Prince Jurian ir’Wynarn, Queen Aurala’s second son, hasn’t spoken face to face with his mother in almost two years.
Shortly after signing the Treaty of Thronehold, the queen issued a decree banning sword duels over matters of honor; “The crown cannot bear to see Aundairian steel shedding Aundairian blood,” the decree read.
No sooner was the ink dry on the decree parchment than Prince Jurian found himself the winner of an honor duel over a woman—and his lordly foe was dead. Jurian immediately fled Aundair, choosing exile over the embarrassment of forcing his mother’s hand.
In theory, Aundairian agents are supposed to be pursuing Jurian, but now he lives the life of a wealthy playboy-in-exile. The Aundairian wine he’s fond of has dulled neither his wits nor his reflexes, and some suspect that the prince is doing more than socializing as he moves from noble manor to dragonmarked villa across the Five Nations. Jurian served a stint in the Aundairian military and had the finest fencing instructors the royal court could provide, so his victory in his last duel was no accident.
Currently, Jurian enjoys the hospitality of the court of Lord Ruken ir’Clarn in Wroat. He sends coded messages to his mother on a regular basis; few outside Aurala’s inner circle know that her wayward son is actually one of her top agents in the Royal Eyes.