Gardens of the Moon/Prologue

The Emperor is dead!
So too his right hand – now cold, now severed!
But mark these dying shadows,
twinned and flowing bloody and beaten,
down and away from mortal sight...
From sceptre's rule dismissed,
from gild candelabra the light now fled,
from a hearth ringed in hard jewels,
seven years this warmth has bled...

The Emperor is dead.
So too his master'd companion, the rope cut clean.
But mark this burgeoning return –
faltering dark, the tattered shroud –
embracing children in Empire's dying light.
Hear now the dirge faint reprised,
before the sun's fall, this day spills red
on buckled earth, and in obsidian eyes
vengeance chimes seven times...

Call to Shadow (I.i. 1-18)
Felisin (b.1146)

1154th Year of Burn's Sleep
96th Year of the Malazan Empire
The Last Year of Emperor Kellanved's Reign

Malaz

Ganoes Paran

Interpretation of Mock's Hold by Corporal Nobbs

Twelve year old Ganoes Paran stands on the wall of Mock's Hold, looking out over the Mouse Quarter of Malaz City. His father is within, discussing trade with the Fist who runs Mock's Hold. Ganoes is approached by an unnamed commander of the Bridgeburners. They discuss the death of Dassem Ultor, the empire's First Sword, at the city of Y'Ghatan. The commander is approached by another Bridgeburner with a fiddle on his back and the two start discussing the purge of the Mouse Quarter and then Surly's change of name to Laseen. Ganoes interjects that the name Laseen means Thronemaster in the Napan tongue.

Surly herself then appears, flanked by Claw acolytes. The commander relays orders to his companion to contain the problem in Mouse, the soldier nods and leaves. Surly and the commander exchange veiled threats and the commander asserts that her laws against sorcery will not survive Kellanved's return. Surly dismisses the commander and leaves.

Ganoes tells the commander that he will be a soldier when he grows up. The commander warns him against it but is met with nothing but derision from the boy.