Grounded

By April Scott-Goss

Master Trilium Bishop and his platoon of knights are finally going home for good following five years of administering diplomacy and judgment to various societies across the galaxy. While sitting in his aircraft, Trilium’s gift of perception warns him that something is not right and before long, the Knights of Dena find themselves in a situation filled with little hope.

At the same time, Trilium’s brother, Knight Kalin Bishop is being treated by their father on Dena for wounds he acquired from a near fatal mêlée against a dragon. Kalin’s daydreams about his upcoming marriage are rudely interrupted when he is forced to fight his kinsmen in order to save Trilium and his legacy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: April Scott-Goss
• Release date: Sep 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311006035

April Scott-Goss

Ms. Scott-Goss received a BFA from New York University where she studied acting at the Lee Strasburg Theater Institute, an MFA from California Institute of the Arts in Directing Theater, Video and Cinema and is an MA candidate for Theatre from California State University, Los Angeles. April is both a writer and director whose 1999 thesis film, Deep in my Heart, was screened at the 2000 and 2001 Cannes Film Festival and won accolades in numerous film festival’s across America.She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and The Artist's Collective. She loves basketball, anime, Prince and cooking but not necessarily in that order.Grounded: broken is April’s first novel and she is currently working on the second installment to the series, Grounded: amends.

Book preview

GROUNDED

broken

April Scott-Goss

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 April Scott-Goss

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No parts of this book may be reproduced, resold or transmitted electronically or otherwise, without the express written permission from the author.

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

To my daughter, Zoë who turned an idea into a story, a question into an answer and a want into a purpose. Zo Zo, I could have never have done this without you, baby.

Acknowledgements

The road to Dena has been several long mythical years in the making and I would like to thank my nephews, Clifford, Joseph, Michael and Xavier Goss for always asking me whatever happened to that story about the dragon, auntie? Damita Dee Dee Fuller, for letting me bounce the idea off her while we were waiting, waiting, waiting for our accreditations and to Alex Fuller for giving me an assignment to write the story and then being the first to read it some 12 years later.

Otis, Arthur, Cynthia, Ramona, Kent and Doreathea for your professional opinions; Mr. Rob Anker, for instilling a love of history in my kid so that she could constantly challenges my storyline; Mr. Goudkov, Ms. Brown and Mr. Winetrobe for perpetuating that love; Chad Jeffries, David Jones and Brent Behrens for their gifts; Theresa Larkin, Phyllis and Kevin Kelly for your love and support and Ms. Sigrid Gilmer for all the advice and guidance; and to anyone I may have inadvertently missed, thank you so very much.

Lastly, my deepest heartfelt thanks to my sister Windie, for always believing in me and encouraging me to follow my dreams.

And as always:

P, JT

And Kyle, for nothing...

Table of Contents

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 1

broken

The earth laughs in flowers

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ironically, it was the one log Trilium Bishop never had the opportunity to enter into his last report, yet as he sat on the noisy aircraft with his fellow knights, it was the only encounter which freely repeated in his mind, over and over - - he had fought and slayed a dragon.

Trillium had always been grateful for the ancestral talent in his bloodline which 'gifted' him with the ability to remember all things, but the memory of the dragon alone would not be enough to satisfy him for a lifetime. As soon as they landed on their home planet, Dena, he would transcribe every last detail of his dragon tale from the flame colored scales to the gasless vapor of its last breath. This report would not be for the benefit of the Council of the Old, but for his four year old son Gracen. Gracen was a toddler who was not easily impressed by the antics of Trilium and his fellow warriors. Being carried from one place to another at great speed or being lifted six feet by a whistle of air would bring a gale of laughter from any other normal four year old, but Gracen Bishop was not normal - he was a Bishop, who already showed great promise of mastering the family heirloom and had already begun to understand the concept of compartmentalizing his eidetic memory. Trilium loved his son dearly and although Gracen wasn't mystified when whizzed through the air, he would however, light up and smile each time his father entered the room, squealing with delight as he would run into his arms so that Trilium could manually lift him above his head. Trilium smiled. He could not make up a better ending to his military career than to have fought a foe which hadn't been seen in over five hundred years. If this didn't impress Gracen, than maybe the fact that Trilium was coming home for good would gain his son's appreciation. And in his heart of hearts, this would please Trilium even more.

Trilium was suddenly slapped on his shoulder. He looked up into the smiling face of the knight known as House, the full mast of House's body taking up the panoramic view. He clasped the man's beastly arm, shaking it in greeting.

Is that smile for Lucinda or for your fallen prey, dragon slayer? House roared loudly enough to be heard by the surrounding knights seated here and there in the lounge of their aircraft. The men cheered in affirmation, raising filled mugs over their heads in salutation. These men, Trilium sensed, felt relieved and renewed. There was always a madness of exhilaration following a battle, an innate lust for more of the same no matter how hurt or unscathed you were. But when the relief ship landed and the wounded were placed on board, Trilium announced his retirement from the battlefield and the new occupational course these men would fill as his knight protectors. Inside and outside the aircraft, as word spread, so did objections fill the air and as Trilium predicted, they were not completely heartfelt. All, but the two men nearest to Trilium had been responsive to his announcement. House, Trilium's cousin studied his face until there was eye contact.

So, the day has come, cousin? he asked.

That's Master Cousin to you, another knight spoke softly. It was Kalin, who was laid out on a cot. Trilium had stationed himself next to his brother's cot, supervising as the ship's men tied it down securely before taking off. The gash on Kalin's side had stopped bleeding nonetheless it was deep enough to cause concern and unasked for swiftness among the crew. I choose, Kalin continued, to genuflect each time he walks into the room.

Of course, House agreed with no hint of mirth, without question.

Trilium, staring up into the big man's face now, recalled the past interaction and wondered if either man could actually bend down on one knee without balancing upon their weapon.

Instead of asking House if he would demonstrate his flexibility, he purposefully leaned back into his seat. Closing his eyes and locking his fingers behind his head, Trilium answered House's question. Perhaps, both, he purred. The meal Lucinda will fix tonight and the dragon's tail we feasted upon for breakfast this morning.

The men broke out in cheers, celebrating Trilium by both name and formal title.

It had been five long years since any knight had spent more than a months' time at home between travels and usually it was because one was mending from a preceding mêlée. When Trilium did not accept the ruling title of Master upon his 21st birthday, he knew it was a meaningless gesture on his end. The seat was his right as the eldest son. So, as was his right, Trilium succeeded his father and announced to the Council of the Old that he would best serve the people by being an ambassador of good will or a warrior depending upon what was called for at the moment. Sitting in council as figurehead would not satisfy if the Sect was to thrive in the ever changing universe and the only way that he could precede was to do it outside of their jurisdiction. Without waiting for conference or consent, Trilium and a platoon of knights made way to destinations unknown. All that was left behind was a note in Trilium's script:

I abstain on all determinations initiated by the Council of the Old and thereby do not condone to the modifying of any of our amendments, accordingly leaving all, as is. Titus will rule in my absence once he is of suitable age. Trilium Bishop.

The Council of the Old, infuriated by Trilium's decree, threatened to take command and rule under an Oligarchy title, but due to the exacting nature of Trilium's letter, it was impossible for the Council to move forward with that threat. So instead, the Council measured their current positioning of power while needlessly lingering upon the weight of whether Trilium meant 'suitable' age to be measured by time or by wisdom. As was the case, the Council intended to remain in control until Trilium's return or death in battle, preferably the later. This left little statute for the seventeen year old Titus Bishop who felt his life had already been spent underneath the shadow of his older and entitled brother. Why Trilium had not appointed him Master in his place baffled the teen and appeals to his father to speak up on his behalf were received with a sympathetic ear and no further action. The situation left Titus with a bitter taste for monarchy. It was painfully apparent that none found him to be, at the very least, teachable. Titus, for his part, grew weary of both the Council and Trilium's control over his destiny.

*

Dragon slayer, cheers went on and on, echoing throughout the ship as the response traveled beyond the lounging deck to the various groups of passengers, bringing Trilium back into the present. Trilium couldn't help smiling from listening to his men. Yes, he concluded, they were calmed and their easiness with this transition began to register itself into his own body. He sank deeper into the aircraft's lounging chair, shifting the lightweight ceremonial armor he was forced to wear this way and that way until it fit perfectly into the crevasses of the comfy seat. 'Comfy 'was not something that Trilium was used to aboard an aircraft; practical and invincible were the words he wished to hear in a ship's description, noting that he would need to get used to this type of soft indulgence. Initially, he had rejected the Council's offer to use the empire's official aircraft, the Britannicus, to travel to the crowning ceremony. His argument being it was unnecessarily large for the eighty-two knights. However, when Titus joined the virtual meeting Trilium was holding with the Council of Old to make preparations, he attentively reminded Trilium that this was not just a celebration of his return, but also for the accomplishments of his men. Trilium agreed that the families should be included on the voyage, declaring to the Council that he was leaving all the details in Titus' capable hands. It was shortly after that discussion that the Britannicus landed on the planet of Serson's filled with the families of the knights, eager to be reunited with these men and to see the carcass of the dragon with their own eyes. Trilium was pleasantly surprised at the number of individuals aboard the aircraft. Marriages and births seemed to outweigh the passing of the old as Trilium discovered during the introductions of the newly acquired relations. Trilium was also obliged to sit through several inspired retellings of his adventure with the dragon. Regrettably, his own family was not present having decided to stay behind with Kalin who was recovering from his near fatal meeting with the dragon. However, Trilium guessed that the pageantry stationed on the dock at Dena would far outweigh the spectacle descending from this vessel. He was sure that Titus had also seen to that. Trilium was anxious to be as agreeable with his youngest brother as possible during this transition and beyond. He had left Titus in a difficult situation when he took his leave that night, but this realization only came to Trillium as time passed. Sadly, he was reminded of his error whenever he visited home. Titus would always make himself available to his brother, but at a cost. There was no warmth in his conversation, no casual discussion regarding the family, nor affection displayed and disguised through pointless bickering as it had been when their father was Master. The news was always prompt and factual delivered without a hint of importance. Titus seemed and was as uninterested in the Council as Trillium had been, except his decree had limited Titus' ability to abandon his non-utilitarian station. Titus was addressed respectfully although the running of their Sect was not, nor would ever be in his hands. They both knew this, yet it was never openly discussed. Consequently, Titus took to attending fewer and fewer meetings as time moved on leading to his having less and less to say to Trilium. For Trilium, it was going to be hard enough to successfully lead in his unpredicted return as Master and the last thing he wanted to do was leave Titus uninvolved, yet again.

Trillium was pondering this thought when he first felt the shift. Not that 'shift' was the best word to describe what he felt, but something had changed in the ship's movement. Trilium closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wasn't even sure if what he felt was through a person or if their direction had altered off course or if it was simply his muscles relaxing