Dragon Prince 03 - Sunrunner's Fire

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXILES
THE RUINS OF AMBRAI
THE MAGEBORN TRAITOR

 

 

DRAGON PRINCE
DRAGON PRINCE
THE STAR SCROLL
SUNRUNNER’S FIRE

 

 

DRAGON STAR
STRONGHOLD
THE DRAGON TOKEN
SKYBOWL

 

 

THE GOLDEN KEY
(with Jennifer Roberson and Kate Elliott)

Copyright ©1990 by Melanie Rawn.

All rights reserved.

 

 

DAW Books Collectors No. 806.

 

DAW Books are distributed by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

 

All characters and events in this book are fictitious.
All resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.

 

 

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First Trade Printing, August 2005

eISBN : 978-1-101-16557-7

 

T
he immense emerald caught and concentrated the fire of the setting sun into a fierce glow alive with green-gold light. Sunrunner though High Princess Sioned was, and skilled in the arts of the
faradh’im,
the other rings that would signify her rank among them were missing from her hands. For many years she had worn only her husband’s ring, the emerald he had given her half their lifetimes ago. But tonight she could feel the rest still on her hands, as she’d told Lady Andrade: like scars.

There were others with her in the evening hush who wore
faradhi
rings. The three circling the fingers of her sister-by-marriage, Princess Tobin, were honorary; nonetheless they betokened considerable if informally trained power. Tobin’s eldest son Maarken and his wife Hollis each wore six rings; Riyan, only son of Sioned’s old friend Ostvel, had four. Had Sioned still worn hers, they would have numbered seven—but she knew quite honestly that her talents and her powers would have merited eighth and ninth rings by now. That she chose not to claim them was indication enough of where her loyalties lay.

She lifted her head and met her husband’s solemn expression. He knelt directly across from her on a broad blue carpet flung over dry grass. A golden brazier rested in the center of the rug. Its wide, empty dish, supported by four carved dragon claws, was polished to a mirror’s gleam. Before Sioned was a golden pitcher and a small matching wine cup. She did not look at the latter very long; she gazed into Rohan’s face and, as always, drew strength from what she saw there.

Rohan was flanked by Maarken and Riyan; Hollis and Ostvel sat on Sioned’s right, Tobin and her husband Chaynal to her left. She thought of the absent others, and the reasons why they were not here. Her son, Pol, was back at Graypearl, safe on Prince Lleyn’s island under the watchful guardianship of another Sunrunner and old friend, Meath. Alasen, Sioned’s kinswoman and Ostvel’s young wife, was at Stronghold, but she would have nothing to do with
faradhi
ways. Although she possessed gifts in generous measure, Sunrunner workings terrified her. Sorin, Chay and Tobin’s third son, was far away, the only family witness to ceremonies that would tonight create his twin brother Lord of Goddess Keep in Andrade’s place.

The gardens of Stronghold were silent. Princess Milar’s fountain ran dry in autumn. Servants and retainers were within the great keep or the courtyards, making ready for departures on the morrow. Tobin and Chay were going home to Radzyn, Maarken and Hollis to their manor at Whitecliff. Ostvel and Alasen would stay the winter with Riyan at Skybowl to the north before traveling to Castle Crag, where Ostvel would assume his duties as new regent of Princemarch. By tomorrow evening Rohan and Sioned would again be alone at Stronghold, linked to family and friends only by her weavings of light.

A glance at the shadows told her it was time. She rested her open hands on her knees, staring down at the emerald. “According to ritual, Andry will call Fire in front of the senior Sunrunners, and Urival will give him the first ring. Then Air, and the second ring. They’ll pause while Water and Earth are honored, and then he’ll have to prove that he can conjure in Fire. At that point he’ll receive the third ring. Just before dusk he’ll weave sunlight to summon the
faradh’im
resident at Goddess Keep who wear fewer than seven rings. Once he’s done that, the fourth and fifth will be given. With moonrise he’ll demonstrate his ability to weave moonlight, and that will be the sixth ring. Up until that time, the ritual will be as it has always been.”

Chay shifted and frowned, knowing what she was about to say and unable to hide his disapproval of his son’s plans. Sioned gave him a sympathetic look. They had gotten over the initial shock of Andry’s departure from tradition, but acceptance was something else again. It had been several days since Urival had spoken with Sioned on sunlight, his colors flaring with outrage at Andry’s presumption. Certain other important Sunrunners, who would also be watching tonight from great distances, had been similarly informed so their startlement would not disrupt the proceedings. But Sioned wondered what the reaction would be at Goddess Keep itself when the resident
faradh’im
actually participated in the new ceremony.

“It won’t be sunset there for a little while,” Rohan said. “Chay, you’ve obviously got something on your mind. Say it.”

The Lord of Radzyn shrugged, an attempt at casualness. “Maybe I’m just getting conservative in my old age. Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And he seems to have his reasons.”

“But why couldn’t he have waited?” Tobin burst out. “He’s moving too fast. The tradition of hundreds of years can’t be wiped out in a single night!”

Rohan looked pensive. “You’re both right, of course. But consider Andry’s motives. He needs to do something to indicate how different his rule will be from Andrade’s.”

“She’s been dead forty days,” Sioned murmured. “Why does it seem so much longer?”

Ostvel used one finger to smooth a ripple in the carpet. “You’ve told me she was uneasy about Andry. But Urival is there, and knows him well. Urival will guide him.”

“But not control him,” Sioned replied.

“And did Andrade ever really control you?” Ostvel smiled faintly. “Andry’s not a fool, Sioned, nor is he venal or grasping. He’s a very young man thrust into a position of great power before being prepared for it. I think there are those among us who can understand his feelings and his needs.”

Rohan nodded. “Oh, yes. I understand him very well. I’ve been the architect of a few departures from tradition myself, many of them in my first year as a ruling prince. And this is Andry we’re talking about here—a boy you and I played dragons with, Ostvel. Nephew, son, and brother.” His gaze moved around the circle.

Sioned cleared her throat and looked down at the wine cup. Slowly she filled it from the golden pitcher. Then she reached into a pocket and took out a small cloth pouch.