Kingdom of Dragons (Kingdom Series Book 2)

by Anna St George

  “So,” she pouted. “So what if my hero is a dark fierce stallion. So what if I’m a little different than other ladies and l find my joy on the back of a horse with the wind rippling through my hair as we gallop over the countryside and compete in archery. So what!” Gwen looked hard at each one and there was a moment of extreme silence.

  “Well, Lady Gwendolyn ,” said Carwyn. “Perhaps you would find fulfillment in a journey to find another sort of dark stallion. One you can ride through life with.”

  “You mean a . . . husband.” Even saying it was difficult for her.

  “Yes you are a very attractive young lady and of marrying age. Your father will be anxious to see you wed soon.”

  “Ohhh,” Gwen sighed. “I said I’d go on a journey to visit with Lady Anwyn. I didn’t say I’d get married. What exactly do you know of this…Lady Anwyn?”

  “Well,” said Crewe. “She’s a kind older lady and she loves to do good to people. Likes to help people.”

  “Likes to find them husbands,” said Carwyn with a soft giggle

  “Stop that!” said Merry with a giggle and she slapped his arm softly.

  Gwen’s eyes were turbulent as Carwyn continued his explanation of Lady Anwyn. “Goes out of her way. God has given her the gift of mercy. Believe me Lady Gwendolyn when I say you will be safe and well cared for in her household.”

  “Well I’ve heard she’s a determined matchmaker,” said Crewe. “So best take your wedding gown with you,” he said sweetly and they all giggled.

  Gwen grimaced and her eyes lit up like an angry lioness. “Excuse me,” was all she managed to say as she stormed out of the room. The conversation did not relax her and this whole situation vexed her. She did not want to go.

  Within a few days Gwen was packed and ready to go and a carriage and attendants would escort her to Gwynedd. She had much to take with her for she was going for at least three months. There were trunks full of gowns and dresses, shoes, and boots, hair pieces and shawls and even the little horse, whom she called Morning Star or just Star for short, would travel there with her as well and since he was still small he would be transported on the back of a carriage. And Gwen even packed up a trunk full of stuff for little Star.

  She hugged her mother and father firmly and said her goodbye’s to everyone and she seemed rather melancholy and teary-eyed. For she hadn’t imagined leaving for the whole winter and it had come about so suddenly and here she was on an adventure to a place she had never been and in the company of Prince Pryderi, a man of great mystery. In spite of all the speculations, she had no fear of the marriage state for she knew that she annoyed him as much as he annoyed her. It was hardest saying her goodbye’s to Merry and as the sister’s hugged each other, Gwen didn’t want to let go. She released her and hopped up into the carriage and Merry stepped back and waved as the carriage pulled away. “Are you sure she’ll be safe with Pryderi, father?” Even though nothing had been officially said Merry was worried about the state of the kingdom with secret messages arriving in the night and her brother’s disappearing time and again. But they lived in times of uncertainty and nothing was ever a guarantee.

  Lord Godwyn nodded affirmatively. “Yes, I have faithful confidence in Pryderi. He’s as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove.”

  Merry watched until the carriage was out of sight. She suddenly felt very alone there at Berwyck without her sister.

  Chapter Eight

  The Royal Knights of the Lion

  Sir Peregrine Faithful and Sir Aaron D’Angel were royal knights who belonged to The Sacred Order of the Lion, devoted servants of King Edward. They raced their stallions over a long dusty road towards the town of Wakefield. The seven riders had been sent out to the seven regions of the kingdom and each had been given the task of travelling through towns and villages and small hamlets declaring that the king would return soon. They were told to tell every man, woman and child and to encourage them to be faithful, to be vigilant and keep watch for the king’s return. In each town they went to they posted parchments making this declaration and they were placed on church doors, tavern windows and tree trunks or anywhere visible for people to see. Some of them even stood in town squares and gave speeches to announce the return of their king. They had been sent out with five other riders who were all part of the Sacred Order of the Lion also known as the royal seven who were all valiant knights; Lord Arthur Goodkind, Sir Harald Peace, Sir Richard Blessed, Sir Christian Freeman, and Sir Albert Lovejoy. They were all brave gallant men and they rode with the king wherever he went and carried out all his orders.

  Sir Peregrine was a loyal and humble young man devoted to God and King and he was a great example of a chivalrous knight prepared to lay down his life to serve. He had travelled to the Holy Land with King Edward and his army when he was barely twenty one and recently betrothed and he told her before he left if he didn’t return in six years to marry someone else. However duty called and the young knight went forth into the Crusades leaving family and friends and a lovely young betrothed, and six years now passed and he wondered of the girl he left behind as he galloped over the countryside that morning and towards his hometown. Sir Aaron D’Angel was the son of a great architect who designed great cathedrals of worship. The greatest being the cathedral of St John which had been damaged in an earlier war between the lion and dragon clans. The two men stopped at nothing as they moved up the hillside and down the other, through a maze of trees, over a stone wall, and through some foggy terrain before reaching the town of Wakefield. Shiny chainmail and bright red and gold banners with a lion in the centre made everyone in the town stop and look.

  They both looked around momentarily as they dismounted their horses and tied them to a post. The town had changed much since Sir Peregrine had last been there. It was six years earlier he went to the crusades and he remembered clearly riding in a gallant parade with the king and his army as they rode through the town. It was the day his life changed forever when he was accepted into knighthood and King Edward himself came to perform the ceremony in the small town. He recalled it as a lively day and the people were exuberant as they came out to greet the king, a young man of valour and faith like his father before him. There were lots of shining faces and people who looked well cared for in the kingdom but these people on this very day were now different. Their smiles had faded, their clothes in rags, their shining souls were somewhat dim in the light of the sun and Peregrine knew straight away that these people had suffered much since the king had left and he began to wonder what had happened since the king’s absence to make them grow so weary. He walked to the centre of the town and turned around. “Hear ye!” he yelled out. “Hear ye all citizens of Wakefield. I bring thee good tidings!”

  The people stopped and looked at him strangely. One old man inspected him closely. “Do you bring us a fare feast and lots of gold from the far east?”

  “Why no,” replied Sir Peregrine.

  “Then go home!” he yelled back and all the people began booing him. “BOOOO! Go home! Go back to your fine castle and stay there!”

  “Please listen,” said Sir Aaron. “We bring thee good news. The king is returning.”

  “What good will that do us?” said a young woman with three small ones. “The king’s been gone a long time and his cousin is now king.”

  “That’s right,” yelled another old woman. “The king used to provide work for me husband, and there ain’t been no work since he went away. Me and me husband and children are findin it hard to survive. The Duke doesn’t care if we starve. Why should the king?’

  “That’s right,” the old man retorted.

  “He does care,” said Sir Peregrine. It’s the Duke of Redforte who doesn’t care but the king has completed his time in the crusades and he has heard of this disloyalty and he asks that you remain faithful. He will reward those who remain faithful to him.”

  “Ahh! Nonsense! “shouted the old man. “It’s all words, empty words. We’ve heard it before. The king
is coming back. Things will get better. But it never happens.”

  “I’m telling you,” said Sir Peregrine. “He’s coming back. Does the king have your loyal support?”

  “What’s he done for us?”

  “He has supported this country in times of war,” said Sir Aaron. “He has risked his life many times for the sake of the country and has provided well for those in his kingdom. He is grieved indeed that his cousin has been unfaithful at managing affairs in his absence. I assure you all wrongs will be amended.”

  The crowd began to dwindle and the two knights found themselves standing there alone with the parchment in their hands. They went straight to the tavern door and posted the good news on the door, King Edward is returning soon. Sir Peregrine wondered if the people here in the township had become so weary then what of his own dear family and the girl he left behind. Then they hopped on their horses and headed out to the countryside and towards the next town.

       

  Lord Arthur Goodkind and Sir Harald Peace had been in King Edward’s service since the day of his coronation and prior to that they both served Edward’s father some twenty years. They were faithful, ripened old knights, from clans of infamous warriors of prestige and honour, who had fought in many battles and they had both served three kings in their lifetime. Sir Harald hailed from the vicinity of Shropshire in the town of Shrewsbury but the call of knighthood took him away at fourteen to be squired by the senior Lord Goodkind and he and Arthur became instant companions and had served side by side in his majesty’s service since. Being strong in nature they developed a calibre that could not be subdued. They had their share of battle wounds, but never brought down and just as the scripture says, the old knights would quote this every morning and every night, We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

  It seemed nothing at all could shake these old warriors off their horses and they rode forth that morning with these words on their lips, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed!”

  It was approximately noon time when they rode into the village of Calder. They didn’t think they would ever find it tucked away in the moors of Yorkshire, but then Sir Harald spotted the church steeple shooting into the sky from miles away and they rode in just in time to witness a hanging. It was a young woman of about twenty years of age. They rode their horses into the town square by the church and Lord Arthur yelled out in a loud voice. “Citizens of Calder. What judgment takes place on this fine merry day?”

  The town sheriff looked up and nodded at the two knights with white hair and beards sitting on fine steeds. “Sir, this woman was found to be stealing. She stole fruit and bread from the local tavern. It came on word from his Lordship, Lord Redforte brother to the Duke of Redforte that she was to be hanged at noon on this fine day,” he said with sarcasm. For none of the townspeople had seen a fine day in a long time. The last time a fine day had been enjoyed was when the king was still on his throne.

  “Hanged? Indeed?” said Sir Harald. His eyes perused the young woman now standing on the platform with a noose around her neck. She was young and pretty and she looked up at the two knights with pleading eyes.

  “Are you guilty of these crimes that you are accused of?” asked Lord Arthur.

  She nodded weakly. “Yes sir. I’m sorry sir. I was hungry and my children are hungry. I only did it to feed them. The Duke took my husband away and I haven’t seen him since. Please have mercy. There is no one to care for my children and they will die without me.”

  “What is your name?’ asked Lord Arthur.

  “Lotte, sir. Lotte Steadley.”

  “Well, Lotte Steadley, this is not your day to be hung.” And Lord Arthur grinned with a warm smile. “Release her.”

  “What?” said the sheriff.

  “He said release her!” Sir Harald confirmed.

  “Release her? And just who are you? Who gives you the authority to proclaim such an order?”

  “I am Lord Arthur Goodkind of his majesty’s royal order and my companion knight Sir Harald and I said, Release her!”

  There were whisperings in the crowd for the sacred seven hadn’t been seen as long as the king.

  The man shook at the elderly knight’s voice which rung like thunder and there was a devastating moment of silence and the henchman on the platform nervously cut the young woman’s ropes off her hand and around her neck. She jumped down off the platform and Sir Arthur now had everyone’s attention.

  “Thank you sir, most kindly. I am ever indebted to you sir.”

  Lord Arthur reached into his pouch and pulled out a small velvet pouch full of gold coins and gave it to her. “Take this. It should be enough to keep you and your children fed for a while.’

  “Forgive me sir, I did not recognize you,” said the Sheriff and he fell to his knees.

  “I came to tell you all that the king is returning soon. Make sure you know where your allegiances lie,” said Lord Arthur.

  “With King Edward of course,” said the young woman.

  “All hail king Edward!” the sheriff shouted as he stood to his feet and everyone in the town cheered. The old knights dismounted their horses and they feasted and celebrated all that day for there was much to be celebrated. The king was returning to England soon.

       

  Sir Richard Blessed and Sir Christian Freeman were young knights who were gallant and handsome, full of calibre and chivalry and everything a young knight should be. It was late afternoon when they reached the town of Hanover, a place of beautiful stone buildings and small quaint cottages. They walked their horses over a small bridge and secured them outside a local tavern. There was lots of noise coming from the tavern. There was music and laughter and as they walked through the doors some turned and smiled at them but others did not as they speculated their visitors. But one smiling face from behind the bar greeted them warmly. “Can I get you something gentlemen?”

  “No thank you,” said Sir Richard. “But we have a message from the king.”

  “What?” said the man. “You have a message from the king,” he said with excitement and it suddenly went quiet in the small tavern.

  “Did you say a message from the king,” said one man sitting at a table with friends.

  “I did,” said Sir Richard. “The king is returning soon.”

  There was extreme silence for a moment followed by extreme laughter. “You expect us to believe that!” said the young man.

  “You’re not the only one to come through here preaching that,” said a young woman serving ale. “We hear that almost every week,” she said spitefully. “And I suppose you want a donation next.”

  “Yeah,” said the tavern owner. “You ain’t getting any money. So I suggest you turn around and go back where you came from.”

  “Yeah!” the crowd of people cheered and Sir Richard and Sir Christian turned around and left as quickly as they came. They got on their horses and rode out of the little town. When they reached the hill outside of the town they stopped and turned and looked back at the small tavern glowing in the darkness.

  Sir Christian sighed deeply. “It’s a shame. They do not believe.”

  “Well,” said Sir Richard. “They have been told. Come on we must move. There are many more to see.”

  With those words they urged their horses on towards the next town in the dead of night.

  Sir Albert Lovejoy was an experienced knight and he was used to travelling alone. He had just reached the small Northern town of Dunbar when he spotted the young knight sitting on his horse. He was familiar with the gold waves, and proud form and as the knight turned in his direction Lovejoy recognized the gallant smile with sparkling teeth like jewels in a crown and perfect blue eyes that sparkled like that of an angel. He rode his horse up next to the knight’s horse
and an archer standing nearby spotted the young man before Lovejoy opened his mouth. “Ah! Sir Gregory Dorrigen, the golden haired god.”

  He grinned back smartly. “There is only one God,” said Sir Gregory to the archer and he turned sideways and saw Lovejoy there on his horse. “Sir Albert Lovejoy. A pleasure to see you.”

  “Pleasure to see you sir and I agree wholeheartedly there is only one God but I think the young man was referring to how the girls all fret over you. Doesn’t it thrill you?”

  Sir Gregory laughed softly. “It used to but now it’s really rather annoying and there is only one my heart yearns for.”

  Lovejoy shook his head. “Are you referring to Lord Godwyn’s daughter? You’ll do good to forget her,” he advised strongly.

  “News travels fast,” said Sir Gregory “I didn’t even know you were in the kingdom. Last I heard about you Lovejoy was that you went to the Crusades.”

  “Yes I’m back and the tournament at Berwyck was one of the first things I heard about. So Sir Fingal Munro has secured the hand of the fair Lady Ceridwyn. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Fingal Munro. I’ve heard of the Munro’s but not Fingal. Have you heard of him?”

  “No, can’t say I have,” said Sir Gregory. “The first I had heard of him was at the tournament when I met his brother, Artemis.”

  “Where are you headed anyway?” asked Lovejoy. “I didn’t expect to see you in these northern parts.”

  Sir Gregory smiled mysteriously. “I’m . . . heading North.”

  “Visiting family?”

  “Yes . . . family,” he replied with the same mysterious grin.

  “I just happen to be heading north as well. In fact I’m travelling to Inverness to see Lord Munro. I might catch a glimpse of the lass taking her sacred vows. It’s bound to be the wedding of the year.”

  “Yes, I agree,” said Sir Gregory. “The wedding of the year.”

  Shall we ride together?”

  “I would be delighted to have your company sir,” said Sir Gregory. “But there is something I must tell you.”