The Silver Hand Read Online Free PDF

flames touched his skin and filled the air with the stink of burning hair. His jaw bulged and he glared murderously at me, but he did not wince or cry out.
    â€œLlew!” I said loudly, rising to stand before him face-to-face. “You have displayed yourself before the people. I find no blemish on you.”
    At this, one of the Wolf Pack shouted, “How can you see through all the soot?” They all laughed again, even now thinking no ill— which only shows how ignorant they were.
    â€œAs flames cleanse and purify,” I continued, carefully replacing the branches in the fire, “I proclaim you cleansed and purified of all corruption.” Taking up the pouch at my side, I poured the contents into my left hand and with the fingertips of my right hand, I marked Llew with the Nawglan, saining him with the Sacred Nine: on the sole of each foot, across the stomach over the heart, at the throat, upon the forehead, down the spine, and around each wrist.
    The Lywyddi watched, mystified. I stole a glance at the prince and saw that his haughty smirk had faded, and he now appeared mildly concerned by what he saw before him. Siawn Hy looked on with cool menace in his hooded eyes.
    When I finished, I stepped once more before him. “Lift your voice, Llew. Declare before the people: Who do you serve?”
    He replied as I had told him: “I serve the people!”
    â€œWhence comes your life?”
    â€œThe life of the people is my life!”
    â€œWhere will you reside?”
    â€œI reside in the will of the people!”
    â€œHow will you rule?”
    â€œI will rule in the wisdom of the people!”
    â€œHow will you obtain?”
    â€œI will obtain in the wealth of the people!”
    I raised my hands before his face, palms outward. “I have heard your declaration,” I called in a loud voice, so all could hear. “Let it be so confirmed!”
    So saying, I turned and retrieved the firebrands. Quickly, so that he would not have time to think about what was happening, I thrust a burning brand into each of Llew’s hands—flame end downward. The fire raced up the length of the branch, and instantly Llew’s hands were engulfed in flames. Yet he stood before them, grasping the firebrands as the fire licked at his flesh. He did not scream or cry out; he did not flinch or drop the torches.
    The people gasped. Prince Meldron and his scoffers gaped stupidly.
    â€œWith flames of fire,” I then proclaimed, “your declaration is confirmed.”
    Llew raised the burning brands above his head and slowly turned round so that everyone could see that the fire consumed the branches but did not burn his flesh.
    With every eye on the marvel of the fist-clenched fire no one saw my hand reach under my cloak and withdraw the torc. The firebrands lifted high, Llew’s back to me, I stepped behind him and slipped the golden torc around his neck. And then I raised my hands over him and said, “By authority of the Tán n’Righ, I declare you king!”
    I turned to the people and lifted my voice in song:
    By authority of wind when it gusts sea gales, you are king.
    By authority of sun when it whelms dark night, you are king.
    By authority of rain, when it greens far hills, you are king.
    By authority of earth when it heaves high mountains, you are king.
    By authority of stone when it births bright iron, you are king.
    By authority of bull and eagle and salmon and all creatures that swim
and fly and tread the hidden places of earth, sky, and sea,
you are king.
    By authority of the Goodly-Wise, who with his swift sure hand establishes
and upholds all things in this worlds-realm, you are king.
    The song ended; I raised my staff and proclaimed, “Behold! Llew, Sovereign of Prydain, King of the Llwyddi! Pay him heartfelt homage! Prepare to do him honor!”
    Some were already in the act of kneeling, when the prince’s voice stopped them. “No! No! He is not