This Scepter'd Isle Read online

  This Scepter'd Isle

  Mercedes Lackey and

  Roberta Gellis

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2004 by Mercedes Lackey & Roberta Gellis

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

  A Baen Books Original

  Baen Publishing Enterprises

  P.O. Box 1403

  Riverdale, NY 10471

  www.baen.com

  ISBN: 0-7434-7156-3

  Cover art by Larry Dixon

  First printing, February 2004

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Lackey, Mercedes.

  This scepter'd isle / by Mercedes Lackey & Roberta Gellis.

  p. cm.

  "A Baen Books Original"--T.p. verso.

  ISBN 0-7434-7156-3 (HC)

  1. Great Britain--Kings and rulers--Succession--Fiction. 2. Elizabeth I, Queen of

  England, 1533-1603--Fiction. 3. Avalon (Legendary place)--Fiction. 4. Prophecies--

  Fiction. 5. Queens--Fiction. I. Gellis, Roberta. II. Title.

  PS3562.A246T48 2004

  813'.54--dc22

  2003022161

  Distributed by Simon & Schuster

  1230 Avenue of the Americas

  New York, NY 10020

  Production by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH

  Printed in the United States of America

  BAEN BOOKS by MERCEDES LACKEY

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  (with Anne McCaffrey)

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  (ed. by Josepha Sherman)

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  (with Ru Emerson)

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  (with Mark Shepherd)

  BAEN BOOKS by ROBERTA GELLIS

  Bull God

  Thrice Bound

  CHARACTER LIST

  The Sidhe (Shee)

  Child of Dannae (Dan'-nay)

  —applied to all Sidhe; deathly insult to say one of the Sidhe does not deserve the name

  High King Oberon (O'-ber-on)/Queen Titania (Ty-tane'-ee-a)

  —rulers of all Elves

  King Huon (Hugh'-on)/Queen Melusine (Mel'-u-seen)

  —rulers of French elves

  Hen Ne(Hen-knee)

  —man-chicken in Fur Hold

  Eigg Oh (Egg Oh)

  —head on legs with arms; Humpty Dumpty blurred face in Fur Hold

  Kitsune (Kit-su'-ne) Matka (Mat'-kah) Toimisto (Toy-mist'-toe)

  —fox-headed man in Fur Hold

  Seleighe (see-ly) Sidhe, or Bright Court Elves

  Denoriel (Den-o'-ree-el) Siencyn (Sen'-sin) Macreth (Mac-reth') Silverhair (Silver-hair)

  —known as Lord Denno Siencyn Adorjan (A-dor'-jan) in the mortal world; Christopher Atwood, name used when he was disguised as wine merchant

  Aleneil (A-len'-ee-il) Arwyddion (Ar-with'-ee-on) Ysfael (Iz'-fay-el) Silverhair

  —FarSeer, extraordinarily gentle for a Sidhe; Mistress Alana (A-lan'-a) in the mortal world

  Kefni (Kef'-nee) Deulwyn (Deul'-in) Siarl (See'-arl) Silverhair

  —father of two sets of twins; he was killed trying to rescue Pasgen and Rhoslyn.

  Seren (Ser'-en) Teifi (Tee'-fee) Tynewedd (Tin'-weth) Silverhair

  —Denoriel and Aleniel's mother; she did not want to live after her lifemate died and faded away when her children became "adult"

  Eirianell (Ay-ree'-a-nell)

  —Aleneil's eldest teacher, wears Atlantean dress

  Rhonwen (Ron'-wen)

  —Aleneil's middle teacher, wears Greek dress

  Morwen (More'-wen)

  —teacher who wears Tudor dress

  Ieuan Hywyn (Ee-u'-an He'-en)

  —student of mortal history

  Mwynwen (Main'-wen)

  —Denoriel's current lady friend; she is a dark elf (not in character, but dark skinned, dark eyed, with blue-black hair)

  Ceindrych (Seen'-de-rich)

  —old, powerful healer

  Treowth (Tree'-ow-th)

  —a Magus Major who had wanted Denoriel as apprentice. Superb skills and perceptions

  Gilfaethwy (Gill-faith'-wee)

  —a Magus Major who specializes in Gates

  Miralys (Mir-al'-is)

  —Denoriel's elvensteed; various colors

  Ystwyth (Ist'-with)

  —Aleneil's elvensteed; in the mortal world she is palomino

  Lady Aeron (Air'-on)

  —FitzRoy's elvensteed, silver-blue, silver mane

  Unseleighe (Un-see-ly) Sidhe, or Dark Court Elves

  Rhoslyn (Ros'-lin) Teleri (Tell-ee'-ry) Dagfael (Dag'-file) Silverhair

  —FarSeer in the Unseleighe court, creator of the not-horses and all kinds of constructs; in the service of Maria de Salinas (Catherine's maid of honor) she is Mistress Rosamund Scot

  Pasgen (Pass'-gen) Peblig (Peb'-leg) Rodrig (Rod'-rig) Silverhair

  —a mirror image of Denoriel; in the mortal world a human mage, Fagildo Otstargi. In service as advisor to Wolsey he is Sir Peter Kemp

  Llanelli (Lah-nell'-ee) Ffridd (Frith) Gwynneth (Gin'-neth) Arian (Ar'-ee-on)

  —the mother of Rhoslyn and Pasgen; she followed her twins into Unseleighe territory when they were kidnaped and after their father was killed trying to rescue them, she remained with the Unseleighe. She is utterly devoted but also possessive

  Prince Vidal (Vee'-dahl) Dhu (Dew)

  —current ruler of the Unseleighe Domain, Caer (Care) Mordwyn (More'-dwin). Thoroughly vicious

  Aurilia (Awe-rill'-ee-a) nic Morrigan (More'-rig-an)

  —Vidal's lover and supporter

  Torgen (Tor'-gen)

  —Pasgen's not-horse (clawed paws instead of hooves, tearing fangs, red eyes)

  Talog (Ta'-log)

  —Rhoslyn's not-horse

  The Humans

  English

  Henry FitzRoy

  —born 1519; earl of Nottingham, duke of Somerset, duke of Richmond; an extremely nice young man, not too clever (and he knows it); he does not want to be king.

  Kip Ladbroke

  —FitzRoy's groom, devoted and paid off too by Denoriel; first Denoriel's servant

  Shandy Dunstan

  —FitzRoy's s
ervant, like Ladbroke he first served Denoriel

  Reeve Tolliver

  —boy from workhouse, now subgroom under Ladbroke

  Dickson

  —one of FitzRoy's guards

  Gerrit

  —one of FitzRoy's guards

  Nyle

  —one of FitzRoy's guards

  Shaylor

  —one of FitzRoy's guards

  Commissioners at Sheriff Hutton:

  Henry Howard, duke of Norfolk (not in residence)

  Sir Edward Seymour (also FitzRoy's Master of Horse)

  Sir John Forrester

  Sir William Fenwicke

  Lord Henry Percy

  Thomas Cromwell

  —Wolsey's aide who takes over from Wolsey after his fall

  Richard Croke

  —FitzRoy's tutor

  John Palsgrave

  —FitzRoy's tutor

  King Henry VIII

  Princess Mary

  —born 1516; innocent of malice toward Elizabeth in Book 1; she hates Anne

  Margaret Pole

  —countess of Salisbury, devoted to Mary

  Anne Boleyn

  —Born 1507; Henry VIII's second queen. Anne is highly Talented, but she is terrified of it, very sensitive to being called a witch; thus her Talent is totally untrained and makes her emotionally unstable and very vulnerable to mental influence.

  Lady Lee

  —sister of Thomas Wyatt, Anne's only friend; Aleneil, called Mistress Alana, is her friend/companion.

  George Boleyn (later Viscount Rochford)

  —Anne's brother, provides Denoriel's access to court. George Boleyn's friends known to Denoriel; favorites of the king:

  Henry Norris

  Thomas Wyatt

  —Denoriel likes him; he is intelligent and sensitive, a good poet; however Denoriel thinks he is hot-headed and impractical

  Francis Weston

  William Brereton

  Francis Bryan

  Henry Howard

  —duke of Norfolk, FitzRoy's warden; deputy to FitzRoy when he was lieutenant of the Northern March: Under him were Henry Percy, duke of Northumberland; Thomas Fiennes, Lord Dacre (he had gout, his brother Christopher Fiennes was his deputy—kind of stupid, Denoriel runs rings around him)

  Henry Howard (later earl of Surrey)

  —son of the duke of Norfolk; childhood playmate of FitzRoy when they both lived under the care of the duke of Norfolk

  Mary Howard

  —also a childhood playmate of FitzRoy; he married her when he was fifteen or sixteen, she a year or so younger; she outlived him by many years

  Princess Elizabeth

  —born 7 September 1533; in Book 1 a toddler of two or so; adorable, precocious, the object of Henry FitzRoy's devotion

  Lady Margaret Bryan

  —Elizabeth's governess, truly fond of the child but unconscious of otherworldly influences

  Blanche Parry

  —nursery maid (changes diapers and such). Was nursery maid to Anne, known as a witch, called in when strange things began to happen in the nursery. A strong witch but fearful of being burnt hides talent; she recognizes the intrusion of Rhoslyn into the nursery

  Christopher Atwood

  —Denoriel in disguise

  Catherine of Aragon

  —Henry VIII's first wife, Mary's mother

  Francisco Felipiz

  —one of Catherine's Spanish servants

  Maria de Salinas

  —favorite Maid of Honor to Catherine

  Spanish

  Inigo de Mendoza

  —imperial ambassador

  Paco and Nacho

  —the two armsmen who tried to drown FitzRoy

  Eustace Chapuys

  —Spanish ambassador, Emperor Charles's man

  Basilio Carlomagno

  —servant

  Enrique Porfirio

  Martin Perez

  —a human mage; servant of Charles V; violent partisan of Catherine

  PLACES

  Seleighe (See-ly) Domain

  —Bright Court Elves

  Unseleighe (Un-see-ly) Domain

  —Dark Court Elves, ruled by Vidal Dhu

  Caer (Care) Mordwyn (More'-dwin)

  —the Domain of Vidal Dhu

  Elfhame (Elf'-hame) Logres (Low'-gres)

  —home for Denoriel

  Elfhame Avalon (Av'-a-lon)

  —"capital" of Elfhames; Oberon and Titania's palace; various training centers, including one for Farseers

  Academicia (A-cad-a-me'-see-a)

  —training place and workplace for the Bright Court mages

  Elfhame Csetate (Ses-ta'-te)-Boli

  —the elfhame under Hungary

  Elfhame Melusine (Mel'-u-seen)

  —the main French division of Underhill

  Llachar (Lah-har) Lle (Lay) ("radiant place" in Welsh)

  —palace in Elfhame Logres

  Gateways

  —a neutral domain which has unnumbered Gates; it is a dangerous place to remain in because its wild magic alters anything in it; dangerous even to enter because its Gates don't go where they should

  Wormegay (Worm-gay) Hold

  —this is like a really bad shanty-town slum; drains power from anyone in it; the stronger the power the worse the drain.

  Fur Hold

  —a delightful place inhabited by human/animal mixtures and almost unimaginable beings (like Eigg Oh); the sky is painted blue; white clouds are painted on it; the sun looks like a sunflower with a face painted on it, the petals wave and sometimes the eyes wink. However the hold is not totally benign; unpleasant things can happen to visitors

  CHAPTER 1

  With red-eyed hounds wailing and horns sounding "the death," the Wild Hunt poured into the forecourt of Caer Mordwyn, the palace of Vidal Dhu. Rhoslyn Teleri Dagfael Silverhair reined in her black steed, feeling his flanks heaving beneath her legs, his muscles trembling with weariness. Automatically a sidelong glance measured the physical condition of her twin, Pasgen Peblig Rodrig Silverhair, and his mount, but his not-horse was no less tired than hers. It had been a long Hunt; their quarry had been a canny creature who had doubled and redoubled his track, trying to escape them. They hadn't expected that; it wasn't as if he was anything special, just a mere mortal boy out on the wrong moor on the wrong night.

  He'd been a gypsy, though—perhaps that had had something to do with his cleverness.

  Not clever enough, not by half. He'd finally gone to ground in a place he probably thought was safe, a churchyard—but elves weren't demons, no matter how many times mortals confused them, and the holy symbols that mortals held powerful were of no use against them.

  Cold iron now—if the fellow had remembered to keep even a single horseshoe nail about him, they might have cornered him, but they'd never have been able to touch him. The fool—going out at night, on the moors, without cold iron (and why hadn't he had a knife, at least?), a hawthorn sprig, or any sort of true protection against the Unseleighe Sidhe.

  Perhaps he hadn't been a real gypsy then; a real gypsy wouldn't have been so foolish. A real gypsy would have had a cross made of horseshoe nails about his throat, and perhaps even a horseshoe in his pocket to boot. After all, a horseshoe was proof against mortal as well as Sidhe, when wielded in a fist.

  The horses milled, the red-eyed hounds swarming about among their clattering hooves, the courtyard a seething sea of chaos and noise. Then Vidal Dhu, unmistakable in his ebon armor, rode his sweating horse halfway up the staircase, paused there, raised his hand, and a silence fell over all of them. Even the hounds cringed, and slunk away to cower beneath the hand of their houndmaster.

  "Disperse," their leader said, the single word echoing against the obsidian walls that surrounded the court.

  And, of course, they did.

  The houndmaster left first, his charges surging about him in waves, but silently now, silently, for Vidal Dhu had made it plain that he was wearied of the noise. To their kennels t
hey would go, to lick the mortal blood from their paws and dream of another such hunt.

  The lesser members of Vidal's court left next, riding out, not through the Gate to the mortal world which was now dead and dormant until Vidal called it to life again, but through the ordinary courtyard gate into the Underhill realm in which Vidal Dhu held sole sway. The greater lords and ladies, those who dwelt here in Caer Mordwyn at the pleasure of their lord and master, dismounted as servants came to take their steeds. With the creak of leather or the soft susurration of silk, they slipped up the stairs to the Great Hall, and from thence, to their quarters.

  Now only Vidal Dhu, Rhoslyn, and her twin brother Pasgen remained, still mounted, in the courtyard.

  Vidal slowly removed the antlered helm he always wore when leading the Wild Hunt, a fearsome thing of blackened silver with a pair of antlers worthy of an Irish elk, and a grim, grated visor that permitted nothing of Vidal's face to show.

  A servant appeared at Vidal's stirrup; literally. Such things were commonplace Underhill, depending on the strength of the mage, of course. Vidal handed the helm to the creature, which was black-skinned and looked rather like an elongated newt in Vidal's black-and-silver livery. With a jingle of harness and a creak of leather, the Unseleighe prince dismounted, and stalked down the staircase and across the courtyard to the twins.

  He took Rhoslyn's hand in his, and bestowed a kiss on the back of it. Even through her leather gloves, his lips were icy.

  "I believe that the FarSeers require your presence, and that of your brother, my child," he said, his voice a velvet purr over a blade of adamant.

  Pasgen and Rhoslyn exchanged a look, and both dismounted. Rhoslyn had no idea how the Prince of Caer Mordwyn knew that his FarSeers wanted her and her brother—certainly no words had been exchanged between him and his servant. It was, perhaps, a measure of both his power and his control over everything within the bounds of his domain.

  They were dressed alike, Rhoslyn and Pasgen, in tight black leather breeches, thigh-high boots, and black silk shirts with billowing sleeves. Wide, waist-cinching black leather belts held their weapons, matching daggers and rapiers. They differed only in their headgear; Rhoslyn wore a flat cap over her silver-blond hair, while Pasgen, as long-haired and fair as his sister, went bare-headed.