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Back Forsworn
Chapters (53)
  1. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area- Western Half
  2. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area - Eastern Half
  3. Map of Kingdom of Finfalla and Surrounding Area - Full Map
  4. Important Trigger Warning
  5. Prologue
  6. PART I
  7. One
  8. Two
  9. Three
  10. Four
  11. Five
  12. Six
  13. Seven
  14. Eight
  15. Nine
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Twelve
  19. Interlude: The River of Life
  20. PART II
  21. Thirteen
  22. Fourteen
  23. Fifteen
  24. Sixteen
  25. Seventeen
  26. Eighteen
  27. Nineteen
  28. Interlude: Fallow Fields
  29. PART III
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Interlude: Of Man and Monster
  37. PART IV
  38. Twenty-Six
  39. Twenty-Seven
  40. Twenty-Eight
  41. Twenty-Nine
  42. Thirty
  43. Thirty-One
  44. Thirty-Two
  45. Thirty-Three
  46. Thirty-Four
  47. POSTLUDES
  48. Postlude 1: Lana Vica
  49. Postlude 2: Ludo Vica
  50. Postlude 3: Cainan
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. An excerpt from Heartsworn, Volume II in The Forsworn Oath, available for preorder now!
  53. PART I
Document

Thirty-Four

Tomas

Marchessault, Finfalla

In all the years he’d watched his father wear the Finfallian crown, Tomas had never realized how heavy it was. Now, as it was placed, gleaming, upon his head, he finally understood. Its weight was physical—solid silver ornamented with the symbols of his kingdom’s faith—but also ideological, as though a piece of every one of his subjects rested upon him, their hopes, their dreams, their very futures his to bear.

Thousands of whom were watching this moment in history, witnesses to the dawning of a new era, one already blood-soaked and murder-ravaged, the exact opposite of everything Tomas had envisaged his reign to be.

Not that there was any turning back now, the high priest dribbling the waters he’d blessed earlier that day onto Tomas’s scalp. He spoke the words, “With the Five as our Silent and Discerning Witnesses, you, Tomas Vedran, First of Your Name, are hereby named KING of Finfalla for the rest of your days. May you bear the imagination of the Sculptor, the intelligence of the Scribe, the strength of the Forger, the ferocity of the Warrior, and, for our enemies alone, the rage of Narcissi Herself.” He paused, as though waiting for the frenetic anticipation that was now coursing through the gathered crowd to reach its apex. And then he said, his voice booming out from their raised position, “Long live the king!”

His words were echoed back to their ears, each iteration growing louder and more insistent. “Long live the king! LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING!”

“Your Majesty,” came a voice from behind.

Tomas turned his head to find one of his advisors close at hand, an intense look straining his graying, mousy features. “Lord Drummin, your timing is less than ideal. Can’t this wait?” In the background, his subjects continued their chant.

“I’m afraid not, Your Majesty. We have just received word.”

“Word? From whom?”

Long live the king! Long live the king!

“The Kinkallians, Your Majesty.”

Tomas closed his eyes. In truth, he’d expected this sooner. He was certain all that had delayed this very moment was uncertainty regarding the line of succession in Edward’s absence. Thankfully, Finfalla had no such problem. “It’s official then? They’ve declared war?”

Lord Drummin nodded, but the knowledge that his monarch had already guessed the news did little to soften the lines etched into his face. Which meant there was more. “Who claimed power? With whose authority was this declaration made? By my great uncle? Prince Leyton Echevaria? Has he officially claimed the throne for himself?”

Long live the king! Long live the king!

The man grimaced, as though the act of delivering this news was akin to being punched in the gut. “No, it was the Stolen Prince. King Edward Vedran-Echevaria, First of His Name. Your own brother.”

Long live the king! Long live the king!

POSTLUDES

Lana Vica      Ludo Vica

Cainan