It is 1530, and life can be as dangerous as it is short, especially for a soldier. In the majestic capital city of Casile, Captain Arathin Briar is content with his life. After taking a beautiful bride six months earlier, he has just completed his training as a soldier when his peaceful existence is abruptly uprooted. Captain Briar has been called to war. In this age of kings, tyranny and injustice run rampant across the world. After a village is attacked just outside Casile, the country's foundation is shaken to the core. With little time to assemble a sizable force, Captain Briar and two other captains set out with a small army to gain entry to the village. But little do the soldiers know that they are about to uncover an earth-shattering conspiracy from an unknown adversary that leaves Arathin torn between his vastly different loves-his beloved king and the country he has vowed to serve and his loving wife and the unborn child she now carries. The Soldier's Oath is an action packed tale of warfare, conspiracy, and honor as a general and his brave soldiers fight their way out of a vast conspiracy that shakes their nation's moral foundation.

The Soldier's Oath

A Sedition RisingBy Christopher Lewis

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2012 Christopher Lewis
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4697-4477-3

Contents

Prologue...........................................xi1. A Soldier's Beginning...........................12. The King's Council..............................143. Dinner and Questions............................274. Forging a Warrior...............................405. The Final Mission...............................556. The King's Oath.................................657. A Soldier's Duty................................798. Defending the Village...........................919. Heroes and Quiet Eyes...........................10410. Bloodlines.....................................11611. The King's Caravan.............................12512. The Other General..............................13813. General Bennett's Mission......................14514. Arathin and Eva................................15515. Sedition Rising................................16616. The Conspiracy.................................17817. The Seeds of War...............................18018. Battle of the River Valley.....................18719. The Soldier's Oath.............................194

Chapter One

A Soldier's Beginning

It had been raining. Wispy clouds of red and orange filled an early spring sky. From one of the city's tallest points, high in the castle, a young man gazed through an open window and was admiring the day's majestic peace. He was a soldier of his time. He was of average height but strongly built. He had short brown hair. Through his own eyes, he was not unique in any way; he just tried his best to be a good person and take care of the people he loved. His name was Arathin, and he came from a long line of soldiers. His father had the privilege of serving on the king's council for a period of time and spent his entire life in service to his country. He was proud of his family's history; nearly every man wore a uniform in one aspect or another. Military service was undoubtedly in his blood. He was at a very good place in his life. He and his wife had wed less than six months ago.

Her name was Eva, and she was very beautiful. He hair was long and dark and she had a smile that could light up the world. Her eyes were as deep as the ocean and openly radiated the goodness that originated from within her soul. He was blessed to have found her. She was his entire world. Their future together drove him to get out of bed every morning and be the best man he could be. Not just for her but for the second heart growing and beating inside her body.

This was absolutely his favorite time of year. The temperature was just right and there was almost always a cool breeze. While this particular spot in the castle was very much out of his way, it was one of the best spots to get a good view and find a bit of peace before facing another long, brutal day.

The capital city, Casile, was as majestic as the scenery that surrounded it. The countryside stretched for miles, ultimately fading into a blue haze at the far horizon. The sparkles of raindrops remaining on the rooftops shimmered against the darker stone background of the buildings. A majority of the streets were built with cobblestone and were clean of trash and debris. The capital was a beautiful place. People from all walks of life and cultures roamed her streets. However, the division throughout the city was very apparent. The three main classes—the rich, the poor, and those stuck somewhere in the middle—were almost as evenly defined as the edge of the streets. Each section of the city had its own style of architecture. The poor people had homes made of wood and, if they were lucky, straw thatching. The rich adorned their homes of stone, most two stories tall with red or brown shale rooftops and ornate decorations and banners proclaiming their status. Every time he looked out into the city, his heart seemed to skip a beat. He by far preferred living in the country, but the awe of the capital never ceased to amaze him.

The wind blew against his face. He took a deep breath and then looked down at his uniform, inspecting it meticulously. This day was special for no particular reason; it was not his first day training to be a soldier and certainly would not be his last. He was very proud of his decision to serve. He loved his country very much and what his people stood for.

The church bell rang out in the distance, sounding the start to morning commerce. From the gate, people began to trickle into the city. Realizing the time, Arathin moved to join his company. Leaving the vantage point, he descended several flights of stairs, landing in a hallway very similar to the one he was just standing in. It veered left, passed through another corridor, and descended a second but shorter flight of stairs.

He entered the castle's Great Hall, which expanded immensely around him. High above his right side, a row of stunning stained- glass windows ran the length of the chamber, shining down an array of colored light onto the white marble floor. He marveled at the room's amazing mass as he walked. Stone arches ran across the ceiling to massive pillars adjoining the walls. His boots echoed crisply off the cold stone and marble. The hall was empty and he quickly arrived at the keep's main entrance. A set of massive wooden doors led to the courtyard; they stood three times the height of a man and took several soldiers to swing open.

The enormous entry gave way to a series of stone steps arcing around the entrance of the keep into the courtyard. The courtyard was massive. The grass was manicured meticulously. Children ran around flying kites and laughing to each other. Peaceful as it was, a large majority of the courtyard was reserved for military training. New recruits and veterans alike trained hard, day in and day out, often throughout the night as well. He chose this life and he was proud. Walking among the people and admiring his home, every time he stopped to take it all in, reminded him why he had joined. Nearby were the assembling ranks of his company.

He walked to his place in the first of two rows, third from the left. A majority of the men among him stood slightly taller. He knew this was a disadvantage when it came to hand-to-hand combat, but what he lacked in strength he made up for in cunning. His company was assigned a group of instructors who, for the last two and a half months, had made their lives absolute hell. Today, however, a new instructor stood in front of them.

The man was broad. He was aging and by some standards was considered old. However, the fact he carried a sword, wore armor, and was still alive at his age said a lot about who he was as a soldier. The essence of a warrior enveloped him: strong, confident, and disciplined. He was slightly above average height. His hair was short, thinning in some places and graying, as was his beard. It was neatly trimmed and lined with fading shades of brown.

Their regular team of instructors looked almost as surprised as the recruits. They gathered and mumbled among each other, careful to hide their conversation.

"Why would he be here?" one of them asked.

"It doesn't make much sense."

"I don't know about you, but I don't like having all the rank in our business."

The company stood at attention, silent and unwavering. The man walked between the two ranks as he surveyed the soldiers, inspecting their uniforms and their demeanor. It seemed like he was looking for someone.

"First rank!" he bellowed deeply, sending a tingle through...