Read Online A Crown Of War (Book 4) by Michael Ploof - Free Book Online
Authors: Michael Ploof
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armies arrived. She was loath to speak to the lich, and slowed enough so Zander led by half a horse length. As they reached Azzeal, he turned to regard them with a dead stare. His head sat perpetually cocked slightly to the side, and his gaze sent shivers through her body.
“ Report, lich!” Zander ordered.
Azzeal turned his head slowly with jerky spasms, and his gaze captured Aurora. “Lady of the North,” he said in a wet, rasping voice that gave her chills. “The Shierdon army awaits.”
“ Lead us on,” she uttered, feeling sick.
Azzeal took many long moments to turn from her. He floated an inch from the ground and on down into the snow-covered valley. The glow from the clouds above the city cast the lich in an eerie light, but Aurora found herself unable to turn away. She realized Zander had been staring at her.
“ That…thing, is never to address me again. Do you understand?” she ordered Zander.
“ As you wish,” he replied.
Ahead on the road leading to the valley and stretching fields, a horseman had stopped next to Azzeal. Soon, the lone figure came galloping toward them. Aurora ordered the armies to stop as he approached. As the horsemen drew near, she realized it was not a man at all, nor human. The dark elf female stopped a horse length from her and Zander and saluted them with an open palm over her heart and bowed.
“ Zander, and…Aurora Snowfell, Chieftain of the Seven Tribes of Volnoss,” she said, bowing once again.
“ Veolindra,” Zander greeted her in kind.
“ What is your title?” Aurora asked.
Veolindra tossed her long, flowing hair over her right shoulder. Black armor, made of a multitude of overlapping bones, gleamed beneath a sleek flowing cloak. She raised her chin proudly.
“ I am Lich Lord of the Western Shierdon Army,” she proclaimed proudly. “I command three regiments of ten thousand.”
“ The human soldiers of Shierdon? They follow a dark elf?” Aurora asked, confused.
The smile of the necromancer stretched across her face and became a maniacal grin. “The armies of Shierdon are dead. They have been raised to better serve our master. They are now my death knights; they feel neither fear nor pain. Settle your army and join me for a meal. Many things shall be explained.”
“ Very well,” said Aurora.
The dark elf put her hand to her heart once more; silver tattoos swirled and danced upon her dark skin. “Chieftain.” she bowed.
“ Lich Lord,” said Aurora.
Camp was made, and soon fire pits sprouted up throughout, the firewood having been gathered from the nearby forest surrounding what had once been wheat fields. The city sat bordered by farmland on all sides but the eastern, where long rows of apple trees covered rolling hills leading to the forest. The Draggard armies kept a good distance away from the barbarians and horses, but still too close for Aurora’s liking.
By the light of the small fire at the center of her tent, she rummaged through her old trunk. Her mother had seen to it that her personal items made it to her wagon. Aurora was grateful for the thought, but none of her old furs would do for the Chieftain of the Seven. She reminded herself to have a new wardrobe made, and armor would not hurt either. Frustrated, she flung a dark-red fox fur dress to the bed. The barbarians would view it as advocacy of Fox Tribe. She didn’t need anything causing strife between the tribes now. She decided on wolf fur, being that she was from Wolf Tribe. The skirt sat low on her round hips, and though it reached her knees, it was slit nearly to the top. The shirt had only one sleeve, with a thick strap running over one shoulder. She fought her left breast under the fur and adjusted herself. She blew her hair out of her face and scowled at the foggy mirror in disgust.
“ You look like shyte,” she sighed, and grabbed her fur boots.
Outside , fluffy snowflakes fell lazily from the dimly illuminated clouds. What little wind remained danced around
“ Report, lich!” Zander ordered.
Azzeal turned his head slowly with jerky spasms, and his gaze captured Aurora. “Lady of the North,” he said in a wet, rasping voice that gave her chills. “The Shierdon army awaits.”
“ Lead us on,” she uttered, feeling sick.
Azzeal took many long moments to turn from her. He floated an inch from the ground and on down into the snow-covered valley. The glow from the clouds above the city cast the lich in an eerie light, but Aurora found herself unable to turn away. She realized Zander had been staring at her.
“ That…thing, is never to address me again. Do you understand?” she ordered Zander.
“ As you wish,” he replied.
Ahead on the road leading to the valley and stretching fields, a horseman had stopped next to Azzeal. Soon, the lone figure came galloping toward them. Aurora ordered the armies to stop as he approached. As the horsemen drew near, she realized it was not a man at all, nor human. The dark elf female stopped a horse length from her and Zander and saluted them with an open palm over her heart and bowed.
“ Zander, and…Aurora Snowfell, Chieftain of the Seven Tribes of Volnoss,” she said, bowing once again.
“ Veolindra,” Zander greeted her in kind.
“ What is your title?” Aurora asked.
Veolindra tossed her long, flowing hair over her right shoulder. Black armor, made of a multitude of overlapping bones, gleamed beneath a sleek flowing cloak. She raised her chin proudly.
“ I am Lich Lord of the Western Shierdon Army,” she proclaimed proudly. “I command three regiments of ten thousand.”
“ The human soldiers of Shierdon? They follow a dark elf?” Aurora asked, confused.
The smile of the necromancer stretched across her face and became a maniacal grin. “The armies of Shierdon are dead. They have been raised to better serve our master. They are now my death knights; they feel neither fear nor pain. Settle your army and join me for a meal. Many things shall be explained.”
“ Very well,” said Aurora.
The dark elf put her hand to her heart once more; silver tattoos swirled and danced upon her dark skin. “Chieftain.” she bowed.
“ Lich Lord,” said Aurora.
Camp was made, and soon fire pits sprouted up throughout, the firewood having been gathered from the nearby forest surrounding what had once been wheat fields. The city sat bordered by farmland on all sides but the eastern, where long rows of apple trees covered rolling hills leading to the forest. The Draggard armies kept a good distance away from the barbarians and horses, but still too close for Aurora’s liking.
By the light of the small fire at the center of her tent, she rummaged through her old trunk. Her mother had seen to it that her personal items made it to her wagon. Aurora was grateful for the thought, but none of her old furs would do for the Chieftain of the Seven. She reminded herself to have a new wardrobe made, and armor would not hurt either. Frustrated, she flung a dark-red fox fur dress to the bed. The barbarians would view it as advocacy of Fox Tribe. She didn’t need anything causing strife between the tribes now. She decided on wolf fur, being that she was from Wolf Tribe. The skirt sat low on her round hips, and though it reached her knees, it was slit nearly to the top. The shirt had only one sleeve, with a thick strap running over one shoulder. She fought her left breast under the fur and adjusted herself. She blew her hair out of her face and scowled at the foggy mirror in disgust.
“ You look like shyte,” she sighed, and grabbed her fur boots.
Outside , fluffy snowflakes fell lazily from the dimly illuminated clouds. What little wind remained danced around
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