Keep of Fire and Blood (Chronicles of Qynn - Book Two)

Prologue

The mountains loomed above the campsite like giant sentinels, keeping watch over the lands that stretched almost uninterrupted to the distant horizon. Great snow-capped fingers of rock and granite, they were a marvel to behold, and had never been conquered by man or beast, such was the fierce and unpredictable weather that surrounded their indomitable peaks.

The boy gazed at them longingly, as he was wanton to do, seeking out every single detail of the strange landforms. For where he was from there were no sights such as these, and he felt drawn to them as a moth to the flame.

Turning, he glanced behind him quickly, more out of guilt than for any thoughts of turning back. He had been waiting for a chance to explore, and this afternoon that very chance had come in the form of a messenger.

The message had not been totally clear to him, however he was able understand the context of it. The implications and far reaching effects were even further removed from his grasp, as he saw only opportunity in the grief of his parents. They would not know that he was missing, and he would be returned to the camp before nightfall.

Turning back toward the peaks once again he scanned the rising land in front of him. It was not far to the base of the closest mountain, rising from the ground as suddenly as the great walls of a city rise from the plains. The grass was as high as the boy's waist as he moved quickly toward the granite formation that was drawing him forward, calling to him, beckoning him.

His parents were removed from his mind, instead he found himself lost in the wonder of the mountains. They were so strange to a boy such as himself, and he had heard of them only in the old stories and fables. To be expected to stay away would be against his very nature, and surely his parents would understand. There was nothing he could do for them anyway, and he could not hope to ease their sudden grief. The boy did not even know his Aunt Robyn, and how she had been able to ride a horse over a cliff was a thought that was totally alien to him.

What he did know for certain was that his father would be recalled. The death of a Princess would require the entire Royal family coming together to grieve. That could take months, as scattered across the world as they were. They themselves were several months ride from the nearest of the large cities in this part of the Kingdom. Then there would be a long sea voyage to reach the place they called The Keep.

Arriving at the foot of the mountain he reached out a hand and reverently laid it upon the stone. He didn't even know what a Keep was. He DID know that his father had grown up there and loved the place dearly. He also loved his sister Robyn, but the boy only knew of her from stories of his father's childhood. He had not even been born when his father had been sent away as an emissary to these far off lands, and they were the only home that he had ever known. He was not interested in leaving, even if the prospect held the promise of adventure in a land he had never seen before.

The sides of the granite mountains were not as formidable and sheer as he had first thought when looking at them from afar. Up close now, he could see that they were craggy and held many places for handholds and footholds. There was no question that he would attempt to climb them, at least for a little way, for he was a boy from the plains and high places had always held a mystery and wonder that just called to be explored.

Taking a firm hold of the rock he pulled himself up, then reached up further for another hold. After several minutes the climbing became easier, and handholds became more common, and it wasn't long before he realized just how far he had come. Taking a rest on a ledge he settled down to gaze across the plains and wonder at the view that a place such as this afforded one that was brave enough to attempt the climb.

The base of the cliff was far below him now. He had come so far in such a short time, and the thought of how he was going to get down only briefly passed through his mind. The grasslands swept off into the distance, the wind moving across the hills like mighty waves flowing over the distant seas. He had seen that once as well, many moons ago when his father had visited a great city perched on the cliffs.