Two Uncertainties

Two uncertainties are built into the plot of Poul and Karen Anderson's The King of Ys. First, a challenger can arrive in the Wood at any time. This means mortal combat for the King and possibly a new King. Secondly, one of the nine Queens can die at any time. This means the sign appearing on a vestal who becomes the new Queen. The Gods of Ys choose which vestal and eventually will decide on a daughter of Gratillonius, knowing that Mithras, like Christ, abhors incest. That will be the beginning of the doom of Ys but the current rereading is only at the midpoint of Volume II where the narrative broadens out to encompass characters throughout Ys and Armorica and jumps over months during which many unrecorded events must occur. 

This week, hopefully, a visit to Andrea who has become a recurring character on this blog. Onward, Earthlings.