Aelethia's Hope. Leandra Martin

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      “You were too. You’ve just had a lot of responsibility set on your shoulders, and that can make optimism more difficult to maintain. Being king of an entire province can surely weigh you down. I think with her by your side, the burden will become easier in time.”

      Dain smiled at his cousin. “You’ve become a philosopher in your adulthood, Ruan.”

      “Nah.” He shrugged. “Just a bit wiser. Come on, cousin. I think it’s time we hit the hay. You have a lot to update me on tomorrow, and I have a lot to help you plan.”

      Dain reached over and touched Ruan on the shoulder, squeezing it. “I’m glad you’re here, Ruan. I can’t think of anyone else I’d like at my side when we go to war.”

      “I’ve always had your back, cousin. I don’t intend to stop now, Sire.”

      They finished off their drinks and went to their respective rooms to sleep off the drink of their catching up. Tomorrow they would begin their campaign.

      CHAPTER 2

      Alban Thorne paced around his war room and mumbled to himself. He was going over all the different scenarios in his head of what the best course of action would be so that the city stayed free of Fallon and his army. The Triple Cities were gone, and it was up to him and his small garrison to fortify the docks so Fallon’s army didn’t make it into the city.

      The young man who had brought the dispatch a month prior was still in his care, and he watched Alban pace now, face neutral. The young man seemed to understand what Alban was doing, having spent many a year with his grandfather who had served in the army of King Colwyn in Azlyn.

      Alban stopped short suddenly and faced Maddon, eyes not really looking at him, but rather looking through him to something only he could see. He finally snapped out of his dream state and looked at Maddon now, eyes alert.

      “I think I have the answer. Please run and get Pter and Decklan and ask them to join me. You return as well. This concerns you too.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      Maddon left the room and headed down the hall and out into the bailey. He approached the group of guards that were practicing in the arena and waited until the row was finished before getting any closer. He knew better than to step into the middle of a duel with these men. He would more than likely lose a head.

      The garrison here in Pembroke was smaller than the armies based in the larger cities of Azlyn, smaller than even Boones Ferry, but the men who watched over this tiny inland coastal town were fierce, and they outweighed and stood taller than most of the regular guards. These particular men started out as mercenaries or Bounty Hunters before turning their lives around and joining the kings army for honest pay.

      The duel went on for another ten minutes or so, and when one opponent finally relinquished his hold on his sword and it slipped to the dry mud with a cloud of dust, Maddon approached them.

      “Captain Lar and Lieutenant Bohen. General Thorne requests your presence in his war room,” Maddon said saluting.

      Pter Lar was the larger of the two men, about six two with very broad shoulders and arms the size of a horses thigh. He had close cropped blond hair and a grizzled face, with a scar running down from his ear to his lower jaw. His eyes were sharp, and, under his hawk-like nose, he had a neatly trimmed blond mustache that hid another scar just above his upper lip.

      Decklan Bohen was shorter but no less broad in shoulder and arm. He had dark brown hair which was longer than his companions, but not long enough to pull back with a strap. His eyes of blue were alert but held a boyish sparkle that his older, more serious friend didn’t have. He was clean shaven and was quick in wit and popular with the ladies.

      Pter looked down at Maddon and saluted back. He eyed him and slapped his shoulder, not hard, but enough for his strength to almost bowl Maddon over on his side.

      “Stand straighter boy, especially when you’re saluting a superior.”

      “A superior what?” Decklan answered, smiling slyly behind his hand. His sword had been placed back into his scabbard, and he winked down at Maddon after his comment.

      Pter, who knew his friend was jesting, didn’t want Maddon to learn bad habits, so he glared at him. “I don’t think it wise to insult a man who’s twice your size and bested you just now in the arena.”

      Decklan shrugged, still smiling. “You know what they say. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” He smiled again. “I wasn’t really trying very hard. My shoulder is sore from doing all your duties yesterday.”

      “Maybe that will teach you not to bet someone with a higher intellect. I want this boy to learn how to behave himself if he is to become squire for the king.”

      “Really boy? A squire?” Decklan said, surprise in his voice, eyeing the boy now clearly impressed.

      “That’s what Alekzand’r told me, that I would receive the rank of squire for my help and bravery in Amaris.”

      “Impressive. Well, if his ranking is already in the bag, there’s nothing a couple of old mercenaries can teach him about manners,” Decklan said.

      “He already knows more than you when it comes to that. All you could teach him would be how to woo the ladies.”

      “Yes, that is a specialty of mine. He’ll need that skill to fit in with the fickle personalities of the ladies at court.” He looked over at Maddon now. “Don’t let him try and teach you. He scares them all away.”

      Pter cleared his throat and looked down at Maddon. “What he doesn’t tell you is that we don’t have leisure for that most of the time. We’re too busy keeping the riff-raff out of the bay.”

      “But when we do have a bit of time, you’re going to wish you had my charm. Your intellect and large size won’t keep you warm on a particularly chilly night.”

      Pter glared harder at Decklan now, then pushed him toward the keep. “Come on, lover boy. The general waits.”

      The three men went into the keep and entered Alban’s war room. Alban was still pacing back and forth, just the way he was when Maddon left him. He stopped when the men entered, Pter and Decklan saluting their general. He motioned for them to sit down. When the three of them were settled, he unrolled a map of Aelethia, spreading it out across the table in front of them.

      “From our information, it’s assumed that Fallon’s troops will be sailing from Kieran, where they control the city, up through the Corlane Strait and into the docks here. This is their plan in order to be able to march closer to Kingswell. Since the Triple Cities have fallen, we have to find a way to keep the ships from getting past the border. I have sent word to Sailor’s Bluff to warn them troops are coming, but we don’t have enough men to fight off that many ships.”

      “How many ships do you expect, sir?” Decklan asked, his boyish jesting put aside for more serious subjects.

      “I would gather that Fallon would send at least ten ships, packed full of troops. With the word I have received from a runner out of the north, Fallon now sits on the throne in Lachlan Castle, and his troops have the city in lock down.”

      “So СКАЧАТЬ