Crowns And The Nine Kingdoms

Chapter 14 - The White Tree

The iron door slammed shut with a deafening bang, echoing through the dark, damp dungeons beneath Castle White. King Braylon, the newly crowned King of Thorns, was thrown into the very cell where his mother had once been imprisoned. He landed heavily on the cracked ivory floor, surrounded by shadows and the stench of decay.

"It looks like we have a new mate!" a voice called out from the darkness, dripping with sarcasm.

Braylon sat up in the corner, anger simmering beneath his fear. The taunts from the other prisoners began to fill the air.

"He’s got a crown!" an old, raspy voice cackled from a neighboring cell.

"Oh! We have a king!!!" Lara, a woman imprisoned for challenging Queen Annysha, sneered.

"King of the Dungeons! Ha ha ha!!" another voice, rough and hoarse, jeered.

"Enough!!!" a booming voice silenced the others. It was Hanor, the giant, who commanded respect even from within his own cell.

The dungeon fell into a tense silence, the prisoners' mocking whispers dying out. Suddenly, the iron door to Braylon’s cell creaked open slowly. A figure with glowing eyes stood in the entrance, cloaked in black, her presence both terrifying and mesmerizing.

Braylon’s heart raced as the figure approached him. Without a word, the woman in the black cloak reached out and touched him. In the blink of an eye, the dark, suffocating dungeon was replaced by a breathtaking paradise.

"Who are you!?" Braylon demanded, scrambling to his feet, his voice filled with both awe and anger as he stared at the woman’s back.

The woman turned slowly and removed her hood, revealing her face.

"Vera..." Braylon breathed, recognizing her instantly. "Where are we? Why did you take me out of the dungeons? How did you do it!?" His questions spilled out in a frantic rush.

"We are in Arevy, my home," Vera replied calmly, her voice soothing yet firm.

Without further explanation, she led him through the beautiful halls of Castle Arevy. "Wear this! You must hide," Vera handed him a white cloak, urgency in her voice.

Braylon quickly donned the cloak, his heart pounding as he followed her. As they walked, the sounds of joyful music and laughter reached them. The castle was alive with celebration.

"They're celebrating?" Braylon whispered to Vera.

"It's my sister's wedding," Vera responded quietly.

But as they neared the throne hall, Vera glanced at Braylon's features, still distinct despite the cloak. "Your eyes! Your skin! You should hide! You look too much like a Valish!"

Meanwhile, back at the Nine Pillars of White Peak, King Orion arrived on his giant eagle. His face twisted in fury as he received the news from a panting guard.

"My lord! The prisoner is gone!" the guard reported anxiously.

"What do you mean!?" King Orion’s voice thundered through the chamber.

"The iron door to his cell was opened... he left..."

"Inform the White Ravens! Search for him immediately!" King Orion commanded, his anger barely contained.

In the cold, unforgiving lands of Bearland, Wun, Dryndon, and their fellowship arrived at the ashes of what was once a grand cottage. Amid the devastation, Wun noticed a stunning, enormous white maple tree standing resilient in the center of the ruin. Bewildered, he approached the tree, his eyes tracing the deep claw marks on its trunk.

As he stood there, lost in thought, an old woman’s voice broke the silence. "The sun is rising," she said.

Wun turned to see the nearly blind woman, the same one who had once crazily shouted in the streets of Dorona and Bearland. But now, she was feeble, her cloak torn and her eyes clouded.

"What happened to you?" Wun asked softly, recognizing her as the one who had shared the tale of the Frozen Queen.

The old woman wept as she touched Wun’s face. "Your journey is too long," she whispered.

Wun embraced her, tears filling his own eyes. The Prince of Bearland had returned home, no longer the abandoned child but a man with an army and a purpose.

Far away, on a cold and snowy path, Rhyndelle, with her icy hands and blue eyes like frozen lakes, stood gazing at the Frozen Unknown City. Fear gripped her heart as she felt the strength of the city’s ice begin to falter, sensing that it might soon melt away.

Back at Castle Arevy, King Darius of Rhodo lay beside his new bride, Yshra, while in another part of the castle, Vera brought the hiding King Braylon to their army camp.

"You need an army?" Vera asked as they walked among the armored giants, wild tigers, and strong men.

"Of course," Braylon replied, his voice muffled beneath the white cloak.

"Darius of Rhodo married my sister Yshra, and tomorrow he will return with three hundred of our men and with my sister to his home," Vera explained.

"Do you have a brother?" Braylon asked, an idea forming in his mind.

"We are seven daughters of King Seth of the land of Arevae," Vera replied.

"Can I talk to your father?" Braylon inquired, his tone serious.

"Why?" Vera asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I will promise Cardon to one of your sisters! For an army!" Braylon proposed.

"No! Of course not! Letters were sent to all of those kingdoms when you were sent to the Nine Pillars by your grandfather," Vera whispered angrily.

Desperate, Vera offered, "Why don't you marry me as your queen? With me, I can return you back to Thorns with an army and a queen! With me, I can help you claim back your throne!"

Braylon’s eyes softened as he looked at her. "I wished to marry a woman like you," he whispered sweetly.

And in the midst of the army camp, hidden beneath their cloaks, they kissed passionately.

Meanwhile, at Castle White, the White Guards returned to King Orion with grim news.

"My king! We’ve searched the forests!" they reported.

But the king's fury only grew. Letters were quickly penned and sent to every kingdom, informing all that King Braylon of Thorns had escaped from the dungeons.

At the same time, at the shores of Nixos Lagoon in Voshkai, a thin and pale man crawled out of the lagoon, gasping for breath. He collapsed on the shore, unconscious. A Voshkian elf found him and dragged him into a small hut.

As the man lay on the table inside the hut, his white eyes slowly opened. The elf stared at him in shock.

"Where am I?" the man asked, his voice hoarse and weak.

The elf hesitated, his gaze fixed on the man's pale, wrinkled skin and the armor and crown he wore.

"Screeeech!!!" A giant eagle screamed outside, its call echoing across the lagoon.