Eric Rücker Eddison

“ Corund beheld her uneasily.
"Their oaths to me and to him!" said she, "sworn to us that night in Carcë. False friends! O, I could eat their hearts with garlic."
He put his great hands on her two shoulders. She threw them off. "In one thing," she cried, "Gro counselleth us well: to tarry no more on this sinking ship. We must raise forces. But not as he would have it, to uphold these Demons, these oath-breakers. We must away this night."
Her lord had cast aside his great wolfskin mantle. "Come, madam," said he, "to bed's our nearest journey."
Prezmyra answered, "I'll not to bed. ”

“ After some time, the old woman spake softly and said, "You are full of thoughts to-night, madam." ⁠p. 440 Prezmyra's eyes met hers in the mirror. "Why may I not be so and it likes me?" said she.
That stony look of the eyes struck like a gong some twenty-year-old memory in the nurse's heart: the little wilful maiden, ill to goad but good to guide, looking out from that Queen's face across the years. She knelt down suddenly and caught her arms about her mistress's waist. "Why must you wed then, dear heart?" said she, "if you were minded to do what likes you? ”

“ Prezmyra said under her breath as if talking to herself, "I know a man, should not have miscarried it thus." The old nurse that loved not Lord Corund and his haughty fashions and rough speech and Wine-bibbing, and was besides jealous that so rude a stock should wear so rich a jewel as was her mistress, followed not her meaning. ”

“ There hath been battle off Melikaphkhaz in the Impland seas. Juss hath sunken our ships, every ship save that which brought the tidings, sunk, with Laxus and all his men that were with him." He paused: then, "These be heavy news," he said, "and I'll have you bear 'em in the old Witchland fashion: the heavier hit the heavier strike again."
In the strange deformed silence came a little gasping cry, and the Lady Sriva fell a-swooning.
The King said, "Let the kings of Impland and of Demonland attend me. The rest, it is commanded that all do get them to bed o' the instant." ”

“ She stood up, looking up at him as on a mate to whom she could be true and be true to her own self. "Well?" she said.
"The tables are set," said he, without moving.
⁠p. 444 "The King hath named me his captain general in Carcë."
"Is it come to that?" said Prezmyra.
"They have hewn a limb from us," answered he. "They have wit to know the next stroke should be at the heart."
"Is it truly so?" said she. "Eight thousand men? twice thine army's strength that won Impland for us? all drowned?"
"'Twas the devilish seamanship of these accursed Demons," said Corund. ”

“ OF NEWS BROUGHT UNTO GORICE THE KING IN CARCË OUT OF THE SOUTH, WHERE THE LORD LAXUS LYING IN THE STRAITS WITH HIS ARMADA HELD THE FLEET OF DEMONLAND PRISONED IN THE MIDLAND SEA.
⁠p. 436 ON a night of late summer leaning towards autumn, eight weeks after the sailing of the Demons out of Muelva as is aforewrit, the Lady Prezmyra sate before her mirror in Corund's lofty bed-chamber in Carcë. The night without was mild and full of stars. ”

“ Unto the right high mighti and doubtid Prynsace the Quen of Implande, one that was your Servaunt but now beinge both a Traitor and a manifiald parjured Traitor, which Heaven above doth abhorre, the erth below detest, the sun moone and starres be eschamed of, and all Creatures doo curse and ajudge unworthy of breth and life, do wish onelie to die your Penytent. ”

“ It appeareth Laxus held the Straits where they must go if ever they should win home again, meaning to fight 'em in the narrows and so crush 'em with the weight of's ships as easy as kill flies, having by a great odds the bigger strength both in ships and men. ”

“ And albeit in Carcee you reste in securitie, it is serten you are there as saife as he that hingeth by the Leves of a Tree in the end of Autumpne when as the Leves begin to fall. For in this late Battaile in Mellicafhaz Sea hath the whole powre of Wychlande on the sea been beat downe and ruwyned, and the highe Admirall of our whole Navie loste and ded and the names of the great men of accownte that were slayen at the battaile I may not numbre nor the common sorte much lesse by reaisoun that the more part were dround in the sea which came not to Syght. ”