Sentria: The Knight Prince (Book 1)

Chapter Eleven: Winds of Change

It would take several days to get to the Stargon Kingdom and a couple more to get to Sentria. Eldwyn and I had a wagon to ourselves that contained their weaponry and supplies: swords and shields chief among them. The Stargon soldiers were every bit as accommodating as my Sentrian forces, perhaps even more so. They were regarded throughout the land as the most honorable knights due to their rigorous training, and I couldn't possibly disagree. Captain Ral was a legend and a personal hero of mine. I had met him once as a child and he only affirmed my dreams of becoming a knight of valor.

We traveled around the dunes on the outer edges of Rainn; the people there were just as ruthless as Cordath and we didn't want to incur their wrath. I told Eldwyn about the southern region to pass the time; Sentria was the largest realm and it had ten other kingdoms with lords and ladies that reigned over their respective kingdoms. Loria had eight, Stargon had two, and the Summerlands had twelve. There were three in the meager realm of Vilquist, but they weren't oft talked about. The three main houses of southern Askeran were Sentria the high kingdom, Stargon in charge of defense, and Loria the great bank. There were many high royals, and my father, High King Artem Marbury, was the most powerful of them all.

By the end of the day we had reached the safe domain of the Summerlands. Eldwyn had grown tired and I had finally relaxed enough to feel tired too. 

"Your vision at the Mirror Lake," said Eldwyn after a yawn, "has it come true on this day?"

"No," I said, turning away from the swaying wheatgrass in the night winds. "Or not completely. The lake showed Cordath Castle aflame, not just the outer gates. They will have put the vines out before first light. I believe there's still a war to come that will see the destruction of the Cordath Kingdom."

"I would hope that that can be avoided. The winds can change at a moment's notice and magick moves like the ocean."

"Speaking of which, that ice trick you created against the Wizard Allaster, had you done that before?"

"No, never," he said half-smiling in a concerned sort of way. "I needed something more to knock him off of his feet. I asked Bronte for added strength and the wind answered. Bronte never fails me."

We stopped at an inn a few miles past the northern border well after midnight. Captain Ral felt that they had gained enough distance from the north and that they would be safe in the embrace of the friendly Summerlands.

To my surprise, the innkeeper of the Gossamer Inn was awake at this late hour. Then again, it was the biggest accommodation establishment on the west side of Askeran with a vineyard and a ranch on the property, so I supposed that it made sense for it to have service through the night. I looked at the stables in the distance as we entered and it made me think of my horse. I had made a request for us to stop by the Western Valley on our way home, and Captain Ral was more than happy to comply. It wasn't far out of the way and I was their High Prince after all.

Captain Ral pulled me aside before I entered the inn and I sent Eldwyn forth to see to our room. He kept close to me to prevent anyone nearby from hearing our conversation.

"I apologize, your highness," Captain Ral said beneath the torchlight outside of the inn.

"There is no need to apologize, Captain Ral," I said. "You have saved us on this day. You will always have my ear."

"I'm sure that you well know that this relic might not be received well when you return home. I'm sure he must have helped you on your way through the forest, and for that, we are eternally grateful, but he will not find comfort in the kingdom."

"I know this. I know the rules of the southern realm, but this relic saved my life. I would not have survived had it not been for his magicks. I will speak to my father and I will make this one exception for the relic who has secured the sovereignty of the continent."

"Yes, High Prince." Captan Ral bowed his head to me. "I only have your best interest at heart and I wanted you to be made aware."

"And I appreciate your candor, Captain Ral. You have always been a friend to Sentria. You're the most noble knight in all the realm and your heart always beats true."

"I'm not certain I am deserving of that title."

"Fortunate for you, I am."

"If I may ask, what was your time in Cordath like, High Prince?"

"Horrendous," I said. "They plan to make war with the southern realm and to reign supreme over Askeran."

"We will not let that happen." Captain Ral grabbed onto the hilt of his Stargonian silver blade as if danger was close.

"You are right about that."

We slept well that night. There were two people to a room and Eldwyn stayed with me, only he was in a separate bed this time. I had become comfortable with our arrangement in Cordath and I missed how he calmed me down in my time of need. He placed his gentle hand on my chest every night and it steadied me. It kept me grounded. We might have been in significantly less danger in the western lands of Askeran, but those nights with him in Cordath were some of the most peaceful I had ever had.

In the morning, we had breakfast in the dining hall and we drew stares from all the commoners there. A woman had approached me, she was wrinkled and her hair was white as snow and she thanked me for the tax cuts my grandfather, King Darren II, had implemented when she was a little girl. She said that if it hadn't been for him, her family wouldn't have survived. She still remembered it as if it was yesterday.

"The food isn't as sweet here," said Eldwyn after the elderly lady left. "Cordath had the sweetest corn I've ever tasted."

"Quiet!" I hushed him. "Do not praise Cordath when in the company of southern soldiers. That's the quickest way to lose your head."

"It's not praise, merely an observation. Freedom tastes much better than sugar. I am grateful, Prince Darren."

I nodded in agreement and ate some of my eggs.

"How did you sleep last night?" Eldwyn asked.

"Why do you ask?" I shot back and froze. My mouth was open with a spoonful of that corn on its way to it.

"You were turning like a wheel. I feared that something weighed heavily on your mind. When I went to wake you, you had stopped so I let it be. What were you dreaming of?"

"I don't recall," I said back. I was being truthful. I didn't remember turning about or any lasting images from bad dreams. My mind should've been at ease considering the distance we had created between us and the Cordath Kingdom, but I trusted Eldwyn, and I'd look out for them when next I slept.

"How far is it to the Stargon Kingdom?" Eldwyn asked.

"Two more days if the weather permits."

"It seems that it will. It's bright and sunny."

"It's best to remember that clear skies are not long-lasting things, Eldwyn. We are to hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

"Be in the moment, knight," he said with a laugh. "For now, we are free and the light shines warmly upon us." 

Eldwyn closed his eyes and lifted his chin as if the sun wasn't blocked by the roof of the establishment and it made me laugh.