Crown of the Lion

Chapter 6

The king had left Ashya on his crusade. Kaine was on the throne now. But when Lord Bane had gotten word that Skully had let Kaine onto the throne, he was furious.

"That Idiot! Letting a banished prince onto a throne that belongs only to King Cassius! He dares?!" the lord shouted.

"Sire, please calm down," his servant said hopelessly. "We will figure this out."

"Kaine can not be king, send an army to Summer's End!" Lord Bane ordered.

"You mean to declare war?" the servant gasped. "Sire, no! Kaine has the White Cloaks on his side."

"My son and my future son-in-law are White Cloaks, they will not betray me." Lord Bane said in a dangerous tone.

"Oh of course, Luca and Wren are good lads. They wouldn't betray you sir. And your lady daughter will be marrying Wren in a month!" The servant said.

"Father?" the young lady walked into the courtroom. "Father, Wren and Luca wouldn't join Prince Kaine right?" she asked.

"Of course not my dear Amira," Lord Bane smiled and hugged his daughter. "Kaine will not reign over us, not for long."

~

Lord Bane set off with his daughter and his knights to Summer's End. Where he would ask Lord Skully why he was doing what he was doing.

The drawbridge was lowered as the Banes rode across. They then dismounted and walked to the door of the palace, knocking loudly.

"Lord Skully! It is I, Lord Bane of Snowdam."

The doors swung open and standing there was the lord of the Frozen Isles and the exiled prince.

"Lord Bane, what brings you here?" asked the other lord.

"An outlaw does not belong on a throne, Lord Skully," Bane said.

"I am not an outlaw! I am the rightful king!" Kaine said.

"Your late father banished you for a reason, do you remember why?" Lord Bane retorted.

"Because you tried to kill him and you joined the White Cloaks!" one of the lord's knights answered.

"That was fair enough! He loved my brother Cassius way more than I!" anger flared in the outlaw's eyes.

"Get out now," Lord Skully demanded.

"You better not turn Lucas and Wren on me. Or you will pay with your life!" Lord Bane drew his sword at the White Cloak leader.

Lord Skully laughed as the guards pointed their long axes at them. Amira drew her bow and arrow. Despite being a lady of noble blood, she was a great archer.

The Banes drew their swords, ready for a battle. Then one guard moved closer and Lord Bane's captain of the knights swung his sword and cut the axe clean in half. Then he stabbed the guard in the space between the armour and killed him.

That was when all chaos broke loose. Metal and wood clashed. Amira shot two men with her arrows. One knight was swinging his axe at Lord Bane, Amira shot an arrow and it hit the axe handle. The guard stopped and looked at her. He raised his axe but she shot an arrow and he fell to the ground.

Amira and Lord Bane looked at each other. Just as Lord Bane was stabbed in the back and shoved to the ground.

"No! Father!" Amira cried out. In her anger she grabbed his dagger and stabbed her father's killer in the chest.

"Well played Bane, well played. Now, go before I kill you." Lord Skully said.

Amira's heart was heavy with grief. She followed the knights out of the courtyard and to their horses. The Banes then rode back to Snowdam in defeat.