Deathstalker 06 - Deathstalker Legacy

logo away and leave you to marry another man. Please understand . . .
    He looked across at Jesamine, but she wasn't looking at him.
    The uproar in the House finally died down, not least because the honorable Members were exhausting themselves, and King Douglas solemnly gave his approval to the idea of a great Quest for the Paragons.
    He officially put the proposal to the House, and there was an overwhelming vote of Aye (A few timid souls wanted the Paragons to stay, so they could lead Humanity's forces against the Terror, but they were quickly shouted down). It was decided that the Quest would begin in two weeks' time, after the Royal Wedding, and after some of the details and practicalities could be sorted out. Because when you got right down to it, no one had a clue just where to send the Paragons to look for the missing Owen. It was a big Empire, with hundreds of planets well divorced from the mainstream. There were lots of places a man could go if he wanted to stay hidden, as many a Paragon in pursuit of a villain had already discovered, to their cost. Michel du Bois fixed Lewis with a cold, accusatory stare.
    "You are a descendant of the blessed Owen, sir Champion. You bear the Deathstalker name. Do you swear before this House that neither you nor any member of your family have any old, secret records concerning Owen's fate? Some concealed family history, preserved in defiance of the old edict? If you know anything about Owen Deathstalker's fate, or his possible whereabouts today, I charge you on the authority of this House to reveal those secrets to us now, and turn over any and all papers and documents your family may possess; that they may be studied by experts!"
    "My branch of the family are only distant cousins to Owen," Lewis said carefully. "We only took the Deathstalker name as a courtesy. We don't know anything more than you do, Michel. King Robert and Queen Constance were very thorough. You have to wonder if perhaps they had good reason . . ."

    "And let me remind the honorable Member for Virimonde that no one makes demands of my Champion," said Douglas, glaring coldly at du Bois. "Nor should you take it on yourself to claim the authority of the House in any matter, without first going through me as Speaker. Now return to your Seat before I have you charged with contempt. You've had your moment of glory. You've got your Quest.
    Settle for that."
    "Thanks, Douglas," said Lewis. "You're welcome, Lewis," said Douglas. They didn't look at each other.
    And Michel du Bois didn't budge from his position in front of the Throne. Instead, he started haranguing Douglas over where the funding was to come from to support the Paragons' Quest. He was determined his Quest should not get bogged down in financial subcommittees, as had threatened to happen with the Parade of the Paragons. The King shot down du Bois's problems and objections one by one, backed by the rest of the House; but Lewis wasn't listening. He was looking down at the black gold ring on his finger. The Deathstalker ring. Owen's old ring ... a solid piece of legend that had unexpectedly resurfaced from the past. Where had that mysterious little man called Vaughn got it from? Why had he been so determined that Lewis should have it? Was the ring's return a sign? A warning? And why had Lewis felt so strongly that he shouldn't mention it to du Bois? Lewis studied the ring on his finger, and a cold breeze caressed the back of his neck. The old Clan ring made him a Deathstalker, hell, the Deathstalker, inasmuch as anything could now. It was like having Owen looking over his shoulder, giving him his approval and pointing him on to greater things . . . Which was a scary bloody thought, if you liked.
    Deathstalker luck . . . always bad . . .
    He came out of his reverie to find that du Bois had finally, reluctantly, returned to his Seat, and the
    House was agreeing to the Speakers proposal that the Parade of the Paragons would be an excellent time to announce the Quest to the Empire; to gain maximum publicity. The media were going to need some good news to put up against the coming of the Terror. As it was, peacekeepers all across the worlds would be working overtime to prevent riots and panic in the streets. Lewis snapped to attention again as King Douglas announced that his Champion, Lewis Deathstalker, would be leading the Parade of Paragons. The House applauded politely. Lewis leaned in close beside Douglas.
    "Are you sure you want to do this? You said it