“I was thinking about having people call me ‘Ormand the Lion’” The king was sprawled on an enormous pillow. “Maybe ‘the Bear.’ I haven’t decided.”
“They called my father ‘the Eagle’ sometimes.” Gavin was pacing around the room, admiring the swords. Each one was illuminated by an Ellium dome-light casting an even, blue glow.
Ormand grinned and his eyes shone feverishly. “I know!” Gavin wondered if he should offer a hand as he watched the king struggling to get out of the pillow. Ormand continued, “I have his book.”
“I didn’t know my father wrote a book.”
“He didn’t! I had one commissioned by a team of historians.” The king had extricated himself and tottered on his feet. He walked to a closed cabinet in the corner and unlocked it using a key on his belt. Inside was a single book and rows of porcelain statuettes.
“They’re beautiful,” Gavin said. He stepped closer and looked over the king’s shoulder.
“The old king gave me lead soldiers when I was a child. I think he expected me to clang them together. But the faces never looked right.”
Gavin leaned in. “That looks just like my father. These are stunning.”
“Each one takes a sculptor six weeks and then a painter seven more. Here, look at the book.” He pressed it against Gavin’s chest.
Gavin took it, trying not to touch it while making sure not to drop it. He let it crack open in his hands. It was illuminated, the pages resplendent with colorful depictions of gruesome battles, bloody bodies and heroic knights slaughtering Nomads.
The king hovered his index finger over a Nomad’s sword, “I would give anything for one of those. They are impossible to get, you know. I told the tax collectors that if they couldn’t get me one, there was no sense taking anything else.”
“Were none recovered from the prisoners in the war?”
“Nomads shatter them before letting them be taken. I have some shards of the black stones they use to make them, and a piece of a handle. I can show you!” The king turned, and then said, “But it’s in a different room.” He collapsed into the pillow with a poof.
Gavin replaced the book in the cabinet, centering it on the shelf, exactly as it had been. “I would love to see them, but I have to tell you something.”
“Business. Yes.”
Gavin recited Riley’s story as best he could.
He watched Ormand’s face grow more sallow as he spoke. The king said nothing for a long time after he had finished. Gavin waited.
Ormand took a shuddering breath and asked, “You know how to deal with this, then?”
“I have some ideas.”