The Mage Wars

Lords of Gaerwn

16 Neso of the year 13006

"Sir Gillian!" Kaelen yells, waving at Sir Gillian. "How wonderful it is to see you!"

"And you, my Prince! Who is it you bring with you?" Sir Gillian gestures to Tressa. He has a right to ask, but it's up to me if my brother is allowed to respond. "The one with the bag over her head?"

Kaelen looks to me for a nod. Instead, I shake it. The public does not need to know who is hiding under the bag.

"No one of importance," Kaelen responds.

Leaving it at that, Sir Gillian opens the doors to the lower town. As I cross the threshold and into civilization, Sir Gillian asks how I've been.

"I've been well. How have you faired?"

Sir Gillian grins. He was the first to believe I could be a knight and not be sidelined for my gender. "As have I. I bet your Father is waiting, now off with you!"

Along the path to the castle, a small girl and her father bring flowers to me. I smile and graciously take them. I send a cluster of butterflies, made from light, her way. The butterflies tickle the girl's cheeks. Her joyous giggles follow me to the courtyard.

Standing in the doorway of a house in the upper town is a redhead female with Lord Tanyl and his wife, Lady Cailen. I nod to the female, but she bolts. How curious.

Oh, why does she look familiar? She's Ella's older sister. I haven't seen Anya since I was eleven. I could have sworn Ella said her sister disappeared several years ago.

Leaving Anya and her family behind, I nudge Hunter to move along. We best not keep Father waiting. He's sure to have heard the announcement of our presence.

In the citadel, Father waits with a small party of guards to escort Tressa to the dungeons. I grin at my Father, who smiles back.

Everyone dismounts, except for my Aunt. Her horse stopped exactly where her husband took his final breath. Tressa doesn't move an inch. She must know this location will bring her doom.

"Everest,"

"Father," I walk over and embrace him.

Father quickly fills me in. My uncles arrived three days ago and are eager to see what the lords of Gaerwn have to offer.

The four lords that have been selected for the kingship assessment have arrived. Two of them arrived last night, and the other two arrived early this morning.

The lords are allegedly waiting for one more, Lord Zarrak, to arrive in the court's drawing room—a choice I never would have made, not in someone else's home. And yet one lord decided to waltz in and make himself at home. A choice that could cost him the crown of Gaerwn.
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Four males sit on the couches facing the fireplace in the west-facing drawing room. Two of the lords stop talking when a male with dark hair blurts out, "By Zenith's wings, you're kidding."

"At least I didn't bribe anyone to be here," Lord Zarraks shoots right back.

Competition already. Interesting. Lord Zarrak never talked about his life in Gaerwn before he came to Vanora. I've asked, but he deflected, and I never pushed.