The War of Six Crowns: The Vanished Knight

News of the Knight's Disappearance

After an indeterminate time spent in thought, a familiar authoritarian knock drew the three of them to the present. Gawain replaced his dagger just in time. A guard stepped in, glanced around, and went back out. The line of council members, consisting mainly of the five families, entered. Two soldiers followed them, carrying the heavily decorated throne. King Conal Blaecoine stalked in after they left, lithe for his sixty or so years and his face as menacing as Darrion had ever seen it. Everyone bowed deeply, but the King interrupted Gawain's bow and bade him prevent Quin from getting up.

"Unimportant things first," the King growled while everyone straightened. "I sat for an hour and a half, listening to the elvish emissary complain about us kidnapping one of their princesses."

His gray eyes jumped from Darrion to Gawain and back. He dropped into his throne without ceremony and crooked his finger at Darrion.

Sighing, Darrion shoved his way toward the King. It earned him more than a few protests, but most of the men collected in the tiny room knew better than to hamper his way.

"Your Majesty, why do I always get blamed?" he asked, frowning at a sneering young noble who remained stubbornly in his path.

"Two reasons, boy," the King said as if he didn't notice the battle of wills before him. "One. You are the type to kick out a king's teeth if he didn't deal with you in the right way."

"With all due respect..." Darrion rammed his boot heel down on the young twit's kid leather slipper. The boy hobbled aside, red-faced from pain and embarrassment. Darrion begrudged him a little smile and approached the throne.

"Two..." King Conal continued. "The elf referred to an amber-eyed devil who threatened their king with death if he didn't clear out in all haste."

"Oh."

The King nodded once before releasing a long sigh. "I take it you were bluffing?"

"Naturally." Darrion didn't even blink.

"So...why did you save a girl who doesn't belong to us?"

"Aurek's soldiers suddenly crawled out of the woodwork to drag her through their door."

"From where?" asked the King, sitting forward a little.

"Pendran Castle, sire."

The tune of the council's murmurs reflected the King's frown. Aurek hardly ever moved into the Hall of Doors. Why did he do so now and go after one girl from Earth?

"What is her name?" King Conal asked.

"Callan, sire."

More whispers hissed in the background. The name held a special significance to any Nordian worth his salt, since it was the name of one of Nordaine's most famous Knights.

King Conal's eyebrows lifted. "So she was kidnapped from Earth-side?"

"Yes, sire. We engaged in combat and rescued her. We were in Nordaine for one night. The next morning, a party of elves appeared, insisting that their princess be handed over to them."

"So why didn't you?"

Good question. If he had, things would have been a lot less complicated. "They didn't ask nicely."

The crowd's laughter rang through the room, but King Conal remained serious. "Did you realize that one of them was King Keill himself?"

"Yes. It made me wonder. Why was the elven king so far abroad?"

King Conal steepled his fingers before his lips, expression pensive. "What of the girl?" he asked after a short pause.

"She seemed about as surprised as we were."