Ashborne (The Ashborne Trilogy: Book 1) Read Free Page A

his
goblet and let out a satisfied belch. “That's right. I hear you've
become quite the soldier. Stories 'round Benethil have people
callin' ya the Flame of the White Torch.”
    He must be referring to the battles
I've lead, under my father's orders, over the past three years –
sieges of other kingdoms. Battles where the numbers were against
us. Battles we weren't supposed to win and where I'm sure my father
had sent us all to die.
    “ Well, you know how
stories are, most of them exaggerate the truth.” I was really
hoping to discourage the idea of discussing the details behind
those stories. I wasn’t proud of what my father had ordered me to
do.
    “ Oh rubbish! Come now,
ain't no need to be modest! Alex here has been pushin' back the
raiders that have been comin' at us from the mountains and he won't
shut up about it. Ain't that right?” Gillien looked beside him to
Alexander, who had been staring at me the entire time from across
the table.
    “ Ain't that right?!”
Gillien repeated, hitting his son in the shoulder.
    “ What? Yes, yes. That's
right,” Alexander finally turned his demeaning gaze away from me.
Just him looking at me made me feel dirty. “The raiders of the
Kalibor Mountains have been foolish enough to try and raid our
townspeople. Which is why we've come, Your Majesty.”
    The table turned to my father, his
ornate crown glimmering in the torch light of the banquet hall. He
rose from his plate of food and brushed his shoulder-length gray
hair from his face, ready to hear the request that was about to be
made of him. There was nothing he loved more than being in a
position of power.
    “ Continue,” my father said
as he leaned back in his chair, wine in hand.
    Alexander looked all business as he
sat upright and addressed my father. “As Your Majesty knows,
Benethil lies just outside the territories known to be occupied by
warring groups of forest and mountain raiders. Normally, these two
just kill and steal from each other, and any outlying villages, but
lately, their attacks have been increasing against our walls. We
have plenty of men, but we'd like to request aid in the form of
weapons and supplies.”
    I looked over to gauge my father's
reaction. He sat there silently, sipping his wine. I could tell he
was taking his time, thinking about what was in this deal for him.
He certainly wasn't the type of man to give something away without
receiving something in return. His cruel and greedy nature is what
has made Ashborne the dominant kingdom of Everrathe.
    “ You're having trouble
defending your borders. How is that my problem?” my father said,
his face ripe with indifference.
    Hearing that response, Gillien pipped
up quickly, his mouth still full of food. “Don't be that way,
Darius! We've known each other since before we were Kings, I'm
still older than you, and don't go forgettin' who helped ya during
The Great Purge!”
    Alexander continued where his father
left off. “Well, speaking of The Great Purge, Your Majesty, it's
rumored that the raiders are being driven from the forest and
mountains by druids. That's why they are attack-”
    My father shot to his feet, throwing
his wine goblet across the table before slamming his fists down.
“There are no druids! How dare you speak their name in front of
me!”
    The three of us sat there in a shocked
silence, staring at my father. With all eyes on him, he slowly
regained his composure and took his seat again before pouring
himself a fresh goblet of wine.
    “ You shouldn’t believe
such baseless rumors, boy. There are no more druids. Those vile,
evil creatures are extinct. I and The Great Purge saw to that many
years ago. You would be wise not speak of them again,” my father
warned in a forced, calm tone.
    Alexander's face was pale. Didn't he
know that speaking of druids in Ashborne was forbidden? I could
tell from the look on Alexander's face that he knew if he didn't
watch his tongue, not even King Gillien would be able to save him
from