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  Praise for

  Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione

  “Chuck Black is a master storyteller. The fourteenth-century feel of his books is wholly captivating. Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione is no exception. Yet the principle anchors of the story—faithfulness, friendship, loyalty, redemption, and forgiveness—are what make it fully worthwhile. Expect to see very little of your young knight after he gets ahold of this book. He will more than likely emerge from the pages with an intensified determination to fight the battles in his own life as a faithful Knight of the Prince.”

  —JENEFER IGARASHI, freelance writer, homeschool-resource

  reviewer, and mother of an eleven-year-old Kingdom

  Series fanatic

  “Chuck Black has once again transported his readers to the time of knights, castles, and damsels in distress. The Kingdom Series was such an enjoyable read that I was surprised to find Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione even more delightful … I was drawn into the tale and cared almost immediately for the characters. I rejoiced in each victory, wept with each failing and loss. Chuck is clearly maturing in his skills, and I look forward with great anticipation to his forthcoming works.”

  —GAIL BIBY, publications editor for the North Dakota

  Home School Association and author of North Dakota

  Guide to Home School High School

  “Chuck Black is the John Bunyan for our times! Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione is a reminder of the origins of the spiritual warfare we are to fight daily.”

  —IACI FLANDERS, inductive Bible study teacher and

  homeschool mom

  “Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione was exciting and kept us on the edges of our seats! The book was so realistic and action-packed that we felt we were a part of it!”

  —HANNAH, age 17, and Caleb, age 14

  “This is the best book I have ever experienced except for the Kingdom Series and the Bible. It made me sad to be reminded how rare repentance is—in the book and in real life.”

  —CEDRIC, age 10

  “A gripping medieval tale told with the same engaging adventure as the Kingdom Series, yet it’s a tale all its own. It presented me with two of the greatest challenges Christ has called us to: the rescue of the helpless and forgiveness for those who have committed the unforgivable.”

  —ATTICUS, age 12

  “The Kingdom Series is a wonderful reading choice for kids of all ages. It’s a thrilling adventure you won’t want to miss!”

  —JAKE, age 11

  “Another great book by Chuck Black that blends the thrill of excitement and fear of the Lord with biblical truth.”

  —JUDSON, age 10

  SIR KENDRICK AND THE CASTLE OF BEL LIONE

  PUBLISHED BY MULTNOMAH BOOKS

  12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200

  Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921

  A division of Random House Inc.

  All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked (MSG) are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

  The characters and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2008 by Chuck Black

  “Call to Courage” music and lyrics copyright © 2007 by Emily Elizabeth Black

  Illustrations by Marcella Johnson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published in the United States by WaterBrook Multnomah, an imprint of The Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

  MULTNOMAH is a trademark of Multnomah Books and is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The colophon is a trademark of Multnomah Books.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Black, Chuck.

  Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione / Chuck Black; [illustrations by Marcella Johnson].—1st ed.

  p. cm.—(The knights of Arrethtrae; bk. 1)

  Summary: Accompanied by the young and inexperienced Sir Duncan, whom he is mentoring, Sir Kendrick reluctantly sets off to the tournament at Attenbury on an important mission that holds the future of the kingdom in balance.

  eISBN: 978-1-60142-228-6

  [1. Good and evil—Fiction. 2. Knights and knighthood—Fiction. 3. Christian life—Fiction. 4. Allegories.] I. Johnson, Marcella, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.B528676Si 2008

  [Fic]—dc22

  2008005162

  v3.1

  To my amazing wife, Andrea, and to my wonderful children:

  Brittney, Reese, Ian, Emily, Abigail, and Keenan. Thank you

  for the encouragement, advice, and patience, but most of all

  for your love. May your passion for the Lord consume you!

  ALSO BY CHUCK BLACK

  THE KINGDOM SERIES

  Kingdoms Dawn (Book One)

  Kingdom’s Hope (Book Two)

  Kingdom’s Edge (Book Three)

  Kingdom’s Call (Book Four)

  Kingdom’s Quest (Book Five)

  Kingdom’s Reign (Book Six)

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Other Books by This Author

  Map

  Kingdom’s Heart: An Introduction to the Knights of Arrethtrae

  Prologue: Veil of the Mind

  A Glint of the Dark

  Attenbury

  Cold Heart

  Clandestine Truth

  A New Destiny

  The Mystique of Bel Lione

  A Country Manor

  A Place of Despair

  Or in Peril

  The Peculiar Mr. Morley

  Loyalty’s Courage

  A Life for a Life

  Intrepid Endeavor

  The Dungeons of Lord Ra

  I Will Conquer

  Call to Courage!

  Into the Castle

  Chapter 18: The Battle of Bel Lione

  Set the Captives Free!

  Parting Sorrows

  Epilogue: The Winds of Arrethtrae

  Discussion Questions

  Answers to Discussion Questions

  “Call to Courage” (written for Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione)

  Author Commentary

  KINGDOM’S HEART

  An Introduction to the Knights of Arrethtrae

  Like raindrops on a still summer’s eve, the words of a story can oft fall grayly upon the ears of a disinterested soul. I am Cedric of Chessington, humble servant of the Prince, and should my inadequate telling of the tales of these brave knights e’er sound as such, know that it is I who have failed and not the gallant hearts of those of whom I write, for their journeys into darkened lands to save the lives of hopeless people deserve a legacy I could never aspire to pen with appropriate skill. These men and women of princely mettle risked their very lives and endured the pounding of countless battles to deliver the message of hope and life to the far reaches of the kingdom of Arrethtrae … even to those regions over which Lucius, the Dark Knight, had gained complete dominion through the strongholds of his Shadow Warriors.

&n
bsp; What is this hope they bring? To tell it requires another story, much of it chronicled upon previous parchments, yet worthy of much retelling.

  Listen then, to the tale of a great King who ruled the Kingdom Across the Sea, along with His Son and their gallant and mighty force of Silent Warriors. A ruler of great power, justice, and mercy, this King sought to establish His rule in the land of Arrethtrae. To this end He chose a pure young man named Peyton and his wife, Dinan, to govern the land.

  All was well in Arrethtrae until the rebellion … for there came a time when the King’s first and most powerful Silent Warrior, Lucius by name, drew a third of the warriors with him in an attempt to overthrow the Kingdom Across the Sea. A great battle raged in the kingdom until finally the King’s forces prevailed. Cast out of the kingdom—and consumed with hatred and revenge—Lucius, known also as the Dark Knight, now brought his rebellion to the land of Arrethtrae, overthrowing Peyton and Dinan and bringing great turmoil to the land.

  But the King did not forget His people in Arrethtrae. He established the order of the Noble Knights to protect them until the day they would be delivered from the clutches of the Dark Knight. The great city of Chessington served as a tower of promise and hope in the darkened lands of Arrethtrae.

  For many years and through great adversity, the Noble Knights persevered, waiting for the King’s promised Deliverer.

  Even the noblest of hearts can be corrupted, however, and long waiting can dim the brightest hope. Thus, through the years, the Noble Knights grew selfish and greedy. Worse, they forgot the very nature of their charge. For when the King sent His only Son, the Prince, to prepare His people for battle against Lucius—the Noble Knights knew Him not, nor did they heed His call to arms.

  When He rebuked them for their selfish ways, they mocked and disregarded Him. When He began to train a force of commoners—for He was a true master of the sword—they plotted against Him. Then the Noble Knights, claiming to act in the great King’s name, captured and killed His very own Son.

  What a dark day that was! Lucius and his evil minions—Shadow Warriors—reveled in this apparent victory.

  But all was not lost. For when the hope of the kingdom seemed to vanish and the hearts of the humble despaired, the King used the power of the Life Spice to raise His Son from the dead.

  This is a mysterious tale, indeed, but a true one. For the Prince was seen by many before He returned to His Father across the Great Sea. And to those who loved and followed Him—myself among them—He left a promise and a charge.

  Here then is the promise: the Prince will come again to take all who believe in Him home to the Kingdom Across the Sea.

  And this is the charge: those who love Him must travel to the far reaches of the kingdom of Arrethtrae, tell all people of Him and His imminent return, and wage war against Lucius and his Shadow Warriors.

  Thus we wait in expectation. And while we wait, we fight against evil and battle to save the souls of many from darkness.

  We are the knights who live and die in loyal service to the King and the Prince. Though not perfect in our call to royal duty, we know the power of the Prince resonates in our swords, and the rubble of a thousand strongholds testifies to our strength of heart and soul.

  There are many warriors in this land of Arrethtrae, many knights who serve many masters. But the knights of which I write are my brethren, the Knights of the Prince.

  They are mighty because they serve a mighty King and His Son.

  They are … the Knights of Arrethtrae!

  VEIL OF THE MIND

  Through the vast realm of Arrethtrae, from the shores of the Great Sea to the Boundary Mountains, from the Wasteland of the north to the lush Chessington Valley, the winds of the kingdom flow across the brows of all people of all stature, the meek and the mighty. And behind the brows of most, even those who would otherwise be considered enlightened, hangs a veil. This veil keeps them from knowing the truth about their land … about their kingdom … about their future.

  What is that truth? Simply … that they are not their own. Every day, even whilst they eat and drink and blindly toil for minuscule advances in life, a great war rages around them. It is a war between light and darkness, good and evil—a battle for their very lives—and most do not see it!

  One man came to rend the veil of their minds from top to bottom and reveal truth to all who dare look beyond the comfort of ignorance. He was a man of great authority and also great sorrow, for the tearing of the veil cost Him His very life.

  It was the Prince who came thus to enlighten the people of Arrethtrae. Those who dare take up His sword and follow Him awaken quickly to a world of war from which one would shudder were it not for the sustaining power of the King and His Son.

  Those without the veil of the mind either shrink back or charge forth. For those who choose to move forward into the unseen fray, the stakes appear ever larger, the enemy more formidable, the cause ever more worthy. True courage lies in the heart of one who sees the monstrous form of evil before him but yields not to the fear that calls retreat.

  Experience and knowledge give such understanding. Faith in the Prince gives such boldness.

  As the winds wander across the regions of the kingdom, they search for those who bear the mark of the King, whose minds are not veiled in darkness, and whose hearts are strong enough to carry the fight of good to the bastions of evil. In the grasslands of Venari, within the city of Trinalda, stand two knights whom the winds linger near, waiting to discover if their story is worthy.

  Come, let us join the winds of Arrethtrae and ascertain for ourselves if the saga of Sir Kendrick and Sir Duncan stirs the hearts of men, women, and children to follow the noble Prince!

  A GLINT OF THE DARK

  The tip of the bright silver blade split the air as it plunged toward Sir Kendrick’s chest. But the thrust was ill timed and too committed, considering the advantage Kendrick had over his opponent. Kendrick parried the thrust and countered with a crosscut that threw his opponent into retreat. This seemed to perturb the broad-shouldered young man, who unleashed a wild volley of cuts and slices. Cheers rose from the dozen or so onlookers, each of whom brandished a sword and a look of anticipation.

  Kendrick found himself working hard to deflect the young knight’s clumsy but powerful blows. A slice came close to striking Kendrick’s shoulder, and he fought the urge to counter with the mastery that was available to him. He parried another cut, then held up his left hand and commanded, “Stand down!”

  The young man reluctantly lowered his sword.

  “You fight with energy and passion, Sir Duncan,” Kendrick told him, “but you are reckless in your attack. Be patient and rely upon the skills Sir Augustus has taught you.”

  The young knight shot Kendrick a look that had little to do with patience. “You were in retreat, sir. I find it difficult to believe you stopped our sparring to tell me that I am too aggressive.”

  Kendrick stared back at the lad, trying to discern if the comment was a tease or a dare. Tense silence hung in the training arena as everyone waited for Sir Kendrick to respond.

  He raised his sword before him as if to invite another fight, but then quickly turned the tip to his scabbard and sheathed it.

  “You are correct, young knight. However, it is not the strength of your fight from which I retreat but rather the strength of your, ah … presence.” Kendrick put the back side of his hand to his nose as if to filter the air he had to breathe. “I wonder how long it has been since your last bath …”

  Laughter erupted around them, and Kendrick quickly slapped the young knight’s shoulder as a gesture of reconciliation. The young knight stiffened, then relaxed and joined in the laughter as a burly knight approached.

  “That is all for now.” Sir Augustus, the training master, waved the young knights to the other side of the arena. “Pair up and practice the moves I taught you earlier. Sir Kendrick and I have business from Chessington to discuss.”

  He motioned for Kendrick
to follow him across the yard, where a water bucket and ladle waited. “It is good to have you with us at the haven.”

  “You’re doing well with the trainees, Gus.” Kendrick lifted the ladle of cool water to his lips.

  “They’re coming along—but what a range of abilities and backgrounds!” Augustus spread his big hands wide. “All they have in common is their devotion to the Prince.”

  Kendrick nodded. “It has always seemed a little backward to me—first knighting commoners and then training them. But then the ways of the Prince always seem contrary to the rest of the kingdom.”

  “Yes … but the Prince knows what He is doing, even with these lads.”

  “Are all as reckless as that one?” Kendrick nodded across the yard toward the young knight with whom he’d been sparring.

  “Sir Duncan?” Augustus smiled broadly. “Nay, he’s the worst.”

  “Well, you’ll have your hands full with him, that’s for sure.”

  “Nay again, Kendrick. You’ll have your hands full with him.” The big knight was laughing now. “He’s the one you’ve come for, the one Chessington’s assigned to you.”

  Kendrick frowned. “I knew I’d regret this trip.”

  “Ah, cheer up, man. He’s a good lad with a strong heart for the Prince.” Augustus met Kendrick’s eyes. “He’s headstrong, true, and perhaps a tad too full of himself. But there’s gold in him. Train with him for a couple of weeks, and you’ll see what I mean.”

  Kendrick shook his head. “I’ve better things to do than play nursemaid to an arrogant upstart.”

  Augustus laughed again. “I know you, Kendrick. You’ll brood and you’ll grouse, but you’ll also give the lad a chance. You’ll be glad of it too.” He slapped Kendrick’s shoulder. “Come along then. We have some training to do. And it’s time for you and young Duncan to get better acquainted.”