Grand Vizier of Krar Read online

  Copyright © 2016 W. John Tucker

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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  ISBN 9781 785894 435

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  Matador is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd

  For Robert and Mary

  Contents

  Grand Vizier of Krar: Fulcrum of Power

  List of characters

  Glossary

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  Grand Vizier of Krar: Balance of Doubt

  Grand Vizier of Krar

  Fulcrum of Power

  Sequel to Strings of Destiny.

  Strings of Destiny recorded how Blan was abducted by pirates immediately after discovering the Occidental Communicor, a powerful underground installation created by the extraterrestrial Visitors. She survived her imprisonment in Slave Island and, later, her forced submission to Black Knight at Austra Castle. After rescuing Praalis, who turned out to be both her grandfather and the Grand Vizier in exile, Blan found herself in the midst of war. However, her brilliant mind and study of science enabled her to turn the tables on Black Knight when he mounted a surprise attack on the coast of Proequa, a key member of the Free Alliance. After the battle, Praalis app0inted Blan to replace him as Grand Vizier and recommended her to the Free Alliance leadership. Meanwhile, Black Knight was angry and vowed to capture Blan and force her to become his Destined Princess.

  In Fulcrum of Power, Blan again ventures into great danger. After finding love and then personal tragedy, she takes matters into her own hands and finds herself again in enemy territory and suffers for it. However, there are those who refuse to let her face danger alone. In particular, her protégé, the abnormally brilliant and strong-willed five-year old Memwin (whose biological father happens to be Black Knight) will not be left out of the equation. Blan and Memwin come to understand that they are bound together under the Great Plan, but do they fully realise the risks they are taking? As dramatic, unforeseen events occur, Blan and Memwin expose themselves as well as all the people of Dabbin to terrible retribution.

  The story will continue in Volume 3, Balance of Doubt.

  List of characters

  Aransette

  Girl from Nessport and twin sister of Norsnette

  Arnapa Sirsette (Countess)

  Mysterious Master Spy

  Azimath

  Master Navigator

  Arn Bel

  Founder of Belspire

  Binpin

  Prime Minister of Dabbin

  Black Knight

  Prince Cakrocken Cankrar and younger brother of Queen Rega

  Blancapaw - ‘Blan’

  Young woman from Prom Village

  Blansnette

  Nom de guerre used by Blan when travelling north

  Bonmar

  Kem’s apprentice

  Borckren (Count)

  Head of Black Knight’s secret police; also a Master of the Order of Chains

  Camb

  Friend of Nightsight and brother of Pyran

  Carlcan Fandabbin (Duke) - ‘Carl’

  Duke of Dabbin

  Carnus

  Gladiator

  Charzagg

  Last of the Chanangii

  Craskren (Count)

  Twin brother of Borckren

  Crowmar

  Reformed pirate

  Fairbonus, Grigoni

  See ‘Nightsight’

  Fenfenwin (Duchess)

  Mother of Memwin

  Galnet

  Man met by Blan at Hillside Inn

  Gardolinya ‘Baron Sirsette’

  Estate Manager at Sirsette Manor

  Grentchnir

  Eunuch and bodyguard

  Gritsus

  Gladiator who fought Pretsan

  Jerkin

  Pirate captain who first abducted Blan

  Karkron (Vice-Admiral)

  Kraran admiral at Mangrove Creek

  Karldros (Shipwright General)

  Kraran shipwright at Lake Quolow

  Kem

  Father of Blan and son of Praa
lis

  Kwannette

  Enslaved older sister of Prannette

  Memwin (Duchess)

  A child; also nominal ruler of Proequa

  Nargin (Admiral, Count)

  Dabbin’s chief admiral and best navigator

  Neep

  Proequan herald and Zeep’s twin sister

  Nellinar

  Nellinu’s brother, age 8

  Nellinu

  10-yo lad from a village by Southport River

  Nightsight

  Grigoni Fairbonus, a comrade of Azimath

  Norsnette

  Girl from Nessport and twin sister of Aransette

  Nwarpaw

  Mother of Blan and wife of Kem

  Olette

  Young woman met by Blan in Slave Island

  Ooggah

  Orbear matriarch

  Parn (Duchess)

  Duchess of Dabbin

  Pelembras - ‘Pel’

  Akrinan shipwright and mariner

  Pelundlis the Just (Grand Vizier)

  Father of Praalis

  Pencar

  Pirate lad, an orphan

  Pennammith - ‘Penna’

  Older sister of Pencar

  Penntrafa

  Great Aunt of Pencar and Penna

  Pikkin

  Deputy Prime Minister of Dabbin

  Pinja

  ‘Prize girl’ acquaintance of Blan

  Plashanette

  Mare ridden by Blan in Proequa

  Poolzus (Centurion)

  Supervisor of east gate of Belspire camp

  Praalis

  Blan’s grandfather

  Prannette

  Younger sister of Kwannette, murdered by Borckren’s spies outside Jerkin’s house

  Pretsan (Corporal)

  Kraran cavalryman and sporting champion

  Pyran

  Friend of Nightsight and brother of Camb

  Questan the Elder

  Barge passenger who befriended Blan

  Quirretan

  Farmer and cousin of Questan

  Quoosh

  Quirretan’s search dog

  Rega (Queen)

  Queen of Krar and daughter of Sakscren

  Sakkrint (Admiral)

  A senior Kraran admiral

  Sakscren (Countess)

  Mother of Rega and Black Knight

  Serunipa

  Master of the warship ‘Mangrove Robin’

  Silquooay (Princess)

  Former fiancée of Praalis

  Starinette

  Fiancée of Azimath

  Taksak (Admiral)

  Black Knight’s new High Admiral

  Telkooay (Prince) ‘Telko’

  Ruler of Akrin

  Tor (Count)

  President of the Ducal Council in Proequa

  Utukin (General)

  A Kraran military commander

  Wayhooay (Admiral)

  Telko’s second-in-command

  Whitestorm

  Zeep’s horse (a mare)

  Zeep

  Proequan herald, Neep’s twin sister

  Glossary

  Actio

  Abbrev. For ‘Dualfield Resonation Displacement Component: Actio’

  Akrin

  Principality south of Krar

  Archipelago, The

  An archipelago stretching approx 400 leagues from Port Fandabbin to Midsea Island

  Arctequa Backbone

  Central north-south spine of mountains

  Austra County

  Region in far south-east Arctequa

  Bangar Island

  Fortified island in Port Fandabbin

  Beehive

  Submersible vessel built by Pelembras

  Boot Islands

  Shin, Ankle, Heel and Toe Islands, outside Port Fandabbin

  Cankrar

  Ruling family of Krar

  Capital Chamber

  The room at the top of Silver Tower

  Carlcan’s Heron

  A Dabbinan warship

  Catastrophic War

  Destroyed former human civilization

  Causeway Fort

  The fort at the eastern end of the causeway joining Silver Island to Dabbinisca

  Cave Island

  An island in the Archipelago

  Chanangii

  Race of alien Visitors from outer space

  Chay-Enn River

  A tributary entering Southport River from the Chay-Enn Mountains

  Citadel Castle

  The principal building in the citadel of Proequa City

  Citadel Library

  Library in Citadel Castle in Proequa

  Citadel Tower

  Tower of Citadel Castle in Proequa

  Control

  Vanantii Expeditionary Ship Number 586 Central Control Processor

  Council Chamber

  A room in Citadel Castle, Proequa

  Dabbin

  Duchy in Arctequa ruled by the Fandabbin family

  Dabbinisca

  The mainland city part of Port Fandabbin

  Dragon boat

  A rugged longboat made for speed in rough seas

  Fairbonus

  Family name of former kings of the West

  Fandabbin

  Ruling family of Dabbin

  Fathome

  An ‘Earth Fathom’; equal to 1.85 metres

  Finger (width)

  One hundredth of a fathome; equal to 1.85 cm

  Freedom

  A ship from Nessport

  Garden Chamber

  Library in Silver Castle where Kem and Carl first meet

  Giganbee

  Huge bee found in Arctequan jungle

  Glorz Glory

  Flagship of Dabbinan River Fleet

  Guild of Barge Skippers

  A guild for carriers on Polnet and other rivers

  Hillside Inn

  Hotel at confluence of rivers Plupo and Polnet

  Illumen

  Learned humans; pupils of the Visitors

  Inner Wall

  Defensive wall between Dabbinisca and Township Farms

  Krar

  Kingdom in the east

  League

  3 miles; 5,550 metres

  Mangrove Robin

  A Dabbinan warship

  Mile

  A sea mile of 2,000 paces; 1,850 metres

  Mount Equa

  Southernmost of Arctequa Backbone

  Nargar Island

  Fortified island in Port Fandabbin

  Orbear

  An orang-utang and bear hybrid

  Order of Chains

  A secret society in Krar

  Outer Plain

  Treeless area outside Outer Wall

  Outer Wall

  Defensive wall enclosing Dabbinisca and Township Farms

  Pace (length)

  Half a fathome; 92.5 cm

  Pelfa

  Akrin’s neighbour

  Polnet Mountain Port

  Port on Polnet River; location of bridge

  Polnet-Plupo

  Where the Plupo River joins the Polnet River

  Poultice Plant

  Medicinal plant used by orbears

  Proequa

  Duchy in Arctequa ruled by Tant family

  Quimal

  Huge ship with five masts, used by Krar and client states; short for Quinquemali

  Quolow Defence Legion

  The armed forces of the Republic of Quolow

  Quolow Guild for Search and Rescue Dogs

  Questan and Quirretan are Patrons of this organisation

  River Docks

  Docks along Southport River, near where it enters the sea

  Silver Castle

  The main castle on Silver Island at Port Fandabbin

  Silver Caves

  Underground river tunnels under Port Fandabbin

  Silver Dock

  One of the docks in Silver Caves

  Silver Garden

  Open terraces
surrounded by Silver Castle

  Silver Island

  Fortified island in Port Fandabbin; location of Silver Castle

  Silver Tower

  The tower at the south-west corner of Silver Castle

  Sirsette Manor

  A barony in Austra County

  Southport Youth Spy Network

  Nellinu’s network of child spies

  Stadia (length)

  One stadium is 200 paces

  Tan Mountains

  Mountain range north of Port Fandabbin

  Tan-Chay-Enn

  Ancient language of Dabbin

  Tant

  Ruling family of Proequa

  Township Farms

  Farmland (mainly market gardens) between Dabbinisca and River Docks

  Vanantii

  Race of alien Visitors from outer space

  Visitors

  The Vanantii and Chanangii

  Warsloop

  Sloop adapted for naval warfare

  1

  Citadel Castle, Proequa – 22nd September, NW 800

  Memwin shivered as she felt the icy fingers of chill wrap around her. She sat in the twilight, her feet dangling above the cold stone floor of her playroom high up in Citadel Castle. Her toys surrounded her like the silent shadows of tribesmen gathered around a dying campfire. Each was neatly placed. Each had been untouched since the day she had received it with embarrassment and feigned joy; except one.