Doreon The port of the city where they had arrived, after days of walking, was full of ships departing and even offshore. Doreon looked at the surface of the open sea and all he could see were hundreds and hundreds of ships of different sizes. Some were gigantic, capable of carrying hundreds of people, others had compartments to transport animals. The sails were colorful. Some were green, like the banners of Haefest, others were gold, like the banners of Aeris, still others blue like those of Locrand and in the distance Doreon could also see some white and gray sails like Devian's sigil of arms. "Unbelievable, isn't it?" said Pix, leaning his back against the fence and his gaze towards the ocean. The light breeze ruffled his hair. Doreon, with his elbows resting on the fence, watched the men load huge wooden crates onto the docked ships. Pix was next to him, dividing them was the fence, while the lord breathed deeply. "It looks like a fleet too big for simple reconnaissance," Dor
WildHarbor was located on the border of Locrand, a region almost forgotten by the king himself, and the lord in charge of the city practiced the dark cult, as did most of the people who lived there. It was like the neutral place for its people, where no one hunted them and where they did not have to hide the statuettes of their Gods under the floor, despite everyone hiding their nature from the king who was completely unaware of what was happening there. Pix had explained to him that the lord would be the one to perform the rite, but that he would not leave with the others, not when he was so close to the capital and when it was in turmoil. In return, he had donated ships and men so that they would have more means at their disposal. The voices of those present were muffled, and both Doreon and Pix turned their heads towards the stone stairs leading down to the pier. One man, probably Lord Manor, was descending slowly, his face solemn. He wore a milky white tunic, which he rubbed t
Doreon entered the streets of the small town, looking around, but could no longer identify it, as if it had vanished into thin air: which was very difficult, given the very flashy clothes with which she had entered the scene. The streets were already starting to crowd and people were already starting the festivities. People were piling up. Women and men throwing themselves on each other, tavern owners filling mugs with beer. Doreon watched a group of men toast good luck. "The festivities are the part that people prefer," said a voice behind him. Doreon turned and found her there, resting her shoulder on the stone wall of a gap between two buildings, hidden in dim light. "Isn't that what everyone wants? A moment of pure freedom to let one's primordial instincts free?" replied Doreon, shrugging his shoulders. "Is that the reason you participate at the rites?" she asked, looking at him. Doreon shrugged his shoulders and looked at the crowded people. "For a moment I thought the gods
AthelstanThey had been on their way for two days and, slowly, were approaching the border of Locrand to enter the kingdom of Haefest.As they moved away from the capital, they found fewer villages with the royal banners, as if people had decided not to belong to Locrand's kingdom. For Athelstan this was a very serious situation and, if even one of the other kingdoms had known about it, an attack would have brought down the kingdom and his house for good.At that moment they were crossing a forest. After leaving the capital, Amris continued with them for half a day, then embarked on his way to Althea. Athelstan only hoped that the knight would arrive at his destination safely, and that he would not incur an accident that would attract the attention of his father.He knew that Amris was a trained knight and that he alone knew exactly how to move without arousing any suspicion, but Athelstan was also aware that, in recent times, the king had become paranoid and had sent spies everywhere
SumonThat day the fortress was in turmoil. People were scrambling to complete the final preparations for the celebration. Sumon had spent the last few days thanking and complimenting the lords and their wives arriving from all over the kingdom.Seventeen lords had decided to attend and swear allegiance to the new king. But the failure of thirteen lords to respond continued to worry not only Nathan, but the entire council. They wondered if this new monarchy would lead to a rebellion by lords who did not accept Nathan as the new king, deeming him inefficient or unreliable.Her husband's position hung more and more in the balance, and Sumon felt partly responsible for this precarious situation.Although she and Nathan had started to had sex every night again, and despite Sumon having stopped taking the herbal tea she used to avoid conceiving during the time she spent her nights with Doreon, she still couldn't get pregnant. She had
The light hit the gems that adorned it, creating colorful reflections that danced on every wall of the room. Sumon had attended her brother's coronation when she was just a child, not that she remembered anything specifically, but in her mind there was always the image of her brother kneeling, with red hair like his combed and pulled back and the crown placed on his head. She did not remember the rites performed by the priests the week before that event nor the fact that they closed themselves in prayer for a whole week, without interacting with anyone and without food. They spent a whole week praying to the five Gods and the Mother to prepare for the coronation. Sumon blinked when Nathan said, in ancient language, Ic sweria. «I swear». The priest solemnly laid the crown on Nathan's blond hair, then said, "You have entered as a prince and you will go out as king. Waruld caresses you and accompanies you. Rise, King Nathan Fannil." He spo
TarynThe sun began to peep out from the hills, as they entered the dense forest at the foot of the mountains. Taryn yawned loudly riding her steed, meanwhile drowsiness began to take over again.They had left hours before the sun even began to catch a glimpse of the horizon. Elhias, who at that moment was marching just ahead of her riding a beautiful white mare, had practically thrown her out of bed by the servant he had entrusted to her. He had made her dress comfortably to ride waiting for her at the gates behind the training camps with a modest escort.Taryn hadn't even had time to complain about the way she had been woken up to find herself on a horse and outside the walls.The training tired her a lot and the little sleep of that night did not help her, several times she had dozed off on the saddle, risking to fall, with her head dangling while her eyes rested, and several times Elhiàs had woken her up gently, preven
"Take an arrow," he ordered her in a whisper. His voice echoed in the hollow environment.Taryn reached out to the quiver behind her back and groped in search of the tail of one of the arrows, grabbed one and with the other hand sought Elhias' arm. She could see nothing and had to use her other senses to be able to move.She let her hand down his arm, stroking it slowly, as Elhias shivered as she passed. She reached out to his hand and took it, placing the arrow he held in the other."Faer," he said in a whisper.A light came on, Taryn looked at Elhiàs who had created a small flame on the palm of his hand that gently pounded without causing any noise. The boy took the arrow and placed the tip in the flame, burning it."Pass me the bow," he declared, looking ahead.Taryn, shaking her head, put the bow in his hand, while Elhias extinguished the flame with a gentle breath. He took the fiery arrow and snapped it, vi
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