Free The Rawn Chronicles Book One: The Orrinn and the Blacksword: Unabridged (The Rawn Chronicles Series 1) by P.D. Ceanneir Page A

title in the event of his death.
    “Both of you may find something of interest in the academy stables,” he said, and turned his mount and rode off after the departing column.
     

     
    They all watched the Rogun host until the cloud of dust was just visible on the horizon. The city seemed smaller and quieter now to Havoc.
    The ‘something of interest’ in the stables was two beautiful black stallions. A present from Lord Rett explained Sir Gillem as he handed them the reins. Black horses were common on the Aln plain, and these two trained as warhorses since they were colts.
    Both princes were delighted and took them out of the north gate, and rode around the plain for many hours. Sir Gillem’s royal guard tried in vain to keep them in their sights.
    The boys were already accomplished riders; most Roguns rode at a very young age. Their new mounts were fast and graceful, and handled instruction well.
    They returned to the stable after severe chastisement from a very angry Sir Gillem.
    “I will call you Dirkem; that means Night Ghost,” said Havoc as he brushed the animal down later that day and laid more hey in his stall. The horse ignored him and continued to eat more oats from a nosebag. “We will be great friends,” he said.
    The sun was setting behind the Sky Mountains. A cold wind came from the east, the first chill of winter. Havoc looked out over the palace walls and thought of his father.

Chapter 5
    Deception
     

     
    The Pander Pass should not exist. It was not a natural route through the Tattoium Mountains, but manmade over three thousand years ago. The Vallkytes had hewn out a tunnel almost a mile long through the Tattoium Ridge to give them better access to the east as they separated from the Rogun tribe all of those years ago.
    On the eastside was a fort. Its garrison was large and the stonewalls encompassed a small township complete with smithy, market and homes for the local populace, which were mostly soldiers and their families.
    King Vanduke had set up his battle headquarters in a room of the small town hall, which was just large enough to fit his captains in as he chaired the meetings.
    He received daily reports as the war dragged on and the influx of soldiers remained constant. The first of the Sonorans appeared a month after his arrival to the pass, and he sent their commander a message to take his force and train with the Rogun army; this was in order to judge the level of their professionalism and to give them something to do before they marched south. The Rogun force was now some twenty thousand strong, and camped outside the fort, amidst a sea of tents that stretched for miles. Another smaller army garrisoned at Fort Curran some fifteen miles to the southeast.
    Provisions for the host, arrived daily from the rich ports of Sonora on a wagon train many miles long, stretching like a large undulating snake over the many miles to the pass.
    King Hagan himself arrived one day with one of these supply trains, and warmly welcomed by his brother. Hagan’s jovial banter brightened up the grim life at the pass.
    Vanduke received two messengers from home seven days after Hagan’s arrival.
    One was from Sir Yorvic, his governor and commander of the citadels reduced guards. It was only a trivial administration document informing the king that all was well and running smoothly at the citadel, countersigned by the regent, Queen Molna. She, in turn, was not happy about ruling the city, so she left that to the resourceful Sir Yorvic. However, the queen had a mollifying affect on the Burgh Lords and Traders Guild, and it pleased the governor to have them kept off his back. Reading the document gave the king a strong sense of homesickness.
    The governor’s messenger had not left. “Is there anything else?” asked the king.
    “Yes, Your Majesty, I was to bring you this.” He produced from behind his back a heavy leather bag, tied at the top by a thong. He dropped it on the king’s desk, where it made a