Read Online TRAVELLER (Book 1 in the Brass Pendant Trilogy) by Amanda May Bell - Free Book Online Page A

tomorrow………”
    Mirren stopped mid-sentence when she turned to face me after closing the door. I glanced down at my dress and fidgeted self-consciously while Mirren looked at me with an unreadable expression.
    “…….morning at rise eight and the Queen has organised for us to ride beyond the city at rise ten,” she continued quickly. “And we will be leaving Aldiris for the +2013 marker after the midday meal. We’re scheduled to depart the Palace at set two,” she added, and she hesitated for a moment. “I trust you’ll enjoy the Tournament arising celebration, your Highness,” she said formally.
    “Will you be joining me Mirren?” I asked her hopefully. I was encouraged by her last words. They were almost friendly, despite their formal delivery.
    “No, I have family to visit and reading to catch up on,” said my tutor firmly, and she didn’t look disappointed, so I didn’t beg her to come with me tonight……..but I would have liked to. It would have been nice to have someone there with me. I barely knew anyone in Aldiris. Children of the Royal House spent their teenage years in quest training and, even those in group training, were moved around often to discourage close friendships. Questers were encouraged to mix with the Community during their home visits, and those visits were deliberately scheduled so that it was almost impossible for questers to mix with each other. I came home so rarely though, that I knew next to no one from the Community either and, although I was no stranger to it, it was always a slightly daunting task for me to be thrown amongst people I didn’t know. I watched Mirren turn and retreat gladly from my presence and her disappearance was followed, almost immediately, by the arrival of a sour faced Palace guard. He accompanied me in silence as we made our way back through the dimly lit passageways towards the Great Hall.
    My mother and father were speaking earnestly together as they waited for me at the east entrance to the Hall. My mother wore an elegant blue dress and a delicate diamond and sapphire encrusted crown. Her pendant rested against her dress and the blue crystal needle in the centre of her pendant exactly matched the colour of her dress. My father wore the black clothing of a Tournament Champion, but he wore a blue robe over the top of this and a thick gold crown on his head. It was almost as surreal for all three of us to be together as it was for me to be presenting shields at a Royal House ceremony, and when my parents turned on hearing my approach, the King of Aldiris gazed at me in open mouthed surprise.
    “By the circle of time,” said my father slowly. “Livia, I would hardly have known it was you. How time has turned,” he said in astonishment, while he looked at me and shook his head. 
    “Father,” I said shyly. I was surprised myself. My father’s beard was streaked with grey now and there were many more age lines across his brow than when I’d seen him last.
    “Our Champions will be honoured that such beauty presents them with their shields tonight,” said my Father, and he sounded pleased as he glanced at my mother and offered her his arm. He was obviously eager to begin the presentations, but my mother paused and frowned slightly as she looked me up and down.
    “It’s unfortunate, the colour of your hair Livia, but there’s not much we can do to change the way we’re born now, is there?” she asked me pityingly, as she let her gaze drop to the piece of thin leather bound numerous times around my wrist.
    “Come Katerin, the girl looks lovely,” said my father impatiently, as he took a step towards the hall and peered out at the waiting crowd. I could hear the voices of many. They crowded into the hall to watch their sons and daughters, nieces, nephews and friends who would all be arising as Tournament Champions tonight.
    “You may enter and wait by the shields when we’re seated,” my mother said to me briskly, and she took my