Grand Vizier of Krar
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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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.