Guardian of the Kingdom Read online

  The Guardian of the Kingdom

  Thomas Rouxville

  ~~~

  Kindle Edition

  Copyright © 2018 Thomas Rouxville

  First published in 2018 by Jonmac Limited.

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters and places, incidents are used entirely fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

  Table of Contents

  Free Map of Galbar and Free Book

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  The Mercenary – Book 1 in the Chronicles of Suvaria Series – Chapter 1

  About The Author

  Fantastic Fiction

  Free Map of Galbar and Free Book

  Get your free map of the Kingdom of Galbar (the setting for all my books) by clicking here.

  Also, if you don’t yet have the first book in this series – Edgehill, you can get your free copy right now by clicking here.

  Chapter 1

  Tobin's back. Athena's heart swelled with joy. Her Tobin, the man she loved, was back. Had he changed? Of course. It had been two days since he'd joined her, and it was clear that he wasn't the same boy who had left Edgehill. The army had changed him. Landgrave had changed him. She could see that he still wrestled with his thoughts, that the brainwashing had done a thorough job on him. But Tobin was trying, trying his very best to rid himself of his indoctrination. He was angry at Landgrave, no – furious. Absolutely furious.

  Athena wondered how it must have felt to realize that everything you had been taught was false. And then she laughed, because she had been through that exact situation. She'd gone her whole life not knowing she was the guardian or a seer. She didn't know the truth of why her parents were killed. She didn't know who Faramond really was. Athena had been kept in the dark, and now here Tobin was, facing the exact same. However, it was worse. Tobin had been brainwashed into fighting for evil instead of against it. He'd been used as a pawn, manipulated. To go through that, well, it must have been hell.

  But the fact was, Tobin was here now, with her, on her side. He'd have to keep fighting against himself, but at least he was here. She looked over at him. They were sitting in the empty room of the barracks, the only safe place to meet. It was clear Tobin didn't want to keep going back to his life as a soldier. He wanted out, quickly. “I can't even pretend to support this anymore,” he said.

  “I know,” Athena replied, “but-”

  “Every time I go back there, I have to put on a fake smile, act like this is all okay. But I know it isn't okay. I know it's wrong. All I want is to scream at all of the men in there, to get them to stop supporting this evil war.”

  “We need a plan,” Faramond said. “We need to get into the castle, all three of us, and we have to get to Landgrave.”

  Tobin nodded. “My new bunkmate, Veris, is a guard for Landgrave. He says Landgrave spends his time either lounging in his apartment quarters or sitting in the throne room. Getting into the apartment is practically impossible. There are fifty soldiers guarding it. There's another fifty for the throne room as well, but the difference is that regular citizens can get into the throne room.”

  “Even now, despite the war?”

  “Even now,” Tobin said. “Of course, it's not as easy as it used to be. You and Faramond certainly wouldn't be able to go in without being killed on sight. I, on the other hand, can probably receive an audience with Landgrave.”

  “Because you're a part of his military?”

  “Because I'm high-ranking. A commander.” Tobin almost smiled, but being a commander in an immoral army was nothing to be proud of.

  “How did you manage to reach such a high rank in such a short amount of time?” Faramond asked.

  Tobin frowned. “By doing things that I'm not proud of.”

  Athena touched his hand. “Soon it'll be over.”

  The distant look in Tobin's eyes told her that he was thinking of his time as a soldier, fighting against his mind again. The army had really taken its toll. It wasn't fair; none of this was. Tobin deserved to be at home, where things were better. But Athena had to again remind herself that there was no such thing as home now, not for either of them. There was nowhere better; nowhere was safe.

  Athena feared that even Egneck would fall; it was only a matter of time. Unless she stopped this. “How are Athena and I going to manage to get into the throne room?” Faramond asked.

  “I can find you some armor, Faramond. All of the guards in the castle wear armor instead of just these uniforms. I'd have to steal it, but I don't think it'll be missed. Every guard in the castle has at least two sets, in case one is overly damaged in battle. Seeing as the military hasn't seen a real battle yet, there's a surplus of armor.”

  The military hadn't fought a battle, but they'd caused the deaths of many. The Shadow may have been responsible for the ultimate destruction, but the soldiers had dealt their fair share of damage. Athena remembered the soldiers who went around Edgehill practically demanding that the citizens give up their supplies. People had starved to death because of that. This military had done nothing but add to the sorrow the Shadow caused. And Tobin had been a part of it. But Tobin was back, and Athena couldn't blame him. Brainwashing was a powerful tool.

  “And my disguise?” Athena asked. She'd donned a disguise once already, wearing James's uniform. The guards in the barracks didn't seem very bright. The guards in the castle were surely more intelligent; they'd see right away that she was a woman.

  “We could disguise you as a maidservant,” Tobin said. “They are servants in the castle all the time. It's not as if Landgrave takes care of himself.” He said the last sentence sarcastically, with venom in his voice. Landgrave was just a selfish, greedy fool.

  “The three of us will have to time our entrances correctly if we're to ambush Landgrave. When my audience with him is confirmed, Faramond, you can follow behind me, as a bodyguard. Athena, you'll have to come in before, so as not to be suspicious. It would look strange if all three of us went into the throne room at the same time. Veris told me that there's usually only one person allowed, and a guard if that person desires.”

  “How do I go in before you?” Athena asked. “Do I just knock on the door? Somehow I don't think it's that simple.”

  “Actually, it is that simple,” Tobin said. “No one, not even paranoid Landgrave, suspects anything from a maid. To him, you'll be seen as harmless at best, and an object at worse.”

  The thought of Landgrave eyeing her like meat made Athena sick. “I can really just walk in there, with nothing happening?”

  Tobin nodded. “You'll join the other maidservants in their quarters, and you'll make sure to receive the throne room duty. They won't suspect anything, as maids come and go quite often. You'll just be another new face that will quickly blend in with the rest.”

  “All right, do we have a plan?” Faramond asked.

  “We do,” Athena said. “And what happens if our plan doesn't work?”

  Neither Faramond nor Tobin had an answer. Failure was something no one wanted to even anticipate. But Athena knew, based on their dearth of luck so far, that failure was a very real idea. Still, despite her apprehension, she was determined to make this work. They had to get into the throne room, and they had to confront Landgrave. br />
  “Wait,” Athena said. “Once we're in the throne room, assuming everything goes as planned, what do we do? We can't just attack Landgrave, not when all of his guards are with him. It'll be a bloodbath, and we won't survive.”

  “I don't know,” Tobin said. “Faramond?”

  He shrugged. “We'll have to take on the guards. Landgrave is never alone.”

  “The three of us against all of them?” Athena scoffed. “Of everything you've told me over the past few months, that may be the craziest thing you've ever said, Faramond. All of the training in the world couldn't prepare us for a battle like that. We don't stand a chance.”

  “There's that pessimism I love so much,” Tobin muttered sarcastically.

  “Are you telling me you can't come up with a better plan?” Athena asked to no one in particular. She couldn't come up with anything better either. She was to disguise herself as a maid and march into the throne room and attack. It was an absolutely mad plan, but it was all she had. If it didn't work...

  “It has to work.”

  Chapter 2

  Athena spent the next few days watching the maidservants enter and leave the castle. She wished she could get closer, but Tobin had warned her to stay hidden. She'd have to keep hidden until she herself was a maid. She watched how they walked, how they talked, their way of dress and behavior. She studied everything she possibly could so that when the time came to blend in, no one would suspect a thing. Tobin said it was easy enough, that new maids were always entering the castle, but Athena didn't want to look like a new maid. An inexperienced, new maid would draw more attention. The less attention Athena got, the better.

  A group of maids walked through the courtyard of the castle, coming dangerously close to Athena. She wouldn't be killed on the spot, not for being near the castle. There were other citizens milling about, enjoying the castle grounds, or rather, pretending to enjoy the grounds. What must have once been a flourishing courtyard was now covered in grime and filled with overgrown weeds. The castle itself, once white marble, and perhaps the most impressive structure in all of Galbar, was stained and ugly. Landgrave had let his dominion fall into disrepair, far more concerned with his life. He must have groveled at the Shadow, begged for it to spare him. How much longer until the Shadow decided Landgrave no longer needed to be alive?

  The maids were chattering loudly and cheerily, in stark contrast to all of the other people Athena had noticed in this city. They giggled like schoolgirls, like the girls Athena had once known in Edgehill. It was as if these servants didn't notice the shambles around them or the shackles they were confined to. They were oblivious and perhaps that was the best thing for them. Ignorance was bliss.

  But how was Athena supposed to imitate them? She could hardly bring herself to smile; the muscles in her face practically strained every time she managed to do so. And laughter? Athena hadn't laughed since seeing Tobin again. And even then, that had been the first time in months. Athena was not ignorant, not blissfully unaware of the troubles plaguing the kingdom. To pretend that everything was okay and giggle with these women without screaming at them to wake up and realize how horrible things were, well, that would be quite the task. The fact that they were even capable of acting this way was hard to believe. For a moment, Athena wished she could be oblivious too, and then it would all hurt so much less.

  “Rorden kissed me last night,” one of the maids said. “He wants to make me his wife, after the war.”

  “You're going to marry him, right? He's beyond handsome!”

  “Well, Henrick also wants to marry me. I can't decide which I'd rather have. They both come from excellent families. Both wealthy, both handsome. Sera, if you were me, who would you pick?”

  “Henrick, definitely. He has blond hair like yours, so your children would be guaranteed blond hair. Blond hair is so much more attractive than dark hair.”

  “But your hair is black, Sera!”

  “And I positively despise it!”

  “Well, I think it's gorgeous! I'm almost tempted to dip my hair in ink, just so it will look like yours!”

  The girls laughed, and the rest of the group started branching off into their own conversations. Athena already wanted to scream. These girls were vapid and silly, not just ignorant, but annoying. At least she wouldn't have to be a maid for very long. And when she reached the throne room, she'd either defeat Landgrave or die trying.

  Athena knelt down against a wall, obscured from the maids’ views. They were standing in a circle, and Athena couldn't follow anything they were saying. Finally, their various conversations ended, and she could hear them trouncing back into the castle, their break over. One of the maids stayed behind though, and Athena saw a soldier walking down the sidewalk, into the courtyard. He took off his hat, revealing dark hair. This must have been Rorden.

  Sure enough, the maid squealed and jumped into his arms. “Rorden, I accept your proposal!”

  Rorden gave her a strange look. “I'm sorry? What proposal?”

  “You asked me to marry you last night, darling!”

  “Oh, Neerie, you misunderstood me. I said I would like to marry you, if I wasn't already promised to someone else.”

  Athena stopped listening when she heard the girl begin to cry. She'd heard enough from the maidservants of Slyfort Castle. She made her way back to the empty room in the barracks, where she and Faramond had set up camp. Tobin guaranteed their safety by making sure no one else entered the room besides the three of them.

  “How did it go?” Faramond and Athena asked each other simultaneously.

  “I don't know how convincing I'm going to be,” Athena said. “I'm nothing like those maids.”

  “And I'm nothing like the guards.” Faramond sighed. “I used to be, but it seems that now I'm less of a soldier and more of a rogue. I'm better at staying in the shadows than marching through a castle.”

  “But Tobin will be near you at least. I'll be alone.”

  Faramond sighed again. “I suppose that's a bit reassuring, but I'm beginning to question whether we're truly prepared for this. We trained as much as we could, but I didn't think we'd end up with such a poor plan.”

  “There's no alternative plan, is there?” Athena asked.

  “I've gone over every possible scenario in my head, and I can't come up with anything better. We can only hope for the best outcome. We can only hope the Guardian of the Kingdom figures it out.”

  “If that was supposed to make me feel better, it didn't work,” Athena said. “I may be the guardian, but that doesn't mean I'm smarter than you. I'm just as in the dark as anybody.”

  “But you'll find a way, I know it.”

  “Now that helps a little,” Athena said.

  “I made maps for you,” Tobin said, walking into the room.

  Both Athena and Faramond jumped, slightly startled. They were always on edge, hoping that someone other than Tobin didn't enter the room.

  “Sorry,” Tobin said. “I didn't mean to scare you. I keep forgetting how worried you probably are. I made maps to show you how to navigate the castle. It shows the best routes to the throne room as well as the best escape routes, when or if things go awry. I wish we could do a practice run or something; it would give me a lot less anxiety, but obviously, that's not how things work.”

  Athena and Faramond looked over the maps. Tobin had great attention to detail. They looked professionally drawn.

  “How did you make these so quickly?” Athena asked.

  “I had someone take over my post today, pretended to be sick. I stayed in bed all day, drawing these. I hope they're helpful.”

  “They're wonderful, Tobin,” Athena smiled. “Thank you.”

  Tobin nodded. “It was also a much better use of time than interrogating suspected enemies of the king. I couldn't bear to do that another minute, let alone an entire day, knowing that the only real enemy is the Shadow.”

  “Oh, I've also got some armor for you, Faramond.” Tobin opened a rucksack slung over hi
s shoulder, pulling out a helmet. “I can only bring one or two pieces at a time to avoid suspicion. When I bring all of it, I think we'll be ready to set the plan into action. Meanwhile, you can both spend more time scouting the area outside the castle and studying your disguises.”

  “Did anyone question why you were making maps? Or why you were wandering the castle?” Athena asked him.

  “Unfortunately, yes. My bunkmate is incredibly suspicious. He wonders why I disappear every night. Luckily, he hasn't followed me yet, but I'm afraid we're going to have to stop meeting every night. We don't have much more time until he follows me, discovers you, and our plan fails before it even begins. I'll bring the armor, but I won't be able to stay and talk.”

  “That's all right, Tobin,” Faramond said. “You've been a tremendous help already.”

  Tobin's crooked smile emerged. “I want to do my best to help you. To make up for how horrible I've been these past few months.”

  “You don't need to apologize anymore,” Athena said. “The soldier isn't you. This is you.” She touched his shoulder. “The soldier doesn't exist anymore.”

  “I just feel so guilty. People have died because of me.”

  “People died because of me too,” Athena said, remembering her grandparents. “The pain never really goes away, but it can be overcome.”

  “How long does it take?”

  “I don't know,” Athena answered. “I haven't overcome it yet.”

  When Tobin eventually left, Athena curled up on the floor, ready to sleep. She tried to use her seer ability, but just as it had almost always been, her vision was blurry. The future was unclear, incredibly hazy. She had no idea if the plan would work. But it had to. If it didn't, Galbar was lost. Eventually, the entire world would be lost.

  Sleep didn't come easily. There may have been no nightmares, but Athena could not clear her mind. She went over the plan over and over again, still trying to come up with an alternative one. As long as Landgrave had guards, no plan would be easy. The one they had come up with was the best they could. It had to work. It had to. It had to.