Prologue: five years before
Daylen was furious. "You what?!" His shout echoed in the stone chamber, but his son stood before him unmoving.
"I am a Knight of the Prince, Father. I have come to believe in Him, and His story of hope and salvation for the kingdom."
As a known and feared Vincero knight, Lord Daylen could not believe his son would go against everything he had been taught to follow, much less believe, a story about some peasant who died a long time ago.
"I'll give you one chance to renounce this foolishness, son, or else…"
"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that now," was the answer. "I have committed my life to following the Prince and I will not turn back."
"Then you will have no place to live, and no family. You will be a hunted man for the rest of your life." With that Daylen opened the heavy oak door and gestured down the hallway. "Two days to pack is all you get."
Derek left the room and walked down the hallway. There he was met by his sister.
"What did you do that made Father angry?" She asked.
Derek was confused. "What makes you think I did anything?"
"You've been acting, well, different lately. Does this have anything to do with that strange knight in the square?"
Derek sighed. "Yes, you could say that. But don't worry about me." They reached the doorway to Derek's room.
"I'll be fine, really," he continued. "Would you please get Star ready for me?"
She nodded, and turned to let him pack. Halfway she turned around. "You watch out for yourself, alright?"
Her brother smiled. "I will," he said.
Minutes later a cloaked rider on a gray horse rode out of the gravel lane leading up to the large house outside the village. He turned and began his journey to the southern reaches of the kingdom.