With that, Sir Don stepped away from the table. “I recommend you make sure you’re packed tonight and ready for riding at dawn. Your knights will excuse you from lessons early to do so,” Then he wheeled round, walking back toward the knight’s table.
“Lucky dogs,” Loper said, shaking his head. “I haven’t ever been to Phersal, just read about it.”
Haru, grinning, pulled himself to his feet. “Well, it’s not much more than Bronswick, as he said. On the good note for you, though,” he said, pushing his chair back into the table. “You won’t have to deal with two days of riding in the snow and freezing to your saddle.”
Loper and Saget both shivered. “Yeah, I’m not jealous of that,” Saget agreed.
***
When Will, Colin, and Rowan headed toward the entrance hall sometime later, Rockwood waved them to where he was pushing in his chair at the long knights’ table.
“You three are with me for the remainder of the day. With the ride tomorrow, plus the state you three are in after last night, I’d rather not push things physically. We will get back to sword fighting and chaos after Colin’s hands are a bit better healed and Rowan doesn’t have that grueling disfigurement.” the knight jokingly grimaced at the line of stitches on Rowan’s forehead.
“I’m just lucky my disfigured face will heal,” Rowan said, “it could be worse, I could look like you all the time.”
Rockwood laughed aloud and waved for them to follow him through one of the side doors in the dinner hall. “You have quite the smart mouth. Now let’s help you get the brain to match that, aye?”
Rockwood led them up the familiar two flights of stairs beyond the door. At the top of the stairwell, the knight ushered them down the hall and through another door. It was one Will had been through a few times in his first weeks at Alamore for lessons about Alamore’s history from Rockwood. It was where they stored rows of books, loose papers, diagrams, maps, and scrolls. Situated above the dinner hall, the room had large windows that let the cold light filter in, as well as several fireplaces.
“What are we reading about today, Sir?” asked Colin.
“We will be learning about Phersal,” Rockwood said, gesturing them to sit in the seats near one of the fireplaces, “and some of the history behind it. What do you know of it?”
Will thought about what Haru had said downstairs and his discussion with Sir Don as they guarded Vonnic. “It’s a small country?”
“Yes. But it wasn’t always,” Rockwood said, unfurling a map across the table in the center of the chairs. He dropped a paperweight on each corner before taking his seat. “To the further north, you’ll notice a larger country, Maridia. They invaded land that belonged to both Bronswick and Phersal. Bronswick has always had a lack of being…competently led. They were not confident in their ability to fight off Maridia and came to a peace agreement in which Maridia gained lands if they were peaceful partners in trade to Bronswick. Phersal, on the other hand, has never known when to settle their differences. They fought back, outnumbered and out-armed, for years. We sent people until we knew that we were risking our own borders to Thornten and had to defend ourselves. Finally, after generations of warring, there was a bargain struck in Phersal. Colin, I’d imagine you would know it, what with your family’s castle abutting the land there,” Rockwood waited.
Colin furrowed his brow. “It was King Sarwen? He only had daughters and was getting too old to fight. He married his daughter off to a second son in Maridia. It was under the expectation the two countries remain separate, right?”
“Correct. They had a son who would be Prince Kolt’s grandfather. Not much has changed, from what I’ve experienced of Kolt. He is as power-hungry and deranged as his forefathers, not that any of us are to say that,” Rockwood sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I won’t lie to you three, I don’t have the best feeling of what we are walking into. I want each of you alert, polite, and obedient while we are there. If Kolt decides that he’s ready to earn back more land, I doubt it will be from his uncle in Maridia. He would look at his other neighbors; us or Bronswick. We far outsize him, but we’ve already had to rush in and save Bronswick once this year from Thornten, their neighbor to the other side. They don’t have the stomach for fighting but we also are allies of theirs at this point and can’t just let them fall.”
“Why do we ally with someone who can’t even take care of themselves?” Rowan asked, raising his eyebrows. “Seems stupid.”
Rockwood rolled his eyes. “Because they weren’t always small and Alamore swore alliance long ago. We won’t be the first to break it.”
Will stared at the map, the large form of land that was Alamore, the equally large Thornten. To the south and west, a slightly smaller form labeled “Shadow Dale.”
“What about them?” he asked, running his finger over the ancient letters.
“Shadow Dale is about two weeks ride away. They are south but, in the mountains, so they won’t ride down for this. They’ll probably be snowed atop the mountain. The one beside it,” Rockwood tapped the next country to the west, running along the coast and mountains. “Is where the King’s younger brother is ruling actually. He married the only daughter of the previous King of Kelkor. They have a daughter there, now,” Rockwood stood. “But that’s not the point. I want you three to read up on the history of Phersal. I will be quizzing you over the ride tomorrow. Get your reading done for the next hour or two, then pack, make sure your horses and the horses you are in charge of are sound and get to bed early. Absolutely no late-night adventures, I can’t keep tolerating my squire getting nearly killed,” He gave Rowan a pointed look.
Rowan threw his hands in the air. “It wasn’t my idea this time!”
“This time,” Rockwood repeated darkly, before leaving them in the room alone.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The next morning, Will, Rowan, and Colin were woken by Haru. The oldest squire was already dressed, his thickest cloak over his shoulders and his red hair hidden beneath the hood.
“Time to rise and shine, beautifuls,” He said, smirking.
Rowan grumbled a suggestion of where Haru should go, which he ignored as he left them to get dressed and, yawning, enter the dinner hall. Novin was nearly done eating as they sat down, eating quickly. Rowan, still groggy, was trying to devour even more as Colin said they needed to get outside and start saddling.
“Rowan,” Colin groaned, “just put some food in your pocket if you’re that hungry. We have to go now,” Rowan scowled, cheeks full of food, and Will had to hide his laughter in the collar of his tunic.
Outside, they found pages already holding packhorses. Haru had saddled the King’s blue roan and was finishing saddling his own nearly red roan horse. Visra looked as pleased as Rowan to be dragged away from breakfast and pinned his ears threateningly as Will cinched the saddle into place. “Don’t be foul,” Will muttered, patting the animal’s massive neck.
He moved slowly as he saddled the Ranger’s black mare. She was smaller, slighter, more built like a courser than a warhorse. She watched him warily but without the same angry antics of his own horse.
“If you speak to a horse calmly while you work with them, they tend to relax.”
Will jumped in surprise, making the mare shy slightly away and nearly drop the uncinched saddle from her back. He hadn’t even heard the Ranger’s approach. “I-I’ll try that,” Will stammered.
The Ranger shrugged, his face completely in shadow in the predawn light. “It doesn’t phase me one way or the other. But if you get kicked, it will phase you.”
After that, Will found himself talking in a low voice to the mare. The only things on his mind were his confusions with Marl and the Ranger’s relationship. He didn’t want to utter those in the courtyard, so, instead, was reciting everything he had read about Phersal the night before.
The mare stood still but relaxed as he finished preparing her, then held her reins as the Ranger pulled himself into the saddle. He merely nodded in thank
s before turning her away. Will and Rowan were the last two to mount up and the party began to cross the drawbridge, the first rays of sun starting to appear to the east.
The knights and Haru seemed to be the only ones awake enough for discussions. Rowan, Novin, Colin, and Will merely watched the others in their animated discussions or the Ranger and King who rode somewhat further ahead. Even through his cloak, Will could feel the biting air blowing off the snow. He closed his eyes momentarily and Visra jerked a half step forward as if to remind him that rest wasn’t an option.
The party rode until sometime past noon when they stopped long enough for food and to let Will, Rowan, and Colin walk out their cramping legs. “I don’t think I’ll walk for a week after this,” Rowan moaned.
“Me neither,” Will rubbed the front of his legs, bent double. “I didn’t think I could get this sore.”
“Oh, it will get worse,” Sir Miller, the only knight to have joined without a squire, was smirking as he watched Rowan wincingly try to straighten up. “After the battle at Bronswick, I felt sure I’d never walk again. That was the longest ride I’d done since becoming a knight,” He nodded his head toward their horses. “Best get back in the saddle though. We will be heading off again soon. If we’re lucky, we can actually stay at a tavern tonight.”
“Why not Lonnac?” Colin asked, lifting himself into his saddle.
Sir Miller shrugged. “We didn’t have time to notify your cousin that we would be near your lands. And it’s pretty rude to show up and demand free hospitality. Plus, I’m personally hoping we stop somewhat before that. This snow is awful for us and the horses.”
“So Lonnac is yours and being run by your cousin now?” Will asked Colin as the King ordered everyone to mount their horses again.
“Yeah,” Colin said, adjusting his feet in the stirrups and gathering his reins. Pausing, he stared at his hands and seemed to struggle with something internally before muttering. “He’s the last of my close family on my father’s side, so he has to be acting Count until I am knighted.”
Will felt his stomach clench. “Colin…I’m so sorry…I didn’t know.”
Colin gave a half-smile. “I know, we never really have talked about family much. Everyone at Alamore has known for years, and I lost them when I was really young. It’s something I’ve grown accustomed to people knowing…” he hesitated. “To be honest, I kind of didn’t tell you for that reason. It was nice, someone not knowing or pitying me for that.”
“We don’t pity you,” Rowan reassured him, riding beside them. “We just wish we could beat you, just once, in a duel.”
Colin laughed but Will could tell it was forced. Even so, Rowan had managed his best trait of changing the subject and, after that, the three began discussing different swordsmen tactics and battle strategies. Deciding their conversation was more entertaining than the knights, Haru was soon riding back beside them and joining in.
***
As Sir Miller had hoped and predicted, they ended up bringing their horses to a resting point ten miles from Lonnac. The town that they stopped in was small but large enough to accommodate them in a clean tavern where stable hands helped the squires with the horses. Will carried his tack, as well as the Ranger’s, to the room that the squires were sharing. The Ranger had informed him, as they dismounted, that he didn’t trust public saddle racks. It had been their only communication since that morning, to Will’s relief. The further he could stay from the Ranger, the better.
The group ate in the tavern, joking and telling stories with the knights until their full stomachs and the comfortable warmth made Will’s eyelids heavy. He excused himself for bed and started up the thin stairwell to the second floor. Near the top, he glanced back and noticed the still silent hooded Ranger, on the right of the King, watching him. He shivered and the Ranger looked away. Once on the landing, he turned again, feeling eyes on him. But the Ranger had finally joined the conversation, speaking with Miller about something Will could not hear.
On the other side of the King, Sir Ross was watching Will, his face unreadable and jaw tense. Their eyes locked and the man’s expression softened for a moment before he pulled his gaze away.
***
“I can see the castle from here!” Sir Rockwood, standing in his stirrups at the front, yelled.
“About time, too, because I’ve been looking for a place to lay down and die,” Rowan grumbled.
The sun was high above them, shedding little warmth but was reflecting blindingly off of the snowdrifts. They had left the tavern before dawn and pushed the horses harder after finding a cleared path through Lonnac’s land. The path had continued over the border of Phersal, obviously tread down by hooves of other riders heading to the castle as well.
Will now urged Visra into a canter, riding up beside Sir Don at the front of the group. He gasped as he pulled the horse to a halt and stared into the valley below. The castle was smaller than Alamore but constructed in a way he’d never seen. Instead of stone walls and drawbridge, the walls and gates surrounding the castle seemed to be made of braided black metal. The two large gates were flung wide for entry, the crimson banners with a black phoenix hung from each of them. The castle itself was a single large tower, other towers curling from its sides, like a tree. Everything was black stone, almost shining, in the sunlight.
“Why is it built like that?” Will asked, turning to Sir Rockwood.
“It’s built from native stone that’s already dark and they intentionally keep it painted black. Being further north, even just this much, it gets cold. It’s designed to stay warmer. Also, why it’s built upwards instead of a large castle, like ours. Heat rises, so they have their fires in the bottom floor, vented out at ground level, and the heat goes throughout. It’s ingenious, honestly,” Rockwood grinned, looking down at Will. “It’s also a bit ugly, but it works. They burned about twelve different attempts when trying to design this.”
“It’s certainly unique,” Colin said, bringing his chestnut horse to Rockwood’s other side.
“We rode all this way to see someone crowned King of this?” Rowan grumbled, reaching them at the peak of the hill. “This is smaller than Lonnac.”
“Yes, but we will be at Lonnac when Colin inherits it in six or so years,” Rockwood replied. “And please, leave those comments up here. We aren’t disrespecting a new King.”
Rowan met Will’s eyes and grimaced before urging his horse on the downward slope. Will did likewise, eyes still fixed on the castle. Something about the dark tower made him shiver. It looked like an omen from some nightmare, even in the white landscape of snow.
“You’re right not to like it much,” the Ranger growled, riding up beside Will. He faced the castle still, as he spoke. “There is nothing I trust about any of this. Your job, as we dismount, is to make sure that our gear does not end up in the tack room. Put both our things in the stall that my mare is housed in because I don’t trust your horse not to eat my saddle. I don’t want a lock between us and our tack.”
“Yes, Sir,” Will muttered, lowering his gaze to Visra’s ears.
“I’m not a knight, Will. There isn’t reason to bother with Sirs or any titles,” the Ranger said, his voice softening. “I need you to promise one other thing to me, while we are here.”
Will nodded, eyes still fixed ahead.
“Look at me, William,” The Ranger ordered.
Will forced himself to turn and look at the Ranger. The man was staring at him from below his accustomed hood, his eyes in shadows. “I need you to do anything I say and don’t hesitate. You might not trust me on a personal level, but our differences will have to be put aside. My goal with this visit is to ensure the King, as well as this group, leaves in one piece. Do you understand?”
“Yes, si-” Will caught himself, swallowing the rest of the word. “Yes.”
“Good. Then stop looking so terrified of me. It makes me want to not look at you. I can’t stand it when someone swallows their distaste rather than just faces it.
We won’t discuss anything that has happened with the tunnels or Marl until we leave, but I will tell you more at some point. Right now, though,” the Ranger’s lips twitched into a smirk, “it’s not really your damn business.”
Will felt his shoulders relax slightly. “It’s been bothering me,” The words surprised him but the Ranger nodded, clearly unperturbed, and pushed his mare ahead of the group.
***
Passing through the gates in a tight group, Will looked around the courtyard, taking in the bustling stable hands in clean crimson and black tunics, the emblem on the phoenix on each chest. The hands took the reins of their horses but, after a look from the Ranger, Will quickly dismounted and took the reins of the black mare and Visra.
“I will take my horse and the Rangers,” he said to the older boy attempting to lead the horses away.
The boy opened his mouth to argue, then faltered. “We can handle the horses.”
Ranger of Kings (William of Alamore Series Book 1) Page 14