Two months had passed since the siege broke and Shadowspire's armies were scattered to ash. Two months of ceasefire banners on every road, of envoys walking unarmed through passes that had been killing grounds. Two months since the last horn of retreat sounded in Ardentia.
Peace had come, and it felt strange.
Tonight, Erenhall's great hall was open to the sky. The roof had been burned away in the first year of the war nearly two decades ago and never rebuilt. The lords of Ardentia had decided it was fitting. If the gods wanted to see them, let them see them as they were: unbroken, but scarred.
Long tables ran the length of the courtyard, loaded with boar, bread, honeyed wine, and fruit brought from Eldermere as a sign of goodwill. Torches lined the walls, and between them hung banners of every house that had bled for the kingdom. The black lion of Blaze. The phoenix of Vexar. The oak of Stonefist. The shadowed blade of Darkfire. The ashwood of Blackwood. The unbreakable hammer of Oakenshield.
All the lords had come. Not just those who fought, but those who had held the home front, who had sent grain and steel and sons. The diplomatic talks with Shadowspire were underway in the eastern wing, but tonight was not for treaties. Tonight was for stories.
King Kael Flameheart sat at the high table, the Heartflame sword resting across his knees. It had been reforged from the teeth of the Flame Drake he slew before his reign. The blade shimmered red even in torchlight, as if it remembered fire. His shoulder was still stiff from the wound he'd taken at Dragon's Teeth, but he stood when the hall fell quiet.
"Lords and ladies of Ardentia," Kael said, and the hall stilled. "Two months ago, we stood on the edge of ruin. Today, we stand as one. We do not forget the cost. We do not forget the names."
He began the awards.
"Orion Nightwalker, founder of the Dark Legion, for your ride to Redkeep and the death of Ravenna Nightshade. You rode for no king, but tonight you ride as a lord of Ardentia." Kael lifted a silver circlet and set it on Orion's head. Orion accepted it with a grim nod, grey cloak thrown over one shoulder.
"Keiren Vexar, Duke-to-be of Erenhall, for the fire that broke Lilith's swarm and turned the tide at Redkeep. You charged three battles in seven days.Harlen Vexar stood beside him, hand on his nephew's shoulder, pride plain in his face. Keiren accepted the circlet with a wince, as if the weight was heavier than steel.
"Cyrin Darkfire, Master of the Ardentian Assassins, for holding the southern approach and cutting Valen's reserves before they could reach the breach and also held the charge of valen's horse knight in the burning plains ."
"Kaelith Blackblood, for your command of the the burning valley and slaying Corvus nightwing in a duel and routing his whole army ."
Sir Garrick Blaze, Champion of the Ardentian tourney, for holding Redkeep Pass with a thousand Firemane Knights against an army."
"Lord Thane Stonefist, Warden of the Dragon's Teeth, for defending Ardentia's borders against the undead horde while the rest of us were bleeding elsewhere."
"Lord Ryker Blackwood, Lord of the Ashwood Forest, for keeping the ancient secrets and holding the northern wood when Shadowspire tried to slip through and also by defending redkeep with your own blackwood riders and slaying dozens of knight captains of valen Ashencrow."
"Sir Maric Oakenshield, Knight-Protector of the Ashwood, for standing beside Garrick at the breach and not stepping back."
"Sir Bracken Ironbeard, Master of the Ardentian Dwarves, forging the Warhammer of the Ancients and holding the gate at Dragon teeth when the siege looked to come here."
Kael's voice softened. "And to those who did not stand with us tonight: Ellyn Ashclaw Vorn of the Ashclaw Order, Captain Dain Ironhand of the Stoneward Sentinels, Lord Bran Hawkshield of the Skyfalcon Order, and all the knights and soldiers whose names we will remember. Their fire did not go out. It burns in us."
The hall was silent. Then the cups rose.