"He knew. My father-our father-says in his letter that Iscovar was unable to beget children, due to the same disease of lust by which he died. He knew you were Laueroc's son, but his need of an heir constrained him to keep the secret. For a long time, my father's-our father's-power was great enough to protect himself, the Queen, and you. But little by little, by means too foul to be answered in kind, the King weakened Laueroc, until at long last he had his horrible revenge."

"Horrible, indeed. But no wonder he hated me," Hal muttered. "The more so because he could not do away with me. . . . Did you tell anyone else, Alan? Cory per- haps?"

"Nay, no one. I kept my peace most obstinately. But if I had known the needless pain it would cost you, I would never have done it. Dear Hal, I wish you would kick mel It would make me feel so much better."

Hal threw back his head and laughed. The two of them were walking at random now, arms around each other's shoulders, as they had at other happy times. "Poor Alan!

I believe I begin to understand. All that crustiness. ..."

"Was the only way I could hide the longing in my heart from you. If I had let myself show love for you, my secret would have popped out in an instant. Then I was vexed that I could manage it no better, and being vexed with myself I grew vexed with you and the whole world.

But even that is not the worst of it."

"Nay," agreed Hal wryly, "on top of all that, your eyes caught the glitter of this pretty bauble I wear on my head."

Alan winced as if he had been struck. "By my troth,

2S2 THE SILVER SUN.

you know me better than I knew myself," he whispered.

"But why, Alan? You were not really planning to seize the throne from me."

"Nay, of course not! But in spite of my best intentions, the thought would nag at the back of my mind, and it nearly drove me mad with shame and frustration. To add to my shame, I knew that I had only to ask you, and you would have given me your crown as freely as you give your lovel But of course I could not ask any such thing.

If only I could have come to you, talked to you-but to explain my malady would have been to explain the cause."

"That, by birth, you have as much right to the throne as I do."

"Ay. Such nonsense. Your right to the throne has al- ways gone far beyond the right of birth, and I have al- ways known it."

"Do you still desire it?" asked Hal quietly.

"Nayl Mothers, nay. Blain cured me of that."

"Then you shall have it, Alan." Hal faced him, smiling, with warm affection in his voice. "You fought for me, I know.... But I fought, in large measure, for you."

"You are babbling nonsense, Hal!'* Alan exclaimed.

"You know I can't take your crown!"

"Who said anything about my crown!" Hal teased.

"Think more of your crownt" He took Alan by the shoul- ders, his eyes bright with joy and mischief. "What, Sun- rise King, do you not yet know yourself? Just as I am the last of the line of Veran, the sunset of the Age, so are you the sunrise of the new Age, the first of the Liege Kings of Laueroc! Do you not think that two brothers such as we can rule together? Our capital is to be in Laueroc, centered between east and west-though you know I shall look most often to Welas. After my death, the two peoples shall be united under you and your heirs, as they ought to be. And the blood of the elves shall en- rich your line, as it did the Blessed Kings before you. By all that is lovely, you shall be a bright dawning for this land after a long, dark night."

"You are serious!" Alan whispered.

"Quite serious. It is written in The Book of Suns, though I knew it long ago. Torre let it slip, and you, modest soul that you are, soon forgot it."

Laueroc S83

"But how can I rule? You are Mireldeyn."

"And you alone are EIwyndas. Your power is equal to mine-remember? Is it so hard to accept?"

Alan shook his head, stunned. "But Hal, what of your heirs?"

"I shall have none." The joy went out of his voice. "I am to be the last of the line of Veran, the last of those Very Kings-though there will be others, Alan, mark it.

But Rosemary and I will have no children. That is the prophecy."

"Oh, Hal, I am sorry." Alan gently touched his shoul- der.

"That is the advantage of prophecy, you see, Alan."

Hal tried to smile. "If I had not known this, your crown would have been obliged to wait until my death. But now we can both be crowned and wed to our ladies together, on the morrow." He faced Alan whimsically, brushing the ever-unruly hair from his brother's brow. "Have children, Alan-my second self-and I shall love them as my own.

It is for Rosemary that I mind it roost. I do not know what comfort to give her."

"You yourself are her best comfort. So you plan to tell her?"

"Ay. If there is one thing I have learned in the past year, it is not to keep a secret from a loved one. Secrecy breeds fresh sorrow, but sharing is Joy in itself. Still, I have not told her yet. I did not wish to mar her wedding day."

For an hour Hal and Alan walked together, voicing random thoughts, reluctant to give up then- rediscovered companionship on this last night of their single lives. "It is past midnight," Hal finally said. "Let us get some sleep. It will not do for us to be tired, not tomorrow."

They returned to Hal's fire, in embers now, and laid out their blankets. Nearby, Alfie and Arundel peacefully grazed.

"We could go inside, you know," Hal remarked. "There is no need to sleep out."

Alan laughed quietly into the darkness. "Strange. So many times we camped together, each longing for a warm room and a soft bed; and now ..."

"Ay. One last time.... Well, good night."

"Good night."

284.

THE SILVER SUN.

In her castle chamber, Rosemary lay still and miserable on her canopied bed. There was scarcely a rustle, but like a green-and-golden spirit of summer Lysse stood beside her.

"Sleep, my sister," she said. "Be content Alan is here, and all will be well."

Rosemary sat bolt upright. "Oh, has he come at lasti"

she cried.

"Ay, that he has." Lysse smiled a secret smile.

"And-are we to be sisters, truly?" asked Rosemary more calmly.

"Indeed, we are."

"Oh, Lysse, I am so happy," said Rosemary softly.

Lysse looked into her eyes for just an instant; then with all her heart she embraced this generous mortal woman, her first and lifelong friend in the strange race she was fated to join.

The next morning, Cory slept late, for even in his dreams some dejected part of his brain told him there was

little use in waking up. A rough shaking roused him at last.