a bad headache, nothing serious,” the king said as his gaze moved to Taleen and Jonas. He smiled broadly. “Jonas, it is you. My men told me that two cavaliers had arrived killing the Banthra and the Naz-reen priests. That is good news! I am very glad to see you.”
“Likewise, King Gavinsteal, I’m glad you are well. Are you in need of any healing?”
The king glanced at the old priest by his side. “No, Hondris here has taken care of me. The gash is no longer and my head is now beginning to clear, but I thank you nonetheless. Hondris, this is Jonas, and by the looks of it he is a cavalier to Shyann.” The king’s last words were stated as a question.
“I am, my Lord, sanctioned by Annure and Shyann herself. It is a pleasure to meet you, Hondris, priest of Ulren.”
“The pleasure is mine, young cavalier,” replied the old man as he turned to face Jonas.
“When we have more time I would like to hear what has happened with you. But right now we have a war to win,” the king said as he stood up from his bed.
“Very good, sir. Lord, this is Taleen, cavalier to Helikon. She has come to help where she may.”
The king slowly approached Taleen and extended his hand. “Thank you, Taleen. Helikon? Are you from the west, beyond the Tundrens?” the king asked, shaking her hand warmly.
“I am, King Gavinsteel. I am from Osrigard. Helikon sent me here to help Jonas.”
“Very good, your presence gives me hope. Thank you for being here,” he said sincerely.
“Thank Helikon,” replied Taleen, releasing the king’s grip.
King Gavinsteel smiled broadly at the beautiful warrior. “I will do that,” he said, sitting down in a large wood chair and looking around for his son. “Where is Baylin, where is my son?”
Dagrinal looked down at the ground momentarily before returning his gaze to his king. He felt to blame for not staying closer to the prince during the battle and he had a hard time looking his king in the eye. The king spent his life reading men, and he could see the pain and sorrow in Dagrinal’s eyes before he even said anything.
“My Lord, we found Prince Baylin’s axe among the dead,” Dagrinal said, reaching behind him as Graggis handed him the prince’s axe. Dagrinal held the axe before him as the king stood up slowly, his eyes wide with shock.
“Did you find his body?” asked the king, his voice shaking slightly.
“We did not, my Lord. He may have been captured,” answered Dagrinal.
The king stood up straighter at the news that is son might be alive. He walked briskly forward and took his son’s axe from Dagrinal’s grasp. “Then he must be alive. We must find him! Send out a messenger now, I will pay whatever price they demand.”
“Very well, my Lord,” replied Dagrinal as he glanced at Graggis. Graggis nodded his head and walked from the room to find a messenger.
The king sat back down and tried to push the grave news away and focus on the task at hand. He laid his son’s axe on the table and looked at it momentarily before he spoke. “How did we fare, Dagrinal?”
“We did well, my King, considering. Jonas killed the Banthra which helped us greatly. It is even possible that the army will not continue to fight without the Banthra and the Naz-reen priests.”
“And if they do? How many men have we lost?”
“The numbers are still coming in, but I believe we’ve lost more than a third of our infantry and at least an equal amount of our cavalry.”
The king shook his head sadly and sighed deeply, the pain of those losses sitting heavy on the tired monarch. “What of the enemy?”
“I do not know. Most of our scouts have not returned. The ones that did reported that a large army still rests beyond the hills past the Lindsor Bridge. I would imagine that most of the orcs and ogres that are still alive will not fight without the Banthra there to force them. There are still a few hill giants, but who knows who controls them. We cannot be sure of anything at this point.”
“Sir, if I may interrupt?” asked Jonas.
The tired king looked at Jonas. “Go ahead, Jonas. You’ve earned the right to be rid of formality in my tent. What is it?”
“Sir, we have brought someone with us who may be able to help.”
Just as Jonas spoke, Graggis returned through the tent flaps followed