Duke Moonglow felt his heart pound heavily in his chest, though it struggled to pump. It was ohing for Adam to be utterly baffled by the appearance of such a stranger, but it was ahing for even his trio of panions to react. Whoever this new being was, he was defirouble, even more trouble than Adam. Thankfully, the straepped to one side at Adam’s insistence, beside the young Duke’s retainers.
Duke Moonglow inhaled deeply. “It was the son of Saul who became the first King of Vor thousands of years past, far to the east.” His words cut through the air sharply, like a honed bde, gathering all the attention upon him once more. “I have no wishes to bee the King of Vor, for it is a burden I ot bear. However, with your assistance, I will cim the title of King Matteas Moonglow, King of all of Maronia.”
Adam noted how quickly everyoraightened up at such a decration. He assumed it was because the Duke wao bee a king, and so readied himself to support the lord in his endeavours. Though that man was here, Adam was certain the Iyrmen would keep an eye on him.
The lord had been eager to speak of the stranger, but with such a decration, their thoughts turo what Duke Moonglow had stated. Maronia?
“Maronia is the heritage of my family,” a young noble called. He ale of skin, dark of hair, and his eyes deep grey. He wore a cloak, deep bck, one of the few o do so, though he was the only noble who dared to wear a cloak which was entirely bck, without another colour to mar it’s riess.
“The tides of history ebb and flow,” Duke Moonglow stated. “Once your family ruled over the old kingdom as peerless kings. Your family ruled after the time of the Fis and the Arazians, and after such a time came the Taemuns. Still, it was the Marons who built the greatest empire, in which all our beliefs have formed.”
“That does not take away from the fact that Maronia is the heritage of my family,” the young ated firmly. “No one else may cim the kingdom of Maronia, save my own family.”
“I would dare not deny you yhts to the kingdom, and so I ask that your family take the role of the Stewards of Maronia.”
The young noble inhaled deeply to refute the statement, but noted how the Duke bowed his head lightly, raising his brows expetly. The air fell silent for a long moment, just enough time for someone else to quickly ge the pace.
“Duke Moonglow, you speak of Maronia before you speak of the stranger in our midst?” Duke Ironrock stated, taking a step forward to draw attention to him. He was a young man, with milky white skin, amber eyes, and hair the colour of ash. “Strangers standing among strangers, standing among the retainers for the most important ceremony in geions.”
The lords nearby grumbled in approval.
Duke Moonglow’s eyes slowly shifted to the side, towards the stranger. “It seems the lords are at u your preseranger. At the very least, should you not introduce yourself?”
“I did not mean any offehe stranger said, bowing his head slightly as the crow shifted back as to noear to be bowing. “I am known as Crowseer.”
“Who is the young woman at your side?”
“I’m-,” the young woman started to reply.
“You may call her Kiara,” Crowseer stated, fshing a smile towards the gathered lords.
“Who is she anyway?” Adam asked, far too casually for Moonglow’s likings. “Is she your daughter?”
“No.”
Duke Moonglow blinked. He was certain Adam had been unnerved by the figure, a he eaking so casually to this stranger known as Crowseer?
“What are you doing here anyway?”
“I have e to speak with you,” Crowseer said.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Are you here to pin about what I’ve done?”
“What is it that you have done?”
“You know… Fate and all that?” Adam gnced away. He had rolled extremely well for his Omely, especially for enting. In this world he felt far more fortable using his Omens, sure they wouldn’t affect the other world.
“We shall speak in private once you are doh the ceremony.”
“This is the Ceremony of Gathering Lords,” Duke Ironrock stated, his voice gathering mravity. “It is a pce to speak of such matters.”
“My matter is no for the people of this nd, but for Adam and his panions,” Crowseer replied.
“Lord Adam is a Duke of our nd, and this his matters are matters of the nd.”
The lrumbled approvingly.
“I ’t believe you would give all the lords here permission to meddle with your affairs, Lord Ironrock,” Adam replied. “If you wish to set such a pret, know it means that any lathered here say the same for your own affairs within Ironrod your surrounding nds.”
The lrumbled quietly, also approvingly.
“Since Lord Ironrock has given permission for us all to meddle in his affairs, I am more than happy to take the lead,” Adam said, smiling shtly towards him. “What shall we speak of first?”
“I will accept,” a voice broke through the ridiculousness.
The eyes of all those gathered that day turo the young noble, who had finished with his thoughts.
“My family will take the title of Stewards,” the young ated.
“Then I will ask that all the lathered here will accept me as their king, first among equals,” Duke Moonglow stated.
“I will cast my vote for Duke Moonglow,” Duke Brasswall stated. “Who else could have united so many lords together at such a rapid pace?”
“I will also cast my vote for Duke Moonglow,” Adam stated, fshing a smile. “Surely the nd will flourish uhe guidance of all of the lathered here today.”
“The matter of Crowseer is still to be dealt with,” Duke Ironrock stated.
“Crowseer is my guest,” Adam replied, gring at the young hese guys, seriously. They’re scared of Night Lord, but not me? That’s ohing, but not to be scared of Crowseer…’ “Of all the people you should be afraid of, Crowseer is number one.” Adam let out a sigh. “Do you see how much trouble you’re bringing me?”
“I apologise, Adam, but it had to be this way.”
“Had to be this way?” Adam asked. “Just what was so important that you had to offend them?”
“What ever do you mean?”
“Last I checked, you promised to stay there, didn’t you?”
Crowseer fshed a smile from behind his mask. “It must be this way.”
“Seriously! You know how scary they are! Of all the people in all the stars, you just had to offend them? This eime I thought I was the crazy one, but you make me look like a damn sheep!”
The lords watched as Adam let out passioantrum towards the mysterious figure known as Crowseer, but they could each hear the hidden threats behind his words. Still, even though Adam eaking about something dangerous, Crowseer tio smile.
“You’re risking your life to cause trouble,” Adam grumbled quietly, ahat his pn had been derailed.
“To hear that from you…” Crowseer smiled.
“Look at how tense you’ve made my brother,” Adam said, tutting towards the mysterious figure who had been pguing him this year.
Jurot remained gring at Crowseer, who had promised to remain within the Iyr.
“Perhaps I received permission to e?” Crowseer asked.
“Somehow, I doubt that.”
“You wound me, Adam.”
Adam shook his head. “I’ll deal with you ter.” He rubbed his forehead. “Let’s get to ing Duke Moonglow as the King and then I sort out everything else.”
“You are all from a fn force?” Duchess Cloudhill asked.
“We are fn, but we’re not here on business from our people,” Adam replied. “Well, not our people, their people, but don’t worry about that.”
“You see? A fner plots amongst our midst.” Duke Ironrock held out a hand towards the nearby lords.
“You are perhaps the stupidest noble I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing,” Adam said, crag his neck. “You should have accepted your title in peace, but you just had to keep pushing me. All you o do was wait. I would have left by the end of the year, and if you wao rebel, you could have do then. I wouldn’t have been able to help the King keep his title, and you could have spent some effort in trying to take his . Instead, you decided to pick a fight while I was still around. Not just me, but my brother and panions, each of whom are twice as powerful as yreatest of knights. Twice, meaning two, which just so happens to be the number of Night Lords we’ve mao deal with.”
“Lord Adam,” Duke Moonglow called. “You have said too much.”
“No,” Adam said. “I haven’t said enough. Ohe ceremony is over, you better return to your castle, Duke Ironrock, and enjoy your st few days there, because I’m going to e and burn it down. I don’t want your title, I don’t want your castle, I don’t want anything to do with your nd. I’m ing for ohing, and ohing only, and that’s your life.”
Jaygak pced a hand on Adam’s shoulder, causing him to turn his head, his entire face hot red with rage, tense. He wasn’t going to draw his axe here, for he couldn’t set the pret of blood being spilled here in the ceremony. There was too much at stake for the future of the world. If a rogue lord here started a fight, it meant there could be no hope for a stable future.
“Is this why we have gathered? For we great o act at the whims of a fner?” Duke Ironrock shouted.
Duke Moonglow reached up towards his chest. He could feel it tighten, the stress of the situation filling him with greater dread as he tried to pull away from the darkest embrace.
“How is it that you feel so free and open to speak when my grandfather showed you such honour?” called a voice from behind the Duke.
The attention of all those gathered, from the lords to the oners, turowards the young handsome fellow, his hair like liquid copper, his eyes emerald green, his ears leaf shaped.
“I told you to retire,” the young, heavily armoured Priated, stepping forward towards his father, pg a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “If I was in charge, do you think they would have dared to step out of line?”
Duke Moonglow stared towards his grandson, who had caused him so much trouble, a had e along during his st campaign. He had proved to be a bother with his words, fighting with him in front of the other nobles. Yet, when it came time to fight on the field, he was there, bde in hand.
Duke Moonglow then turo face Adam, his entire body stiff as a statue. “Please,” he began, before he found his strength fading. Prince Moonglow felt his grandfather’s body slump, quickly catg him into a hug.
Adam’s eyes went wide, realising he had just heard the st words of the Duke, and gasps filled the area as the first legitimate Duke in geions fell.
F
