King Edward , Book I Summary . This book is part of a twelve - part series on " King Edward " , as follows : Content . Chapter One : Departure from Daggerfall Long , long ago , when the world was in its springtime , before the Redguard s came and the glorious Septim Empire was formed , but after the goblin s had driven the dwarves out of Hammerfell , a son , Edward , was born to King Corcyr I of Daggerfall and his Queen , Aliera of Wayrest . The young boy lay drowsing in the palace orchard , high on a breezy hill overlooking the deep blue bay of Daggerfall . The constant autumn fog of Daggerfall had blown away for the nonce and the sky was a deep endless blue . Moments like this were rare for young Prince Edward ; this afternoon was the result of days of scheming , for he craved solitude as the other nobles he knew craved companionship . Now his tutor believed him engaged in extra arms practice , the master of arms believed him to be chasing deer with the huntmaster , who thought he was studying Elvish . His father had no idea where he was and didn ' t care , being occupied with his young wife and their sons and other pleasures of noble life . At the plop of an apple barely missing his head , he opened his pale grey eyes ; there was a sweet rotten smell in his nostrils . He sighed and stared up into the blue . Why should things fall down instead of up ? If you stared at the sky long enough you could feel as if you were falling into it his eyes glazed and the pupils grew huge as the dark - ringed irises dilated . He was weightless , drifting another apple fell , grazing his ear , and he thudded to earth , crying out as first his rump struck and then his head . A silvery laugh sounded . Edward sat up abruptly and stared around , jaw hanging slack . Two mounted men stood ten feet away , still as if they were carved from stone , regarding him intently . Princes are not easily intimidated , not even the gentle souled kind , but Edward had never seen or imagined anything like this pair . One had golden skin and eyes , was clad in white cloth trimmed with gold and rode a ( Edward blinked . It is was still there ) a unicorn ! Beside the unicorn was a golden dragon , wings neatly folded . And on his back was a man clad in dark chain mail , a long sword at his side . He was bareheaded ; his eyes glowed red in his dark face and his pointed ears " You ' re elves ! What ! " " He ' s a clever child . " The dark elf ' s voice was sardonic . He spoke perfect Bretic , Edward noticed , his mind still working , although something seemed to have gone wrong with the rest of him . " So it would seem . He did that mostly of himself . Remarkable for an untrained child . I merely helped him to concentrate . " The high elf also spoke Bretic , but hesitantly and with a slight singing accent . Edward ' s tutor said that elves were incapable of human speech . Edward ' s gaze shifted rapidly over the four beings in front of him , unable to find a comfortable resting place . He hoped briefly , fervently , that he was dreaming . His mind seethed with questions and demands , then quite suddenly his tongue came unstuck . " But I wasn ' t concentrating at all ! My masters all say I ' m incapable . " Edward clamped his jaw down hard , suddenly realizing that it might be unwise to argue with beings such as these . But the golden elf smiled broadly , showing perfect white teeth , " Exactly . " He radiated such warm approval , that Edward felt his skin tingle pleasantly . It was a feeling that he ' d only known with his long - gone mother . But the other elf ' s face was expressionless ; the red eyes bored into Edward as if they would pierce his soul . " Moraelyn ! You ' re Moraelyn ! The witch - king ! " He jumped to his feet and faced the dark elf . " You stole my mother ! My father will kill you . " " I am . I did . Will he ? Shall we call him and find out ? " The dark elf straightened and his eyes glowed deeper . A tiny puff of steam escaped the dragon ' s nostrils . A glowing aura appeared around his companion . Edward knew he wasn ' t going to call the guard . Why should they be slaughtered ? These two looked capable of anything . Quite suddenly he was no longer afraid . If they were here to hurt him , they ' d have done it by now . But a feeling of impotent rage remained . They ' d taken his mother . And now . " Why are you here ? " he demanded . " Edward , will you come with us ? " The high elf spoke . Hearing him was like hearing a harp , cool as a breeze , warm as a fireside . The boy stood very still . He wanted very much to say yes , to his own amazement . He wanted to ask if he would see his mother , but instead : " My father . . . " he croaked . " Will miss you no doubt . " The irony was back in Moraelyn ' s voice , a voice that make Edward think of icicles sparkling and dripping in winter sun . But there was a sort of hunger in his glowing eyes , a longing ? His father wouldn ' t miss him and he knew it . Shame ran through the boy , but he looked up at the broad - shouldered elf defiantly . " Are you my father ? " Edward had meant the question to match the elf ' s sarcasm , but his hand crept to his ear as if of itself . He wasn ' t anything like his short - tempered , hearty , red - haired father and Roane often said he had an elfin look . There was a heavy silence and Edward sensed that Moraelyn was taking the question at face value but that truth had nothing to do with what Moraelyn would say next . He would give the expedient answer . Still . " No . " It came reluctantly . He might be lying , of course , but Edward felt a deep wave of relief . " Does my mother have other sons ? " Suddenly Edward knew she did not and that the question would hurt the dark elf . And was glad . " Your mother might be dead , for all you know . Or care , it seems . " The dark elf ' s narrow nostrils twitched as if Edward stank , and the lines around his mouth deepened . She was not dead . Edward would have known . The bitter injustice of Moraelyn ' s contempt stung . " Did she send you to me ? " " Do you take me for an errand boy ! " he snapped , and spoke to his companion : " Let us take him now and be gone ; we may discuss it at leisure . " The golden elf held up his hand , " Patience , my cousin . " and , to Edward , " Well , youngling , will you come ? " Dark tales were told of human children kidnapped by elves , who hungered for young humans " I don ' t know your name , " Edward temporized . " Do you love your life here so much ? " Edward looked at the palace in the distance , the banners floating lazily above the town below , the sparkling bay , the distant mountains . " I love Daggerfall . " " Ah . And you shall return to hold it , Prince Edward . I , I ' ric Harad Egun the Archmagister , swear it to you . " Moraelyn swung about , protesting sharply in Elvish . The dragon spat a bit of flame , but the unicorn did not move ; its golden eyes regarded Edward steadily . " Unicorns do not abide any sort of falsity . " The words floated through his mind in his mother ' s voice . " I ' ric Harad Egun the Archmagister , I will come with you . " " You must ride with Moraelyn . The Lord Akatosh has consented to this - - necessity . The elf made a sweeping gesture toward the dragon . " He wasn ' t fit to touch a unicorn , of course . " Very well , then . I . . . I don ' t suppose I could bring my dog ? " Where was he ? Shag was always with him . Asleep in the grass ! Shag , the ever - alert ? Edward knelt to touch him . A heated discussion in Elvish ensued , during which the dragon scorched the grass . Moraelyn swung down and picked Shag up with distaste . " Very well , then , but I warn you that Akatosh is at the limit of his patience . Mount , then . " " Lord Akatosh , I am most deeply obliged by your indulgence . If ever I may repay it . " " You will , " Moraelyn interrupted ; he seized Edward by the belt and tossed him up onto the dragon . Edward settled himself between the dragon ' s neck and wings and the sleeping Shag was draped limply in front of him . " There isn ' t room for . . . " Edward began , and jerked in astonishment as the dragon shifted beneath him and grew larger . Much , much , much larger . Moraelyn vaulted up behind with a prodigious leap for one in armor . The unicorn jumped the nine foot wall , clearing it neatly . The dragon ' s great wings stretched ; he crouched , then leapt into the air . His riders swayed wildly . The dark elf muttered something Edward couldn ' t understand in elvish and they steadied . The wings beat strongly and the dragon circled low over the Keep , gaining altitude slowly . People were running about now , shouting and pointing . Edward saw his old nurse and waved and shouted , " Goodbye ! Goodbye ! I ' ll be back sometime . . . " Arrows flew through the air as bowmen shot , while the nurse screamed and clutched at the arms of those nearest . King Corcyr ran naked onto the battlements , screaming and waving his fists . " Child of a demon , come back and I ' ll thrash you within an inch of your worthless life . Moraelyn , come down and fight , like the man you aren ' t . " Moraelyn ' s loud laughter rang clear as temple bells , cascading over the Keep . He shouted , " Be glad I don ' t , little King of the Small Cock ! " The dragon circled almost lazily and let out a huge gout of flame . Arrows clinked harmlessly off his golden scales . " I ' m off to see my mother ! " Edward screamed down , noting the upturned faces of his stepmother and her red - haired sons . Roane had a fur - trimmed robe clutched round her , but her long hair floated wildly . Four pairs of eyes fastened on him , not Moraelyn , glittering with fury and hatred . Edward stopped waving and clutched Shag tightly with both hands . Moraelyn ' s mail clad arm was securely about his waist . Edward slumped against him , feeling quite safe for the first time in a very long while . The bowmen had stopped shooting ; most of them were looking at the royal family . The king danced with rage . The great dragon ' s wings beat harder now and they headed due south out over the water . " Aren ' t we going to Ebonheart ? " the boy twisted round and looked up at Moraelyn . " Your mother awaits you at Firsthold in Sumurset , little Prince . " " Why did you wait so long to fetch me ? " " Querulous child , do you think dragons and unicorns do the bidding of elves or men ? Your mother came to me full willing , but she could not bring you ; you were too closely guarded by your father ' s men . Would you have had us lay waste your land to take you by force ? She thought you would be safe and cared for and she was desperate . No , this was the dragon ' s plan . " Of all the astonishing events of the afternoon , this was the most surprising : the notion that a dragon should take an interest in him , when not even his own family did . But , willing , the elf said , full willing ! " You are the focus of large events , youngling . Your task is to prepare yourself to be a king ; a king such as your people have never known . Our task is to aid you . Sleep now . " Waves of sleep assaulted Edward ' s mind , one after another . " But . . . " he meant to ask Moraelyn about his mother , but the last wave was too big ; it crashed right over him and he slipped into dark fireshot dreams .