Preface
It is said, that there once lived too great heroes in the land of the Summer Kingdom. They rose in a time of great need, bringing the hope and the strength of the people, uniting the two greatest courts in the city of Orinoco, the Summer Court and the Court of the Rogues.
They were not the ordinary heroes you find in stories of dragons being slain, or wars of plague and suffering. They were not knights in shining armor or valiant princes. No, they were fair maidens. One they say was of noble birth, destined to be a queen, but did not believe her worth was so great. Little did she know that she was as radiant as the sun. The other, a princess in her own rights, but ruled a kingdom full of trickery and treacherous games, a court of rogues. This maiden new who she was, yet had little faith for the ruling class, and did not trust anyone but herself due to her past. Two unlikely people became friends against all odds and saved a kingdom. So they became a legend. The protectors of Orinoco…
Chapter 1.
She moved through the fair, weaving her way through the crowds on horseback. All the colors were swirling together to create a vivid painting of the landscape outside of the seaside capital in Summer Kingdom. The Lady Mairèad could hear the shouts of the many citizens haggling for the best price over exotic goods and noisy livestock.
She turned to her escort, the guardsman Vassily, and motioned to him that she was going to stop and rest for a bit. He scanned the area and pointed to an area by the fountain square which happened to be the center of the whole market. Mairèad nudged her horse forward, Vassily following close behind.
The two companions dismounted and led their horses to the edge of the fountain. Mairèad turned to her saddle and opened her saddlebag up, as Vassily secured the reins, to bring out the bread and cheese to share with her escort and two apples for their horses as a treat. She sat down spreading her wide, deep blue riding skirts out so that they would not wrinkle from her sitting down. She wasn't in the mood to listen to another lecture on how she should take care of how she appeared to others and how a queen is to act properly, like not riding out amongst the peasants. It was enough that she had to sneak out of the castle grounds to escape the afternoon tea ceremony with Prince Henry, her intended, and the royal advisor Lord Bourseu. Mairèad thanked the Gods that her mother was attending to the Princes mother, the Queen today.
Someone calling her name snapped her from her thoughts as she had been dividing the bread and cheese between herself and Vassily. Mairead looked up to see her best friend Philip striding towards their seats, an easy smile sitting on his face, making his merry blue eyes twinkle in the late afternoon sun. The young baron was a good six feet tall to her petite five and three inches, so Mairèad had to crane her head to look up at him has he towered over her, on purpose of course, never passing an opportunity to rub in the fact that she was short.
At eighteen, Philip was large for his size, broad shouldered and well muscled. His dark, almost black, wavy hair was kept long and pulled into a horse-tail. He treated her like a little sister, always overprotective and teasing her every chance he got. She was glad to have him though, one of her reasons being the fact that Prince Henry was afraid of him, so to speak.
"Mairèad, I knew I would find you here, mingling with the peasants as usual…" he drawled, not finishing his sentence as she glared at him.
"Just because I am a Lady, does not mean I should be cut off from the world. Its not like they are disease ridden rats," she pointed out, "Besides, I would rather be in a room full of rats than in the company of his royal highness of monotony." Mairèad huffed, and pushed her hair out of her eyes.
It was beginning to get too long, and no matter what she did, it was impossible to keep the fine, golden strands to stay in a single braid.
"Did you see the jousting tournament at least, while you were out by any chance? I missed the one with Sir Jonathan and that Lord from the small estate up north. I wanted to see how Jon did…" Philip added anxiously.
Mairèad pretended to think about it, knowing that the delay in their conversation would drive him out of his mind.
He stared at Mairèad intently, but she only smirked, knowing that she could outwait him in anything. He started to scowl, and then impatiently tap his boot against the cobblestone of the Fountain Square. Mairèad couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. As she sat their, clutching her sides, he started to growl, so Mairèad pulled herself together and managed sit up with only a muffled giggle.
"Oh…you think that's funny, do you?" he retorted. Philip definitely sounded agitated, Mairèad thought.
"Sorry," she gasped, "I just couldn't help myself, and no, I did not see Jonathan's duel."
Philip scowled down at her, but she only avoided his glare, pretending to smooth and brush the dust off her skirts. Silence followed their conversation, as she played with the strands that were curling around her face.
Philip cleared his throat, "Mairèad, would you like to walk around a little, let your guard have a break and the horses cool down?" He glanced quickly to the burly guard who was patting his horse absentmindedly.
Mairèad didn't think it sounded like a bad idea, although the thought that Philip may be up to something fleetingly passed across her mind. But she brushed it aside thinking that he would never do something foolish like that.
"I would really like that." She replied, and then adding to Vassily, "bring the horses to the nearest stable and have them stabled for the afternoon, then you may enjoy yourself, here are some coins."
She tossed a small pouch of gold Signets. Then she turned and took Philips offered arm, letting him lead her into the crowded streets of the Fair.