Oath of Fealty

BY ELIZABETH MOON

THE DEED OF PAKSENARRION
Sheepfarmer’s Daughter
Divided Allegiance
Oath of Gold

THE LEGACY OF GIRD
Surrender None
Liar’s Oath

VATTA’S WAR
Trading in Danger*
Marque and Reprisal*
Engaging the Enemy*
Command Decision*
Victory Conditions*

PLANET PIRATES (WITH ANNE MCCAFFREY)
Sassinak
Generation Warriors
Remnant Population*

THE SERRANO LEGACY
Hunting Party
Sporting Chance
Winning Colors
Once a Hero
Rules of Engagement
Change of Command
Against the Odds
The Speed of Dark*

SHORT-FICTION COLLECTIONS
Lunar Activity
Phases

* Published by Ballantine Books

For those there from the start and still here for the new beginning: Ellen and John McLean and Richard Moon, for encouraging me to finish the first Paks book, Joshua Bilmes for accepting me as a client, the late Jim Baen for publishing The Deed of Paksenarrion, and Betsy Mitchell for editing it.

Dramatis Personae

Kieri Phelan’s mercenary company

Jandelir Arcolin, senior captain of first cohort (short sword)
Stammel, senior sergeant of Arcolin’s cohort
Devlin, junior sergeant of Arcolin’s cohort
Arñe, corporal in Arcolin’s cohort
Dorrin Verrakai, senior captain of second cohort (short sword)
Selfer, junior captain of second cohort
Cracolnya, senior captain of third cohort (mixed: sword/crossbow)
Valichi, captain of recruit cohort

Tsaian Court: senior noble families

Mikeli Vostan Keriel Mahieran, crown prince of Tsaia
Camwyn, his younger brother
Beclan Mahieran, Knight-Commander of the Bells (order of Girdish knights)
Sonder Mahieran, Duke Mahieran
Rothlin, his heir and the prince’s friend
Selis Marrakai, Duke Marrakai
Juris, his heir and the prince’s friend
Galyan Serrostin, Duke Serrostin
Rolyan, the prince’s friend
Haron Verrakai, Duke Verrakai, Dorrin Verrakai’s uncle
Konhalt (loyal to Verrakai)
Kostvan (loyal to Crown)

Donag Veragsson, Marshal-Judicar of Tsaia (interprets Code of Gird in Tsaia)
Arianya, Marshal-General (commands entire Company of Gird)

Lyonya

Sier Halveric, Aliam’s older brother, inherited the title, vocal member of Council
Sier Belvarin, vocal member of Council, often disagreeing with Sier Halveric
Sier Galvary, vocal member of Council, in charge of treasury
Aliam Halveric, commands Halveric Company, Kieri Phelan’s mentor and friend
Estil Halveric, his wife

Orlith, elf instructing Kieri Phelan in taig-magic
Flessinathlin, the Lady of the Ladysforest, elven ruler of that elvenhome kingdom
Amrothlin, Kieri Phelan’s maternal uncle, elf

Carlion, armsmaster at King’s Salle

Aarenis

Aesil M’dierra, commander of Golden Company (mercenaries)
Jeddrin, Count of Andressat
Alured the Black, former pirate, self-styled Duke of Immer
Arneson, one-eyed captain hired by Arcolin as recruit captain
Versin, captain hired by Arcolin as junior to Cracolnya
Burek, captain hired by Arcolin as his own junior captain
Fenin Kavarthin, Kieri’s banker in Valdaire
Paltis, Kieri’s factor in Valdaire

AUTHOR’S NOTE

What Has Gone Before

When Paksenarrion rode off into the fictional sunset twenty-odd years ago at the close of Oath of Gold, I knew I would want to return to her world someday and write more about the other characters there: Kieri Phelan, his captains Arcolin and Dorrin, Sergeant Stammel, and the rest. They had stories of their own waiting to be told. I never thought it would take this long to return … but finally I was able to find the door and here we are, this time seeing the world through other eyes than Paks’s.