The Deryni Archives Part 18

"Bless, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this crown, and so sanctify Thy servant, Kelson, upon whose head Thou dost place it today as a sign of royal majesty. Grant that he may, by Thy grace, be filled with all princely virtues. Through the King Eternal, Our Lord."

The people were hushed in fear as the crown was placed on the new king's head, and then the silence was broken by the clatter of steel on the sanctuary steps.

Rising majestically to turn and face his challengers, Kelson swiftly appraised the significance of the mailed gauntlet resting on the lowest of the sanctuary steps, then moved confidently to the edge of the area.

"What would you in the House of the Lord?" he demanded, an aura of quiet power overshadowing his youth.

"Your death, Kelson," replied the Blue One, curtseying mockingly. "Is that so much to ask? I have killed others to gain your throne."

She smiled sweetly, and lan and a dozen armed warriors glared defiance at the newly-crowned king.

"I do not find your humour amusing this morning, Countess," answered Kelson coldly. "And your manners are distinctly lacking in allowing your men to come armed into this place. Have you no respect at all for the proprieties of the people you hope to rule, not to mention your own truce?"

The Countess shrugged unconcernedly and gestured toward the gauntlet of challenge on the step between them.

"Have you forgotten my challenge, Your Majesty? I was under the impression that your ill.u.s.trious Champion was very eager to fight mine." She continued coldly, "My challenge still stands, as does my Champion. But is yours man enough to pick it up?"

His face colouring slightly, Morgan moved to pick up the challenge, but was halted by Kelson's outstretched sceptre across his chest.

"You would dare to raise steel against me in this House?" queried Kelson, addressing the blue-clad champion.

Steel whispered against steel as lan bowed silkily and drew his sword in answer.

"Aye, and in a thousand like it, Prince Kelson," retorted the unctuous young lord as he gestured with his sword. "And if he will not come down and fight, I shall come up and slay him where he stands."

"Save your words for your victory, traitor," replied Morgan, his sword singing from its leather scabbard as he vaulted down the steps to meet his impetuous challenger and pick up the gauntlet. "I take up your challenge in the name of King Kelson and answer it thus!"

He flung the gauntlet at the feet of Lord lan.

"Well, Morgan," said lan thoughtfully, his sword point wandering almost lazily before him as he contemplated his enemy, "at last we meet. Then, let us resolve this petty dispute once and for all."

Lunging savagely, he sought to pierce Morgan's defense at once, but the wily general swiftly threw up a singing steel net about him which easily parried each of lan's renewed attacks. When Morgan had sounded out lan's technique, he switched to an offensive tack, and within seconds had pinked the challenger. lan, furious at being touched, charged headlong into the fray as Morgan had hoped, and even as he parried the general's thrust, Morgan's riposte left him open to be run through the side. As sword clattered from the surprised lord's hand, Morgan withdrew his blade, and lan sank to the floor, his face drained of colour. Morgan, with a contemptuous toss of his head, wiped his blade on the young lord's blood-stained mantle and strolled calmly toward his comrades.

"Morgan!" yelled Duncan, gesturing frantically.

Morgan whirled instantly, but he was not swift enough to completely avoid the dagger which had been aimed at his back. His sword slipped from numbed fingers as he clutched at his shoulder in disbelief, and lan laughed brokenly from his position a dozen yards away.

"I am amazed, Morgan," he leered drunkenly as death approached. "I had thought you more cautious than to leave a wounded enemy armed. Ah, well, though," he gasped, sketching a hurried salute, "you may yet join me in death." He slumped to the floor, silent at last, and Morgan gazed dully at his former antagonist.

As Duncan and the priests eased Morgan to a sitting position on the steps, Kelson hovered anxiously, his resplendent cloak gathered over one arm as he stooped beside his friend.

"My apologies, my prince," murmured Morgan, beads of perspiration dotting his upper lip as Duncan probed the wound with gentle fingers. "I was a fool to trust him, even in death." He winced and clenched his teeth as Duncan withdrew the slim blade, but then relaxed, half-fainting, as the young priest bound up the wound. Kelson, with a rea.s.suring touch of his friend's hand, rose and descended several steps toward the Blue One.

"The little game is over now, Countess. You may leave."

The Blue One, backed by her guards and her magic, smiled sardonically. "My, but our young prince speaks bold words. One would almost believe that he had power to back him up."

Her icy gaze swept him from head to toe and back again. "But we all know that his father's legacy of power died with him a month ago, don't we?" She smiled sweetly.

"Do we, Countess?" countered Kelson. "But, perhaps you are willing to stake your life and power on such a gamble. I warn you, though. If you force me to a show of strength, I cannot promise you mercy."

"Does the Blue One need your mercy, Kelson? No, I think the son of Brion is bluffing, and I call that bluff."

Stepping back a few paces, she raised her hands and cast a line of pale blue fire in a semi-circle behind her.

"Now, Kelson, will you close the ring and duel with me under the laws of ancient ritual, or must I strike you down with wanton magic? How say you, Kelson?"

Kelson regarded her disdainfully for a moment; then, with a slight bow of acquiescence, he handed his sceptre over to a waiting chamberlain and joined the Blue One in the transept. The wine-dark cloak flowed smoothly from his young shoulders as he raised both arms in a single, fluid motion. A deep crimson semi-circle sprang up behind him, its ends meeting those of the blue arc.

The Blue One nodded patronizingly and began an incantation.

"By Earth and Water, Fire and Air, I conjure powers to leave this ring. I clear it now. Let all beware. Through here shall pa.s.s no living thing."

Morgan tugged hard on Duncan's sleeve. "Duncan! Does he know what she's doing? If he completes the spell and joins the two arcs, the circle cannot be broken until one has lost all power."

"I don't know, Alaric. But if he can complete the spell at all, we'll know that he has Brion's magic. Kelson was never taught these things."

Kelson replied: "Inside, all s.p.a.ce and Time suspend. From here may nothing outward flee Nor inward come. It shall not end Till two are one and one is free."

As Kelson finished, violet fire flared where the two arcs had been, and then a cold violet line, inscribing a thirty-foot circle, marked off the area where the two must duel.

"You, as Challenged, have the privilege of first strike, my precocious princeling." Her eyes widened a bit when Kelson declined the privilege, but perhaps she had actually expected such a move after his successful completion of the ring, for she nodded acceptance without a word and stretched her hands out before her, palms together. Murmuring some unintelligible syllables, she drew her hands apart, and a sphere of blue light could be seen hovering in mid-air.

Quickly, the thing grew to man-size and took the form of a warrior in full armour, blue s.h.i.+eld over arm and blazing sword in hand. Dripping blue fire and vapours, he c.o.c.ked his head at the young king and advanced across the circle.

Kelson hesitated but an instant, then put right hand to left and drew forth a glowing crimson sword from his closed fist. When the blue warrior came within reach, lightning forked from Kelson's left hand, pinning the blue sword, while Kelson lopped the thing's head off. It struck the floor with a hollow sound, and then the apparition and Kelson's weapons vanished.

The people rumbled in appreciation at their new king's prowess as the Blue One's nimble fingers moved vexedly in the next spell.

"Sp.a.w.n of Dagon, Bael's darling, Heed my call which bids thee here. Son of Darkness, hear my order. Come: I charge thee to appear.

Smite this young, ambitious princeling, Send him to a death of flames. Wrest from him the usurped power Which the Blue One justly claims!"

As she spoke, there was a rumbling in the air before her, and a dense black vapour condensed into a tall, shadowy form vaguely man-like in shape, but with scaly hide and long claws and teeth. It stood blinking in the center as Kelson began a counterspell.

"Lord of Light, in s.h.i.+ning splendor Aid me now, if thou dost hear The supplication of thy servant, Battling for his people here. Lend me strength to smite this demon, Send it to the depths of h.e.l.l. Cleanse this circle of the evil Which the Blue One doth compel!"

As the creature began to lope across the circle, mawing mouth and claws dripping blue flame, Kelson finished his spell. With a decisive gesture, the king stabbed a ruby-banded finger toward a spot several yards in front of the monster.

Just at that moment, the sun burst from behind the clouds to stream through the high stained-gla.s.s windows, casting a brilliant, multi-coloured pattern on the floor where Kelson pointed. The congregation inhaled in unison as the creature reached the spot, stepped into it, and began writhing and exuding blue streamers of flame and smoke. It shrieked in mortal agony, but could not seem to step out of the blaze of light which seared its flesh. As it spun in its final throes to crash to the floor, it cried out terribly and pointed an accusing arm at the Blue Witch, then was still. It vanished, and only wisps of pungent blue smoke and crimson and gold flickerings played on the floor where the thing had been.

Kelson lowered his hand, the Ring of Fire winking ominously, and the sun chose that moment to go back behind the clouds. A low sigh of relief swept through the church like a whisper of spring, and settled to a hush as Kelson faced his opponent, grey eyes bright with confidence.

"And now, O Witch, this farce must end. I will no more my powers lend To thwart your might. I must defend My people, and your power rend. Therefore, I take the right of claim To instigate the test of flame. I call the trial of fiery wall Which, in this case, decideth all."

He stabbed a ringed forefinger at his archenemy, and she gathered her steely composure to answer his challenge. Instantly, the two halves of the circle became misted with blue or red auras, and where the two met, a violet fog played along the surface. The line fluctuated wildly for a moment, as each magician sought out the other's weaknesses, but then the line began moving inexorably toward the Blue One.

As she began to lose ground, she began inching back, but her shoulders soon encountered the gla.s.sy slickness of the barrier ring. With a low cry, she glanced behind her, then sank to her knees, head bowed in her hands, as the last vestiges of her power were neutralized by Kelson's crimson aura.

When the entire area glowed red, the circle winked out of existence. And the only things left where it had been were a softly weeping woman, human now, and a young king, dazed at his first victory.

Kelson dropped his hand softly to his side, his face impa.s.sive, then addressed himself to the Blue One's soldiers.

"Who among you is in charge now?"

The men shuffled uneasily under his steady gaze, and finally a man wearing the insignia of a lieutenant stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"I am, my lord." He glanced uncertainly at the huddled shape of his former mistress, then continued. "My name is Brennan de Colforth, and I renounce the oath of fealty I took with the Blue One. I swear I never wished you ill, and I ask forgiveness for myself and my men."

"You treacherous dog!" spat the Blue One, scrambling to her feet. "How dare you?"

"Silence," said Kelson, turning toward his Champion. "Morgan? What say you?"

Morgan climbed to his feet and joined the prince, Duncan supporting him. "Tis a small but n.o.ble family of Lanspar to the North, my prince. Old but proud."

"Father?"

"I have never known a de Colforth to swear falsely, my prince," remarked Duncan.

"Very well, then. De Colforth, I give you this proposition: you, and any of your men who will swear loyalty to me, will be pardoned with one stipulation-that you take the Blue One into exile at Shepara and then disband and return to your lands, never to molest me and my people again."

De Colforth dropped to one knee, mailed fist to chest in salute. "I accept Your Majesty's pardon in full humility, and swear to uphold the stipulations of that pardon to the best of my ability." Behind him, a dozen other men joined in the salute.

There was a long moment of silence as all rose to their feet, and then a voice from the rear of the Cathedral cried out, "Long live King Kelson!" And the shout was picked up and carried by a hundred hundred voices.

First Archbishop and clergy, then Champion and peers of the realm, came to kneel and swear their fealty to the new king. And as Kelson formed his retinue to process out of the Cathedral, the sun shone again through the stained gla.s.s and cast a puddle of jeweled light at his feet. The church grew hushed. Looking up casually at the window, Kelson smiled and stepped into the light, which turned his jewels to flame, and then, amidst cheers of joy and wonder, he left to show himself to his people.

PRECIS OF DERYNI RISING.

In the process of developing the Deryni concept for submission, I wrote the following one-page synopsis for the first trilogy in the Deryni series.

DERYNI RISING.

A NOVEL BY KATHERINE KURTZ.

Deryni Rising is the first of a trilogy dealing with the Deryni-that ancient race of quasi-mortal sorcerers, metaphysicians, and dabblers in human affairs whose existence was at once bane and blessing to the people of the Eleven Kingdoms.

Deryni Rising tells how Kelson Haldane came to acquire his father's magical powers and defeat the evil 304.

Charissa, a Deryni sorceress. More important, it introduces the central character of all three books, Alaric Morgan: friend and prodigy of Kelson's father, Brion. Morgan, the half-Deryni General whose talents are so crucial fora Deryni rising. Morgan's priest-cousin Dun-can McLain, also half-Deryni, is also introduced.

Deryni Checkmate, second in the series, will establish the socio-political atmosphere of the Eleven Kingdoms in the months immediately following Kelson's coronation. Flashbacks of Morgan's long a.s.sociation with Brion; the proposed and thwarted marriage of Morgan's sister Bronwyn to Duncan's brother Kevin; the reaction of the Bishops' Curia against Morgan and Duncan; the growing unease as a militant Deryni-hater maraudes Morgan's duchy-all combine to set the stage for a new human-Deryni conflict which will be developed in Book III.

Book III will treat the human-Deryni war which is threatened, and will see most of the conflicts resolved.

Further novels are projected if the Trilogy is successful.

SUBMISSION OUTLINE FOR DERYNI RISING.

This is the outline I submitted to sell the first trilogy, projecting the course I antic.i.p.ated Deryni Rising would take. Purists may wish to compare this outline with the actual novel, though the differences are largely additions and embellishments rather than changes.

OUTLINE: DERYNI RISING CHAPTER ONE.

In far Gwynedd, near the city of Rhemuth, Brion Haldane, Lord of that land, rides to the hounds with his thirteen year-old son, Kelson, and a number of his retainers. During a lull in the chase, Brion and Kelson withdraw to discuss the absence of Morgan, the King's top general, and to speculate on the most recent har- a.s.sment of the Shadowed One, Charissa, member of the ancient Deryni race of sorcerers. Brion himself, though not Deryni, has extensive powers of his own, through which he has held his kingdom for more than fifteen years-power which will one day be Kelson's. He asks that Kelson promise to send for Morgan if anything should happen to him, and they rejoin the hunt. Brion unwittingly drinks some drugged wine, and the hunt resumes.

Lord lan falls behind and enters the forest to the east, where he meets Charissa. The two discuss their plot to a.s.sa.s.sinate Brion that morning and take over the kingdom from Kelson. It is both a power-play and a plan of revenge for Charissa, for it was Morgan who helped Brion gain his power and slay her father fifteen years before-Morgan, the half-Deryni Lord who, in her eyes, has betrayed his Deryni heritage. Kelson will be spared for the moment, but only as bait to lure Morgan to his death.

lan rejoins the hunt, and the hounds are made to lose the scent. As Kelson rides ahead to see what has happened, Brion is stricken by what appears to be a heart attack. When Kelson reaches his side, Brion has only enough strength to whisper, "Remember...", before he dies. Kelson sends for General Morgan.

CHAPTER Two.

Morgan returns in haste to Rhemuth, arriving the day before the Coronation. He and his military aide, Lord Derry, are sole survivors of an ambush which delayed their coming.

Morgan's arrival creates an uproar. As Deryni, he was already suspect, and now he has been branded a traitor by the lies and rumors planted by Charissa. His announcement of the slaying of his escort adds fuel to the fire. Worse, the slaying leaves a pro-Morgan seat vacant on the Regency Council.

Prince Nigel, brother of the late King, takes Morgan to meet Kelson in the garden, warning him on the way of Queen Jehana's plot against him. The queen wants Kelson to a.s.sume the throne of Gwynedd, but without his father's supernatural powers, which she regards as evil. Her method: to bring Morgan before the Council on charges of heresy and high treason. Nigel agrees to talk with the Queen and stall for time. But Morgan's fate will depend ultimately on Kelson's personal ability to manipulate the voting in the Council.

Morgan reflects on the Deryni background and the beginnings of his feud with Jehana while he waits for Kelson. When the boy appears with Kevin McLain, he and Morgan move deeper into the garden to discuss strategy.

Kevin returns to the hall and talks with Derry about the charges against Morgan. For treason and heresy, the penalty is death.

CHAPTER THREE.

In her chambers, Jehana considers her plans for Morgan. Nigel arrives and manages to convince her that Brion's death was not a simple heart attack. But instead of the hoped-for cooperation, Jehana declares she is now even more convinced that Kelson must rule as a mortal, without his father's dark powers. Brion's powers did not save him. Jehana sends for Kelson and leaves for the Council meeting.

In the garden, Morgan and Kelson discuss Kelson's training for kings.h.i.+p and his mother's hostility to things Deryni. A Stenrect, a deadly creature of supernatural origin, comes within inches of Kelson's hand. Morgan kills it. But from across the garden, his action is seen as attempted murder. Only Kelson's intervention prevents the guards from arresting Morgan on the spot.

They dare linger in the garden no longer. Too much must be done before Morgan is called to the Council, as he is sure to be. They will be able to find temporary sanctuary at St. Hilary's, the royal basilica, where Morgan's cousin Duncan is waiting.

Nigel's attempts to stall the opening of the Council meeting are thwarted. Jehana calls the meeting to order without Kelson and begins proceedings against Morgan.

CHAPTER FOUR.