SumonThe city was in mourning. People didn't walk the streets, they didn't do markets, they didn't talk. It was a sign of respect for the late king.The streets were empty, the taverns were closed, even the whores were locked up in their brothels and no one went to visit them.The masters had sent letters to the lords of the whole kingdom announcing the king's death and Nathan's upcoming coronation, inviting them to take part in the celebrations, pay their last homage to the old king and swear allegiance to the new one: it would have been the perfect excuse to actually see who was against Nathan's succession and who was not; it would have been the exact moment to understand who to watch your back from and who not, even if it all came from an extremely sad event for Nathan.Her husband had spent the previous days in total silence and solitude and Sumon could only imagine how he felt at that moment.Three days had passed since King Urian's death. The body had been brought into the tem
SumonThe days continued to pass, as the funeral rites were performed and more and more strangers arrived in Sierra.Haefest was divided into thirty distinct regions, at the head of each there was a noble family. Some were descendants of the first inner circle of the founding king of Sierra, others had received the office later, swearing their allegiance to the reigning king or proving their valor in battle.Of thirty lords, in addition to the six present at the council, only a dozen had appeared.The others had not shown up and had not sent a response to the summons of the new king, completely ignoring the orders given. If they had not supported Nathan's coronation, they might have been able to start a rebellion by proclaiming a fake king for them, declaring open war against the crown. And, with civil war looming in the north, such a rift in their kingdom was the last thing they needed.If word had come to the other four kingdoms, they would have been a target, defenseless to the poi
AthelstanAthelstan entered the throne room for the second time on that day, the sun was now setting and the little light that filtered, had made the room darker, while the last rays of the sun projected on the floor the long shadows of the vases scattered everywhere.The servants had closed all the large windows to prevent the bad smell from entering the building, the effort had been in vain, since inside the room a vague stench of rotten could be perceived. Athelstan had hoped that the smell would not reach the city, but unfortunately the light wind had carried the smoke and bad smell there, causing the anger of his father to erupt and he now found himself holed up in his rooms. Probably lost between the legs of some whore, while he had to deal with the messengers of Haefest.The throne room was empty when he entered, Athelstan was accompanied by two council members and a master. When he approached the bench he was dumbfounded for a moment, but he decided to climb the steps and sit
Athelstan Queen Reanna was standing, her back straight and her hands crossed in front of her. Her red hair was styled in a long braid that ran sideways down her shoulder. On her head she wore a simple crown, the thin silver circle had only a diadem in the center, just above the forehead. The purple eyes, like those of her son, were focused on the master, inquisitors, despite having a glacially quiet expression and a sweet tone of voice. "Mother," said Athelstan, solemnly. The other men at the same time pronounced Majesty by making a bow. The queen gave a sweet smile and approached them. "Master, how did you say?" She blinked a couple of times. A lion in cat disguise, Athelstan thought, trying to hold back a laugh. "I think it is safer that the prince will stay in Locrand," the old man said confidently. He was not afraid of Reanna's role or the soldiers who would cut off the heads of anyone who dared to speak in that tone to the queen. "I believe that the prince is free to decid
TarynTaryn placed the glove on her right hand, the leather partially covering three fingers of her hand and part of her palm, covering her white skin.Three days had passed since Elhias and she had spoken and since then she had not seen or spoken with the king of Aeris. The king was busy pondering Taryn's proposal, while the queen barricaded herself in the rooms where she was staying, waiting. As if his whole life depended on that decision and in a sense it was so.Taryn had done nothing but wait and read huge tomes that Elhias had made her bring by the servants. They said that those books came from the Bochus of Althea and that it was the king himself who took them. Not that Taryn understood the reasons.She did not know what would be the use of reading the ancient legends about the creation of the world, certainly it would not have been useful to her in a war against the usurper. They wouldn't argue which story was more truthful than the other.Despite this, Taryn had kept any impu
"He's certainly not here to make you look at him," he replied wryly."The first thing you learn in training is to use the bow," he said, earning himself seriously."Will you be a target? It might encourage me to aim well." Taryn bent her head to the side and looked into his eyes with a smile."And take away the pleasure from my enemies?" he arched his eyebrows in amusement."I might suggest drawing my face on target, but I doubt anyone can capture such beauty," he continued, sporting a mischievous smile.Taryn shook her head and followed him as they moved some distance from the target.When they were far enough, Elhias stopped and grabbed her by the shoulders, causing her to position herself in front of the target."Do you know how to use it?" he said, handing her his bow and quiver."I'm not stupid. I saw my soldiers," he replied immediately, grabbing the objects."Then give it a try," he declared, raising his hands and
DoreonThey had camped in a dense forest, the vegetation covering the smoke of the fire they had lit to warm themselves that night. They had successfully hunted a deer that had satiated them for that hard day's journey.In a few days they had managed to reach the border of Haefest. Doreon had pushed the horses almost to the limit to be able to get there as quickly as possible.He knew that Nathan wanted the message delivered as soon as possible and Doreon always obeyed the orders given to him, even if many times he did not like them.He threw the cleaned bone into the fire as he watched his men, chosen by him for the journey, giggling like idiot boys.Doreon had sat on the sidelines, away from his companions, so he couldn't hear what they were telling to each other about so much fun. Not that he wanted to or cared. He looked at them through the flames of the fire that was placed between them, like a wall placed between Doreon and the knights: a wall that distanced them and protected h
"Do you think I don't know the movements of every legion in the army, Pix?" Doreon narrowed his eyes. "Whether you like it or not, your troops are part of Haefest's army and coincidentally I am its commander, so you and your men answer to me," Doreon continued in an authoritarian tone.He had not moved an inch, he had maintained a relaxed position all the time, intimidating the lord in front of him."At least they were right to trust you," Pix said. Doreon looked at him, for a moment, confused. "My father and other lords had high expectations of you, mostly due to your ancestry, of course." Doreon continued to stare at him without uttering a word. "Did you think that the king had chosen you, a little boy, moreover the son of a man convicted of treason, as commander of the army because you know how to do some trick with the sword? Every choice is supported by the council and the lords and we, or rather some, have made your name, alluding to the fact that a young and fresh face like you
Aislin shook her head. "It's like talking to a wall, do you ever listen to what I tell you?" she asked, turning to him. "Of course, but there's a gulf from there to agreeing with all your decisions. You'd solve half your problems if you decided to exterminate Werod's followers from the first to the last," Doreon said honestly. Barclay arched his eyebrows, but nodded as did Blake and Lyza. Everyone felt the same way, but no one had ever dared to say it openly. Doreon didn't understand exactly what they feared. That she freaked out? That she had a temper tantrum? As if she hadn't had enough in those last few days. Aislin, stunned, looked first at her warriors, then at Doreon. "Shut up, Doreon," she repeated again, this time angrily. Silently they reached the ship they were going to use for the long journey. A rope ladder had been thrown from the bridge. As soon as their boat approached the ship, Doreon got up and rushed to help Aislin, who turned away and climbed the ladder alo
Doreon The priestess had just finished the rite and in the sea other girls were fished out by the men on the ships, ready to sail. Doreon found himself at Aislin Neyer's side, silently watching the ocean as the last rays of the sun shone on them, reflected on the crystalline surface. Behind them the warriors were silent, except Barclay who was noisily chewing a piece of dried meat, not caring in the least for the hateful noise he was making. Pix had already boarded his ship, on the orders of the commander. There was no need for all the men to be present at the ritual and then, according to the commander, that way they would arouse less suspicion that she did not want to see the men coming from Aeris. Aislin loved to play games and keeping her identity a secret for as long as possible was the game she enjoyed the most. She had sent some of the allies to the other port villages, where the other two commanders were waiting for them along with some of their men. Doreon hadn't met t
Both came out of the council chamber, while behind them she heard Kyros giving orders to go and call Queen Reanna. Sumon stood beside Nathan, as they proceeded down the corridor to the main gates from which the two rulers of the west and north would come. "What was that reaction from Athelstan?" she asked Nathan softly. "During the Summit five years ago, Taryn Fahan sneaked into Althea in secret... I think to be able to get the support of some king, but she ended up in the bed of Athelstan. Aislin told me that her brother had completely lost his mind for her, then I don't know what happened," Nathan explained, as they turned into another corridor. "Hadn't Elhias Ackard and Athelstan grown up together?" asked Taryn. Nathan shrugged. "And Elhias married the woman he is in love with?" Her husband shrugged his shoulders again. "A fiery encounter is on the horizon," Sumon reflected after a while. "And Kyros? Why that reaction?" "I have no idea, nothing good, Sumon... nothing good,"
Sumon The servants quickly placed food on the table and disappeared from the door, while Athelstan Neyer and Nathan continued to argue about the different abandoned ports of Haefest. They had been arguing for five days now and until then they had made great progress, thanks also to the fact that on the second day Kyros Neyer had arrived, something had changed and it had happened. First of all, at the head of the table, on the opposite side from Nathan, sat no longer Kyros Neyer, but his son. Athelstan seemed to have taken the reins of the situation and, since that morning, had done nothing but talk and talk, discussing peacefully with her husband, while Kyros had stood aside to listen. He had spoken a few times in the debate and had not made much of a contribution. The lords of Athelstan listened to him looking at him with devotion, nodding at whatever the prince said or proposed. Devotion that had not escaped Kyros who observed everything with a stern look. Sumon did not unders
Doreon looked at her for a moment before that name entered his mind. He froze, his breath seemed to die in his throat, while images of Nathan were going through in his head.His gaze when, under duress from Doreon himself and Damien, he had begun to tell what had happened between him and the princess of Locrand, the way in which his eyes had remained empty, after finding out about his departure. And also all the suffering of Sumon in not feeling enough, in not being able to fill the void left in Nathan.All the years he had spent watching his best friend, his brother, disintegrate before his eyes.A shiver of anger ran through him, but Doreon stopped him, so he immobilized and looked at the commander carefully."It's not possible," Doreon said in a whisper. "It's not possible. She's dead. She died five years ago." He shook his head."Do I look dead to you?" she said, bending her head to the side and pointing at herself.Doreon shook his head
DoreonDoreon sat on the ground, his back resting on the log in front of the fire, as he took the bag with wine and brought it to his lips."Damn witches!" exclaimed Barclay, sitting next to him and pulling the wine out of his hands, before bringing it to his lips.Doreon snorted annoyingly and watched as he threw himself on the ground noisily."And you'll have to put up with them all the way to Mihdel," Doreon pointed out.Barclay went through the water and began to cough, Doreon took the wine back to his lips taking a large sip."Stop complaining and provoking them, you will only increase their hatred and desire for revenge," Doreon said quietly, as she passed him the wine."Doreon is right," the commander declared behind him, before sitting down next to Doreon. "They're already uncontrollable, if you get bothered by them, I won't be able to keep them out of your throat." Doreon took the wine and pass
"Accompany him to his accommodation," he then ordered the servants, who immediately nodded.The man made a half-bow and then quietly exited the tent.As soon as he left, Elhias stood up and stepped down from the platform, running a hand through her black hair and ruffling it."What do you want to do?" asked Taryn, passing the letter to one of the lords of Elhias, before she too rose."We must go to Sierra immediately. If what I think is happening, we need to start preparing everybody.""Everybody?" asked Taryn, puzzled.Elhias nodded."And the men who will go north?" asked one of Taryn's lords."The plans will remain the same until we have certain information. The usurper will soon fall, however, and as soon as he does, we will recall the army," Elhias replied."What about marriage?" Taront asked, arching an eyebrow."We have a master in the camp, and we will celebrate him this very evening."
TarynThey had stood still for a day, waiting for the messenger from Locrand to be brought to them. Elhias had not the slightest intention of taking a step without first finding out what Locrand wanted from him.Taryn suspected that Elhias wanted to find an excuse to meet Athelstan. Surely he hoped that the message would be an invitation to Locrand, so that he could finally meet his old friend again. She knew what kind of bond united them, that they had grown up together and adored each other as brothers, and she was also aware that being forced to close ties with him had made him suffer greatly. Although Elhias never showed his emotions on the outside, Taryn could see beyond his façade. She had learned to understand it, she knew how his little head worked, and in their time together she had observed the relationship between the two princes a lot.They had always been a shadow of each other. They never separated and their thought
Nathan turned around, grabbed her by the hips and sat her down on the table, before joining their lips. Aislin immediately brought her hands into his hair and wrapped his waist with her legs, while returning the kiss passionately. Their tongues intertwined, their breaths mingled. Nathan pushed himself at her, trying to be as close as he could, as she moaned in his mouth. When they were out of breath they broke away. Nathan rested his forehead on hers and opened his eyes, meeting her sweet gaze. Aislin rubbed her nose against his and Nathan got goosebumps as his heart pounded. "I missed you," Aislin said gently, looking him in the eye and running her hands through his blonde hair. "You too," Nathan admitted, closing his eyes and breathing deeply, intoxicated with his scent. "Where did they move you?" he asked, stroking her behind her back. Aislin pulled her forehead off his forehead and Nathan opened his eyes. The princess bent