The Veredor Chronicles: Book 02 - The Journey West (12 page)

The guard stared at him and his jaw dropped. ‘There is a rumour going around that the Ecorian Emperor has returned; they say his name is Eben.’ Eben looked away nervously, not wanting to confirm the rumour and feeling embarrassed by the guardsman’s response. ‘Are you Eben Ecorian?’

‘
I must be on my way,’ said Eben, not sure how to answer the question.

‘It i
s you,’ said the guardsman. Eben stood there and felt stunned for a moment.

‘Yes,
my name is Eben Ecorian, but I prefer to keep it quiet.’

‘Yes, Sire, Bradley is my name. If you would shake my hand I would be honoured.’ Bradley reached out
, and Eben, of course, shook his hand.

‘I am p
leased to meet you, Bradley,’ said Eben politely. ‘If you would excuse me I will be on my way.’

‘Yes, Sire,’
said Bradley.

Eben turned
and followed the main street down toward the gate. There were a lot of people going about their early morning tasks. He walked almost all the way to the southern gate. A large Inn caught his eye. A sign out the front read: The Drifters Rest, serving a hearty breakfast for the working man. Eben pushed through the door and entered the common room, which was a clean and well-kept. Standing behind the bar was a thickset barkeeper with greying hair and a weathered face. There was no one else in the room.

Eben approached the bar. ‘I’ll have a mug of your strongest ale.’

The barkeeper grinned, thinking Eben was surely joking. ‘Ale, at this hour; the sun has hardly risen yet.’

E
ben looked at the barkeeper and nodded; he was sure that he felt like a strong drink. ‘If you don’t mind I’ll have ale all the same.’

‘If you must
,’ said the barkeeper as he turned back to one of the large barrels that lined the back wall. ‘You shouldn’t drink your life away. A young man like you has the world at your feet. Anything is possible. In my trade I have seen too many people give their life to the bottle.’

Eben nodded
again as the barkeeper turned back and handed him the mug of ale. ‘Thanks for the advice,’ he said as he took a big gulp of the bitter Irvarian brew.

‘W
here are you from, young man? Your accent is strange.’

‘I’
m Ortarian,’ replied Eben, as he reached for some coins to pay the barkeeper.

‘Ortarian, I think I’ve only met a handful of Ortarians in the twenty years I’ve been keeping this bar. The drink is on the house.’

‘Thanks,’ said Eben, returning the coins to his pocket.

‘So what brings you
to Faircastle?’

Eben was about to an
swer, but before he could say a word a short old man with long grey hair entered the common room and took the barkeepers attention. He approached the bar with a spring in his step that revealed his excitement.

‘
Wendell! You will never guess what news I heard this morning,’ said the old man.

‘Good new
s I hope,’ replied the barkeeper with a knowing smile.

‘My news is always better than good!’ said the old man with a grin from ear to ear.

‘Alright, Tim, let’s hear it.’

‘
The word on the street is that the Ecorian Emperor has returned.’

‘Rubbish!’ replied
Wendell, chuckling and shaking his head. Eben took a nervous sip of his ale.

‘No, not rubbish at all. I went up to ask my contacts in the palace. They say it is as true as the sky is blue.’

‘An Ecorian here in Faircastle; I would have to see him to believe it.’

‘Well
, you just may see,’ said old Tim excitedly.

‘What do you think of that
, Ortarian?’ asked Wendell, turning to Eben.

‘I don’t know,’ replied Eben
hesitantly. ‘Maybe he is not really like an Ecorian. Perhaps he is just like everyone else.’

‘Don’t speak such words
,’ said old Tim, shaking his head at Eben and waving dismissively. ‘Ecorians are majestic, noble, and pure of heart. Every Ecorian in all of history was a hero. If an Ecorian truly has returned then our people have been blessed.’

Suddenly there was a commot
ion in the street outside. Eben and old Tim went to the window and looked out. The large shutters had been pulled back to let the morning sun in. Wendell joined them and they watched as a fine carriage, drawn by two mighty white horses, was quickly being led down the main street toward the main southern gate. Two knights, in full shining armour and long red capes, rode out before the carriage, and two riders followed a little way back. The carriage itself was a work of art, almost completely made of silver with a cabin and small windows.

‘It is the carriage of
Princess Apherah,’ said Wendell. Eben felt his heart jump at the mention of her name.

‘
Her beauty is unmatched in all the realms of Veredor,’ said old Tim proudly.

‘Agreed,’ said
Wendell with a sharp nod.

They watched as the carriage drew near. First the l
eading riders passed. They appeared flustered and were clearly rushing. Eben looked to see if Princess Apherah was visible through the carriage windows.

‘I wonder what the hurry is?’ asked
old Tim.

‘Look, there she is,’ gasped
Wendell.

Eben could see Princess Apherah
seated in the carriage. Again he was awestruck by her beauty. He stared as she passed by. Her eyes drifted to their side of the road, and at the very last moment she caught sight of Eben watching her from the common room window. Her eyes widened with surprise. A moment later the carriage stopped.

‘What’s this?’ asked
Wendell. ‘Why is she stopping?’

‘No idea,’ replied
old Tim as he watched on intently.

The knights dismounted as Princess Apherah stepped out of the carriage. All the people in the street knelt down on one knee and bowed their heads
to the ground. The Princess was wearing a long flowing blue dress and looked like a picture of grace, elegance, and beauty. A few words passed between her and one of her knights. The four knights then led her back toward the inn.

‘
She looks like she is coming in here,’ cried old Tim, almost choking on his words.

One of
her knights entered the common room first. Wendell nodded to the knight. ‘Good morning, Sir,’ he said as the knight took a position by the front door. A few moments later Princess Apherah entered. Her ocean blue eyes stared directly at Eben as she stepped through the door. Wendell and Tim both instantly knelt down on a knee and bowed their heads low. Eben remained standing.

‘It is
truly an honour, Your Highness,’ stammered Wendell. ‘I don’t know what to say. How can I be of service?’

Princess Apherah looked down at
Wendell for a moment. ‘Please stand. I have only come here to talk with your honoured guest.’ She looked back to Eben. ‘What are you doing here, Eben Ecorian?’

Eben felt
lost for words. He looked to Wendell who stared up, the blood draining from the barkeepers face. ‘I...I was just having a drink with my two new friends.’

Apherah laughed
and raised an eyebrow. ‘At this hour! Surely it is much too early for ale.’

‘That’s what I told the Ecorian, Your Highness,’ said
Wendell.

‘Yesterday
’s revelations were a big shock. I just felt like getting out of the palace and before long I found myself here,’ said Eben, trying to excuse himself.

‘
Your arrival surprised us all,’ said Apherah, eyeing Eben curiously.

A knight entered from the street and whisper
ed some words to the knight who was waiting at the door. The knight by the door, who was an older man with heavily wrinkled skin, a noble face, and greying hair, approached Apherah.

‘Your father is sending
Royal Guard to retrieve you, Your Majesty. They will be here any minute. The King has also sealed the southern gate. It is now impossible for us to escape.’ Princess Apherah’s eyes narrowed, revealing her annoyance at the news.

‘Your Majesty
, you should return to the palace,’ said the knight.

Apherah shook her head
defiantly. ‘I’m certainly not going back.’

‘Why are you running away?’ asked Eben.

Apherah looked to Eben for a moment before returning her eyes to the old knight. ‘Sir Giles. Will you lead me on to the west gate?’

Sir Giles
wiped his sweaty forehead and shook his head. ‘I was happy to help you leave the palace and take you south to Elcalee. You know I am bound to follow your command. However, Your Majesty, you must understand that I cannot defy your father. He is my king, and I am sworn to follow his command above all others. Now that he has sent the Royal Guards after you it would be treason for me to assist you to escape Faircastle. I am sorry, Your Majesty; I simply cannot help you.’

Prin
cess looked away from Sir Giles; her eyes found Eben. ‘Ecorian, would you like to come with me to Elcalee.’

Eben stared into her
eyes and felt stunned by the question. He didn’t want to say no, yet he also didn’t see how he could simply leave Faircastle with her and run away. ‘I….’ he began, but before he could finish she had grabbed hold of his hand and was leading him toward the back of the inn.

‘Is there a way out through the back
?’ she asked Wendell.

‘Indeed,
Your Highness,’ answered Wendell, pointing to a hallway that led away from the common room.

Sir Giles
stepped forward. ‘Your Majesty, I must object to this course of action.’

‘Oh, Sir Giles
, please, just this once,’ said Apherah, her sweet smile charming the old knight.

‘
I am also charged with your protection,’ argued Sir Giles in a gentle voice.

‘I am sure the Eco
rian can protect me.’ She then led Eben down the hallway and out the back door, leaving Sir Giles standing in the common room with Wendell and Tim. They instantly found themselves in a back alley.

‘We must hurry. My father has sent his best men to bring me back
to the palace.’

They dashed down the alleyw
ay. Apherah led the way into a network of back alleys that took them away from the main street.

‘Why are we running? What’s this all about?’

Apherah looked up at Eben; she was about to answer, but instantly three fully armoured guardsmen in long red capes appeared at the far side of the laneway. Eben grabbed her hand and led her through a thin gap between two buildings. The Royal Guards hurried after them. ‘Stop! Princess! By order of the King!’

Eben and Apherah
entered a wider alley. Barrels were piled high on one side of the way. Eben pushed over the barrels as they ran by. He looked back and could see the guardsmen struggling after them. Eben led her down another thin alleyway and out into a side street. The townsfolk looked at them, unsure who they were or why they were running. They then ran across the street and dashed between two houses and crossed a small square. Eben saw an open door that looked like a tavern. He pushed through and led the Princess into what was a small, smoky, and very dank common room. The greasy haired barkeeper, who was smoking a large pipe, looked up and gave a wide smile, obviously thinking they were enthusiastic customers.

Eben glanced
out the window and saw the Royal Guards dash by. ‘We should wait in here for a minute,’ he said, looking back to Apherah. She smiled excitedly.

‘Can I pour you two a drink?’ asked the barkeeper in a deep throaty voice.

‘Certainly,’ replied Eben. ‘Make it two ales.’

‘I only drink wine,’ said Apherah.

‘Actually, one wine and one ale,’ corrected Eben.

The
barkeeper shook his head. ‘We only serve Irvarian ale.’

‘Ale
will be fine,’ said Apherah as she took a seat at a small wooden table in the corner of the room.

Eben sat down across from her
. Apherah smiled widely as she looked at him. ‘That was fun.’

‘What is this all about?’ asked Eben as the barkeeper placed two mugs of ale down on the tabl
e. Eben handed him some coins.

‘I simply must escape Faircastle before my father forces me to marry King Lenard of Everdon.’

‘Why would he do that?’ asked Eben, feeling his heart drop in his chest at the idea of her marrying such an unpleasant man. He remembered King Lenard was the most unfriendly of all the dignitaries at the council.

Her
concerned eyes drifted toward the small window. ‘For centuries the Everdonians have been our allies. King Lenard has been on the Everdonian throne for three years. He has thus far proven very difficult for my father to work with. Unfortunately he has placed conditions on our continued alliance. Chief among those conditions is my hand in marriage. My father has promised King Lenard that he alone will be given permission to court me. I am expected to marry him.’