K.C. Britton's Blog: Of a Ready Writer, page 2
April 1, 2018
Cover Time!
I am so excited to finally be able to present to you the cover of A Light to the Ruined, drawn and colored by me! This cover I'm about to show is for the eBook and won't have any words on it, but the print book will have the title on the cover, and I may add the title to the eBook if there is a demand for it. Also, the eBook is now available for preorder, with the print copy soon to follow. Now, without further ado, here's the link to the preorder on Amazon, where you can see the cover. Leave a like or comment if you, well, like it, or even comment if you don't, I love hearing feedback.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BV68T59/...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BV68T59/...
March 22, 2018
Final Preview Chapter!
This chapter completes the three opening preview chapters. It is the last of the three POVs of the book, Princess(though you shouldn't let her hear you call her that) Lyssa Rey. Once you read it, you may think that I've revealed a LOT of information in these three opening chapters, particularly this one. But I assure you, this is only the tip of the iceberg...
There will be more promo material later on this month and onward until the book is published. If you would like to request an arc copy, please let me know!
3
PRINCESS LYSSA
TO DIE
King Roland left the table with Bellamy flanking him, calling for a servant to assemble the generals in the War Room.
He shouted over his shoulder for me to attend the meeting as well. I looked at Queen Ebony and Chauncey, giving them an apologetic smile. Chauncey smiled back and nodded, as if to let me know it was okay that I had interrupted family dinner. Queen Ebony just shrugged with indifference.
I left the room and went to the War Room, though reluctantly. I had actually been hungry and wished that we could have eaten first, even if just for a few minutes, but oh well. Chauncey usually gave leftovers to the hounds we kept in our kennels, but hopefully he would set some aside for me. I believe he would. He was considerate like that.
King Roland sat in a large wooden chair against the back wall. Arrayed in front of him were ten seats in two rows of five-the seats of the ten generals of the army. I had to lean against the left wall in the shadows, as there were no extra chairs. Within minutes, every seat was filled. These ten men each commanded two battalions of five hundred soldiers each, totaling ten thousand combined. Ten thousand men represented by just ten.
King Roland’s throne had a small dais comprised of three steps. Bellamy sat on the second step, facing the generals with the king. And as soon as the king rose, Bellamy rose with him. The king lifted his hands, and the generals stood. Even I stood at attention.
“Generals,” the king boomed. “Thank you for gathering so late on such short notice. I would not have called you here if it were not urgent. Princess Lyssa, a Captain in the Starsguard, has reported some rather troubling news.”
All eyes turned to me, and the king beckoned me to the front. I walked with my head high at a strong pace and faced the generals. They sat back down and eyed me with curiosity-and in some cases malice. Women weren’t allowed in the army, though we were allowed in the Starsguard. Many soldiers didn’t even like that, and they hated that I was so high-ranked. I could stand their anger. I had to deal with it every day at the walls. If that was the only price to pay for what I had worked so hard to achieve, then I would pay it. Originally, I had wanted to be in the army. I had a grand dream of being a general and leading a battalion into battle. Unfortunately, even the daughter of the king couldn’t get around the laws against women joining up. So I had settled for the Starsguard.
Women were allowed on the Starsguard for a few simple reasons. One was that there were only two thousand of us, so having a few women wasn’t seen as a problem, especially since most women didn’t want to join either way. Another reason was that guarding the walls was a task that hardly ever saw any actual action. The walls hadn’t been attacked in ten years, so it was relatively safe for most involved. And lastly, the Starsguard was supposed to keep an eye on the stars, many of them being astrologers, which women in our kingdom excelled at better on average than men. On average. I myself was terrible at astrology.
I was the only female captain in the Starsguard, a fact that I had to constantly validate. And so, when I looked at the generals and saw disdain reflected back at me in their eyes, I spoke with pride.
“An hour ago, I was about to end my shift on the back wall,” I began. “Before I could leave, the eastern sky from the back wall lit up from what appeared to be a star bursting. After a few more appeared to burst, I had the Clan Information Archive brought to me and searched through it, having vaguely remembered seeing something similar inside once. I identified the star bursts to be something called works of fire. According to our information, works of fire are fired by the Vikling Clan. They are used to celebrate war declarations. If the area that the works of fire went off at are where their camp is located, then their proximity to our location could suggest that we are the objects of their declaration.”
The room was filled with murmurs and whispers as the generals processed this news and considered the implications with each other. The king cleared his throat loudly, causing the room to quiet down again before he spoke. “Does anyone have anything they would like to say on this?”
One general stood. “Forgive me my king, but I am not quite up to date on the numbers of the Vikling forces…”
“Four thousand,” I informed, now back to leaning against the wall. “Roughly four thousand warriors, by our last check-which was five years ago, so their numbers might have gone up. They are one of the more savage clans, and one of the closest to us as well as one of the largest, which is why they are part of the Four Great Clans. They stick to the rivers closer than anyone else, and are the only clan with a fleet of ships, mostly longships. And despite all of this, we have never been to war with them, ever.”
The general that was speaking gave me a hard look before focusing on the king again. Before he could speak, another general stood and beat him to it. “If the Viklings and Lyke are both moving on us at once, then we must conclude that they are in an alliance against us!”
“But what could have spurred them to this action?” another general asked, standing to his feet as well and looking back and forth between the other standing generals. “Why now, of all times? What has them so sure that their alliance can defeat us? Surely not just numbers alone, as we still have the advantage there. They must know something we do not, have some sort of secret weapon.”
“Whatever it is does not matter!” the second standing general declared. “We will crush them both, will we not? None can withstand the might of our army, not even their foolish alliance.”
“For all we know, there is no alliance,” the general who had stood first considered. “These may be two isolated incidents that happen to be taking place around the same time. Let us not assume things…”
“Alliance or no, it matters not!” a fourth general boasted, jumping to his feet. “I agree with Gaul; our army will crush them both either way! I see no point in distinguishing whether they are aligned or not!”
The generals continued to shout at one another and make claims and suggestions. Finally, the king tired of it and clapped his hands. The generals stopped their bickering and lowered back to their seats as the king lowered his palms down to the armrests of his throne.
“Tomorrow, my son Prince Bellamy will ride out with a battalion to confront the Lyke at the Griff Hills, our demarcation barrier. If they cross the line, then we will be at war, and he will deal with them. If the Lyke and Viklings are in an alliance, then they will most likely rendezvous to join their forces before proceeding forward in an attack on us. By cutting the Lyke off and taking prisoners to interrogate, the Viklings will hold off on an attack to rethink things, giving us time to ferret information out of the prisoners we take. As the battalion rides out to confront the Lyke, a small squadron of Starsguardmen will sail out to locate and survey the Vikling camp, get an estimate of their forces. Once they return and report their findings, we will compare it with what we wring out of the Lyke prisoners to paint a clear picture of what we are dealing with and reconvene our war council to discuss our next move. Does anyone have any objections?”
No one raised their hands or spoke up, but I cut my eyes to Bellamy. He tried to hide it, but I could see the hint of objection in his eyes. He wasn’t sure about this, and I understood why. He was going to be leading a battalion into battle, war, against a force twice the size of his. That would rattle anyone, but making matters even worse was the fact that one of the generals had brought up a good point; the two clans might very well know something we did not, something that would put the odds in their favor enough to attack us in the first place. They might have some powerful weapon of immense devastation. The unknown of it all made it that much more terrifying to consider, and Bellamy would be riding into it already at an advantage.
And then it came to me. The king was an expert at strategy-he had to have been to have taken Vratigrand all those years ago, something a lot of other clans had failed at. He had already considered that the Lyke might have something dangerous up their sleeve. And if they did have a weapon capable of vast destruction, he wanted to have a practice go at combating it, something that would allow him to study how to counteract it without losing too many men. If the weapon was dangerous enough, the more men he sent to this would mean more that would die. Sending only one battalion would be an acceptable loss, especially if their defeat gave him the knowledge needed to win the war as a whole.
The one thing I couldn’t figure out was what role Bellamy had to play in it all. I knew for a fact that the king loved my brother, more than he loved anyone else in this world, including the queen. If this was a potentially sacrificial play, why would he send his green son into the field to die? Why risk it?
Then I realized; battle or no battle, secret weapon or no secret weapon, Bellamy was the prince, the heir to the throne of Vratigrand. Even if the enemy annihilated the entire battalion, they would let him live, as long as they knew who he was beforehand. If this battle was lost to us because of a super weapon, Bellamy would live to see it and probably be able to escape and warn us. He was the only one we could guarantee would survive. And if there was no super weapon or if there was one but Bellamy defeated the Lyke anyway, his victory would gain him a lot of glory and respect-things the king wanted Bellamy to have for his reputation as the heir.
As I figured it out in my mind, I looked at Bellamy. He was staring straight ahead at the wall behind the generals, not noticing me. He was trying to appear professional and tough. I knew better than that. Bellamy was strong and brave, but confidence did not always come easy to him. He much preferred to enter into things where he had the full knowledge of the circumstances and had thought ahead to insure his triumph. The unknown terrified him, and going into battle for the first time, in the Ruined of all places for the first time, against an enemy he had never met, with the idea of a secret weapon in the mix, was nowhere near his alley.
“Princess Lyssa will lead the expedition to the Vikling camp,” the king said, snapping my attention back to him, along with my gaze. The king smirked at my reaction before continuing. “She will take all twenty in her squadron with her on the Fallen Star. They will set out at the same time as the army, as we do not know how far away the camp is. No matter when they reach it, they will wait until nightfall to move in for surveillance.”
I tried to keep my face expressionless. The king looked at his generals, daring them to question his ruling. None did, and he looked away from them while waving his hands in a shooing motion. Their dismissal.
The generals left the room and I watched them go. As soon as the last one was gone, I turned back to the king. “Thank you for allowing me to lead the expedition, Your Majesty,” I said, not meeting his eyes.
He didn’t even turn his head to look at me. “I expect results in this, Lyssa. Do not fail my kingdom.”
“I will not, my king.” I cut my eyes to Bellamy. He was looking at the ground, probably still contemplating everything-like I was.
“You are dismissed, captain,” King Roland said to me. I nodded and made my exit without looking back. I knew from experience that the king did not like looking back.
Chauncey had saved some food for me. I ate at the dining table, waiting for Bellamy and the king to show up. I was almost done with my meal when Bellamy sat down across from me. He lifted a peach to his mouth and took a bite.
“Delicious,” he said. “As always. Our brother does well with that garden.”
I grinned. “You know he doesn’t pick half of what we eat.”
“Well I’m certain this peach came from what he did pick.” We both chuckled, and I took a sip of water.
“How do you feel about your big mission tomorrow?” I asked him.
He swallowed a bite of his peach, and looked away from me, evasive. “I…I’ll be alright. Never mind me; what about you? Big mission tomorrow, first time commanding a ship.”
I looked at him, trying to get him to look at me. When he didn’t, I said, “Shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ve watched others do it while on the ship before. Though we’re going farther out than I ever have.”
“Tomorrow’s the day for that,” he said. “Going out into the unknown for the first time, the both of us. Crazy how this is all happening at once. Next, Chauncey will have to go into the Veiled Forest.”
“No clans live there.”
“That we know of. It’s not called the Veiled Forest for nothing. No one’s ever went too deep inside. There could be several small clans in there for all we know.”
“They wouldn’t be able to survive.”
“Maybe they have a trick. Maybe they adapted to it somehow.” He takes a swig of water. “Maybe there are people living in the river, too.”
“You know, I thought I saw movement there the other day.”
“Oh, you most certainly did. There are probably whole schools of people swimming around down there, with gills and everything. I mean real schools, made of wood just drifting around with parents around it and their children on the inside, daydreaming in class about what’s up above them on land.”
I chuckled. “So inquisitive tonight. I’ll have to keep a lookout for any river people when I set sail tomorrow.”
“Please do.”
We stopped talking while he finished his food. When he was done, he dabbed at his mouth with a cloth and looked at the chandelier overhead. “Do you know why father is sending you on this mission, Lyssa?”
“I have my suspicions, but nothing confirmed,” I admitted. “Why? Did he tell you?”
“No. But he told me why he wants me to go on my mission. He wants me to defeat the Lyke to build a reputation for myself, be a hero. So he must want the same for you.”
Poor naïve brother of mine. He knew how the king felt about me, saw how he treated me, and yet was always trying to make it look like the king’s mind was changing, that he was softening towards me. He wanted the king to love me as much as he loved him, and wanted me to believe that such a thing were possible. Neither of his wants were.
“There is no glory to be found in a surveillance mission, Bellamy,” I said with a sigh. “We’re going to report and come back.”
“Maybe he wants you to take matters into your own hands when you see the Viklings,” Bellamy offered. “Wants you to decide for yourself to attack them, maybe capture a few for interrogation. That would bring glory for sure.”
I rolled my eyes. “We need to stay incognito, go undetected. If one of them spots us, they’ll raise the alarm and we’ll be the ones getting attacked. The Fallen Star is already not a very subtle ship. If we get attacked, there’s no way just the twenty of us…” I stopped talking as a new possibility came to me.
“What?” Bellamy asked, noting the look on my face. “What is it?”
I thought about why I reasoned the king was sending Bellamy on his mission, not only for glory but also as a test against any potential secret weapon. But even then, Bellamy was being sent with five hundred men to attack a force of a thousand. Even if the Lyke didn’t initially know him as the prince, there would be plenty of bodies in the way to give them time to discover it. But if a large, unsubtle ship manned by only twenty people were to try and sneak up on a camp of at least four thousand warriors who were known for their prowess with ships and there was a super weapon involved, they would be terminated almost instantly if they were spotted, leaving no room for discovering who was and was not a princess.
“What is it?” Bellamy asked again.
“To die,” I let slip out of my mouth.
The king was sending me to die.
I didn’t speak to Bellamy after that.
I just left the room in a hurry, left the castle as quick as possible. I didn’t want to deal with this realization at home, in the same building as the man who had probably just plotted my death. I wanted to be amongst friends.
But since I didn’t have any, I would settle for the Knower.
Behind our castle are a few buildings: the army barracks, the stables and kennel, and the Knower Shack. I spent little time in any of these buildings but the Knower Shack, for she was the only person occupying any of these places that I had any use for. The Knower was in charge of keeping her ear to the ground, hearing things that were of import concerning the state of our kingdom in comparison to other forces and the state of knowing how the citizens feel about us nobles. Her job was to prevent unrest within and make sure that we were properly informed on what we would face outside of our walls. All scouts reported to her first and foremost, and she would then report those findings to the king. She was one of our most trusted advisers, if not the most trusted adviser.
And because of what she knew and how long and close she had to work with King Roland, she did not like him.
She knew the horrible things he did that I didn't even know. She knew his methods forwards and backwards, knew his likes and dislikes, and habits. And most of these things were things that made her weary of him. She was loyal and did her job dutifully for she was the best at it, but she did not do it happily. The only peace she found in her position was the fact that it was necessary to keep the kingdom safe.
I was fond of her, and over the many years of her service to my family, she had grown particularly fond of me. She was the only one besides Chauncey that I ever truly told my worries or concerns to, and I always trusted her advice. And with the king supporting Bellamy and the queen supporting Chauncey, she was truly the only one in my corner concerning my desire to become the Queen.
I entered her shack. It was a modest thing, made of wood and only containing two rooms; a receiving chamber and a bedroom. She was still awake of course. No matter what time of day I ever came, she was always awake. I wondered when she ever slept, for surely she must. Right?
She greeted me from her desk at the wall furthest from the entrance, a slight smile on her slightly wrinkled face. “There’s the Princess.”
“Hello, Lady Nora,” I replied, taking a seat right in front of her.
“Well, is this just a friendly visit, or did you have something of import to discuss?” she asked, getting straight to the point, looking down at some papers on her desks, no doubt reports. I appreciated that about her. I also preferred skipping pleasantries most of the time.
“The king is trying to kill me,” I answered.
She looked up from her papers and stared at me a moment. “Why do you think this?”
“He’s sending me on a mission tomorrow to spy on the Viklings. He’s sending me with one squadron on the Fallen Star. That’s a death sentence if I ever heard one. I can’t properly sneak up on them with a ship like that and I won’t be able to escape if detected. The Viklings are experts in ship warfare. He is sending me on an impossible mission.”
Nora considered that. “It does sound rather grim, and the odds will be stacked against you. This very well could be a play to kill you off without looking too much like that was his intention…”
“So what am I to do about it? I cannot refuse to go, nor will he allow me to take a smaller ship or larger number of people with me. He’s put me in a position from which there is no escape.”
“Unless, of course, you make one,” Nora offered. “He expects you to die on this mission, for you to fail and be detected. But what if you succeeded? Not only would you bring back valuable information, but you would also have beaten odds everyone would know were against you. This could work in your favor, if you survived.”
“If I survived. And that’s the tricky part.”
“Well come now, I’m not going to hold your hand. I’ve told you how this could work in your favor. Now you must find a way to succeed on your own. I can do many things well, but military strategy has never been my strong suit.”
“But you’re over scout missions and spy efforts. I’m going to be reporting to the king upon my return, but what if I was one of your scouts about to go off? What would you tell them to do?”
“I would tell them not to take the Fallen Star, for one; it’s a war vessel, not a spy vessel. For two, I would tell them that the river is not the way to travel, period. Best to approach from land. Unfortunately, you do not have the luxury of making those adjustments. My expertise is subtlety. The ingredients for this mission that you have been handed are not subtle at all.”
I closed my eyes and pictured the ship sailing up the river to the Vikling camp. No matter what, I always pictured a warning sound going off in their camp and our ship being relentlessly blasted with flaming projectiles, or done in by some blast that I could not even properly fathom, a flash of green light, their supposed super weapon.
I opened my eyes, an idea forming in my mind. “You said you wouldn’t have your scouts take the river. You would approach from land. A luxury I don’t have.”
“Yes,” Nora said, her eyes showing her eagerness to hear what I’ve thought up.
“Well, what if I just start off by sailing on the Fallen Star? Then, when I’m close enough to their camp, maybe a mile or two away, I’ll dock and move the rest of the way by land. I’ll survey everything, see if I can quietly capture a Vikling or two, and sneak back to the ship to sail back home.”
“Well now that could work. Your father wouldn’t know that you left the ship, and even if you or one of your men told him in the report, there would be nothing he could do about it, since the mission would be over. I approve of this tactic.”
“Thank you, Lady Nora.” I rose to my feet. “I will see you when I return from my trip. We’ll have things to discuss.”
“Of course, Princess. Many things,” she said as I walked to the front door. “Like how what you learn will benefit your quest for the throne.”
I lingered when she said that, my hand on the door knob. I didn’t turn around. “Yes, like that,” was my only reply, before walking out of her shack and into the darkness of the night.
There will be more promo material later on this month and onward until the book is published. If you would like to request an arc copy, please let me know!
3
PRINCESS LYSSA
TO DIE
King Roland left the table with Bellamy flanking him, calling for a servant to assemble the generals in the War Room.
He shouted over his shoulder for me to attend the meeting as well. I looked at Queen Ebony and Chauncey, giving them an apologetic smile. Chauncey smiled back and nodded, as if to let me know it was okay that I had interrupted family dinner. Queen Ebony just shrugged with indifference.
I left the room and went to the War Room, though reluctantly. I had actually been hungry and wished that we could have eaten first, even if just for a few minutes, but oh well. Chauncey usually gave leftovers to the hounds we kept in our kennels, but hopefully he would set some aside for me. I believe he would. He was considerate like that.
King Roland sat in a large wooden chair against the back wall. Arrayed in front of him were ten seats in two rows of five-the seats of the ten generals of the army. I had to lean against the left wall in the shadows, as there were no extra chairs. Within minutes, every seat was filled. These ten men each commanded two battalions of five hundred soldiers each, totaling ten thousand combined. Ten thousand men represented by just ten.
King Roland’s throne had a small dais comprised of three steps. Bellamy sat on the second step, facing the generals with the king. And as soon as the king rose, Bellamy rose with him. The king lifted his hands, and the generals stood. Even I stood at attention.
“Generals,” the king boomed. “Thank you for gathering so late on such short notice. I would not have called you here if it were not urgent. Princess Lyssa, a Captain in the Starsguard, has reported some rather troubling news.”
All eyes turned to me, and the king beckoned me to the front. I walked with my head high at a strong pace and faced the generals. They sat back down and eyed me with curiosity-and in some cases malice. Women weren’t allowed in the army, though we were allowed in the Starsguard. Many soldiers didn’t even like that, and they hated that I was so high-ranked. I could stand their anger. I had to deal with it every day at the walls. If that was the only price to pay for what I had worked so hard to achieve, then I would pay it. Originally, I had wanted to be in the army. I had a grand dream of being a general and leading a battalion into battle. Unfortunately, even the daughter of the king couldn’t get around the laws against women joining up. So I had settled for the Starsguard.
Women were allowed on the Starsguard for a few simple reasons. One was that there were only two thousand of us, so having a few women wasn’t seen as a problem, especially since most women didn’t want to join either way. Another reason was that guarding the walls was a task that hardly ever saw any actual action. The walls hadn’t been attacked in ten years, so it was relatively safe for most involved. And lastly, the Starsguard was supposed to keep an eye on the stars, many of them being astrologers, which women in our kingdom excelled at better on average than men. On average. I myself was terrible at astrology.
I was the only female captain in the Starsguard, a fact that I had to constantly validate. And so, when I looked at the generals and saw disdain reflected back at me in their eyes, I spoke with pride.
“An hour ago, I was about to end my shift on the back wall,” I began. “Before I could leave, the eastern sky from the back wall lit up from what appeared to be a star bursting. After a few more appeared to burst, I had the Clan Information Archive brought to me and searched through it, having vaguely remembered seeing something similar inside once. I identified the star bursts to be something called works of fire. According to our information, works of fire are fired by the Vikling Clan. They are used to celebrate war declarations. If the area that the works of fire went off at are where their camp is located, then their proximity to our location could suggest that we are the objects of their declaration.”
The room was filled with murmurs and whispers as the generals processed this news and considered the implications with each other. The king cleared his throat loudly, causing the room to quiet down again before he spoke. “Does anyone have anything they would like to say on this?”
One general stood. “Forgive me my king, but I am not quite up to date on the numbers of the Vikling forces…”
“Four thousand,” I informed, now back to leaning against the wall. “Roughly four thousand warriors, by our last check-which was five years ago, so their numbers might have gone up. They are one of the more savage clans, and one of the closest to us as well as one of the largest, which is why they are part of the Four Great Clans. They stick to the rivers closer than anyone else, and are the only clan with a fleet of ships, mostly longships. And despite all of this, we have never been to war with them, ever.”
The general that was speaking gave me a hard look before focusing on the king again. Before he could speak, another general stood and beat him to it. “If the Viklings and Lyke are both moving on us at once, then we must conclude that they are in an alliance against us!”
“But what could have spurred them to this action?” another general asked, standing to his feet as well and looking back and forth between the other standing generals. “Why now, of all times? What has them so sure that their alliance can defeat us? Surely not just numbers alone, as we still have the advantage there. They must know something we do not, have some sort of secret weapon.”
“Whatever it is does not matter!” the second standing general declared. “We will crush them both, will we not? None can withstand the might of our army, not even their foolish alliance.”
“For all we know, there is no alliance,” the general who had stood first considered. “These may be two isolated incidents that happen to be taking place around the same time. Let us not assume things…”
“Alliance or no, it matters not!” a fourth general boasted, jumping to his feet. “I agree with Gaul; our army will crush them both either way! I see no point in distinguishing whether they are aligned or not!”
The generals continued to shout at one another and make claims and suggestions. Finally, the king tired of it and clapped his hands. The generals stopped their bickering and lowered back to their seats as the king lowered his palms down to the armrests of his throne.
“Tomorrow, my son Prince Bellamy will ride out with a battalion to confront the Lyke at the Griff Hills, our demarcation barrier. If they cross the line, then we will be at war, and he will deal with them. If the Lyke and Viklings are in an alliance, then they will most likely rendezvous to join their forces before proceeding forward in an attack on us. By cutting the Lyke off and taking prisoners to interrogate, the Viklings will hold off on an attack to rethink things, giving us time to ferret information out of the prisoners we take. As the battalion rides out to confront the Lyke, a small squadron of Starsguardmen will sail out to locate and survey the Vikling camp, get an estimate of their forces. Once they return and report their findings, we will compare it with what we wring out of the Lyke prisoners to paint a clear picture of what we are dealing with and reconvene our war council to discuss our next move. Does anyone have any objections?”
No one raised their hands or spoke up, but I cut my eyes to Bellamy. He tried to hide it, but I could see the hint of objection in his eyes. He wasn’t sure about this, and I understood why. He was going to be leading a battalion into battle, war, against a force twice the size of his. That would rattle anyone, but making matters even worse was the fact that one of the generals had brought up a good point; the two clans might very well know something we did not, something that would put the odds in their favor enough to attack us in the first place. They might have some powerful weapon of immense devastation. The unknown of it all made it that much more terrifying to consider, and Bellamy would be riding into it already at an advantage.
And then it came to me. The king was an expert at strategy-he had to have been to have taken Vratigrand all those years ago, something a lot of other clans had failed at. He had already considered that the Lyke might have something dangerous up their sleeve. And if they did have a weapon capable of vast destruction, he wanted to have a practice go at combating it, something that would allow him to study how to counteract it without losing too many men. If the weapon was dangerous enough, the more men he sent to this would mean more that would die. Sending only one battalion would be an acceptable loss, especially if their defeat gave him the knowledge needed to win the war as a whole.
The one thing I couldn’t figure out was what role Bellamy had to play in it all. I knew for a fact that the king loved my brother, more than he loved anyone else in this world, including the queen. If this was a potentially sacrificial play, why would he send his green son into the field to die? Why risk it?
Then I realized; battle or no battle, secret weapon or no secret weapon, Bellamy was the prince, the heir to the throne of Vratigrand. Even if the enemy annihilated the entire battalion, they would let him live, as long as they knew who he was beforehand. If this battle was lost to us because of a super weapon, Bellamy would live to see it and probably be able to escape and warn us. He was the only one we could guarantee would survive. And if there was no super weapon or if there was one but Bellamy defeated the Lyke anyway, his victory would gain him a lot of glory and respect-things the king wanted Bellamy to have for his reputation as the heir.
As I figured it out in my mind, I looked at Bellamy. He was staring straight ahead at the wall behind the generals, not noticing me. He was trying to appear professional and tough. I knew better than that. Bellamy was strong and brave, but confidence did not always come easy to him. He much preferred to enter into things where he had the full knowledge of the circumstances and had thought ahead to insure his triumph. The unknown terrified him, and going into battle for the first time, in the Ruined of all places for the first time, against an enemy he had never met, with the idea of a secret weapon in the mix, was nowhere near his alley.
“Princess Lyssa will lead the expedition to the Vikling camp,” the king said, snapping my attention back to him, along with my gaze. The king smirked at my reaction before continuing. “She will take all twenty in her squadron with her on the Fallen Star. They will set out at the same time as the army, as we do not know how far away the camp is. No matter when they reach it, they will wait until nightfall to move in for surveillance.”
I tried to keep my face expressionless. The king looked at his generals, daring them to question his ruling. None did, and he looked away from them while waving his hands in a shooing motion. Their dismissal.
The generals left the room and I watched them go. As soon as the last one was gone, I turned back to the king. “Thank you for allowing me to lead the expedition, Your Majesty,” I said, not meeting his eyes.
He didn’t even turn his head to look at me. “I expect results in this, Lyssa. Do not fail my kingdom.”
“I will not, my king.” I cut my eyes to Bellamy. He was looking at the ground, probably still contemplating everything-like I was.
“You are dismissed, captain,” King Roland said to me. I nodded and made my exit without looking back. I knew from experience that the king did not like looking back.
Chauncey had saved some food for me. I ate at the dining table, waiting for Bellamy and the king to show up. I was almost done with my meal when Bellamy sat down across from me. He lifted a peach to his mouth and took a bite.
“Delicious,” he said. “As always. Our brother does well with that garden.”
I grinned. “You know he doesn’t pick half of what we eat.”
“Well I’m certain this peach came from what he did pick.” We both chuckled, and I took a sip of water.
“How do you feel about your big mission tomorrow?” I asked him.
He swallowed a bite of his peach, and looked away from me, evasive. “I…I’ll be alright. Never mind me; what about you? Big mission tomorrow, first time commanding a ship.”
I looked at him, trying to get him to look at me. When he didn’t, I said, “Shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ve watched others do it while on the ship before. Though we’re going farther out than I ever have.”
“Tomorrow’s the day for that,” he said. “Going out into the unknown for the first time, the both of us. Crazy how this is all happening at once. Next, Chauncey will have to go into the Veiled Forest.”
“No clans live there.”
“That we know of. It’s not called the Veiled Forest for nothing. No one’s ever went too deep inside. There could be several small clans in there for all we know.”
“They wouldn’t be able to survive.”
“Maybe they have a trick. Maybe they adapted to it somehow.” He takes a swig of water. “Maybe there are people living in the river, too.”
“You know, I thought I saw movement there the other day.”
“Oh, you most certainly did. There are probably whole schools of people swimming around down there, with gills and everything. I mean real schools, made of wood just drifting around with parents around it and their children on the inside, daydreaming in class about what’s up above them on land.”
I chuckled. “So inquisitive tonight. I’ll have to keep a lookout for any river people when I set sail tomorrow.”
“Please do.”
We stopped talking while he finished his food. When he was done, he dabbed at his mouth with a cloth and looked at the chandelier overhead. “Do you know why father is sending you on this mission, Lyssa?”
“I have my suspicions, but nothing confirmed,” I admitted. “Why? Did he tell you?”
“No. But he told me why he wants me to go on my mission. He wants me to defeat the Lyke to build a reputation for myself, be a hero. So he must want the same for you.”
Poor naïve brother of mine. He knew how the king felt about me, saw how he treated me, and yet was always trying to make it look like the king’s mind was changing, that he was softening towards me. He wanted the king to love me as much as he loved him, and wanted me to believe that such a thing were possible. Neither of his wants were.
“There is no glory to be found in a surveillance mission, Bellamy,” I said with a sigh. “We’re going to report and come back.”
“Maybe he wants you to take matters into your own hands when you see the Viklings,” Bellamy offered. “Wants you to decide for yourself to attack them, maybe capture a few for interrogation. That would bring glory for sure.”
I rolled my eyes. “We need to stay incognito, go undetected. If one of them spots us, they’ll raise the alarm and we’ll be the ones getting attacked. The Fallen Star is already not a very subtle ship. If we get attacked, there’s no way just the twenty of us…” I stopped talking as a new possibility came to me.
“What?” Bellamy asked, noting the look on my face. “What is it?”
I thought about why I reasoned the king was sending Bellamy on his mission, not only for glory but also as a test against any potential secret weapon. But even then, Bellamy was being sent with five hundred men to attack a force of a thousand. Even if the Lyke didn’t initially know him as the prince, there would be plenty of bodies in the way to give them time to discover it. But if a large, unsubtle ship manned by only twenty people were to try and sneak up on a camp of at least four thousand warriors who were known for their prowess with ships and there was a super weapon involved, they would be terminated almost instantly if they were spotted, leaving no room for discovering who was and was not a princess.
“What is it?” Bellamy asked again.
“To die,” I let slip out of my mouth.
The king was sending me to die.
I didn’t speak to Bellamy after that.
I just left the room in a hurry, left the castle as quick as possible. I didn’t want to deal with this realization at home, in the same building as the man who had probably just plotted my death. I wanted to be amongst friends.
But since I didn’t have any, I would settle for the Knower.
Behind our castle are a few buildings: the army barracks, the stables and kennel, and the Knower Shack. I spent little time in any of these buildings but the Knower Shack, for she was the only person occupying any of these places that I had any use for. The Knower was in charge of keeping her ear to the ground, hearing things that were of import concerning the state of our kingdom in comparison to other forces and the state of knowing how the citizens feel about us nobles. Her job was to prevent unrest within and make sure that we were properly informed on what we would face outside of our walls. All scouts reported to her first and foremost, and she would then report those findings to the king. She was one of our most trusted advisers, if not the most trusted adviser.
And because of what she knew and how long and close she had to work with King Roland, she did not like him.
She knew the horrible things he did that I didn't even know. She knew his methods forwards and backwards, knew his likes and dislikes, and habits. And most of these things were things that made her weary of him. She was loyal and did her job dutifully for she was the best at it, but she did not do it happily. The only peace she found in her position was the fact that it was necessary to keep the kingdom safe.
I was fond of her, and over the many years of her service to my family, she had grown particularly fond of me. She was the only one besides Chauncey that I ever truly told my worries or concerns to, and I always trusted her advice. And with the king supporting Bellamy and the queen supporting Chauncey, she was truly the only one in my corner concerning my desire to become the Queen.
I entered her shack. It was a modest thing, made of wood and only containing two rooms; a receiving chamber and a bedroom. She was still awake of course. No matter what time of day I ever came, she was always awake. I wondered when she ever slept, for surely she must. Right?
She greeted me from her desk at the wall furthest from the entrance, a slight smile on her slightly wrinkled face. “There’s the Princess.”
“Hello, Lady Nora,” I replied, taking a seat right in front of her.
“Well, is this just a friendly visit, or did you have something of import to discuss?” she asked, getting straight to the point, looking down at some papers on her desks, no doubt reports. I appreciated that about her. I also preferred skipping pleasantries most of the time.
“The king is trying to kill me,” I answered.
She looked up from her papers and stared at me a moment. “Why do you think this?”
“He’s sending me on a mission tomorrow to spy on the Viklings. He’s sending me with one squadron on the Fallen Star. That’s a death sentence if I ever heard one. I can’t properly sneak up on them with a ship like that and I won’t be able to escape if detected. The Viklings are experts in ship warfare. He is sending me on an impossible mission.”
Nora considered that. “It does sound rather grim, and the odds will be stacked against you. This very well could be a play to kill you off without looking too much like that was his intention…”
“So what am I to do about it? I cannot refuse to go, nor will he allow me to take a smaller ship or larger number of people with me. He’s put me in a position from which there is no escape.”
“Unless, of course, you make one,” Nora offered. “He expects you to die on this mission, for you to fail and be detected. But what if you succeeded? Not only would you bring back valuable information, but you would also have beaten odds everyone would know were against you. This could work in your favor, if you survived.”
“If I survived. And that’s the tricky part.”
“Well come now, I’m not going to hold your hand. I’ve told you how this could work in your favor. Now you must find a way to succeed on your own. I can do many things well, but military strategy has never been my strong suit.”
“But you’re over scout missions and spy efforts. I’m going to be reporting to the king upon my return, but what if I was one of your scouts about to go off? What would you tell them to do?”
“I would tell them not to take the Fallen Star, for one; it’s a war vessel, not a spy vessel. For two, I would tell them that the river is not the way to travel, period. Best to approach from land. Unfortunately, you do not have the luxury of making those adjustments. My expertise is subtlety. The ingredients for this mission that you have been handed are not subtle at all.”
I closed my eyes and pictured the ship sailing up the river to the Vikling camp. No matter what, I always pictured a warning sound going off in their camp and our ship being relentlessly blasted with flaming projectiles, or done in by some blast that I could not even properly fathom, a flash of green light, their supposed super weapon.
I opened my eyes, an idea forming in my mind. “You said you wouldn’t have your scouts take the river. You would approach from land. A luxury I don’t have.”
“Yes,” Nora said, her eyes showing her eagerness to hear what I’ve thought up.
“Well, what if I just start off by sailing on the Fallen Star? Then, when I’m close enough to their camp, maybe a mile or two away, I’ll dock and move the rest of the way by land. I’ll survey everything, see if I can quietly capture a Vikling or two, and sneak back to the ship to sail back home.”
“Well now that could work. Your father wouldn’t know that you left the ship, and even if you or one of your men told him in the report, there would be nothing he could do about it, since the mission would be over. I approve of this tactic.”
“Thank you, Lady Nora.” I rose to my feet. “I will see you when I return from my trip. We’ll have things to discuss.”
“Of course, Princess. Many things,” she said as I walked to the front door. “Like how what you learn will benefit your quest for the throne.”
I lingered when she said that, my hand on the door knob. I didn’t turn around. “Yes, like that,” was my only reply, before walking out of her shack and into the darkness of the night.
March 20, 2018
Preview Chapter: Part 2
Now, for the second chapter of the book, narrated by Prince Chauncey! You'll find he's quite different from Prince Bellamy...
2
PRINCE CHAUNCEY
CANNOT BE HID
I enjoyed tending the Garden of Hosts.
I am told that not many people do. Pity, that. It’s a wonderful endeavor. The garden was responsible for most of our fruit, vegetables, and the other vital plants that sustained our people. It seemed an honor to get to tend to such an important place, like tending to the city itself. I could imagine no higher duty in the city.
Well, except for being part of the Seven Houses, which governed the city with my dad. Or being a member of the Vratigrand Army. Or tending to the Farmfields. Or being a member of the Starsguard. But other than those, nothing else.
I finished picking enough apples to fill my basket and decided to call it a day. The sun was going down and I wanted to be able to make my rounds before it got too dark. The garden was on the right side of the castle, and alongside the back of it were the army barracks, though many of our personal knights stayed in the castle. On the left were the Farmfields, twenty-five square acres where we kept our cows, chickens, pigs, and horses. All three were wonderful, but I enjoyed the garden the most.
I left the garden and went my usual way through the city. Young children and a few older people were out along my path, as always. I threw an apple to all of those I saw with their hands out, and they bit right into the delicious fruits, the pride of the Garden of Hosts. Technically the golden apples were to be reserved for highborn members of our city, but I always distributed a basket full every two weeks. Almost all citizens loved the golden apples, to my knowledge, and I believed that whenever they were eaten by commoners, they tasted what it was like to be highborn, even if just for a few minutes. And the delight of the sensation made them want more apples, yet still content with living their ordinary lives. Though we were in different places in life because of our birth alone, all potential envy melted away from a taste of the apples.
I gave out every last apple from the basket and ended up at a table sitting near some bushes. Just as planned, as I always did. The children were waiting for me there already. I opened my sack and distributed handfuls of berries to them, which they giddily ate. While they snacked, I got out a large scroll of paper and a few brushes and began to paint a picture of Vratigrand. Mostly just outlines of the hill and the walls. I liked to let the children fill in the rest with their own wishes, using juice from the berries.
Oh, the things they imagined! Today, there painted several things that we did not have, but perhaps should. There was a large cage with a blue bear, tall towers with stripes, trees decorated with what I assumed was supposed to be glitter, and statues of this and that. I smiled at every last image and patted them on the back. “Excellent bear, Shelby,” I said to the seven-year-old girl who had drawn it. She blushed and thanked me for the compliment. After the entire page was filled up, I left the children and began to head home.
Oh home. A wonderful place, in my opinion. How many could say that they lived in a castle, let alone a castle like ours? The walls were solid and gray, a picture of fortification. The red banners of House Rey-my house-flowed in the wind from their posts on the walls. The entrance doors were easily eighteen feet tall, so large that they had to be pulled open from the inside. The men manning them were always alert, waiting to do their job as if it was their only goal in life. I appreciated such zeal, and as soon as the doors were opened and I walked through, I waved up to them in their posts. They didn’t wave back until the doors had been closed again. But once they did, they waved with vigor, causing me to smile and wave back even harder.
I continued deeper into the castle. Along the walls of the main hallway forward were paintings of animals favored by the highborn, paintings of mountains, paintings of forests and lush greenery. Most just from stories and dreams. Alas, the world was not that lively, that vibrant. Vratigrand and the areas surrounding it were the fullest extent of such vegetation and scenery. Out from our hill were a few more hills, a valley, a woods and a forest. Past the valley and past the woods and forest were nothing but scorching deserts, rocks, and ruins. I suppose that was why the Ruined was called such; there was nothing out there that was whole. Even the several nomadic clans that roved those lands were not complete, I heard.
I felt for them. They had not asked to live in the torment of those lands. Just like me, they were born into their way of life, their surroundings. I had been fortunate enough to be born in Vratigrand, in Castle Rey, in luxury and abundance and stability. They had not been dealt the same lot. They were born in a place were rain was scarce, the few streams were small and fleeting, and the vegetation was almost nonexistent. And to my horror, my dad had once told me that most prefer it that way. He said that we had been like the other clans once, before Vratigrand, so he knew what it was like; to rove from place to place, setting up camps for a while and then moving on, never settling, always following the food and the water and vegetation wherever it lead, not knowing if you would eat that day. That was what scared me about it most of all: the lack of stability. I was used to routine and patterns, things going a certain predictable way. Out in the Ruined, you never knew what to expect.
I went to my room on the top floor and changed from my gardening clothes to me castle attire, which for today was a blue silk shirt, silk pants, and cotton shoes. I relaxed a little, sitting in a chair by my window, a large circle opening in the wall. Whenever it rained, I placed a wooden frame against it, but for the most part I kept it open. The view was quite nice from up here. I could see the entire garden, and a good percent of the city on this side of things. I have been in all of the rooms the castle had to offer, but none suited me like this. Often I would just sit at the window and feel the breeze wash over me as I turned the pages of my books.
After a while, there was a knock on my door, and I said for whoever it was to enter. “No, my boy,” I heard my muma’s voice reply. “You should come out here. It is almost time for family dinner.”
I had lost track of time, despite it being near dark now. I opened the door with a smile on my face and hugged my muma tightly. Her embrace was warm and pleasant, and her smile was radiant enough to sustain the garden alone. She was a figure of life, a woman clothed in the sun.
She knew it, too. Her attire tonight was like her usual attire; a finely embroidered golden dress with flower patterns and her golden crown studded with emeralds. Her dark hair flowed freely like a wave of night, almost down to her shoulders, and around her neck was a choker with a sun pendant.
My muma, the radiant Ebony Mormont Rey. So young in appearance, as if she had just had her first child yesterday, when in fact it had been twenty years ago, her last child-myself-sixteen years ago. I got my dark brown skin from her, whereas Bellamy took after our paler dad, and Lyssa was somewhere in between, like sand.
We began to walk down the hall to get to the stairs, and I held muma’s arm. She smiled and patted my head. “Another successful trip from the garden?” she asked.
I nodded. “Indeed, muma. The citizens, they were overjoyed with the golden apples. And the children loved the berries, and painted the most wonderful pictures!”
She chuckled. “Every picture they have painted has been the most wonderful picture to you.”
I felt myself blush a little. “That is because I think I know what they are capable of, and then they exceed my expectations yet again!”
“I really must come with you next time, to see these things for myself.”
“Indeed, you must! But do not bring any guards; it unsettles the commoners.”
We began to descend the stairs, and muma’s face took on a more serious expression. “What do you want, my favorite of children?”
I blushed again. Muma often called me her favorite, even in front of my older brother and sister. “What do you mean? You mean for dinner?”
“No, I mean for life, from life?” she asked, turning her head to me.
I twisted my mouth to the side in thought. “Well, I suppose I would very much like to keep on tending to the garden with our garden workers and visiting the citizens.”
“Yes, yes, all that is fine and good, but what above that? What beyond that? For surely that cannot be your whole life.”
“What more is there to do? Dad rules the kingdom, you and the members of the court help him govern it, Lyssa works in the Starsguard, and Bellamy works in the army. I would say that all of the bases are covered and that there is nothing more I need do than keep smiles on the faces of our subjects.”
“You said that your father is king,” muma said. “But he will not always be. What happens when he is gone? What will your priorities and plans be then?”
“Well…I suppose I shall support my brother the new king with my reassurances and encouragement.”
“That would be a bit difficult to do,” muma said, looking straight ahead again.
“And why would that be?”
“Because you shall be king.”
“Hmmm…I think not. I am the youngest. Both Bellamy and Lyssa are ahead of me in the line of succession…”
“Your brother is indeed next in line. But he is not best suited for the throne, my boy. That would be you.”
“Me? How? Why is Bellamy unfit, and what of Lyssa? I understand that she wants to sit on the throne, much more than Bellamy does, or myself.”
“Bellamy is not an ambitious person, nor is he any good at politics. He lets others do too much of the thinking for him. A king like that would lose this kingdom in no time. Or, he would feel the pressures of ruling and it would wear him down, make him vulnerable to people that would seek to use him. As for Lyssa, well…she’s a girl, plain and simple. She could never hold the throne and marry, because then her husband would be king. To be queen would be condemning herself to be a spinster all her life. Tell me, is that what you want for either of your siblings?”
“Of course not,” I said, suddenly feeling for them. All that she had said, I could see it in my mind, the dreadful rivers my kin would sail with the throne as their boat. Muma loved them, and she wanted what was best for them as well. That must be why she was telling me this now. “I would not wish those fates upon anyone, let alone my own siblings. So to save them from this, I must take the throne should dad ever leave it? That would be the only way?”
“The absolute only way, my boy,” muma confirmed. She put her hands around my shoulders as we reached the bottom step. “But you would not be alone. I would help you, protect you, and prepare you for such a task throughout the years to come, until such a day arrives. You are brilliant, my boy, and your brilliance will serve this kingdom well. Give it three years, five at the most, and you shall have the throne secured for yourself.”
“I have been told I have a way of diplomacy and peace about myself,” I admitted.
“See? Other people recognize the greatness within you as well. They would support you, when the time came, would they not? You have many wonderful friends, more than either of your siblings. And having friends is important for a king. You will do just fine with a throne. Think about all you could accomplish.”
My mind danced with images and ideas at her prompting. I tried to snatch one out of the swirling mass, and when I did, I held it firm. “I could make friends among the clans of the Ruined.”
Muma’s eyes had an enigmatic twinkle to them at that, her expression somewhere between wonder and unspoken inquiry. It was as if she was listening to a voice I could not hear myself.
“Why yes,” she finally said, looking away. “Yes, you could. There you go already, looking out beyond what you see. Your heart goes out before you to the less fortunate, and soon the rest of you may as well. Vratigrand needs someone like you, not afraid to branch out into the world. We have stayed here in our kingdom, kept to ourselves for so long. But Vratigrand should be a light.” We stopped walking and she looked at me. “One for all the world to see. One that cannot hide, and cannot be overshadowed. And you could be the one to do this. The other clans already know that we are here. They envy us and wonder what we hide behind our walls. The time of hiding will end, my favorite. And it will end with you. Promise me this.”
I took her hand. “I promise this, muma.”
She smiled with her eyes closed, then we continued on to the family dining table. There was a second table in our Feast Hall for dining with the other highborn houses, but for family dinners, we ate in a modest sized room at a short table with only five seats, though every now and then dad would invite one of our betrotheds to eat with us.
Dad and Bellamy were already seated at the table. Muma and I took our seats, the table already spread by our cooks. We said our greetings to each other and looked around, waiting for Lyssa.
And we waited. And we waited.
Dad was just about to send someone to fetch her when she walked in through the door, still dressed in her Starsguard uniform. “Forgive my lateness, my king…”
“Where have you been?” dad cut her off, standing to his feet in anger. “You know what time family dinner is. You should have been here!”
Lyssa lowered her gaze to the floor, avoiding his eyes. “My humblest apologies, my king. I was watching the stars…”
“Yes, that is what the Starsguard does,” dad said, mocking her.
Lyssa tried not to let it bother her and continued. “I…I was watching the stars, and I saw what appeared to be a new one. Then it burst apart and the sky seemed to dim for a moment…”
“A bursting star? Impossible!” dad interrupted again. I looked away from the two of them. I was not fond of how he treated her.
“Ordinarily yes, Your Majesty. But then I saw another, and another, and I asked for our information book on other clans. And I saw a similar drawn image inside…”
“And what did it pertain to?” dad asked impatiently.
“They were not stars, but something called works of fire. They mark a celebration among the Vikling Clan.”
That sobered dad a little bit. “The Viklings? What kind of celebration for them?”
Lyssa finally lifted her head a little, meeting his eyes for just a moment. “A celebration for the declaration of war.”
2
PRINCE CHAUNCEY
CANNOT BE HID
I enjoyed tending the Garden of Hosts.
I am told that not many people do. Pity, that. It’s a wonderful endeavor. The garden was responsible for most of our fruit, vegetables, and the other vital plants that sustained our people. It seemed an honor to get to tend to such an important place, like tending to the city itself. I could imagine no higher duty in the city.
Well, except for being part of the Seven Houses, which governed the city with my dad. Or being a member of the Vratigrand Army. Or tending to the Farmfields. Or being a member of the Starsguard. But other than those, nothing else.
I finished picking enough apples to fill my basket and decided to call it a day. The sun was going down and I wanted to be able to make my rounds before it got too dark. The garden was on the right side of the castle, and alongside the back of it were the army barracks, though many of our personal knights stayed in the castle. On the left were the Farmfields, twenty-five square acres where we kept our cows, chickens, pigs, and horses. All three were wonderful, but I enjoyed the garden the most.
I left the garden and went my usual way through the city. Young children and a few older people were out along my path, as always. I threw an apple to all of those I saw with their hands out, and they bit right into the delicious fruits, the pride of the Garden of Hosts. Technically the golden apples were to be reserved for highborn members of our city, but I always distributed a basket full every two weeks. Almost all citizens loved the golden apples, to my knowledge, and I believed that whenever they were eaten by commoners, they tasted what it was like to be highborn, even if just for a few minutes. And the delight of the sensation made them want more apples, yet still content with living their ordinary lives. Though we were in different places in life because of our birth alone, all potential envy melted away from a taste of the apples.
I gave out every last apple from the basket and ended up at a table sitting near some bushes. Just as planned, as I always did. The children were waiting for me there already. I opened my sack and distributed handfuls of berries to them, which they giddily ate. While they snacked, I got out a large scroll of paper and a few brushes and began to paint a picture of Vratigrand. Mostly just outlines of the hill and the walls. I liked to let the children fill in the rest with their own wishes, using juice from the berries.
Oh, the things they imagined! Today, there painted several things that we did not have, but perhaps should. There was a large cage with a blue bear, tall towers with stripes, trees decorated with what I assumed was supposed to be glitter, and statues of this and that. I smiled at every last image and patted them on the back. “Excellent bear, Shelby,” I said to the seven-year-old girl who had drawn it. She blushed and thanked me for the compliment. After the entire page was filled up, I left the children and began to head home.
Oh home. A wonderful place, in my opinion. How many could say that they lived in a castle, let alone a castle like ours? The walls were solid and gray, a picture of fortification. The red banners of House Rey-my house-flowed in the wind from their posts on the walls. The entrance doors were easily eighteen feet tall, so large that they had to be pulled open from the inside. The men manning them were always alert, waiting to do their job as if it was their only goal in life. I appreciated such zeal, and as soon as the doors were opened and I walked through, I waved up to them in their posts. They didn’t wave back until the doors had been closed again. But once they did, they waved with vigor, causing me to smile and wave back even harder.
I continued deeper into the castle. Along the walls of the main hallway forward were paintings of animals favored by the highborn, paintings of mountains, paintings of forests and lush greenery. Most just from stories and dreams. Alas, the world was not that lively, that vibrant. Vratigrand and the areas surrounding it were the fullest extent of such vegetation and scenery. Out from our hill were a few more hills, a valley, a woods and a forest. Past the valley and past the woods and forest were nothing but scorching deserts, rocks, and ruins. I suppose that was why the Ruined was called such; there was nothing out there that was whole. Even the several nomadic clans that roved those lands were not complete, I heard.
I felt for them. They had not asked to live in the torment of those lands. Just like me, they were born into their way of life, their surroundings. I had been fortunate enough to be born in Vratigrand, in Castle Rey, in luxury and abundance and stability. They had not been dealt the same lot. They were born in a place were rain was scarce, the few streams were small and fleeting, and the vegetation was almost nonexistent. And to my horror, my dad had once told me that most prefer it that way. He said that we had been like the other clans once, before Vratigrand, so he knew what it was like; to rove from place to place, setting up camps for a while and then moving on, never settling, always following the food and the water and vegetation wherever it lead, not knowing if you would eat that day. That was what scared me about it most of all: the lack of stability. I was used to routine and patterns, things going a certain predictable way. Out in the Ruined, you never knew what to expect.
I went to my room on the top floor and changed from my gardening clothes to me castle attire, which for today was a blue silk shirt, silk pants, and cotton shoes. I relaxed a little, sitting in a chair by my window, a large circle opening in the wall. Whenever it rained, I placed a wooden frame against it, but for the most part I kept it open. The view was quite nice from up here. I could see the entire garden, and a good percent of the city on this side of things. I have been in all of the rooms the castle had to offer, but none suited me like this. Often I would just sit at the window and feel the breeze wash over me as I turned the pages of my books.
After a while, there was a knock on my door, and I said for whoever it was to enter. “No, my boy,” I heard my muma’s voice reply. “You should come out here. It is almost time for family dinner.”
I had lost track of time, despite it being near dark now. I opened the door with a smile on my face and hugged my muma tightly. Her embrace was warm and pleasant, and her smile was radiant enough to sustain the garden alone. She was a figure of life, a woman clothed in the sun.
She knew it, too. Her attire tonight was like her usual attire; a finely embroidered golden dress with flower patterns and her golden crown studded with emeralds. Her dark hair flowed freely like a wave of night, almost down to her shoulders, and around her neck was a choker with a sun pendant.
My muma, the radiant Ebony Mormont Rey. So young in appearance, as if she had just had her first child yesterday, when in fact it had been twenty years ago, her last child-myself-sixteen years ago. I got my dark brown skin from her, whereas Bellamy took after our paler dad, and Lyssa was somewhere in between, like sand.
We began to walk down the hall to get to the stairs, and I held muma’s arm. She smiled and patted my head. “Another successful trip from the garden?” she asked.
I nodded. “Indeed, muma. The citizens, they were overjoyed with the golden apples. And the children loved the berries, and painted the most wonderful pictures!”
She chuckled. “Every picture they have painted has been the most wonderful picture to you.”
I felt myself blush a little. “That is because I think I know what they are capable of, and then they exceed my expectations yet again!”
“I really must come with you next time, to see these things for myself.”
“Indeed, you must! But do not bring any guards; it unsettles the commoners.”
We began to descend the stairs, and muma’s face took on a more serious expression. “What do you want, my favorite of children?”
I blushed again. Muma often called me her favorite, even in front of my older brother and sister. “What do you mean? You mean for dinner?”
“No, I mean for life, from life?” she asked, turning her head to me.
I twisted my mouth to the side in thought. “Well, I suppose I would very much like to keep on tending to the garden with our garden workers and visiting the citizens.”
“Yes, yes, all that is fine and good, but what above that? What beyond that? For surely that cannot be your whole life.”
“What more is there to do? Dad rules the kingdom, you and the members of the court help him govern it, Lyssa works in the Starsguard, and Bellamy works in the army. I would say that all of the bases are covered and that there is nothing more I need do than keep smiles on the faces of our subjects.”
“You said that your father is king,” muma said. “But he will not always be. What happens when he is gone? What will your priorities and plans be then?”
“Well…I suppose I shall support my brother the new king with my reassurances and encouragement.”
“That would be a bit difficult to do,” muma said, looking straight ahead again.
“And why would that be?”
“Because you shall be king.”
“Hmmm…I think not. I am the youngest. Both Bellamy and Lyssa are ahead of me in the line of succession…”
“Your brother is indeed next in line. But he is not best suited for the throne, my boy. That would be you.”
“Me? How? Why is Bellamy unfit, and what of Lyssa? I understand that she wants to sit on the throne, much more than Bellamy does, or myself.”
“Bellamy is not an ambitious person, nor is he any good at politics. He lets others do too much of the thinking for him. A king like that would lose this kingdom in no time. Or, he would feel the pressures of ruling and it would wear him down, make him vulnerable to people that would seek to use him. As for Lyssa, well…she’s a girl, plain and simple. She could never hold the throne and marry, because then her husband would be king. To be queen would be condemning herself to be a spinster all her life. Tell me, is that what you want for either of your siblings?”
“Of course not,” I said, suddenly feeling for them. All that she had said, I could see it in my mind, the dreadful rivers my kin would sail with the throne as their boat. Muma loved them, and she wanted what was best for them as well. That must be why she was telling me this now. “I would not wish those fates upon anyone, let alone my own siblings. So to save them from this, I must take the throne should dad ever leave it? That would be the only way?”
“The absolute only way, my boy,” muma confirmed. She put her hands around my shoulders as we reached the bottom step. “But you would not be alone. I would help you, protect you, and prepare you for such a task throughout the years to come, until such a day arrives. You are brilliant, my boy, and your brilliance will serve this kingdom well. Give it three years, five at the most, and you shall have the throne secured for yourself.”
“I have been told I have a way of diplomacy and peace about myself,” I admitted.
“See? Other people recognize the greatness within you as well. They would support you, when the time came, would they not? You have many wonderful friends, more than either of your siblings. And having friends is important for a king. You will do just fine with a throne. Think about all you could accomplish.”
My mind danced with images and ideas at her prompting. I tried to snatch one out of the swirling mass, and when I did, I held it firm. “I could make friends among the clans of the Ruined.”
Muma’s eyes had an enigmatic twinkle to them at that, her expression somewhere between wonder and unspoken inquiry. It was as if she was listening to a voice I could not hear myself.
“Why yes,” she finally said, looking away. “Yes, you could. There you go already, looking out beyond what you see. Your heart goes out before you to the less fortunate, and soon the rest of you may as well. Vratigrand needs someone like you, not afraid to branch out into the world. We have stayed here in our kingdom, kept to ourselves for so long. But Vratigrand should be a light.” We stopped walking and she looked at me. “One for all the world to see. One that cannot hide, and cannot be overshadowed. And you could be the one to do this. The other clans already know that we are here. They envy us and wonder what we hide behind our walls. The time of hiding will end, my favorite. And it will end with you. Promise me this.”
I took her hand. “I promise this, muma.”
She smiled with her eyes closed, then we continued on to the family dining table. There was a second table in our Feast Hall for dining with the other highborn houses, but for family dinners, we ate in a modest sized room at a short table with only five seats, though every now and then dad would invite one of our betrotheds to eat with us.
Dad and Bellamy were already seated at the table. Muma and I took our seats, the table already spread by our cooks. We said our greetings to each other and looked around, waiting for Lyssa.
And we waited. And we waited.
Dad was just about to send someone to fetch her when she walked in through the door, still dressed in her Starsguard uniform. “Forgive my lateness, my king…”
“Where have you been?” dad cut her off, standing to his feet in anger. “You know what time family dinner is. You should have been here!”
Lyssa lowered her gaze to the floor, avoiding his eyes. “My humblest apologies, my king. I was watching the stars…”
“Yes, that is what the Starsguard does,” dad said, mocking her.
Lyssa tried not to let it bother her and continued. “I…I was watching the stars, and I saw what appeared to be a new one. Then it burst apart and the sky seemed to dim for a moment…”
“A bursting star? Impossible!” dad interrupted again. I looked away from the two of them. I was not fond of how he treated her.
“Ordinarily yes, Your Majesty. But then I saw another, and another, and I asked for our information book on other clans. And I saw a similar drawn image inside…”
“And what did it pertain to?” dad asked impatiently.
“They were not stars, but something called works of fire. They mark a celebration among the Vikling Clan.”
That sobered dad a little bit. “The Viklings? What kind of celebration for them?”
Lyssa finally lifted her head a little, meeting his eyes for just a moment. “A celebration for the declaration of war.”
March 13, 2018
Preview Chapter: Part 1
Hello, everyone. Since this novel has three different POVs, I've decided to release the first three chapters as a preview, since each chapter is like the first one for that particular character. So without further ado, here's Chapter 1! Stay tuned for Chapter 2!
1
PRINCE BELLAMY
WHAT MANY WANT
Father took me out upon the ramparts.
Not many people got such a view. From there, I could see all of Vratigrand and the surrounding areas. Our fortress, our city, the envy of all, father called it. We were so blessed to be here, he says. And so safe.
All fourteen square miles of the kingdom were situated on a series of large connected hills, the city sprawled out in front of our castle towards the back of it all, which used to be referred to as Castle Vratigrand before we took it over. The many buildings and homes in front of it on either side were mostly already there when we arrived, but were expanded upon afterward, the Royal Road from the castle entrance to the outskirts an addition of ours. And surrounding those were five walls and ramparts forming a pentagonal oval shape, the pointed end in front, at the very edge of the hill summits before the slope down. The back of the hills bordered the Pailagos River, keeping us safe from an attack on that side, and allowing easy access to water. On the back left and right walls, the hills sloped down to smaller hills, green and lush as they ranged away to the Veiled Forest on the right and the Naïve Woods on the left. The section of the hills in the direct front sloped down into a vast green valley we called the Shallow Field. And a few miles beyond that, was the Ruined.
Father didn’t like to talk about his time in the Ruined, twenty-two years ago, before I was even born. None in the city wished to. We were taught the basics in school and nothing more.
We walked past three Starsguard that were manning the ramparts and stopped at the edge. Father pointed to a mounted crossbow. “You know what that is?”
“Of course, father,” I said. “A mounted crossbow.”
“And what is it for?”
“For defending the walls against the heathen hordes.”
He nodded. “Indeed.”
“Why are you showing me this? I admit that the sight is beautiful, but Lyssa is the one on the Starsguard. Should not she be the one up here?”
“Lyssa has been up here many times and is currently stationed at the back wall, overseeing the river. I wanted you to get a look, however little it is, at the Ruined. Because tomorrow, your battalion will march into it.”
I took a step back, surprised. “I have heard no such orders!”
“You are hearing them now, son. Your king is giving them.”
“So sudden. Any particular reason for this?”
Father sighed and looked out into the distance. “The scout reports this morning were troublesome. The Lyke Clan is on the move in this direction. They may yet just be passing by. But they have not come this close in a long time, and the last time was not good. My advisers and I agree that we should not chance it. Your battalion will ride out and catch them by the Griff Hills.”
I was not afraid, just surprised. I had never been in battle before, had never even been in the Ruined. I’d been to the river of course and the woods to hunt and practice, but never the Ruined. The only ones that went there were our scouts and soldiers sent on engagements. And those engagements were few and far between. In the earlier years of my father’s reign, he had crushed many a foe, and everyone knew not to mess with us. What few attacks had come since then were usually met at the Shallow Field in front of our home. Never out into the Ruined.
“Something else is going on here,” I said. “We have not engaged a force outside of our territory in over a decade. Why now, all of a sudden? According to our records, the Lyke only have a thousand warriors, spread across three separate camps. Just one of their camps is—“
“It is not just one of their camps,” he cut me off. “It is all three of them. Together.”
That was alarming indeed. “All three? How? What would prompt them to do such a thing?”
“Probably taking Vratigrand. It will not be enough, but they may not know that. And we would rather not let them get too close. But there are worse things to consider. If they are trying to conquer the city after all this time, even uniting to do so, then it is not out of the blue. Something prompted them, something that could be terrible. We need to know what that is. So we will need prisoners.”
I nodded. “You relayed all this to General Leonid?”
He turned away from me and began to leave. “No need. General Leonid will not be going on this mission. You will be leading your battalion.”
I was following him down the stairs that lead from the top of the wall back to the ground when he said that and stumbled from the shock. “So not only are you sending me out into the Ruined for the first time, but you are also giving me command over my battalion for the mission, without the guidance of our general?”
“A General does not oversee every last operation personally,” father said. “Battalion Commanders can lead in their stead, especially if only one battalion is going. You are now the Commander of yours.”
“One battalion?! That’s merely five hundred! The Lyke will have a thousand!”
“Then you had better come up with a clever strategy.”
We reached the ground and father continued forward, but I stayed in place. After a moment or two, he turned around, just then realizing that I was not following. I just looked at him. Eventually, he sighed and walked back over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
“I know that you are scared,” he began.
“Not for myself,” I insisted. “But for my battalion. Someone new to the Ruined leading them against a force twice our size puts the odds against them. I want them to live, and your way sounds like a death sentence.”
“They are in the army, son; they knew that they were potentially signing up for a lack of living when they first joined. None of them should expect to live forever.”
“And me? I joined, proudly, four years ago. I expect to live. Don’t you expect that of me?”
“I do.” He removed his hand and looked me in the eyes. “I expect you to rise to the occasion. I expect you to lead your troops into what appears to be a dismal situation and not only lead them back out, but lead them out in victory, with the enemy completely annihilated.”
I squinted my eyes at him. “What are you playing at with this, father?”
“Son, you know as well as I that one day, you will be king. You must build up a reputation for yourself, show the people that they will one day be in safe hands. Our people followed me because I lead them in the conquest of Vratigrand. I showed them that I was capable of leading them to victory and protecting them. Vratigrand was coveted by many clans, yet none had succeeded in taking it for as long as anyone can remember. Yet I did. And I’ve held it all this time. That made me a legend among men. And now you must become a legend as well. You must solidify your status as a mighty man. Your fellow soldiers know that in combat you have no equal in your age group, but sparring doesn’t save anyone. You are untested in real combat. Now comes the test. The test you must not only pass, but dominate. And you won’t do that if you ride into battle in front of your father’s well defended base with favorable odds under a different commander.”
I was not sure what to say. When I didn’t respond, father pushed on, removing his hand and stepping away. “I have set the stage for you. All you have to do is go to the battle and win it. Upon your return, everyone will hear of your victory and you will be celebrated, might cemented. That is what I want for you…And I believe you can achieve it. I would not send my eldest son to die. I know you, and I know your skill. We’ve talked of tactics a thousand times. Now you shall put those talks to action. I believe in you. Defend Vratigrand from the Lyke, show the heathen clans out there in the Ruined that the future king is not to be trifled with. Remind them that what they want is ours, and therefore they can never have it.”
I finally found words. “But…what if the Lyke aren’t marching on us? Then I will have attacked a clan without provocation…”
“Griff Hills is a demarcation landmark,” father cut me off. “If they reach that point and continue, they have literally crossed the line. I made it known a long time ago that any clan that crosses it is at our mercy. So wait for them there. If they turn and leave, oh well. But if they cross, attack.”
“Won’t they expect me to be waiting for them there, then?”
“Perhaps. Be prepared. You leave at dawn.”
The walk back to our castle was a long one.
I didn’t normally think it was that far, but the weight of the task before me made time seem slower. I was not excited for this mission in the slightest. I knew that father had high hopes for me, but I wasn’t sure how I could reach them, they seemed so far above me. I didn’t take note of any of the commoners that undoubtedly bowed or lowered their heads as we walked up the Royal Road leading to the castle, I was so distracted. I barely registered the usual sounds of the activities taking place through the city. I just focused on the impossible task bestowed upon me.
We reached the castle, and the great entrance doors were opened for us. Father reminded me that we would gather for our family dinner in two hours, when Lyssa returned from her shift. He went his way and I went mine, travelling down the hall on the right of the entrance to get to one of my rooms. I had three: one on the third floor for sleeping, one on the second for business (which I never used), and one on the first floor, also for sleeping whenever I didn’t feel like travelling to the top floor.
I entered my first floor room and flopped down on the bed. I had barely been laying there a second when a voice spoke up from the corner. “Hello to you as well, Your Highness.”
I rose quickly and turned to face the speaker, startled. “Melanie! What are you doing in my room, especially at this hour?”
Melanie giggled and looked at the ceiling. “Oh, I thought I would come pay you a visit. Especially since you might not make it back from your trip tomorrow.”
I sat straight up on the bed and looked at her. She was wearing a sky blue dress and her light golden brown hair was tied into a ponytail in the back with ringlets in the front. She looked quite lovely.
“And who told you of any trip I may or may not be partaking in?” I asked.
“My father, of course,” she said. Of course. Melanie’s father was the lord of House Byrd, one of the six lords that made up my father’s court. While the Byrds were not the largest House, Melanie’s father Malagant was one of my father’s most loyal supporters-due in no small part to the fact that I was betrothed to Melanie. My other siblings were betrothed to children of other lords, but my betrothal was cemented first, and the closet to an actual marriage, set for a month after my twenty-first birthday. Just six months away.
“Have you come to profess your undying love and loyalty to me before I go, fearing I may not return?” I jested.
Melanie grinned. “Not quite, dear betrothed. I came to offer you some advice. You see, I would very much prefer that you live through this engagement.”
“You’ve got such a lovely way with words,” I remarked.
“Thank you. Anyway, I need you to live, not just for you, but for me as well. If you died, who would I talk to?”
That wasn’t it. “You have plenty of friends.”
“Not guys.”
“You could easily make some.”
“Also, who would I be betrothed to?”
That was more like it, but not all the way exposed. “There are plenty of other suitors that would love to have your hand.”
“Alright, who would be my ticket into the royal family?” There it was. For as much as Melanie may or may not have cared for me-I could never truly tell-her care for being a part of the royal family was vast. She desired it deeply. And she had a mind for it, I would give her that. She was always up to date on the whispers sweeping the city, always had her father tell her about the court meetings, and always made sure that the citizens knew she was betrothed to me. In fact, she was the one that had helped me decide to join the Army of Vratigrand in the first place, when I had been wrestling with the decision for quite some time up to that point.
“You know, I’m actually quite adept at strategy myself,” I said. “It is plausible that I don’t need your help.”
Melanie’s grin turned into a smirk. “Plausible yes…but not certain, especially since you’ve never been into the Ruined.” She looked at the ceiling. “But I have.”
I was on my feet then, all ears. “You have? When, and why?”
Melanie stood and began to walk towards me. “A year ago, with my brother and a few of our guards. A scout had reported grass springing up near the Griff Hills.”
“Yes, I recall,” I said, nodding.
“Well, I just had to see that, so I had the scouts take me-under my father’s nose, of course. And as you know, there was no grass.”
“People believed that the scout had been delusional,” I remembered.
“Yes. Except, he wasn’t either. I saw the area before the second scout group came the next day. I could tell that there had been grass. Someone had taken it.”
“Why and who?”
“Why? Who knows? And who? Who cares? That matters not. What matters is that I looked for the grass around the Hills. I didn’t find it, but I got a good lay of the area, even drew a picture of it.” She pulled said picture from her pocket. “Now, shall we examine the picture? And plot your great victory, my love?”
1
PRINCE BELLAMY
WHAT MANY WANT
Father took me out upon the ramparts.
Not many people got such a view. From there, I could see all of Vratigrand and the surrounding areas. Our fortress, our city, the envy of all, father called it. We were so blessed to be here, he says. And so safe.
All fourteen square miles of the kingdom were situated on a series of large connected hills, the city sprawled out in front of our castle towards the back of it all, which used to be referred to as Castle Vratigrand before we took it over. The many buildings and homes in front of it on either side were mostly already there when we arrived, but were expanded upon afterward, the Royal Road from the castle entrance to the outskirts an addition of ours. And surrounding those were five walls and ramparts forming a pentagonal oval shape, the pointed end in front, at the very edge of the hill summits before the slope down. The back of the hills bordered the Pailagos River, keeping us safe from an attack on that side, and allowing easy access to water. On the back left and right walls, the hills sloped down to smaller hills, green and lush as they ranged away to the Veiled Forest on the right and the Naïve Woods on the left. The section of the hills in the direct front sloped down into a vast green valley we called the Shallow Field. And a few miles beyond that, was the Ruined.
Father didn’t like to talk about his time in the Ruined, twenty-two years ago, before I was even born. None in the city wished to. We were taught the basics in school and nothing more.
We walked past three Starsguard that were manning the ramparts and stopped at the edge. Father pointed to a mounted crossbow. “You know what that is?”
“Of course, father,” I said. “A mounted crossbow.”
“And what is it for?”
“For defending the walls against the heathen hordes.”
He nodded. “Indeed.”
“Why are you showing me this? I admit that the sight is beautiful, but Lyssa is the one on the Starsguard. Should not she be the one up here?”
“Lyssa has been up here many times and is currently stationed at the back wall, overseeing the river. I wanted you to get a look, however little it is, at the Ruined. Because tomorrow, your battalion will march into it.”
I took a step back, surprised. “I have heard no such orders!”
“You are hearing them now, son. Your king is giving them.”
“So sudden. Any particular reason for this?”
Father sighed and looked out into the distance. “The scout reports this morning were troublesome. The Lyke Clan is on the move in this direction. They may yet just be passing by. But they have not come this close in a long time, and the last time was not good. My advisers and I agree that we should not chance it. Your battalion will ride out and catch them by the Griff Hills.”
I was not afraid, just surprised. I had never been in battle before, had never even been in the Ruined. I’d been to the river of course and the woods to hunt and practice, but never the Ruined. The only ones that went there were our scouts and soldiers sent on engagements. And those engagements were few and far between. In the earlier years of my father’s reign, he had crushed many a foe, and everyone knew not to mess with us. What few attacks had come since then were usually met at the Shallow Field in front of our home. Never out into the Ruined.
“Something else is going on here,” I said. “We have not engaged a force outside of our territory in over a decade. Why now, all of a sudden? According to our records, the Lyke only have a thousand warriors, spread across three separate camps. Just one of their camps is—“
“It is not just one of their camps,” he cut me off. “It is all three of them. Together.”
That was alarming indeed. “All three? How? What would prompt them to do such a thing?”
“Probably taking Vratigrand. It will not be enough, but they may not know that. And we would rather not let them get too close. But there are worse things to consider. If they are trying to conquer the city after all this time, even uniting to do so, then it is not out of the blue. Something prompted them, something that could be terrible. We need to know what that is. So we will need prisoners.”
I nodded. “You relayed all this to General Leonid?”
He turned away from me and began to leave. “No need. General Leonid will not be going on this mission. You will be leading your battalion.”
I was following him down the stairs that lead from the top of the wall back to the ground when he said that and stumbled from the shock. “So not only are you sending me out into the Ruined for the first time, but you are also giving me command over my battalion for the mission, without the guidance of our general?”
“A General does not oversee every last operation personally,” father said. “Battalion Commanders can lead in their stead, especially if only one battalion is going. You are now the Commander of yours.”
“One battalion?! That’s merely five hundred! The Lyke will have a thousand!”
“Then you had better come up with a clever strategy.”
We reached the ground and father continued forward, but I stayed in place. After a moment or two, he turned around, just then realizing that I was not following. I just looked at him. Eventually, he sighed and walked back over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
“I know that you are scared,” he began.
“Not for myself,” I insisted. “But for my battalion. Someone new to the Ruined leading them against a force twice our size puts the odds against them. I want them to live, and your way sounds like a death sentence.”
“They are in the army, son; they knew that they were potentially signing up for a lack of living when they first joined. None of them should expect to live forever.”
“And me? I joined, proudly, four years ago. I expect to live. Don’t you expect that of me?”
“I do.” He removed his hand and looked me in the eyes. “I expect you to rise to the occasion. I expect you to lead your troops into what appears to be a dismal situation and not only lead them back out, but lead them out in victory, with the enemy completely annihilated.”
I squinted my eyes at him. “What are you playing at with this, father?”
“Son, you know as well as I that one day, you will be king. You must build up a reputation for yourself, show the people that they will one day be in safe hands. Our people followed me because I lead them in the conquest of Vratigrand. I showed them that I was capable of leading them to victory and protecting them. Vratigrand was coveted by many clans, yet none had succeeded in taking it for as long as anyone can remember. Yet I did. And I’ve held it all this time. That made me a legend among men. And now you must become a legend as well. You must solidify your status as a mighty man. Your fellow soldiers know that in combat you have no equal in your age group, but sparring doesn’t save anyone. You are untested in real combat. Now comes the test. The test you must not only pass, but dominate. And you won’t do that if you ride into battle in front of your father’s well defended base with favorable odds under a different commander.”
I was not sure what to say. When I didn’t respond, father pushed on, removing his hand and stepping away. “I have set the stage for you. All you have to do is go to the battle and win it. Upon your return, everyone will hear of your victory and you will be celebrated, might cemented. That is what I want for you…And I believe you can achieve it. I would not send my eldest son to die. I know you, and I know your skill. We’ve talked of tactics a thousand times. Now you shall put those talks to action. I believe in you. Defend Vratigrand from the Lyke, show the heathen clans out there in the Ruined that the future king is not to be trifled with. Remind them that what they want is ours, and therefore they can never have it.”
I finally found words. “But…what if the Lyke aren’t marching on us? Then I will have attacked a clan without provocation…”
“Griff Hills is a demarcation landmark,” father cut me off. “If they reach that point and continue, they have literally crossed the line. I made it known a long time ago that any clan that crosses it is at our mercy. So wait for them there. If they turn and leave, oh well. But if they cross, attack.”
“Won’t they expect me to be waiting for them there, then?”
“Perhaps. Be prepared. You leave at dawn.”
The walk back to our castle was a long one.
I didn’t normally think it was that far, but the weight of the task before me made time seem slower. I was not excited for this mission in the slightest. I knew that father had high hopes for me, but I wasn’t sure how I could reach them, they seemed so far above me. I didn’t take note of any of the commoners that undoubtedly bowed or lowered their heads as we walked up the Royal Road leading to the castle, I was so distracted. I barely registered the usual sounds of the activities taking place through the city. I just focused on the impossible task bestowed upon me.
We reached the castle, and the great entrance doors were opened for us. Father reminded me that we would gather for our family dinner in two hours, when Lyssa returned from her shift. He went his way and I went mine, travelling down the hall on the right of the entrance to get to one of my rooms. I had three: one on the third floor for sleeping, one on the second for business (which I never used), and one on the first floor, also for sleeping whenever I didn’t feel like travelling to the top floor.
I entered my first floor room and flopped down on the bed. I had barely been laying there a second when a voice spoke up from the corner. “Hello to you as well, Your Highness.”
I rose quickly and turned to face the speaker, startled. “Melanie! What are you doing in my room, especially at this hour?”
Melanie giggled and looked at the ceiling. “Oh, I thought I would come pay you a visit. Especially since you might not make it back from your trip tomorrow.”
I sat straight up on the bed and looked at her. She was wearing a sky blue dress and her light golden brown hair was tied into a ponytail in the back with ringlets in the front. She looked quite lovely.
“And who told you of any trip I may or may not be partaking in?” I asked.
“My father, of course,” she said. Of course. Melanie’s father was the lord of House Byrd, one of the six lords that made up my father’s court. While the Byrds were not the largest House, Melanie’s father Malagant was one of my father’s most loyal supporters-due in no small part to the fact that I was betrothed to Melanie. My other siblings were betrothed to children of other lords, but my betrothal was cemented first, and the closet to an actual marriage, set for a month after my twenty-first birthday. Just six months away.
“Have you come to profess your undying love and loyalty to me before I go, fearing I may not return?” I jested.
Melanie grinned. “Not quite, dear betrothed. I came to offer you some advice. You see, I would very much prefer that you live through this engagement.”
“You’ve got such a lovely way with words,” I remarked.
“Thank you. Anyway, I need you to live, not just for you, but for me as well. If you died, who would I talk to?”
That wasn’t it. “You have plenty of friends.”
“Not guys.”
“You could easily make some.”
“Also, who would I be betrothed to?”
That was more like it, but not all the way exposed. “There are plenty of other suitors that would love to have your hand.”
“Alright, who would be my ticket into the royal family?” There it was. For as much as Melanie may or may not have cared for me-I could never truly tell-her care for being a part of the royal family was vast. She desired it deeply. And she had a mind for it, I would give her that. She was always up to date on the whispers sweeping the city, always had her father tell her about the court meetings, and always made sure that the citizens knew she was betrothed to me. In fact, she was the one that had helped me decide to join the Army of Vratigrand in the first place, when I had been wrestling with the decision for quite some time up to that point.
“You know, I’m actually quite adept at strategy myself,” I said. “It is plausible that I don’t need your help.”
Melanie’s grin turned into a smirk. “Plausible yes…but not certain, especially since you’ve never been into the Ruined.” She looked at the ceiling. “But I have.”
I was on my feet then, all ears. “You have? When, and why?”
Melanie stood and began to walk towards me. “A year ago, with my brother and a few of our guards. A scout had reported grass springing up near the Griff Hills.”
“Yes, I recall,” I said, nodding.
“Well, I just had to see that, so I had the scouts take me-under my father’s nose, of course. And as you know, there was no grass.”
“People believed that the scout had been delusional,” I remembered.
“Yes. Except, he wasn’t either. I saw the area before the second scout group came the next day. I could tell that there had been grass. Someone had taken it.”
“Why and who?”
“Why? Who knows? And who? Who cares? That matters not. What matters is that I looked for the grass around the Hills. I didn’t find it, but I got a good lay of the area, even drew a picture of it.” She pulled said picture from her pocket. “Now, shall we examine the picture? And plot your great victory, my love?”
March 10, 2018
Blurb Time!
Hello again, everyone! The cover for A Light to the Ruined is being worked on, but in the meantime, here is the official blurb for the novel!
In a wasteland known as the Ruined populated by roving clans, there exists a kingdom of prosperity-the city of Vratigrand. This coveted kingdom is ruled over by the imposing House Rey, consisting of King Roland, Queen Ebony, and their three children, Bellamy, Lyssa, and Chauncey.
All three of the Rey siblings seek the throne of Vratigrand for their own reasons, aided by their supporters. But as the siblings squabble over a throne and their parents take sides, the clans of the the Ruined are stirring, preparing for a war that Vratigrand simply isn't prepared for. And matters get even more complicated when another kingdom long hidden gets involved...
Told from the perspectives of Bellamy, Lyssa, and Chauncey, A Light to the Ruined examines faith, loyalty, the bonds of family, and what our places are in the grand scheme of the Lord.
In a wasteland known as the Ruined populated by roving clans, there exists a kingdom of prosperity-the city of Vratigrand. This coveted kingdom is ruled over by the imposing House Rey, consisting of King Roland, Queen Ebony, and their three children, Bellamy, Lyssa, and Chauncey.
All three of the Rey siblings seek the throne of Vratigrand for their own reasons, aided by their supporters. But as the siblings squabble over a throne and their parents take sides, the clans of the the Ruined are stirring, preparing for a war that Vratigrand simply isn't prepared for. And matters get even more complicated when another kingdom long hidden gets involved...
Told from the perspectives of Bellamy, Lyssa, and Chauncey, A Light to the Ruined examines faith, loyalty, the bonds of family, and what our places are in the grand scheme of the Lord.
February 24, 2018
Title Reveal!
It is time for the title reveal for my upcoming project! Before I reveal what it is, I should tell you all that the hint of the word "Gift" has been changed to "Light". OK? Last chance to guess. answer coming in 3...
2...
1...
...And the title is..."A Light to the Ruined"! And yes, it was originally "A Gift to the Ruined", but "Light" fit much better, as you will hopefully see and agree. Along with the title, I can also reveal the official release date: June 5, 2018!
I've got many plans in the works for promotion, from artwork posts on the blog to giveaways, so please stay tuned for updates, and ask me questions; all of them will be answered, you have my word. I find one of the advantages of being a free agent is being able to say what I want in my answers without interference from any publishers, so no appropriate questions will be ignored. I look forward to hearing from you all. Cover coming soon!
2...
1...
...And the title is..."A Light to the Ruined"! And yes, it was originally "A Gift to the Ruined", but "Light" fit much better, as you will hopefully see and agree. Along with the title, I can also reveal the official release date: June 5, 2018!
I've got many plans in the works for promotion, from artwork posts on the blog to giveaways, so please stay tuned for updates, and ask me questions; all of them will be answered, you have my word. I find one of the advantages of being a free agent is being able to say what I want in my answers without interference from any publishers, so no appropriate questions will be ignored. I look forward to hearing from you all. Cover coming soon!
November 1, 2017
Something Good...
Hello, everyone! My apologies for taking so long for an update. I have been working on a new project and am currently in the process of editing the second draft before submitting it to a publisher that shall not be reveled yet... Also, the title is a mystery as well for now, but feel free to try and guess it! Here are a few hints:
1)It has five words
2)One of the words is "Gift"
3)And lastly, here is a direct quote from late in the novel!
“We are paralyzed right now, in an angry sleep of violence, our world an expanse of nightmares. But what if he comes and turns it into a dream…then wakes us up to the love that we lost so long ago?”
I love that quote, and it is even better in context. That's all for today, but please stay tuned, and have a blessed day!
1)It has five words
2)One of the words is "Gift"
3)And lastly, here is a direct quote from late in the novel!
“We are paralyzed right now, in an angry sleep of violence, our world an expanse of nightmares. But what if he comes and turns it into a dream…then wakes us up to the love that we lost so long ago?”
I love that quote, and it is even better in context. That's all for today, but please stay tuned, and have a blessed day!
Of a Ready Writer
The official blog of Kenneth Britton Jr. Here, I will expound on the details and messages of my books that might be missed otherwise. I want to encourage readers to trust in the Lord and give them gui
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