Shattered Kingdoms | Book 2 ✔ (REWRITING AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 4 - Journey to Kenstel

There, in the clearing, Queen Elysadora's body rested. King Kashius knelt by his wife, had eased her eyes shut. Only when he was certain she would feel no pain, did he remove the arrow in her back, so she could rest peacefully.

With tears streaming down her face, Elvina ran to her mother.

"No! No. Mother. Mother!" She cried, hugging the prone body of Elysadora. In many a fantasy book she had read, scribed by the monks, the love a maiden had for someone would wake them from the dead. This was no fairy tale, though. Queen Elysadora was dead.

"Eli... she's dead. You can't do anything... Come now, sweet child... Let me put her to rest..." King Kashius tugged at his daughter's shoulders and she leaned into him. His armor, hard but warm, was a familiar feeling. So was the scratchy cloak he wore, and his scent. That of woods, and rain. He held her as she mourned her mother.

Leyon came to them, knelt by his father and took his sister's hand.

"Eli? Come with me. I'll carve you a small statue of mother so you can keep her with you always." Leyon said, taking from his pouch a slab of wood. He intended to spell it with a spell of remembrance for her mother and spell of protection, for Elvina.

Being only thirteen, Elvina knew not how to deal with pain like her elder siblings. Adrian let out his anguish and frustration with a mock battle with Lasair and his father. He held his own, even when fighting two experienced fighters. Fueled by his emotions, Adrian fought like a wild beast. Leyon and Kylian sparred also, but with spells rather than swords. Zaiela was off to hone her archery skills and to let out her emotions. Only Elvina, clutching Leyon's little figurine of Elysadora, sat with nothing to do.

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The Blackrose men and the two mercenaries sat around the fire while the two sisters slept. Adrian sat, polishing his sword while Leyon rubbed a stain of dirt off of his armor. Kylian and Lasair sat at opposite sides of the fire. King Kashius sat next to his sons.

"Arian could help us, your majesty." Lasair spoke up.

"And who is this 'Arian' person?" King Kashius inquired.

Kylian was about to speak when Lasair answered, "He's the only person able to stop us from quarreling for long periods of time, your majesty."

"I was supposed to say that!" Kylian glared at Lasair.

"Well, I said it first, better luck next time!" Lasair said, sticking his tongue out to Kylian.

"Shut up! Both of you! You'll wake the ladies if you keep this up!" Adrian hissed.

They exchanged a glance, then smirked. Speaking in unison, they said, "As you wish, my prince." Then they gave him a mocking bow.

Adrian ground his teeth in frustration.

"Enough of this! Queen Elysadora's death should not have been in vain!" King Kashius growled.

"We will find Arian and then continue on to seek the guardians. My sons, and my eldest daughter will travel in the company of you - He pointed at the two mercenaries - and they will be kept safe by you. You will be adequately paid. After we find the guardians, we split ways. I will go with Eli to rally the people of Sanobar. " King Kashius continued.

Adrian frowned, "Guardians?"

"Have you read none of Sanobar's history?" Leyon burst out, "To sum it up, the guardians are selected by the gods to protect the crystals of Dargon and the Key. They are powerful warriors that are granted magical power greater than that of any mage in the land, no matter how powerful."