on her horse beside Julian. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Mariah and Julian dismounted as Rowan and Aldwyn approached.
“Sir Aldwyn, I’d like you to meet … Lady Mariah.” Rowan looked questioningly at her.
“It’s all right,” she said with a smile. “I’ve just told Julian.”
Julian smiled sheepishly as Rowan finished his introduction. “My wife.”
Aldwyn’s eyes lifted; then a wide grin crossed his face. He took Mariah’s hand and bowed low to kiss it. “I am honored, my lady. Now I see and understand why Rowan’s eyes glow with joy.”
“Rowan speaks nothing but great admiration for you, good sir,” Mariah replied. “I am pleased to meet you.”
Aldwyn invited them into the training cabin and offered them food and drink. Rowan looked in wonder at the collection of arms stacked neatly in the corners of the cabin.
“What’s happening here, Aldwyn?” Rowan asked once they were settled around a table. “Are things truly so bad in Laos that this is necessary?”
“Lord Gavaah rules Cameria,” Aldwyn said soberly. “And each day his grip becomes tighter and tighter. He has commandeered the people’s homes and land, banned all orders of knights except those that accept his new statutes, and imprisoned anyone opposing his authority. Those who remain and abide under his rule have been lulled into believing that his control is for their own good, but those who love freedom and recognize what he is doing are willing to fight against him.”
“You’ve seen this coming for a long time, haven’t you?” Rowan asked.
The older man nodded. “I tried to tell you, but you were … preoccupied.”
Rowan dropped his eyes, embarrassed again by who he had been.
Aldwyn laid a hand on his shoulder. “I had no idea, however, that Gavaah was behind the changes … or that his influence would expand so quickly.” He took a sip of his warm drink. “But what is happening in Laos is just one of many, Rowan.”
Aldwyn paused to look at Mariah and Julian. Julian was nodding. “This is really all about Chessington. Gavaah is just a pawn of Lord Malizimar, and Malizimar of Lucius himself. We’ve heard disturbing news of another tyrant rising to power within Chessington—a man by the name of Alexander Histen.”
Aldwyn paused to see if the name meant anything to Rowan. When Rowan looked at him blankly, he went on. “We know almost nothing about Histen, but from the reports we are getting, he is a charismatic leader who is more dangerous than ten Lord Gavaahs. His influence in the kingdom is spreading quickly. And with Gavaah ruling Cameria, Chessington is getting almost no support, so its citizens’ ability to fight back against Histen has nearly been eliminated.”
Rowan and Mariah looked at each other with grave concern showing on their faces.
“We’ve come to join you and your cause.” Rowan reached across the table to hold Mariah’s hand. “We will fight for Cameria and its freedom.”
“We are grateful to have you,” Aldwyn said sincerely. “Now your sword will fly for something of true value.”
“What plans are being made?” Mariah asked.
“I’m not at liberty to say just yet,” Aldwyn said. “Come to the council meeting tomorrow. Sir Whitley will be announcing our plan, or at least a portion of it.”
Rowan’s reunion with Sir Aldwyn was both sweet and foreboding, for the news of conditions in his home region was extremely disturbing. Only now did Rowan fully appreciate the freedoms he had once enjoyed and had now lost.
By late afternoon, news that the former Laos tournament champion had joined the Resolutes spread quickly throughout the encampment and bolstered the morale of the people there. Though it had now been nearly two years since his tournament days, Rowan’s fame had evidently not diminished, nor had his favor with the people. He was actually quite embarrassed by all the attention he received, since the tournaments seemed like frivolous
Mariah and Julian dismounted as Rowan and Aldwyn approached.
“Sir Aldwyn, I’d like you to meet … Lady Mariah.” Rowan looked questioningly at her.
“It’s all right,” she said with a smile. “I’ve just told Julian.”
Julian smiled sheepishly as Rowan finished his introduction. “My wife.”
Aldwyn’s eyes lifted; then a wide grin crossed his face. He took Mariah’s hand and bowed low to kiss it. “I am honored, my lady. Now I see and understand why Rowan’s eyes glow with joy.”
“Rowan speaks nothing but great admiration for you, good sir,” Mariah replied. “I am pleased to meet you.”
Aldwyn invited them into the training cabin and offered them food and drink. Rowan looked in wonder at the collection of arms stacked neatly in the corners of the cabin.
“What’s happening here, Aldwyn?” Rowan asked once they were settled around a table. “Are things truly so bad in Laos that this is necessary?”
“Lord Gavaah rules Cameria,” Aldwyn said soberly. “And each day his grip becomes tighter and tighter. He has commandeered the people’s homes and land, banned all orders of knights except those that accept his new statutes, and imprisoned anyone opposing his authority. Those who remain and abide under his rule have been lulled into believing that his control is for their own good, but those who love freedom and recognize what he is doing are willing to fight against him.”
“You’ve seen this coming for a long time, haven’t you?” Rowan asked.
The older man nodded. “I tried to tell you, but you were … preoccupied.”
Rowan dropped his eyes, embarrassed again by who he had been.
Aldwyn laid a hand on his shoulder. “I had no idea, however, that Gavaah was behind the changes … or that his influence would expand so quickly.” He took a sip of his warm drink. “But what is happening in Laos is just one of many, Rowan.”
Aldwyn paused to look at Mariah and Julian. Julian was nodding. “This is really all about Chessington. Gavaah is just a pawn of Lord Malizimar, and Malizimar of Lucius himself. We’ve heard disturbing news of another tyrant rising to power within Chessington—a man by the name of Alexander Histen.”
Aldwyn paused to see if the name meant anything to Rowan. When Rowan looked at him blankly, he went on. “We know almost nothing about Histen, but from the reports we are getting, he is a charismatic leader who is more dangerous than ten Lord Gavaahs. His influence in the kingdom is spreading quickly. And with Gavaah ruling Cameria, Chessington is getting almost no support, so its citizens’ ability to fight back against Histen has nearly been eliminated.”
Rowan and Mariah looked at each other with grave concern showing on their faces.
“We’ve come to join you and your cause.” Rowan reached across the table to hold Mariah’s hand. “We will fight for Cameria and its freedom.”
“We are grateful to have you,” Aldwyn said sincerely. “Now your sword will fly for something of true value.”
“What plans are being made?” Mariah asked.
“I’m not at liberty to say just yet,” Aldwyn said. “Come to the council meeting tomorrow. Sir Whitley will be announcing our plan, or at least a portion of it.”
Rowan’s reunion with Sir Aldwyn was both sweet and foreboding, for the news of conditions in his home region was extremely disturbing. Only now did Rowan fully appreciate the freedoms he had once enjoyed and had now lost.
By late afternoon, news that the former Laos tournament champion had joined the Resolutes spread quickly throughout the encampment and bolstered the morale of the people there. Though it had now been nearly two years since his tournament days, Rowan’s fame had evidently not diminished, nor had his favor with the people. He was actually quite embarrassed by all the attention he received, since the tournaments seemed like frivolous
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