Chapter One
There was soft drizzle over the countryside and the sky was a flat shade of gray. Along the wide and rutted road a single rider approached the walled city of Chimera with a heavy cloak wrapped tightly around his body to keep out the chill and damp.
Little of the rider was visible save for his face, which was aged and with a crooked nose that had at some point been broken and never properly set. Sparhawk looked up at the sky and the rain that fell with distaste. Recalling in his memory of the many times he traveled this road coming home it seemed to always be raining. Sparhawk felt it was in poor taste and wondered who had set this miserable curse. He pushed the train of thought from his mind and was content that he would be dry and with his family soon enough.
The red tunic of the gate guard appeared in the rain and quickly throwing a cloak over his shoulders the guard held out one hand to stop Sparhawk. Faren snorted, the horses breath steaming the cold air and slowed.
"Prince Sparhawk," the guard said with mild surprise. "It's a pleasure to see you again, shall I have word sent ahead to the palace?"
"That's all right, I can do without the fanfare. Why don't you find someplace dry neighbor?"
Sparhawk handed the guard a few coins and urged Faren on. The streets were somewhat empty and those who did brave the weather were tightly wrapped in cloaks and hurried with the faces turned downwards.
There was already a crowd gathered at the palace, and looking closely Sparhawk could see it was a hastily arranged assemble. Servants were struggling to keep the canopy above the heads of the royal family and a few others. The aging Pandion knight picked Kalten's beaming face out of the crowd and sighed. The formalities were not going to be avoided this time and Kalten was looking forward to his friends discomfort.
Sparhawk dismounted and handed Faren's reins over to a stableboy before quietly warning the horse to behave himself. The knight then turned his attention onto his pale wife who smiled at him. He sighed and prepared for the ceremony.
"It's worse then Dolmat thinks Father," Danae said when they were alone. The study was warm and bright with a large fire in the hearth. The princess was sitting in a large chair close to the window with Mmmr curled in her lap sleeping.
"Are you sure?" Sparhawk asked. Danae gave him a trite look and sighed.
"Of course I am. Sarabian's at a loss and the plague is spreading despite everything they do. And it's even halfway across Zemochland," she said absently petting Mmmr.
"Which means it will start appearing closer to home if its not stopped soon. Do you have any idea what could be causing this?"
"Not this time Father. All of us are worried, not a single one of the Thousand have seen an illness like this."
Sparhawk looked out the window and into the palace gardens as Danae's words hit his heart like fire.
Ehalana looked gray and drawn. Before her on the table was spread out the reports from the Church and her husband. There was also a map and upon it marked in red were the areas of the continent that had been effected by this new plague.
There was soft drizzle over the countryside and the sky was a flat shade of gray. Along the wide and rutted road a single rider approached the walled city of Chimera with a heavy cloak wrapped tightly around his body to keep out the chill and damp.
Little of the rider was visible save for his face, which was aged and with a crooked nose that had at some point been broken and never properly set. Sparhawk looked up at the sky and the rain that fell with distaste. Recalling in his memory of the many times he traveled this road coming home it seemed to always be raining. Sparhawk felt it was in poor taste and wondered who had set this miserable curse. He pushed the train of thought from his mind and was content that he would be dry and with his family soon enough.
The red tunic of the gate guard appeared in the rain and quickly throwing a cloak over his shoulders the guard held out one hand to stop Sparhawk. Faren snorted, the horses breath steaming the cold air and slowed.
"Prince Sparhawk," the guard said with mild surprise. "It's a pleasure to see you again, shall I have word sent ahead to the palace?"
"That's all right, I can do without the fanfare. Why don't you find someplace dry neighbor?"
Sparhawk handed the guard a few coins and urged Faren on. The streets were somewhat empty and those who did brave the weather were tightly wrapped in cloaks and hurried with the faces turned downwards.
There was already a crowd gathered at the palace, and looking closely Sparhawk could see it was a hastily arranged assemble. Servants were struggling to keep the canopy above the heads of the royal family and a few others. The aging Pandion knight picked Kalten's beaming face out of the crowd and sighed. The formalities were not going to be avoided this time and Kalten was looking forward to his friends discomfort.
Sparhawk dismounted and handed Faren's reins over to a stableboy before quietly warning the horse to behave himself. The knight then turned his attention onto his pale wife who smiled at him. He sighed and prepared for the ceremony.
"It's worse then Dolmat thinks Father," Danae said when they were alone. The study was warm and bright with a large fire in the hearth. The princess was sitting in a large chair close to the window with Mmmr curled in her lap sleeping.
"Are you sure?" Sparhawk asked. Danae gave him a trite look and sighed.
"Of course I am. Sarabian's at a loss and the plague is spreading despite everything they do. And it's even halfway across Zemochland," she said absently petting Mmmr.
"Which means it will start appearing closer to home if its not stopped soon. Do you have any idea what could be causing this?"
"Not this time Father. All of us are worried, not a single one of the Thousand have seen an illness like this."
Sparhawk looked out the window and into the palace gardens as Danae's words hit his heart like fire.
Ehalana looked gray and drawn. Before her on the table was spread out the reports from the Church and her husband. There was also a map and upon it marked in red were the areas of the continent that had been effected by this new plague.