Chapter I
In the open doorway stood two large men. Their long shadows stretched across the dimly lit tavern. Their green-sleeved shirts and thick leather coats of armor branded them as Brigandines—the royal guards of Keeptown and elite warriors of Veredon.
“We’re looking for the outlaw who goes by the name of ‘Leuco’,” one of the soldiers announced, scanning the room for his quarry.
The tavern's rowdy patrons drew quiet and still from the sudden appearance of the king's officials. “Is he here?” The soldier asked, patiently awaiting a response.
Leuco sat in the corner of the tavern at a dark, wooden table with a gray-bearded merchant. The two had been negotiating the price for an escort to the Towering Titans mountain range on the rolled-up scrap of parchment resting in Leuco’s gloves.
Leuco took his eyes off the numbers to examine the pair of unwelcome soldiers. He wasn’t expecting to have been spotted so soon.
The Brigandine in the doorway doing all the talking signaled to his partner, who then pulled in a dirty, distressed, shaggy-haired boy by his over-sized shirt.
“This young thieving child told us we could find him here,” the soldier began. “Perhaps this little delinquent was speaking in jest?”
He pulled the boy closer to him by his now ripped shirt and shook him violently.
“Boy,” he said with a threatening tone, “do you know the punishment for lying to officials? Perhaps you need to be taught a lesson!”
Leuco didn’t recognize this new bullying soldier, but it was clear that the young Brigandine took far too much pleasure in abusing the small boy. Leuco considered him far too hostile to be an honest defender of Keeptown—another sign of the bitter changes spreading throughout his war-torn homeland. Leuco would have preferred avoiding involvement, but his conscience weighed heavy upon him like a mountain of guilt. He had developed a certain reputation for challenging the Brigandines—and that was exactly why they were looking for him. He decided it was best to get on with the soldiers' game and spare the poor child in their custody any more trouble. Raising his palms as if he were refusing an offer of drink, he smiled and stood from his table.
He noticed there were only two Brigandines this time. They were either very cocky, he thought to himself, or simply not very bright.
“I hear you are looking for Leuco the Hawk.”
The leading Brigandine eyed the mysterious speaker. He was dressed as an ordinary trader with a burgundy chaperon hood, and yet it was clear that he was far too big, and far too built, to be merely a man of simple business.
“I suggest you leave,” Leuco added, “before you find him.”
At this, the real merchant sitting next to him stood and slowly backed away from the table. Leuco offered the old man a nod of approval.
The Brigandine standing at the door was surprised by the stranger’s blatant threat. He was expecting the boy in his arms to be lying. He did not expect to actually find the former Guardian of Valinon in a place like Raco’s.
The Brigandine studied the stranger’s shadowed face, obscured in the dim flickering glow of firelight. Though he had never seen Leuco before, he somehow recognized the steely gaze from his piercing hazel eyes.
“Leuco…?” He whispered to himself. He felt his heart race and a hesitant gulp drop down his throat. He finally drew his sword and, as if well-rehearsed, unflinchingly declared, “Under order of Lord Ursidor, ruler of Veredon, we have come to see you pay for your treacherous crimes! Dead or alive, you have been ordered to appear before the king and it is our duty to see that justice for the people is faithfully served!”
“Is it?” Leuco asked sarcastically. “And I suppose that would include abusing poor children and locking them up in cages?” Leuco pointed to the small boy and shook his head. “Let the boy go, and be on your way.”
The young soldier was fuming. He found Leuco’s impudence insulting. “We aren’t leaving until you have paid for your crimes in full!”
The second soldier was surprised by his partner’s fearlessness. Did he not know about Leuco the Hawk? Had he not heard the stories? He stood, just like the rest of the tavern's captivated audience, watching the scene unfold in suspense. Only now did the soldier realize he was expected to draw his blade as well.
Leuco responded to the bold Brigandine’s accusation with an irritated sigh. “I will fight you if I must, but I warn you, you have spoiled a very good contract for me and you may not find mercy so easily forthcoming.”
The Guardians of Valinon is a full-length novel ideal for fans of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain and Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Available for free download here.
In the open doorway stood two large men. Their long shadows stretched across the dimly lit tavern. Their green-sleeved shirts and thick leather coats of armor branded them as Brigandines—the royal guards of Keeptown and elite warriors of Veredon.
“We’re looking for the outlaw who goes by the name of ‘Leuco’,” one of the soldiers announced, scanning the room for his quarry.
The tavern's rowdy patrons drew quiet and still from the sudden appearance of the king's officials. “Is he here?” The soldier asked, patiently awaiting a response.
Leuco sat in the corner of the tavern at a dark, wooden table with a gray-bearded merchant. The two had been negotiating the price for an escort to the Towering Titans mountain range on the rolled-up scrap of parchment resting in Leuco’s gloves.
Leuco took his eyes off the numbers to examine the pair of unwelcome soldiers. He wasn’t expecting to have been spotted so soon.
The Brigandine in the doorway doing all the talking signaled to his partner, who then pulled in a dirty, distressed, shaggy-haired boy by his over-sized shirt.
“This young thieving child told us we could find him here,” the soldier began. “Perhaps this little delinquent was speaking in jest?”
He pulled the boy closer to him by his now ripped shirt and shook him violently.
“Boy,” he said with a threatening tone, “do you know the punishment for lying to officials? Perhaps you need to be taught a lesson!”
Leuco didn’t recognize this new bullying soldier, but it was clear that the young Brigandine took far too much pleasure in abusing the small boy. Leuco considered him far too hostile to be an honest defender of Keeptown—another sign of the bitter changes spreading throughout his war-torn homeland. Leuco would have preferred avoiding involvement, but his conscience weighed heavy upon him like a mountain of guilt. He had developed a certain reputation for challenging the Brigandines—and that was exactly why they were looking for him. He decided it was best to get on with the soldiers' game and spare the poor child in their custody any more trouble. Raising his palms as if he were refusing an offer of drink, he smiled and stood from his table.
He noticed there were only two Brigandines this time. They were either very cocky, he thought to himself, or simply not very bright.
“I hear you are looking for Leuco the Hawk.”
The leading Brigandine eyed the mysterious speaker. He was dressed as an ordinary trader with a burgundy chaperon hood, and yet it was clear that he was far too big, and far too built, to be merely a man of simple business.
“I suggest you leave,” Leuco added, “before you find him.”
At this, the real merchant sitting next to him stood and slowly backed away from the table. Leuco offered the old man a nod of approval.
The Brigandine standing at the door was surprised by the stranger’s blatant threat. He was expecting the boy in his arms to be lying. He did not expect to actually find the former Guardian of Valinon in a place like Raco’s.
The Brigandine studied the stranger’s shadowed face, obscured in the dim flickering glow of firelight. Though he had never seen Leuco before, he somehow recognized the steely gaze from his piercing hazel eyes.
“Leuco…?” He whispered to himself. He felt his heart race and a hesitant gulp drop down his throat. He finally drew his sword and, as if well-rehearsed, unflinchingly declared, “Under order of Lord Ursidor, ruler of Veredon, we have come to see you pay for your treacherous crimes! Dead or alive, you have been ordered to appear before the king and it is our duty to see that justice for the people is faithfully served!”
“Is it?” Leuco asked sarcastically. “And I suppose that would include abusing poor children and locking them up in cages?” Leuco pointed to the small boy and shook his head. “Let the boy go, and be on your way.”
The young soldier was fuming. He found Leuco’s impudence insulting. “We aren’t leaving until you have paid for your crimes in full!”
The second soldier was surprised by his partner’s fearlessness. Did he not know about Leuco the Hawk? Had he not heard the stories? He stood, just like the rest of the tavern's captivated audience, watching the scene unfold in suspense. Only now did the soldier realize he was expected to draw his blade as well.
Leuco responded to the bold Brigandine’s accusation with an irritated sigh. “I will fight you if I must, but I warn you, you have spoiled a very good contract for me and you may not find mercy so easily forthcoming.”
The Guardians of Valinon is a full-length novel ideal for fans of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain and Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Available for free download here.
