Thalonn Tayn

51 - Blood at Bealnew

A short while after her election by the rede, the young king took up her mantle at Brownos. The lords were all in attendance, as were her reeves, and all the great folk of her kingdom. Of the earls of Norlonn, only Solvega had been invited. She came alongside her son, Enroko, whom she still hoped would be betrothed to the king. The pair were introduced ahead of the ceremony, but Enroko was only fifteen at that time (some four-and-a-half years the king's junior), and he was very nervous, and sweaty, and generally lacking in apparent nobility. Yordhoa in particular was unimpressed.

'Solvega,' she said, 'what makes you think he is fit to marry the king?'

Solvega said, 'We made an agreement, did we not?'

'I proposed a settlement, and the settlement was rejected. There is not yet any such agreement between us.'

'Not yet?'

'Not yet. There may be, but I recommend you make haste, Solvega, and convince your countrymen to agree to my terms. The deal is not done until the deal is done.'

Solvega said she would do just that and took Enroko away where he could not further lessen his chances.

All the same, his chances soon plummeted. The king's mantling was also attended once more by Tholvoa Asnyorannan from the south, but this time she came not on behalf of the King of Baklalonn, but as the king herself. Standing proudly at his mother's side was Aldoro once more, and after the ceremony, he went to the king and asked her to marry him.

'Let me think about it,' said the king.

'What is there to think about?' said Yordhoa. 'Accept his offer, and your heirs will be the heirs of twofold kingdoms, and your legacy will be great. And accept his offer quickly, for we must be leaving soon.'

'Let her think,' said Aldoro, 'and let me leave with you, if I may, that she may take all the time she needs.'

Yordhoa considered this request, and then said, 'Very well. You should make for an acceptable guest.'

Thus did Aldoro accompany the king back to Syorbak.

On the day of their return, the king met secretly with a young man named Klozo. He was the son of Nyalo, the Steward of Feklam, and he had long been a close friend of hers, but in recent years, they had become rather friendlier. The king told Klozo about the proposals she had received at Brownos, and he urged her to accept Aldoro's.

'But what about you?' said the king.

'What we do in our own time,' said Klozo, 'is for us alone to know. Your marriage to another fellow ought not change that.'

'How unscrupulous!'

'Not unscrupulous, but pragmatic.'

The king took Klozo's advice and accepted Aldoro's proposal. They were married at Syorbak only a few weeks later.

Aldoro stayed with the king for a few more weeks thereafter. During that time, she and Klozo continued frolicking together. Then shortly before Aldoro was to return home, he invited the king to rejoice with him.

'Today,' he said, 'is weddings day. I am your husband, and you are my wife. You are a king, and I will be. It is only fitting that we should make merry together.'

'I appreciate that,' said the king, 'but I have had my fill for today.'

'What do you mean by that?'

Upon realising what she had said, the king flushed and fell silent.

'Say, Kara, what do you mean by that?'

'I am quite tired, and have had enough of the day. Perhaps we can postpone that discussion.'