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In the north, Cinhil's forces encountered little resistance. The greater part of Kheldour
had accepted Sighere's liberating army the previous autumn, and by now greeted the
almost-legendary King Cinhil as a long-awaited friend. Rhendall was more difficult, for the
rugged terrain of that mountain region afforded ample hiding places for Festillic forays
against the occupying Gwynedd army. But by the end of August, even the last of the
Kheldour Festils had been ferreted out of their hiding place between Rhendall's twin lakes,
the young niece and nephew of the slain Termed finally surrendering their fortress
stronghold of Rhorau.
Cinhil would not allow the two to be killed, though Sighere urged it and Jebediah
counseled the same; for they were, both of them, hardly more than children. Nor could he
allow them to go free and breed future Festillic threats. God knew, one such threat in
Torenth was enough to anticipate. Reluctantly, he consigned them to the wardenship of
Sighere's eldest son, Ewan, to whom he also gave the lordship of the entire Rhendall
region. Ewan would keep the two in close but honorable captivity until the end of their
days a grim fate, but not so grim as some which Cinhil had considered.
Further consolidation was also accomplished during that summer's campaign. Hrorik,
Sighere's middle son, so distinguished himself in battle that he became a chief vassal of
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Cinhil in his own right, receiving most of the lands of his father's former earldom of East-
march as his holding. Sighere's youngest son, also named Sighere, was granted the new
earldom to be called Marley, carved out of the northern portions of old Eastmarch, for he
had also served Cinhil most valiantly. In all three of Sighere's sons, Cinhil counted himself
fortunate. He could not conceive of more loyal and powerful allies to hold this newest
extension of his kingdom.
But for Sighere himself was reserved the greatest honor of all: to be created a duke the
first ever in Gwynedd and to receive for himself and his heirs the royal Duchy of
Claibourne, so named for the principal city of the northwesternmost portion of old
Kheldour. Duke Sighere also became Viceroy of the Kheldish Riding, that office to become
the hereditary due of the Dukes of Claibourne for as long as Sighere's line should last.
Rhendall, now held by Ewan, would be the secondary title of the Claibourne dukes, borne
during the duke's lifetime by his eldest son but functioning as a separate earldom under
that son so long as father and son both lived. On Sighere's death, Ewan would become
Duke of Claibourne as well as Earl of Rhendall, until he had a son to administer the lesser
title. Of course, the viceregal office also went with the ducal inheritance. Sighere had great
reason to be pleased as the summer days began to shorten.
And in Valoret, the weeks and months passed as quickly for Camber as they did for his
king, if with less dramatic excitement than what Cinhil daily faced in Kheldour. The shift
from spring to summer brought Queen Megan's condition to the notice of anyone with the
eyes to see, her blossoming happiness the delight of all who loved their usually sad-faced
young queen. Evaine, too, began to show unmistakable signs of impending motherhood, to
be delivered shortly past Christmas. Rhys, physician to both women, could hardly decide
whether he was more pleased with the improved health and spirits of Megan or the
splendid progress of the son his wife carried beneath her heart.
Of course, Megan's son would be another heir for Gwynedd and God knew, they needed
another. But thought of his own son brought a tremor of excitement to Rhys's mind
whenever he thought about him. In fact, he sometimes found it difficult to reconcile his
own joyous wonderment with the utter calm and serenity which Evaine increasingly
displayed. Her entire outlook took on a mellowness which was quite alien to the Evaine
Rhys knew so well. Even Joram ceased the occasional sharp comments which he and his
sister had sometimes exchanged in the past. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]