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.He was also a man of means and seasoned in the art of war.For the first time since their mission began, Rowan had to steel his nerves against potential fear.Histen gazed emotionlessly down at them for a moment, then slowly dismounted.Two of his warriors did the same.Histen’s boots rang on the cobblestones as he walked slowly toward the brothers, and Rowan’s heart felt darkness flow in and around him as the man approached.He stopped in front of Rowan and stared into his eyes.The man was slightly taller than Rowan and just as muscled.His face was long and chiseled, with a narrow blade of a nose and an angled jaw.A prominent brow shaded black eyes that seemed to peer into the soul.Rowan shuddered, caught off guard by the probing evil in the man’s stare.Histen then turned toward Lijah.As they faced off, Rowan’s thoughts turned to the day the Prince had encountered the Dark Knight when he first came to the kingdom so many years before.Had there been a face-off like this before that battle?Slowly Histen turned his back on both of them and looked out at the crowd that had gathered.As he did so, the people turned away, shrinking back from his gaze.Histen didn’t even bother to turn his head as he spoke to Rowan and Lijah.“You two have caused quite a stir in my city … in my kingdom.”“This will never be your kingdom,” Rowan said.Histen froze, then spun about and lunged toward Rowan, stopping just inches from his face.“I already own it, foolish knight.” Histen’s voice was low and menacing.“From Nyland to Cameria, from the Wasteland to Chessington—every castle, every lord, every city, town, and village—it is all mine!”Lijah stepped toward Histen with his hand on his sword.Histen’s two warriors advanced with their hands grasping the hilts of their swords.Muscles tightened, with another ferocious fight just one draw away.Lijah scowled.“You will never own that which is the most precious to have.”“What is that?” Histen asked.“The hearts of good people,” Lijah said.“They will always belong to the Prince!”Histen hesitated, then relaxed and backed away.His warriors took their cue and did the same.“I don’t need their hearts.” Histen smiled coldly.“I’ll just crush them one by one until none remain.” He took a deep breath and sighed.“We could banter back and forth all day, I suppose, but what would it gain any of us?”He raised a long finger to point at the brothers.“Do you really think I couldn’t annihilate the two of you in an instant?” he chided.“I have—how shall I put it?—resources at my disposal that you can’t even imagine.You are alive simply because I have not killed you yet.”Histen flashed a quick smile like the glint off a dagger.“You may have a thousand who support you, but I have hundreds of thousands who support me and hate you.Can’t you feel it?” Histen turned about as if he were feeling rain falling into his open hands.“It’s everywhere, and you can’t stop it.But the truth is, I am weary of your tiresome rhetoric in my city and wish to be rid of you without causing such a dramatic stir among the people.So I have a proposal.I will give you two days to leave the city of Chessington, and I promise not to hinder your departure.”Histen crossed his arms, waiting for Rowan and Lijah to reply.“We will not stop proclaiming the Prince in Chessington,” Rowan said evenly.“And neither you nor your men nor even our deaths will stop the truth of the Prince!”Histen scowled at Rowan and drew close to him once again.“You really don’t know me or what I am capable of.” His eyes narrowed briefly, and then he turned away.He walked to his horse and swung into the saddle, his velvet cloak swinging behind him.“You’ve been warned.” He wheeled the horse around.“Leave—or die!” With a clatter of ironclad hoofs on cobblestones, he left the square, his entourage following close behind.Rowan stared after Histen.“Is he who I think he is?”“Perhaps,” Lijah replied.Two days later, at nightfall, Rowan and Lijah heard the clash of swords in the distance.“They are fighting for us.” Lijah looked in the direction of the fight.“Who, brother?” Rowan asked.Lijah hesitated.“The King’s Silent Warriors.”“How do you know?” Rowan asked.“Because Histen has sworn to destroy us, yet we are still here.”Rowan swallowed hard as he imagined what they would face if the Silent Warriors failed to stave off Lucius’s Shadow Warriors.These dark warriors were obviously the “resources” Alexander Histen had spoken of.As the days wore on, Rowan and Lijah continued faithfully, and often they heard the sounds of an ancient battle nearby.For three-and-a-half months they proclaimed, defended, and gave honor to the Prince.Finally, one cold winter morning, Rowan and Lijah woke to a day heavy with oppression.The clouds hung low in the sky as they walked the streets, ready to speak to any who would listen.But the attention of Chessington, along with the rest of the kingdom, had been captured by Histen this day.People were gathered on every street corner reading a proclamation that Histen’s men had posted.Rowan and Lijah joined a knot of citizens around a lamppost to read the new edict that was pinned there.ATTENTION, CITIZENS OF ARRETHTRAE!Governor Supreme Alexander Histen is hereby appointed King of Arrethtrae.All people will swear allegiance to King Alexander Histen and acknowledge his authority over all subjects by complying with the following proclamation:All subjects will bow in the presence of King Alexander Histen.All subjects will pay a permit fee to the king in exchange for the privilege of buying and selling goods in the kingdom of Arrethtrae.Upon the purchase of this permit, the king’s insignia will be imprinted upon the subject’s right hand.Any subject attempting to buy or sell goods without the imprint of the king will be punished.No subject will acknowledge the existence of any authority other than King Alexander Histen.Violation of this order is punishable by death.No subject is allowed to carry a sword without the explicit approval of the king.All swords will be collected within the next two days.No subject is allowed to travel beyond the limits of the city they reside in without proper authorization from the king.No subject is allowed to travel at night without proper authorization from the king.Any subject who fails to comply with all points of this proclamation will be immediately punished.All Hail King Alexander Histen!“It is him,” Lijah said.“Histen is the Dark Knight,” Rowan nearly whispered.“Lucius himself.”Rowan felt his bosom burn with fury, and he reached up to rip the proclamation from the post.“People of Chessington!” he shouted.“Do not bow your knee to Histen, for he is a false king who has profaned the true King of Arrethtrae.The Prince is coming to rule the land, and Alexander Histen will be judged!”The group around him seemed to dissolve as fearful people disappeared down the street.“Come, let’s return to the square,” Lijah said.“Many will want to hear us this day.”The crowd had already gathered when they arrived back at the square—thousands of people waiting to hear the response of Sir Rowan and Sir Lijah to the new proclamation.But before they could begin, the thunderous clatter of many hoofs on cobblestones surrounded them.There was no warning except the drawing of hundreds of swords.Rowan realized the hulking figures before them were not the guards they had faced so many times before
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