The Wolf leaned forwards in his throne and put his goblet down on a low table of thornwood, every inch of which was covered in carved, twisting beasts. A second goblet was there. Russ gestured for Kva to help himself then poured a huge measure into his own goblet, before passing him the ewer.

'Drink with me,' he said. 'I am going to talk. You are going to listen.'

Kva sniffed the air. 'Wine?'

'Wine,' said Russ. 'From the Lion's vineyards. A gift of friendship.' He smiled. 'It is dark, bitter and complicated in flavour.'

'That adequately describes your relationship with him.'

Russ laughed, a solitary bark. 'Yes.' He stared off across the dark floor, as if he could see troubling portents beneath the stone's surface.

There was a chair nearby the throne's dais. After pouring himself a measure, Kva sat down without waiting for permission, and leaned wearily on his staff. Many allowances were made for his condition.

'If you want to talk, then talk, my jarl,' said Kva.

Russ stirred himself. 'Talk,' he said. 'This spear,' he pointed his thumb over his shoulder without turning around, 'I have never liked it.'

'The truth of this is known to all the Vlka,' said Kva.

It was telling that the spear had never had another name than the 'Spear of the Emperor'. An outsider would think nothing of this, but one who knew the culture of Fenris well would see a superstitious dread at work. All weapons had names, true names like those of a man or a woman, names that not only described them, but set their wyrd in the metal of their making, foretold their use and hinted at their end. A weapon gave power to the warrior who named it. The Spear of the Emperor had adopted its name simply by being what it was.

'You have never named your father's gift,' said Kva.

Russ nodded and took a deliberate swallow of wine. 'I am going to tell you why. I have never told anybody why. You will hear, and you will judge, divided one.'

'Then I am listening,' Kva said.

'This is why Leman Russ does not like the Spear of the Emperor, his father,' said Russ. 'The Emperor gave me the weapon in the wake of the Wheel of Fire.'

'Before my time, my jarl,' said Kva. 'Though I know the sagas well.'