moment if I had not signaled. Except for the smaller children, all fourteen thousand of us are armed and ready to fight at the blast of the warning trumpet. You needn’t worry about our readiness, Sir Rowan.”
Julian pointed to what looked like a training area for young knights.
“Sir Aldwyn is just over there. He has trained thousands of knights in preparation for the battle. He’s very good at it.”
“Battle?” Rowan asked.
Julian looked soberly at Rowan and Mariah.
“As I’m sure you know, Cameria is not what it once was. The freedom we once enjoyed has vanished, especially in the cities, and the oppression of Lord Gavaah is steadily growing.”
“Gavaah?” Rowan stared at him, bewildered. “The Camerian Tournament Council president?”
“He is much more than that,” Julian said. “He is now ruler of the United Cities, but we believe he is being supported by sources outside the region. These are dark days for Cameria, and we must do something to change what is happening before it’s too late.”
Julian kicked his horse, and Rowan and Mariah followed him into the camp of the Resolutes. Looking around at the crowds of people living in spartan circumstances, Rowan marveled at the commitment of these people … people who had come from all across the region to jointhe cause. There are pivotal times in the life of a city, a region, and even a kingdom that will be determined by the actions or inaction of the people who abide within them. Rowan knew he was witnessing such a time and that he was now an inseparable part of it.
Stirred by the momentum of fourteen thousand noble people on a mountaintop overlooking the kingdom, Rowan remembered the words of the Prince from a long-ago dream.
Your life is not over, for you are a mighty knight of the King. Time is short, and I have a mission that awaits you
.
“Surely this is it,” he whispered to himself. “How can there be a greater mission than to bring liberty to the great land of Cameria and her people?”
FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE
Julian brought Rowan and Mariah to the training grounds of Eagle’s Nest, where Sir Aldwyn was occupied with the task of managing the training of over five hundred men, women, and youths. As they approached, Aldwyn was meeting with fourteen trainers and giving instructions for the day. He looked up and stopped midsentence, fastening a stunned gaze on Rowan. When he didn’t continue, the trainers all turned and looked at Rowan and Mariah too.
“That is all for now,” Aldwyn finally managed. “Dismissed.”
Rowan dismounted and walked toward Aldwyn through the stream of dispersing knights. Aldwyn just stood and stared.
“Rowan?” he finally asked.
Rowan just nodded, not sure what sort of greeting his mentor would give him.
“Rowan?” Aldwyn asked again. This time he started walking toward him.
“It is I, Sir Aldwyn,” Rowan said.
At that, Aldwyn quickened his pace to close the distance between them. His mouth hung open in an expression of utter disbelief.
Rowan put out an arm of greeting, but Aldwyn pushed past it andthrew his arms around him. Rowan returned the embrace, his heart warmed by the gesture.
Aldwyn stepped back but did not let loose of Rowan. His eyes shone with joy as he realized that his protégé was indeed alive and standing before him.
“Please forgive me, Sir Aldwyn. I was such a fool.” Rowan hadn’t expected to feel such strong emotions wash over him as he stood before the man who had dedicated a portion of his life to lift a poor street urchin out of the gutter. His eyes welled up.
Aldwyn put a hand to Rowan’s face. “Thank the King you are alive, my son.”
Son? Aldwyn considered him his son? Rowan lowered his gaze to the ground, thinking how little he deserved that title.
Aldwyn embraced him once more, then put an arm around him to lead him away. “We have much to talk about … and prepare for,” Aldwyn said.
“Wait,” Rowan motioned to Mariah, who still sat patiently
Julian pointed to what looked like a training area for young knights.
“Sir Aldwyn is just over there. He has trained thousands of knights in preparation for the battle. He’s very good at it.”
“Battle?” Rowan asked.
Julian looked soberly at Rowan and Mariah.
“As I’m sure you know, Cameria is not what it once was. The freedom we once enjoyed has vanished, especially in the cities, and the oppression of Lord Gavaah is steadily growing.”
“Gavaah?” Rowan stared at him, bewildered. “The Camerian Tournament Council president?”
“He is much more than that,” Julian said. “He is now ruler of the United Cities, but we believe he is being supported by sources outside the region. These are dark days for Cameria, and we must do something to change what is happening before it’s too late.”
Julian kicked his horse, and Rowan and Mariah followed him into the camp of the Resolutes. Looking around at the crowds of people living in spartan circumstances, Rowan marveled at the commitment of these people … people who had come from all across the region to jointhe cause. There are pivotal times in the life of a city, a region, and even a kingdom that will be determined by the actions or inaction of the people who abide within them. Rowan knew he was witnessing such a time and that he was now an inseparable part of it.
Stirred by the momentum of fourteen thousand noble people on a mountaintop overlooking the kingdom, Rowan remembered the words of the Prince from a long-ago dream.
Your life is not over, for you are a mighty knight of the King. Time is short, and I have a mission that awaits you
.
“Surely this is it,” he whispered to himself. “How can there be a greater mission than to bring liberty to the great land of Cameria and her people?”
FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE
Julian brought Rowan and Mariah to the training grounds of Eagle’s Nest, where Sir Aldwyn was occupied with the task of managing the training of over five hundred men, women, and youths. As they approached, Aldwyn was meeting with fourteen trainers and giving instructions for the day. He looked up and stopped midsentence, fastening a stunned gaze on Rowan. When he didn’t continue, the trainers all turned and looked at Rowan and Mariah too.
“That is all for now,” Aldwyn finally managed. “Dismissed.”
Rowan dismounted and walked toward Aldwyn through the stream of dispersing knights. Aldwyn just stood and stared.
“Rowan?” he finally asked.
Rowan just nodded, not sure what sort of greeting his mentor would give him.
“Rowan?” Aldwyn asked again. This time he started walking toward him.
“It is I, Sir Aldwyn,” Rowan said.
At that, Aldwyn quickened his pace to close the distance between them. His mouth hung open in an expression of utter disbelief.
Rowan put out an arm of greeting, but Aldwyn pushed past it andthrew his arms around him. Rowan returned the embrace, his heart warmed by the gesture.
Aldwyn stepped back but did not let loose of Rowan. His eyes shone with joy as he realized that his protégé was indeed alive and standing before him.
“Please forgive me, Sir Aldwyn. I was such a fool.” Rowan hadn’t expected to feel such strong emotions wash over him as he stood before the man who had dedicated a portion of his life to lift a poor street urchin out of the gutter. His eyes welled up.
Aldwyn put a hand to Rowan’s face. “Thank the King you are alive, my son.”
Son? Aldwyn considered him his son? Rowan lowered his gaze to the ground, thinking how little he deserved that title.
Aldwyn embraced him once more, then put an arm around him to lead him away. “We have much to talk about … and prepare for,” Aldwyn said.
“Wait,” Rowan motioned to Mariah, who still sat patiently
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