The rejected crown

Brewing war

~edweyn

Ser Edweyn rode eastward, his horse's hooves pounding the dirt road as he pushed forward under a sky painted in deepening shades of dusk. He'd barely had a chance to absorb the news when Richard's summons arrived—demanding, as always, cloaked in the guise of royal duty. Unrest was brewing in the eastern provinces, Richard had claimed. A potential revolt among the border lords, and Edweyn was needed to secure the kingdom's stability.

But Edweyn knew the truth. Richard hadn't sent him away to protect the kingdom. He wanted Edweyn far from the capital, and far from Giovanna, where his loyalty was no secret. Edweyn had protested, argued his place was by her side now more than ever, but Richard's response had been cold, laced with satisfaction.

"You have your orders, Ser Edweyn," Richard had said, his voice like iron. "Your duty lies in protecting the kingdom, not wasting away on idle allegiances."

Edweyn had held his tongue then, keeping his face impassive, though the remark stung. He'd sworn an oath to protect the crown and its heir, and Richard knew his loyalty ran deeper than any physical distance. The prince regent's orders could send him across the kingdom, but they couldn't change where Edweyn's true allegiance lay.

As the familiar paths turned into rough, twisting terrain, Edweyn's thoughts drifted to Giovanna. He'd been at her side since she was a child—a spirited, fearless girl who had grown into a strong-willed young woman, ready to lead her people. Her mother, the late queen, had trusted Edweyn with Giovanna's safety. It was a duty he wore as heavily as his armor, and now, in her greatest hour of need, he was miles away, shackled by orders and helpless to protect her.

The memory of Jane's mother burning on the pyre haunted him. He could still see the flames, the fire reflecting in Giovanna's horrified eyes. She had tried to stop it, fought against the madness that had gripped the court. He'd stood nearby, a mask of stoicism concealing the same horror that twisted in his gut. The shame, the betrayal of the kingdom's values—it had pierced him just as it had her. But he'd kept silent, bound by his oath, his loyalty forcing him to watch in helpless obedience.

And now, Giovanna was on trial.

Edweyn hadn't been there to witness it, but word had reached him before he departed for the eastern front. Treason, they'd whispered—defiance against the kingdom, an ambition Richard would twist into something dangerous, something wicked. Worst of all, he'd heard that William had been forced to testify against her.

"Damn it," he muttered to himself, clenching his jaw as he imagined William's face in court. The boy, with that vacant look in his eyes, dragged in front of nobles to tear down the person he trusted most. A memory flickered—his own hand, firm but unyielding, as he'd struck William to silence him. He'd told himself it was necessary, a harsh measure to protect the princess. He couldn't risk William revealing what he'd seen that night. But the image of the boy's hurt, confused eyes lingered, gnawing at him.

His grip tightened on the reins. Had he betrayed Giovanna just as surely as Richard had? In his loyalty to the crown, had he sacrificed his own code of honor?

The path rose sharply, winding through jagged cliffs and rocky outcroppings, jarring him from his thoughts. The eastern borderlands were unforgiving—a fitting reflection of the choices he now faced. He would find a way back to Giovanna, but first, he had a duty to fulfill. If he abandoned his post, it would be all the excuse Richard needed to brand him a traitor, a rogue knight. And then he'd be of no use to the princess.

By the time he reached the encampment of royal soldiers, night had fallen. Fires flickered in the darkness, casting eerie shadows against the mountain slopes. Men moved in grim silence, whispers of the rebellion spreading through the ranks. Edweyn dismounted, handing the reins of his horse to a young stable boy before making his way to the command tent.

Inside, he was met by Captain Robert, an old friend and a seasoned soldier who'd fought at his side in many skirmishes. Robert's face was etched with worry, but his eyes brightened when he saw Edweyn.

"Ser Edweyn," Robert said, voice low, his tone filled with relief. "You've arrived just in time. It's worse than we thought. Several border lords have aligned with an exiled claimant. They've gathered a force and are preparing to march on the capital."

Edweyn's chest tightened. A rebellion, just when Giovanna was on trial and her position in jeopardy. This wasn't chance—this was Richard's scheme, perfectly timed. If these lords succeeded, they'd shatter the kingdom's borders, giving Richard the justification to declare martial law and consolidate his power. And Giovanna would be blamed for it all—a young ruler too weak to quell her own people.

"Have they sent any terms?" Edweyn asked, his voice clipped, though his mind was racing with thoughts of the capital and Giovanna's trial.

Robert shook his head, a bitter smile twisting his lips. "Only demands. They say they're fighting for justice, for a kingdom free of tyranny." He let out a hollow laugh. "And they're not wrong. Fear is thick enough in the air to choke on. Richard's rule has turned half the nobility against the throne. He's twisted the kingdom's values, sowing distrust everywhere he goes."

Edweyn felt his anger flare. Richard had used the people's resentment as a tool, bending their fears to his own ends. The rebellion he'd stirred up would now serve as proof of Giovanna's supposed weakness, an excuse to drag her down.

But Edweyn had not come here to mourn Richard's machinations. He was here to make things right, to uphold his oath, and protect the kingdom as he had sworn to do. That meant putting an end to this rebellion before it could reach the capital, before Richard could weaponize it in his endless web of lies.

"We ride at dawn," Edweyn told Robert, his voice resolute. "I'll speak to the men. We'll stop these rebels from reaching the capital. If Richard wants us to fail, we'll prove him wrong."

Robert's eyes glinted with approval. "The men trust you, Edweyn. Your name still carries weight with them."

Edweyn nodded, though his mind was already elsewhere. Once this rebellion was quelled, he'd return to the capital. He'd stand by Giovanna, face whatever awaited him, and atone for the choices that had led them here. He would make sure William was safe, ensure the boy didn't carry the scars of Edweyn's own actions.

Later that night, as he lay beneath the stars, he whispered a quiet promise into the darkness. "Hold on, Giovanna. I am coming back for you. And I will see justice done, no matter the cost."