"The Tower"
from Kingdom's Rise
Gary Baker, January 2013
(part of a longer project)
Hal'Ven dropped his gaze quickly as he strode up to the gathered men at the fire. Lithomir noted that he deferred to their new leader with much due respect.
"...and when she saw me, I-" Kudrov scowled as his audience glanced to Hal'Ven, then turned to face the youth with a mouthful of annoyance.
Lithomir expected Kudrov to demand the reason for an intrusion into the inner circle of affairs, but instead found the several bandits looking to him as though deferring to a lord's opinion and guidance. With a dismissive wave, he nodded to the boy. "Hal'Ven," the youth beamed at the sound of his name as though excited it had been remembered, "what is it?"
