So pretty much this starts with the beginning of Chapter 12 verbatim but I quickly take over and it's my own writing afterwards unless I take a few snippets here and there. I'm not Victoria Hanley so none of this belongs to me.
It took Landen three days to get to Glavenrell's fortress. He arrived in the middle of the night. Covered with dust, he dismounted his horse in one leap and ran for the entrance. Guards crossed spears in front of him. He held up the obsidian emblem and the way opened.
He'd never been inside the fortress. Its towering dimensions bewildered him. Carrying the black crest dangling from its red cord, he persuaded the night guards to wake the high king.
Deep in the maze of corridors, behind a studded door, Dahmis greeted him and nodded the guards away. Landen sank into soft cushions, peering at Dahmis through a fog of fatigue.
"You look as if you haven't slept since we last talked, my friend," Dahmis said. "Did you find Vineda?"
"Yes, she's safe."
Dahmis let out a great sigh. "Thank you. I must ask – is she the one you used to know?"
"She is. Did you believe she betrayed you?"
"No. Her character wouldn't allow something so despicable."
"You're right. She's sorry, now, that she didn't help you."
"Ah. Tell me, my friend, do you by chance know where she comes from? May I ask where you knew her before?"
Landen wondered how much to confide in this strong king. Should he speak for Torina? Now would be the perfect time to tell Dahmis the truth.
He hesitated before leaning forward on his knees. Landen studied his folded hands for a moment before replying.
"First promise me that you'll listen to all of what I have to say before you make any judgments, my lord."
"Of course, Bellanes. Please, continue. I give you my word I won't judge until you give me leave."
"She comes from Archeld." Landen began. "Her family took me in when we were children. Her father ordered that I learn to fight, though it was more her insistence than anything that I wasn't her family's slave."
"There is no slavery in Archeld that I am aware of." Dahmis frowned.
"You're right. There isn't."
"Bellanes, can you tell me who she is? Who her family is?"
"Her name is Torina Archelda."
"King Kareed's daughter! That's impossible! Vesputo said she died years ago. Hundreds were at her funeral."
"Vesputo killed King Kareed and locked Princess Torina in her room until she managed to escape and then staged their marriage and her death after she had reached Desante. I don't know how, Torina left before it happened."
"Vesputo killed King Kareed! How do you know this? Everyone believes the Prince of Bellandra killed him."
"Princess Torina was in the room when her father was killed, she saw Vesputo plunge a poisoned stiletto into Kareed's back. And the Bellandran Prince left before Kareed was murdered, you can ask the princess."
Confused about Bellanes' meaning, Dahmis found himself recalling the conversation he had with Bellanes before the Sliviite invasion.
"You never told me who you're parents were." He repeated his words from that night. "Who are you?"
"My name," the young man began with a deep breath, "is Landen, son of King Veldon of Bellandra."
Dahmis leapt to his feet.
"The prince of Bellandra!"
"My lord, you promised you wouldn't judge until I had finished." Landen pleaded.
"Bellanes – I mean Prince Landen – I can't ignore that there is a bounty on your head for the murder of a king! Why shouldn't it have been you? Kareed killed your father, took your kingdom and apparently – by your own admission – tried to enslave you!"
"Sir, who do you trust more: Vesputo or me?" Landen looked straight into the high king's eyes. "Who do you think is more likely to have killed King Kareed? A grieving young man whom everyone would blame, or a hardened general who had everything to gain from his king's death. I wasn't lying when I told you I had never killed, my lord."
Dahmis deflated a little.
"I do trust you," he said. "But why didn't you kill him?"
"I have loved Princess Torina since the day we met." Dahmis started at Landen's admission. "How could I kill her father? How could I kill the man who guaranteed her safety? No, I did all I could to protect the man that killed my own father, because of her, because I love her."
"Then, it is true. Vineda is Princess Torina and Vesputo killed King Kareed."
"Are you really surprised that Vesputo would kill his king, sir?" Landen inquired. "He did try to kill you after all and is planning to try again."
"I'm not surprised," the high king replied. "But this puts me into a very precarious situation. I can't sit back and let a king-killer rule a country that still has a line of succession. I have to get Princess Torina's country back for her."
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"Torina wouldn't want you to strong arm her birthright. That's why she hasn't told you before now."
"Then why are you telling me?" The king asked.
"Because I need your help. Vesputo has the Sword of Bellandra. I need to get it from him. He's planning to use it to conquer your entire alliance."
"Vesputo doesn't have the Sword." Dahmis informed him, startled. "I do."
"What? How?" Landen demanded.
"You stole it for me."
Landen gaped at him. "That was the Sword?" He whispered. He wanted to kick himself. Because I thought of the Sword as a mighty weapon, I failed to recognize it when it came to me robed in peace.
Landen put his head in his hands. "You said that the item you wanted me to steal belonged to someone who was away, not knowing that I was that someone. You wanted to keep it for the Prince of Bellandra and because I hid who I am…"
"I need to confirm who Vineda is. Take me to her."
"How is talking to her going to confirm anything?" Landen wanted to know.
"I know Queen Dreea. If Vineda is Torina, she'll know."
"How would you get the queen to see her?"
"Easy enough, just leave it to me."
"Don't endanger either of them." Landen ordered quietly. "I'd rather be hanged for Kareed's death than cause Torina more grief. She's the only person I need to know the truth."
"You have my word, my friend. Does any of your band know who you are?" Dahmis added.
"Only Andres." Landen smiled slightly. "We only got the Sword by having him pretend to be a bounty hunter turning me in for the reward."
Dahmis grinned. "I wish I could have seen that. On second thought, I would have just punched Vesputo and been done with it."
"Believe me," Landen told him grimly, "I almost changed the plan the second I saw the bastard." The two men sat in silence for a moment.
"Will you come see her, my king?" Landen asked.
Dahmis stood. "Give me time to compose a letter, then we'll leave." Just before he left the room, the king turned back and observed the younger man. "Get some rest while I do this. I will send someone in when I am ready."
"Very well, my lord." Landen collapsed back into his chair and dozed off, his mind swirling with the past few days events.