Forest Kingdom Trilogy 2 - Blood and Honor

stronger for it. I have no regrets for what I have set in motion. More and more it seems to me that I have done more harm than good in the Kingdom which was entrusted to my keeping. Weep no tears at my passing; I am old and tired. I have seen my wife die, and watched my sons grow to be monsters.
    i have no way of knowing who is listening to me now. It doesn't really matter. All I have left to say is that if you would find my crown and seal, you must look among those who have gone before. There. A final clue to help you on your way, whoever you are. Wear the crown proudly, use its power wisely, und beware of the Unreal. I am King Malcolm of Redhart. Hear my words.'
    The image of the King flickered and disappeared. For a long time nobody said anything. Viktor sat staring at the ruby in his hand. Finally Roderik stirred, and his chair creaked loudly as his weight shifted.
    Everyone turned to look at him.
    it's a good thing the Steward did take the will and hide it. If this had been shown in open Court, civil war would have broken out on the spot.'
    'He called me a monster,' said Viktor, i came all the way back here to avenge his murder, and what do I find? He'd rather some stranger wore the crown than me. I fought in his wars, bled in his battles, even accepted internal exile rather than risk a civil war, and all for what?'
    'Viktor . . .' said Heather.
    'Monster,' said Viktor. He threw the ruby away from him. It hit the far wall, and fell back on to the carpet. It rolled a short distance, and everyone watched it till it lay still. No one made a move to pick it up.
    'King Malcolm has at least given us a clue,' said Roderik. 'He said the crown and the seal lie among those who have gone before. Does that mean anything to you, Viktor?'
    'I don't want to talk about that now,' said Viktor.
    'But darling,' said Heather, 'you must see that . . .'
    'I said I don't want to talk about it!' Viktor's voice rose to a shout, and he glared about him. No one met his eyes. 'Leave me, all of you. I don't want you around me for a while. No, wait - you can stay with me, actor. The rest of you, get out. I'll see you again in an hour.'
    Jordan looked at Gawaine for some clue as to what to do, but the knight just shook his head slightly.
    Heather made as though she wanted to say something to him, but a glance at Viktor's scowling face dissuaded her. One by one the conspirators left the suite, and Jordan was left alone with Prince Viktor.
    Viktor sat in silence for some time, staring into the fire. Jordan waited for an invitation to sit down, and when it didn't come he sat down hesitantly in the chair opposite Viktor. The quiet, crackling fire spread a pleasant warmth through the room, and despite everything Jordan began to relax a little. What with one thing and another, this was pretty much the first chance he'd had to just sit down and take it easy since he entered Castle Midnight. Whatever else you could say about the place, it wasn't dull. Jordan stretched out his legs, and surreptitiously studied the Prince sitting opposite him.
    Viktor looked a little better than he had, but his face was still pale and gaunt. The strain of his long illness showed in his sunken eyes and the tired boneless slump of his body in his chair. Jordan sensed a basic confusion within the man, as though he was desperately searching for answers he wasn't sure were even there. Jordan tried to work out how he felt about Viktor, and wasn't surprised to discover he was feeling pretty confused himself. On the one hand, people seemed to agree that Viktor had been the most promising of the three brothers, before he'd met Elizabeth, but given the competition that wasn't saying much. Sir Gawaine had stood by him through thick and thin, but how much of that was down to personal loyalty, and how
    much to the oath he'd sworn to King Malcolm? The Lady Heather seemed genuinely fond of Viktor, but there was no doubting she was very ambitious. And ruthless . . . not unlike the Lady Elizabeth, in fact.
    Viktor didn't seem to be having much luck in his choice of women. He had tried to kill Dominic, which was a point in his favour, but in a stupid and amateurish way, which wasn't. Jordan sighed silently. He kept working around the main issue, reluctant to face it head on. Catriona Taggert had given him King Malcolm's will, because she believed his version of Prince Viktor was worthy to be King. But was the real Viktor worthy? And if not, what was he going to do about it?
    Viktor