Mercedes Lackey - Oathbreaker

Kal'enel; (kahl enel)-the Warrior aspect of the four-faced Goddess, literally, "Sword of the Stars." Also called Enelve'astre (Star-Eyed) and Da'gretha (Warrior).

kathal: (kahthahl)-go gently

kele: (kaylay)-(go) onward

kestra: (kestrah)-a casual friend

krethes: (kraythes)-speculation

kulatk: (koolahth)-go find

leshya'e: (layshee-ah ee)-spirit; not a vengeful, earth -- bound ghost, but a helpful spirit

Liha'irden: (leehah eardhren)-deer-footed

li'ha'eer; (lee hah eeahr)-exclamation, literally, "by the gods"

li'sa'eer: (lee sah eeahr)-exclamation of extreme sur-prise, literally "by the highest gods!"

nes: (nes)-bad

nos: (nohs)-it is

pretera: (praytearah)-grasscat

sadullos: (sahdoolohs)-safer

se: (sy)-is/are

ske'chome: (shay chornah)-homosexual; does not have negative connotations among the Shin'a'in.

ske'enedra: (shay enaydrah)-sister by blood-oathing

sheka: (shaykah)-horse droppings

shena: (shaynah)-of the Clan, literally 'of the brotherhood'

skesti: (shestee)-nonsense

Shin'a'in: (shin ay in)-the people of the plains

so'trekoth: (soh traykoth)-fool who will believe anything, literally, "gape-mouthed hatchling"

staven: (stahven)-water

Tale'edras: (tahle aydhrahs)-Hawkbrothers, a race who may or may not be related to the Shin'a'in, living in the Pelagiris Forest

Tale'sedrin: (tahle saydhrin)-children of the hawk

te'sorthene: (tay sohrthayne)-heart-friend, spirit-friend

Vai datha: (vi dahthah)-expression of resignation or agreement, literally "there are many ways."

var'athanda: (vahr ahthahndah)-to be forgetful of

ves'tacha: (ves tahchah)-beloved one

vysaka: (visahkah)-the spiritual bond between the Kal'enedral and the Warrior; its presence can actually be detected by an Adept, another Kalen-edral, and the Kal'enedral him/herself. It is this bond which creates the "shielding" that makes Kal'enedral celibate/neuter and somewhat immune to magic.

vyusher: (vi-ooshear)-wolf

yai: (yi)-two

yuthi'so'coro: (yoothee soh cohr-oh)-road courtesy; the rules Shin'a'in follow when traveling on a public road.

Songs and Poems

(Tarma: Oathbreakers)

These are the hands that wield a sword

With trained and practiced skill;

These are the hands, and this the mind,

Both honed and backed by will.

Death is my partner, blood my trade,

And war my passion wild --

But these are the hands that also ache

To hold a tiny child.

CH: Suffer, they suffer, the children,

When I see them, gods, how my heart breaks!

It is ever and always the children

Who will pay for their parents' mistakes.

Somehow they know that I'm a friend --

I see it in their eyes,

Somehow they sense a kindly heart --

So young, so very wise.

Mine are the hands that maim and kill --

But children never care.

They only know my hands are strong

And comfort is found there.

Little enough that I can do

To shield the young from pain --

Not while their parents fight and die

For land, or goods, or gain.

All I can do is give them love --

All I can do is strive

To teach them enough of my poor skill

To help them stay alive.

2CH: Cursed Oathbreakers, your honor's in pawn

And worthless the vows you have made --

Justice shall see you where others have gone,

Delivered to those you betrayed!

These are the signs of a mage that's forsworn --

The True Gifts gone dead in his hand,

Magic corrupted and discipline torn,

Shifting heart like shifting sand;

Swift to allow any passion to run,

Given to hatred and rage.

Give him wide berth and his company shun --

For darkness devours the Dark Mage.

These are the signs of a traitor in war --

Wealth from no visible source,

Shunning old comrades he welcomed before,

Holding to no steady course.

If you uncover the one who'd betray,

Heed not his words nor his pen.

Give him no second chance-drive him away --

False once will prove false again.

These are the signs of the treacherous priest --

Pleasure in anyone's pain,

Abuse or degrading of man or of beast,

Duty as second to gain,

Preaching belief but with none of his own,

Twisting all that he controls.

Fear him and never face him all alone,

He corrupts innocent souls.

These are the signs of the king honor-broke --

Pride coming first over all,

Treading the backs and the necks of his folk That he alone might stand tall.

Giving himself to desires that are base,

Tyrannous, cunning, and cruel.

Bring him down-set someone else in his place.

Such men are not fit to rule.

(Kethry)

The firebird knows your anger

And the firebird feels your fear,

For your passions will attract her

And your feelings draw her near.

But the negative emotions

Only make her flame and fly.

You must rule your heart, magician,

Or by her bright wings you die.

Now the cold-drake lives in silence

And he feeds on dark despair

Where the shadows fall the bleakest

You will find the cold-drake there.

For he seeks to chill your spirit

And to lure you down to death.

Learn to rule your soul, magician,

Ere you dare the cold-drake's breath.

And the griffon is a proud beast

He's the master of the sky.

And no one forgets the sight

Who has seen the griffon fly.

But his will is formed in magic

And not mortal flesh and bone

And if you would rule the griffon

You must first control your own.

The kyree is a creature

With a soul both old and wise

You must never think to fool him

For he sees through all disguise.

If you seek to call a kyree

All your secrets he shall plumb --

So be certain you are worthy

Or the kyree-will not come.

For your own heart you must conquer

If the firebird you would call

You must know the dark within you

Ere you seek the cold-drake's hall

Here is better rede, magician

Than those books upon your shelf --

If you seek to master others

You must master first yourself.

(The Oathbound, Tarma and Kethry)

CH: Bonds of blood and bonds of steel

Bonds of god-fire and of need,

Bonds that only we two feel

Bonds of word and bonds of deed,

Bonds we took -- and knew the cost

Bonds we swore without mistake

Bonds that give more than we lost,

Bonds that grant more than they take.

Tarma:

Kal'enedral, Sword-Sworn, I,

To my Star-Eyed Goddess bound,

With my pledge would vengeance buy

But far more than vengeance found.

Now with steel and iron will

Serve my Lady and my Clan

All my pleasure in my skill --

Nevermore with any man.

Kethry:

Bound am I by my own will

Never to misuse my power --

Never to pervert my skill

To the pleasures of an hour.

With this blade that I now wear

Came another bond indeed --

While her arcane gifts I share

I am bound to woman's Need.

Tarma:

And by blood-oath we are bound

Held by more than mortal bands

For the vow we swore was crowned

By god-fires upon our hands.

Kethry:

You are more than shield-sib now

We are bound, and yet are free

So I make one final vow --

That your Clan shall live through me.

(Tarma)

So you want to go earning your keep with your sword