I wonder who this Lady Valur Hendrake who wrote the letter Darien carries is? Presumably she was next in line to rule House Hendrake after Tanisla. I think she may live to be disappointed with the outcome of her offer of peace and co-operation. An offer which seems to have been made for both her and our own good may well end up washed away in either Simon or Darien's blood as one of them impales the other on Valur's branch of peace. I am sure she will be so impressed when she hears. Because Simon will not back down or let it lie, and Darien is standing on his honour to the point of stupidity. Very like Tamora, in fact.
At least Darien only wants to fight to the yield, which if it is taken literally would seem better than to the death. However, Simon seems to have missed Darien's use of the word 'yield' and substituted 'death' instead, which might be unfortunate for Darien. Perhaps that is the only type of duel fought where Simon comes from. Or perhaps he just was not listening. At least Darien saved me the effort of pointing out what Darien really said by repeating it himself.
I cannot help but think that Legion lives in hope of taming our 'chaos'. Perhaps Crystal's freezing everyone might do it, but not, I suspect, his words. Rune's, perhaps. But not his.
It does, though, remind me of the old days - looking back on them now, the good old days, as alarming as that is - in the rookery in Timashkurabad. All of us there, having our say. But Alakhan our undisputed leader. And when he spoke, we listened. Rune seems to have developed a similar manner. I think he will be king, regardless of what he says about letting others come forward. And perhaps ... just perhaps ... who he is, is more important than who his father was. Even though his father (according to Llewella, at least) did what he did.
It was not good to hear Rayner's passing comment of a death threat made against him by Willhelm, and its apparent confirmation by Willhelm himself. I wonder what brought that on? I had, on past encounters with him, though Willhelm loved the sound of his own voice but was generally reasonable. Perhaps the death of his father his driven him mad, or at least made him less ... reasonable than he once was. Or, I suppose, he could be justified in his threat. I do not know what Rayner was doing when Willhelm threatened him. I suppose I shall simply have to ask.
I had not realised mind-to-mind contact was so common, but today I have experienced it twice in less than an hour! First from Darien, in the library, then from Rune here in his chambers. Had Darien not been working so hard to appear clearly non-hostile my reaction to him would doubtless have been far less friendly then it was, the last time anything of that kind having happened being the magical attack I suffered on the battlefield by Chaos. Rune's mental communication also came as a surprise, but on the other hand I do know very little of him. His, however he does it, seems different from Darien's; more like what I imagine a Trump call might feel like, though not like that either. Magic of some kind, perhaps? Darien's is thought and emotion; Rune's seems to be words, spoken even, but no-one other than me (or presumably whoever he aims it at) seems to notice them. I wonder how he does that. And if I could learn to do whatever it is, too, either Darien's way, or Rune's. Rune certainly seems to learn fast, though, if his picking up of some of my signing is any indication.
I think, now, that perhaps we can trust Rankin, and by implication Legion. From how hey have spoken and acted so far they seem to have, at least, integrity. Which is important. Rankin seems to be loyal to Legion and presumably Valur, if really rather too arrogant for my liking. Legion? I do not know. But his words have so far not changed my previous opinion of him. They have, however, also given me the impression that he is not too dissimilar to Simon, right down to his confusion of the word 'yield' with the word 'death'.
Both Legion and Rankin seem ... impressed ... with Xandra. Do they not have women where they come from? Or perhaps just not women of Xandra's ... type? Or are they simply impressed by her ... ample assets ... and the fact that she loves the sound of her own voice, oh so very, very much?