The Way of Kings: Prologue

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“	The love of men is a frigid thing, a mountain stream only three steps from the ice. We are his. Oh Stormfather ... we are his. It is but a thousand days, and the Everstorm comes.	”
–Collected on the first day of the week Palah of the month Shash of the year 1171, thirty-one seconds before death. Subject was a darkeyed pregnant woman of middle years. The child did not survive.

Point of view: Szeth
Setting: Kholinar, 5 years before Chapter 1

Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar, is sent by the Parshendi to kill King Gavilar the day a treaty is being signed between the Kingdom of Alethkar and the Parshendi. He doesn't know why he is being sent to kill the king, or why the Parshendi wish to betray a treaty not even a day old, but he obeys his orders. He has been instructed to kill the king, and to make sure he is seen doing it in a very violent way. He uses his abilities as a Surgebinder (something that hasn't been seen in ages), as well as his Honorblade, to massacre dozens of soldiers and breach the king's chambers. Inside, he finds a Shardbearer in Shardplate and with a Blade ready to confront him, along with a multitude of soldiers. While Szeth is fighting the Shardbearer, he realizes that he is fighting the king himself, and eventually slays him with a powerful Lashing from an outside balcony, causing Gavilar to fall and collapse. As he is dying, Szeth tells him that he was sent by the Parshendi. The king is surprised and confused, but asks that Szeth tell his brother, " ... he must find the most important words a man can say ... ", and gives him a small, and glowing black orb. Gavilar then dies, and Szeth (who, through his heritage, regards dying requests as sacred) writes Gavilar's message in his own blood on a slab of wood before he escapes into the night.

Appearances

Character	Type	Description
Szeth	POV	Assassinates King Gavilar.
Dalinar	Appeared	Slumped over drunk, refusing to go to bed.
Jasnah	Mentioned	Szeth wonders where she is.
Elhokar	Appeared	Is seated at the head of the table in the King's absence.
Jezerezeh	Mentioned	Szeth begins reciting the names of the ten Heralds.
Ishi	Mentioned	Szeth begins reciting the names of the ten Heralds.
Kelek	Mentioned	Szeth begins reciting the names of the ten Heralds.
Talenelat	Mentioned	Szeth begins reciting the names of the ten Heralds.
Shalash	Mentioned	Szeth wonders why her statue is missing.
Gavilar	Appeared	Is killed by Szeth.
Sadeas	Appeared (unnamed)	Decoy for the King. Mentioned as possible hirer of Szeth.
Thaidakar	Mentioned	Gavilar believes he has hired Szeth.
Restares	Mentioned	Gavilar's second guess at who hired Szeth.