Gripir was not born a spaemadhur, a seer. He certainly never wanted to be one. And he certainly appreciated the convolutions of the notion that wyrd, or fate, had other plans for him, plans that involved Gripir becoming a seer, and gaining the ability to learn what wyrd had in store for others. Gripir did not know whether to laugh or cry when he thought about that. As a child, he had believed that he was meant for greatness, perhaps counsel to a mighty king, perhaps even a king himself some day. For Gripir had been born a prince, not a spaemadhur.

     Long ago, in the northern islands of Denaland, there reigned a king named Eylimi. King Eylimi had a daughter who came to be renowned throughout the North for her wisdom as well as her bea...

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