Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest Read online

  Praise for

  Chuck Black

  “Chuck Black is a word crafter who is able to weave Kingdom principles into the fabric of one’s moral imagination. The characters he has created and the passions they exude will motivate readers to follow their examples, which have now been etched into their awakened conscience.”

  —MARK HAMBY, founder and president of Cornerstone

  Family Ministries and Lamplighter Publishing

  “With sanctified imagination, Chuck Black transports readers back to the days of chivalry and valor, clashing steel and noble conflict—but ultimately he transports readers to the eternal triumph of the King who reigns!”

  —DOUGLAS BOND, author of Hold Fast in a Broken World

  and Guns of the Lion

  “My son, Nathan, loved the first book in the series, and he said the second was even better. In my son’s own words, ‘Mom, it was exciting and full of mystery. It compelled me to read more. I couldn’t put it down.’ As a mom and an author, I give Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court two thumbs up!”

  —TRICIA GOYER, homeschooling mom and author

  of Blue Like Play Dough

  “Chuck Black is the John Bunyan of 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 homeschooling mom

  ALSO BY CHUCK BLACK

  THE KINGDOM SERIES

  Kingdom’s 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)

  THE KNIGHTS OF ARRETHTRAE SERIES

  Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione (Book One)

  Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court (Book Two)

  Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart (Book Three)

  Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue (Book Four)

  Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor (Book Five)

  SIR ROWAN AND THE CAMERIAN CONQUEST

  PUBLISHED BY MULTNOMAH BOOKS

  12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200

  Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921

  Scripture quotations and paraphrases, 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.

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

  Copyright © 2010 by Chuck Black

  “The Final Call” copyright © 2010 by Emily Elizabeth Black

  Illustrations © 2010 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 Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House Inc., New York.

  MULTNOMAH and its mountain colophon are registered trademarks of Random House Inc.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Black, Chuck.

  Sir Rowan and the Camerian conquest / Chuck Black ; [illustrations by Marcella

  Johnson]. — 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  Summary: Knights Rowan and Lijah battle enemies of the King and, when they ultimately come face to face with the Dark Knight in disguise, must do battle to save the United Cities of Cameria from total destruction.

  eISBN: 978-1-60142-296-5

  [1. Knights and knighthood—Fiction. 2. Good and evil—Fiction. 3. Christian

  life—Fiction. 4. Allegories.] I. Johnson, Marcella, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.B528676Skt 2010

  [Fic]—dc22

  2010019203

  v3.1

  To my grandmother Izetta …

  a faithful servant of the King who lived her life

  as a testimony, bringing many to Christ

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Other Books by This Author

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Map

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

  Prologue: Cameria the Great

  Chapter 1: Stable Boy

  Chapter 2: Bread and Tournaments

  Chapter 3: The Victory Cloak

  Chapter 4: The Grand Trophy Quest

  Chapter 5: One Hundred to One

  Chapter 6: Prison with No End

  Chapter 7: Journey of Dreams

  Chapter 8: A Song in the Dark

  Chapter 9: Homeward Bound

  Chapter 10: The Work of One

  Chapter 11: Mysterious Knight

  Chapter 12: Bandits

  Chapter 13: The Resolutes

  Chapter 14: Flight of the Eagle

  Chapter 15: Higher Calling

  Chapter 16: The Battle for Laos

  Chapter 17: The Conquest of Cameria

  Chapter 18: A Hopeless Fight

  Chapter 19: Call of the Prince

  Chapter 20: The Armor of the King

  Chapter 21: Chessington’s Promise

  Chapter 22: The Final Stand

  Chapter 23: Life Like the Prince

  Epilogue: Across the Great Sea

  Discussion Questions

  Answers to Discussion Questions

  “The Final Call”

  (written for Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest)

  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.

  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. A great battle raged in the Kingdom Across the Sea until finally the King’s forces prevailed. Cast out of the kingdom—and consumed with hatred and revenge—Lucius 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 the
m 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 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—now known as 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: that the Prince will come again to take all who believe in Him home to the Kingdom Across the Sea.

  And this is the charge: that 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 whom I write are my brothers and sisters, the Knights of the Prince.

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

  They are … the Knights of Arrethtrae!

  CAMERIA THE GREAT

  In the days of the great war against Chessington, the Dark Knight nearly destroyed the King’s people. They were scattered from one end of the kingdom to the other, and though many did not believe the Prince to be the true Son of the King, the King did not forget them nor His promise to them. Those who did believe, the Knights of the Prince, were likewise spread from coast to coast. Wherever they went, they took the truth of the Prince and made brothers and sisters of enemies and strangers.

  It was during these days that brave knights carried the mission of the Prince across the vast expanse of the Altica Valley to the five cities of Cameria. At first the Dark Knight paid no heed to their seemingly feeble efforts, for he deemed this region too remote from Chessington to matter. But the Camerian cities embraced the truth of the Prince and grew strong in the ways of the Code. This truth united the five great cities, and Cameria grew to be one of the most powerful regions in all the kingdom.

  Many great Knights of the Prince arose in Cameria to battle against the evil one—knights whose stories deserve their own telling in another book of chronicles. Their love for the King and His Son inspired the people of this great land to reach across the vastness of the Altica Valley and help the people of Chessington in their darkest hour. They bred horses that could endure the harsh travel required, and they flew across the valley as if on the wings of eagles. And it was they who gave battle against one of Lucius’s most formidable Vincero Knights, Sir Adophal, who had risen up to conquer much of the southern kingdom. When this vile knight had nearly destroyed all that was Chessington, when the Dark Knight was ready to proclaim himself king of all Arrethtrae, the United Cities of Cameria came to the rescue of the King’s people.

  They snatched victory from the jaws of the great dragon, inspiring the dragon’s terrible wrath against Cameria and its people. But the truth of the Prince was so strong in Cameria and its Knights of the Prince so wary of the dragon that the Dark Knight could not overcome them by force. So he turned to more subtle tactics, scheming to infiltrate Cameria with thousands of Shadow Warriors and Vincero Knights and destroy the people and their great cities from within. The victory would be accomplished not by might but by deception, apathy, and entertainment.

  As the years passed, the Dark Knight waited patiently for his evil scheme to take effect. Slowly, as a weed grows up beside the wheat stem, the deceptions of the Dark Knight began to choke the once-vibrant truth of the Prince from the hearts of the Camerians.

  Gradually they forgot the Prince.

  Then they forgot Chessington … and the Dark Knight claimed victory.

  With his heart overflowing with hatred, the Dark Knight then turned his eyes once more to Chessington and resumed his war against the King’s people—a war that would rage on until the great day of the Prince’s return.

  For a time, however, the Camerians delayed the evil hand of Lucius, the Dark Knight. Some might think that the tale of their conquest is a tragedy, but out of every tragedy rise heroes—heroes whose chronicles are worth telling.

  This is the story of such a one … the story of Sir Rowan.

  STABLE BOY

  Some men are born to be poets, some to be builders, others bakers, sheriffs, and stable masters. But Rowan of Laos was born to be a swordsman, and every fiber of his body seemed to know it. His mastery of the art form was as instinctual as an eagle’s drive to soar in the seam of sky between the mountain peaks and the blue canvas above them. And though he was born in utter poverty and orphaned at an age too early to remember his parents, something deep within him always whispered that he was destined for greatness.

  As a boy, Rowan watched knights duel in the tournaments of Laos, memorizing every stance and move that he and the other boys of the street could practice later with their makeshift wooden swords. By age twelve, though he’d never held a real sword, he knew every move of the great fighters—knights like Sir Tarrington, Sir Byrk, Sir Borlan, and Sir Padruth.

  Rowan loved sword fighting with a mighty passion, yet his chances of ever owning a sword were slim to none. He barely managed to eat, surviving on the handouts of passersby. As he grew, he eventually found work in one of the city stables, which provided some food and a reasonably dry place to sleep. Though he yearned to be a gallant knight someday and fight in the tournaments, his poverty gave him no hope of becoming anything more than a stable boy.

  It was a fine horse named Algonquin that finally gave young Rowan of Laos his chance. Rowan was tacking up the stallion on a cool spring morning when Algonquin’s owner came to collect his steed.

  “He’s a fine animal, sir.” Rowan handed the reins over to a tall knight with dark brown eyes and a friendly face, then swiped a tousle of blond hair from his eyes and wiped a sleeve across his nose.

  Sir Aldwyn smiled. “Thank you. Looks like you’ve taken good care of him. Here—” He pressed a coin into Rowan’s hand, then winked.

  Rowan’s face lit up. “Thank you, sir.” He eyed the coin as though he’d been given the world. Then his smile slowly disappeared.

  Aldwyn tilted his head at the strange response.

  “What is it, boy?” he asked.

  Rowan glanced at the splendid sword that hung from Sir Aldwyn’s belt, then looked up at the knight.

  “I’d … like to buy something from you, sir.” Rowan’s gaze went back to the sword that sparkled in the morning sun, its pommel brilliantly flashing a unique mark he had seen once before.

  Sir Aldwyn’s hand fell on the golden hilt of the sword as he followed Rowan’s gaz
e. He placed a gentle hand on the lad’s shoulder. “I’m afraid a sword such as this costs far more than you have.”

  Rowan looked up, his face flushed. “I … I know, for this is all I have. I don’t want to buy it, sir.” He swallowed hard, hesitating even to ask such a daring question of a knight. “May I buy a chance to hold it for just a moment?”

  Sir Aldwyn stared hard at Rowan, stunned at the request. Rowan ducked his head and lowered his gaze. He slowly tucked the coin into a pocket and began to turn away. But the beautiful sound of steel sliding on steel touched his ears as Sir Aldwyn slowly removed his sword from the scabbard.

  Rowan lifted his head, turned about, and watched with widened eyes as the slender silver blade made its final exit from its home. Sir Aldwyn held the sword across both hands, palms open, and offered it to Rowan. Rowan looked up with absolute hope in his eyes and caught the subtle nod of the knight.

  His hands quivered as he reached out and touched first the perfect steel of the blade and then the intricate yet sturdy hilt that bore the load of such a gallant weapon. Slowly his right hand encircled the grip, and he lifted the weapon.

  The sword felt good—no, it felt great—in his hands, almost as if he’d been reunited with a lost brother. It was weighty, but not as heavy as he’d expected. He held it before himself, wanting to take position and execute a cut. He glanced up at Sir Aldwyn. The knight nodded and stepped back. Rowan assumed a perfect middle-guard stance, then attacked an invisible enemy with a high to low diagonal cut followed by a horizontal cut and a quick thrust.