TCI

When everything was  done  in preparation  for  the Council  of Royals, there remained  only the impending arrival  of the Great Personages. Queen Aurra's serving  wench, a woman  named Shyla, attained to the astonishing situation  of having nothing  to do and removed to a nook. Shyla was perched above the great hall of Barachiel's airy castle high enough to see all  the nobles when they paraded in to be seated.

She was joined by Gabriel  then and  they shared a  sweet kiss. They had been together for  only twelve  days, but for  as many wonderful nights. For Shyla the wild affair had  been entirely bewildering. Gabriel seemed to know everything about her. In bed there was not a single awkward move. It was as though they had been married for a lifetime and Gabriel had returned to the very beginning to start all over again.

Shyla was already in love with this nephil who towered over her, this dark-skinned boy who was so beautiful because che was also a girl.

When Shyla first asked about his white horns,  Gabriel told her che was a servant of Michael but that che  really came from the other world where  the  nephilim were  almost nonexistent,  and Shyla believed this, because aside  from the horns on  hez head che possessed a horn of metal the likes ond  sound of which had never been seen or heard on Kemen.

Gabriel told her that in the  other world he had  been known as the  Magician,  and  this  she also  readily  believed,  as  che frequently entertained her with feats of  prestidigitation, and indeed this seemed to be the sole reason che  was in the employ of the seraph Michael.

But Gabriel also solemnly swore to her that che had died in the other world, but this Shyla refused to believe.

Before they came together flesh  to flesh Gabriel  warned Shyla that after they joined she would, in time, also grow horns, and there would be  another change. She would come  to possess  a talent whose nature he could not  foretell, other than to say it would  be different  from  the one  possessed  by hemself  which Michael frequently commanded hem to employ.

And frequently Gabriel broke into song using  a strange tongue. As the Change promised  by Gabriel  developed within  Shyla she came to understand and speak this tongue as though  born to it, yet she could not explain how that could be.

Gabriel sang: "I sing of woe  brought by those of  black beard. When noble ones stood against  what they fear'd. Just close your eyes to see  them meet the king. Mark two  slave women who watch all unseen."

More plainly, yet still  in his birth  tongue, Gabriel  said to her, "Technically, Shyla, I'm not  a woman, but never mind that, it's  my art,  right? By  the way,  if anyone  catches you  here avoiding  work I  think  Queen  Aurra has  a  pet whipping  tree somewhere that  will make  the skin on  your back  become bloody ribbons."

Shyla ran a delicate hand over the cloth of  the tunic covering Gabriel's back, knowing that che,  too, was no stranger  to the touch of the lash. Five of the scars  had been given  hem, che said, by men on Earth  asking questions of hem,  before Gabriel could extricate hemself.

Che sang: 'Now Gabrielle is one slave woman's name And one Shyla is her female flame. They shirk toil  in the valley  castle As Uriel walks before hez vassal."

Indeed King Uriel of House Bellon had entered the chamber first, accompanied by hez daughter Princess Dafla. They looked none the worse after their flight on  the dragon Demonstroke to  the Dul Valley.

Ophan Barachiel  had  excluded  all weapons  from  the  council chamber save for the Dragonthorn alone, the diamond blade in the possession of Dafla, which she wore in a scabbard  on her back. Gabriel knew the Dragonthorn was useless as a weapon of war, yet it was something more than  merely a ceremonial blade. Here in Kemen, in this time, the word talisman was bound up with it. But where Gabriel originated, it was just a transmitter and antenna to control a machine.

Ophan Nithael followed King  Uriel into the  chamber arm-in-arm with hez spouse Losna. A jen and an ambi,  red of hair  in the nephilim crop, they  looked less  a married  couple so  much as nearly identical twins. The city of Vaska was theirs to rule on the western shores of Thalury.

Of these two nobles Gabriel sang: "They rule distant Vaska where I was born. Queen Aurra greets them with no trace of scorn. Yet their bitter clash  of arms claimed her son And  is fresh in the minds of everyone."

"Not bad," said Shyla. 'I should have brought Your horn with an otherworldly sound."

Gabriel shook hez head. "That would only make it certain we are both be found in idle mischief."

They both watched as other servants pulled out tall chairs where the king and  his daughter  were  to sit. The Hashmal Phanuel entered then, alone,  as the  final  delegate of  the House  of Bellon. he ruled the city  of Atria  in Haaretz. As an angel rather than a nephil, Phanuel served to remind everyone at least some members of the great family of Red Beards actually had red beards.

Atria where Phanuel  dwelt, at  the head  of navigation  on the River Sabik, was the only civilized place in a land nigh to the Wall of God that was rich but largely uncrowded and untamed.

Gabriel sang: "Alodra the source  of oxen and gold  All guarded well by Phanuel the Bold."

Samael made his entrance  without pomp, in  a gait  that showed forth that he was at heart  a soldier. Gabriel knew the seraph came in the role of a  spoiler. Certainly Samael knew that any league of kingdoms forged in this council would be far stronger than the Adanites alone.

Shyla had  never seen  the  stocky  and brash  Adanite  Emperor before. He came with only a single human female. No cherubim nor ophanim nor hashmalim  accompanied  Samael. Shyla thought the woman looked very much like she was Gabriel's kin.

Gabriel knew much about the woman, but little che was willing to tell. Che said, "She's from  Earth, but  here on Kemen  she has chosen to  use the name  Joy. Perhaps because she  loves irony." The name meant nothing to Shyla in her own tongue but she caught the essence of what  he was  saying. She thought the  cold and exotic woman seemed make Gabriel  feel conflicted. There was a mystery here. Certainly Shyla did not fail to  note Gabriel had stemmed his flow of verse.

The nobility of House Sala entered Barachiel's  chamber. At the side of Queen Aurra walked Royal Consort Duke Evandr. The titles of human aristos differed from the titles of nephilim or angels. Queen Aurra ruled inland Ramman, the most fertile, well-watered plain in Kemen. Left unchecked, the Gold Beards would multiply until they outnumbered  everyone else  on the  Slush Belt. And House Sala venerated Chokhmah alone. Samael did not intend to leave Ramman unchecked.

Following Aurra and Evandr was the Countess Ayani, the recently widowed wife of Aldred Firegem, which made her the most eligible bachelorette in  Kemen. But many at  the  Council  noted  the continuous eye-lock Ayani  had  with Hashmal  Phanuel, who  was already seated at the table.

For his part Phanuel returned the gaze of the  willowy and now, apparently, the flirty Ayani. Something was obviously happening there. Gabriel was slightly disgusted because it  had been less than a month since Count  Aldred's death. In Rammon the people were still mourning. Gabriel rediscovered his muse. Che knew Shyla lived for saucy drama of this sort. Remembering the finest horses in Kemen were  bred in  Ayani's city  of Locotin  in the coast range of Rammon.

Gabriel sang:   "Heeding  no  more  her   grand  prize  winning stallions, Ayani now seeks two-legged medallions!"

Following Ayani  was  her  kinsman the  Baron  Alastor  Firegem of Thorgram,  who  was  also eligible  for  marriage,  but  his ever-wandering eye made marriage impossible. When his dalliances annoyed his mother she would  send him  abroad. By now he knew Kemen better than anyone else. Shyla found the man easy enough on the eyes. He was as brawny as any angel of greater stature, but always smirking, as though frozen in perpetual boyhood.

Of him Gabriel sang: "Alastor's a feast for  many a talebearer. Whomever he's with, he finds the next much fairer!"

Thorgram was nestled in the range  of high hills that  formed a fence between the fertile heart of Rammon and the narrow coastal plain along the shore of Thalury, amid a vast  forest of gopher trees. These produced lumber that was found neither on Earth nor natively in Kemen. Gopher trees were a hybrid of both worlds and their wood had been used by  ships in the Deluge,  for it could not be destroyed by expanding  ice. It is ridiculously easy to cut and  work. Perhaps Alastor was so boyish,  Gabriel thought, because he ruled a city made of tree forts.

The delegations came into the chamber ordered by lots, lest any think the sequence represented  the opinion of  Ophan Barachiel which noble one  was  the  greater. He only  decreed that  the hosting Larund delegation must  enter last. So Michael entered next with his growing  family. There he was,  thought Gabriel, grandpa in his younger days, a bit more well-dressed than usual, but still just a glassblower's son.

Shyla was too filled with awe for the incarnation of her god to see  Michael as  less aristocratic  and  regal than  any of  the others present. Gabriel's own mother Leliel walked  in front of Michael,  just  four  years  old. Gabriel found  it  a  unique sensation to realize che was seeing her now, in  the flesh, and not through something like a film. Even more interesting was how she had somehow been tamed to a slow walk.

Gabriel recognized hez grandmother  Lilith, of  course, walking next to Michael, but it was the first time che had seen har with hez own eyes rather  than through the  memories of  others. Hez first impression was a dark thunderstorm had somehow been frozen as a long-legged yin. Lilith was attired in the gray and black lines of a Fallen Angels dress uniform, a recent thing which had appeared as the Sealiah colony took root. And Gabriel saw that sha carried in  har arms  hez uncle  Ithuriel as  a very  young infant dirk, perhaps only a few weeks in age.

When Leliel seated  harself  sha methodically  removed a  white scroll from a fired clay  cylinder and prepared quills  in what was taken to be a precious parody of an adult scribe.

Shyla beat Gabriel to it. She sang: "I thought the child would sit and fidget Now I think sha is really a midget!"

The Hashmal Raphaela, second-in-command  of the  Fallen Angels, followed Lilith wearing an identical dress  uniform. Sha walked beside Ophan Barachiel while they held hands. The two apparently grew quite close in the months they were left to watch the empty frontier with Adan. The green island of Sealiah held in fee by Ophan Barachiel  kept the  people of Rumbek  well-nourished, and many more besides. It was a great blessing but perhaps not all thought so.

Gabriel sang: "The more the soil yields in Dul  Valley The more we toil in Ophan's galley!"

Uzziel of Elketz entered at a stately pace. his city lay west in cattle country, where the animals raised were driven throughout Magodon to be slaughtered.

Gabriel sang: 'Check your soles Uzziel before further you roam, I just caught a whiff, a small reminder of home!'

When Uzziel reached the place where  hy was to sit,  he did not take his seat, but  said rather,  in a  loud voice,  "Lords and ladies, please  rise to  your feet, Metatron  king of  Rumbek is come." Nineteen complied with this rule of etiquette, but Samael and Joy remained seated.

Cherub Metatron  entered the  chamber  through  a massive  door behind the head of the long table where he was to sit.

Gabriel sang: "Fishers circle the island in a ring  All of them subject to Metatron King."

And then, switching  to plain  speech, Gabriel  said to  Shyla, "Your pardon. The Lord Michael has need of me."

Since all eyes were already on Metatron, Gabriel started there. Walking to  the king's  side,  che  inverted and  restored  his leather pouch to show here was nothing inside. Then che reached in to withdraw a crystal goblet of golden wine and set it on the table to gasps and applause.

Gabriel repeated  hez  trick  down  the  table  on  the  king's left-hand  side, omitting  wine  only for  Leliel and  Ithuriel. Samael seemed to  be deeply  impressed by  the magic. Only Joy seemed bored.

"Hush, Becky,"  Gabriel  said  to  her in  the  tongue  of  the latter-day B'nei Elohim.

"You hush, Gabe,"  she  said  in reply,  and  Gabriel could  do nothing but just that, though che  longed to ask her why she was in the  company of  Samael  in  this pivotal  moment. Instead, Gabriel produced more goblets of what would be  called a crisp, oaky Chardonnay in hez own time.

After a time that was far more brief than if Gabriel had poured wine rather than pulled  full goblets  from hez  leather pouch, everyone had been served, and Gabriel stood a distance from the king with wine in hez own hand.

Metatron said, "Lords and ladies  of Kemen, welcome." The king picked up his goblet since he deemed it more mannerly to raise a glass in the direction of  someone than  to point a  finger. he shifted his wine  and  said,  "Queen Lilith  of  Salem and  har husband Lord  Michael have been  my honored guests on  this isle for over  two years.  They arrived through  the air  inside what Lord Michael has called an avatar,  made by the hand of Chokhmah himself. With them  came their daughter Leliel, who  even now is marking down the words I say here, and har mother insists Leliel will not  merely play at  being a  scribe. Now Lord  Michael and Queen Lilith have experienced  many lamentable misfortunes which have led them  to be driven into exile from  Salem, but recently the birth of their son, Ithuriel, on this very isle, has been an occasion of great joy, and I rejoice in union with them."

Metatron turned his hand holding  wine to where Samael  and Joy remained seated, both unmindful of  decorum in the  presence of the king. He said, "It is well that the  ruler of the Adanites, Lord Samael,  has also made  his appearance. We do  not conspire against  him in  secret.  Lord  Samael has  come  to  us in  the extraordinary way that some among us  have seen before, as he is of the  seraphim and can  travel anywhere  in Kemen at  once. An Earthwoman named Joy accompanies hym. I am told she is a warrior of rank that would make her as one of the sarim."

The king looked along  the table and  said, "The  Baron Alastor Firegem of the House of Sala has  also come, and he did not need to go far as he was already in Rumbek on an errand laid upon him by his mother."

At that Ayani could  not help  making a  sharp chuckle,  to her embarrassment. Metatron had intended to mention Ayani next, but her short eruption  of  mirth did  not suit  the  words he  had prepared touching the recent death of her  spouse Count Aldred. Annoyed, the king passed over Ayani and introduced instead King Uriel of Jelaket and hez daughter  Dafla. He said, "I think in all of Kemen the only means  of travel more unusual than the one employed by  Lord Samuel must be  to come hither on  the back of the last surviving dragon, even  as the nobles from Jelaket have done. I am certain the Cherub  Uriel will have more to say about that."

Metatron's eyes moved further up the table. "We are honored to have with us here the Ophan Nithael of Vaska and also hez spouse Losna.  They traveled  by means  of the  avatar of  Bat-El which whisked them over the wide expanse  of Thalury, the Wall of God, and most of Magodon. We have  with us also Hashmal Phanuel and I am told  he was the  traveling companion of Baron  Alastor. They had perhaps the most arduous journey of all who have attained to this council  chamber, for they went  by foot and by  steed, and took the better part of a year to arrive.

"I am pleased to  see my  son the Hashmal  Uzziel is  also here today, Hy is  come from Elketz, the nearest city  to Rumbek west of the Nine Mile Wall, yet he sent the better part of the summer riding here,  as this  Kemen where  we dwell  truly is  great in extent."

Metatron then introduced Raphaela of the Fallen Angels, who sat between Uzziel and Barachiel. "Of her doings on the marches of House Larund to the east sha  has much to say, for indeed events tgghere precipitated this very council,  which is, I think, unique in  the long  history  of Kemen.  Yet it  is  long overdue.

"The question before us is nothing less than this: Will there be lasting peace in Kemen? Such must be foremost in the thoughts of Queen Aurra Firegem of Rammon, and Duke Evandr, and the Countess Ayani, who come to this council still deep in  grief. Not a one present here can  be unaware that the nobles of  House Sala have come to us soon after the life of their kinsman Count Aldred was taken on the  field and in the days leading  up to this conclave it first  came to my mind  to utter soothing but  empty words in his memory. Let us drink to a better sentiment instead."

Metatron as he raised his goblet. The lords and ladies seated at the table raised their own at the bidg of the king. "As we trot out our  grudges  at  this  council may  we  resolve  to  forge something truly  lasting and meaningful.  Let us see  through to making Count Aldred's otherwise  useless death significant in an enduring way."

Then the King and all the attendees quaffed the  wine, save for Samael and Joy, who remained seated and did not share Metatron's sentiment.

There were gasps around the table. The gathered noble lords and ladies marveled how the wine was somehow as chilly as a mountain stream after being poured from Gabriel's wineskin. Even Gabriel joined them in  the toast,  standing near  the King,  and Shyla marveled that che  was not  rebuked for  drinking on  duty. But Gabriel was finished with hez task for now. Che polished off hez crystal goblet of wine and returned to the high nook where Shyla waited.

The Cherub Metatron bade everyone to be seated. Then he rang the little bell that was set before hym and the council had begun.

By late  afternoon  the  council  of  Royals  degenerated  into something resembling a criminal trial of Lord Samael. A chain of seemingly endless accusations were  made against  House Gerash, yet Lord Samael said nothing in his defense.

Queen Aurra Firegem  spoke first,  lamenting the  death of  son Count Aldred. She said, "I  was  already deeply  immersed  in mourning. The news  of Aldred's death travelled  faster from the field than  the bier carrying his  pierced body. Yet it  was not until I  saw the  stricken face  of my  husband, Evandr,  that I submitted fully  to my grief.  And I  saw that Lord  Michael had come with  him, and his  eyes were  filled with sympathy  for my loss. Then, too, I spied Hashmal Phanuel of House Bellon walking behind the procession,  and I asked my husband,  'Did we prevail in the battle  after all? Is the lord of  the province of Alodra our prisoner?

"But my husband said, 'Nay,  Aurra, upon  the death of  our son Phanael laid down hez arms of hez own accord. The Seraph Michael has brought hem hither for an audience before the throne under a truce-bond.' Phanuel  prostrated hemself before me.  Che offered hez deepest regrets for the death  of my son, and che offered to give an explanation, if I was  willing to entertain one. 'But it is war',  said I. 'What  is there  to explain?' And  the hashmal said to me in reply, 'Yet it is a war that never had to be, Your Majesty.'" The  queen looked  across the  table. "Will you now, Hashmal Phanuel,  tell the Council  what you  said to me  at the time?"

Phanuel said, "As you command,  Your Majesty. Lord  Samael came before me in  Atria not long ago.  he rolled out a  map and told me, 'Behold, Hashmal Phanael, this is  the isle of Danya. Do you not agree it should belong solely  to House Bellon? For you have ever been mariners  while the Gold Beards are  more the farmers. They should be  content with the vale of  Loenna, puissant lord. Is not  House Sala is  sticking a finger  in your eye  when they hold on to Danya?' If you will ladies and lords, know that Danya lies westerly across the wide expanse of Thalury, nigh much more to the lands of House Sala than to Alodra, indeed it lies across the very mouth of the great river Loenna that winds through much of  Rammon. Yet  despite  this fact  of  cartography I  accepted Samael's argument at  the time, so cunning was  it phrased. Then every bit  as skillfully, Lord  Samael, by degrees,  changed the object of his counsel from  Danya to  the superbow.' At  my own request Lord Samael brought out this superbow for my inspection. he told me, 'The superbow is made of gopher wood between a layer of sinew to the fore  and horn to  the rear, all  held together from glue made from boiled horse hooves. The bowstring is made also of sinew  from  the  shoulders of  oxen.'  My eyes  fairly sparked at the sight of the thing. And when I fitted an arrow to it I deemed that only the  mightiest warriors in my  army could draw the string fully back. When I released the string the shot flew half again as far  as from any other  bow. So I told Lord Samael I would purchase  a thousand of  these weapons. And why should I have not? Have not each of our kingdoms done the same for centuries, one House against another, or two Houses together assailing one, but never, and how odd this now seems to be, all three Houses simultaneously rising up against the Black Beards?"

Duke Evandr rose to say, "I thank you, Phanuel. If you recall, I drew your attention to a curious mark on your superbow which is also stamped on every weapon  we have purchased of Adanite make, not excepting the  compound bows that settled  the recent battle in our  favor. When  my cavalry  met your  own you  had somewhat greater  numbers than  we, but  my forces  were armed  with bows curved in  curious shapes which  allowed the archer to  hold the string  back  without growing  weary.  That  in turn  gave  them sufficient time to take a carefully considered shot."

"Most recently, a few years ago, Lord Samael came to me bearing pikes of cunning make, with a second section that fit inside the first, such that the enemy might  be lured in close, thinking it to be  a simple  spear. Pressing a  trigger released  the second section on a spring with sufficient  force that if the butt were anchored against the saddle of your horse it could penenetrate the  armor of  any foe.  At least,  that was  the claim  of Lord Samael, who also said that at  the very least it would knock him down from his mount. Within a week I took delivery of a thousand such pikes, and Lord Samael disappeared with much of my gold.

"In the spring when the snow had melted from  the hills and the ground was dry enough to campaign the Baron Alastor Firegem made his usual provocation under force of arms, but things did not go as  Lord  Samael  intimated  to  me  when  we  carried  out  our transaction. Would  you, Lord  Alastor, be  willing to  tell the council why that was so?"

Alastor rose at the bidding of Nithael to say, "As you command, Lord Nithael. The  simple reason is that  Lord Samael forewarned us of  your new pikes by  displaying one to me.  he claimed that members of  his secret service,  his so called Eyes  of Keter, had stolen the weapon from your camp. But I was not to worry! Hy was willing to offer a special price on new bronzes shields made in the  shape of  a flattened  cone that  would turn  away these pikes quite readily, and they also had many metal hooks embedded in them which  would grapple the pikes at the  spearhead and rip them from  the hand of  our foes. And  the rest you  know, Ophan Nithael. The field was ours on that day."

Samael said, "I am astonished, Ophan Nithael and Baron Alastor, how in council today the two of you say something was amiss when every time  I appeared before  you, without fail, I  was treated with  an awe  that went  far above  the basic  courtesies due  a seraph in Kemen.  Indeed, a dispassionate  observer might have concluded the lords of Vaska  and Thorgram were actually eager to see what new gewgaws my weaponsmiths had contrived to make."

When Samael finished speaking Ayani, the widow of Count Aldred, then rose to say, "With the leave of all present I would venture to say Her Highness Queen Aurra and my kinsman Alastor were not the only peerage of House Sala visited by Lord Samael on a time. A short time before my husband  Count Aldred fell in battle Lord Samael brought  tidings of  Ophan Nithae building  many portable pontoons designed  to bridge the  bridge the mouth of  the River Loenna  where it  flowed into  the sea  and divided  Rammon from Gerazan. But the officers of  Aldred's army insisted there had been no hint  of this construction, so he had  not been panicked into buying  the Adanite  catapults the  seraph was  offering to repulse the supposedly immanent attack."

Nithael said, "Lord Samael did  offer to sell  us prefabricated pontoons, Lady Ayani, which he  said were born in the holds of the same  ships, no  doubt, that  contained those  cataputs. But following the debacle against  Baron Alastor I was not tempted to buy  any of them. I  suspected yet another trick.  If he told you we were building them, this was manifestly untrue."

Ayani replied, "So you said to us, Ophan  Nithael, through your ambassador, and thus we both knew Lord Samael to be a liar. So it was clear  even before this council that some  of the peerage in Kemen began to see through  Lord Samael's game. But without a formal agreement no one can be assured they will not be assailed by a  foe bearing  some new contrivance  of the  weaponsmiths in Adan."

Uzziel of Elketz spoke of a skirmish with Erel  Raddai, a sharp row between nobles within the same House, and  neither one knew at the time what had  been the  essential cause. "Only now, at this council," said Uzziel, "are things beginning to grow clear. In hindsight we see how it is always Larund against Sala, Larund against  Bellon,  Sala  against  Bellon,  even  brother  against brother among the Brown Beards.  And it seems curious how Samael seems to  be omnipresent in  all this, pointing out  problems we never knew we had, and ever  with a remedy on hand for immediate sale."

Hashmal Raphaela,  the senior  officer  of  the Fallen  Angels, begged leave of her queen to speak. Sha rose and said, "At times I have been carried in the  avatar of Chokhmah far  above Kemen and I  have seen  with my  own eyes how  it is  a great  ball of mostly ice, set in a great dark void with innumerable stars. But I have also seen the impenetrable bog that stands between Adan and Rammon,  such that the  Black Beards can never  assail House Sala from the west. Neither have the Adanites ever, in the whole history  of Kemen,  ever seen  House Larund  march on  their own west.

"All of you have heard  tidings, no doubt,  of how the  land of Adan has been torn by civil  war in recent years, and how Cherub Melchizedek, was slain by many arrows  even as he drew night the shore east  of Salem to  surrender. Mayhap  not all of  you know that Queen  Lilith fled Salem  in exile with Lord  Michael. With her into exile went the army of yin called the Fallen Angels and our consorts, even  as we were pursued across the  ice bridge by the  overweening victors  who  were not  content  to digest  the spoils of the city.

"But west of the ice bridge the army of Lord Samael was brought to a halt, and my queen  rode out to parley. There sha concluded a  truce that  removed from  the realm  of possibility,  for all time, any effusion of blood between House Adan and House Larund.

"It is small wonder,  then, that  Lord Samael,  with all  of his subjects in  Adan occupied producing  armaments, or supporting the lives of those who produce them, is seen much of late in the audience  halls  of  Queen  Aurra,  and  King  Uriel,  and  King Metatron, and also visiting their vassals besides."

Lilith thanked har lieutenant and rose to speak herself. "Lords and ladies  of the  council,  I  believe  that among  those  in attendance here only Lord Michael,  King Metatron, his son Ophan Barachiel,  and my  chief lieutenant  Hashmal Raphaela  know the details of the  bargain I forced on Samael, which  has also been ratified by  the king.  There now  exists a  hard border  on the frontier  of Magodon.  The Adanites  must never  march in  force west, nor  I east. As a  consequence I must remain  in perpetual exile from Salem,  and King Metatron has been  gracious to grant me, my family, as well as  the force I commanded, the Fallen An- gels, and  all their consorts,  to dwell on this  beautiful isle called Sealiah.

"My husband Michael  assures me  that once  a seraph's  word is given, there can be no repentance, and indeed this is why Samael could depose  my brother only by  open warfare and not  a simple edic. Then,  too, what Lord  Samael demanded in the  bargain has already been  faithfully delivered  by Chokhmah  himself, though things did  not turn out, I  imagine, entirely to  the Adanite Seraph's satisfaction."

Heads turned to glance at Samael, who merely scowled darkly and remained silent.

Lilith continued. "Samael's unbreakable word has also sidelined the  dragon named  Demonstroke,  but  only in  such  a way  that depends on the steadfastness of  King Uriel's daughter. The fate of all Kemen  hangs upon Ophan Dafla never  breaking that trust. Therefore I  want to impress upon  all of you,  likewise, how important  it is  that any  covenant we  undertake here  must be executed every  bit as  faithfully as the  seraphim  carry out their own  covenants, lest the  fears expressed earlier  by Lady Ayani  come to  pass. We  can put  a stop  to Lord  Samael's de- signs, but only if we never break faith with one another."

Lilith took her seat, and Samael, who remained seated, gave his retort. he said, "To the self-styled 'queen' or 'cherub' named Lilith I have nothing to say, other than  to ask, rhetorically, can there  be a queen  without a city  to rule? For  sha harself allows that sha must never return  to Salem in har lifetime, nor har daughter  in hars.  Granted, the  Cherub Metatron  has given Lilith and  the rabble of  hens that  follower her land  to till here in his kingdom,  but it must be purely out  of pity or some inapt sentiment. For  all the power Lilith really  has she ought to take the  place of that serving wench that  Aurra commanded to be punished." Michael stood up to  respond to Samael's  insult attack  on his wife, but this he did  with a  deliberate calm that  did credit to all  his teachings. While Leliel  remained busy  recording everything to her scroll, Lilith grew astonished anew with every word he spoke. It was like the Sunset Discourse all over again.

Hy said, "Ultimately,  Samael is  lord  of Kemen.  That no  one denies. Lord  Samael is a seraph  in union with the  sun we call Keter. Kemen  huddles in the void  near to Keter as  though to a fire in an overnight camp. In  the land of Adan House Gerash has from the beginning  been especially devoted to  Keter, and while angels and nephilim are pecul- iar to Kemen, humans are from the world where  Chokhmah reigns  as lord. It  was from  human stock that the angels and nephilim of Kemen were begotten.

"Now Kemen is a poor imitation  of Earth. There are  islands on Earth  with  more  land  free  of  ice  than  exist  in  all  of Kemen. There  are no  beasts native  to Kemen  by reason  of the world-embracing ice. And  it is a truth that  humans are kindred to the  beasts in most ways.  There- fore in Rammon  where Queen Aurra  reigns Chokhmah  receives  the adora-  tion befitting  an eloah, while  in the lands ruled  by the House of  Bel- lon less so, and here in Magodon lesser still.

"This is  tolerable to  Chokhmah  since  he has  always  called world-dwell-  ers the  Students.  It  is a  far  better thing  a student  learns how  to think  rather  than what  to think,  and Chokhmah demands obedience only from the ones known as the B'nei Elohim, whom have been set aside just for that purpose, and they have also been given special abilities to fulfill that purpose.

"But I assure you divided loyalty is not tolerable to Keter, and there is also Da'at to consider. Poor Daat has  not even a thin ribbon  of land  on a  world of  ice to  rule as  his own,  only scattered mountains  of ice and  rock tumbling in the  void, and his living avatar,  the Seraph Israel, must  settle for whatever dregs in Kemen  are left to hym by Samael.  And Samael has never called  the dwellers  of Kemen  the  Stu- dents  but rather  his thralls.

"I am certain that Samael has already begun to  set his designs in  motion, and  I  think  you will  soon  discover  why he  has maneuvered to  keep the  other three Houses  off balance  and at each other's throats. I will not  attempt to impose my will upon that of  the council. But  I urge great  caution in the  wake of forming a  single front  against Samael, which  seems to  be the trend of these  deliberations. he can no longer  assail you with his main  force, as Lilith  said, but  he can send  assassins at will, and  burn through the  ruling nobility until he  finds one more to his liking, and outfit that one to adventure abroad."

Michael seated hymself, and Samael again spoke. "When you said Da'at must  settle  for  dregs  in  Kemen,  know  that  I  have covenanted  with him  that he  should  rule over  all the  Brown Beards.  So it  is  true there  will be  no  further blood  shed between Houses  Larund and Adan, one  day, but that day  has not yet come.  You have merely contrived  to push that day  into the future. Perhaps not  so far in the future. And  perhaps that day will be preceeded by a great deal of bloodshed. In reply to your other  misguided imaginings,  consider these  words! If  I truly wanted to  subdue the  other two kingdoms  of Kemen,  beyond the Wall of God,  it would be a  small thing to equip one  and put a complete embargo on the other, yet  ever I have sold Adan's arms to all alike."

Just then a bell  was heard  to sound  somewhere in  the castle marking the  time of  the  evening  meal. Lord Samael  resumed his seat after  King Metatron  struck the  smaller bell  before him. Then the king  slapped  his  hands sharply,  twice. That was the signal  for  Shyla  and Gabriel  to  serve supper. The Council of Royals paused in  their grim deliberations  to enjoy the hospitality of  Ophan  Barachiel and  his kitchen. Gabriel approached each one of the the guests around  the council table once again with wine. When che drew near to Michael and Lilith che said, "My Lady and my Lord, I am the herald of Bat-El, and I crave audience with you  in a  more private  setting, as  I was commanded that my words must be for your ears only."

Michael weighed Gabriel's words. Here was a mystery. he could not deny that Gabriel was, indeed, a member of the B'nei Elohim, as he had the white horns, even as he and Lilith and Leliel did. But why had Bat-El not yet spoken of hem, directly, daughter to parent? Michael said to  Gabriel, "We will  receive you  in our chambers later tonight after the evening meal."

Gabriel bowed and said,  "I thank you,  Lord." Che resumed hez role as Barachiel's wine server.

As the  keeper  of  the  sword  Dragonthorn,  Kari  Antero  was convinced that she had the power  to bend the will  of everyone around her, even the will of her father the King. At least, this is what her  father  constantly assured  her,  to his  ultimate undoing. 15 Some time ago Kari had taken Demonstroke all the way to the city of  Mastema to  put it to  the ultimate  test. Now, while the Council had  taken a short  recess she  dismissed the guards blocking her way to Kirodiel's chamber  and received yet one more confirmation of her invincible power of persuasion. 16 Joy was lounging sensuously inside the chamber like some exotic black cat. In fact, everything about her was black  except her unnaturally pale white skin. Kari told her she  was dismissed also. Joy left quickly without a  word of protest. 17 'How did you get in here?' Kirodiel demanded angrily after witnessing his woman sent away abruptly like  some common servant. 'It wasn't very hard,' Kari said. 'I'm very persuasive it turns  out. Yet the last time we met, you had the stronger power, it seemed.' 18 'I don't know what came over me then,' he  said. 'And Joy would certainly never understand if she  discovered the truth  of the matter. She has very unpleasant ways of  making her displeasure known.' 'I came to see if  your resolve to keep  our secret has not withered.' 19 'You must be thinking of  the requirement for strict sexual purity for every woman who is  entrusted to guard the Dragonthorn blade.' The penalty for losing  my virginity is more  terrible  than any  other  punishment  in the  history  of Barbelo. 20 'Yes indeed, Princess. I am given to understand that if you were discovered  to be, ah,  disqualified, you  would be actually rendered  immortal and  buried alive  in a  coffin deep under the ice to suffer the horror of eternal claustrophobia for all eternity. 21 A truly horrible fate to contemplate  for any creature no matter what their crimes, and sufficiently horrible, in fact, that it has never  been found necessary to  measure it out. In a way I'm flattered that you risked  that awful penalty for a single  session in  bed with  me.' 22  'So what  are your feelings on this matter, Lord  Kirodiel?' 'I find that  I still have no desire at all to reveal it to anyone, and even thinking about revealing it to another person causes me to  be over come with a very bad depression. 23 This malady grows worse and worse the closer I come to making my urge into an actuality.' 'It is a shame that it must be so,  Lord Kirodiel. When last we met you said that I had a very lovely ass and could not keep your hands from caressing it.' 24 Kirodiel puckered his  mouth in disgust. 'Princess, right now I wouldn't reach across your ass to grab a winning ticket in  the Salem numbers racket. I resent very much that you have somehow wound this spell around me. Your secret is safe. So if that is all  you want, then please  leave.' 25 Kari pivoted on one foot and  marched out  of his chamber  without a sound. When she was  well  out of  earshot  Kirodiel began  to snicker. The effort it had taken  not to laugh the  entire time was almost too much  for him! 26 'So that was the  girl,' Joy said, emerging from behind a  curtain. She had doubled back by secret ways and listened to  almost the entire exchange. 'It's a wonder you didn't have done and unleash the dragon on Vaska the instant she came to you and gave her so-called virtue away.' 27 'It is not her virginity that controls the dragon,' he told Joy, 'but the sword. I need only to manipulate her into breaking the sword and then  you can  take control  of the  beast yourself.' 'With 0 v  = the  sword broken  I will  have no  problem flying Demonstroke. 28 But I need access to his holding  pen, my Lord. There's a limit to the range  of my power.' 'My  guards can get you in easily enough,' Kirodiel said. 'But tell me, Joy, how is it you can make  beasts do  your bidding  anyway?' 29  'My lord already knows Yeshua and Talishi have what they  call the B'nei Elohim project going on the side. A little below gods we are, the saying goes, a  little above humans. I cannot control any animal until Yeshua prepares it with some kind of bead in their brain, 30 much as El Shaddai once prepared Samuel to receive his voice long ago in Palestine. Your dragon, however, has already been prepared by yourself, Lord. I will merely tap into that.' 'Good. Then we shall await the moment when Princess Kari breaks the sword. 31 There must be no doubt in the mind of Talishi and all the assembled ladies and lords that what follows is entirely the fault of the princess.' Joy had removed herself to the enemy camp, and served Mastema with her whole body and soul. 32 But it never at any time occurred  to her  to mention that  Yeshua had discovered a way to  manipulate time. The compulsion never to reveal this, directly or even  indirectly, ran to the very inner core of the B'nei Elohim.

In the private chambers of Michael and his family Gabriel knelt before hez lord, then rose  and came  quickly to hez  point. "I know, Lord Michael, that you wonder  how I can claim  to be the herald of  Bat-El, when  she is  yet so young,  yet I  speak the truth. There  is a thing  you do not  yet know, and  even Bat-El herself does not yet know it, in this time."

J6

Michael brightened as  the  mystery resolved  itself and  said, "You're from the future!"

Gabriel said, "Yes, Lord. Your attempts to teach Bat-El to open a fold-door  have not  failed. She has  an additional  degree of freedom available to her that you haven't taken into account."

"Why has niot the  Bat-El of your  time contacted  me directly, mind-to-mind?"

"She is  not absolutely  certain  direct  contact could  remain undetected by Samael,  Lord. There is always  a bifurcation, you see. Two  separate time  streams result  from every  contact, an original where the contact never happened and a new one where it did. Bat-El says this unforeseen power is of infinite value. She says none of the other elohim  in the City of Stars has reported its like. Both Bat-El, and yourself, in my time, have decided it would serve them  better that neither Samael nor  Belial know of it until  the very  end when  it is too  late. So  they dispatch B'nei Elohim such  as myself to relay messages  to past versions of themselves."

"Yet the  bifurcation  still  happens,  nonetheless,  when  you deliver the message?"

"Yes, Lord, but such a communication lies solely in the mind of the messenger, so Keter and  Da'at remain absolutely ignorant of it."

Michael considered this silently. Gabriel looked down at Leliel then, and said, "Hello, Leliel.  I'm the child you  haven't had yet."

"That makes sense, at least," Lilith said. "if nothing else you have said can be understood. I thought you had my cheekbones."

"Also, dear grandmother, I have the eyes of my human father."

"How far down the timeline have you come?" asked Michael.

"From very near to the end," Gabriel replied. "Let us say about thirty-three hundred years. But do  not be dismayed,  Lord! You will leap over those centuries  yourself. Bat-El does not permit me  to say  much, lest  you  are diverted  onto an  unproductive stream, other  than to say  have no fear  of the events  of this council when  you see them play  out. All will turn  out well in the end."

On the morning of the second day of the council other nobles of the monarchies in Kemen rose one  after the other to weigh in on the  matters brought  to the  forefront  by Queen  Aurra on  the preceding day.

Ophan Nithael Bellon rose to  say, "West  of the Great  Sea and north of the mouth of the River Loenna the border between Rammon and Gerazan is marked by a  line of small mountains, or perhaps, rather, high hills. For the whole history of Kemen, it seems, at least the  time that  followed the  Great Deluge,  these heights have  been contested  year after  year by  House Sala  and House Bellon. For nearly as long as  that the conflict has been fueled by arms of Adanite make.

All the noble guests of the king had spoken in council. At last King Metatron rose to his feet to speak.

Hy said, "Lord Samael, it  is new tidings  to me that  you have already, in your imagination, consigned House Larund to be ruled by the Seraph Israel. I remind the Lord that more souls dwell in a single  city of my  realm than  in all of  Adan, and I  am not covenanted, as Queen Lilith, never  to march with my armies east beyond the frontier.

"Lord Michael, your  words  are weighty  and  must be  pondered deeply. Know  that we here in  Rumbek have also played  the fool for  Adanite  arms merchants.  This  city  has formidable  water barriers to  protect us on three  sides, and the Nine  Mile Wall protects us  from being assailed by  land on the fourth.  Yet at times in centuries  past we have ventured over the  Wall of God, and even crossed Thalury to assail the Gold Beards.

"Also, once, during the reign  of my  father I crossed  the ice bridge and  passed through  Salem to Ganelon  and thence  to the capital in Adan, a journey that  took the better part of a year. In Ganelon  I saw  some of  the finest bottom  land I  have ever seen, better perhaps than even that around Saharad in the valley of the  Loenna. While I  tarried in Ganelon  I saw that  much of Adan had soil so deep and rich  it was near- ly black, yet there were few crops, save weeds."

Samael replied, "After the revolution  most of the  Middle Land has be- come a smithy. Only  Salem far in our west has primitive agriculture like you practice in your monarchies."

"Noble ones," said the king, "let us dwell on that for a moment. East of the city Salem everyone who makes a living in the Middle Land is either employed to  make weapons directly, or  they are employed  to keep  alive those  who do.  Their livelihood  rests entirely on keeping us at each other's throats."

"I will  say what  our  livelihood  purchases for  us,"  Samael countered. "In a legal  sense even  my guards  are on  the same level as  myself, with  the same rights  and obligations  to the state.  Can any  of  you noble  born say  the  same thing  about yourself and one of your servants? A lowly apprentice could rise to attain  to my  seat on  the State  Council. Blood  counts for nothing in the  Middle Land. Only ability and  loyalty matter to Keter.  In  all  of  Adan  now  that  'Queen'  Lilith  has  been permanently  dispossessed,  we  have a  republic.  A  theocratic meritocracy."

Queen Aurra smiled at this. "When that apprentice does rise to your seat  on the State Council  he will undoubtedly find  he is merely the next yang to be possessed by Keter. Nevertheless, not just  citizens but  kingdoms, too,  may form  republics after  a fashion, Lord Samael."

"Review your own history, O privileged ones. Can you remember a single battle  between your kingdoms  and House Gerash?  Or even hearing  about one?  You cannot,  and  if you  scratch a  little deeper you  will find  that it  was not for  lack of  trying. We clipped your  little seedling attacks before  they could proceed beyond a simple  skirmish and take root. How were  we able to do this time  after time, you  ask? Very simple. House  Gerash, you see,  always  retains the  newest  and  best  arms for  its  own defense.  If  ever  House  Gerash  should  find  your  so-called Union of  Kingdoms standing at cross-purposes  to our interests, beware."

Dafla stood up then, drawing the diamond sword Dragonthorn from its jewel-encrusted scabbard  strapped to  her back. She said, "Lord Samael would do well to remember House Gerash  is not the only Family which  can bring unmatched weaponry to  the field of battle!"

"Nay, daughter!" said Uriel,  "your king  now  commands  you! Restore the sacred  blade to its place!" But the eyes of al the members of the  council  were  on the  blade,  which no  longer gleamed, but had taken on the  dull color of piss,  and was now marked by a web of fine white cracks through  and through. Only Dafla herself glared at Samael  and had  no idea the  blade had deteriorated thus. "I begin to wonder why I was summoned to  attend this Council," said Samael with a dry tone and a look  that feigned innocence. "To receive threats,  and  weapons brandished  in  my face,  it seems.  Do you  recall, Your  Majesty,  when I  said leaving  my dragon  in your  keeping was  like an  investigation in  natural philosophy,  and Queen  Lilith told  you I  was merely  making a joke? I  was not joking.  As a matter of  fact, I never  joke. A maid of the House of Bellon  has indeed broken the glassware, as you can all now see."

Dafla looked up at the Dragonthorn and saw how  had become ugly and rotten. Dismay twisted her face. Events had spiraled out of her control and she felt her stomach had become a knot.

"Nor was I  joking  when  I said  the  strength of  Dragonthorn depended upon  the continuing purity  of the woman who  held it. No, King  Uriel, when you  told your daughter the  diamond blade could bend all  others to her will, that was  the real joke, yet little Dafla believed it was  true, and why not? Everyone around her took your cue and played  their part to carry out your ruse, including, I must admit, even  myself, when she dismissed myself and Queen Lilith from your presence, and once more when she came to me alone in--"

"Lies!" Dafla raised  the  blade  and  moved  within  striking distance of Samael in abject defiance of  her father's command. She said, "The Father  of Lies  must give  account for  all the loved ones we have lost!" And she brought the blade swiftly down as though to cleave the Adanite Emperor's head in twain.

But Gabriel,  who  was  standing next  to  Samael  entirely  by intention rather than by chance, brought up a silver platter che was using to retrieve wine goblets as a pathetic  shield to try to protect  Samael. To everyone's  surprise  the  Dragonthorn shattered against  Gabriel's  makeshift  silver  barrier. Dull yellow shards of the desecrated blade fell to the  floor of the council chamber like so much broken crystal.

"Foolish girl,"  said  Samael,  "you never  had  the  power  to persuade  anyone to  do your  least bidding,  and if  King Uriel thought to make you believe that  so your life might be a little more pleasant as you waxed old  in your spin sterhood, then more fool che!"

As Samael spoke the dragon was seen to hover outside the chamber on great strokes of  his articulated wings. With Demonstroke's smoking open mouth menacing  the royals  none dared  hinder the hysterically laughing seraph and his companion Joy from mounting the dragon to make good their escape into the air.