52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page i RAYMOND E. FEIST
Shards of a
Broken Crown
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page ii
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page iii To Jon and Anita Everson
Who were with me from the start.
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page iv
Acknowledgments
AS IS ALWAYS the case, I am indebted to many people for the creation of this book: The original creators of Midkemia, Steve Abrams, Jon Everson, and the rest of the Thursday/Friday Night bunch. Without their creativity, Midkemia would be far less than it is today.
My publishers for their belief and hard work.
The enthusiasm and support is “above and beyond,”
especially my editor, Jennifer Brehl, who is both good at her job and a friend.
My good friend and agent, Jonathan Matson, for always being there.
My wife, Kathlyn S. Starbuck, for more reasons than I can list, and for being the best first reader anyone can ask for.
And for all of those out there who send me letters of praise or complaint, who let me know someone out there is reading the work. Time does not permit me to answer most of them, but they all get read.
And to Sean Tate, who thought up the character of Malar.
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page v Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Characters List
Maps
Book IV - The Brother’s Tale
Prologue:
THE GENERAL KNOCKED.
1 Winter
THE WIND HAD died.
2 Wilderness
DASH SIGNALED.
3 Confrontations
PUG FROWNED.
4 Underground
DASH FLINCHED.
5 Confrontations
ARUTHA FROWNED.
6 Choices
NAKOR FROWNED.
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page vi
7 Opportunity
JIMMY GRIMACED.
8 Preparations
DASH SIGNALED.
9 Negotiations
JIMMY WAVED.
10 Investments
JIMMY FROWNED.
11 Disposition
ROO SNEEZED.
12 Gamble
ARUTHA POINTED.
13 Calamity
ERIK CHARGED.
14 Consequences
JIMMY WEPT.
15 Betrayal
JIMMY HALTED.
16 Deception
ERIK FROWNED.
17 Assaults
JIMMY POINTED.
18 Revelations
OWEN SQUIRMED.
19 Decisions
WIND SWEPT THE beach.
20 Clash
MEN SHOUTED.
21 Mysteries
THE DOOR OPENED.
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page vii
22 Realization
MEN STALKED THE woods.
23 Decisions
THE MEN WALKED softly.
24 Attacks
DASH RACED DOWN the street.
25 Confrontation
MEN SCREAMED.
26 Discovery
PUG’S ARM SHOT forward.
27 Intervention
THE HORSES PANTED.
28 Division
GATHIS BOWED.
Epilogue
PUG STOOD.
The World of Midkemia: A Primer
The Kingdom of the Isles
Kelewan and the Tsurani
Elvandar
The Dwarves
The Empire of Great Kesh
Novindus
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page viii
Bibliography
About the Author
Books by Raymond E. Feist
Praise for the Serpentwar Saga
Copyright
Cover Image
About the Publisher
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page ix
Character List
ACAILA—leader of the eldar, in the Elf Queen’s court
ADELIN—elf in Elvandar
AGLARANNA—Elf Queen in Elvandar, wife of Tomas, mother of Calin and Calis AKEE—Hidati hillman
AKIER—Lieutenant on Royal Bulldog ALETA—young disciple in Temple of Acrh-Indar ASHAM IBIN AL-TUK—Keshian General AVERY, RUPERT “ROO”—merchant of Krondor AVERY, KARLI—wife of Roo
BOYSE—Captain of Duko’s forces
BRIAN—Duke of Silden
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page x XII
CHARACTER LIST
CALHERN, THOMAS—acting Lieutenant of Palace Guard
CALIN—elf heir to the throne of Elvandar, half-brother to Calis, son of Aglaranna and King Aidan
CALIS—“The Eagle of Krondor,” special agent of the Prince of Krondor, Duke of the Court, son of Aglaranna and Tomas, half brother to Calin CHALMES—ruling magician at Stardock CHAPAC—twin brother of Tilac, son of Ellia D’LYES, ROBERT—magician from Stardock DE SAVON, LUIS—former soldier, assistant to Roo DELWIN—constable in Krondor
DESARDEN—swordsman in Krondor
DOKINS, KIRBY—snitch in Krondor
DOMINIC—Abbot of Ishapian Abbey at Sarth DUGA—mercenary captain from Novindus DUKO—General in the Emerald Queen’s Army DUVAL, MARCEL—squire from Bas-Tyra ELLIA—elf in Elvandar, mother of Chapac and Tilac ENARES, MALAR—servant discovered in wilderness ERLAND—brother to the King and uncle to Prince Patrick
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page xi CHARACTER LIST
XIII
FADAWAH—former general commanding the Emerald Queen’s Army, self-styled “King of the Bitter Sea”
FRANCINE “FRANCIE”—daughter of the Duke of Silden
GREYLOCK, OWEN—Knight-Marshal of the Prince’s Army
HAMMOND—Lieutenant in King’s Army HERBERT OF RUTHERWOOD—scribe in Port Vykor JACOBY, HELEN—Widow of Randolph Jacoby, mother of Natally and Willem
JALLOM—Captain of Duko’s army
JAMESON, JAMES “JIMMY”—elder son of Arutha, grandson of James
JAMESON, DASHEL “DASH”—younger son of Arutha, grandson of James
KAHIL—Fadawah’s intelligence chief KALEID—ruling magician at Stardock LELAND—son of Richard of Mukerlic LIVIA—daughter of Lord Vasarius
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page xii XIV
CHARACTER LIST
MACKEY—Sergeant of Palace Guard
MATAK—old soldier in Duko’s command MILO—owner of the Inn of the Pintail in Ravensburg, father of Rosalyn
MIRANDA—magician and ally of Calis and Pug NAKOR THE ISALANI—gambler, magic-user, friend of Pug
NARDINI—Captain of captured Quegan ship NORDAN—General in Fadawah’s army PAHAMAN—Ranger of Natal in Elvandar PATRICK—Prince of Krondor, son of Prince Erland, nephew to the King and Prince Nicholas PICKNEY—clerk at Krondor
PUG—magician, Duke of Stardock, cousin to the King, grandfather to Arutha, great-grandfather to Jimmy and Dash
REESE—thief in Krondor
RICHARD—Earl of Mukerlic
RIGGERS, LYSLE—the Upright Man, leader of the Mockers
ROSALYN—Milo’s daughter, wife of Rudolph, mother of Gerd
RUDOLPH—baker in Ravensburg, husband of 52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page xiii CHARACTER LIST
XV
Rosalyn, stepfather to Gerd
RUNCOR—Captain of Duko’s army
RYANA—dragon shape-changer, friend of Tomas and Pug
SHATI, JADOW—Lieutenant in Erik’s company SHO PI—former companion of Erik and Roo, student of Nakor
SONGTI—Captain of Duko’s army
STYLES—Captain of Royal Bulldog SUBAI—captain of the
Royal Krondorian Pathfinders
TALWIN—spy for Arutha
TILAC—twin brother of Chapac, son of Ellia TINKER, GUSTAF—prisoner with Dash, later Constable
TOMAS—Warleader of Elvandar, husband of Aglaranna, father of Calis, inheritor of the powers of Ashen-Shugar
TRINA—female thief, Daymaster of the Mockers TUPPIN, JOHN—thief with lumpy face, leader of Krondor’s “bashers”
VASARIUS—Quegan noble and merchant VON DARKMOOR, MATHILDA—Baroness of 52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page xiv XVI
CHARACTER LIST
Darkmoor, grandmother to Gerd
VON DARKMOOR, GERD—Baron of Darkmoor, son of Rosalyn and Stefan von Darkmoor, nephew to Erik
VON DARKMOOR, ERIK—Captain of the Crimson Eagles
WENDELL—Captain in Krondor
WIGGINS—Patrick’s Master of Ceremony WILKES—soldier in Erik’s army
ZALTAIS—?
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 1
B O O K I V
The Brothers’ Tale
Duty cannot exist without faith.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Earl of Beaconsfield
TANCRED, BK. II, CH. 1
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 2
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 3
Prologue
THE GENERAL KNOCKED.
“Enter,” said the self-styled King of the Bitter Sea as he looked up from a hastily scribbled note just handed him by his Captain of Intelligence, Kahil.
General Nordan entered and shook off the snow from his cloak. “You found us a cold land to rule, Majesty,” he said with a smile. He gave Kahil the briefest nod of greeting.
Fadawah, former Commanding General of the Army of the Emerald Queen, now ruler of the City of Ylith and the surrounding countryside, said, “At least it’s a cold land with food and firewood.” He waved in a vague fashion to the south. “We’re still getting stragglers in from as far away as Darkmoor who paint a bleak picture about conditions throughout the Western Realm.”
Nordan motioned to a chair and Fadawah nodded.
While old companions, they observed the formalities, as Fadawah prepared to launch his spring campaign. The General still wore the ritual scars on his cheeks, marks given him when swearing loyalty to the Pantathians. He had considered attempting to 3
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 4
4
RAYMOND E. FIEST
find a witch or healing priest who could remove them, for when he had finally realized that the Pantathians were as much dupes as he was, he had killed their remaining high priest. As far as Fadawah was concerned, he was no longer bound to anyone.
He was his own man, and he was in a rich land with an army. But Kahil had reminded him the scars were intimidating and kept the men in awe of him. Kahil had served the Emerald Queen before she had been destroyed by the demon, but he had proven a valuable and trusted advisor since the change in leadership of the invading army.
By last count over thirty thousand men had found their way into the south end of the province of Yabon. He had organized them, stationed them, and now controlled all the lands from Ylith south past Questor’s View, north to the outskirts of Zun, west to the city of Natal, which was now occupied by more of his own men than their own pitiful defenses. He had also captured Hawk’s Hollow, a small town, but one giving him control of a vital pass through the mountains to the east.
“Some of the men don’t like the idea of staying,”
said Nordan. The stocky soldier rubbed his bearded chin, and cleared his throat. “They’re talking of finding a ship and going back across the sea.”
“To what?” asked Fadawah. “To a land burned out and overrun by barbarians from the grasslands?
Besides the dwarven stronghold in the Ratn’gari Mountains and some surviving Jehsandi in the North, what is there left of civilization? Did we leave a city standing? Is there anything there to support us?” Fadawah scratched his head. He wore a single long fall of hair and shaved the rest of his head, 52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 5
SHARDS OF A BROKEN CROWN
5
another sign of his devotion to the Emerald Queen’s dark powers. “Tell any of the men who are talking this way that come spring, if they can find a ship and take it, they’re free to leave.” He looked off into space, as if seeing something in the air. “I want no one here who isn’t ready to serve me. We’re going to have a serious fight on our hands.”
“The Kingdom?”
Fadawah said, “You don’t think they’re going to sit idly by and not attempt to regain their lands, do you?”
“No, but they were terribly mauled at Krondor and Darkmoor. The prisoners tell us they don’t have much of an army left to put in the field.”
Fadawah said, “If they don’t bring their Army of the East over from Darkmoor, true. But if they do, we need to be ready.”
“Well,” said Nordan, “we won’t know until spring.”
“That’s only another three months,” said Fadawah. “We need to be prepared.”
“You have a plan?”
“Always,” said the wily old general. “I don’t want a two-front war if I can help it. If I was stupid, I could find myself in a four-front war.” He indicated a map on the wall of the room. They were currently occupying the estate house of the Earl of Ylith, dead by all reports along with the Duke of Yabon and the Earl of LaMut. “If our information is right, we face a boy up in LaMut.” He rubbed his chin. “We need to take LaMut as soon as the spring thaw begins, and I want Yabon in our grasp by midsummer.” He smiled. “Send a message to the leader in Natal . . .”
He turned to Kahil. “What’s his title?”
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 6
6
RAYMOND E. FIEST
“The First Councilor,” supplied his Captain of Intelligence.
“Send the First Councilor our thanks for his hospitality in providing billets for our men this winter, and send him some gold. A thousand pieces should do.”
“A thousand?” asked Nordan.
“We have it. And we’ll get more. Then withdraw our men and bring them here.” He looked at his old friend. “That will at least keep the First Councilor on our good side until we return to Natal, take and keep it.”
He pointed to the map. “I want Duko and his men down in Krondor by then.”
Nordan raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
Fadawah said, “Duko makes me uneasy. He’s an ambitious man.” He frowned. “It was only chance that put you and me first and second on the Pantathian’s roles, else we could be taking orders from Duko.”
Nordan nodded. “But he’s a good leader, and he’s always obeyed without question.”
“That he is, which is why I want him at the front.
I want you down behind him, in Sarth.”
“But why Krondor?” Nordan shook his head.
“There’s nothing there.”
“But there will be,” said Fadawah. “That’s their Western Capital, their Prince’s City, and they will move back there as quickly as they can.” He nodded to himself. “If Duko can keep them busy until we seize all of Yabon, then we can turn our sights on the Free Cities, this Far Coast region.” He pointed to the western coast of the Kingdom. “We’ll reoccupy Krondor and move back toward the old battle line.
52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 7
SHARDS OF A BROKEN CROWN
7
What’s that place?”
“Nightmare Ridge.”
“Well named.” Fadawah sighed. “I’m not a greedy man. Being King of the Bitter Sea is enough.
We’ll let the Kingdom of the Isles keep their Darkmoor and the lands to the east.” Then he smiled.
“For now.”
“But first we must retake Krondor.”
Fadawah said, “No, first we must make them think we want to retake Krondor. These Kingdom nobles are not stupid, they are not self-consumed l
ike those of our homeland.” He remembered how shocked the Priest-King of Lananda had been when Fadawah and his army had refused to heed his order to leave his city. “These are smart men, duty-bound men; they will come at us, and they will come hard.
We must expect that.
“No, let them think Krondor is the prize, and when they realize we are firm in Yabon, perhaps they will negotiate, or perhaps not, but either way, once we have control of Yabon, we are here for good. Let Duko get punished lest he become ambitious.”
Nordan stood. “If you permit, I’ll tell the men those who wish to leave in the spring may.”
Fadawah waved his permission.
“Majesty,” said Nordan, leaving Fadawah alone with Kahil.
To Kahil, Fadawah said, “Wait, then follow Nordan and see who he speaks with. Mark the men who are the leaders of these dissidents. They will have accidents before the thaw, and then we can put to rest this nonsense about returning to Novindus.”
“Of course, Majesty,” said the Captain of Intelligence. “And I applaud your design in putting 52893_~1.QXD 8/30/2002 10:02 AM Page 8
8
RAYMOND E. FIEST
Nordan down in Sarth.”
Fadawah said, “Design?”
Kahil leaned over, putting his arm around Fadawah’s shoulder, and he whispered, “Put all your disloyal commanders to the south, to insure that when the enemy exacts their price for our conquest, those we can most afford to lose pay it.”
Fadawah’s eyes became unfocused, as if he was listening to something in the distance. “Yes, that is wise.”
Kahil said, “You need to surround yourself with those who can be trusted, those who are loyal beyond a doubt. You need to return the Immortals to a place of prominence.”
“No!” said Fadawah. “Those madmen served dark powers—”
Kahil interrupted. “Not dark powers, Majesty, but vast powers. Powers that can insure your rule not only in Yabon, but in Krondor, too.”
“Krondor?” asked Fadawah.
Kahil clapped his hands twice, and the door swung open. Two warriors, each with ritual scars on his cheeks that matched Fadawah’s, entered, and Kahil said, “Guard the King with your lives.”
Fadawah repeated, “Krondor.”