Allies of Antares (26 page)

Nedfar pointed to Lobur the Dagger who sprawled across two dead men. The sword in his fist was snapped off. I advanced, beginning to kneel down, when Lobur sat up, dazed, looking past me up to Nedfar.

“Prince — I mean emperor — I wronged you, I know. But—”

“Keep quiet, Lobur, you great fambly,” I said. “You have a hole in your chest we could drive a damned thomplod through.”

“Jak?” He frowned, dizzied by his wound. “What are you doing here?” He gazed about. “I betrayed you to Garnath, and—”

“Garnath is dead. And you have been an idiot, a get onker; but you must rest now.” I heard the voices, light, excited, tumultuous with events, and I said, “And here is Thefi to see you.”

As I turned she paused on the slope of the rise, staring at her father, and then at Lobur. She screamed and rushed forward to fling herself on him.

“Easy, Thefi, easy. He’s only punctured. Let him breathe.”

Thefi bent over Lobur and her hair fell loose and shrouded her face as she kissed him. “Oh, Lobur!”

The other ladies walked forward, content to let Thefi have her moment. In the background Nath Karidge and the EDLG stood in their ranks — and they were bloodied and the bright uniforms were slashed and torn, and their ranks were thinned. I looked at Delia as she walked forward with a swing at the side of Jaezila, and I own I felt the faintness of relief.

“Dray!”

I pulled myself together. Time enough for the stories afterward. I could not allow detachment. Delia was safe! That mattered.

“You promised you wouldn’t get into the fight—”

Jaezila said, “When Ty went in — well, I wasn’t going to sit around doing nothing. And mother came too.”

“Between us all it looks as though we’ve won,” I said. “All of us, all peoples of Paz. We’ve come a long way together this day. This fight, the Battle of the Flaming Vosks, will be remembered as a beginning. And as an end.”

After that there ensued a great deal of talking and excitement and rushing about clearing up and seeing to the wounded and burying the dead. The fish smell would persist for days. The reaction made us all tremble. Seg was safe, thank all the gods of Kregen. And Tyfar trotted in, his equipment just about ripped to shreds, wearing an enormous smile and waving a Shank trident.

Delia took my arm.

“A great deal has happened, dearest, and I know you will say there is a great deal more left to do.”

“As there is. You are leading up to something. So?”

“You want to lay down the burden of empire and let Drak take over. I agree. Oh, and, Dray Prescot, if you think I shall allow anyone to call me the Dowager Empress—!”

I laughed. “Of course not. We’re young!”

“We are young. Also, can you guess what old Hot and Cold has in his baggage train?”

“Apart from scantily clad young ladies, you mean?”

“We-ell, they could figure... And I shall be less than scantily clad, believe me.”

So I guessed. But I let Delia tell me.

“King Telmont has a full outfit, all in tents and marquees, with huge boilers and furnaces and pipes and things. He has the whole works, a complete mobile Baths of the Nine.”

“Lead on,” I said. “What are we waiting for?”

A Glossary to the Spikatur Cycle of the Saga of Dray Prescot

Compiled by Els Withers.

References to the four books of the cycle are given as:

BOA
Beasts of Antares

ROA
Rebel of Antares

LOA
Legions of Antares

AOA
Allies of Antares

NB: Previous glossaries covering items not included here can be found in Volume 5:
Prince of Scorpio,
Volume 7:
Arena of Antares,
Volume 11:
Armada of Antares,
Volume 14:
Krozair of Kregen,
Volume 18:
Golden Scorpio,
and Volume 22:
A Victory for Kregen.

A

Afferatu, Castle of: where Queen Fahia imprisoned her niece Lildra, later rescued by Prescot.
ROA

ahlnim: a race of diffs which produces many mystics and wise men.

Allakar, Chamber of: an audience chamber in the imperial palace in Vondium.

Alloran, Kov Vodun of Kaldi: Sent by Prescot to liberate southwest Vallia, but became a traitor.
BOA

Almuensis, Cult of: a cult of sorcerers of considerable powers.

Ambath, Homan ham: the ambassador from Hamal to Hyrklana appointed by Empress Thyllis.
ROA

angerim: a race of diffs with much hair and large ears; very untidy in their living habits.

Arachosia: a windy city of the mountains of far southern Havilfar.

Arclay, Genal: the Vad of the province of Valhotra in Vallia.
BOA

Arclay, Tom: the son of Genal Arclay, in the Vallian Air Service.
BOA

Arclay, Travok: the son of Genal Arclay, in the Vallian Air Service. Was killed in a flying accident.
BOA

Arditchoith: a moorkrim sorcerer.
AOA

Arrian nal Amklana: the husband of Princess Lilah of Hyrklana and the father of Queen Lildra; was slain by the agents of Lildra’s predecessor Fahia.

B

Babb: the son of Queen Fahia of Hyrklana.
ROA

Balkash: the stromnate province of Dray Segutorio.

Battle of the Flaming Vosks: in which the allied forces of Paz repelled the first exploratory invasion by the Shanks.
AOA

Blastyoureyes: a nikvove ridden by Prescot at the Battle of Incendiary Vosks.
AOA

The Blue Zhyan: a tavern in Ruathytu.
LOA

The Bolt and Quarrel: a tavern in Ruathytu.
LOA

Bolan the Tumbs: a cadet in the Vallian Air Service.
BOA

Bonzo: a Hamalese courier-pilot.
LOA

C

cadade: captain of the guard.

celene: rainbow.

celene pie: made from a mixture of fruits and honey.

Chaadur the Iarvin: an alias used by Prescot in Huringa.
BOA

Chandror: an island south of Gremivoh.

Charldo: one of the jailers of Princess Lildra.
ROA

cheldur: a trainer in the Jikhorkdun.

Chobishaw: a nation of southwest Segesthes.

“Chuktar’s Orders”: a drinking song.

“Chulik’s Bent Tusk, The”: a drinking song.

chun: jaws.

churmod: a hunting beast with a hide of uniform slate-blue, eight legs, and slit-eyes of lambent crimson. It has a reputation for sadism and viciousness.

Corandian: a red wine of low alcohol content.

Covell of the Golden Tongue: a prominent poet of Vondium.

The Crushed Toad: an extremely low-class tavern in Ruathytu.
AOA

D

Dafnisha the Ample: a goddess having to do with the births of healthy twins.

Dorndorf: the captain of
Opazfaril. BOA

Doxology of San Destinakon: a cult of powerful sorcerers.

Dunder: a race of diffs with heads as flat across as the top of a table; they are often employed as porters.

dwablatter: a type of staff with knobs at both ends.

E

Edin: a Hikdar in the Vallian aerial cavalry.
AOA

EDLG: the Empress’s Devoted Life Guard; the personal bodyguard of the Empress of Vallia.

Erndor: a Vallian agent working with Valona in Hyrklana.
ROA

Ezionn: a country of the Dawn lands in southern Havilfar.

F

The Faerling’s Feathers: a tavern in Huringa.
ROA

famblehoy: the name given by the Hamalese to the type of voller without the power of propulsion by sub-etheric force.

Famphreon, Kov Nath: the son of Natyzha Famphreon, Kovneva of Falkerdrin.

Fanahal: the chief port of Hyrklana South.

Fantor, San: a sage of Vallia; charged by Prescot with the task of designing the flying belt.
BOA

Filbarrka: the king of a country in Persinia.

Fish Fin Street: a street in Ruathytu, near the Havilthytus.

Floria: one of Delia’s handmaids.

fluttlann: a smallish saddle bird, blue and white; willing up to a point and does not eat overmuch. Breeds phenomenally and is cheap.

The Fluttrell Feather: a tavern in Thalansen.
LOA

flying belt: a safety device for fliers whose design was commissioned by Prescot after the death of Travok Arclay; has lifting power sufficient for one person.

Fordan: a slave of Vad Noran; protected Tilly while she was a slave of Vad Noran.
BOA

Forest of the Departed: located in Hyrklana near Huringa; so named because of the many graves located therein.

Frandu the Franch: a kaidur and comrade of Prescot in the revolution against Queen Fahia.
ROA

Fransha: a lady of Vallia, the daughter of the Lord of Mavindeul; kidnapped by the Racters and rescued by Prescot.
BOA

Froshak the Shine: the partner of Prescot and Unmok in the beast-catching business; rather taciturn and skilled with a sailor’s knife. Killed by a churmod.
BOA
,
ROA

G

Gaji’s bowels, by: a Hyrklanian oath.

Gochert: a ferret-faced figure who wears a jeweled patch over his left eye; one of the leaders of Spikatur Hunting Sword.
BOA

The Golden Zhantil: a tavern in Ruathytu of the highest possible class.
LOA

Gorthnil, Naghan ham: a Chuktar in the Vallian Air Service.
LOA

Goss, Fridil: Ortyg Voinderam’s rival for the hand of Lady Fransha.
BOA

Gremivoh: an island off the coast of Vallia.

gretchuk: vile.

H

Hamando’s Boulevard: a street in Ruathytu.

Hambascett: one of the countries of the Dawn Lands.

Hamdal the Measure: the landlord of the Jolly Vo’drin in Hammansax.
AOA

Hamdi the Yenakker: a Hamalese who aided in the occupation of Vallia.
AOA

Hammansax: a town in western Hamal, a prosperous frontier post.

Handur, Trylon: one of Nedfar’s aides as Prince.
BOA

Hansh, Horparth: known as the Perspective; a rival artist to Rollo the Circle.
LOA

Happy Calsany, Kyro of the: a square in Huringa.

Hardil the Mak: the usurper of Prescot’s position as Amak of Paline Valley; deposed by Prescot and killed by a local woman.
LOA

Harg, by: a Hyrklanian oath.

Harmburr: the king of Ezionn.
AOA

Helvia the Proud: a lady of high rank in Spikatur Hunting Sword.
AOA

Hernsmot: a village in Hamal near the Mountains of the West.

Hirrume Gate: in Ruathytu

Hlunub Yards: voller yards in Ruathytu.

Hofardu, Chuktar: a long-dead Hamalese kampeon.

Hofnar: a stromnate province in the Black Hills of Hamal.

Homath, Vad: a Kapt in the Hamalian Air Service.
LOA

hork: bow.

Hot and Cold: a nickname for King Telmont.

Hue the Grasshopper: a stablehand working for Vad Noran.
ROA

hulfoo: a sort of Hyrklanian goose.

Hundal the Oivon: a cheldur who trained Prescot during his last sojourn in the Jikhorkdun of Huringa.
ROA

Hunderd, Horgil: the Trylon of Deep Valley in Hamal.
LOA

Hyr Notor; the name used by Phu-Si-Yantong at the court of Hamal.

I

ig: green.

Ilurndil: an animal about six feet long, with a hide thick enough to make roof tiles out of, and a pair of horns superposed between piggy eyes.

Infinon of the Crossroads: a village in Vallia.

Ingadot: a town in Hyrklana.

Ingeslad: the capital of Layerdrin.

Irvil: the Strom of Pine Mountain in Thothangir; a kregoinye whom Prescot saved in Hamal.
LOA

Ivory Cone: a peak in the Mountains of the West in Hamal.

J

Jaezila: an alias used by Prescot’s daughter Lela in Havilfar.
ROA

Jak the Shot: name given to Prescot by the crew of
Pearl of Klanadun. BOA

Jaws of Laca: see Lacachun.

Jedgar: a barbarian or irregular captain.

jibrfaril: an epithet applied to Katakis.

The Jolly Vo’drin: a tavern in Hammansax.
AOA

Jorg the Fist: the ship-Deldar of
Mathdi. LOA

K

Kalei: a spearman in the Fifteenth Regiment.
BOA

Karidge, Nath: the Chuktar of the Empress’s Devoted Life Guard.
BOA

Khovala: a vadvarate province in Vallia.

Klactoil: a strange race of diffs, parchment-colored, only about three feet tall, with a thick ridged array of spines down the backbone, a walloping tail, and a fishy look to the face; rumored to be the product of miscegenation of Shanks and some doomed race now extinct.

Klanak: a mythical hero of Hyrklana.

Klanak the Tresh: an alias used by Orlan Mahmud na Yrmcelt in the rebellion against Queen Fahia.
ROA

kontos: spear.

Kov Mak, Caves of: located about twenty dwaburs north of Ruathytu.

L

Lacachun: a high pass in the Mountains of the West in Hamal.

Lasal the Vakka, by: a cavalryman’s oath.

Layerdrin: one of the small countries of the Dawn Lands.

Leaping Fishes, River of: the river on whose banks Huringa is located.

Lildra; the daughter of Princess Lilah of Hyrklana and Arrian nal Amklana. Was rescued by Prescot from the Castle of Afferatu where she was imprisoned by her aunt Fahia. Became Queen of Hyrklana upon the overthrow of Fahia. The wife of Prescot’s son Jaidur.
ROA

lisehn: a Vallian species of tree whose wood is excellent for bowstaves.

Llindal River: in Hyrklana.

Lliptoh: a race of diffs with ferret faces and gimlet eyes.

Lun’elsh: a race of diffs with black body hair.

M

Macsadu the Kroks: as illegitimate son of Layco Jhansi.
BOA

Maglo the Ears: a dishonest beast-catcher in competition with Unmok the Nets.
BOA

Mahmud, Orlan na Yrmcelt: the Chief Pallan under Queen Fahia of Hyrklana; one of the leaders of the rebellion against her.
ROA

mak: black.