King's Warrior (The Minstrel's Song Book 1)

by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

  King Arnaud smiled. “Good,” he said, startling Kamarie slightly, “I am glad, for it means that you will not be disappointed when I do not grant you knighthood.

  “You are right, my daughter. Battle is no place for women. However, you have set a wise example in your rigorous training, and I would like to encourage this among all the daughters of Aom-igh. You will be the first of a new order, one that you may have the honor of naming. You will take the same tests required for knighthood, and you will lead and develop your sister countrymen in building and sustaining this great honor among the women of Aom-igh. Though your duties are different, your training and honor will be the same as that of your brotherhood of knights.”

  As Arnaud finished speaking, Kamarie beamed and threw her arms about his neck. Arnaud smiled and hugged her back; he felt a lump of emotion lodge itself in his throat and well up behind his eyes. Then Kamarie let go and returned to her place in the crowd next to her mother amid shouts of, “Hail Princess Kamarie! Hail the Lady Warrior!”

  Arnaud continued, “My pride is full this evening, not because of this celebration, but because of you, my countrymen, and the courage, sacrifice, and selflessness that has been on display these past months. I truly wish I could honor each one of you individually, but time does not permit. This celebration is because of you, and nothing could please your king, your brother, more. Among those who remain unmentioned are four sisters, and I honor their request for anonymity for the sake of my own health.”

  The people laughed, and Arnaud smiled as well. Then he continued speaking, “There is one more whom I would like to especially recognize this evening. A young man whose loyalty to king and country took him far from the battle and excitement that he so wanted to be part of.

  “He followed his orders and completed his mission, a mission that proved to be far more perilous and of far more benefit to his countrymen than ever expected. His journey led him directly into the battle he thought he would miss, where he proved his skill and courage beyond measure.”

  The room was suddenly abuzz with curious whispers as everyone wondered who fit the king’s description. All eyes were on Arnaud in anticipation of the answer to that question.

  King Arnaud paused, and then he said, “Oraeyn, would you come forward please.”

  Oraeyn had never been so shocked in his entire life. He had hardly even expected to be recognized and certainly not with an introduction such as that. He felt frozen in place as though rooted to the floor, and he could not move to obey his King nor could he speak to say that he could not move.

  Suddenly Brant was there, the man nudged him forward, causing him to stumble a bit reminding him of his ability to walk. Oraeyn flashed him a grateful look and then made his way up to where his King stood. Within a few moments, he was standing on the hearthstone before Arnaud. Oraeyn’s face was full of confusion and questions, but he found he still could not speak to utter them; his tongue felt as though it were weighed down with lead.

  Arnaud smiled. “This man who stands before you is Oraeyn. He has traveled with my daughter, Kamarie, as well as with King Brant, the dragon Yole and the wizardess Dylanna. He went on that journey because I entrusted to him the safety of my daughter. Little did I know the true value of that trust.

  “Oraeyn was chosen to go on that journey because he was the only squire who could be spared. However, had I to make the choice over again, I would entrust my family, my life, our kingdom with none other.”

  Arnaud looked at Oraeyn kindly. “This man was orphaned as a child, and he never knew his parents. However, he carries at his side the Fang Blade, the Shining Sword of King Llian. That sword was lost to us when Llian died, over six hundred years ago. Llian’s advisor, wizard, and oldest friend, Scelwhyn, put a spell of protection around the blade, making it so that no one but Llian himself or one of his descendants could remove the sword from its hiding place. Oraeyn was found by that hidden place, and the sword has claimed its owner. He does not, as yet, realize the full greatness of the thing that he carries, nor does he recognize the true value of its holder. However, I do. That is why he stands before you now.”

  Arnaud paused again and the crowd of people held their breaths, waiting. He turned to Oraeyn now and bade him to kneel down. Oraeyn obeyed without a word. King Arnaud removed his own sword from its sheath and touched Oraeyn lightly on either shoulder with the flat of its blade.

  “By my power and authority as King, I name you a knight of the realm and I bind you to their code to serve and protect the king and the people of Aom-igh, and to raise others above yourself as you choose to do what is good and right and just. I bid you rise, Sir Oraeyn.”

  Oraeyn stood in a daze and the people raised a great cheer for him. But Arnaud was not finished and he held up a hand.

  “A man of royal blood, a knight of the realm, the holder of the Fang Blade, a man of character, courage, loyalty, and honor; to this man, I give my kingdom. It is this man whom I would proclaim as my heir.” Arnaud finished speaking, and the crowd fell silent as he removed his own crown and placed it upon Oraeyn’s head.

  At last Oraeyn found his tongue. “No, sire!” he exclaimed. “I am not worthy of such words, I am not the man that you believe me to be! I cannot rule Aom-igh, I am not King Llian returned; I am not even of noble blood. I cannot follow in the footsteps of the great kings, of Artair and Llian and Sharlmayen and yourself!”

  Arnaud smiled quietly. “They all said that they could not do it either, but they did; that is what made them so great. They did not believe in their own worth either, not one of those men thought that he was the right man for the throne, but that was their greatness: that they did not believe themselves to be so high.

  “That belief, that conviction is your greatness as well. Stay true to this understanding, and stay true to your fellow countrymen, and you will serve well. More than courage in battle, or loyalty to country, or even royal lineage, it is the love and care that you bring to your people that defines the greatness of your effort.”

  Oraeyn sighed as understanding weighed on his heart. “So have I no choice?”

  Arnaud looked at him kindly. “The greatest kings never do, but out of gratitude for your singular service to me and my family, I am granting you this choice.”

  Oraeyn opened his mouth hastily to say that he chose to be anything but the King of Aom-igh, but then he closed it again. “Kings don’t get to choose, do they? They are chosen.”

  Arnaud nodded solemnly. Oraeyn looked at him and said, “Then I choose to accept the crown rather than fight it.”

  Arnaud’s face broke into a smile of pride. “Then I proclaim you King Oraeyn of Aom-igh, a new king for a new beginning.”

  The stunned crowd finally found their voice again and shouted out, “Hail King Oraeyn!” over and over again. Arnaud signaled and music, refreshment, and entertainment resumed late into the evening.

  “So what does this mean?” Oraeyn asked, following Arnaud back to their table.

  “It means that I am no longer the King of Aom-igh,” Arnaud said.

  “But I thought that you were just naming me as your heir,” Oraeyn protested, “how can you not be king while you are still alive? I am too young to take the throne now!”

  “It has always been my wish to step down from the throne while I was still living,” Arnaud replied. “I would like to return to my farm, and set aside the burdens of royalty and take on the concerns of crops and livestock once again. The challenges of kingship are great, young Oraeyn, but so are the rewards. I have enjoyed both, but Zara and I are ready to move on. As for being too young, I was your age when I was handed the throne. Young means many things, but one thing it definitely means is energy and enthusiasm, which our country will need in the aftermath of recent events. Plus, you carry the Fang Blade, and that means quite a bit to our brothers from Krayghentaliss.”

  Oraeyn’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Will you at least stay to be my advisor for a little while?” he asked q
uietly. “I know nothing of ruling a country.”

  Arnaud grinned, looking younger than he had looked in years. “Of course, you did not think I would leave you to figure out the intricacies of ruling a kingdom all by yourself? That would hardly be a reward, now would it?”

  Oraeyn soon found himself tired, and overwhelmed. So many things he wanted to ask and needed to know, but these would have to wait. He found his way back to his room where sleep overtook him, leaving his questions unspoken.

  Epilogue

  Yole roused Dylanna and Kamarie and Oraeyn early the next morning with an urgency in his voice and gestures. They stared at him, groggy with sleep. It took him a while to make them comprehend what he was saying, but when they finally did understand it jerked them into complete wakefulness. They each got up hurriedly and dressed and then followed Yole down to the harbor.

  The day was dark and drizzly, and there was thunder in the air. It was cold and gray out, as though the sky itself were weeping for something lost. The rain poured down, drenching the four lone people who stood upon the shore staring out to sea.

  The final ship of Llycaelon had set sail several hours earlier and was now just a tiny speck on the horizon of dark gray sky meeting the white-capped blue waves. It rose and sank and got ever smaller as the great swells carried it away. Kamarie turned to look at Oraeyn, her brow furrowed with questions and a great sadness in her eyes.

  “Why would he leave without saying good bye?”

  Oraeyn could only shake his head, for there was pain welling up within his heart and he could not speak for fear that the pain would overcome him. He stared out after the ships; the sails were barely visible now. He thought about the man he had met with suspicion and reservations, he thought about how the man had gradually become a role model, a hero, and even perhaps a friend, and he thought about how he was returning to his own homeland. Oraeyn felt that he ought to have been happy for Brant, but he could not help feeling abandoned as he stood there on the shore, staring out into the angry, rolling waves that broke upon the rocks. Kamarie’s question echoed in his own thoughts, but he could not summon the energy to try responding.

  Dylanna spoke softly, as if in answer to Kamarie’s question, there was much emotion carried in her voice. “His work here was done, and he is going home.”

  Kamarie was crying quietly, tears streaming down her face and mingling with the light mist that hung in the air, threatening true rain.

  Dylanna’s words hung in the air and seemed to swirl around them as the rain and the wind that drenched and chilled them. They stood there silently for a moment, watching the ship as it sailed beyond their sight.

  “But why would he slip away in the early morning without saying good bye?” Yole repeated Kamarie’s question plaintively, breaking the silence and asking again the question that was weighing upon each of them.

  “Perhaps he doesn’t like good byes.”

  The deep, familiar voice that answered Yole’s question made the four of them whirl around with a start. For a moment the mist and fog blocked their vision of the speaker. Then they found themselves face to face with a smiling, rain-soaked Brant.

  “Brant!” Oraeyn cried, wiping the rainwater out of his eyes; and now the tears did come as he threw his arms around the man and hugged him as a little child hugs the father who has returned from many months of being gone.

  The rest of them joined Oraeyn, hugging Brant as though he had just come back from a long and perilous journey that had taken him away for many years. Brant laughed and hugged them all back.

  “Now, what’s all this? One would think that you had not seen me since last night!” Brant exclaimed cheerfully, his tone light and playful.

  Then Dylanna drew back suddenly and frowned in confusion. “But your ship has left without you,” she said, glancing in the direction of the vanished vessel.

  Brant nodded soberly. “Yes, I know. But Llycaelon has managed without me for a long time, and a while longer will not matter to them. I have never desired the throne. Last night I relinquished the crown of Llycaelon to Jemson. He is known by our people, and his ascension to the throne will be far easier and more seamless than mine would have been. I named Tobias as his First Advisor and disbanded the Council of Three that used my brother and his tenuous grasp on sanity to try to grab power and wealth for themselves; they are being taken back to Llycaelon in chains and will face justice in our own land. The dragons have been kind enough to offer their services in flying me back and forth between the two countries when my nephew needs my aid or advice. I do not intend to abandon him to learn ruling a country, but I cannot be too visible, or it might seem as though I do not have confidence in him. The last thing he needs is for the people to believe he is a puppet king. Besides, Aom-igh still has need of me for now,” he paused, and then added with a twinkle in his eye, “I thought perhaps King Oraeyn might need a better advisor than a retired king and a couple of wizardesses.”

  Dylanna opened her mouth and closed it several times in mock outrage. But she could not continue to pretend being angry while she was holding back a smile. Together, the five of them walked back towards the castle, arms around each other, laughing and reminiscing over their journeys that already seemed to have taken place lifetimes ago.

  GLOSSARY

  Aethalons (ā-ETH-ə-lohns): The people of Llycaelon.

  Aetoli (ā-eh-TOLL-ee): Highest ranking warrior in Llycaelon.

  Aom-igh (Ā-ōm-Ī): Home of Kamarie

  Ayollan (AY-ōl-ăn): Capital city of Aom-igh

  Arnaud (AR-nawd): King of Aom-igh.

  Brant (brănt): Formerly the King’s Warrior.

  Calyssia (cuh-LEE-see-ah): Keeper of Pearl Cove.

  Coeyallin (kō-ĕ-yăl-in): A province of Aom-igh.

  Darby (DAR-bee): Kamarie’s maidservant.

  Drayedon (DRAY-ě-don): A province of Aom-igh.

  Dylanna (dĭ-LAHN-ah): Wizardess, second daughter of Scelwhyn.

  Elroy (ELLE-roy): Leader of Roalthae.

  Enreigh (ON-ree): A peasant of Aom-igh, Marghita’s husband.

  Farrendell (FAR-ehn-dell): Main river that runs through Aom-igh.

  Frantell (fran-TELL): A duchess of Aom-igh.

  Garen (GAIR-en): A Knight of the Realm

  Graldon (GRAIL-dən): King of the Dragons before Rhendak.

  Iarrdek (ee-yar-DEK): A gryphon.

  Imojean (ĬM-ō-jeen): Brant’s wife.

  Iolanver (ee-ō-lan-vair): Island-country southeast of Aom-igh.

  Justan (JUST-in): A Knight of the Realm; raised by Garen.

  Kaitryn (KAY-trin): Rena’s daughter.

  Kali (KĂ-lee): Brant’s daughter.

  Kamarie (kah-MAR-ee): Princess of Aom-igh.

  Kane, Kiernan (KANE, KEE-YAIR-nen): A wandering minstrel.

  Krayghentaliss (kray-ghen-TĄL-ĭss): The realm of the myth-folk

  Leila (lee-Ī-luh): Wizardess who lives in the Harshlands

  Llian (LEE-ĕn): King of Aom-igh during the first Great War.

  Llycaelon (lie-KAY-ĕ-lahn): The true name of the “Dark Country.”

  Marghita (mar-GHEE-tuh): A peasant woman of Aom-igh.

  Mystak (mis-TAK): A dragon.

  Nnyendell (nYEN-dell): A dragon.

  Oraeyn (ŏr-AY-in): Squire in training to be a Knight of the Realm.

  Quenmoire (kwen-moyr): Island-country to the south of Roalthae.

  Rena (RĒ-nuh): One of the People of Pearl Cove.

  Rhendak (ren-DACK): King of the Dragons.

  Rhynellewhyn (rin-ELL-ĕ-whin): A Pegasus.

  Roalthae (rō-awl-THAY): Island-country northeast of Aom-igh.

  Sauterly (SAW-ter-lee): A baron of Aom-igh.

  Scelwhyn (sell-win): Wizard and advisor to Aom-igh’s kings.

  Schea (shay): Brant’s son.

  Seamas (SHAW-mŭs): King of the Dark Country.

  Selynda (sell-IHN-dah): A duchess of Aom-igh.

  Shalintess (shall-IN-tess): Mate of King Rhendak

  To
bias (toe-BY-ess): King Seamas’ most trusted friend

  Toreth (TOR-eth): The moon.

  Urith (OOR-ith): A province of Aom-igh.

  Wessel (wess-əl): Leader of the Cove People, Rena’s husband.

  Yatensea (YĄcht-in-see): A baron of Aom-igh.

  Yole (yōle): A young orphan boy

  Zara (ZAR-ah): Queen of Aom-igh.

  Zhreden (ZREE-den): A province of Aom-igh.

  Read on for a sneak preview of the next book in The Minstrel’s Song

  SECOND SON

  Available Spring 2013

  The young apprentice peered up at the sky, a puzzled look in his bright eyes. “But what does it mean, Master? I don’t understand.”

  “Two sons.”

  “Two sons? But there have never been two sons in the house of Arne, never!”

  “Never, my boy? Never? Have you lived since the Dragon’s Eye was formed then? Have you watched the line of Arne from the ancient days before their family acquired the throne? No? Then be silent with your idle words and keep your thoughts to yourself!” the old man’s voice became a thundering roar and his apprentice hunched his shoulders against the storm. “You are right in one sense of the word, my boy.”

  “How?” the boy asked carefully.

  “There has not been a second-son in that line for a very, very long time.”

  “The stars shoot sparks at his birth, Master, why?”

  “Do not put too much stock in the stars my boy, they are fickle and distant and do not affect the lives of men by very great a margin. I see that I shall have to un-teach you much of what you have learned from your previous superstitious masters. The stars merely appear to spark more brightly now because it is a clear night and we are far away from other lights.”