The Master of Fotheringale / Fotheringale (ePub)

In the far eastern mountains of Fotheringale, Delva Vale spends her time wandering in the wild as a Far Scout of the Army of Fotheringale. When another scout is murdered by the lackeys of an evil prince, Delva is swept up in the mobilization to meet the threat from the principality to the north. At the same time she is preoccupied by her budding relationship with another scout and distracted by the ongoing psychological illness of her mother, who never recovered from the death of Delva's father in a swordfight in the streets of Galeia, the capital city.

Delva travels to the capital city with her paramour, a scout named Tellen who was the partner of the dead scout, to bring the news of the murder to Faren Kellis, the head of the Ruling Council. They inform him of the last words of the late scout to the arrogant prince - that the 'Master of Fotheringale' would come for him, and Faren, who was given that title by one of his aides, assures Tellen that the death of his partner will be avenged. While in the capital, Delva visits her sister at the Kellis Academy and then visits their mother and sees that she is still suffering the effects of the anguish she has been unable to put behind her. Before leaving, she elicits a commitment from her sister to seek help for their mother and then she and her fellow scouts return to the east.

Upon their return, they learn that soldiers from the north were encountered and defeated in the mountains, and Delva and Tellen are assigned to patrol the shore of the Eastern Sea to watch for spies that might be sent there from the north. Another incursion takes place and Faren Kellis learns that the prince, whose name is Voy, is planning an invasion at a spot on the Eastern Shore that was the location of an earlier invasion of the country during the Thirty Year War.Faren summons the forces of Fotheringale to meet the invaders at the site of the first battle and initiates a plan to seize control of the Principality of Voy.

The formidable power of Fotheringale is brought to bear, and the Prince and his army are defeated. The Prince's nephew,a more honorable man, replaces Voy, and Delva and Tellen return to Galeia and find that Delva's mother has recovered from her desperation with the help of a professor from the academy. Finally, they are able to return to the Eastern Shore with peace of mind and resume their wanderings together.