B. V. Larson Hyborean Dragons To Dream

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.He said only a powerful new King of Hyborea could bring back the sun.”Therian rocked back in his chair, the ancient joints of it creaking in protest.“Think then, man! Have you not just discovered a powerful new King to rule Hyborea?”Gruum’s mouth fell open.He made no answer.Therian rose and loomed over him.“And what sort of King did you believe could beseech the sun to burn hotly once again?”“I—” stammered Gruum, “I had envisioned a powerful mailed knight.”“Did you perhaps think a man could relight the sun without the aid of sorcery? Did you daydream that such a powerful sorcerer would be peaceable and kind and beautiful to look upon?”“I had not thought of these things.”Therian nodded, and paced for a moment, allowing Gruum to ponder his fate.Therian noticed as Gruum surreptitiously made an ancient table knife vanish from the boards.It must have been left there after a meal centuries earlier.Finally, Therian came to a decision.“I give you now a choice, Gruum of Santh.I will shortly be King of this land.I sense within you the power of loyalty, to a cause at least, if not a man.Fortunately for you, I am no less dedicated to the same cause.Therefore I ask for your oath of fealty, I ask you to renounce all other Kings and Lords, I demand your servitude from this moment until one or the other of us perishes, or until the sun is again rekindled.”Gruum stared at Therian for a long, hard moment.“And what, milord, might be the second option?”“Instant death, but without an eternity of servitude to Anduin.”“A merciful offer indeed, milord.”Therian nodded.Gruum rose slowly.To Therian, he looked as if he dreamed.Gruum replaced the table knife he had secreted back upon the boards.“Good to see you armed yourself.I need a man of resourceful capacity,” Therian said and nodded approvingly.Gruum walked around the table and fell upon one knee before Therian.He swore fealty to his new lord.He swore to serve him unto death or until the sun was rekindled.Therian eyed Gruum.The man had set his foot upon a very dark path.-11-An hour before dawn, a commotion began in the castle.Therian strode through the corridors, his feet ringing on the stone floors.He wore a jingling shirt of fine chain and bore the twin weights of Seeker and Succor at his sides.Because of King Euvoran’s funeral, the apartments of the castle were more populated than they had been for a decade.Behind the Prince hurried Gruum and the meaty slave with the encased black book.As they passed chambers, sleepy-eyed nobles looked out to see what the ruckus was about.Seeing Therian, who still had the visage of a wolf, most pulled back quickly into their doorways.One knight, however, did accost him.“Milord?” spoke a strong voice out of the darkness.“How may I be of service?”Therian paused, blinking.He turned upon the man.He recognized Sir Tovus.Despite all his bravery, the knight did wilt slightly when confronted by Therian’s grim face.“There is treachery in Corium tonight,” said Therian, “If you yet serve me, the rightful heir to the throne of Hyborea, then gather thyself and thy gear and march with me.”“I hear your call, milord,” answered Tovus, he turned and barked to his servants.Within a minute, he was hurrying down the corridor behind the others.He wore only a tunic, helm, shield and axe, having sensed there was no time for donning full armor.When they finally reached the seventh silver tower of Corium, Therian did not bother to knock or ask permission to enter.Wielding his boot with a strength none had ever seen in him, nor any other mortal man, he kicked in the doors to the great portal.The doors clanged back against their buffers with a great ringing sound.A startled man-at-arms rose from his post and lifted a halberd, seeking to block Therian’s progress.“Halt!”Therian bashed him in the face with Succor’s pommel.The man reeled and toppled back into the walls, senseless.Therian ordered the slave to wait outside and motioned for Sir Tovus and Gruum to follow him.They marched directly to the bedchambers, and there found the Baron Sloan winding back a crossbow.The Baron took aim as they entered and fired a streaking bolt at Therian.Sir Tovus interceded with his shield.The bolt pierced the iron and wood, but not flesh.Sir Tovus quickly discarded the shield as useless.The knight then stalked forward on the balls of his feet, his axe at the ready.“I take it we have found the traitor, milord?” rumbled the knight.“Hold, Tovus, he is mine,” said the prince.“How dare you invade my chambers at this hour, Therian?” demanded Baron Sloan.“You are not King of this land yet.You have gone too far.”“It is you who has gone too far, Baron.”“Do you seek to arrest me?” The Baron roared with laughter.“Nay, I seek to slay you,” replied Therian.The Baron rose and drew his sword, laughing at them.“Such bravado! I give you credit Princeling, I never would have expected it of you.Guards!”Several retainers appeared at the exits.“Have a care, princeling,” said the Baron.“I count five men-at-arms, and I only see a boy with an old knight and a thief at his side.”Therian lifted Seeker and Succor and stepped forward.“I challenge you to a duel, Baron Sloan.”The Baron’s eyes narrowed.“You profane those blades with your weak hands upon them.”“Prove your words.”With a snarl, Sloan attacked him, and Therian parried, giving ground.Therian counterattacked, and quickly the Baron’s eyes showed shock.Each of Therian’s blows jarred and numbed his limbs.He was driven back with a flurry of powerful strokes that such thin arms should never have been able to muster.Therian sang a battlesong in Dragon Speech.Everyone present felt pain to hear the alien words.“Sorcery!” panted the Baron, retreating before the onslaught.“Blue worm, you are no man!”Gleeful, Therian drove Seeker’s gleaming tip into his breast.More dark words spilled from the prince’s lips [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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