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"It is to hter to be hter of my birthsister, who once ruled my dominion in my stead Come across the Sea-of-Dust with us," she said "Be heir to the Ladyship of Esternesse"

Aeriel shook her head, refusing the other’s hand "If it is the law in Esternesse that says no man may rule as Lord, then it is an unjust law If it is merely custom, let it be custom no more It is Hadin who shall be with you in Esternesse Make hilance

"Since you wish it," the Lady replied at last, "it will be so"

Hadin bowed to Aeriel, his face full of wonder and delight One by one, his Istern brothers ca his Ion The wolf of Bern spoke first

"Coether, we shall ain"

Aeriel shook her head "Let him as your rider rule your land"

Red Arat, one ar, cae and wondrous land, Aeriel," the cockatrice urged

Shaking her head, she answered, "Let Arat rule for me"

Dappled Zambulon came forward, Syril at his side

"Mine is the fairest land by far," the winged panther purred "I and ain she shook her head "Let that be Syril’s task"

Brass-colored Terralon approached, accompanied by Syril’s birthbrother, Lern

"You spent your childhood in ryphon of Terrain "Return Be sibyl on the altar-cliffs of Orm, before whom even the satrap bows"

Sadly, Aeriel cast down her eyes "The sibyls of Orm are no more, I fear, and your consort the sfinx has deposed the satrap for trafficking in slaves Let Lern replace hi near, Poratun in purple robes beckoned her froed salae and fair

Coretfully, Aeriel turned away "Give the crown to Poratun"

Lastly, her own brother Roshka ca Pirsalon Hadin, who had been that Ion’s rider during the war, stood back holding the reins of Nightwalker, Roshka’s steed This time it was the man who spoke and not the Ion

"Erryl, my sister," said Roshka, "now called Aeriel, you are our father’s firstborn and the right heir in Pirs Return with reatest sorrow yet, Aeriel shook her head "It is true I ahtful heir But you have been its crown prince all the years that I was lost, a slave in Terrain Be suzerain in my stead, brother It is what I wish"

Roshka bowed and fell back a pace as the others had done Another ca, then

"So, little pale one," Orrototo chided, her desert walking stick in hand Aeriel eyed the cinnamon-colored chieftess of the Ma’aently lift "You are refusing all honors and offers of crowns Could it be, having accomplished your task, you noish to rest?"

Wearily, Aeriel closed her eyes If only she ht rest The dark chieftess touched her cheek

"Come with me," she said "Wander the dunes of Pendar as once you did There, everyone goes where she wishes, and everyone is free"

But Aeriel could only shake her head "Chieftess, my task is not yet done, and I arew rueful, but at last she, too, fell back Talb the Mage spoke

"Daughter, I, also, hty underland streain to flow, and someone with a small store of sorcery"--here he scoffedyou to co yes"

His wistfulness alh her heart was very sore--but a commotion parted the ranks of Syllva’s boomen suddenly The Isterners stepped hastily aside to allow a tight knot of little waist-high people through None of them were any taller than Talb

"Sorcery indeed!" the fore in four thick braids, one before, one behind each ear "We can put all in Aiderlan to rights with machines alone, brother You can keep your sorcery"

Maruha stood indignantly before the little arbed all in padded leather, a round shield slung behind one shoulder and a shortsword at her belt Aeriel spotted Collum and Brandl behind her, and others in battledress--but rey tatters of slaves Marks upon the necks and wrists of soh those had now been struck away They looked thin but flushed with triumph, still dizzy with disbelief So these were the ones Oriencor had taken, Aeriel guessed, now rescued by their kith Talb started back from Maruha in surprise

"Well, sister," he exclaie since last we er, since you traipsed off to Lonwury to study your nitpated sorcery Never had any use for honestyour infernal dralance which, Aeriel noted wryly, held ht the look and glowered

"Now your nephew has gotten like notions of running off overland to becoers off that little harp since we left the City of Crystalglass"