Free The Archer From Kipleth (Book 2) by K.J. Hargan Page A

Solienth quietly chewed, clearly anger brewing in his heart.
    An uncomfortable silence filled the opulent room.
    Halldora quietly rose, crossed the room, and knelt at Solienth’s feet. “What would you have of the Kingdom of Man?” She quietly asked. “Take what you will. Our people pushed yours to the brink of extinction. I apologize.”
    Solienth was motionless. He stared at the fire. Garmee Gamee brought her hand to her open mouth. Solienth slowly lifted his bulk. Standing, with an emperor’s posture, Solienth said, “the men of Glaf need nothing from the Northern Kingdom of Man.” And then Solienth stalked from the room.
    Halldora rose from her knees and sat in Solienth’s chair.
    “What could you do?” Garmee Gamee said. “Perhaps you should have given him your kingdom. Perhaps you should have given him your body. The violence of your people murdered thousands of his people. What excuse is there for such violence? What forgiveness?”
    Halldora turned to stare at Garmee Gamee in disbelief, but then the guilt of years of bloodshed weighed her gaze down to the richly embroidered carpet.
    “I never went to war,” Halldora softly said. “I have never killed any single human being in my life. But I know my husband did. I know I enjoyed the riches of his conquests. I know I reaped the treasures of the misery and death my people visited on innocents.”
    Garmee Gamee smiled as she let Halldora suffer in silence.
    “Queen,” a servant said, bowing as he entered. “Prince Haerreth is leaving, and he’s very upset.”
    “Oh, no,” Halldora breathed. “I forgot about Haerreth!”
    Halldora rose and rushed from the room, with Garmee Gamee at her heels.
    Halldora and Garmee Gamee came upon voices increasing in anger, near the marbled foyer of the mansion. A ginger haired man with a blonde beard, wearing ceremonial armor berated servants who apologized and begged him to stay. Hetwing shyly stood in her brother’s shadow, her eyes red from crying.
    “Take your hands off of me,” Haerreth boomed as servants pawed at his cloak and shoulders. Haerreth stopped as he spied Halldora and Garmee Gamee arriving. “In all my days, I have never been treated so rudely, so disrespectfully. All day! All day I have waited with scraping sycophants mewing and pawing at me!”
    “My dear Haerreth,” Halldora spread her hands. “I do apologize. I lost track of time.”
    “It is nightfall,” Haerreth huffed. “I meant to leave the Weald by nightfall. I have word that the Evil One’s citadel here in our lands has been discovered. I meant to ask for the support of the armies of Man in the siege. But, apparently the Heir to the throne of Reia isn’t important enough to be included in the plans of the new Wealdland. Let me tell you-”
    “Please, Haerreth!” Halldora said.
    “Let me tell you,” Haerreth went on, “Reia is still strong, and the jealousy of the other nations will not preclude us from the governance of Wealdland as a whole. It is not our fault the garonds never attacked our lands, but plenty of reians died in the Battle of the Eastern Meadowlands. Plenty!”
    “I beg you to stay,” Halldora said. “Or let me come with you to show my support.”
    “It’s too late for that,” Garmee Gamee said. “He needs to ride with his men. So...”
    “That’s right!” Haerreth boomed. “It’s too late! Why I’ve received more respect from Maginalius, the brother of that damnable Summeninquis than from you, or Caerlund, or Derragen, or Alrhett, or- or-”
    “You are the prince of Reia after all,” Garmee Gamee simply said.
    “I AM the prince of Reia,” Haerreth shouted. “I am done with this place.”
    “I will come with you,” Garmee Gamee said.
    “Yes,” Halldora’s eyes were dark, “I think you’d best.”
    Haerreth burst from the mansion striding through the slush of the new fallen snow, with Garmee Gamee at his heels, trotting to keep up with Haerreth’s angry pace.
    Without lanterns or torches