The Book of Deacon: Book 03 - The Battle of Verril (60 page)

“Consider it abolished,” Caya replied. “The
Alliance is going to have to be rebuilt, and we shall need every
able hand to do it.”

The doorway was pushed open and Deacon
entered.

“The carriage is ready,” he yawned.

“Leaving so soon?” Caya asked.

“I need to get back to Kenvard. There are
only a few weeks left before the peace discussions resume and there
is much to be done if Kenvard is to be rebuilt. Father was not even
willing to spare the time needed to join us here,” she said.

“I'd wondered about him. I suppose it stands
to reason he didn't want to come back to the building he'd spend so
many years rotting underneath, as well. Better reasons than my
family had!” Caya declared.

“What kept them away?” Myranda asked.

“Business. What with the first trade lines
finally opening up, they've got their hands full filling orders at
the vineyard, and at my uncle's distillery too. At least they were
kind enough to send us some of the better vintage,” she said.

“Indeed,” Myranda nodded. It was the first
she'd heard of the family business, though it certainly explained
where the funding for her prior exploits had come from, and more
importantly, where the apparently endless supply of 'liquid
courage' had originated.

The trio walked through the doors as the
servants attempted to restore order to the banquet hall. They made
their way to the entrance. The venerable castle, more ancient than
memory, was scattered with signs of renewal. Cracked and damaged
walls were patched, ruined tapestries were removed, but most
notable were the doors. Shattered by Myn to gain entry to this
place, the repaired doorway was now composed of gleaming metal and
polished stone hung with glorious blue doors. Servants in
attendance, only just closing them following Myn's exit, hurriedly
began to open them again. A trio of other servants appeared with
coats and cloaks for the travelers, and a fur wrap for the
queen.

“Nice as it is to have servants, I have my
concerns about being Queen. I didn't think it would be easy, but I
certainly didn't think it would be more difficult than running the
Undermine. Do you remember how long it took to find enough
diplomats that actually spoke Tresson to begin the first round of
talks? Egad. And without the nearmen, frankly, we are at Tressor's
mercy. I know I sought victory at any cost, but that was before
they put me on the throne. I would much prefer to gain my place in
history as the greatest queen of the Northern Alliance, not the
last. It is a dicey road ahead. I just wonder . . . after one
hundred and fifty some odd years of war, is a lasting peace even
possible?” Caya wondered.

Myranda looked to the gates of the castle
wall as they pulled open. Beyond it, the streets were packed, even
as the sun was still breaking free of the horizon. There was a
feeling of life in the city that Myranda could never recall feeling
before. The land had its soul back. High above, Myn wheeled in the
morning air.

“The D'karon are gone. That is the important
thing. Whatever happens, happens. Pass or fail, win or lose, at
least the shackles are broken. The people can make their own
decisions. For the first time in ages they have the freedom to make
a choice. Under your guidance, I believe they shall choose well,”
Myranda said.

Myn touched down in the street as Myranda and
Deacon entered the carriage. As the crowd parted around the
creature, the heroes took their first steps along the long road
ahead.

And so the tale is told. As I write this, a
thousand different tellings exist, twisted by tricks of memory,
misunderstandings, and occasionally deceit. In the years to come,
the stories will no doubt pass into legend, then myth, and perhaps
into obscurity. Such is the whim of fate. But you, dear reader, may
count yourself lucky that you came upon this book. You, at least,
know it all. You know the curse and blessing that was The Mark. You
know the pain and joy that a true quest brings. You know not just
the end, but the beginning and the trials between. You know the
truth - and the truth is important - about what had occurred in
this world once upon a time.

###

Thank you for reading the third book in the
Book of Deacon series. If you’ve made it this far, presumably
you’ve read the previous books. If not, you can find links below,
as well as other books I’ve written. I hope you’ve enjoyed the
tale. The story of Myranda and the others was envisioned as a
trilogy, but after the fun I’ve had writing it and the positive
reaction I’ve gotten from many of those who have given feedback,
you may not have seen the last of the characters, and you certainly
haven’t seen the last of the setting. As always, whether you liked
my work or not I would love to hear what you think, so please leave
a review. It will help me to improve the things that you didn’t
like, and to give you more of the things you did.

Discover other titles by Joseph R. Lallo at
Smashwords.com:

The Book of Deacon Trilogy

Book 1: The Book of Deacon -
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/9354

Book 2: The Great Convergence -
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/35286

Other stories in the same setting:

Jade -
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25151

Science Fiction Titles:

Bypass Gemini -
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/57468

Contact Information

Website:
http://www.bookofdeacon.com
.

Twitter: @jrlallo

Email: [email protected]