Chapter Three

By the time Devona had finished her preliminary work, it was near midday, but she finally felt comfortable enough to approach Duke Barradin with her thoughts. However, by the time she allowed to enter his temporary residence near the mostly ruined Royal Palace, it appeared he had other company.

"Barradin, I do not understand your hesitation." Lord Darrin said demandingly. "Ascalon needs a king, and you are the next in line!"

"Ascalon needs to put itself back together before it should worry about any official coronation." Duke Barradin responded tersely. "The people need to gather back their shattered homes and lives, mourn their fallen, and take stock of themselves before they need to worry about some elaborate crowning."

"And the best way to rebuild Ascalon is to reopen trade and negotiate contracts!" Darrin continued, "Which can only be done by the King!"

"Trade will reopen when we have something worth trading!" Barradin responded angrily. "That will require the walls of Rin being raised again, the homesteads put back in order, the fields reseeded, new feed animals raised, the smithies restored, the mines reworked, all of which will then prompt the coronation of a King, and then the opening of those trade routes you've been coveting since the cessation of the Guild Wars!"

"Barradin, we have had many deals in the past. You know that I am knowledged in how to raise fallen lands and hard times. Please, consider my advisement."

"I have, and I disagree." Barradin answered. "And that is all I have to say on the matter."

Devona sensed this would be the best time to interrupt. "Duke Barradin? May I speak with you?"

"Of course, Devona." The powerfully built duke said, waving her inside with a friendly gesture. "What is on your mind?"

"Have you heard any word about Prince Coran?"

Barradin's eyebrows furrowed, and he mused, "King Adelbern's youngest? No… I haven't heard word of him for about five years now. Wasn't he sent off for further training in service of Dwayna?"

"Tranquility Temple." Devona confirmed. "Far too the southeast, near the South Barrier Mountains. I think it's far enough out of the way that it might have been spared by the Charr, if they even know it exists."

"Are you suggesting Prince Coran is still alive?" Lord Darrin interjected.

"I honestly don't know. It's not like we've had the resources to send messages out that far, and with the increased Charr activity from the invasion, they wouldn't be able to make contact either... assuming the Temple is still standing."

"Don't you think that if the Prince were still alive, he would have returned to Ascalon by now?"

"Not necessarily." Duke Barradin answered, his right hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "After the Searing, the High Priest of Tranquility Temple would likely do everything he could to keep Prince Coran as far from danger as possible… including not sending any messages that would lead the Charr to them."

"Barradin, you're not believing this half-baked theory, are you?"

"I'm not entirely believing it myself, my lord." Devona said politely. "It merely occurred to me that there's a possibility that Prince Coran might still be alive, and if so, I think it would be important for him to be returned to Ascalon."

"A possibility?" Lord Darrin spat. "You're wasting our time on a possibility?"

"A possibility is more than enough for me." Barradin retorted, "If the Prince is still in the land of the living, the throne of Ascalon is his by right. I shall send out some of my men out to Tranquility Temple immediately."

Lord Darrin rolled his eyes. "You just told me that we are strapped to find men to rebuild Rin and the Great Northern Wall. Now you want to send men out on what could be an exercise in futility?"

Devona interjected. "He's right, my lord. I'll go, by myself. It was my idea after all."

"Are you sure about that? While the Charr have been stalled, war bands still occasionally prowl about Ascalon. It could be quite perilous."

"I'll take that chance, with your blessing, of course."

Barradin nodded, "Granted. May Dwayna and the old gods smile upon you."

Devona bowed respectfully, and prepared to make her leave, when the Duke's call gave her pause. Barradin gave one final order as he said, "Either return with a living prince in tow, or with proof of his death. I don't want any question marks either way, understand?"

"Understood." Devona affirmed, before excusing herself from the two nobles.

Lord Darrin turned on the Duke accusingly, and said, "Do you see what is going on here?"

"Of course. Devona is going to investigate to see if the last possible survivor of Doric's line is still in the land of the living. Maybe it was a good idea to hold on my coronation, no?"

"Oh come off it, you know exactly why she has taken on this search."

Duke Barradin backed the smaller Lord Darrin into a corner, and growled, "If Prince Coran lives; the crown is his by his birthright, regardless of the reasons of those that search for him. As for her reasons, I will trust the departed King's judgment… you dishonor Adelbern's name with these near slanderous accusations, and I will not stand for it."

"Of course… Barradin. I meant no insult."

"Good. I suspect our conversation is done here anyway. Now get out of my sight." Duke Barradin didn't even wait to see if Lord Darrin obeyed, turning about in a flourish, and disappearing into his private study.

Through her experience, Devona had trudged through the most inhospitable territory on all of Tyria, from the bone chilling cold of the Shiverpeaks, to the perilous wildlife of the Maguuma Jungle, or the parched dead surface of the Crystal Desert, and the searing air and molten landscape of the Ring of Fire.

She had also faced off against an army of undead, spectral beasts of near god-like power, and a lich with an army of fiery horrors from the beginning of the world's time.

In comparison, a cross-Ascalon trip with a few measly Charr in the way would be like a walk through Rin's arboretum.

Too bad others didn't see it that way.

At the door of her old homestead, battered, yet mostly intact, Devona was met by a certain Ranger who always seemed to know precisely when he most needed, or the least wanted.

"I hear you're going on a bit of a trip." Aidan commented as Devona shoved past him somewhat forcefully.

"Since you no doubt eavesdropped on the entire conversation, what is the point of being coy?" Devona grumped sourly.

"The roads and lands to the south have been ripped and ravaged by the Charr. You'll need someone with you who can find the easiest goings along the new landscape." The ranger replied calmly.

"I told Duke Barradin I was going alone. I doubt he'd appreciate seeing me leave with others who are needed here."

Aiden snorted disdainfully. "I'm a ranger. What can I do in rebuilding a city? I'm not even particularly strong enough for menial labor. What I can do is scout and navigate… thus it seems pretty clear to me where I'd be most useful."

Devona was about to assert that his company was not an option when a knock at her open door got her attention. Cynn strode through without permission, almost as if she owned the place, and said, "So, what this I hear you're going out to find a lost prince?"

Devona boggled. "I just got back from meeting with Duke Barradin about that. How in the Underworld did you find out already?"

"Mhenlo spoke with me after you were done grilling him this morning." Cynn replied with a flip of her wrist. "We both figured out pretty quickly what you were planning to do. So when are we going?"

"I've just been explaining to Aidan here how there is no we. I told Duke Barradin I was going alone." Devona said forcefully through clenched teeth.

"Well, I am afraid that just isn't going to happen." Another voice interrupted, this one belonging to the monk Mhenlo. "The High Priest of Ascalon, upon learning of your various questions decided that if you would allow it, to send me along with you to examine the state of Tranquility Temple itself. Besides, you need someone who knows where it is… it can be rather hard to find."

"Alright, fine. Then you may come along, but the others… out!" Devona ordered, pointing to the door.

"I'm afraid that I don't have the same confidence in my abilities to travel as you clearly do yours. Thus, I recruited them to assist me in this trip... I trust that doesn't alter our plans?"

Devona felt like she had just been outflanked on the battlefield. And when outflanked as badly as she was, there was only one option… surrender. "All right… I just hope Duke Barradin doesn't have my head for this…"

She was rather irked that she'd have people tagging along on this search, but as she thought about it, acknowledged her old adventuring party would be useful. They were all capable people of their respective disciplines… always a benefit whenever one travels anywhere.

Then why did she feel so put out by it? Not even Devona was terribly certain…