The Young Lion

Part One

When huntress Zairah Lear arrives in the city of Angeleor, Ionathar Angeleos, the young King of Eleonis realizes that a mistake he made very early in his reign is about to come back to bite him. His uncle Iohan, who was banished for murdering Ionathar's father, has been biding his time in exile and is now planning an attack on Eleonis.

Zairah, Ionathar and his sister Eleona set out to try to stop the attack before it can happen, which would cause a war to break out. Being forced to take the long way around, the three pass through the kingdom of Lupear, where lupean Princess Mireanda Aorelis joins their party.

Together, they travel to Soane, where Iohan is hiding, and confront him, but are unsuccessful in foiling his plans. Having failed their quest, they flee Soane and return to Angeleor to prepare for war.

Part Two

The party splits up. Ionathar and Eleona stay in Angeleor to prepare the city and the kingdom for war. They are busy with more intense military training than ever before, while also writing to the Lords of Eleonis to ask for their assistance in the battles to come. In the meantime, Zairah returns to her home on the Dragon's Ridge, meaning to settle down after years of fighting, imprisonment and high stakes.

Mireanda stays in Angeleor to have some military training she wouldn't be able to parttake in at home in Lupear. She only leaves for home when news of Iohan's army advancing reach Angeleor. Coming home, Mireanda feels more lonely and misunderstood than ever before.

Ionathar and his army make plans to lure Iohan's army into a trap. The plan works, and Eleonis wins the battle, but Iohan escapes and calls for a retreat. While most celebrate the victory, a severely injured Ionathar looks ahead, knowing that Iohan will return with a much larger army to finish what he started.

Part Three

Despite a few broken ribs, Ionathar decides to journey to the neighbouring kingdoms Lupear and Aguilear to forge alliances to help him win the war. In Lupear, the alliance is quickly sealed with Ionathar marrying Princess Mireanda, but an alliance with Aguilear proves slightly more difficult to secure.

Returning home with only one out of two alliances secured, Ionathar feels like a failure, but with the help of family and advisors, a new alliance is proposed to Aguilear, which the aguilean King agrees to, and not a day too soon. With winter's snow and ice once again yielding a path for an army to pass through the mountains, another battle is coming.

To everyone's surprise, including her own, Zairah returns to Angeleor with many of her friends from home to support Ionathar and his allies in the war. Together, they manage to hold their own on the battlefield against a strong opponent. The battle shapes out to likely take many casualties, until Ionathar challenges Iohan to single combat.

Ionathar wins this duel to the death by playing to Iohan's arrogance and tendency to underestimate his opponents. Iohan is dead, the war is one, but Ionathar, too, is close to death due to exhaustion and bloodloss. Only quick action by his guard and a skilled healer save his life.

Please note that "The Young Lion" is a working title that I'm not fully happy with. Feel free to give me feedback and suggestions.

Important Characters

Zairah Lear

Serbaith huntress, 20 years old. Already suffered through the loss of her home, a whole rebellion and three years of imprisonment. Has a hard time trusting anyone. Only agreed to help Ionathar to get back at Iohan, who took everything from her twice. Prefers shooting arrows from a distance over hand-to-hand fighting.

Ionathar Angeleos

King of Eleonis, 17 years old. Forced to make many big decisions at a very young age. Usually very calm and collected, honest and sincere to a fault, but also riddled with self-doubt. It takes a lot to make him angry, but once he is, best hope you're not the one who pissed him off.

Eleona Angeleos

Crown Princess of Eleonis, later Knight of the Royal Guard, 19 years old. Fiercely protective of her younger brother. Copes with trauma through humour and sarcasm. Ridiculously skilled ambidextrous fighter with melee weapons, especially knives. Usually friendly enough, but has quite a short fuse when it comes to infuriating behaviour.

Mireanda Aorelis

Princess of Lupear, later Queen of Eleonis, 17 years old. Grew up learning from her father and older brother that women couldn't and shouldn't fight, but never quite believed it. Took the first opportunity to leave her golden cage. Gentle and communicative, but has a steely side to her that won't take no for an answer.