Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest (27 page)

It was a time of great despair, but the King did not let it last long. As Lucius reigned in terror, the Prince and His knights prepared to return and save the land once more.

Sir Rowan and Sir Lijah heard and submitted to the noble call of the Prince, sacrificing everything so that others might hear and live. I, Cedric of Chessington, am both honored and humbled to be given this weighty task of recounting the acts of such mighty men of valor. Their call was much like our own … to be witnesses for the great Son of a great King.

The chronicles of these and other mighty Knights of Arrethtrae are many, and there is not enough parchment nor ink in all the kingdom to record them. Alas, that which I have penned must suffice for now. My hope rests with you, courageous knight, that you will be inspired to live noble and true to the King and His great Son. And perhaps somewhere, someday, the chronicle of your life will be so grand that heralds will tell it in the halls of castles abroad. When you live for the Prince … anything can happen!

The King reigns … and His Son!

Much of the allegorical symbolism in the Knights of Arrethtrae originated in the Kingdom Series. Here are a few questions to review this symbolism.

1. Who does the Prince represent?
   
2. Who are the Knights of the Prince?
   
3. Who are the King’s people? the Noble Knights?
   
4. What is Chessington? Arrethtrae?
   
5. Who is the Dark Knight/Dark Lord/Lucius?
   
6. Who are the Silent Warriors and the Shadow Warriors?
   
7. What is a Vincero Knight?
   
8. What is a haven?
   

1. Many people are extremely gifted with talents and abilities, but often those gifts are not used wisely and can even become an avenue of temptation. Find a verse in James 1 that explains where all good gifts come from. How do we guard our hearts against the temptation to use them wrongly?
   
2. At what point in this chapter does Rowan begin to falter in his integrity as a Knight of the Prince?
   
3. When does it become apparent that the draw of fame has taken hold of Rowan?
   

1. In this chapter, we get a glimpse of how infatuated the people of Cameria have become with the tournament games. This is
   symbolic of an overindulgent attitude toward any activity. Why can this become a problem for a nation?
   
2. Can you give an example of such a tendency in our own society?
   
3. When Rowan becomes successful as a tournament knight, his call to be a Knight of the Prince fades into the background and the tournaments themselves become his priority. What “seed” in the parable of the sower (Mark 4:3–20) represents Rowan’s abandoning the Prince’s call on his life for the fame and riches of the tournaments?
   
4. When Rowan wins the tournament, he receives a “victory cloak” which represents the vice of this book. What do you think this cloak represents?
   
5. Why is pride so dangerous?
   

1. Rowan encounters a mysterious knight who defeats him in a contest. The duel ends with Rowan’s cloak being cut and falling to the ground. Who do you think this mysterious knight is, and what does this scene represent?
   
2. What does James 4:6 say about God’s response to someone who is sinfully prideful?
   

1. Sir Aldwyn visits Rowan and confronts him about losing his way in regard to following the Prince. True friends lovingly tell us what we
   need
   to hear, not always what we
   want
   to hear. How did Rowan respond to Sir Aldwyn’s confrontation?
   
2. Find at least one verse in Proverbs that warns about the consequences of a haughty spirit.
   
3. Have you ever had a friend lovingly confront you about a sinful attitude? What was your response?
   
4. Once again Rowan faces the mysterious knight, and once again he is defeated, with his cloak falling to the ground. The
   knight warns Rowan to “turn back.” How does God warn us to “turn back” when we begin to harbor a sinful attitude or behavior?
   

1. How do the bandits on the roadway get Rowan to stop and talk to them? What is this called?
   
2. Have you ever been pressured into doing something wrong by someone who was appealing to your ego? How did you respond?
   
3. What is God’s promise in Psalm 5:12 to those who live for Him?
   

1. The beginning of this chapter gives a little bit of history regarding the United Cities of Cameria and the Prince. What do the United Cities of Cameria represent?
   
2. What does the support for Chessington by the United Cities of Cameria represent?
   
3. “Early on … being Camerian had been nearly synonymous with being a Follower.” What assumption by many people of the world does this represent? Why is this assumption false?
   
4. What does Rowan’s imprisonment and misery in captivity represent? (See Proverbs 16:18; 18:12; and 29:23.)
   
5. The moths and flesh-eating caterpillars represent how sin eventually consumes us, robbing us of our joy and strength. Find verses in Psalms that convey this truth.
   

1. In this chapter, Rowan finally understands that his choice to follow the Prince was the most important thing he had ever done. What parable in the New Testament tells of a young man who “came to himself” as Rowan did?
   
2. Rowan begs for the Prince to forgive him for the foolish life he’s lived. What promise does James 4:10 hold for those who humble themselves before the Lord?
   
3. Rowan encounters the Prince in a dream and realizes that He was the mysterious knight who had warned him to turn back. How is the Prince’s approach to Rowan different this time? Find a scripture that indicates why.
   

1. Rowan is delivered from the cave by Mariah, someone he’d never met before. Has God ever sent someone you did not expect to help you?
   

1. Rowan ponders the question,
   If the cost of such a [pure and humble] heart were all of my fame and wealth, would I make the trade?
   This question alludes to Jesus’ encounter with a rich young ruler. Find that Bible passage. What did Jesus have to say after the rich young ruler left? Can you find another passage where Jesus taught about wealth?
   
2. Rowan learns that Balenteen has betrayed him and taken his possessions. Have you ever been betrayed by someone you thought was a friend? Though it is difficult, Jesus tells us to forgive them if they repent (Luke 17:4). Have you been able to forgive?
   

1. Rowan learns that his abduction and the takeover of Cameria are being orchestrated by Lord Malizimar because Cameria was supporting Chessington. What do you think this allegorically represents?
   
2. In this chapter we are introduced to the Resolutes. Who do you think they represent?
   

1. A mysterious and mighty knight appears and saves Rowan, Mariah, and Zetta from the sentinels. He claims to be a Knight of the Prince, but he acts more like a Silent Warrior. His purpose seems different than most Knights of the Prince. What do you think his mission might be?
   

1. The thieves intended harm, but Rowan and Mariah choose to demonstrate the compassion of the Prince by providing a meal for them. What verses in the Bible encourage us as believers to show the love of Christ in such a way?
   
2. Rowan and Mariah share the story of the Prince with the bandits. What command of Jesus does this suggest, and where do we get this command?
   

1. Rowan is surprised at how many people have joined the Resolutes. Throughout time, God has preserved a remnant that has stayed true to Him even in difficult times. Find some biblical instances of this happening.
   

1. Here we learn that a man by the name of Alexander Histen has risen to power and gained great influence throughout the kingdom. Who do you think this man might represent in the Bible? Give a Scripture reference.
   

1. Rowan faces Sir Lijah and is confronted with the possibility that they are brothers with a different mission in Chessington. Lijah says that the events unfolding aren’t about Laos or even Cameria but about Chessington. What portion of the story of mankind do you think this book is allegorizing?
   
2. What does Chessington represent, and why is this city so important?
   
3. Sir Lijah says that Rowan is one of the King’s people, the descendants of Nan. What do you think this represents? Can you name which book in the Kingdom Series this reference comes from?
   

1. What does the battle of Laos represent?
   
2. The battle for Laos fails, and most of the Resolutes are captured or killed. What does this represent in the end times? Give a Scripture reference.
   

1. Lord Gavaah makes a proposal to Rowan that he momentarily considers. What helps him overcome the temptation to accept the offer?
   
2. Name some promises of God that can help us remember whom we serve and why.
   
3. When Gavaah explains his gruesome game for Rowan’s and Mariah’s lives, he indicates that the people love a bloody fight and want more because that is the way of the human heart. Do you think this is true? What can prevent a society from spiraling down like this?
   

1. Mariah’s apparent death crushes Rowan’s heart, and his anger spurs him to revenge. What does the Lord say about vengeance in Deuteronomy 32:35?
   
2. Relate the final scene and conclusion of this chapter to the end times as foretold in Luke 21:10–34. According to John 14:27, what is the hope and promise of those who believe in Jesus?
   

1. The Prince comforts Rowan in his great pain. How has God comforted you in your times of heartache? What are some Bible verses that provide comfort in times of need?
   
2. Standing on the edge of Altica Valley, the Prince gives Rowan and Lijah their mission, which parallels that of two men in Scripture. Who are these two men, and what is their mission as described in Revelation?
   
3. Some Bible scholars believe that the two witnesses of Revelation will be the same two men of the Bible who appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1–3. Using the names Mosiah and Lijah as clues, can you figure out who they represent?
   

1. At Nedehaven, Rowan and Lijah confirm their mission for the King and His call upon their lives. God calls each of us to specific forms of service and mission, but He does so in many different ways. Talk to someone in full-time or part-time ministry and ask how God specifically called him or her.
   

1. In Chessington, Rowan and Lijah act on their mission to proclaim the Prince. According to Revelation 11, how long did the two witnesses have power to prophesy to the world?
   

1. What does Scripture say will happen to the two witnesses when their mission of prophecy is complete? State the reference.
   

1. One of the most profound sequence of events during the end times is the testimony, death, and resurrection of the two
   witnesses, if indeed they literally represent two men. According to Revelation 11, how do the people of earth respond to their death?