Brazen Girl: Prologue
Brazen Girl
Prologue: The Choice
“This next room holds a historical significance only slightly more recent than the conquests of King Jonathan I,” said the lady to her distinguished guests as she led them down a long flight of gray stone steps, through a dark corridor to a heavy wooden door lit by torches from either side.
“Almost twenty four years ago this room was the scene of a fateful battle that decided the fate of this realm. In the grand tradition of chivalry that has prevailed in the Eastern Lands for centuries, a duel to the death was invoked and fought for the second time. For the second time, Alanna the Lioness defeated Duke Roger of Contי and slew him, preventing his ascension to the throne of Tortall.
“The Lioness fenced against the Duke with a sword of his own making. Duke Roger believed his Gift’s control over the weapon would play in his favor, but in the end it was his undoing as his own call embedded the blade in his flesh so strongly, that it could never be removed again.
“The sword of Roger of Contי remains buried in stone to this day.”
Impressed by her dramatic tale-telling, the distinguished guests stood by and waited as their hostess pulled open the doors of the room, and torchlight flooded it. Yet, no jeweled sword could be seen anywhere in the room.
The lady smiled apologetically. “Dear me, my age must finally be telling. It’s not this room at all! Shall we proceed to the scene of Lord Emmeran’s secret wedding to Princess Gwenda?”
The distinguished guests laughed appreciatively at their hostess’s skillful recovery and agreed with courtesy and grace. Hours later the hostess passed word to her husband, and together they passed word to the king, that the sword Lightning had been stolen, and no one could tell by whom, to where, or why.
And the next morning, a girl woke up on her sixteenth birthday to find a jeweled sword she did not know was stolen lying across her pillow.
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Prologue: The Choice
“This next room holds a historical significance only slightly more recent than the conquests of King Jonathan I,” said the lady to her distinguished guests as she led them down a long flight of gray stone steps, through a dark corridor to a heavy wooden door lit by torches from either side.
“Almost twenty four years ago this room was the scene of a fateful battle that decided the fate of this realm. In the grand tradition of chivalry that has prevailed in the Eastern Lands for centuries, a duel to the death was invoked and fought for the second time. For the second time, Alanna the Lioness defeated Duke Roger of Contי and slew him, preventing his ascension to the throne of Tortall.
“The Lioness fenced against the Duke with a sword of his own making. Duke Roger believed his Gift’s control over the weapon would play in his favor, but in the end it was his undoing as his own call embedded the blade in his flesh so strongly, that it could never be removed again.
“The sword of Roger of Contי remains buried in stone to this day.”
Impressed by her dramatic tale-telling, the distinguished guests stood by and waited as their hostess pulled open the doors of the room, and torchlight flooded it. Yet, no jeweled sword could be seen anywhere in the room.
The lady smiled apologetically. “Dear me, my age must finally be telling. It’s not this room at all! Shall we proceed to the scene of Lord Emmeran’s secret wedding to Princess Gwenda?”
The distinguished guests laughed appreciatively at their hostess’s skillful recovery and agreed with courtesy and grace. Hours later the hostess passed word to her husband, and together they passed word to the king, that the sword Lightning had been stolen, and no one could tell by whom, to where, or why.
And the next morning, a girl woke up on her sixteenth birthday to find a jeweled sword she did not know was stolen lying across her pillow.
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