THE KINGS OF CLONMEL

by John Flanagan

  ***

  Three days later, Halt had Sean call an assembly of the senior nobles in Dun Kilty. They would be the people who would have to ratify the succession of the new King, whoever he might be.

  They assembled in the throne room, eyeing each other uncertainly. By now they all knew Halt's identity and knew he was the rightful King. They wondered how he would deal with the people who had accepted Ferris, a usurper, all these years. All too often, people who had been cheated had a tendency to pay back those who had cheated them — and those who had accepted the situation, even unknowingly.

  Several of them were discussing this in low tones as they waited for Halt to arrive — until they realised that he wasalready among them. They weren't used to this. Kings were supposed to sweep into a room majestically — not suddenly appear without anyone seeing their arrival. They shifted uncertainly, waiting for the green-and-grey-cloaked stranger to state his terms — and determine their fates.

  Sean of Carrick stood at Halt's side. Halt motioned for the nobles to seat themselves. A half circle of benches had been placed in front of the throne. They were surprised when he sat with them. They had expected him to take the dominant position, assuming the throne on Its raised dais.

  'My lords, I'll be brief,' Halt said. 'You know who I am. You know how my brother cheated me. You know I have an undeniable claim to the throne of Clonmel.'

  He paused and let his eyes roam around the half circle. He saw heads nodding, and eyes dropping from his. He understood their nervousness and decided not to prolong their uncertainty any further.

  'What you don't know is that I have no intention of claiming it.'

  That got their attention, he thought. Heads came up round the half circle, curiosity mingled with disbelief in their looks. Nobody in his right mind refused the throne, they all thought. He allowed himself a grim smile.

  'I know what you're thinking. Well, let me tell you, I have no wish to be a king, here or anywhere else. I've been gone too long to consider this my home any more. I have a home in Araluen. And I have a king I respect. I think you should have the same. Sean, who is next in line to the throne?'

  He fired the question at the younger man without warning. Sean rose to his feet, a little taken aback.

  `Um ... oh ... well, in fact, that would be ... me,' he said. Halt nodded. He had known as much.

  'Then you appear to be the most suitable candidate for the position,' he said. He looked around the room. 'Anybody disagree?'

  In truth, there had been more than one who had heard Halt's disavowal of the throne and had felt a quick surge of ambition — a hope that they might be able to assume the crown for themselves. But the speed of events, and the gleam in Halt's eye, told them that it might be a bad idea to continue to nourish such ambitions. There was a hasty mumble of assent from the circle of nobles.

  Halt nodded. 'I didn't think you would.'

  'Just a moment! I certainly disagree!' Sean said.

  The Ranger turned to him. 'You have a clear and unchallenged claim to the throne. Do you not want it?'

  He saw Sean hesitate and knew that he was an intelligent young man. There were many good reasons not to take the crown, Halt knew. A king's hold on the throne in this country could be tenuous. Sean would need to be a strong and alert ruler at all times. And he would be surrounded by a group of venal self-seeking nobles who would take any opportunity to undermine him if it advanced their own interests. All good reasons to refuse the crown.

  But before Sean could answer, he rephrased his question.

  'Let me put that another way. Is there anyone here you would prefer to see on the throne?' He indicated the half circle of nobles, who were watching the byplay between Sean and Halt with growing fascination.

  And that was the crux of it. The same reasons why Sean might refuse the crown were also the ones that made it imperative that he accept it.

  To a man, the group assembled here was self-seeking and self-centred. If one of them took the crown, it wouldn't be long before others contested the choice and the Kingdom was thrown into disarray. Sean was the only one among them with a rightful claim to the throne and the strength of character and purpose to command their loyalty. And at heart, Sean knew it. Reluctantly, he took a step forward, towards Halt.

  'Very well. I accept,' he said. It might not be what he wanted, but it was what the country needed and he was enough of a patriot to recognise that fact. Halt waited a few seconds, then turned to the others.

  'Anyone object?' he asked — and it may have been a coincidence that his left hand dropped casually to the hilt of his saxe knife as he did so. The nobles hastily agreed that no, nobody objected, fine choice and congratulations King Sean.

  Halt turned to his nephew. 'Now, Sean, I have one condition, before I formally renounce any claim I might have to the throne. We've broken the back of the Outsiders' movement in Clonmel. But they're still entrenched in the other five kingdoms. I want them rolled up, disbanded and their leaders imprisoned. With Tennyson out of the way and discredited, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. A bit of firm action and they'll collapse like a house of cards. And I'm sure the other five kings won't object.'

  But Sean was shaking his head. 'That'll take a strong

  military force,' he said. 'I don't have the men for it, unless I leave Clonmel unprotected. And I'm not prepared to do that.'

  Halt nodded approvingly. The young man's answer told him that he'd been right in selecting him as the new King.

  'Which is why I'm willing to write to King Duncan in Araluen and request that he send an armed force of, say, one hundred and fifty men to serve under you: knights, men at arms and a company of archers. If you agree.'

  Sean considered the offer. 'And when we've got rid of the Outsiders, this force would return to Araluen?' No ruler would be eager to see a powerful foreign force on his own land without such an assurance.

  'You have my word on it,' Halt said.

  Agreed,' Sean said and they shook hands. He glanced at the group of nobles and they hastened to mumble their agreement. 'I'll be needing levies of troops from all of your estates as well,' he said, and again heads nodded round the half circle.

  We can iron out the details later,' Halt said. 'Right now, Horace is waiting for me and, unless I miss my guess, he'll be hungry. Gentlemen, I'll leave you to discuss matters such as the coronation.' He smiled at Sean, one of his rare genuine smiles. 'With your permission, your majesty?'

  For a moment, Sean didn't react. Then he realised he was being addressed.

  `Eh? Oh, yes. Of course, Halt ... Uncle. Carry on ... please.'

  Halt stepped a little closer so that only Sean could hear him.

  'You'd better work on your regal manner,' he said.

  Horace was waiting for him in the anteroom. The young warrior's eyesight was nearly fully recovered as the drug worked its way out of his bloodstream. On the surgeon's advice, he was bathing his eyes several times a day in warm salted water. They were a little red-rimmed but he was moving more certainly now.

  He rose as Halt exited the throne room and the Ranger studied him briefly, glad to see he was nearly back to normal.

  'So, how did it go?' Horace asked cheerfully. 'Should I curtsey to you, Good King Halt?'

  'You do and I'll give you a clip over the ear,' Halt growled, suppressing a smile. 'Sean is to be King.'

  Horace nodded. 'Good choice,' he said. 'By the way, a rider came in a little while ago, with a message from Will.'

  Halt's head snapped up at that. It was the first word they had had from Will since he had ridden out in pursuit of Tennyson.

  `He said "Fingle Bay",' Horace continued.

  The Ranger pursed his lips thoughtfully. 'It's in the north. A fishing port and a small harbour. Let's collect our gear and get on the road.'

  Horace gave him a pained look.

  'What about lunch?' he asked. His hopes of a meal sank as he saw that familiar lift of Halt's eyebrow.

  'What about lunch?' Halt replie
d. Horace shook his head despondently.

  'I knew I should have told you after we'd eaten,' he said.

  * * *

  Epilogue

  * * *

  In spite of Halt's desire to cover ground as quickly as possible, they made one detour, riding to the crest of a small hill to the west of Dun Kilty.

  It was a windswept area, where the trees had been cleared to leave an open meadow. In the place of the trees there was a collection of stone cairns — perhaps fifty of them in all. Some were ancient and crumbling. Others were more recent. -One had been constructed only days before and the stones that formed it were bright and fresh from the quarry.

  This was Cairnhill. This was the ancient burial ground where the kings of Clonmel were laid to rest.

  As they reached the entrance in the low stone wall that encircled the burial ground, Horace checked Kicker, leaving Halt to ride on alone until Abelard stopped before the cairn of freshly quarried stone. For some time, the Ranger sat, not saying a word, looking at the burial cairn of his brother. After several minutes, he wheeled Abelardaway from the cairn and rode slowly back to where Horace waited for him. Without a word, Horace fell in beside him and they trotted their horses down the hill and back to the main road. They planned to spend the night at Derryton, a coastal village on the road to Fingle Bay.

  Horace looked at the sky. It was midafternoon but dark clouds were scudding in from the west and there'd be rain before too long, he thought.

  The silence grew between them until Horace finally spoke.

  `He wasn't much of a king,' he said, 'but I suppose he was the only one they had.'

  It wasn't quite the way he had intended to put it and he realised that he'd phrased the thought clumsily. He glanced anxiously at his companion, hoping that he hadn't offended him.

  'Sorry, Halt,' he said awkwardly. Halt looked up at him and gave him a sad smile. He knew there was no malice intended in the young warrior's words.

  'That's all right, Horace,' he said. 'He wasn't much of a brother, either. But he was the only one I had.'

  The first big drops of rain hit them and Halt pulled the cowl of his cloak further over his head.

  We should try to make Derryton before dark,' he said.

  * * *

  THE END

  * * *

  * * *

  John Flanagan

  About the Author

  * * *

  John Flanagan (born 22 May 1944) is an Australian author. He is currently living in Australia with his family. His best known work is the Ranger's Apprentice series, which is about a boy named Will who becomes adopted as a Ranger's apprentice to the grim and mysterious Halt.

  Biography

  Prior to becoming a novelist, John Flanagan did advertising and television commercials.1 He co-created the television series Hey Dad! He originally wrote the books for his son to encourage him to read. He started the series over 10 years ago and is still at work on them today.John Flanagan's book Rangers Apprentice will be turned into a film in 2010.

  In 2008, he won the Australian Publishers Association's Book of the Year for Older Children and the International Success Award for Rangers Apprentice 7: Erak's Ransom.2

  * * *

  About the Books

  * * *

  Ranger's Apprentice is the title of a fantasy series by author John Flanagan. The first book in the series was released in Australia in November 2004 and in the United States in June 20051.1. So far, eight books have been released in Australia, with other countries including the United States and United Kingdom following behind. The series follows the adventures of Will, an orphan who becomes an apprentice Ranger, and his master Halt as they strive to keep the Kingdom of Araluen safe from invaders, traitors and threats. John Flanagan has stated in an auto-reply to those who email him, "To those of you who wrote to tell me you enjoy the books, thank you so much. I really do enjoy hearing from you. We've just signed a movie option deal for the series so it's looking good for at least one Rangers movie in the next few years. Maybe more."

  Books in the Series Book

  Publishing Order and Date

  Chronological Order

  The Ruins of Gorlan 1 -- (Australia) 2004

  The Burning Bridge 2 - 2005

  The Icebound Land 3 - 2005

  Oakleaf Bearers (called The Battle for Skandia for US) 4 -- 2006

  Sorcerer in the North 5 - 2006

  The Siege of Macindaw 6 -- May 2007

  Erak's Ransom 7 -- November 2007

  The Kings of Clonmel 8 -- November 3, 2008

  Halt's Peril 9 -- November 2, 2009

  Plot summary The Ruins of Gorlan

  In the first book of the Rangers Apprentice series, a 15 year-old boy named Will is chosen to become a Ranger's Apprentice. Halt became his mentor and teaches him many things.

  The Burning Bridge The king captures Morgarath's secret plans for battle. On a mission to deliver a message for the king, Will, his friend Horace (an apprentice knight), and the Ranger Gilan travel to a neighboring country, Celtica. They discover that all the villagers are gone. On their way they come across Evanlyn, who claims to be a maid to an Araluen lady. She tells them that Wargals have destroyed the country and that everyone who has not been captured has fled. Gilan thinks that the evil Lord Morgarath finally devised a plan to cross the mountain pass. If that were true, and the King weren't warned, his army would be caught unaware and destroyed, and the country with it. Gilan rides to warn the King: the captured plans were a trick trap the king between two forces. Will, Horace, and Evanlyn decide to follow a small Wargal force. In doing so, they discover that Morgarath is building a bridge across The Fissure, which had formerly kept the kingdom safe. If the Wargal army comes across, the King's army will be trapped on the Plains of Uthal, surrounded by Morgarath's army and a Skandian force. They decide that the only way to save their country is to burn the bridge. Unfortunately, Will and Evanlyn are captured by the Skandians (some of Morgarath's mercenaries) when they find themselves on the wrong side of the bridge as it falls into the Fissure. Meanwhile, when Gilan reaches the camp of the king's army and reports, he is told that Evanlyn is actually Cassandra, the princess of Araluen. Horace rushes to camp to warn the king of another force of Skandians coming from the North, and to alert him of Will and Evanlyn's fate. Halt destroys the Northern Skandian army, but the king simulates a battle with them in order to lure Morgarath's army out so the king's calvalry will be on firmer ground. The Wargals are frightened of horses, and Morgarath's army falls into chaos. Morgarath sounds a retreat; but to revenge himself, he challenges Halt to single combat. When the King forbids Halt to accept, Horace challenges Morgarath instead. Morgarath breaks Horace's sword, but using a two-knife fighting technique Gilan taught Will, he is able to not only defend himself, but to kill Morgarath. The Wargals lose all power of independent thought with his death. With the defeat of Morgarath's army, the Skandians escape with Will and Evanlyn. Halt attempts to rescue them, but he only arrives as the Skandian's ship leaves. He shouts a promise to Will that he will rescue him wherever Will might be taken. 255 pages in US edition.

  The Icebound Land Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as the captives of the fearsome Skandian Jarl, Erak. Halt has sworn to rescue Will and will do anything to keep his promise - even defy his King. He insults King Duncan until he is taken into custody. Expelled from the Rangers and banished by the king for a year, Halt is joined by Horace, who was unofficially released from Battleschool, as he travels through Gallica towards Skandia on his venture to save Will. On their way, they are constantly challenged by freelance knights - otherwise known as thieving thugs. Horace knows how to fight, though, and he soon begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with his uncanny skill. They are captured and tormented by the local warlord. Meanwhile, Will is forced into slavery and becomes addicted to warmweed. Jarl Erak helps Will and Evanlyn escape from captivity and tells Evanlyn how to cure Will. 315 pages.

  Oakleaf Be
arers (The Battle for Skandia, in U.S.) Just as spring approaches and Will and Evanlyn can finally escape Skandia, Evanlyn is carried off by a mysterious horseman. Will sets out after them. He's not the only one on their trail. On the way to find Will, Halt and Horace have also been tracking the small party of Temujai, a fierce, nomadic tribe of horse warriors from the east. Will is overjoyed to be reunited with his mentor and friend, and together they rescue Evanlyn; however, the occasion is not as happy as it could have been as Halt realizes that the Temujai they discovered are only the scouts for a massive invasion force. The Skandians have no chance, unless they accept the help of their sworn enemies from Araluen. Will trains Skandian slaves as archers, in return for safe passage home. This book in one edition has 327 pages and 294 in the U.S. edition.

  The Sorcerer of the North Five years have passed since the Skandians and the Araluens made a peace treaty, and Will has finally become a Ranger, with his own fief to look after. He soon learns that even sleepy little island fiefs have enough problems to keep Will on his toes. Will and his old friend Alyss are thrown into a terrifying new adventure, investigating the truth behind rumors of sorcery in a remote northern fief. As he stands in Grimsdell Forest, hearing eerie voices and seeing the horrific figure of the Night Warrior looming in the fog, Will asks himself if sorcery really exists or if there is some other explanation. 329 pages