Nicole Zoltack - Lionessheart

Copyright 2018 by Nicole Zoltack

Cover Artist: Wilde Book Designs

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1795065511

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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To all those daring to rise up and be legends.

T he fields of Pellindor in the year of 679

Already the fields were thick with blood. Iden Berne, Duke of Dracian fought bravely, striving to finally bring peace to a kingdom divided by lust for power and control. As much as he wished for the fighting to stop, he knew that peace would not come for a long time, perhaps not even within his lifetime.

He withdrew his sword from a fellow Britain and turned to find another foe. Why were they fighting? Why could they not unite under one banner?

Unite. Somehow, someway, he had united with his beloved wife Ula last night. When he woke, she had been gone, and he wondered if it might have been a dream.

His thoughts distracted him, and a sword glanced off his armor hard enough that it smarted. At once, Iden returned to the battle with his heart and mind, his body responding automatically. For many long years, he had trained to be one of the best with the blade. He had even taught several of the younger men on the battlefield with him.

After he finished his solider, three more came at Iden. Undeterred, he fought them off, but their combined might proved too much even for him. A sword came at him high, which he blocked, but he didnt have time to thwart the one coming toward his legs. The blade punctured the spot where his armor met, at the inside of his upper thigh. He staggered, and another blade found its way past his armor.

Onto one knee and then the other, Iden sank down. He managed to kill one of the three before his life faded away, one of the many lost in what would become a week-long battle known as one of the worst massacres in all of Britain.

That night, after both sides retired for a brief respite before swords would clash again come the rising dawn, a figure glided along the battlefield and halted beside the dukes still form. Most of the dead had been shifted to either side of the battlefield, but the duke remained here, all alone save for the woman he had impregnated last night.

All alone save for the goddess he had impregnated last night.

Arduinna, the Goddess of the Moon, Forest, and the Hunt, closed her eyes. The duke had been a good, kind, just man. She had hunted the earth to find someone suitable and had settled on him. He had not deserved to die so young.

And so, he would live on.

Eyes shut yet, Arduinna wept some. Her tears fell, and a lake formed, submerging the duke entirely. Now, she opened her eyes and watched as the body floated and then sunk, and then the body stood.

Idens opened. He stood completely beneath the water.

How? he asked, the words hardly audible through the still waves.

You are to be the third and final lord of the lake, she told him.

Ula? he asked, confused.

The goddess lowered her hood to reveal herself.

He gasped and thrashed about, swimming to the surface.

She nodded but held up a hand, and he could not leave the waters. Do not be afraid, she cautioned. Your child will live. With your aid and my guidance, she can help to finish what you started.

The duke stilled, and at once, understanding lightened his gray eyes. Our child will bring peace.

Throughout heartache and despair and much sorrow, yes, she will bring peace.

A daughter, he breathed as he sank back to the bottom of the lake.

A daughter who will become queen, Arduinna promised.

T he castle of Niallan Whalen, Duke of Graytongue, the tenth of May in the year 697

Dawn broke over the Duke of Graytongues castle, and Alena Devineno, Alena Bernewoke feeling rather hopeful for the first time in ages. How could she not? For the first time in her life, she knew who her parents had been. Arduinna, the goddess of the moon, forest, and the hunt and Iden Berne, Duke of Dracian. Her father was deceased, and yet he lived on as one of the three lords of the lake. How wondrous it was to live in a day and age with magic.

Also, she was engaged to the man she loved. Gareth. For a time, she had feared he had feelings for Linnette, a childhood friend who was not only the most beautiful of ladies but also the strongest and most capable of Alenas ladies-in-waiting and soon to be lady knight.

But Gareth had asked for her to marry him, and she had said yes, and on this day, she would tell the Duke of Graytongue and Archbishop Emrys Burke about the engagement. She was not certain how the men would handle the news. After all, they had already discussed that she should marry for the good of the kingdom. Most likely, they would have preferred for her to wed someone from outside, someone to bolster peace with the rest of the world now that peace within Britain had been assured.

Yes, Britain finally had peace, mostly because of Alena. The threat of invaders from the Scots and the Picts were no more. Alena had bolstered alliances with both of them, and now, the hope was that Britain would unite under her banner.

Her banner. Alena had not that what it should have, but she did not need to think about it. She already knew. The wizard Marvina had given a prophecy concerning Alena.

The bearer of the sword will become the greatest and most famous queen who has ever and will ever live in Britain. Countless men and women will tell tales of her greatness and those of the women she will surround herself with. All the splendor, all the glory, all the power shall be hers. Her warriors, the lady knights, will go on many grand adventures and quests including the seeking and recovery of the most Holy Grail.

The sword bearer will be the center of all hope and salvation of the realm, for lo, without her, Britain will fall. Britain will be invaded, and not only will hope be lost, but hope shall be obliterated. Woe will befall every man and woman and child, made slaves one and all, and many will come to hope for only death and its sweet release from their agony and misery. The sword bearer must take up the crown. She will not only be queen. She will be legend. She will be luminary. And she will be known as Lionessheart!

So far, people had called her legend and even luminary. Now, Alena had one goalto become queen. Queen Alena Berne the Lionessheart. Her banner would be gold with a red lioness within a heart.

With a glad and happy heart, Alena changed into a simple dress. She neglected to send for some food to break her fast, instead favoring to see the men immediately. For the most part, her meetings with them had several others in attendance, her knights which included Sir Liam of the Hood, one of her dearest friends and a former stable boy, and the prisoners of peace. As such, when she arrived, everyone else was there, and she bid the knights and prisoners to leave.