Synopses:
Aldan arrived at the King's Castle expecting to apprentice to the King's Mage. Before he is able to recover from the journey, the castle comes under attack and he is forced into the role of the Princess's protector. Along with two guardsmen, they flee the castle through a secret passage and Aldan is confronted by beings and places he'd only read about.
Plagued by a lack of confidence in his abilities and confusion over the budding relationship with Princess Odessa, the companions struggle to reach a neighboring kingdom for help. With every confrontation, Aldan's confidence grows and Odessa discovers a source of magic only she can use.
Upon arrival, they discover the kingdom under attack from an ancient evil and only they have the power to combat it. Will Aldan's confidence and Odessa's rare magic be enough to prevail and guaranty the help they need to return home?
Any comments as to whether this first chapter is good enough to make you read on or not, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!
Chapter One
The Castle
Aldan Beaverson
hurried along the cobblestone street leading to the King’s Castle at the west
end of Westalia. He had made good time on the road after leaving his master’s
home on the far eastern border of the kingdom. However, today the weather
became unpredictable and he’d arrived in the city later than planned. The rich
aroma of roasting mutton and the sound of laughter coming from a nearby inn
pulled him away from his intended destination. It had been a fast paced but lonely
five days.
Aldan stepped
through the door into silence as every eye fell on him and then quickly turned
away. Forced laughter erupted from several tables, and it appeared that more
patrons were knocking back drinks than eating. The innkeeper seemed loath to
abandon his sanctuary behind the counter when Aldan called him over, the one
serving girl busy refilling mugs.
The food was
surprisingly good, but he wasted no time in savoring the meal. Silence fell once
again when he stood, and the laughter returned full force as the door shut behind
him. The weather had taken a turn for the worse while he ate and heavy, dark
clouds now filled the sky. Shifting shadows from old bushes and the rustle of
leaves from ancient oaks, added to the unease he felt after leaving the inn.
Aldan breathed a
sigh of relief as the dark silhouette of the castle came into view. This was
the first castle he had seen outside of the pages of a book and the reality of
it stopped him in his tracks. It would not have surprised him to hear the
ground groan at the weight of the massive stone structure. Dull faced granite
blocks, most covered with moss or ivy, were a testament to its extreme age.
What he didn’t expect was the smell.
Apparently they
drained the castles garderobes into the moat, probably as an extra deterrent to
keep enemies out. Fortunately, the drawbridge was lowered. Holding his breath,
Aldan hurried across to the sally port in the massive wooden gate. A quick pull
on the bell rope and a voice from somewhere above called down.
“Who goes there?”
“Aldan Beaverson.
I’m the new apprentice mage.”
“Aye. We’ve been
expecting you. A moment please while I summon the mage.”
Aldan hoped they
would hurry as one of the shadows detached itself from the nearest building and
slowly made its way toward the bridge. He quickly rehearsed one of the few
defensive spells he had learned and loosened his sword in its scabbard, just in
case.
About the time he
determined to cast his spell, the portal opened and he was unceremoniously
dragged through as the nervous guard peered out then slammed the door.
Unaware he’d been
holding his breath, Aldan gasped, “What in the Seven Hells was that?”
“That is why you
are needed here,” announced an elderly, silver haired gentleman. “And why the
gate is always kept closed. Well met, young Beaverson. I am Jordan Ryecliff,
Kings Mage. I must return to the King but the chamberlain should arrive shortly
to escort you to your rooms. I will see you as soon as I can, but plan on asking
your questions on the morrow when we have more time.”
With that, the
mage turned to leave in a swirl of flowing, dark blue robes and disappeared down
a corridor just as a harried, portly man approached from the opposite side of
the entry tunnel.
“Ah, Master
Beaverson! So glad you finally arrived. Welcome to Greystone Castle. I’m the
chamberlain, Horis Whitely. Please follow me and I will show you to your
rooms.”
Before Aldan had a
chance to answer, the chamberlain headed back the way he had come. Hurrying to
catch up, he couldn’t help but notice the poor state of the castle. Dust
covered everything in the hall and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. The wooden
banisters and railings, of the three flights of stairs they climbed, hadn’t
seen a polish cloth in a very long time. The hour was not that late, yet the
only sounds to disturb the eerily quiet halls were their footsteps.
They arrived at a
door the chamberlain opened with one of the many keys attached to a ring. Aldan
entered the room, pleasantly surprised at what he saw. His rooms had been
thoroughly cleaned and several lit candles gave off a pleasant scent. A small
fire crackled cheerfully in the fireplace. Tapestries hung on the walls
depicting forest scenes and someone’s garden. Not really to his tastes but
better than scenes of battle in their blood spattered glory.
Master Whitely
waved in the direction of a small table to one side. “I suspect you are quite
weary from your journey but a small bottle of wine and a platter of meat and
cheese has been provided in case you are hungry. I must leave now and return to
the King but the Mage indicated he would visit you before turning in. A key to
your room hangs on a peg next to the door. Just as a precaution, always keep
your door locked. Goodnight.”
Aldan shook his
head as the chamberlain exited the room and quickly shut the door behind him.
Other than the one question he’d been able to voice upon entering the castle,
they had given him no opportunity for further conversation. He didn’t need to
be a scholar to figure out something was terribly wrong. Where were all the
staff, and why keep his door locked in the King’s castle?
A knock at the
door put a hold on further musings. With the chamberlain’s warning still fresh
in his mind, he cautiously stepped to the door and called out. “Who’s there?”
“Your royal
welcoming committee-- as it were.”
Intrigued, Aldan
opened the door to be confronted by a stunningly beautiful young woman about
his own age. Long dark hair framed the face of an angel with deep green eyes
and wearing a simple but elegant gown. Having someone like her appear at his
door did not happen every day.
“Are you going to
invite me in or just stand there and stare?” she asked as one corner of her
mouth twitched, and the twinkle in her eyes threatened to un-mask her royal
attitude of indifference.
“Ah, sorry my
lady,” he stammered in apology. “I was expecting Mage Ryecliff.”
Aldan quickly
opened the door as she glided in on slippered feet. The material of her dress
made a swishing sound as her perfume filled the air. He shut and locked the
door as he’d been told, all the while desperately trying to regain his
composure. Why would Princess Odessa visit him in his rooms, alone?
He faced the
princess and executed his best bow using the form taught to him by his mentor.
“Forgive me your Highness. I am Aldan Beaverson, apprentice mage, at your
service.”
After a
perfunctory glance at the rest of the room, the princess returned her gaze to
Aldan. Wavy blond hair that just touched the tips of his ears, framed an
angular face dominated by a set of expressive dark brown eyes. The tall, slim
body that would fill out as he aged gave her a glimpse of what the future
promised.
“At least you are more pleasing to the eye
than our last apprentice. Your hair is shorter than I prefer but that will grow
out in time. Now come away from the door and join me at the table. We must
talk.”
Aldan rushed to
position her chair as she sat down, then sat facing her across the table hoping
she had missed the color in his face at her frank appraisal. So many questions
flashed through his mind, but where to start?
The princess sat
there quietly with the same faint smile as if waiting for something. This time,
the heat that rose up from his neck was for his own lack of manners. “May I
pour you a glass of wine, Princess?”
She answered with
a nod of her head and a quick glance at the platter of food in the center of
the table.
“Please help
yourself, Princess. Meat and cheese are all I have to offer you.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t
say that, but we can talk about that later. Right now, I feel I must inform you
of the happenings inside the castle.”
“Please do. The
city is full of rumors that the Southern King is poised to attack and I’ve felt
something was amiss ever since I entered the city. It has only gotten worse now
that I’m in the castle.” Aldan gestured with the knife he used to cut slices of
the meat. “Even the air around me feels oppressive and filled with malice.”
The Princess
nodded in agreement. “That is one of the reasons why most of the staff has
abandoned the castle. That and other things.”
His attention
riveted on her face as the hair on the back of his neck rose in apprehension.
“What other things?”
Eyes wide in fear,
trembling, she pointed to the door with a piece of cheese and whispered, “Those
things.”
Reluctantly, his
head swiveled to face in the direction she pointed and watched in fascination
as a black cloud oozed under the door and formed into a being unlike anything he
had ever seen before. It only took a moment to realize they were completely
defenseless against it.
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