The Crown Legacy

Prologue

Cathalanaigh entered the sober room that was the Tuarhieviel audience chamber. Her travel back from the human realm of Dhoesone has been too long for her taste and she was happy to finish up her duties as the Prince Fhillaerene personal informant. In that country, she had just one thing to do: inform the baroness, the Prince's half sister, of his recent wishes and will. Abrupt changes were happening in that land; the Bastion of truth, church of Haelyn, was suffering from a loss in worshippers; the Baroness was standing as a mediator between Stjordvik and the Religious Talinie, and the northern frontier has been raided by a group of unknown humanoids. The Prince asked then if his sibbling was needing help and the answer was no.
As she bent before the Thornthrone and her lord, she noticed the floor was stained with something red and pale. Blood, she thought. The Prince did ordered someone's death before him, but who?
"At ease, Cathalanaigh. " Fhillaerene's voice was marked by a deep, but controlled, anger. "How was your trek? Is my sister in need of assistance?"
Cathalanaigh rose as she answered. "Her Grace said that she can well respond to her needs herself."
The Prince sighed in relief. "Perfect. Now, My Lady, I have another quest to give you and it will be long before you return here in Tuarhieviel"
Cathalanaigh gasped. What? I was supposed to stay here for quite some time before was given another mission in the human realm. "Sir?"
Fhillaerene continued as if no one had said anything. "You'll go to the nation called Tuornen as a special informant for me. You will assume the identity of an ambassador for our land. I have already sent a message to their Sidhelian general, Braedonnal Tuare, telling him that I was pleased by the effort of his lord in maintaining peace with our kind and that I was assigning an ambassador to the duke Flaertes. Your job will be to inform us of all strategic, diplomatic and political decisions they make. Do not take too much risk, Cathalanaigh, we cannot afford to loose you. Do you understand?"
He didn't wait too long for her answer. "Yes, My Lord. When am I scheduled to depart?"
"In a cycle. Rendez-vous with Devlyn at dawn. Dismiss, Lady. " The prince waved a hand in the direction of Cathalanaigh. As she stepped outside, Cathalanaigh thought about her lover. * * * When Cathalanaigh arrived at the pre-fixed point, the sun was just coming up between the tree tops. Devlyn was waiting beside an old oak, arms laced in each other. He was tall, he had black air and an insolent look. Many Sidhelians disliked him very much but no one has gone to the point to kill him. However, he was the best ranger you can never had.
Devlyn grinned and picked up his backpack. "You're Cath, right?"
"Yes, and you are this insolent and benevolent little scum that I've heard of, right?" She grinned also to intimidate her companion, but with no effect. Devlyn responded with a schukkle. "Yeah... But, I'm still the best in this forest." Then he begin to walk toward south. Cathalanaigh had no choice, but to follow.

Two hours had passed without a single word spoken by either of the two travelers, but Cathalanaigh broke this boring silence: "Tell me about the human realm of Tuornen. Are they savage and ruthless people or barbaric and little caring ones?"
Devlyn looked relieved. He waited long for a conversation though it was about work. "You'll see, Cath, that this human nation is a part of these two kind of people. Their lord was, a human year ago, Gilgaed Flaertes, a sort of diplomatic favorising peace talks and deals beyond battle and war. Our Prince had a relative in this lord family and it was his cousin, the wife of Flaertes. But she had an accidental encounter with a patrol of goblins in the woods and she died before the eyes of Flaertes. Then, he went mad." Devlyn waited for a reaction then continued. "The Counsellors of Tuornen had now in their hands a crazy duke and only a female as heir."
Cathalanaigh stopped him. "You say that the human woman cannot become regent?"
Devlyn grinned. "It's more complicated then that. Women CAN become regents, but just if her father had no other son conceived in a precendent mariage...or relation. But, it's not always the case. It depends of the code of morality of each region. Then, as I said previously, the counsellors had a problem. Then they started a search for an hidden son conceived before the relation of the Prince's cousin and Flaertes. It's after two years that they found one, Ornwen Flaertes, son of a courtlady in the province of Tuor. They proceded with his coronation ceremony and he became lord of Tuornen." Out of breath, he stopped, but Cathalanaigh wanted more. "What about Gilgaed, what happened to him?"
The Sidhelian raised an hairbrow as he was taking a deep breath. "He still lives, Cath, but he has the maturity of a 5 years-old child and he plays with mechanical toys."
"Oh!" Cath's look seemed to shift to a kind of amusement. "What else I'm supposed to know about that country, Devlyn?"
"The Prince has already told you about Braedonnal Tuare. But, His Majesty has omitted something of importance. This elf..." Mmm, he doesn't like him much, he'd just insulted Tuare, thought Cath. "... is very sensitive to new people in his lord's court. He will surely try to know everything about you. Then, try to look casual and don't try something that will summon his attention. And..."
Cathalanaigh wasn't listening now. She was planning her arrival, her future deeds and what she can do to help her cause. I see now. It will be too easy to manipulate some of them. The Prince thought well. I'm the best for that...
The two companions continued their travel one talking, the other thinking.