‘Out there,’ said Patrick, ‘just a few miles beyond the walls of this city, is the new western boundary of the Kingdom of the Isles. I’m the Prince of Krondor, and Krondor no longer exists!
‘While all of us here are aware of the terrible destruction we avoided, this war is far from over. I have a commission for you, should you be willing to accept.’
‘Sir?’
‘Retake the Western Realm. Get me back my Principality!’
Erik looked at Calis, who shook his head. ‘I’m going home,’ he said softly. He glanced across the room, through the door, to where Pug and Miranda stood watching from the balcony. ‘I made a promise.’
Owen said, ‘You are the new Eagle of Krondor, Erik.’
As Erik stood still in amazement, Patrick said, ‘That is, as soon as you recapture my city.’ Bitterly he said, ‘Or what’s left of it, so we can begin rebuilding.
‘That’s the first order. We winter here, rest and refit, and then we move to Krondor in the spring. We drive out what’s left of this invading army, and rebuild. After that, we take it a day at a time.’
Erik knew the task before him was tremendous. Owen said, ‘But you and your wife can have a quiet winter together before we start.’
Erik stood silently for a moment, then said, ‘Highness.’
Whatever momentary satisfaction at the acknowledgment that Erik was now in charge of Calis’s Special Command was quickly lost as the Prince continued. ‘Arutha,’ he said, and Lord Vencar stepped forward from the corner where he had been standing. ‘I need a new Duke of Krondor, and you’re it. Father will ratify the choice as soon as I send word. You and those sons of yours are going to be very important to me. Oh, by the way, James and Dashel are now Barons of the Court.’
Arutha bowed. ‘Highness.’ It was obvious that holding the office held by his father was a course of honor to Arutha. Erik noticed the strain in Arutha’s features and realized the pain he felt because of his parents’ and uncle’s death. Then he grinned and Erik caught a fleeting glimpse of Arutha’s father as he said, ‘I think the boys will find their new titles amusing.’
Patrick smiled at Arutha. ‘No doubt.’ He turned his attention back to the list before him. ‘Greylock, you’re the new Knight-Marshal of Krondor, until I find someone better.’
‘Won’t be hard, Highness, so please don’t dawdle too long,’ said Owen.
Patrick leaned forward and softly said, ‘Well, you’d better hope it is, because if I do, you and I are going to have words over you yanking me about the way you did. I don’t take kindly to being manhandled, even if you were right.’
‘Understood, Highness,’ said Owen gravely.
Patrick said, ‘We’ve got to find out if we have any navy left, before spring. Erik, I want you to send some of your black shirts to Sarth and have them snoop around. See if any of our ships survived.’
Calis said, ‘If we do find any of them, Highness, where do we tell them to go? Ylith?’
Patrick looked at a map. ‘No, I’m going to want to open trade with the Far Coast and the Sunsets as quickly as possible. Tell them to make for that harbor Lord Vykor created down in Shandon Bay. It was supposed to be a temporary anchorage, but we’ll have to turn it into a permanent one.’ Patrick had been told that Krondor’s harbor was now impassable and would remain so for at least a year. ‘In fact, that’s what we’ll name it. Port Vykor.’
The appointment and redistribution of the newly reemerging Western Realm continued.
Outside the chamber, Miranda and Pug watched. Calis left the conference and came over to them. He said, ‘Father and I leave tonight.’ Calis looked at Miranda. ‘You said I must do you one more favor.’
Miranda said, ‘Yes.’ She slipped her arm from around Pug’s waist and took Calis aside. ‘There’s a woman in Elvandar. Her name is Ellia.’
‘I don’t know that name,’ said Calis.
‘She is from across the sea. Her husband died and she is alone in a strange place with her sons.’
Calis’s eyes narrowed slightly and he said, ‘Twin boys?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’ve seen them, teaching the other children to play football,’ said Calis. ‘They are beautiful children.’
Miranda said, ‘I do not know the ways of your people, more than you have told me, but I sense something in her. She and you have much in common. Seek her out, that’s all I ask.’
Calis said, ‘We are both within our home, yet we are outsiders.’
Miranda touched his cheek. ‘Not for much longer, I think.’
Tomas came down the stairs and said, ‘Son, it is time.’
‘Yes, Father,’ said Calis.
Pug came up to his boyhood friend and said, ‘Let it not be years before we see each other again.’
‘Agreed,’ said Tomas. They embraced. ‘And you? Do you return to Sorcerer’s Isle?’
‘No. There are things that Miranda and I can do here to help, for a while at least.’
‘When you have time, come visit.’
‘We will.’
Tomas and Calis left and Miranda came to stand beside Pug. After a moment of silence, she said, ‘Well?’
Pug said, ‘What?’
‘Don’t you have something to say?’