-eed) Vellerin (Vel-leh-REEN), village gossip
Kingdom of Tanathe (Tah-nah-theh) (Domain)
Flavio (FLAH-vee-oh) San Quellenne (SAHN Kweh-LENN), young boy on the beach
Jelavie (Zhe-lah-VEE) San Quellenne, his older sister on the beach
Kingdom of Solemnis (Soh-LEM-niss) (Domain)
King Frederick (Freh-deh-REEK) Ourin (Oo-REEN) of Solemnis
Duke Raulle (Rah-UHL) Deotetti (Deh-oh-TET-tee) of Solemnis
Duchess Beatrice (Beh-ah-TRISS) Deotetti (deceased, undead), wife of the Duke Deotetti
Kingdom of Balmue (Domain)
Count Lecrant (Leh-CRAH-nt) D’Arvu (D’AHR-voo) of Balmue
Countess Arabella (Ah-rah-BEL-lah) D’Arvu of Balmue
Lady Leonora (Leh-oh-NOH-rah) D’Arvu of Balmue, their daughter
Lady Sidonie (See-doh-NEE), young lady playing in the fields in Elysium
Valentio (Vah-LEN-tee-oh), young gentleman in the fields in Elysium
The Sapphire Court (Domain)
Quentin (KWEN-tin) Loirre (Looh-AHR), spy in the service of the Sovereign
Marie-Louise (Mah-REE-Loo-EEZ), maiden in the cobweb chamber
Lily (LEE-lee), maiden in the cobweb chamber
Beatrice (Beh-ah-TRISS), maiden in the cobweb chamber
Lady Melinoë (Meh-lee-NOH-eh) Avalais, daughter of the Sovereign
Thesmos (THES-moss), the Goddess of Tradition
Trovadii (Troh-VAH-dee-ee), the loyal special army of the Sovereign
Field Marshal Claude (CLOD) Maetra (Mah-EH-trah) from Tanathe, commanding the First Army of the Trovadii
Field Marshal Matteas (Maht-TEH-ahs) Quara (Koo-AH-ruh) from Balmue, commanding the Second Army
Field Marshal Edmunde (Ehd-MOOND) Vaccio (VAH-chee-oh) from Solemnis, commanding the Third Army
Graccia (GRAH-chee-ah), personal maidservant of the Sovereign
Diril (DEE-rihl), secret surveillance agent, of unknown affiliation
New Characters Introduced in Cobweb Forest
Hades (HAY-dees), God of the Underworld
Persephone (Per-SEH-pho-nee), Goddess of the Underworld
Hecate (HEH-kah-tee), Goddess of the Crossroads
Kingdom of Styx
Bruno (BRU-noh) Melograno (Meh-loh-GRAH-noh), officer of Charonne garrison at Styx
Kingdom of Lethe
Lord Granwell (GRAN-well), advisor to the King of Lethe
Captain Brandeis (Brahn-DEIS), officer of Letheburg garrison
Gerard (Jeh-RAHRD) Sorven (SOHR-ven), Belle’s beau from Fioren.
Baron Gundar (GUHN-dahr) Dureval (Duh-reh-VAHL), Goraque knight
Sir Marlon (MAHR-luhn) Wedeis (Weh-DEIS), Goraque knight
Kingdom of Tanathe
Lady Calliope (Cah-LAH-yo-peh) San Quellenne, liege lady of the region of San Quellenne
Father Suell (Sue-EHL), parish priest at San Quellenne
Other Books by Vera Nazarian
Lords of Rainbow
Dreams of the Compass Rose
Salt of the Air
The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration
The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass
Mayhem at Grant-Williams High (YA)
The Duke in His Castle
After the Sundial
Mansfield Park and Mummies
Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons
Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy’s Dreadful Secret
Vampires are from Venus, Werewolves are from Mars:
A Comprehensive Guide to Attracting Supernatural Love
Cobweb Bride
Cobweb Empire
Cobweb Forest
(Forthcoming)
Qualify: The Atlantis Grail
Compete: The Atlantis Grail
Win: The Atlantis Grail
Pagan Persuasion: All Olympus Descends on Regency
Please see Vera Nazarian’s Amazon Author Central page for more titles.
Thank you for your support!
About the Author
Vera Nazarian immigrated to the USA from the former USSR as a kid, sold her first story at the age of 17, and since then has published numerous works in anthologies and magazines, and has seen her fiction translated into eight languages.
She made her novelist debut with the critically acclaimed arabesque “collage” novel Dreams of the Compass Rose, followed by epic fantasy about a world without color, Lords of Rainbow. Her novella The Clock King and the Queen of the Hourglass from PS Publishing (UK) with an introduction by Charles de Lint made the Locus Recommended Readin
g List for 2005. Her debut short fiction collection Salt of the Air, with an introduction by Gene Wolfe, contains the 2007 Nebula Award-nominated “The Story of Love.” Other work includes the 2008 Nebula Award-nominated, self-illustrated baroque fantasy novella The Duke in His Castle, science fiction collection After the Sundial (2010), self-illustrated Supernatural Jane Austen Series parodies Mansfield Park and Mummies (2009), Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons (2010), Pride and Platypus: Mr. Darcy’s Dreadful Secret (2012), The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration (2010), and a parody of paranormal love and relationships advice Vampires are from Venus, Werewolves are from Mars (2012).
Vera recently relocated from Los Angeles to the East Coast. She lives in a small town in Vermont, and uses her Armenian sense of humor and her Russian sense of suffering to bake conflicted pirozhki and make art.
In addition to being a writer and award-winning artist, she is also the publisher of Norilana Books.
Official website:
www.veranazarian.com
Acknowledgements
There are so many of you whose unwavering,
loving support made this book happen—
My gratitude is boundless, and I thank you
with all my heart.
First, my dear friends and fantastic first readers:
Anastasia Rudman, F.R.R. Mallory, Jeremy Frank, Sara Cooper, and Susan Franzblau.
Indiegogo Acknowledgements