sparo heard the thump of horse hoofs from the tree-lined track that led to the road, and he turned in time to see lord andarist and his brothers ride out from the shade of the nearest trees. the riders drew up sharply upon taking in the scene before them. ignoring them, the azathanai continued on, the hearthstone gliding along behind him - across the semicircular clearing fronting the house, and then on to the broad ramp that marked the approach to the gap still awaiting stone framing. beneath the floating stone the ramp buckled, fissures spreading out through the packed soil.

andarist had dismounted and now approached sparo, who bowed and said, 'my lord, i begged the azathanai to await your arrival, but he is without patience.'

'no matter, sparo,' andarist replied, eyes fixed on the hearthstone as it slid over the threshold. the walls were not yet high enough to obscure their view as the high mason guided his creation on to the earthen floor of what would be the great hall. the hearthstone left a depressed track as it approached the shallow pit awaiting it.

'it was discourteous-'

'the delay was ours - and the weather to the south.'

lord anomander had come up alongside his brother, while silchas ruin seemed content to remain seated on his mount a short distance back. now, the first son of mother dark spoke. 'it is said that earth sorcery finds its truest vein of power at certain times of the day - and night - and so i expect the high mason saw no value in delay, if only to ease his strain.' he glanced over at lord andarist and said, 'this much, at least, i did ask for.'

sparo knew that it had been by anomander's instruction - and his coin - that this commission had occurred. also, it was well known that this particular high mason of the azathanai was considered the lord among masters, his skill unequalled by any living mason, which set his status as, at the very least, equal to anomander himself, whom mother dark had chosen to call her first son.

lord andarist now turned to his brother, his eyes bright. 'i would you accompany me, anomander, to witness the placing of your gift.' he turned then and waved silchas forward. 'and you as well, silchas!'

but silchas simply shook his head. 'anomander's gift, and you the beneficiary, andarist. i am well enough pleased to attend as i am. go on, both of you, and quickly now lest that impolite creature forget his reason for being here, and for whom the stone was made.'

andarist gestured that sparo join them and the house-mason bowed a second time. 'lord, i am but-'

'-my mason, sparo, whose love for his art is sufficient cause in my eyes. come, join us. let us all look upon the majesty of this work.'

trailing a step behind the two lords, sparo followed along, feeling the thump of his own heart. of course he would see the high mason's creation often enough in the months to come, in its rightful place in the great hall, but even hard basalt worked by an azathanai was not immune to wear and tear, the scratches, stains and battering that came with a working hearth. and for all his envy, he was as andarist had said: a lover of stone and the art of its shaping.

silent with privilege, he joined his lord and anomander upon reaching the packed earthen floor of the great hall. the azathanai now stood to one side of the hearthstone, and the huge block hovered above its waiting seat. the high mason faced andarist and spoke, his expression flat.

'the earth told of your approach. are you the one soon to wed? is this to be your home, lord?'

'yes, i am andarist.'

the high mason's broad visage then shifted to anomander. 'you, then, must be the first son of mother dark. the giver of this gift to your brother and the woman he will take as wife.'

'i am,' anomander replied.

'and in so doing,' the high mason continued, 'you bind yourself by blood and vow to what shall be made here, and to the secret words carved upon this hearthstone. if your loyalty is uncertain, speak now, first son. once this stone finds its place, the binding of the vow can never be broken, and should you fail in your love, in your loyalty, then even i cannot answer for the consequences.'

this sudden pronouncement stilled the two brothers, and sparo felt his chest tighten, as if his heart's beat was suddenly held, frozen. he struggled to breathe.

anomander then tilted his head, as if to counter his own tension or affront. 'high mason,' he said, 'you speak of my love for andarist, and my desire for the well-being of the new life awaiting him, as if they were in question. you speak, too, of this gift as if it embodies a threat, or indeed a curse.'