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not hear, you were never fully a Krzy, you were never pure enough of spirit, your ib remained befouled,
and you stand very properly condemned Apushniad.
Ib-befoulment cannot be proved against me. I have worked for Zair. There are witnesses. I detested
this crawling and pleading; but I wanted to go home. I pretended to turn renegade and serve the vile
Grodnims and their evil Grodno. Thus in the end perished this Zair-forsaken king Genod.
All that is very well! screeched down Pur Kazz. I glared at him. I felt very differently from the dazed
wretch who had stood under his enmity in the Hall of Judgment. The terrible scar down his face drew his
mouth into a cruel grimace. His eyes gleamed in the lamplight like two feral leem s eyes. I felt sorry for
him. But if he stopped me, as he apparently still intended, I must deal with him. Once, he had been a fine
Krzy. You are condemned and no man here will alter that. I will not allow it, not allow such blasphemy.
His voice rose still higher, screeching like steel across metal, and he lapsed into an unintelligible screech. I
believe at that point I realized I would win this just fight.
I will not go into all the tortuous arguments. Casuistry is a high art among the Krozairs. I based my claim
on deeds open to all. I offered the instance of the clearing of the Grodnims from the southern shore, a
process still proceeding but all too plainly about to finalize successfully for the Zairians.
Impious braggart! shouted Kazz. You claim this great work is your doing, when the thanks go to
Zair?
I helped, I said. I heard the growls from my people and I hoped they wouldn t break out. At least, not
yet.
Pur Zenkiren said, I speak for the Apushniad. He has accomplished much. I would give him the High
Jikai!
Aye! bellowed my people. Dray Prescot! Hai Jikai!
If they do not behave they will be ejected, snarled Kazz.
Of them all it had to be Korf Aighos who laughed. I wondered how much loot he had stuffed into his
sacks, the great reiver.
The arguments went on. It was becoming clear to all that Pur Kazz, while still retaining his mystical
authority as Grand Archbold, was in very truth a sick man. The wound across his face had driven deep
into his mind as well as his body. And yet he was the Grand Archbold, and he owed the allegiance of the
Krozairs for his position, and his near-divine ordinances must be obeyed. No one there would cross him.
I detested, as I say, what I was slowly being forced to do. In good times a maniacal Grand Archbold
may be tolerated. But in times of war and stress, a man is needed at the helm who may hold total
affection from Krozairs as well as total authority. Krozairs may not be driven by the whip, to shouts of
Grak.
So I began a new tack in the arguments. I reiterated that I had been unable to answer the Call, and then
went on subtly to gnaw away at the position of Pur Kazz himself. I cited his rages, his incoherences. I
said that Pur Zenkiren through his great knowledge of the Mysteries knew I spoke the truth, that all who
knew the truth knew I did not lie. The Krozairs remained very quiet. My people, too, remained
reasonably quiet.
I said, harshly, Pur Kazz has been wounded. The sword that struck his face struck through to his ib. He
is no longer one of us. He is Makib! Makib! He is unfit to hold the high office! The supreme man who
should have held the high office of Grand Archbold was foisted off, was betrayed. Now he should
receive the high due he deserves. It is Pur Zenkiren who should be Grand Archbold!
My people were not slow to take up the call, and the yells of Pur Zenkiren for Grand Archbold racketed
out as though we shouted for our favorite riders in the zorca races.
Pur Zenkiren flung me a startled look. He stood up and somehow silence returned.
It is not fitting that such grave matters be discussed in the Outer Hall. These are weighty things. You
speak aright, Dray Prescot, and yet I will not speak for myself.
At this Pur Kazz foamed and raved and tried to speak and only produced an eerie gargling. The poor
devil was mad, right enough; Makib; insane through no fault of his. But he was not the man to hold down
the supreme post of Grand Archbold. The other Krozairs saw this, and yet could do nothing.
So Pur Kazz and I fronted each other.
I just hoped none of my men would shaft the onker.
The final stroke seized him as the adjudicator, alarmed, rose to suspend the proceedings. Pur Kazz,
foam around his mouth like the foam as a chunkrah runs itself to death, flopped over the side of the
Ombor Throne. He was dying as his aides reached him. In a last moment of lucidity, he said, Krozair! I
am a Krozair of Zy! Then he died, and, despite all, I was sorry for the poor devil.
After that we adjourned to the Hall of Judgment, where only Krozair Brothers might venture.
I will not detail the events there, for, although I was in the right, the means I had used to prove my point
did not exactly make me feel pride. In the event, Pur Zenkiren was unanimously elected Grand Archbold,
and I was purged of the Apushniad. Once again I was a Krozair of Zy. Then I set forth my son Jaidur,
Jaidur of Valka, Prince of Vallia, also known as Vax Neemusbane, for election. He had completed his
training. Again, unanimously, Jaidur was elected and ordained. The ceremony would take place later. For
now, Jaidur was a Krzy.
When I told Delia she was pleased.
When you went away, Dray, and I will tell you of that later, Drak was mad to join the Krozairs, as you
had instructed. So I sent Segnik there very young. And he
He will stay in the Eye of the World and become the king of Zandikar. Later on he will mature. Now he
is obsessed.
Yes, Dray. And Jaidur, too, wanted to go and
I would have liked him to be named for Inch.
She looked up at me. We stood on the high outer terrace of the sacred Isle of Zy. Our friends laughed
and sang and drank within hail. She said, But he is. Inch is only Inch s use-name. Jaidur is Jaidur s
use-name. Their real name is the same and is known only to them.
I nodded. It was right.
You have done what you said you would do. She leaned close.
Yes, my heart. And I will tell you what I should have told you seasons and seasons ago. But only when
we are safe in Esser Rarioch.
And what of Nath and Zolta?
They seem to get on well with the other rascals. I think they might relish a visit home. I held her to me.
And Lela and Dayra?
They are about their business. The Sisters of the Rose make demands very like your famous Krozairs
of Zy.
Hai! I said, and I laughed. But although we have won through against great peril, there is a thing we
must do yet.
Yes. You are a Krozair again, and I am happy. This inner sea is a wonderful place; but I yearn for
Vallia!
Drak is anxious to return to Vallia. He tells me there are forces at work your father would do well to
take notice of. And
Hush, dear heart! The stars shine and the breeze is soft and all the problems of Vallia can wait a while.
Yet will I call Grogor, who is a renegade and should be chopped for it, and yet who tried to help our
daughter Velia.
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