Ilona had chosen to visit Gwener, Empress of the Meadow Faeries, first. Every bit as beautiful as Ilona, Gwener had long red hair and dark green eyes. She had a smaller kingdom than the other faerie rulers, and had a tendency to be overproud and difficult. Ilona had sent ahead requesting an audience with Gwener, saying it was a most urgent matter. The empress sent back a message that she knew Ilona was involving herself in non-faerie matters, and that she was not interested in speaking with the Queen of the Forest Faeries. Ilona, however, persisted. She invited Gwener to visit her, saying that Annan of the Water Faeries and Laszlo of the Mountain Faeries would be there. Not wishing to be left out, Gwener came.

Ilona explained the situation to her fellow monarchs, concluding, "We must help these foolish mortals straighten out the chaos they have made of their lives, and protect them from the darkness."

"You are certain the darkness threatens?" Laszlo of the Mountain Faeries asked.

"This Hierarch is currently being controlled by a Darkling called Ciarda," Ilona answered. "She is one of Kol's daughters, and she wishes to complete what he could not. She has already seduced one of her half brothers, and her very existence threatens the other one who, though it pains me to say it, is the better half."

"They are your daughter's children, are they not?" Gwener said cruelly.

"Not by choice!" Ilona snapped. "The Twilight Lord stole Lara from her family, gave her memories to the Munin to keep and impregnated her. You know well it was planned for this to happen. Lara's memories restored, she turned the one child into two to cause chaos in the Dark Lands as we wanted. But now the darkness threatens to rise again, and all of us are needed to help stop it. How dare you criticize Lara!"

Gwener shrugged. "I was only refreshing the memories of our two fellow rulers," she murmured.

"Nay, you were being a bitch, Gwener," King Annan of the Water Faeries said. "You have always been jealous of Ilona, but this is not the time for your pettiness. Ilona is right. We have a serious problem."

"Agreed," King Laszlo said. "How can we help, Ilona?"

"We must all be vigilant and we must work together to enclose each of our kingdoms in a protective spell that will keep the darkness from us. Because it is our practice not to consort with mortals except now and again for pleasures, we are considered vulnerable. The darkness will attack us first, for we surround the mortal worlds. But if our own kingdoms are protected from the darkness it will give Lara and the Shadow Princes more time to turn the Hierarch from his Darkling mistress. If we foil her then she will return to her own lands. Let her brothers have to fight with her."

The two kings nodded their heads in agreement.

"I must be protected first if you expect me to help you," Gwener said.

"Of course," Ilona answered her. "Your beautiful meadows would die if they were sunk in the darkness. Would you not agree, my lords?"

"Indeed," King Annan replied.

"Yes, of course," King Laszlo responded.

"Let us not delay, then," Ilona said.

Prince Eskil set the crystal globe aside. "Ilona has gathered her fellow monarchs, and they are doing what they need to do. Now we must infiltrate The City and learn all we can about what the Hierarch is doing, and what he proposes to do. Then we must turn the people's hearts to what is right."

The other princes nodded.

"And Lara?" Prince Nasim asked.

"She will have the most difficult task of all," Prince Kaliq said. "She must convince Cam that he really is the Hierarch, and that his purpose is for good not evil."

"Given his bloodline that will not be an easy job," Lothair noted. "But if anyone can do this, Lara can. And, Kaliq, remember, you must allow her to do this on her own. We all know that you love her, but do not interfere with her destiny, my brother."

Kaliq nodded slowly.

"Love is painful, isn't it?" Lothair said. "It skews the judgment."

"I am not a youth that I lack judgment or self-discipline," Kaliq snapped irritably.

The other princes laughed aloud, and Kaliq flushed, but then he laughed, for he knew they were right. His love for the faerie woman was both bitter and sweet. But he had never really loved any female as he loved her, and he knew he would never again love another as he loved her.

"She will be fine," Prince Nasim said.

If Lara had heard his words she might not have agreed, for suddenly she was faced with having to deal with her instinctive feelings of dislike and distrust for Cam, the son of her first husband's murderers. Was it possible to overcome these intense feelings? And as for Cam, she knew he hated her. How could he not hold her responsible for the deaths of his parents? She had taken up her sword, Andraste, and slain them within moments of Vartan's murder. It had been her right to do so. But in doing so she had orphaned Cam. He had grown up with a grandmother who had been in the hall that terrible day, and had been driven mad by what she saw.

The Lady Bera had been unable to face all that she had seen. Her younger son had murdered her older son in cold blood. All she could recall of that hour was that Lara had cried out to her sword, Andraste, which had flown into her hand from its place above the hearth. The sword was already singing in its deep and deadly voice as Lara grasped its hilt in both of her small hands, and then took revenge for herself and her children by decapitating both Adon and his wife, Elin. Elin, it was later learned, had been bribed by Hetar, and had in turn encouraged her husband to murder. But from the look on Elin's face that day, and her screams of encouragement to her husband, Lara had known that she was equally responsible.

But Cam had lost both of his parents that day, and then been put in the care of a madwoman who did nothing but rail against her surviving daughter-in-law. It was then that a terrible darkness came over the child. It took hold of him, driving him to wickedness against other children, including Lara's son and daughter, Dillon and Anoush. Finally Cam had been removed from his grandmother's care, and sent to the headwoman Sholeh of Rivalen village. A widow had been put into the Lady Bera's house to watch over her, and several years later she died a peaceful death, the names of her sons the last words upon her lips.

Sholeh had taken charge of raising Cam, the son of her kinsman. And he had seemed to change outwardly. But Lara had also sensed that darkness still possessed Cam's heart and soul. How was she going to be able to appeal to him? His weaknesses, of course, were his hunger for wealth and power. Could she use those weaknesses to exorcise the evil in him? And did he really love Anoush, or was Lara's daughter just a means to an end? Had he attempted to use Anoush as Jonah was using the besotted Zagiri?

These were all things Lara needed to know. And there was only one way to find out. She had to deal with Cam face-to-face, which meant she would have to go to Hetar. But first she must speak with her son Taj. He needed to understand what was happening. He was young, but he was also very intelligent. She found him in the castle hall playing a game of Herder with his friend Gare. She watched them for a while, but then, seeing the game would take a while, she put a hand on Taj's shoulder.

The young Dominus looked up, smiling at her.

"When you are finished with your game come and speak with me," Lara said.

"It may be a while," Taj told her. "Gare has gotten very good at this game."

"I was always very good at it," Gare said, grinning. "That you realize you are having difficulty beating me indicates you have improved your skills at Herder. I used to be able to beat you before you even realized what was happening."

Lara laughed. Gare and Sinon's companionship had kept Taj from losing touch with reality. It would have been easy for the fourteen-year-old Dominus, ruler of a kingdom and catered to by all, to forget that he was just a growing boy. If they would remain with him for the next few years she would be grateful. Terahn boys would have treated Taj far differently because he was the Dominus, which would, of course, defeat the whole purpose. Lara patted her son's shoulder, and left him to his game.

Taj came to his mother's apartments an hour later. Lara greeted him with a kiss upon his cheek, and then drew him down to sit next to her on the cushioned couch. "I am going to have to go away for a time," she began, "and I want you to understand why. Terah must be protected and kept safe from the darkness, as must Hetar."

"Are you going to Hetar?" he asked her.

Lara nodded.

"For Zagiri's sake?"

"Nay, for Terah's sake. You have youth, courage and honesty with which to fight against the darkness, my son, but it is not enough. Especially when other mortals, in their quest for power and wealth, give themselves over to evil in exchange."

"You speak of the one known as the Hierarch, do you not, Mother?"

"The man claiming that title is the son of those who slew Vartan of the Fiacre, Taj. Anoush's father. He is manipulated by a beautiful Darkling who uses his hate for her own purposes. The Darkling's father is the Twilight Lord, Kol. She desires, like her sire, to bring darkness to our worlds. And she uses Cam, for that is his name, to help her accomplish this."

"Why do you go to Hetar, then, Mother?" Taj asked her.

"I must know if Cam can be turned back into the light," Lara said. "If he can then we can use him for the good, and defeat the darkness, send the Darkling Ciarda back to the Dark Lands where she belongs, and where the darkness is held and thrives."

"Will it be dangerous for you to go to Hetar?" Taj wanted to know.

"Aye and nay. I have many friends there, and a half brother I can trust to shelter me should I need shelter," Lara told him.

"You must go to my sister," Taj said. "Zagiri must know you are there."

"Nay, Taj, I do not want Zagiri or her husband knowing I am in Hetar," Lara said. "Jonah stole your sister and wed her because he believed that in times of trouble Terah would aid Hetar because we were bound by blood. It wasn't enough for him that our kingdoms had an alliance, and that Terah would keep its word. As for Zagiri, she was told she was not to marry the Lord High Ruler of Hetar, but she schemed with Jonah to do so. She must live with the choices she has made, but I will tell you that I am told she is very happy as First Lady of Hetar. I will only interfere in Zagiri's life should I believe that life is in danger, Taj."

He nodded his understanding now that she had explained. "Who else aids in this endeavour?" Taj asked.

"The faerie kingdoms and the Shadow Princes," Lara said.

"I think you should ask Aunt Nidhug to come from Belmair and scorch the Darkling and the Dark Lands into ash," he told her.

"Nay, Taj. There must always be a balance between good and evil. Light and dark. If there were not who knows what would happen to all the kingdoms of all the worlds both magic and mortal," Lara explained.

"There is so much to learn," Taj complained. "Will I ever know all that I must to be a good Dominus, Mother?"

"Nay, you will not," Lara said. "And the older you get you will find there are many more questions than there are answers, Taj." She ruffled his golden head.

"Some days growing up is very difficult, Mother. And other days it is wonderful, and I cannot get to where I am going quick enough," Taj told her.

Lara laughed. "It is the same for me, my darling. Remember I am still considered a child in the faerie world."

"A clever child," he replied with a grin.

"I do not know if your grandmother would agree," Lara said.

"Grandmother Ilona is very proud of you," Taj answered her. "Oh, she probably will not say it, but she is. I see how she looks at you, Mother. It is more than love in her eyes. It is pride in you."

"That is very observant of you," Lara noted, feeling a rush of pleasure at the boy's words. Sometimes the very young saw what older eyes did not.

"How long will you be gone?" he asked.

"I cannot say," Lara responded.

"It is almost time for my coronation, Mother. And you must be here. It cannot be postponed, as you know," Taj reminded her.

Lara swore softly under her breath. He was right. If he was not formally crowned on the first anniversary of the day of Magnus Hauk's death then there was a window of opportunity for any male within the Hauk clan to claim the throne. She had become so involved in the problems assailing them that she had completely forgotten the time. "I will be here," she said, "and I will help you plan the coronation, as well. Your uncles will also aid you as part of their duties as your council." She leaned over and kissed Taj's cheek. Gracious! Did she feel a bit of beard erupting on his face? "Go to bed, my darling," she told him. "I will be here in the morning, I promise you."

He arose and returned her kiss, then left Lara to her troubled thoughts.

14.

THE DOMINA CALLED THE Dominus's Council to her the following day. "The time draws near for the Dominus to be officially crowned," she reminded them. "Unless, of course, one of you would like to take over." And she laughed at the look of dismay on their three faces. "In less than a month's time the first anniversary of my husband's death is due, and on that day Taj must be crowned. I need your aid, Corrado, Tostig and Armen. There is trouble coming outside of Terah, but if it is not stopped it will spread to Terah. I am among those who must stop it, and so I must learn from you what is involved in Taj's coronation now. I will then give instructions, and trust that you will carry those instructions out while I am gone."

"Like our marriage ceremony," Corrado said, "the coronation is a simple affair. There will be three days of festivities sponsored by the family for any and all who would come to the castle. A stipend will be awarded to each village in Terah for local celebrations. This will include the New Outlands. On the first day the memory of Magnus Hauk will be celebrated. On the second day the crowning of the new Dominus will be solemnized. On the third day we observe the blessings bestowed on Terah by the Great Creator in providing us with a new Dominus."

"I see," Lara replied, considering that it would be easy to arrange everything for her son's crowning, and still do what must be done. "What of the ceremony itself?"

"It, too, is simple," Armen answered her. "Only the family and a single representative from each fjord is permitted to observe it."

"You cannot offend the people of the New Outlands," Lara reminded him.

"Of course not," Armen replied. "This will be the first time they participate in such an affair. We will accept your guidance in this matter, Domina."

"Since each fjord sends a single person I think the New Outlanders are entitled to only one representative. Let it be Rendor, the head of their High Council."

"Agreed," the Dominus's three uncles said.

"What of Hetar?" Corrado asked. "With the Dominus's sister married to its Lord High Ruler, and that same man having once served his government as an ambassador to Terah, I think we have no choice but to ask him."

The council members looked to Lara.

"I must go to Hetar shortly," she told them. "I will ask Lord Jonah, and if he would come then I will bring him by means of my magic, and return him the same way. It is not wise for him to leave The City right now so I will transport him to Terah for only the second day, and see that he is sent back immediately afterward. His absence when it is known will be an afterthought and nothing more. It will help his cause, however, that he was here for the official ceremony."

"What is happening in Hetar, Domina?" Tostig asked her. "Can you tell us?"

"Hetar, for all its braggadocio, has fallen upon hard times. Its laws have not been followed, and there is a great deal of corruption, starvation, general poverty and plague. There is a legend in Hetar of a man called the Hierarch who will come when Hetar is facing its darkest hour, and return the kingdom to its glory. Unfortunately the legend is probably just that. Legend. But the powers of darkness have taken a mortal unknown in Hetar, and put him forth as the Hierarch. They are using what small magic they possess to make it seem as if he is making miracles. Their aim, of course, is to drag Hetar into the darkness, and if they accomplish this goal they will look to Terah. We have banded together, the Shadow Princes, four faerie kingdoms and myself, to prevent this from happening."

"How does the Hierarch manage to gain the people's trust?" Corrado wondered.

"By promising to return Hetar to its old ways and traditions, which have been ignored in the past years," Lara said. "Every country must have checks and balances within its governing body. Unfortunately the greedy have managed to bypass the laws, and have caused a collapse of Hetar's civilization. But the forces of light can help the Lord High Ruler return Hetar to where it should be without dragging the kingdom into the darkness. The faerie kings have aligned with the Shadow Princes to help in this matter. It is my task to deal with both the Lord High Ruler and with the Hierarch to bring about a resolution to Hetar's problems and to save them from the darkness."

"Jonah is a greedy man," Corrado noted.

"But he is also ambitious," Lara returned. "He schemed for years so that he might rule Hetar. Given the choice of losing his high place or future sources of wealth he will, I know, do everything in his power to protect his throne."

"So marrying our princess did in the end gain him Terah's help," Armen remarked dryly. He cocked a questioning eyebrow in Lara's direction.

"I do not do this for Zagiri," Lara replied sharply. "She has made her bed. But if we do not stop the darkness from enveloping Hetar, it will next devour Terah. You are no fool, my lord Armen. You know this to be so."

"I do," he admitted, nodding.

"How long must I live in Terah before you will stop anticipating and interpreting my motives?" Lara asked him.

Armen flushed. "Forgive me, Domina," he said humbly.

"When must you go to Hetar?" Corrado asked, attempting to defuse the situation.

"We will plan Taj's coronation first. I will visit Hetar briefly, and then return for my son's crowning," Lara told him. "I will entrust you with the first day, Corrado, as you were Magnus's best friend. My lord Armen, you will do the second day, and you, my lord Tostig, will be responsible for the third and final day. I shall see the monies distributed to the villages, and the invitations written and sent to those who are meant to be here. Are we agreed, my lords?"

"We are agreed," they chorused.

Lara dismissed them, and sent to her son's chief secretary, the former head scribe, Ampyx. "I will need your help," she told him. "The Dominus's coronation is near. Invitations must be sent to the headman or headwoman of every fjord, and to Rendor, head of the High Council of the New Outlands, as well as family members, and the High Priest and High Priestess. I will also carry to Hetar with me an invitation to their Lord High Ruler, Jonah. A blanket invitation is to be offered to all in Terah who come to the castle during those three days of festivities. And monies must be distributed to every village in Terah and the New Outlands so they may hold their own celebrations. The invitations must go out within the next few days."

"Of course, Domina," Ampyx replied, not looking in the least ruffled. "Is there anything else?"

"Is that not enough?" Lara teased him with a smile.

"Indeed, Domina, it is," Ampyx returned. Then he bowed and left her.