Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest (14 page)

“Stay here.” Rowan handed the reins of his horse to Mariah. “I’ll take a look.”

He drew his sword and walked about thirty steps toward the trees.

“Drop your sword!” Rowan heard a voice shout from the protection of the trees and underbrush.

“Who goes there?” Rowan replied, sword ready.

“Drop your sword now!” the voice said again.

Rowan hesitated. “I will not. Show yourself.”

Three men exited the trees with swords drawn and surrounded him.

“The work of One saves many,” Rowan said.

“You have one last chance to drop your sword,” the leader said solemnly. Despite the odds, his voice was less confident now that he realized he was facing a foe much larger than himself.

“Tell me who you are, and I will consider it,” Rowan replied.

The leader made the first move, but based on the man’s stance and sword placement, Rowan knew exactly what it would be and beat him to it. A parry and a powerful bind left the leader swordless and speechless. Rowan didn’t wait for the other two to advance. His sword flew like lightning to engage them, and they were so overwhelmed with Rowan’s powerful and quick cuts that they fell into steady retreat until one stumbled backward onto the ground. The third man had the look of panic on his face as Rowan brought his blade to bear singly upon him. In three strokes the man’s sword was lying on the ground and his arms were in the air.

Then five more men exited the trees and surrounded Rowan. The leader recovered his sword, embarrassment still stinging red in his cheeks.

Rowan paused to prepare himself, quickly analyzing each man’s stance, position, and the surrounding terrain. He reveled in the thrill of a sword fight, and he didn’t care if there were five or fifty. Every fiber of his body seemed to exist for this.

They all prepared for the encounter, but then Mariah stepped between two of the men and into the circle of swords. This stunned everyone, including Rowan. She didn’t draw her sword or even seem the least bit alarmed. She went to Rowan and placed a gentle hand on his sword arm.

“If you wound them all,” she said with a sweet smile, “we will never be taken to their camp.”

Rowan snorted, stood straight, and sheathed his sword. The others stared at him as if unsure whether to relax or attack.

Mariah turned about to face the leader. “Good sir, I am Mariah, and I am looking for my father, Sir Fairchild of Berwick. This is Sir Rowan, friend of Sir Aldwyn. Can you help us find them?”

The leader lowered his sword. “Perhaps, my lady. Please come with me.”

The rest of the men relaxed their swords and seemed relieved to do so. Mariah turned back to Rowan. “Sometimes a few polite words and a smile can be stronger than a sword,” she said with a wink.

Rowan huffed. “You, my lovely wife, will always have an advantage over me in that regard.”

The leader spoke briefly to one of the men, who promptly found his horse and galloped off. Very little was said as they waited, and the men seemed reluctant to become too unguarded around Rowan after having seen his skill with the sword. Following a lengthy delay, the sound of two galloping horses filtered through the woods and then burst into the open. One of the men jumped from his horse the instant he saw Mariah.

“Julian!” Mariah exclaimed as they embraced.

At that, the leader of the men guarding them relaxed and ordered all to return to their lookouts.

Mariah and her brother stepped back and held each other’s arms for a moment, joy filling their eyes.

“Is father …?” Mariah seemed hesitant to finish her question.

“Father is fine, Mariah,” Julian said with a wide grin. “He is meeting with the leaders of another encampment but should be back tonight.”

Mariah took a deep, satisfied breath.

Julian quickly scanned his surroundings, his eyes coming to rest on Rowan.

“Where is Palson?” he asked.

Mariah’s joyful countenance immediately vanished.

“Sister, what has happened?”

“He … he died, Julian.”

Julian was speechless for a moment, and then took Mariah into his arms once more. “I’m so sorry, and we left you alone. How long ago?”

“Just two months after you and Father left.”

“That long ago? Why didn’t you come for us?”

“It’s a long story, best left for both you and Father to hear together.” Mariah turned to Rowan. “Julian this is Sir Rowan of Laos. He … helped me find you.”

Julian looked up at Rowan and nodded. “I am grateful to you, sir.”

Rowan nodded in return. Obviously Mariah wasn’t ready to tell Julian everything quite yet.

“He is a friend of Sir Aldwyn,” Mariah told her brother. “Do you know of him?”

“If you’re a friend of Sir Aldwyn, then you’re a friend of mine,” Julian said. “I can take you to him.”

“I’d be grateful,” Rowan said with a nod.

Julian turned back to Mariah. “It is so good to see you, sister. Come, I have much to show you.”

Julian led Mariah and Rowan back through the trees. “We must be extremely careful these days,” he said. “Our pass code was compromised a few months ago.”

They traveled across the plateau and through a large wooded area. Then they crested a knoll that opened up to a shallow valley. Rowan and Mariah stood dumbfounded as they beheld a settlement that was as large as a city.

“The Resolutes,” Julian said, staring out over the valley. “At least,
one
of our encampments. We call it Eagle’s Nest.”

The settlement flowed up and down the valley for miles, with tents and other temporary structures mixed in with more permanent buildings and huts. Sections of rock wall offered some measure of cover on one side. Higher up, where the valley met the steeper slopes of the mountain, the dwellings meshed right into naturally formed caves. The melting snows formed a river that meandered down through the middle of the settlement and disappeared far down the valley.

“So many,” Mariah said softly.

“Yes,” Julian said. “There are more than fourteen thousand of us at last count, and we continue to grow. There are more encampments in
other parts of the Boundary Mountains as well, but we are the largest as far as we know.”

Rowan just shook his head, hardly believing what he was seeing. What was happening to cause such a thing?

“Are they all Knights of the Prince?” Rowan asked.

“Mostly, but not all,” Julian replied. “All who oppose the oppression of our freedom to follow the Prince, or any other order for that matter, are welcome.”

“Aren’t you concerned about being discovered?” he asked. “Why aren’t there more men on guard?”

Julian smiled. “On our journey here we passed more than two hundred armed men. You just didn’t see them. There are fifty men just behind those rock walls who would have been mounted and upon us in a 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 join
the 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 and
threw 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 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.”