Read Avalyne Series 01: The Queen of Carleon for Free Online Page B

simply agree with her. ‘I wish the same too. He loves her more than anything in this world and would allow nothing to harm her or his unborn child but he is just a man the Enemy has no reason to keep him alive if he becomes inconvenient. Arianne is an elf with powers of her own, so she may be able to guard against the Enemy and not be led astray by his machinations. If we were to allow her husband to know the Enemy’s plan, he would be determined to protect her by going himself, and that is something we cannot allow.’
    ‘ Perhaps we do not have the right to make that choice for them. Perhaps assuming what is best for them is wrong.’ She turned around and stared at him directly.
    Tamsyn swallowed thickly, aware that her question was not merely statement but a barb at an old grievance. He ignored it for now because that was too big a subject to delve into now when there were real matters of urgency to contend with. As it was, he felt guilty keeping secrets from Dare. The young king looked to him for counsel, had come to him for help to restore order to the world. Through those shared trials, they had become friends.
    After a moment, he answered her. ‘I love them both dearly too, and my heart aches in fear at the danger that Arianne will face but it must be done this way. If she were to fail in the undertaking we would face a danger far worse than any we could possibly imagine. This could mean the resurrection of powers so dark that no army in Avalyne can withstand it. No race will survive. ‘
    ‘ So is she to go alone in this peril?’ Lylea demanded. ‘When we dealt with Balfure, we had an army. Is Arianne not allowed to have such support?’
    ‘ She will find her own way,’ Tamsyn replied. ‘There are allies for her in the strangest of places and she will find them. Dare shall not be completely forgotten in this either, but it must be his queen that paves the way for him to act.’
    At least that was something, Lylea thought. However, s he could not help feeling as if she were abandoning Arianne to a questionable fate. It was necessary that Arianne carry out this quest, but Lylea could not say for certain whether or not she ought to do it alone.
    ‘ I guess then it is time to visit Sandrine,’ Lylea said with a heavy sigh. ‘It appears that we have a celebration to attend.’

Chapter THREE:
CELEBRATION
    When the announcement was made at the opening of the celebration that the Queen was with child, jubilation swept throughout the city like the rising swell of an ocean wave. It moved outwards from the city of Sandrine to the rest of the kingdom like wildfire. Messengers departed the instant the news was revealed, riding to the four corners of Carleon to deliver the announcement that an heir was coming, finally marking the successful ascension of King Dare to his throne.
    Days before the celebration, the city of Sandrine was transformed into a magical version of itself, full of lights and coloured banners , with streamers hanging from every window and awnings on every street. Merchants were commissioned to provide food and ale for all the guests in and out of the palace. City workers were soon erecting tents, assembling tables in squares where the feast for the commoners would be held, while stages were erected for the performers who would be entertaining the masses. Fireworks were prepared, and a steady stream of cooks, performers and guests began arriving into the city to take part in the celebration.
    It was a celebration that superseded the grandeur of the King’s coronation following the destruction of Balfure and the final sacking of Abraxes. Too many had suffered and died during Balfure’s tyranny for the king to make his ascension to the throne a celebration. Furthermore, there were families still burying and mourning the dead after the battle of Astaroth had come to an end. Therefore, it was enough to have a coronation and a wedding that symbolised the beginning of a new age for kingdom without the