The Enchanter of Rangel: Child of War Book 1 (24 page)

             
The next couple of days were uneventful, even when they arrived at the capital, most people did not know who he was until he passed close to the arena, was he recognized by someone he did not know and was thrown into one of the arena cells.

CHAPTER

              Xander looked at his pink armor and laughed. He could see the inside where they scratched off all of his writing in an attempt to ensure he had no enchantments. Carefully looking on the outside, it was obvious to Xander that his armor was never cleaned after battle and if the rust spots could tell a story, then this armor was probably left to the elements. Xander looked at his captors and could see they were keeping a close eye on him, probably in an effort to make it a fair fight, if fair is a term that could be used when fighting a potioned up giant.

             
Xander had not been in the capital for three hours when he received his first guest, Patrick.

             
“We finally found you trying to be all cozy with the elves. The Queendom has never been stronger, the high witch and the Queen are in agreement. The only thing keeping me from my destiny is your death.”

             
“Patrick you speak boldly to one that has not wronged you. If you want to marry Aubrey then do it. She means nothing to me anymore, that’s why I left” Xander said as he noticed it was harder to move in his new armor.

             
“It is custom for the betrothed of the Princess to fight to the death any other man she wishes to be wed to, the winner gets the privilege. Since you accepted her betrothal, custom states she marries no one but you, unless another suitor is able to defeat you in combat that she approves.”

             
“Patrick I am tired from being exiled from my homeland. I only wish to return to Riley and continue my mother’s work against Thorn” Xander said as he tried to get used to his new armor.

             
“It’s not that easy enchanter, my mother demands your blood, the Queen demands your blood, and my beloved Aubrey, after being embarrassed by you and your actions demand your blood.”

             
“I beg you to reconsider, we have no quarrel with each other, we are being manipulated by women and you are to blind to see it.”

             
“There is no manipulation, I will be the royal consort, and you will dead. And don’t think your tricks can save you enchanter, it’s just you and me.”

             
“What tricks are you talking about Patrick?”

             
“The gauntlets you made have stopped working since a year ago, and you can see we found your little inscriptions on the inside of that armor. Death’s Hand my ass, you had an advantage over everyone on the battlefield and used that so people would think you are some kind of death god. None of that will save you in a couple of hours. As you wear the symbol of your treachery, I think it’s fitting that you went from the most powerful man in the kingdom to a common slave about to be slaughtered for the enjoyment of all.”

             
Xander turned his back to Patrick as he laughed and walked out of the door. The guards they left posted followed his every move, in an effort to see if he was doing some enchanting. Xander finally sat cross legged in his cell as another visitor came by.

             
“Guards, leave me and this slave alone. I wish to have a private conversation” said the Queen of Rangel.

             
“Xander it looks like you have been captured. You always said a slave’s life was not for you, but it looks as if a slave’s death might be” said Celeste.

             
“I could still win the fight” said Xander as he kept on the floor.

             
“I have heard your exploits as this “Death’s Hand” and your save of my daughter. However you have no enchantments and you are going up against perhaps the most fearsome warrior this land has ever seen. He will be wearing the same outfit you have on and rejected. He will kill you and be the groom for my daughter. You could have had it all boy, no you wait in the arena like so many other slaves before you, waiting to die.” The Queen of Rangel then walked away as a sword was thrusted into Xander’s cell.

             
Xander looked at the sword and was amazed by its shoddy craftsmanship. Although pointy, the blade had nowhere near a razor point and the sides of it looked to have been purposely dulled to prevent slashing. Xander shook his head ready to end this farce as he thought to himself even if he had wanted to, he could see no way to kill Patrick with such a weapon. Xander strapped the weapon on as his door was opened and he was summoned into the arena.

             
The bright sun shone on his face and the arena was even more ghastly than he remembered. Xander lazily let his sword play in the dirt on the arena floor as he saw Patrick across from him soaking up the cheers of the arena.

             
Patrick had a beautiful coat of armor even more magnificent than his own once were, at least it looked that way on Patrick’s frame. Far from the thick and heavy armor Patrick had the last time Xander faced him in battle, Xander figured he could move better and deliver more damage. As Patrick calmed the crowd down, he began to speak as Xander dropped his stance and began practicing the butterfly, this time making sure to direct his attacks at the dirt, maybe hoping to attack the feet.

             
“We are here today to right a great wrong!” Patrick began as the crowd hissed. “In the heat of battle, this man fled the field rather than stay and face our attackers! Last time the Thornians attacked, many were violated, resulting in children like him!” Patrick pointed a huge War Hammer at Xander to punctuate his point.

             
“This man insulted our future Queen, Her Royal Highness Princess Aubrey. As her betrothed,  he left her to the mercy of the enemies of Rangel then refused to do right by her!” Patrick listened as the crowd jeered and started to toss garbage at Xander.

             
“Now here before you, I as the man the Princess wishes to marry, I the Scourge of Ingland, I the Bane of Thorn, I Patrick the Lion Heart am here to put this criminal out of his misery. Prepare yourself child of war, your life is at an end!” Patrick raised his arms as the crowd cheered his name.

             
Xander could see Aubrey in the stands next to her mother with a look of scorn on her face. Her eyes never left Xander since he came into the arena, he could see the look of burning hate in her face. Xander brought his focus back to Patrick who was now facing him.

             
Patrick charged as Xander dropped his sword and thrust his hands into the dirt. Patrick closed on him with a fury and raised his war hammer, then disappeared from the arena without a trace. Xander looked down at his symbol for transport and smiled.

             
“You all were here to watch me die, you have jeered me when it was I who placed my life on the line and brought the princess home safe. It was I who made weapons possible to bash through the Inglish Army, it was I who beat back the Thornians and it is I who just defeated your champion.”  Xander said as he eyed the crowd with his gaze finally stopping on Aubrey.

             
Aubrey rose as Xander stopped speaking. “What did you do to Patrick” Aubrey said in a voice high enough to be heard.

             
Xander looked around Aubrey and could see the High Witch whisper something to what looked like Wyclef, as other witches around her looked to prepare to launch some sort of attack.

             
“Patrick is not dead your highness, at least not yet. Patrick has been teleported into the great forest of the elves. He is on an island in the middle of a small lake which I once my home when I left the Queendom. He can live a long and happy life there, isolated and alone with nothing but fish and wildlife to keep him company. Should he wish it, it is possible to swim to shore but impossible to cross with all the armor he had on even for one such as him. I doubt once he reaches the shore the elves of Norraya will welcome him the way did me.”

             
“You will bring back my son this instant!” screamed the High Witch

             
“I will do know such thing, in the rules of this arena he was defeated by a greater foe. Unlike last time, this foe for all intents and purposes has been defeated entirely” Xander said as he smiled at the High Witch, no longer cowering to anyone.

             
“I will make you bring him back!” said the High Witch.

             
“You can try” said Xander as he narrowed his eyes, “You can try”.

             
“Enough of this enchanter, what is to stop me from killing you this instant!” said Queen Celeste. Even one as talented as yourself, cannot stop the Palace Guards along with the might of our witches.”

             
“I won’t need to, I can vanish in a blink of an eye” said Xander as he placed his hands back in the dirt.

             
“You will do no such thing” Aubrey said with a look of hate. “When I am Queen I will put all of Rangel’s forces upon the great forest and burn the elves from their homes bit by bit. I will enslave any I find for helping to hide a fugitive of the throne of Rangel. All of that is nothing compared to what I will do to the people of the town of Valley.”

             
Xander looked at her unsure if she was serious or not. The elves of Norraya, while not exactly welcoming recognized a kindred spirit when they saw one, and as such left him alone except when they had need of his enchanting, which Xander was happy to give in trade. They deserved no such fate in Xander’s eyes, not to mention Baroness Sheila or Mesha.

             
“You will kneel to me and become the Royal Consort, or you can live with the consequences you will bring to those that aid you” Aubrey said coolly.

             
Xander stared into Aubrey’s eyes and saw satisfaction in them. Xander took a deep breath and went on one knee.

PROLOUGUE

              Celeste smiled as the vows were read, happy to see her daughter married. She pulled off the groom’s veil and gave him a kiss which was returned; reluctantly she was sure although he did the best to hide it. The crowd cheered as they were pronounced, except the stoic face of the high witch. Although they have had a great working relationship in the past couple of years, she was still sore about Patrick’s defeat at the hand of the enchanter, even when Aubrey made him bring back her son, albeit without his pink armor.

“My love, it looks like you are finally married” Celeste said to her daughter.

“Hopefully it lasts longer than yours did mother” Aubrey replied.

“I hope so, your father brought me joy, although yours looks as if he will take some time to tame” Celeste said as she gave her daughter a hug.

“His body and his talents are mine for now, soon his heart will follow, I am not worried about it either way” Aubrey said as she returned the embrace.

“I didn’t know you had it in you to threaten a whole nation of people along with one of our own towns. Your shrewdness will make you a great Queen someday Aubrey” said Celeste as she broke the embrace.

“It’s all for the good of the Queendom mother, have you heard any future stirring from Ingland or Thorn?”

“The
Thornians claim that it was rebels attacked us not their government and have since upped their tributes to us of their own volition. The Inglish after sending so many and running into the palace guard along with Patrick and Death’s Hand are still scared to venture forth into our territory, in fact I think theirs is ripe for the picking. If only we had full support of the nobles we could easily gain more land and slaves too if we wanted them.”

“Mother, people don’t wish to fight wars they cannot win, now we have Xander we might see just a change” said Aubrey looking at her new consort.

“Why don’t you go over there and enjoy your mate, you have an interesting night ahead of you.”

Aubrey walked over to where Xander was talking with
Frowley her new guard, ever since Max and Liano finished their commitment and wanted to start families. Aubrey loved the way Xander looked in his wedding outfit especially how he started wearing his hair longer which was now tied into a ponytail like a proper noble.

“You mind if a steal the groom away from you
Frowley?” asked the princess.

“Not at all your highness, I’ll go keep Lady Mellony’s husband company, he looks to be out place, by your leave your highness”
Frowley bowed and then walked away.

Aubrey had not really had a meaningful conversation with Xander since his self-imposed exile, since he returned he seemed real cold towards her. If anyone should be cold it should be her, he left her looking foolish just as it was announced he was to be wedded to her. He should be grateful she took him
back, by all means Patrick should have been her groom. But his fierce personality coupled with his powerful mother meant she would have a partnership which is not what she wanted, she wanted control of everything.