《Praefator》 Chapter 1 The sun shone brightly down from a clear sky, making leaves shimmer like an emerald jewels. Closer to earth, the songs of birds combined with the calls on insects to create a cacophony of noise, greeting the coming of spring boisterously after a long winter. In a small clearing within the forest, a pair of youths faced off against one another, oblivious to the din and the wildflowers in full bloom that created dramatic sprays of colour around their feet. The shorter of the youths, Alain Sumner, was fourteen. He was short for his age and frail, but his eyes smouldered as he eyed his foe. She looked relaxed, almost bored, but Alain could see no openings. Gratia Laevis and lived down the road. She was a year younger than Alain, but already slightly taller and slightly more muscular. It was not by much, but it was enough to stoke deep resentment within the boy. It gnawed at Alain¡¯s ego but not as much as the fact that she was touted by the townsfolk as a prodigy with the sword. Alain tightened his grip around his weapon, a sturdy tree branch. He had scoured the forest behind his house for a week, and it was the one that best matched the length and heft of a longsword that he could find. Meanwhile, his opponent¡¯s choice of weapon, a two foot long branch, was bent and twisted, clutched lazily in her hand. She had found it on the way over to their duelling site, this small clearing that would be far away from prying eyes. A gust of wind blew in from the north, bringing an icy chill with it, and startling a flock of birds that shrieked in alarm as they took to the air. Alain saw Gratia¡¯s eyes glance at the birds for a moment and darted forward, swinging from the shoulder with all his might. Without turning her head, Gratia¡¯s branch flew upward with just enough force to send Alain¡¯s blow astray. Caught off balance, Alain began stumbling forward. He saw Gratia move to support him and felt a surge of indignation. This was a duel! How dare she take him lightly! He twisted his body as he fell and lashed out with a second blow. The girl¡¯s reflexes were as quick as lightning, and she arched her body back to avoid his clumsy swing, allowing Alain to tumble heavily to the ground. Furious with himself, Alain rolled quickly onto his back to find Gratia standing over him. She extended her hand, offering to help him up, and Alain petulantly lashed out with his stick. A deft kick sent his weapon spinning out of his hand, and Gratia pressed the tip of her stick at his neck. She heaved a weary sigh before asking. ¡°Do you yield?¡± ¡°I yield,¡± he replied through gritted teeth, prompting Gratia to take a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a lesson with Brother Joflon?¡± she asked, looking pointedly over her shoulder in the direction of town. Alain scowled before picking himself up. ¡°A lesson in daydreaming. I have better things to do with my time.¡± ¡°Your father thinks it¡¯s important,¡± Gratia pointed out. The boy¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°That useless layabout doesn¡¯t know the first thing about the heart of a true, hot blooded man.¡± Gratia turned around to him, and Alain fell silent. Her pale skin, sharp features and full lips were framed against the clear blue sky in such a way that it caused his pulse to quicken. At length, she cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Do you think this is a productive use of your time?¡± Just like that, it was as though a spell had been broken, and Alain fumed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± And how could she? Alain had been ridiculed for as long as he could remember, partly because of his diminutive stature, and partly because of his father¡¯s reputation. Meanwhile, since arriving with her family in Batonsin three years ago, Gratia had taken the town by storm with her looks and her natural prowess with the sword. She was a natural and was already the darling of Locthar Sinlit¡¯s fencing school, getting personal tutelage from the master himself, free of charge, while the old swordsman wouldn¡¯t give Alain the time of day whenever he tried to enrol. ¡°Yes, who could understand the arduous road you tread?¡± Gratia remarked dryly. ¡°Are we done here? I have an afternoon training session with Lochtar, and you know what that old goat is like when it comes to punctuality.¡± ¡°One more round,¡± Alain insisted as he hurried to retrieve his sword. Brother Joflon would have a mountain of chores ready for him as punishment for his tardiness, but his foe was known as Gratia the Undefeated for miles around. Alain had challenged her repeatedly so that he might be known as the first in her age group to gain a match off her. He had yet to taste success in over three hundred attempts, but he had a good feeling about today. ¡°Fine,¡± she sighed. As they squared off again, she cocked her head and frowned. ¡°Say, isn¡¯t it your coming of age soon?¡± ¡°Yes, next week,¡± Alain replied curtly, refusing to be distracted. ¡°Is there anything you would like?¡± she ventured. ¡°A victory off you,¡± he snapped. ¡°Well then, if that¡¯s all it is,¡± Gratia said, before casting her weapon aside and raising her arms. ¡°Come on then, consider this an early present.¡± ¡°A real victory!¡± he cried. ¡°There¡¯s no honour if you let me win.¡± Gratia let out an exasperated sigh as she retrieved her discarded weapon. ¡°Well, do you want to win, or don¡¯t you¡± ¡°I want to win against you fighting at your best!¡± Alain roared before lunging at her. He swung his branch with two hands, and his eyes widened. The trajectory and speed felt good. Could this be it? The prospect of victory flashed before his eyes, but as soon as it appeared, Gratia darted forward and struck Alain across the hands with a compact, precise blow. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The boy gasped from the pain, and his weapon went flying from his hands. Gratia leapt back to guard against any further treachery, but all thoughts of prolonging the fight had left Alain¡¯s mind. He bowed his head to hide the tears in his eyes from her and flicked his wrists back and forth to reduce the pain in his fingers. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked. The concern in her voice only served to infuriate Alain further. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he growled, turning his body away from her. ¡°You charge like a bull,¡± she said softly. ¡°It makes it easy to lead you by the nose. You need to be more thoughtful¡­ and stop taking full swings. It doesn¡¯t take much force for a sword to¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided what I want for my coming of age,¡± Alain said, cutting her off. He had no interest in a repeat of a lecture he had heard countless times before. He would win his way. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°Another ten¡­ no, twenty duels,¡± he demanded. ¡°That¡¯s three a day,¡± she protested. ¡°What about your lessons?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find the time,¡± he snapped indignantly. ¡°I¡¯ll get my victory yet!¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± she sighed. ¡°Twenty duels, it¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll defeat you in ten,¡± Alain insisted. ¡°You¡¯ll see. My first victory over you will signal the beginning of my undefeated streak!¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± she sighed wearily. Alain was about to retort when more birds took to the air behind them. Then, a lanky red headed boy appeared amongst the trees. ¡°Ah, there you are, Alain!¡± he said breathlessly. ¡°You need to go home at once.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alain demanded. Eldrick was two years older than Alain and was taller than even many of the adults in town, standing over a head taller than Alain. ¡°Just come with me,¡± the older boy snapped. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Eldrick¡¯s face brightened when he saw Gratia. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here as well. The shrimp challenged you to another duel, no doubt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Alain snapped hotly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you give him the time of day,¡± Eldrick continued, ignoring Alain. Gratia glanced at Alain, and a smirk twisted her lips. ¡°Oh, you know him. He¡¯ll go crying to my mother if I don¡¯t entertain him, and then I¡¯ll get an earful when I get home.¡± ¡°That was a lifetime ago!¡± Alain protested. ¡°It was last fall,¡± she retorted. ¡°I don¡¯t know why she always seems to favour you¡­¡± ¡°Speaking of mothers, you need to get home, Alain!¡± Eldrick exclaimed. That caught Alain¡¯s attention. ¡°What about my mother?¡± ¡°They say her killer has resurfaced,¡± Eldrick said. ¡°Come on, come with me!¡± Gratia grabbed Alain by the shoulder, stopping him from running after the older boy. He tried to break free, but her grip was like a vice. ¡°Who is saying this, Eldrick?¡± The older boy shrugged. They were travelling under important looking banners that I didn¡¯t recognize, and I only caught a few words of their conversation with your father before they chased me away, and I came straight here to fetch you.¡± ¡°Let me go,¡± Alain gasped as he struggled to break out of her grasp. Gratia released him, causing the boy to stumble. He glowered at her, but her attention was focused fully on Eldrick. ¡°What did you hear, precisely?¡± her voice was soft, but there was an edge to it that Alain had never heard before. Even Eldrick was taken aback. He swallowed before replying. ¡°They said he had surfaced¡­ The Legion¡­¡± The colour drained from Gratia¡¯s face. ¡°You heard that name, the Legion? You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°As sure as a summer day is long,¡± the older boy replied. Gratia fell silent. At length, Alain said. ¡°My mother isn¡¯t dead. There isn¡¯t a person alive who could lay a glove on her, but if this Legion knows where she is¡­¡± Eldrick and Gratia exchanged concerned looks. It had been five years since Andrea Sumner left their town in search of the dangerous fugitive known as the Legion, and three years since she had been last seen alive. Everyone, even Argan, Alain¡¯s father assumed she was dead. Everyone except Alain, who revered his mother. ¡°Lead the way, Eldrick,¡± he ordered, struggling to keep his emotions in check. The three youths grew up in the forest bordering Batonsin, and it took them less than ten minutes to reach the edge of town. They passed Gratia¡¯s house first. It was a modest single storey building built from timber and possessing only two rooms. Alain was surprised to find no signs of life. Normally, Gratia¡¯s mother would be busy tending the garden at this time of the day. Gratia¡¯s father was a travelling merchant, and Alain had only seen him twice since the Laevis¡¯ moved into Batonsin. The Sumner Residence stood further up the road. It was a large two storey building that stood on the edge of the forest. Unlike the surrounding houses, it was made from stone and topped with a thatch roof. It was the house Alain was born in and where he had lived for his whole life. Eldrick¡¯s home stood next to it and was far more modest in comparison. Men clad in plate armour were standing outside Alain¡¯s home, while a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered across the road. The armoured men paid them no heed as they chatted amongst themselves. As the trio approached, the armoured men¡¯s gazes turned to them. One of them held a banner bearing a red lion on a field of white that fluttered proudly in the wind. When Alain saw it, he elbowed Eldrick sharply in the ribs. Gratia followed suit a moment later. ¡°Ow,¡± the older boy protested. ¡°What was that for?¡± ¡°That, you idiot, is our king¡¯s banner,¡± Gratia hissed. ¡°The King?¡± Eldrick blinked in disbelief. ¡°Go on, pull the other one, you two are having me on!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, I saw it at the Fall Tournament,¡± Gratia insisted. ¡°The King¡¯s cousin was there to present the grand prize. It was a huge deal.¡± ¡°Must me nice, being invited to Royal Tourneys,¡± Eldrick sniffed. ¡°And Brother Joflon had me memorize the banners of all the Great Houses during our lessons,¡± Alain added, not wanting Gratia to show him up. ¡°If that is the King¡¯s banner, what¡¯s he doing at Alain¡¯s house?¡± Eldrick wondered. ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± Alain muttered before taking a step forward. When they saw the trio approach, two of the armoured men stepped out onto the road to bar their paths. Both were powerfully built, and it was hard to ignore the swords sheathed at their hips. ¡°Move along, there is nothing for you to see here.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Eldrick whispered into Alain¡¯s ear. ¡°You heard the intimidating men. Let¡¯s move along.¡± ¡°Why did you even bring him here if you¡¯re going to chicken out straight away?¡± Gratia muttered. Alain ignored their bickering and puffed his chest out. ¡°This is my home, and I wish to see my father.¡± One of the armoured men arched an eyebrow. ¡°This is the son of Argan Sumner?¡± ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± the other snarled. His friends shrank back a pace when the man placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but Alain was confused. The first man had whispered his father¡¯s name with such reverence that he was unsure if they were referring to the same person. Alain felt the blood rush to his face, but before the choice obscenities he had thought up could spew from his mouth, a man clad in armour that was as white as freshly driven snow stepped forward. ¡°Stand down, men. That is indeed the Ogre¡¯s son.¡± Alain blinked when the man raised the visor of his helmet, revealing a lived in face dominated by a thick, bushy moustache. ¡°Uncle Randal?¡± The man nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been years, Alain. You have your mother¡¯s eyes¡­¡± ¡°Tell these men to let me in,¡± he demanded. ¡°I need to see my father.¡± Randal nodded towards the two armoured men. ¡°I¡¯ll take him in. His Majesty will want to speak with him.¡± That caught Alain off guard, and he blinked in confusion. ¡°Me? Why?¡± Chapter 2 Laughter wafted from the living room as Alain entered his home, and the scent of tea freshly brewed tea filled his nostrils. He had lived here for his entire life, but both were so alien to his home, that he felt disoriented and paused in the hallway that connected the various rooms. Moments later, a tall woman in her forties appeared from the kitchen bearing a tray laden with a steaming teapot and two porcelain cups. ¡°Mother!¡± Gratia gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Indina Laevis smiled impishly. She was a handsome woman, slim, in her late forties with dark hair and eyes. She doted on Alain, but the boy didn¡¯t like the way she looked at his father. ¡°I happen to know firsthand that Argan doesn¡¯t know the first thing about serving guests, so I thought I had best make myself useful, especially with a guest as important as¡­¡± she began. Her smile grew wider when she saw Alain. ¡°Ah, Alain, welcome home. Your father is in the living room. You didn¡¯t tell me he was friends with the King.¡± ¡°It¡¯s news to me as well,¡± Alain murmured. His head was swimming. His father was an unremarkable man, known more for his lackadaisical attitude than anything else. Indina crinkled her eyes and cocked her head at the living room. ¡°I can take them from here, Sir Randal.¡± The warrior bowed stiffly before taking his leave. ¡°My Lady.¡± Alain led the way to the living room where he was greeted by a surreal scene that left him wondering if this was all some bizarre, vivid dream. There was his father, a tall bear of a man sporting an ample belly, unshaven and looking dishevelled, leaning back in his favourite armchair chatting affably with a slender man who was seated across from him. Not a thing looked out of place, from the threads on his finely stitched clothes to his short cropped white hair, to the regal air that seemed to surround him. Deep lines were etched in his face as he smiled and listened to some raucous story his father was telling involving drunken antics. When he offered a word here and there, his voice was refined and elegant, making his father sound all the more rough and boorish by comparison. Argan Sumner was the first to notice the new arrivals, and Alain thought he saw a flash of concern cross his father¡¯s face when their eyes first met. Unable to interpret the intent behind the look, Alain paused at the doorway, causing his friends to bump into his back. ¡°Oh Alain,¡± Indina sighed. ¡°Do be careful. We can¡¯t be spilling tea in front of the King.¡± Alain swallowed and dropped to a knee. His friends were quick to follow. ¡°Your Majesty, we are at your service,¡± they said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± the King laughed. ¡°Please, rise.¡± ¡°My Liege,¡± Argan said without getting up from his chair. ¡°May I introduce my son, Alain, and his friends, Eldrick, and Gratia. Gratia here is Indina¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°A splitting image of your mother,¡± the King said. Alain bowed his head self-consciously as the King¡¯s eyes seemed to bore into him. ¡°You¡¯ve raised a strapping young lad, Argan.¡± ¡°If only it were true, My Lord,¡± Argan said with a tinge of sadness that felt like a dagger through Alain¡¯s heart. ¡°La, Argan, that¡¯s no way to speak about your son!¡± Indina admonished as she served the tea. ¡°Sorry lad,¡± Argan said ruefully before running a hand through his grey streaked brown hair. ¡°As you may have guessed, this is King Harfel Thuridan, Ruler of Gestarnia.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Alain breathed as he got to his feet. He looked at his father in his dishevelled state and felt his anger rise. ¡°Father, just what sort of stories are you sharing with our king? Tales of drunken benders?" ¡°He asked what I¡¯ve been up to of late,¡± his father protested defensively. ¡°Would you rather I lied?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Alain cried, exasperated. Then, he remembered he was in the presence of royalty and shrank back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I or my father have offended¡­¡± To his surprise, the King began to cackle. ¡°Ah yes, he takes after his mother, this one. You often had her at her wits¡¯ end as well¡­¡± A shadow fell over his father¡¯s face. ¡°I miss her dearly.¡± ¡°We both do,¡± Alain blurted. ¡°Forgive me if I am speaking out of turn, but I heard you have news about her?¡± Alain noticed his father furrow his brow in disapproval in the corner of his eye but was undeterred and kept his eye rapt on the regal looking man before him. Harfel returned Alain¡¯s gaze. The King¡¯s eyes were a steely grey, and the boy could feel the intense will behind them. The King was testing his mettle, and though he dearly wanted to, Alain didn¡¯t look away. At length, the old man turned to Argan and gave him an apologetic look. ¡°I am sorry old friend,¡± he began. ¡°I see too much of his mother in him, and I could never say no to her.¡± Alain could tell that his father wasn¡¯t pleased, but after a brief struggle, calm returned to Argan¡¯s face, and he gave a carefree shrug. ¡°Who am I to tell you what to do, Your Majesty?¡± Harfel smiled wanly before turning back to Alain. ¡°As you know, your mother was in hot pursuit of the Legion before they both disappeared without a trace. That is until a month ago. My agents in the north reported sightings of this most vile creature. I came here to ask your father to lead an expedition to bring him to justice, and hopefully, to also discover your mother¡¯s fate.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Alain shot his father an incredulous look as the older Sumner scratched his belly and emptied his cup of tea in a single gulp. ¡°Him?¡± A toothy grin split the King¡¯s face. ¡°It may be hard to believe, looking at him now, but Argan Sumner was once Gestarnia¡¯s mightiest warrior.¡± ¡°He was?¡± Alain made a face. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Oh yes, your parents made quite the pair in their heyday,¡± Harfel¡¯s eyes lit up like a child¡¯s as he spoke. ¡°The Ogre and the Arch Mage was what they were called.¡± Alain blinked. There was that nickname again. He looked at his father as he lazed in his chair with his ample belly, tea stained shirt, and the gormless look on his face. It was difficult to picture him as a ferocious warrior. ¡°Those days are long behind me, Your Majesty.¡± Argan paused when Indina leaned over to refill his cup. ¡°Thank you, dearie.¡± Alain glanced at Gratia, whose face mirrored his own look of disdain. Argan quaffed his drink before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am no longer the Ogre of the South. Far from it, in fact¡­¡± Alain felt his temper flare. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare tell me you are refusing to go looking for Mother!¡± ¡°Your mother is dead!¡± Argan¡¯s voice was like a lash, taking Alain aback. This was the first time he had heard his father raise his voice. The others, even the King could only watch on in silence. Argan saw the hurt on his son¡¯s face and softened his tone. ¡°Charging out after the Legion after years of sedentary life could well cost you your only remaining parent. I will not turn you into an orphan. It¡¯s not what your mother would have wanted.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t dead!¡± Alain cried, careless of the hot tears that rolled down his cheeks. ¡°If you are too much of a coward, I will go on this expedition in your stead!¡± Argan narrowed his eyes and gave his son a look of cold fury that sent shivers down Alain¡¯s spine. ¡°You know full well that your mother was one of the mightiest sorceresses in the kingdom. What could you contribute to an expedition to pursue her killer?¡± Alain gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to hurl the steaming pot of tea into his father¡¯s face. ¡°At least I haven¡¯t given up on her!¡± Without waiting for his father to respond, the boy turned on his heel and stormed out of the house, careless of the stunned stares he attracted from the armoured men and the gawkers standing across the road whose numbers had only grown. Alain looked up and down the street before deciding to storm off into the forest. As he walked down the well-trodden path through the forest, Alain began to formulate a plan. He had a chance to find his mother and bring her home! He wasn¡¯t about to let this opportunity slip. He would just have to wait until the King left his house and intercept him once he left town to beg His Majesty to allow him to join the expedition. The only trouble was he wasn¡¯t sure which way the King would take out of town. As dim-witted as his father was, even he would catch him if he stayed too close to the house to observe the King¡¯s procession. It stood to reason he would use the same route he took in. Should he return to town and ask someone? No, he would just get a slew of questions in return, why the King himself was visiting his home being chief among them. As he walked, he became aware of someone walking behind him. Possibly a nosy neighbour. Or¡­ He looked over his shoulder and spotted Eldrick in the distance. No doubt sent after him by his father¡­ If Eldrick was here¡­ he turned back and jumped when he noticed Gratia walking beside him, moving as silently as a wraith. ¡°You scared me!¡± he cried. ¡°You should be more aware of your surroundings,¡± Gratia shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s with you storming off like that?¡± Eldrick demanded, taking long strides to catch up to the others. ¡°Are you five years old?¡± ¡°In front of the King, no less,¡± Gratia added. ¡°The two of you wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± Alain fumed. ¡°Did they send you to keep an eye on me?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Eldrick asked while Gratia bobbed her head. ¡°Figures,¡± Alain sighed. After a moment, he perked up. ¡°Say, would the two of you like to join me on an adventure?¡± ¡°Oh no,¡± Eldrick said. ¡°You¡¯ve heard the stories about the Legion, how he sacrificed his kingdom in exchange for immortality.¡± Alain smirked. ¡°I always knew you were a chicken at heart despite your size, Eldrick. A great big chicken.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not taking that from a shrimp like you,¡± the taller boy snorted. ¡°That¡¯s enough, you two,¡± Gratia barked. She looked around before leaning over so that she could whisper into Alain¡¯s ear, which struck Alain as odd given that the three of them were in the middle of a forest and very much alone. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of sneaking out to join this expedition, I will help you out.¡± ¡°You will?¡± both boys gasped in unison, their eyes wide with surprise. Gratia nodded. ¡°This will be a good opportunity to prove myself.¡± ¡°You?¡± Alain scoffed. ¡°What do you have to prove?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best girl at the sword for miles around,¡± Eldrick added. Gratia made a face. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m the best girl. How many women go on to serve as warriors in lord¡¯s armies?¡± ¡°Is that¡­¡± Alain bit his lip before continuing. ¡°Is that what you want?¡± Gratia glared at the boy, causing him to take a step back. ¡°Did you think only boys are allowed to dream of glory in battle? Why else would I have worked so hard to hone my skills?¡± ¡°Do your parents know about this dream of yours?¡± Alain ventured. Gratia looked down before nodding. ¡°Neither of them approves.¡± ¡°Then perhaps you should reconsider¡­¡± Alain began. Gratia glared at him again. ¡°You are the last person I want to hear that from.¡± Alain opened his mouth but had no response. At length, Gratia continued. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is I am willing to help if you are trying to get yourself included in this expedition.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve both lost your minds,¡± Eldrick breathed. ¡°As for you, Eldrick Jordist,¡± Gratia said, whirling around to face the boy. ¡°I won¡¯t think less of you if you don¡¯t want to join us.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Alain muttered under his breath. ¡°But so help me, if you tell our parents¡­¡± she continued. Alain gave Gratia a confused look when the girl fell silent and turned around to peer into the trees behind them. At length, Alain asked. ¡°Gratia, what¡­¡± ¡°Shhh,¡± she hissed, holding up a hand for silence. Then, Alain heard it, the clatter of armour coming swiftly up behind them. One of the King¡¯s men, no doubt. He thought about running deeper into the forest, but what would the point be? He could be bringing good news from home. Soon, Randal appeared on the path and waved when he saw them. ¡°What are you kids up to?¡± he asked, beaming toothily. ¡°Not plotting to sneak onto this expedition, I trust?¡± Alain¡¯s jaw dropped. Had they been speaking loud enough for him to hear? ¡°Please,¡± Randal laughed. ¡°I too was once a youth with delusions of grandeur, even if it was decades ago.¡± ¡°Will you take us with you?¡± Gratia asked hopefully. ¡°Then there won¡¯t be any sneaking necessary. I have the finest sword arm for miles around, ask anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you are, young lady,¡± Randal said politely. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I bring news quite to the contrary.¡± Alain¡¯s heart sank and the white clad warrior turned his gaze to him. ¡°After telling your father you would be dead set on joining this expedition with or without his permission, your father agreed to lead it with one condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Alain asked, having a sinking suspicion as to what it was. ¡°I am to stay here and ensure you don¡¯t follow after him,¡± Randal replied.