The Kingdom of Liticea: The Sorcerer Prince

Chapter Fifty-Three: Revelation

A letter containing the dismal news of the fate of Talonwood lay at the feet of Rengle Fallaner. He held it in his hands from the time he got, through the period in which he explained to Katelyn Ryd, the Bryns, Argus, Osby, and Jergan what happened, and he continued to hold until he returned to his chambers sat down in his chair and let it drop to the floor. In the hour since that moment passed, neither had moved. Rengle was a statue, and had an expression as unmoving and unreadable as the rest of his body.

Even Argus could not read him. He had seen him at his lowest, trapped inside those damned walls of that little keep outside Brother's Crossing. He had been there when Rengle was at his highest as well, like the day Jergan was born. It was one of the few times Rengle threw off the weight of the world and allowed himself to be happy.

"Rengle? Are you alright?" addressing him as the man and not the baron.

He shifted in his seat. The first sign of movement he made all morning.

"We need orders, my Lord. The Morcars could be heading south as we speak. They might overtake us? What shall we do."

Rengle continued to sit silently, as if he did not know what to do after a failure.

"My Lord, we lost at Talonwood, but we must look..."

"Lost at Talonwood," Rengle interrupted him, "funny choice of words. I left my post, Argus. I left my post and now hundreds of men are gone, including Lady Eliza.

"They wouldn't kill her! She would be much more useful to them alive."

"Maybe, but before they put her to use they'll throw her to their brutes. By the time they're done with her there will hardly be an Eliza Elenor left to bargain with."

"Eliza is a capable warrior, for a young woman. She'll endure."

"Because of me. I should've left her at Rainguard. I should've sent her back to Noor. This is no place for a woman like her to die."

"We don't know that she's dead!"

"You know what the Morcars do."

"Rengle! Those are just children's tales. Now I'm going to ask once again, what are your orders? Do we withdraw from the town or do we remain?"

"Send out scouts. See if they are coming."

"Very well. Good day, my Lord," Argus stormed out. He could not believe that Rengle Fallaner would allow himself to indulge in childish fantasies. Outside Rengle's chambers, was his son, Lady Bryn and Osby.

"What does he say?"

"He says to evacuate the town. We are to head south and join up with Jon Malken."

"Leave Stoney Creek? That's madness!" exclaimed Lady Bryn, "Never in our history have we fled!"

"Well, you're fleeing now."

"Absolutely not! i will not abandon my home to those barbarians!"

"Lady Melinda, that is Baron Rengle's orders."

"Orders? Orders?" the veins on her neck began to bulge and Melinda reviled the temper she had that few ever saw, "The nerve of that man to assume that he can give orders to Melinda Bryn in her very own house! You, sir knight walk back in there and remind him that this is my Hall and that he is a guest here!"

"My lady..."

"She's right!" Dayve Bryn stepped forward, "If we leave this town, half of the villagers and soldiers will starve before we reach more shelter."

"Dayve, be reasonable. All of you please be reasonable," Argus pleaded. He, unfortunately was not the best man for diplomacy.

"No! I am the Lord of Stoney Creek and Grapevine Hall and I will be damned if I flee my home within a month of receiving my Lordship."