The Abellican evergreen flew above the guard towers of St.-Mere-Abelle. Aydrian had taken both as his mantle, and had added the tiger - the tiger for De'Unnero, Braumin understood.
The Allheart Knights centered that line of Kingsmen, in their gleaming magnificent armor, the best in all the world, and astride their solid and unshakable To-gai pinto ponies. And in their center sat the grandest spectacle of all: young King Aydrian in his shining gold-lined armor, sitting astride the legendary Symphony, the horse of Elbryan the Nightbird. That stallion, draped in armor plating and a red-trimmed black blanket, seemed on edge, stomping the ground repeatedly.
Trumpets announced the dawn and the arrival of the young king of Honce- the-Bear.
To Braumin Herde, standing on the parapets near to the city's southern gate, those trumpets heralded naught but doom.
A trio of riders came out from the line, trotting their muscular ponies toward Herde and the southern gate. When they stopped before the gate, the rider in the center took off his great plumed helm and shook out his curly black hair.
"I am Targon Bree Kalas, Duke of Westerhonce, former Baron of Palmaris,"
he announced.
"You are well known to me and to the people of Palmaris," came Braumin's reply, and only then did Kalas seem to take note of the bishop. "Under King Danube, we were allies, Church and State joined in harmony for the good of the folk of Honce-the-Bear."
"Bishop Herde! I bring you greetings and great tidings!" Kalas said with sudden enthusiasm.
"That King Danube is dead," said Braumin.
"Rest his soul, and long live the king!" Duke Kalas responded, and he swept his arm out to the side and behind him, back toward Aydrian.
"Why do you come to the gates of my city with such an army, Duke Kalas?"
Braumin Herde asked, his tone suddenly a bit more demanding.
"We are the escort of the new king, the rightful king by Danube's own proclamation on that day when he wed Jilseponie," the duke explained.
"Behold Aydrian, the son of Elbryan, the son of Jilseponie! Behold Aydrian, the king of Honce-the-Bear!"
Braumin Herde glanced up and down the line at the puzzled expressions worn by the defenders of Palmaris. This was a bit much to ask of them, the bishop felt at that moment. Kalas was speaking truthfully, and yet Braumin was asking the folk of Palmaris to deny this heir of their two greatest heroes. And that, on top of asking these folk, these brave folk, to stand strong against a trained and outfitted army without the bulk of their own garrison to support them.
And yet, here they were, shoulder to shoulder, manning every spot on the wall.
"Tell me, Duke Kalas," Bishop Braumin began slowly and deliberately, "what words from Prince Midalis on the ascension of this new king? From obscurity has he risen, a name that few north of Ursal had ever heard mentioned, I would guess. He is the child of Jilseponie and Elbryan, and yet, Jilseponie had no idea that he existed before the fall of King Danube."
"Then we should be glad that God has given us this gift that is Aydrian,"
Duke Kalas replied. "To lead us through the dark times."
"And upon whose wisdom does this young king rely?" asked the bishop. "On yours, of course, and rightly so. And pray tell us, who else? Who is it that sits astride his horse right behind the young king?"
Even from this distance, Braumin Herde could see Duke Kalas' face grow very tight.
"Might it be Marcalo De'Unnero, Duke Kalas?" Braumin Herde pressed, slamming home the critical point to the assembled Palmaris folk, and indeed, he heard De'Unnero's cursed name being whispered up and down the wall. "The same De'Unnero who once ruled Palmaris? The same tyrant who terrorized the folk of Palmaris in the name of Father Abbot Markwart?"
Those questions brought murmurs and shouts of discontent all along the city wall.
"King Aydrian's ascent was the doing of King Danube, who in his wisdom - "
Duke Kalas began.
"Who in his ignorance that Jilseponie had ever given birth, errantly referred to a child of his own loins with his new queen, should that event ever come to pass!" Bishop Braumin interrupted. There, he had said it: an outright denial of Aydrian's claim; an obvious, intended resistance to this march of the young would-be king.
Bolstered by his own recognition that now it was out there openly, Braumin Herde plowed ahead. "We of Palmaris will accept the sovereignty of King Aydrian when and only when Prince Midalis of Vanguard offers his blessing. We