XXIII

Queen Neslyn stood, looked on at the crowd of attendees with stoicism.

Yoreno was in the back of the throne room with the other knights, his parents and sister in the middle rows, attending as the lords and ladies that they were.

Despite his own noble birth as the son of a lord, Yoreno chose to stand with the knights. He had looked about for any sign of Dantera, but found none. An inner doubt niggled at him. Dellwyn was in the back row with him, but Mai and Sorika were in the middle rows with visiting nobility situated accordingly.

The royal members of the visiting king and queen’s entourages stood in the front rows to watch the coronation. And now that it was over, Queen Neslyn would give a speech.

“I speak to you all with a heavy heart. Branlin is dead—killed by a cult that worships the Grand Bastard. I swear to you that as queen, I will not allow this to stand. Even now, members of my highest orders of knighthood search for their whereabouts—to root them out and destroy them.

“The Age of Readventure will go on, as was my brother’s wish. And now it is my duty to carry it out. Wicked cults cannot be allowed to roam the world bringing about the evils of the Age of Darkenss.

“And for this reason, I decree that the festival will go on. Nothing will change between my rule and that of my brother’s. I will rule with dignity and compassion, and an iron fist of law. What is more, my legacy will be that of the beginning of this grand new age. This Age of Readventure!”

The crowd clapped somberly.

As the coronation ceremony ended, Yoreno was one of the first people to leave the throne room, as he was closest to the doors.

Waiting in the drawing room chambers, his parents soon arrived, looking dour. “Are you all right?” Yoreno asked.

His mother nodded.

“I can’t believe this has happened,” John said. It was clear to Yoreno that he was still reeling from it all. “At least we will have a strong new queen to carry on what Branlin began.”

They all sat down. There were others in the drawing room as well, everyone quietly retreating and talking in their own corners as the servants arrived with refreshments.

Yoreno nodded to his father’s words. “If any time was the right time to begin a new adventurer’s guild, father. I think it is now.”

Nodding, he said, “Yes! I agree with you wholeheartedly, son. I have most of the arrangements already made.”

“What will you call the guild?”

“Hmm,” he noised thoughtfully as he scratched his beard. “I haven’t thought on a name, yet.”

“Why not simply the House of Brendara,” Cassandra suggested.

John nodded, but he seemed unenthused. Or maybe the situation was simply bothering him too much to allow him to think on it.

“Where is Celine?” Yoreno asked.

“Oh, she’s with Lady Kordilia, no doubt. The girl is taking everything so hard.”

“And her parents?”

“They seem fine,” John said, adding to the conversation between Yoreno and his mother. “I’m sorry, son, but I suppose you have nothing else left to do in the Roaming Lions,” he added. “Why not come home and we can start our guild. You can lead it.”

“What?” Yoreno asked with a frown. “What do you mean?”

Cassandra glanced at John, and he blinked, a shocked look on his face. “Do you not know?”

“Know what?”

Cassandra nearly gasped, but held herself back as she glanced about the room furtively. “He hasn’t heard, John.”

“Heard what? Tell me.”

“Son,” John said. “Lady Brennovo—“

His mother interrupted. “She’s not a lady any longer.”

Growling at Cassandra, John continued. “Dantera Brennovo has been banished from Aevalin—the Roaming Lions taken from her possession.”

“What?!” Yoreno gasped as he stood up.

His sudden outburst drew onlookers from across the room. Cassandra glanced about, then regarded Yoreno with a nod. “It’s true.”

Suddenly he felt sick, a large lump in his throat. “But why?”

He already knew the answer, but he needed to hear it.

“Queen Neslyn blames her for her brother’s death.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“Shhh!”

“I will not be quiet! This is outrageous. How can she do this?”

“She is the queen,” Cassandra said.

“And what was all that about ruling with dignity and compassion, then?”

“Hush, Yoreno,” John rebuked him. “It is not our place to call out the queen. You can make a formal complaint and petition that her decree be reversed, but otherwise what is done is done.”

“Where is she?”

They looked at him dumbly.

“Dantera,” he said. “Where has she gone?”

They both shrugged.

Yoreno couldn’t stand here and listen to this any longer. He needed to find out where she had gone!

He bolted out of the drawing room and ran all the way up to her chambers where she had been staying and found the door open, Kylen nowhere to be seen.

Upon entering the chamber, he realized the servants were at work, tidying the room. The curtains were open, allowing the golden sunlight of the late morning through. That light presaged a new dawn, warmth and perhaps even a new beginning.

But this was not a beginning.

This was an end.

“Yoreno?”

He turned. It was Dell. “What are you doing here?”

“We saw you rushing to get up here and we followed.”

Sorika walked into the room, with by Mai close behind. Mai was breathing heavily, evidentially not yet fully recovered from her ordeal. “Yor—Yoreno, what’s wrong?”

He glanced toward the windows, then back to his friends. “She’s gone.”

“What?” Dell asked. “What do you mean ‘she’s gone’?”

Dell’s reaction was exactly the same as his had been. “My parents just gave me the news. She’s been banished from the kingdom of Aevalin by our new queen.”

“What?” Mai squawked. “How? Not possible!”

“The queen blames Dantera for her brother’s death.”

They all looked at each other.

“And the Roaming Lions?” Sorika asked.

Yoreno shook his head. “I have no idea.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Suddenly something came to him, forcing him to gasp with his own surprise.

“What is it?” Mai asked. “Yoreno,” she said, coming next to him. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” he said, remembering the letter she had signed and sealed before giving it to him. “Everything is fine. We will learn about what happened and then decide what to do.”

“Hells yes we will!” Dell said.

“Why don’t you all leave me for a time?”

They all looked at him like he had just asked them to jump out the window.

“Truly?” Dell asked.

Yoreno nodded.

Mai had a pained look on her face. She had a lot of empathy for others. She nodded, touched his shoulder and said, “If you need anything, let us know, all right?”

“I will,” he said, nodding.

They left him there. He waited for a time. Then he closed and locked the door, sat down at the desk and reached into his jacket pocket for the letter.

Yoreno thumbed the seal for a moment as the sunlight shone across the thick parchment paper. He cracked the lion’s head seal and opened the letter.

Dear Yoreno,

Before the coronation ceremony…

Dantera had just finished packing some of her non-essential things into her travel chest that had been brought to her chambers when first arriving at Aevalin castle.

The Age of Readventure festivities would continue, and she would be present for them. But after everything that had happened, she was ready to return to the roaming lions and back to normal life.

If life would ever be normal again, she thought. She hadn’t just failed King Branlin. She had failed her ancestors. What would Arlian Brennovo have done in her situation?

Would he have handled things differently?

Thinking back to the way everything had progressed, with the killer, and then finally the attack, she wasn’t certain how she would have changed her approach. More aggression perhaps? The king had given her explicit instructions not to cause a scene that would injure his event.

And yet she has asked him multiple times to reconsider his stance on the matter. A part of her wanted to believe that there was nothing she could have done.

But there had been—surely?

A knock sounded on her door.

“Come.”

It opened to reveal Kylen. “Mistress,” he said, “I’ve just received word from one of Princess Neslyn’s couriers. She requests your presence in the royal hall immediately.

“What?”

“It says nothing more. Well, actually her ‘request’ is more of a demand.”

“Read the letter,” Dantera said as she turned to look out the windows. It was early morning and the Neslyn’s coronation ceremony was happening later in the morning.

Kylen cleared his throat and read the correspondence. “Lady Dantera Brennovo. You are summoned to the royal hall immediately. Signed, Princess Neslyn.”

“Interesting,” Dantera said. “Kylen—what do you think she wants?”

“Hmmm. I can’t rightly say. Perhaps something to do with the coronation?”

“Yes, well… best not to keep her waiting.”

She was dressed well enough for the occasion. No longer wearing her dress, she wore trousers with knee high boots, runic armor and bracers. If another fight came—which would likely not—she would be ready for it.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she moved her braided hair from her back over her shoulder.

“Let’s go, Kylen.”

“At once, Mistress.”

The throne room was well lit, with all of the curtains drawn away from the high windows. The early morning sunlight promised a wonderful new day, but Dantera felt an ominous air as they approached.

There were nobles out in the halls, looking on with judgment in their eyes. Even her cousin Adelaid was there with her family, their eyes sunken deep with blame and anger.

The guards at the door stepped forward. “Lady Brennovo, we will escort you to Her Majesty.”

The glanced at Kylen, wondering what this was really about. With a heavy sigh, she said, “All right. Lead the way.”

“Your sword, please.”

“What?”

“You must relinquish your arms, my lady.”

“I just fought and killed for the king just yesterday,” she hissed. “I am a knight of Aevalin. I do not give up my sword.”

The other guards shifted uneasily and stepped forward, adding the force of threat behind their captain, who was not Sir Cedryk.

“And now the king is dead,” the guard said. “Her Majesty the Princess does not wish to be in the presence of your blade. Please. It will be returned to you when you leave the throne chamber.”

It was an outrage, but the request seemed that of a grieving sister, so Dantera, not unfeeling, relented without further argument. “Very well.” She pulled Ito Farralia loose with a crisp hiss and handed it to the captain.

He nodded and with a gesture of his hand said, “This way, please.”

They entered the long throne chamber, nobles and courtiers packed against the sides between the massive marble pillars, leaving the blue runner with gold trim available for anyone approaching the throne.

The chamber was silent, except for the Harold, who called out, “Lad Dantera! Knight of Aevalin and Guild Mistess of the Roaming Lions!”

No one applauded her arrival or even smiled.

Immediately Dantera realized that Neslyn was sitting in the throne, not her usual chair beside the throne.

Standing there at the foot of the dais was Sir Cedryk, the Captain of the Castle Guard. His look did not bode one of good fortune.

Dantera stepped up to the dais. “You summoned for me, Majesty?”

Princess Neslyn said nothing, only nodded stoically. Her posture was straight, her neck forward. She swallowed in what looked to be nervousness. “Is the court scribe present?”

“Here,” he said, raising his quill.

Then Jasier stepped up to the princess and whispered something in her ear and her eyes landed directly on Dantera.

The princess grasped both arms atop the throne.

“Lady Dantera Brennovo.”

“Yes, Majesty?”

She stood, looked down on Dantera and Sir Cedrik. “I have summoned you here, Lady Brennovo and Sir Cedrik Chovaun to let it be known in front of all the witness of this court, that you have both failed our most beloved king, Branlin.”

Dantera swallowed hard.

“You have failed this kingdom and possibly its future. You allowed our king to be killed under your protection. Your failings cannot go unnoticed… and unanswered.”

Dantera’s eyes were wide open, the air stinging them, but she did not blink.

“Sir Cedryk. I hereby strip you of your knighthood. You will no longer serve within this castle. You may maintain your noble title of Gentleman at Arms as well as your pension years accrued during the time you spent serving while in the Castle Guard.”

Dantera did not look to Sir Cedryk for his reaction. She already knew that it must have been like a kick to his stomach. And neither did she look to the crowd of angry eyes who blamed them both as much as Princess Neslyn.

“Lady Dantera Brennovo. I strip you of your noble title of ladyship and demote you to the title of knight.”

The princess regarded the gathering. “To be clear, you are knight errant!”

There were audible gasps across the room.

“That is to say,” Princess Neslyn said loudly so that all could hear, “that you are hereby banished from the kingdom of Aevalin and all her lands and vassals states.”

It was all Dantera could do not to fall over and spasm in pure shock and loss. She forced herself to stand erect as a statue.

“You have failed this kingdom, and so you will be a part of it no longer.” There was a long pause.

Dantera’s breathing was heavy, her eyes hot and wet.

“However…” Neslyn added. “I am not without mercy. Your lands and your titles may be passed down to a chosen heir or successor of sufficient noble birth. Know that I do not take personal pleasure in this. My actions are not those of vindictiveness or malice. As I have said to you and to the rest of this court”—she swept the royal hall with her hand—“that I am not without compassion and dignity. Though your lands and titles may be lost to you, I give you the chance to reclaim your noble title and to welcome you back to our glorious kingdom of Aevalin… should you bring me a boon worthy of my—nay, our!—forgiveness.”

Dantera did not move to wipe the tears from her face. Her sorrow was not for the loss of her possessions, even though those titles and lands were precious to her, many of which were passed down by her ancestors, but because she had lost the noble title passed down to her by her great ancestor Lord Arlian Brennovo—hero of Aevalin.

Should he have looked down upon her from the heavens, he would have wept, for Dantera had ended his legacy.

“Now be gone with haste,” Princess Neslyn said.

Dantera wasted no time. She bowed to the queen to be, turned and strode out of the throne chamber with as much dignity as she could muster, all the while judging eyes and whispers chased her out.

As she stopped and glanced at the guard with her sword, he nodded, a pained look crossing his face. “I am sorry, my—I am sorry.”

He gestured for Dantera to take her sword. She looked at it, an overwhelming sense of shame coming over her.

She glanced down the corridor and walked, leaving Ito Farralia in the new captain’s hands.

Yoreno looked up from the letter and sighed heavily. How could she not have told him in person? Did she not trust him?

He continued to read to the end.

Aevalin is my home, Yoreno. I will strive to protect her… and to reclaim my lost honor—for myself, and for the memory of my ancestors.

This is why I must leave. Do not place blame upon our new queen. I believe her to be a just woman. The failure has been mine.

I go to find the king’s killer. I have spoken to Sorika and I am aware of who I must find.

And find her I will, Yoreno.

Please do not follow me. This is my quest that I must undertake alone and without your help. I wish that I could be with you, to help you in your training. I wish that our friendship could have continued to grow.

And perhaps one day we will see each other again.

I leave to you all my possessions, including the Roaming Lions. Kylen will serve you well, and I believe Yorinius to be an excellent second. But I will not tell you how to run your new guild.

That, you must do yourself.

All the best of luck to you and your training, and the future endeavors of your family, Yoreno.

My warmest regards.

Dantera

Gods and Goddesses! he thought. He had always looked up to Dantera, saw her for her leadership, her superior fighting skills and her knowledge of politics and history.

But now… this.

How could she do this? There was no way he would let her continue on her own. If he was fast, he could catch her.

But then what?

No, he thought. Perhaps now was not the best of times to go after her, while the coming of it all was so fresh and painful. Best to wait for a time. She could gather her wits. And he his.

Besides, there was much to do. If Yoreno did not claim what was given him, it would go to the crown and then be parted off to various nobles.

Yoreno could not let that happen to Dantera.

She would bring back a boon, claim her title once again, and Yoreno would be there every step of the way.

His heart was beating fast. A kind of fear struck him. It was a powerful sense of loss. The loss of a friend and a mentor.

Perhaps more…

Yes, there was much to do. The kingdom needed leadership. It would find that leadership in its new queen. But the Roaming Lions also needed leadership and Yoreno, though a mid-tier adventurer famed as the leader of the Emblazoned Party—he didn’t know how to run a guild.

That would be far better suited to Kylen or Yorinius.

Once everything was in order. Once the Roaming Lions leadership was established and things had come to a stable place.

Then Yoreno would set out after Dantera. He would go as far as it took, take as long as it took. He would find Dantera.

And they would return together.

If the king’s death was her fault, it was as much his. He owed it to the kingdom—to her.

“I’m coming, Dantera. And you can’t stop me.”