The Mage Wars

The Road Home

19 Neso of the year 13006

We leave for Vanora in half an hour and have been making our farewells to my cousin, who cannot be pried away from his studies with High Mage Bryren.

"We should stop by your parents for a day," I state as Galen and I approach the courtyard from inside the castle. "I've missed Kilgarah's buttered rolls,"

"Can we?" Galen sounds surprised. He shouldn't be. I adore Lord Arthur and Kilgarah. Galen couldn't have had better parents raise him.

"I'm Queen, of course we can. What I say goes,"

"Oh right, I almost forgot," Galen chuckles, a cheeky grin on his face.

With a sigh and a chuckle of my own, I nudge his shoulder. The Duke's hearty laugh flows freely from his lips. He stumbles a step, then another, and finally stops walking altogether.

And so do I.

Galen smiles at me widely, then jogs three steps to catch up to me—his blonde ponytail swings with the motion. A familiar scene to one that took place two years ago when we left for Vanora to ready for my coronation.

In the courtyard, my parents, uncles and youngest brother wait with Lord Zarrak, Lady Josslyn, Zorian, Lady Anya and Kaelen for me and Galen. They all look happy, at least all but Zorian. My cousin stands far from the center of the courtyard. A dark place indeed.

It's with a heavy heart that Zorian leaves Vespera. I doubt he will return, not after Tressa.

I hated that it came to what it did, but it was by her own hand that she fell from grace. Her trial was nothing short of horrifying and filled with hatred for the family she married into. I hate to see her gone, but it's what had to be done to keep my family safe.

With all our company ready to leave, the knights who rode with us from Vanora ushered us out of the courtyard. For an hour or two, we ride until we reach the small fork in the path. We take that and follow it to Galen's parents' home.

The knights initially question why we are taking this route instead of the path we took to get to Vespera. It's not until they see Lord Arthur that they realize why.

The Lord comes flying out of his and his husband's house when he spies us dismounting in the yard. Kilgarah is hot on his husband's heels. The pair reach Galen and me as Kaelen is giving instructions to the knights.

Galen practically leaps into his father's arms. The pair hug and begin chatting. It has been some time since they saw one another.

"Kilgarah," I open my arms to hug the male.

"Everest," Kilgarah engulfs me in a warm hug before swapping with Lord Arthur.

Lord Arthur mutters my name into the top of my head as he kisses it. Like his son, Lord Arthur has magnificent hugs.

"Arthur," The lord smiles as he holds me at arm's length. He looks me over, and his smile widens.

"How faired your chosen in the trials?"

"Ask him yourself," I tell Lord Arthur as I detach myself to gesture to the lord standing with his wife. "Lord Zarrak,"

Lord Zarrak comes to attention and offers Lady Josslyn his arm. My cousin takes her husband's offer, and together, they walk over to Lord Arthur. The former Lord of Vanora immediately asks how Lord Zarrak found the trials.

"Tell me, Everest. Are you staying for dinner?" Kilgarah asks, pulling me away from his excited husband.

"If we had not intended to stay for dinner, would we have brought a deer to be cooked?" I indicate to the dead deer hanging off of Sir Ràild's horse.