Reign of the Eagle, page 1
Reign of the Eagle: The Complete Series
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
REIGN OF THE EAGLE: COMPLETE SERIES
First edition. January 31, 2024.
Copyright © 2024 J.S. Mawdsley.
ISBN: 979-8224381708
Written by J.S. Mawdsley.
Also by J.S. Mawdsley
Of Duty and Silver
The Queen's Tower
For Her Own Good
Royal Obligation
Reunion Vale
The Last Bright Angel
Of Duty and Silver: The Complete Series
Reign of the Eagle
Black Eagle Rising
Siege of Kings
Unspeakably Wooed
When You Are King
Old Habits Die Hard
A Troubled Peace
Reign of the Eagle: Complete Series
The Moiriad
A Sorceress Born
A Sorceress Made
Years of Exile
Called to Account
Standalone
A Fatal Humor
One False Step: And Other Stories of Myrcia
Above His Station: And Other Stories of Myrcia
Every Count Votes
A Fine Distinction: And Other Stories of Myrcia
The Changing of the Guard: And Other Stories of Myrcia
The Metal of Victory
The Web in the Palace: And Other Stories of Myrcia
Gilding the Lily: And Other Stories of Myrcia
The Night Nothing Happened: And Other Stories of Myrcia
A Glass of Sand and Stars
The Romance of the Viscount: And Other Stories of Myrcia
The Consolation Prize: And Other Stories of Myrcia
Red Sand Girl
The Art of the Future: And Other Stories of Myrcia
Girls' Night Out: And Other Stories of Myrcia
Watch for more at J.S. Mawdsley’s site.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By J.S. Mawdsley
Maps
Introduction
Volume 1: Black Eagle Rising
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Volume 2: Siege of Kings
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Volume 3: Unspeakably Wooed
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Volume 4: When You Are King
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Volume 5: Old Habits Die Hard
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Volume 6: A Troubled Peace: A Novel in Seven Novellas
On Neutral Ground
A Tale of Two Weddings
Suitable for Ladies
The Pangs of Birth
One Final Present
Friends in Need
Swift to Its Close
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Also By J.S. Mawdsley
About the Author
Maps
Myrcia and the Northern Trahernian Lands
CITY OF LEORNIAN
EASTERN MYRCIA AND the Sahasran border
WESTERN MAP
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing this one-volume collection of the Reign of the Eagle series. This is our second series of fantasy novels, and we would like to think we’re getting better with practice. You can be the judge (assuming you’ve read our previous series, Of Duty and Silver, which is also available as a one-volume collection).
The six novels here represent more than six years of work on our part. J started the first book in the series, Black Eagle Rising, for Camp NaNoWriMo in April, 2017. S finished the last section of the final novel, A Troubled Peace, in early August, 2023. Two of the books, Unspeakably Wooed and the original draft of A Troubled Peace, were written as birthday presents. Yes, that’s ridiculously cute, but we regret nothing.
Most of these books were, in fact, written before we decided to start self-publishing our novels, back when we were simply doing this for fun. (Not to imply that we don’t have fun anymore. We always have fun.) Thus, when we started to group the books into series, we discovered there were some gaps in the story. That’s where Siege of Kings, the second novel in this collection, came from. The third book (as you’ll discover, if you haven’t read the series already) opens with our heroes in a precarious position, following a giant, epic battle. A battle that took place entirely off-screen, as it were. Obviously, we had to write the book where that battle happens, or our readers would be most displeased with us. So, that’s why Siege of Kings exists.
Likewise, we had to fill in some blanks in A Troubled Peace, the last book. Certain crucially important events didn’t happen in the main narrative of the book, and the reader was simply invited to imagine that they had happened. And while we certainly do have faith in the power of our readers’ imaginations, that seemed a bit much to ask. So, we added two more sections to the book.
That’s how it is, when you’re a writer: there’s always One More Thing. Like writing this introduction, for example. But now we’ve come to the end, and the book has been duly introduced. In retrospect, we got through it pretty well, if we say so ourselves. Just as we hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction, we trust you will enjoy the six novels in this collection.
J.S. Mawdsley
Volume 1: Black Eagle Rising
Chapter 1
352 M.E.
The king was dying, and someone had to tell him. The court sorcerers were conveniently out of town on important errands, so they couldn’t do it. The court physicians huddled behind heavy curtains and down darkened stairwells, silently daring each other to deliver the bad news.
Broderick, watching them from a shadowy corner of the Lower Robing Chamber, let them bicker and flounder for a while. He was curious to see if they would find their courage. But they never did. So finally, he rose, straightened his cloak, and headed up the stairs, tossing them a careless, “I’ll do it,” over his shoulder as he went.
Edgar was in the Gold Parlor, in the northeastern corner of the castle, where the physicians thought a fine breeze would relieve his fever when the weather turned warmer. Not that it mattered now. He probably wouldn’t live to see spring, even though that was only a week and a half away. Today it was still too cold outside to open the windows. Rain splattered against the leaded glass, and the air in the chamber felt dank and smothering.
Heavy brocaded curtains hung between the gilded pillars, which only made the atmosphere more stifling. As Broderick pushed through and approached the royal sickbed, Edgar stirred.
“It really is unfair to tell me to sleep, and then not let me do it.”
Rolling over slightly, he saw Broderick. His eyes were quick and alert in his gaunt, waxy face. That was good. There had been days recently when Edgar had disappeared, muttering, into a private world of opium dreams, and he seemed to forget not only that he was King of Myrcia, but even that he was a grown man.
“So, it’s you, again,” the king said, his brow contracting. “Here to gloat, are you?”
Broderick bowed. “Not at all, uncle. I would ask if you are comfortable, but you would think I was being sarcastic.”
“Are you here to slip me some poison, then?”
There was a hint of an old accusation there, and Broderick knew better than to take the bait. Best to press on. “I regret to say, uncle, that I have bad news. The physicians think your condition is deteriorating.”
“Deteriorating.” Edgar blinked a few times, then shook his head. “What does that mean, exactly?”
“It means they think you do not have long to live.”
Broderick watched the look of stunned disbelief cross his uncle’s face. As sick as the man was, he had still thought he would recover. What an astonishing capacity for self-delusion. Edgar’s eyes watered and his lip quivered.
Then his expression hardened. “No. Dammit, I won’t give you the satisfaction.”
“Very well.” Broderick bowed again. “No doubt you will prove the physicians wrong.”
He wouldn’t, of course. But Broderick didn’t need to quibble. He could afford to be magnanimous. After all, he would still be alive in a month. And you never knew who might be listening. Smiling, he backed out and started to close the curtain. “I shall let Rohesia and the children know you’re feeling better.”
Edgar’s head, slowly settling back into the nest of pillows, snapped up again. “I want you to stay away from them. Especially my son.”
“Of course, your majesty,” said Broderick, in an even, smooth tone.
When he met the apothecary’s apprentice on the stairs, he slipped the boy a shilling and said, “His majesty is raving again. Between you and me, an extra grain of opium in his wine tonight would do him a world of good.”
Feeling he had more than fulfilled his duty, Broderick went down to the ground floor of the castle, where all the most impressive public reception rooms were located. Ladies and lords and gentlemen stood around the shadowy halls or sat in secluded nooks of the soaring Palm Court. Some of them were trading rumors of the king’s health. But just as many of them were talking about young Prince Edwin, the king’s only son, and guessing who might be named regent for the boy if the king should die. Broderick knew he was the last person Edgar would have chosen for the job. But Edgar wasn’t going to be around to make that choice. That would be the duty of Broderick and his fellow members of the privy council.
Near the center of the Palm Court, Broderick saw the Bishop of Leornian. His grace sat at the edge of the fountain pool, head back, watching the rain wash over the glass dome high above. Broderick politely extricated himself from a pair of young knights who wanted news of the king and went to join the bishop.
“Searching for the Light of Earstien at this dark time, your grace?” Broderick asked.
The bishop sighed. “The scriptures say the Light can always be found by anyone who seeks it. Though Formacaster winters really strain that metaphor. Is there something I can do for you, captain general?”
“I was hoping for your advice, your grace. I’ve had—well, I suppose we all have had the king and his family in our prayers.”
“Very true, very true.”
“And most particularly the crown prince. I would like to feel, your grace, that there was something I could do to help guide young Edwin.”
“H’m, yes. Quite.” The bishop gave him a look of vague piety. “No doubt, yes. However, for the time being, we must pray that his royal father is around to guide him for many years to come. Beyond that is...well, a bit premature. Assuming you’re speaking of the regency, of course.”
“Regency? Oh, Earstien. Let us hope it doesn’t come to that. Clearly you are more clever about these things than I am,” said Broderick, backing away and smiling to cover his tactical withdrawal.
After this unpromising start, he moved on to the library, off the Palm Court, where the air was colder and drier, and safety lamps flickered over the gilded bindings of ancient volumes. Amid the high shelves and the polished dark paneling, carved with figures of all the animals of Myrcia, some of the courtiers had sought a quieter refuge. But even here, people were talking. A group of young ladies’ maids—none of them much older than his daughter—stood in the central chamber dabbing their eyes and talking about “the poor queen.”
Around the corner in one of the lower reading rooms, Broderick found two more privy councilors, Baron Corbin and the Duke of Pinshire, nestled in wide, black leather chairs. Corbin, the Lord Mayor of the capital, saw immediately what Broderick wanted. “I’d say his royal highness couldn’t have a better regent than you,” he enthused.
The duke refused to discuss the matter, however. “His majesty may still recover,” he snapped, looking up from a long scroll of tax records. “It’s unseemly to be discussing this now.”
“Naturally,” said Broderick, with an apologetic bow. “In my concern for the young prince, I seem to have forgotten myself.”
