Forging the Sword

Infobox Book
name = Forging the Sword
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Hilari Bell
illustrator = Steve Stone
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = Farsala Trilogy
subject =
genre = Fantasy
publisher = Simon & Schuster
pub_date = 2006
english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback
pages = 494 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-689-85416-1
oclc =
preceded_by = Rise of a Hero
followed_by =

Forging the Sword is a fantasy novel written by American author Hilari Bell. It is the third and final book in the Farsala trilogy. It follows the adventures of Jiaan, Kavi, and Soraya as the try to regain control of their country from the invading Hrum empire.

Plot summary

Soraya, Kavi and Jiaan have agreed to work together to defeat the Hrum and free Farsala. However, distrust of Kavi is impeding this effort. The three attempt to work together, but it is getting difficult. Luckily, they have finally uncovered the secret of watersteel, with the help of Kavi's ability to "speak" to metal.

Only a few months remain in the Hrums self-imposed limit to conquer Farsala. The three youths learn that Garren, the Strategus in charge of the conquest, has much more riding on the conquest than just Farsala. His father, a member of the Senate of the Hrum Empire, stated that Garren would conquer Farsala with only ten tacti, or ten thousand troops. In addition, his father has stated that he will resign from the Senate if this is not accomplished. He did these things in order to secure the controversial assigning of the Farsalan conquest to his son. Garren's father's enemies are eager for this to happen. So when Garren requisitions vast amounts of gold to hire Kadeshi aid, and therefore circumvent the allotted ten thousand troop sanction, the Senate sends a delegation to review the conquest.

Kavi, Jiaan and Soraya decide to capture the gold before it reaches the Kadeshi, as a Kadeshi warlord has informed Jiaan that if he chooses to pay, the warlord will order the troops he send Garren to betray the Hrum in battle, crippling the army. Jiaan, Kavi and Soraya do not wish for this to happen. Soraya, with Kavi accompanying her, decides to visit the bandits in the swamps and convince them to rob the Senate committee, which will arrive in Farsala at the nearby harbor of Dugaz. They believe that, if the delegation was robbed during its stay, it would demonstrate to the Senate that Garren does not have the country under control. However, upon arriving at the bandits' layer, Shir, their leader, informs Kavi and Soraya that the Senate had arrived a week ago, and that the bandits had failed to rob them. Disappointed, the two promise Shir that, in exchange for letting them go, they will get the Suud to try to develop a cure for the swamp fever that plagues the bandits.

The gold arrives in Setesafon, and under close supervision of Garren. Using stolen Hrum disguises, Kavi infiltrates the palace, in an attempt to uncover the passwords into the vault. However, he is captured. But before he is, he is able to burn the words into his mules saddle, which Jiaan and Soraya find. Jiaan and Soraya enter the palace, under a guise that Jiaan has captured Soraya. They release the gold into barrels in the river, which are later picked up.

After the gold is discovered missing, Garren orders Kavi tortured. However, he is able to withstand it. Garren then publicly declared that if Sorahb does not come forward to fight Garren as a champion of Farsala, Kavi will be slain. While Jiaan believes the challenge to be a trap and doesn't think Kavi will be killed, Fasal decides to accept the challenge. The fight ensues. However, after Fasal breaks Garren's blade with the newly-developed Farsalan watersteel, Garren, in a similar fashion to what happened to Commander Merahb, orders Fasal killed with arrows. Soraya, outraged, kills Garren with lightning.

After this, the senate committee is convinced Farsala is not subdued, and decides that the Hrum shall leave Farsala as an allied state. The remaining people send delegates, and Kavi, much to his annoyance, is elected to be a "councilherd" of the council; to make things run smoothly. Jiaan is invited to accompany the Hrum on their next campaign, that in Kadesh; he accepts. Soraya decides to live with the Suud.

Characters

Main Characters

*Jiaan- Is a nineteen-year-old peasant born deghan who have brown hair and brown eyes. He is the commander of the small but determined Farsalan army. He is very brave, courageous, and extremely loyal to his country.
*Kavi- Is a twenty-year-old peddler who was raised in Mazad working in a blacksmith. He loaths the deghans, is very quick witted, can pick almost any lock, and is now loyal to Farsala.
*Soraya- Is a fifteen-year-old deghass with long black hair and brown eyes. She is loyal to her family and friends and will do anything to help them.