A Marriage of Swords
“Now, you speak of law. Let us speak of the oldest law.”
He nodded to Leigh. She moved to the side of the dais where a cloth-covered object rested. With a flourish, she pulled the cloth away, revealing the Memory Wall stone with the crown and mountain symbol. She placed it in the center of the oak table with a solid thunk.
“This,” Makil said, “is the Pact of the Peak. Carved not in parchment, but in the living memory of the border. It was sworn between Alistair the First and Torren Valerius. It does not grant land. It swears a bond. The crown provides legitimacy and protection. The Hold provides the mountain’s voice—the enforcement of the ancient boundaries and laws that keep peace among all