"I also wouldn't change my decision," Harris said. "Although in eight months my son will have grown and won't remember me."
"Gee! I wonder if Dustan has grown while I was away," Arvon said lightly.
"Perhaps he's forgotten you," Harris poked back.
"Oh, now I doubt that," Arvon said brushing his hair back with his hand.
They all laughed.
Radkin stood by Rimmy with her hand on his shoulder. "We lost Tweed, our household is short, and we will all feel the loss. We lost a lot of good warriors, but none died in vain. None were sorry to have died for the cause."
"I don't know how to tell our children," Rimmy said, his voice choked.
"The children will miss him, as we all will, but they are resilient. The children will comfort you, Rimmy, and you will feel better," Radkin said, gently patting him on the back.
"You will tell them about Tweed and make sure that they never forget him," Jena said.
"I will tell all the children of him. Of all of you. The fallen and the living," Tarius said. "I will say of Tweed that he, like Radkin and Arvon, Darian, Eldred, Frets, Jax, Jerrad, Lional and Kirk did not leave my side even when I had called a retreat. They did not leave me even though they knew that to stay would almost surely mean their deaths. I will say of Harris that he led the retreat in spite of the fact that he didn't want to. That in all the world, never has anyone had a better or more loyal friend. Of noble Hestia I will say that there was never a wiser queen, nor one who understood battle as well as affairs of state, a ruler who wasn't afraid to risk her own life to free her people from the threat of the Amalite scum. I will say of the witch Jazel . . ."
Jazel took a bow at the sound of her name.
" . . . that she wove many spells which helped us in our battles, and protected us from harm. Or that at the very least they would have if we would have but listened to her incantations."
"Thank you," Jazel said.
"I will say of Jena that no one fought as hard or as well, or was as good a lover."
Jena slapped her in the shoulder. "I'm sure the children don't need to know that last bit."
"Tarius, you promised that together you and I would make history," Hestia said, "and we have. We have changed the world, but here is something I have been wondering since we killed and disposed of the last Amalite warrior. With no war in the world and no enemy, what will become of Tarius the Black and the Marching Night?"
"I will attend to the leadership of my people. Jena and I, with Arvon and Dustan, will start our family, and we will raise our children. If evil again appears in the world, we will go and fight it before it has a chance to flourish, and in the meantime we will enjoy the peace that we have worked and sacrificed so much for," Tarius said.
All the Marching Night cheered.
"And, as I said, I will tell stories," Tarius said then added only half joking. "I truly believe that I am a frustrated bard."
"As long as you don't sing," Harris said pulling a face.
"I'm curious," Hestia said. "What stories will you weave of Persius, the King of the Jethrik?"
"Ah! Now you see, Hestia, the story of Persius is the greatest story of all. For it is the story of one who does a terrible wrong, but when his moment of redemption comes he seizes it and doesn't worry about the cost. His story will give hope to all who are burdened with guilt," Tarius said.
"And who will tell the story of Tarius the Black?" Harris asked.
"We all will," Hestia said.
* * *
Persius sat in his throne room. For the first time in years, the air smelled sweet to him. His heart felt lighter in his chest. These days almost everything made him smile. It was as if his soul had been returned to him clean and pure. He slept, and his dreams were sweet delight.
He must have been smiling again, for Hellibolt asked him. "Is there something that amuses you, Sire?"
"These days, Hellibolt,
everything
amuses me," Persius said. "I am not even annoyed that I have been waiting for Edmond and Justin for nearly an hour."
"The academy is at least half an hour's ride, Sire," Hellibolt reminded him. "Why did you send for them anyway?"
"You'll see," Persius said lightly. "I feel as if I have been reborn, Hellibolt. A dark cloud has been lifted from my spirit."
"Very good, Persius," Hellibolt said with an indulgent smile.
The court herald ran in. "Sire, Master Edmond and Master Justin, as you requested."
"Send them in at once," Persius said.
Edmond walked in carrying a scroll. Justin was right behind him.
"I'm sorry it took us so long, Sire, but I had to break up a fight on my way out the door," Justin said and added on a heavy note. "Master Darian always was better at dealing with the boys and their attitudes than I was."
"That's quite all right," Persius said. "Let me see the scroll. There are a couple of changes I want to make in the enrollment qualifications."
Edmond handed him the scroll reluctantly.
Persius opened it and read. "Here's the first one . . . Hand me a quill, Hellibolt."
Hellibolt produced a quill seemingly out of thin air, and handed it to the king, who began writing on the scroll. "No Katabull. How stupid a rule was that one? They are faster and stronger and better fighters. Of course they should be allowed to join the Swordmasters if they so desire. In fact, let us take a lesson from the Kartik. Katabull wishing to enter our academy don't have to meet any other requirements."
Edmond started to protest, and Persius held up his hand. "My mind is made up."
Persius read on. "Ah, here's it is." He started writing. When he finished he looked up at them and smiled. "If the women want to fight, then for the gods' sake,
let them fight
!"