High Deryni (46 page)

“Then,
I
should do it,” Kelson breathed. “Brion was my father. I am his son.
I
should avenge his death.”

“My prince, I had thought to spare you this,” Morgan began.

“No! Vengeance is
mine
!
I
will repay. Tell me how to do it. Don't force me to command you.”

“Kelson, I—” Morgan had intended to try to dissuade him, but the king's face was set, determined. Gray eyes clashed in a war of wills for several seconds, but then Morgan broke the contact, knowing he had lost. With a tired sigh, he bowed his head, extending his hand.

“Very well, my prince. Open your mind to me and I will show you what you seek.”

Kelson complied. There was a moment of deep silence as his eyes assumed a far look. Then he was bringing into focus the rest of his surroundings once more, lifting both hands slightly in disbelief. His face was grave, incredulous, and more than a little awed.

“Even so?” he breathed, a little frightened at the power he now held in his hands.

“It is even so,” Morgan confirmed.

As though he had not heard, Kelson turned away and scanned the circle around him, saw the four of the Council still turned inward to observe, their faces grave. His gaze passed over the motionless form that had been Rhydon/ Camber/Coram, then moved on to the three on the ground a little way across the circle. He walked toward them slowly, as though in a trance, his fists clenching and unclenching slightly as he came to a halt before Wencit of Torenth. Though the sorcerer could not move, his pale eyes blazed up at Kelson.

“Are you in pain?” Kelson murmured, his face impassive.

Wencit tried to move and could not, then tried to speak. It cost him great effort, but the words managed to escape, low and rasping.

“You could ask such a thing, knowing how Rhydon died?”

Kelson turned his face away uncomfortably. “That was not my doing. I had no wish to win by treachery. Better the clean death of honest defeat than a tainted victory.”

“If you think I believe that, you must take me for an even greater fool than I have been,” Wencit said bitterly. “At any rate, you will not walk away from this victory and forget what you have done, however much your precious pride detests what you must do.”

“What do you mean, what I
must
do?” Kelson said, his gaze snapping back to Wencit.

“Well, I cannot think you truly mean to let us lie here until we die.” Wencit made a weak attempt at a chuckle. “Your father was not one to let even a wounded hawk or stag hound suffer needlessly. Would you do less for a man?”

“Are you saying that you
want
to die, that you don't care if I must kill you?”

Wencit coughed weakly and tensed, as though the movement had cost him even more pain. When he looked up at Kelson again, there was a pleading in his eyes, even though he tried to bite back the words he now spoke.

“You little fool, of course I care,” he whispered. “But I cannot live; I know that. Rhydon—or rather, Coram—did his work well. And I know what lies ahead of me before the end, if I receive not the coup. Coram has already killed me. My body is dead, though my mind does not know it yet. Spare me the awful agony of finding out for certain.”

Kelson swallowed with difficulty, then knelt down beside Wencit. He did not yet know what he was going to do. A part of him was moved by the agony of this fellow being in pain, but another part rejoiced to see his father's murderer brought thus to his fate. He started to reach out his hand, then stopped and clenched his fist against his chest, bowed his head as Wencit's whisper repeated itself in his ear: “Release me…please….”

Kelson heard the shift of feet behind him and knew that the others were standing now at his back, ready to support him—could almost feel their thoughts beating at the back of his head. Resolutely he closed them out, and his eyes went dark and hooded as he stretched forth his right hand over Wencit's chest. He started to move, then caught himself as another, final thought came to mind.

“Wencit of Torenth, do you claim the solace of Holy Church?”

Wencit blinked and would have smiled if the move had not cost him so much pain. “I claim only death, Kelson of Gwynedd, and welcome it. Spare me further torment. Do what you must do.”

To the side, Kelson was aware of Lionel and Bran gazing silently at him, the pleading evident also in their pain-wracked eyes. Slowly, deliberately, Kelson turned his gaze back to Wencit, his right hand contracting slowly over Wencit's heart as he whispered low:

“Then, die, Wencit. Obtain release. Feel the cold hand of death at your heart, and the rustle of the death-angel's wings. Thus share you the death of my father Brion. Thus is the heart of Wencit
stopped
!”

At the last word, his fist clenched convulsively. Wencit stiffened, a faintly startled look in his eyes. Then the proud body of the one-time King of Torenth was but an empty shell, life and intelligence—and agony—now past.

Before the others could react, Kelson moved between Lionel and Bran and this time stretched forth both his hands, one above the heart of each man.

“Go with your master and the angel of death, Lionel of Arjenol and Bran Coris Earl of Marley. And may God, in His infinite wisdom, find you more mercy than
I
have been able to bestow upon you. Be
still
!”

Again, there was the convulsive clench of fists, the jerk of anguished bodies. Then all was still.

Slowly Kelson let his hands sink to his sides, to rest heavily against the grass beneath his knees. When he looked up, it was to search the three grave faces of his friends. But as he got to his feet, he drew away from the hand Arilan stretched out to assist him.

“Don't, Excellency. It is not fitting that a holy man should touch me. I have just killed, and my hands are bloody.”

“You had no choice, my prince,” Arilan said quietly, understanding, but lowering his hand just the same. “You rendered an act of mercy. And these men were your enemies. They deserved to die.”

“Perhaps. But not like this. I would not have had it end this way.”

Morgan looked down at the toes of his boots. “We are not always masters of our destinies, Sire. You know that. It is sometimes the awful duty of a king, that he must kill.”

“But he is not obliged to like it,” Kelson whispered. “It is not something of which he should be proud.”

“And are you proud?” Duncan replied. “I think not. I have known you too long and too well to believe that of you.”

“But I'm glad they are dead,” Kelson said stiffly. “How do I reconcile that? And at the time, I wanted them to die. I willed it, and they died. No man should have that power, Father.”

“But some men do,” Morgan said. “Wencit had it once—and used it.”

“Does that make it right?”

“No.”

There was a long silence in which no one dared to speak; then Kelson moved slowly back to Wencit's side. He stared down at the body for a long moment, scarcely breathing, then bent slowly to take the crown from Wencit's head.

“This is our prize this day, my friends,” he said bitterly. “The crown of a kingdom I never wished to rule, the death of a friend I had hardly come to know,” he gestured toward Coram's body, “and a legacy of disappointment in myself, that there could be no other way.”

Arilan started to speak, but Kelson held up an imperious hand. “No, I will not hear your comfort just now, Bishop. Allow me the luxury of feeling guilty for what I've had to do. In the realities of being who and what I am, I know that, all too soon, this will seem merely expedient. But not today.

“No, today I must go out of this circle, with you, my loyal friends, and face the cheers of my people, who will be overjoyed at the victory I have brought them. There I will receive the hollow homage of a child-prince whose father I have killed, give back another fatherless child to a woman whose husband I have slain—even though he deserved to die—and I will be expected to look as though I am pleased at the entire thing. You will pardon me, gentlemen, if I do not rejoice.”

He hefted Wencit's crown in his hand and glanced at it dejectedly, then turned to look at them again.

“Come, gentlemen, the king plays out his role. The populace is waiting. If my smile of victory occasionally goes a little ragged around the edges, you will know the reason why.”

He lifted his head, and the circle glowed and was dissolved; the magic fell away. And as the king emerged, bearing the crown of Torenth in his hands, there arose a great cheering from the army of Gwynedd, and a great battering of swords and spears against shields to show their approval, and a thundering of horses' hooves as the king's men came riding out to meet him.

The four Deryni who had overseen it all laid their white and golden mantles upon the shoulders of the victors, that the words of the scripture might be fulfilled. And the friends of the king placed him upon a white horse, that he might be better seen as he rode to the men of Torenth's lines to claim his victory.

But the crown lay heavily that day upon the Heir of Haldane.

(*Indicates a deceased character, or one only mentioned indirectly.)

A
LAIN
—Morgan's alias at Saint Torin's.

A
LARIC
Anthony Morgan, Duke—see MORGAN, Duke Alaric Anthony.

A
LROY,
Prince—eldest son of Duke Lionel, age twelve; heir to Wencit of Torenth.

A
RILAN,
Bishop Denis—see DENIS Arilan, Bishop.

B
ARRETT
de Laney, Lord—blind coadjutor of the Camberian Council; full Deryni.

B
ENNETT
—a sergeant in the service of Bran Coris.

B
RADENE,
Bishop—Bishop of Grecotha; a famed scholar; remained neutral in the Interdict schism at Dhassa.

B
RAN
Coris, Lord—traitor Earl of Marley; husband of Richenda and father of Brendan.

B
RENDAN,
Lord—four-year-old son of Bran Coris and Richenda.

*B
RION
Donal Cinhil Urien Haldane—late King of Gwynedd and father of Kelson; slain by Charissa's magic at Candor Rhea.

*B
RONWYN
de Morgan—deceased younger sister of Alaric Morgan; betrothed of Kevin McLain, with whom she was slain by illicit magic at Culdi.

B
URCHARD,
Lord—one of Jared's generals; escaped the slaughter at Rengarth with General Gloddruth.

*C
AMBER
of Culdi, Saint—full-Deryni patron of magic; responsible for the Haldane Restoration in 904.

C
AMPBELL,
Baron—a baron of Eastmarch and aide to Bran Coris.

C
ANLAVAY,
Sieur de—a northern lord captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

*C
ARA
—deceased daughter of Thorne Hagen; died at a young age.

C
ARDIEL,
Bishop Thomas—see THOMAS Cardiel, Bishop.

C
ARSTEN
of Meara, Bishop—one of the prelates who initially sided with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism; later took a neutral stance.

*C
HARISSA
of Tolan—Countess of Tolan, responsible for the death of King Brion; killed by Kelson at his coronation.

C
OLLIER,
Lord—a lord captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

C
ONALL,
Prince—eldest son of Prince Nigel, age fourteen.

C
ONLAN,
Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; initially sided with Loris in the Interdict schism; later went over to Cardiel and Arilan.

C
ORAM,
Stefan—coadjutor of the Camberian Council; full Deryni.

C
ORDAN
—chief surgeon to Bran Coris.

C
ORRIGAN,
Archbishop Patrick—see PATRICK Corrigan, Archbishop.

C
REODA,
Bishop—Bishop of Carbury; initially sided with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism but later became neutral.

D
ANOC,
Earl of—one of Kelson's lords present at the Dhassa war council.

D
AVIS
—one of Cardiel's men-at-arms; assisted in the capture of Morgan and Duncan at Dhassa.

D
AWKIN
—a master cobbler questioned by Morgan and Duncan on the Dhassa road.

D
EEGAN
—one of Wencit's retainers at Esgair Ddu.

D
E
L
ACEY,
Bishop—one of the bishops who originally sided with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism; later went over to Cardiel and Arilan.

D
ENIS
Arilan, Bishop—Auxiliary bishop of Rhemuth; full Deryni.

D
ERRY,
Sean Lord—Earl of Derry, military aide to Morgan; member of the Gwynedd Council after the death of Lord Ralson.

D
OBBS
—an advance scout in Kelson's army.

D
UNCAN
Howard McLain, Monsignor—a priest, recently revealed as Deryni; cousin of Morgan.

E
DMUND
Loris, Archbishop—Archbishop of Valoret and Primate of Gwynedd; leader, with Corrigan, of the anti-Morgan faction of the Gwynedd clergy.

E
LAS
—one of Kelson's generals present at the Dhassa war council.

E
RIC
—a page to Bran Coris.

E
WAN
MacEwan, Duke—Duke of Claibourne and hereditary Lord Marshal of the Gwynedd Crown Council; in command of the northernmost of Kelson's three border armies.

F
URSTÁN
—dynastic name of the ruling family of Torenth; Deryni.

G
ARON
—body squire to Wencit of Torenth.

G
ILBERT,
Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; sided with Bishops Cardiel and Arilan in the Interdict schism.

G
LODDRUTH,
General—one of Duke Jared's generals who escaped the slaughter at Rengarth; later an aide to Kelson.

G
ODWIN
—one of Kelson's generals present at the Dhassa war council.

G
ORONY,
Monsignor Lawrence—aide to Archbishops Loris and Corrigan; aided Warin in the capture of Morgan at Saint Torin's.

G
RAHAM
—a sergeant in the service of Bran Coris.

G
WYLLIM
—a captain in the service of Bran Coris, his personal companion.

H
ALDANE
—dynastic name of the ruling family of Gwynedd.

H
AMILTON,
Lord—seneschal of Morgan's castle at Coroth.

H
ARKNESS,
Lord—one of Duke Jared's retainers.

H
ILLARY,
Lord—commander of Morgan's castle garrison at Coroth.

H
UGH
de Berry, Father—priest and former secretary to Archbishop Corrigan; longtime friend and colleague of Duncan McLain.

I
FOR,
Bishop—one of the bishops originally siding with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism; later became neutral.

I
STELYN,
Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; not present at the Interdict schism, but later attached himself to Kelson's army to minister to his men.

J
AMES
—one of Warin's sergeants.

J
ARED
McLain, Duke—Duke of Cassan and father of Duncan and Kevin; captured at Rengarth and executed by Wencit at Llyndruth Meadows.

J
EHANA,
Queen—full-Deryni mother of Kelson and widow of King Brion.

J
ENAS,
Earl of—one of the lords captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

J
OSEPH
—a clerk to Bran Coris.

K
ELSON
Cinhil Rhys Anthony Haldane, King—son of King Brion and Queen Jehana; now King of Gwynedd at age fourteen; counted as full Deryni.

*K
EVIN
McLain, Lord—Earl of Kierney and half-brother to Duncan; betrothed of Morgan's sister Bronwyn, with whom he was slain by illicit magic at Culdi.

K
YRI,
Lady—known as Kyri of the Flame; member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni; around thirty.

L
ARAN
ap Pardyce, Lord—physician member of the Camberian Council; full Deryni; around fifty-five.

L
AWRENCE
Gorony, Monsignor—see GORONY, Monsignor Lawrence.

L
ESTER,
Lord—one of the lords captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

*L
EWYS
ap Norfal—an infamous Deryni who rejected the authority of the Camberian Council.

L
IAM,
Prince—middle son of Duke Lionel, age seven.

L
ICKEN,
General—one of Wencit's generals.

L
IONEL,
Duke—Duke of Arjenol and brother-in-law to Wencit of Torenth; his three sons are direct heirs to the throne.

L
ORIS,
Archbishop Edmund—see EDMUND Loris, Archbishop.

L
UKE,
sister—a nun assigned from Bishop Cardiel's staff to assist the Countess Richenda.

M
ACANTER,
Lord—a northern border lord formerly associated with Ian Howell.

M
ALCOLM
Donalson—a peasant healed by Morgan and Duncan at Jennan Vale.

M
ARCUS
—one of Warin's lieutenants.

*M
ARTIN
of Greystoke—master of the clerk Thierry.

M
ERRITT
of Reider—one of Wencit's barons.

M
ICHAEL
—one of Warin's lieutenants.

M
ICHAEL
—a child apprehended trying to steal Morgan's horse.

M
OIRA
—mistress to Thorne Hagen.

M
ORAG
Furstána, Princess—sister to Wencit and wife of Lionel; mother of Princes Alroy, Liam, and Ronal.

M
ORGAN,
Duke Alaric Anthony—Deryni Duke of Corwyn and King's Champion; cousin to Duncan McLain and brother to Bronwyn.

M
ORRIS,
Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; initially sided with Archbishops Loris and Corrigan in the Interdict schism.

M
ORTIMER,
Lord—one of Kelson's generals present at the Dhassa war council.

N
IGEL
Cluim Gwydion Rhys Haldane, Prince—Duke of Carthmoor; younger brother of the late King Brion, age thirty-four; Kelson's uncle and his heir presumptive.

O
WEN
Mathisson—a Warin man whose crushed legs were healed by Warin at Coroth.

P
ATRICK
Corrigan, Archbishop—Archbishop of Rhemuth and leader, with Loris, of the anti-Morgan faction of the Gwynedd clergy.

P
AUL
de Gendas—Warin's lieutenant.

P
AYNE,
Prince—youngest son of Prince Nigel, age six; a royal page.

P
ERRIS,
Lord—one of Kelson's generals.

*P
ETER
Davency—an Eastmarch soldier killed by Derry.

*R
ALSON,
Lord—deceased member of the Gwynedd Crown Council, replaced by Sean Lord Derry.

R
EMIE,
General—one of Kelson's generals present at the Dhassa war council.

R
HYDON
of Eastmarch, Lord—a full Deryni ally of Wencit; former member of the Camberian Council.

*R
HYS
Thuryn—ancient Deryni physician associated with Saint Camber of Culdi.

R
ICHARD
of Nyford, Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; captured with Duke Jared at Rengarth.

R
ICHENDA,
Lady—Countess of Marley and wife to Bran Coris, mother of Brendan.

*R
OLF
MacPherson—a Deryni lord of the tenth century who rebelled against the authority of the Camberian Council.

R
ONAL,
Prince—youngest son of Duke Lionel, age three.

R
ORY,
Prince—middle son of Prince Nigel, age eleven.

R
OYSTON
Richardson—a peasant boy, age ten; associated with healing of Malcolm Donalson.

S
ELDEN
—one of Cardiel's soldiers who assisted in the capture of Morgan and Duncan at Dhassa.

S
IWARD,
Bishop—one of the twelve itinerant bishops of Gwynedd with no fixed see; sided with Bishops Cardiel and Arilan in the Interdict schism.

S
MALF
—a miller questioned by Morgan and Duncan on the Dhassa road.