by M. J. Sewall
“I know; the books are just as important as the fight training. Anyway, I could almost see for the last two days anyway.”
“You mean you could see the night of Cayne? The people thought you were totally blind that night.”
Vance offered, “Asa really played the part.”
“They needed a symbol they could follow, something to bring us all together. It wouldn't have been the same to say, 'help me, I'm kind of blind.' The people needed a leader to show them we are all a large family.”
Gordon nodded, “I can see why they chose to keep you king. I guess I'm stuck too, then.”
Asa rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you too. You didn't do so bad yourself, 'chosen one.' ”
“Please, no more nicknames.”
“Still half an hour of fight training, my king. Care to start yours early today, Gordon?”
“Yeah. Just let me change. Oh, congratulations Brenddel.”
“On what?” Brenddel asked, brow furrowed.
“You're an official member of the 'everyone thought I was dead club!”
They all laughed. Even Brenddel cracked a smile, “Let's hope I'm the last member.”
Low thunder roared far in the distance. No one reacted, so Gordon didn't think anyone else heard it. He looked around, but he didn't hear the thunder again. The storm must be far away. He focused instead on the happy day, hoping he would have many others.
Later that night, Gordon had a new dream.
Epilogue
Gordon sat in the courtyard, staring at the purple mountains in the distance and enjoyed the cool breeze as it washed his face. He reflected on all that had happened since he was thirteen years old. Just celebrating his twenty third birthday, he had a hard time remembering the boy he had been the day of the first choosing, the one that began the great adventure of his life.
He had never felt at home in the palace. The memory of his mother warmed him, and also made him sad. As Gordon looked around the beautiful courtyard, all he really saw was cold stone walls. He longed for the small, peaceful home of his Uncle Loren. The quiet life would come soon enough.
“It's almost time, Gordon,” said a familiar voice.
“Finally. I thought this day would never get here,” replied Gordon, smiling at the sight of her.
Aline sat on his lap and kissed him, “But the day is here. Now we must go. Get up, my king.”
Gordon ran his finger across her Firstman stripes, “This is your last chance to marry a king,” said Gordon.
Aline got up and said, “I've told you before, I never wanted to marry a king.” She walked away, “But, you may want to ask me again in a few days.” She disappeared into the palace.
Gordon got up, making sure the strap holding on his wooden leg was tight. We survived the wars. Well, most of us, thinking of all those that had fallen.
Not wanting to be late, he looked around the palace again. This was never really my home, he thought. And he walked away to find Aline and preside over the first honest king, or possibly queen choosing ceremony in a very long time.
END OF BOOK 3
A brief glimpse into a possible future
But as the mystic instructed
The future is ever changing
We do not get to know our fate
Until we live it
If every decision can bring a different future
Can our heroes ever truly be safe?
~ Llawes the Younger
Author Note
Well, hello there.
I hope you're enjoying the journey. It's far from over.
Consider this your invitation to tag along on the next adventure.
I'm often asked how many books it will take to tell these stories.
Sorry, I have no idea. But I hope you're having as much fun as I am jaunting through this world.
I too, wish that all my characters had easier lives, but then again, happy people don't make history.
If you like these stories, please leave an honest review on Amazon.com, Goodreads.com or any other site you prefer. If you hate my stories, you can always yell and scream at me at mjsewall.com
Thanks. See you next time.
M J Sewall,
November 2015
Thanks and Acknowledgements
To everyone that helped me with these stories at every stage, thank you.
But especially:
My wonderful editors, Mindy T. Conde and Natalie McDermott, you are treasures.
Anthony Pico
Brian Hall
Chelsea McKinney
Danielle O'Brien
Hillary Frye
Irene Getchel
Janet Wallace
Jenna Elizabeth Johnson
Jennifer Honey Moore
J. T. Stoll
Nellie Sewall
Preston Frye
Robert Lee
Rose Torres
Ryne Torres
And of course, the McAlister family (John, Susan, Aidan, and Colin) – Thanks, as always.
Author Biography
M J Sewall lives on the Central California Coast just about where the state bends on the map. When visiting the area, simply drive around and yell his name three times. He may appear. Afraid of Megalodons and Burmese alligators, he keeps mostly to himself. A shameless self-promoter, M J Sewall steadfastly refuses to talk about himself. Always looking for time travel opportunities, the author would love to go back into the time of shimmering knightly honor.
Except for the lack of running hot water and toilets.
And deodorant.
Not to mention all the plagues.
Or the bad food.
The author has changed his mind and is happy living in the current futuristic world.
For more information, please visit mjsewall.com
Books by the Author
Chosen King Series Dream of Empty Crowns
The Trials of Boy Kings
Plague of Tyrants
Forever Warriors
Seven Ways To Jane
Wild Monsters Dance About
Glossary of Characters and Terms
Adinn (Pronounced: AYE-DINN) – King before Stathen.
Aline (UHH-LEEN) – Warrior girl.
Anthsia (ANTH-SEE-UH) – Mountain in Dralinn, dormant volcano.
Ardrell – Sister of Sandrell, aunt to Aline.
Arm arrows – Small wrist mounted arrow gun, i.e. small crossbow.
Arrow guns – Similar to crossbows.
Artoth – Kingdom of the gods, ruled by two kings.
Asa (AYE-SUH) – King chosen after Gordon.
Asgonan (AZ-GO-NON) – Small Island between Extatumm and Artoth, in dispute for centuries. Kingdom of the Thirteen helped the two kings of Artoth.
Aspora – Land of 1000 Kings. Large, fractured land.
Atmoss – A famous longknife.
Banner of The Kingdom of the Thirteen – Rectangle banner with a triangle in the middle, surrounded by thirteen longknives pointed outward from the triangle.
Battle Room (or war room) – Where battle plans are made, contains maps of the known lands.
Borenn – First king, Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Brenddel – Firstman of the Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Brill – Twin sister to the living god of Osmallan.
Cayne – Warlord from Aspora.
Copway people – Friendly people of the Yajan Islands.
Corinn – Former Firsthealer of the Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Cossca – A workman, rejected from palace guard.
Crys (CHRISS) – Queen mother of the living god.
Danette – Leader of the floating city.
Dard – Kingdom that was overthrown and renamed Extatumm.
Darion – King's brother in Thure (king now deceased).
Denogg of the family Xoss – Wealthy merchant of Thure.
Devver – Brother of Asa.
Dog teams – Small carriages on wheels, pulled by a team of dogs.
Domen - Works with Cossca.
Dralinn (DRAY-LINN) – Sea port, dangerous, a.k.a. Murderer's Bay.
Drinks House – Similar to a pub or tavern.
Extatumm – Large land, formerly the Kingdom of Dard.
Eyonna – Queen of Thure.
Family Xoss (Pronounced ZOSS) – Wealthy merchants, Denogg and Santovan are brothers from this family.
Fire bugs - They are explosive when agitated. Their natural defense is like a bee – sacrifice themselves for damage to enemy. Left alone, they are like lightning bugs. They are naturally attracted to sugar, especially sugar cane. By themselves, one exploding bug is like a spark. When enough are together, they can start a small fire.
Fire gun / Rainmaker – Fire weapon mounted on airships.
Fortress – Community of people in the haunted forest of Aspora.
Gantroh (GANT-ROW) – narrow mountain range south of the canal at Artoth.
Gordon – King, Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Harlow – Old Sailor, sometimes smuggler – a.k.a. Harlow of Hallimenn.
Haunted Forest – Forest of large trees in Aspora, was burned down.
Jaiwan (JA–EYE-WAN) – a.k.a. Number 8 - warrior from Yajan.
Jasson and the Jhalgon – Famous children's story.
Jhalgon Fish (JALL-GONE) – Giant flying fish, also known as Shadow Fins. Can reach up to 60 feet in length. Their flight capability is narrow, and they rarely venture over land.
Jon – One of Loyce's crew.
Jott – Self-described King of Aspora for a time, father of Lyrra, killed by Cayne.
Kett – From the river lands tribe in Aspora. a.k.a Kett of green lake.
King Daymer (DAY-MER) – Husband to Queen Ellice, past ruler of Kingdom of the Thirteen.
King Leeman – Past King, ruled in Kingdom of the Thirteen.
King's Dice – Dice game.
Kingdom of the Thirteen (or New Kingdom) – Gordon's Kingdom.
Lantovas (LAN–TOE-VAH-SS) – Firstman of Thure.
Lawkeeper – Workers that attend to the great law rooms.
Longknife / Shortknife (or Great Knife & Smallknife) –Similar to long swords and short swords.
Loren (LORE-ENN) – Gordon's uncle and Firsthealer of the Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Loren's oil – Insulin developed from pigs.
Loyce – Sea Lord. Much like a pirate.
Lozarian – Secondman. In charge when Tolan is on mission, Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Lyrra – From the grasslands tribe, tent dwellers on the plains of Aspora.
Mantuan (MAN-TOO-UNN) – Firstman to King Daymer, has a patch on his right eye.
Ninnith – Blue king of Thure.
Ossmalan – Small city region near the entrance to the Outlands.
Outlands – Many of the lands are unknown.
Pact with man – Religion of the blue king of Artoth.
Pin – Like a crude syringe, or needle.
Quanna – Beast of the Artoth canal.
Queen Ellice (ELL-EE-SS) – a.k.a. Slaver Queen, grew up in village with Daymer. Gordon's mother.
Rainmaker - Fire gun weapon on airships.
Rolem (ROLL-EM) – Trunculin's assistant at the palace.
Russel the third – King of Thure. Became King at 23. Deceased.
Salban – Sea god.
Salban's fingers – Rock formation just outside of Outlands.
Salenn the peacemaker – Queen of old, Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Sandrell – Aline's mother. Deceased.
Santovan – Denogg's brother.
Seefer – Inventor from the Outlands.
Skyler – Friend of Gordon and Asa.
Sour cake – Cakes that Loren makes Gordon for the sweetblood, to help lower blood sugar. Purple in color.
Stathen (STAY-TH-ENN) – King before Gordon, two terms (ten years, called trials).
Steppen – Dard King that wrestled the seven serpents, image on gates of Dard.
Swiftfoot – Harlow's ship.
Tethon, Son of Torr – Orange King of Artoth.
Thinkers - Seekers of wisdom, much like scientists.
Thorny root – Poison.
Thure – Old Kingdom, a.k.a. Kingdom of paper.
Tolan – Secondman to Brenddel.
TrTorrin (TRUH-TORE-INN) – called the Father of Extatumm. Now deceased. Had seven daughters.
Trunculin (TRUNK-YOU-LINN) – Former firstcouncilor of the Kingdom of the Thirteen.
Valren (VAL-RENN) – A mystic of the guild.
Vance – Oldest brother of Asa.
Weldon – Lead Outlander guard.
Yajan – (YA-ZSAH-NN) Island lands.
Zoress Bread / Dough – Loren uses to extract poison.
Dear reader,
Thank you for taking time to read Plague of Tyrants. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
