Once We Were Kings (Young Adult Fantasy) (The Sojourner Saga) by Ian Alexander, Joshua Graham Read Free Book Online

glared down her upturned nose.  "Never forget that you have been called to royalty.  The future of this great kingdom is with you, oh blessed children.  And in this future, there shall be no trace of that terror imposed upon the gentle and learned people of Valdshire Tor by those fanatical Sojourner zealots.  Do I make myself clear?"  Slowly, her gaze swept across the courtyard scrutinizing every eye, now affixed to hers.  "To all of you?"
    Not a sound.
    "Very well, then."  Volfoncé spread open a fan and flapped it at herself.  The warmth in her tone and demeanor returned.  "There shall be time enough for all questions, dear ones.  But you shall take them up with your tutors."
    Even Edwyn breathed a sigh of relief.  It had been nearly twenty years ago when Edwyn himself sat at those tables and received his orientation by Lady Volfoncé.  And while she seemed only to grow more beautiful with the passage of time, her formidable presence never abated.
    "Now, children," she said, sharp as the tip of a dirk.  "Line up before your tutors.  Your orientation begins presently."
    An excited commotion ensued as each of the children got up and went about finding their assigned mentors.  Edwyn stood tall and haughty as his three new students gathered around.
    "Folen?" he read from a list written on vellum.
    "That's me."
    "Stewan?"
    "Here, sir."
    "And finally," he looked down at the last boy, whose face was turned and watching his brother walking off with Lord Mooregaard.  "Render."
    The boy did not turn his head.
    "Render!"
    "Yes!" Jolted, he spun around with a gasp.   He bumped into Folen, who shoved him back nearly causing him to trip over his own feet.
    Hapless.
    A pair of whelps and a day dreaming youth.  Edwyn sighed.  The coming year promised to be every bit as stimulating as those prior.  He rolled his eyes.  "Follow me."
     
     

 
     
    CHAPTER TEN
     
     
     
    The old man's warning continued to resound within Ahndien's mind.  But nothing could stop her from flying down the mountain trail and back to her home.
    As she came to the foot of the hill, less and less of her burning village could be seen above the tall palms and bamboo leaves.  But the acrid smell of burning huts and the dark tendrils of smoke clawing into the sky was more than enough a signpost.
    Branches and leaves scraped her arms.  Father's sword rattled against her side as she ran down the dirt path.  Foolish!  Why had she taken the sword, to protect herself from rabbits?  How would Father defend the family?
    She must have been running for at least fifteen minutes.  Burning air filled her lungs with each breath.  Her legs defied the pain.  Each step brought her closer to the fumes.  But the shouting, the commotion, the sound of struggle diminished as she got nearer.
    Tears blurred her vision. 
    Gasping, choking, knees failing. 
    No!  Keep running. 
    Soon, too winded to continue, Ahndien stopped.
    Still in the distance, now with the sun setting behind black, billowing clouds of smoke, she saw the village a bit further down the path.  If only she could run for another minute.  Then she'd arrive.  But what then?
    Doubled over, hands on her thighs, Ahndien leaned back against the smooth striped trunk of a bamboo tree and wept bitterly.  The old man up at the mountain top had been right.  It was too late.
    Now, the only sound she heard over her own sobs and coughs were those of the Torian soldiers.  Laughing and swearing in that accursed accent, that twisted dialect of the common tongue which represented the demons of the West.  It could mean only one thing:
    They were leaving.
    On the tips of her toes, she stepped forward taking care not to make a sound.  Between the trees she now could see the entire village burning.  Except for the remaining Torian soldiers poking through the ashes, no one stirred.
    Ahndien tried in vain to swallow the tension lodged in her throat.   Where were Ah-Ma and Ah-Ba and Shao-Bao?  And