The High King: Book Two of the 'Riothamus' trilogy Read Online Free

whole morning has
left me dazed.”
    Alissa said
nothing, only gesturing that he should join her on the step. They
both sat down on the dais platform.
    “Because you
are my friend,” she replied at last, “And I have always believed
you to be special. This is only proof to me of what I always
believed about you.”
    “You thought I
was of Andur’s line?” Aran asked amazed, not quite
understanding.
    Alissa smiled
and shook her head, “No…although from the very beginning you did
have an uncanny familiarity, a resemblance I could never quite put
my finger on.” She smiled, “You must remember that the Keep has
been my home all my life. I’ve been in and out of the throne room
dozens of times. As a child, Andur’s face was well known to me.
Then years later Sen went mad and the room was locked up. That is
why I did not immediately see the resemblance.”
    “But you
believed me to be special.” Aran persisted, “In what way?”
    Alissa
shrugged, “It’s hard to explain. Only that you seem to have a
charismatic presence about you…“
    She frowned,
struggling to find the words, “As soon as you lifted that sword I knew you were to be the king. It was as certain and as clear
a fact as the sun in the sky.” She looked across at him and felt
again that distinct impression of strength and incorruptibility
that seemed to emanate from the young man by her side, “There is no
doubt of it Aran…you are Andur’s heir and our next ruling
King.”
    “And one that
has to go to war,” Aran remembered bleakly.
    He looked
across her, “Do you believe that there is no other course of
action. Why can’t we resolve this matter peacefully?”
    She shook her
head sadly, “No, if what the Mages say is true—and why should they
lie, then we have no other course of action. We cannot be gentle
with the Thakur, remember who they descend from and the atrocities
they performed upon our people.”
    “Aye, the
Serat,” Aran remembered, “We cannot allow the province to be
enslaved again. I guess we have no other choice, although I would
rather be remembered for being an honourable king, than one who
killed a woman.”
    “A woman who
is no woman,” Alissa firmly reminded him, “One who is a Warleader
and who meddles with and corrupts her Goddess-given Ability.”
    “Aye,” Aran
quietly agreed, “I must not lose sight of that. She would destroy
us before she is destroyed.” He stood up and eyed the left-hand
throne consideringly, “Then I am resolved upon this Alissa. The
Province needs a king and it seems certain that I am the only man
for the job.”
    “So how will
you deal with the Thakur Warleader?” Alissa asked staring up at
him.
    “She and her
armies are a threat to the peace of the province, we must go to
war!” Aran grated his resolve building. “Let us return to the great
hall. There is much work to be done.”
    Aran strode
back down from the throne room, down the flight of stairs and into
the great hall. Alissa followed, close upon his heels. Those that
gathered at the high table stood at his entrance, chairs clattering
back in their haste to stand.
    “Lords,” Aran
stated as soon as he was near enough to be heard properly, “I am
resolved upon our present course. Please outline to me what is to
be done next.”
    Maran nodded,
his eyes showing surprise and quiet pleasure at Aran’s change of
heart.
    “Prince
Arantur,” he said immediately, “We cannot yet rush off to the
border. We have an army to assemble and a king to crown. All of
these matters take time and luckily, for the moment we have a space
of two to three weeks to achieve this.”
    Aran sat back
down in the chair he had vacated and indicated that the others
should sit as well.
    “So what
happens next?” he asked, “Instruct me and I shall fulfil my
obligations.”
    Maran and
Taran exchanged startled looks, and nodded to each other.
    Captain Taran
stood, “Prince Arantur, by the end of this hour I shall send off
several mounted