2-034, NiShanderiah's Hidden Jewels

At that moment, Zadar entered the council chambers and, eyeing Ardon and Symeon, hurried over.  Clutching Ardon in a bear hug, Zadar joyously cried, “Papa!  It so good to see you after these many months!”  He stood back, his hands gripping Ardon’s shoulders.  “I have heard of your adventures on Stargaton.

Tell me… did the Seimieah Straights deliver up to you the hidden jewels of NiShanderiah, seeing you had deciphered her riddles when last we spoke?”

Ardon took Zadar by the upper arms, shaking his head.  “No, no, my little son.  NiShanderiah was a witch extraordinaire.  I fear I must wait until her return during the ‘after days’ before I will succeed in having her secrets revealed.”  He stopped, staring into Zadar’s face, pride growing on his.  He then complimented the ‘boy’ on how well he looked in his new army uniform, which led him into a timely lecture concerning what must be done to bring this rebellion to a finish.  Zadar listened intently. 

It was only a few weeks after Asotos’ attempt at murdering Mihai when Ardon had returned from a deep-space sojourn to Palace City.  There he remained with Lowenah after she discovered she was ‘with child’ and long into the days after Zadar’s birth, the first and only child born after the Rebellion began, and one with a most profound and troubling secret shared by his mother only with Ardon.

Ardon took to raising up the boy as if his own, even allowing him to journey into some of his secret lands.  With Ardon’s fatherly mentoring, Zadar became filled with the desires for exploration and adventure.  The two became inseparable until he – Zadar - was handed over to Tolohe, to be raised up to manhood by her loving care.

Zadar never forgot Ardon’s kindness, his devotion never diminishing for his adoptive father.  Now, after all these years of war, and Ardon’s outspoken opinions that downplayed the value of the military while encouraging more diplomacy to bring the Rebellion to a finish, Zadar - a man who had devoted his entire life to the military, believing it to be the only solution – always patiently listened to his mentor while he explained the importance of ‘using the carrot over the stick’.  As he had done before, this night Ardon did not miss the opportunity to lecture his ‘young’ protege on the subject.

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025  

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031, 

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042, 
2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050 

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,

3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,

3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,
4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,
4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

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