Once upon a time in the land of Amber, it was a feast day at the court of King Oberon. Now, on feast days, Oberon and his kindred would not sit down at the Round Table to eat until a marvel had occurred (sometimes they got very hungry, of course).

But on this day there was a marvel almost as soon as they sat down. A dark-haired woman in black samite came in with a sword girded on. Oberon bid her welcome, and asked her why she was bearing a sword, since it wasn't seemly for a maiden to do so.

And the maiden told King Oberon that she bore the magic sword Greyswandir, which only the greatest knight in the realm of Amber could pull from the scabbard. So the princes of Amber wanted to try to draw the sword.

Gerard was the strongest of the princes, but he couldn't make it budge. Benedict declined to try, on the grounds that he was a great general, not a perfect knight. Bleys and Brand and Julian and Caine all tried their hands at drawing the blade, but they all failed. Even young Prince Random, barely out of swaddling, tried to take the sword from the scabbard and failed.

After the others had tried, only the twin brothers, Princes Corwin and Eric, were left to draw the blade. They were eldest save Benedict himself, and it was known that Benedict did not wish to be king in Amber. Eric had been born first, and he was first at everything. But Corwin and Eric loved each other and were the best of friends, despite the bitter rivalry between their parties at court.

So both of them had stood back and waited for all the others to try for the blade, hoping that neither of them would have to be proven better than the other. In the end, they had to toss a coin to see who would go first. Corwin won, and drew the blade. Greyswandir was a beautiful sword; the silvery blade was graven with patterns and the pommel was in the shape of a fine silver rose.

The maiden asked Corwin to give Greyswandir back to her, and he refused, for Greyswandir was a beautiful blade and it fit his hand as if it had been made for him. Then she spoke, saying: "I am your sister Deirdre, and I say to you, because you will not give back Greyswandir, you will kill the brother you love the best with it; and you will strike a blow that will maim the best of your brothers."

And Corwin said, "Though now your curse be on me, Deirdre, I will not give up the blade; for I have your curse either way."

And Deirdre wept, for she loved Corwin greatly.

Then came Moins, the Lady of the Lake, whose people dwelt in the Lake at the foot of Kolvir. She had been a great benefactress of Oberon when he was young. Some people say she gave Oberon his own sword, Caliburn--or is it Joyous?--but all the tales agree that he owed her a great debt. On this day she had come to collect it.

When Oberon asked what she would have, Moins asked for the head of the maiden who had brought Greyswandir or the head of the knight who had it (Corwin had despoiled Moins' daughter; but I do not know what Deirdre's crime was).

Oberon, of course, refused, and asked Moins to name another boon. But before she could do so, Corwin took up Greyswandir and cut off Moins' head.

Oberon and the court were horrified. Oberon said: "She whom you have slain was my benefactress. What justification have you to offer for your crime?"

But Corwin said: "Moins slew my mother with poison while she gave birth to Deirdre, and she would have killed me and Deirdre today. I cannot be sorry to have struck down my enemy." So Oberon banished him from court, and would not suffer Eric or Deirdre to join him.

There are many stories of what Corwin did while wandering with Greyswandir. Sometimes he wandered alone; sometimes he wandered with one or more of his brothers in spite of Oberon's prohibition. For a time it is said he ran mad in distant forests, perhaps for love of Deirdre.

And of course, in time he fought with Benedict and cut off Benedict's arm--the Dolorous Stroke that nearly destroyed the realm of Amber. But none of these tales are my story tonight.

In the end, Corwin heard that Deirdre was being kept prisoner in a tower on a distant isle by order of Oberon. Dworkin, the mad magician of Amber, had claimed that she would cause the heir to Amber to die. Corwin knew that King Oberon would tolerate no threat to Amber, so he planned to rescue Deirdre from certain death.

Many were the perils Corwin faced in traveling to the isle; many were the monsters he slew, and many were the knights he sent into the Abyss of death. And he did not escape unscathed; though he was resilient and quick to recover from his wounds, his shield with the silver rose was broken and his tunic was crimsoned with his own blood.

When Corwin arrived at the isle, armored in his full armor and helm and bearing Greyswandir, he met another knight, who challenged him and would not let him pass. So he fought a duel with the other knight, whom he supposed Oberon had set there against the possibility that Corwin might rescue Deirdre.

The duel with the other knight ran a day and a night and another day and another night. Corwin and his foe were so evenly matched that neither could gain an advantage. Corwin begged his foeman to step aside, promising him land and money and favor at court if only the unknown warrior would stop the battle and let him reach the tower. But the unknown knight was unrelenting in his defense and would not stop until he had defeated Corwin.

In the end, bloodied and battered, the two were so evenly matched Corwin he could not merely wound his foe, but sank Greyswandir into the breast of his enemy. In doing so, Corwin took a blow in return that nearly cut him in two. Corwin was so moved by the courage and honor of the other knight that he wished to do him honor as he lay dying.

When he unlaced the other knight's helm, the face beneath was twin to his own. It was his brother Eric whom Corwin had slain.

Corwin unlaced his own helm, and begged Eric's forgiveness. Eric laughed, and the bright blood bubbled on his lips. "Never fear, my brother; my death curse I reserve for Amber's enemies ... you knew not what you did. And I have repaid you, for I do not think you will survive the wounds I have given you, thinking you were Oberon's man come to slay Deirdre. Thus Dworkin's curse has come true, for in your absence Oberon had forgiven you and made you heir to Amber."

Then Eric pronounced his curse on Amber's enemies, and died, laughing. And Corwin, bleeding from his many wounds, knew he had taken his death also, and lay his curse on Amber's foes.

When Corwin was dead, Dworkin came to that place and laid Corwin and Eric in a tomb of marble, and inscribed the tale of their deeds in gold lettering. Deirdre he released from the tower, and she wept at her brothers' grave, for she had loved them both greatly.