Valdemar (The Founding of Valdemar) by Mercedes Lackey

Author:Mercedes Lackey [Lackey, Mercedes]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Founding of Valdemar, Valdemar
ISBN: 9780756417406
Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Published: 2023-12-25T14:00:00+00:00

• • •

Kordas listened with no small amount of awe as Beltran—Beltran!—gave a recitation of what had just happened in the Grove with the grace, poise, and articulation of a Bard. He held them all spellbound, including Kordas, Restil, and Isla, who had actually been there.

As for the not-small cluster of religious leaders, who had all turned up at this meeting as if they had all been alerted already, they were all nodding along with him, looking serious and portentous. So were all of the Old Men, who had somehow squeezed their skinny behinds into the Chamber. It was very crowded in here, and the Councilors mostly looked as if they were torn between feeling outnumbered and feeling thunderstruck at having an actual deific intervention happen in their own backyard. And, further, Beltran had implied that it could have been from any, or many, Powers and gods—no doubt to keep partisan conflicts from brewing early and ensure the clerics’ best behavior.

Hmm. Ardatha said that the Powers and gods have treaties, and negotiate amongst Themselves. So, this may well be the work of many. I’ll run with that as a baseline.

:I approve of that,: Ardatha responded in his thoughts.

Beltran finally concluded, and sat down, looking both uncharacteristically determined and a little astonished at his own temerity.

If this is what being Chosen did to him . . . I’m impressed.

:Now,: Ardatha prompted. :Call for Restil to speak as soon as the Lord Martial says you need some sort of organization.:

The Lord Martial cleared his throat in the silence. “Well,” he said. “The gods have made their interest abundantly clear . . . but gods are notorious for being careless of details, or expecting petitioners to figure things out for themselves. Surely, we need some sort of organization—”

Kordas in turn cleared his own throat, interrupting him. “I believe the Crown Prince was about to address that,” he said.

Restil stood up. He looked amazing—in fact, he looked as good as Beltran did, and as good as Kordas felt. Kordas had been . . . well, near desperation and exhausted right up until the point when Ardatha appeared. Now he felt better than he had since he’d left the Duchy for the Capital.

“The organization will be fairly simple for now; there are only eighteen of us at the moment, and that’s manageable without a real hierarchy, just an agreed leader,” Restil said smoothly. “Obviously the King is the ultimate authority. Beltran will be his second-in-command. Your King has developed an identity and structure, in concert with the Companions. Beltran’s example of service and excellence is why we are going to call ourselves ‘Heralds.’ He’s the only Royal Herald in the Kingdom, so now we will all be Royal Heralds, and he’ll be the head of the Heraldic Circle. When there are more of us, we’ll refine things, but this will do for now.” He cleared his throat slightly.

“I mean no disrespect when I ask the heir this, but what will these Heralds do?” asked a Council regular.

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