Beyond the High Road by Troy Denning Read Free Book Online Page A

thousand meanings, but in which a true heart perceived only one. How could she trust Dauneth to trust her feelings, when he had already proven that she could not trust him?
    “I’m sorry, Dauneth, but it must be love. I really cannot abide less.”
    A look of exasperation came over the warden, then he nodded and said, “Very well, milady. I shall fall in love with you on the morrow.”
    Tanalasta’s jaw dropped, then she caught the note of self-mockery in his voice. “I wish it were that easy, good warden,” she laughed. “I truly do.” After a moment, she stopped laughing and gently took his hand. “But I fear your feelings would go unrequited. You don’t respect me in your heart, and after Vangerdahast’s meddling, I can never trust you as a woman should her husband. Forgive my bluntness in this matter, but you deserve to know. Your loyalty to Cormyr demands it.”
    Dauneth’s face fell, and he sagged away from Tanalasta in shock. The nobles below did not seem to notice. They gasped in awe as Azoun displayed a four-foot dragon carved from a single crystal of amethyst, then applauded Ayesunder Truesilver as he descended the rostrum beaming with pride at the king’s superlative words of royal gratitude.
    Seeing that there were no more nobles waiting to ascend the stairs, Dauneth gathered himself together, then went forward to express his admiration for the many treasures strewn across the rostrum. After swearing that it would take a whole caravan of war wizards to return the hoard safely to Suzail, he invited Alaphondar Emmarask to present his gift. The Sage Most Learned ascended the rostrum and presented the king with a massive leather-bound volume entitled, The Dragon Rides: A Complete and Accurate Account of the Life of Azoun IV of Cormyr, Volume Sixty-Two.
    Filfaeril drew a raucous round of chuckles by remarking that she hoped it was not “completely complete,” then Vangerdahast stood to present his gift, pulling a simple switch of willow from the billowing sleeve of his robe. The king accepted the stick with a somewhat puzzled look.
    “We thank you, Magician,” said Azoun. “What kind of wand is it?”
    “None, Majesty. It is a plain switch.” Vangerdahast looked directly at Tanalasta, then added, “I think you shall soon have need of it.”
    Much to Tanalasta’s dismay, the wizard’s wry response sent the room into convulsions of laughter. She could do little except pretend to enjoy the joke and fume inwardly. If Vangerdahast could not bend her to his will through tricks and traps, then he seemed determined to undermine her prestige with outright mockery. The princess could imagine the campaign continuing until her father died, and no matter that it would weaken her own crown when she ascended the throne, The old staff swinger believed that only he knew what was good for Cormyr. Usually, he did, and if that had been so this time, Tanalasta would have married Dauneth on the morn. But this time the royal magician was wrong, this time, the future of Cormyr was not a matter of the mind, but of the heart, and she was not sure that Vangerdahast even had a heart.
    Once the mirth faded, Dauneth turned to the princess and cocked a querying eyebrow. Though he was careful to maintain an expression of practiced congeniality, the rest of his face was at odds with his broad grin. Hoping the audience could not read his disappointment as clearly as she, Tanalasta smiled and nodded.
    Dauneth extended an arm. “Lords and ladies, I give you the Princess Tanalasta Obarskyr.”
    Tanalasta took a deep breath, then rose to a polite ovation and stepped to the front of the rostrum. “Thank you.”
    The princess needed to say this only once to silence the applause.
    “As you know, I have been in retreat at Huthduth for the last year. While the royal magician seems to fear that I have been somehow corrupted by Chauntea’s humble monks-” Tanalasta was interrupted by a round of nervous laughter as she waved at the