Scions of the Saint

A Trilogy, Part 4 of The Chronicles of Okishdu

Book 1 The Orb and the Staff

Two gifts are bestowed on the young twin sons of King Tomak of Zedekla by Thalon, a friend of their grandmother, Saint Neril. The staff of Neril goes to Talek, the thoughtful, careful twin, and a decorative metallic orb goes to his rash, bold brother Inrek who despises it. An act of despite removes the Stone of Truth from it's place in the testing room of the Palace and there is no sure way to determine which of the twins should be named as the heir of their father. In time the matter will be resolved by their choice of a wife.

Book 2 The Golden Mask

Only the ugliest girls in the town of Rubble Ford are required to wear a veil after their rites of maturity, or so all the children and most of the town folk believe. When Kalil is require to wear a veil she despairs of her dreams of marrying and raising a family. She is offered the opportunity to become the apprentice of the healer Senna, but two men make an offer for her hand, the village simpleton and a rascal who has mysteriously managed to lose three women he married and took from the village. Refusing to settle for any of the choices offered, Kalil escapes over the ford in the dark of night. After rescuing Nerik, the blind prince of Zedekla, who has been abandoned in the wilderness by conspirators, Kalik sets up as a matla maker on the streets of Zedekla.

Book 3 Vale of Betrayal

When she wears the gold mask that disguises her common appearance, Jarila, queen of Zedekla is proper and formal and easily led into error. Her son, Karek, prefers the face of Kalil, Jarila's alter ego, who helps her husband by keeping touch with the people of Zedekla as they waver between loyalty to their blind king and those who promise something better. Abducted, Karek escapes and joins a Mareklan caravan which travels through the southern jungles and into the mysterious unknown land of Lamatha. He finds love in the hidden vale of Marekla, but loses it to save Zedekla from an insurgency led by Orquians.