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The Crowns SERIES

An Epic Romantic Fantasy by Nicola Tyche

ABOUT THE SERIES

Kingdoms rise. Kingdoms fall. Alliances are formed. And broken. In Nicola Tyche’s epic romantic fantasy series, heavy the head that wears the crown.

The kingdom of Mercia has been at war with the Shadow King and his dark army for ten long years. To escape the seer’s vision of her capture, Mercia’s heir to the throne, Princess Norah Andell, is secreted away by her father to keep her safe. But when he dies in battle, so too dies the knowledge of where she’s hidden. She’s lost to the world—until three years later, when she’s found with no memory of who she is or the kingdom that now rests on her shoulders.

Norah is thrust into a world she doesn’t know, in a role she’s unprepared for, to save a kingdom she doesn’t remember. With limited food and resources to withstand the coming winter and a dark enemy against them, Mercia is on the verge of breaking. As things start to unravel, Norah is drawn down a path of twisted fate—and it could cost her everything.

And Mercia isn’t the only kingdom on the precipice.

The Crowns epic saga weaves a complex political web between realms, between allies and enemies—old and new—where one’s enemy isn’t the only threat to one’s reign. This is a story of love, a story of hate, a story of triumph, and loss. Crowns is the constant struggle between duty and heart, and how much someone is willing to sacrifice for those they love.

CONTENT WARNINGS

Crowns is an adult fantasy series and contains mature themes and content, including: violence and death (primarily in fighting/battle settings), attempted assault, explicit (consensual) intimacy, mild language

A LOOK INTO THE WORLD

ALEON EMPIRE

Consists of four kingdoms: Praetoria, Songs, Eilor, and the capital kingdom of Aleon

Ruler: Phillip, brother to King Gregor of Japheth 

Capital City: Valour

Color: Blue

Sigil or Symbol: Lion surrounded by four stars

JAPHETH

Also includes the kingdom of Hetahl

Ruler: Gregor, brother to King Phillip of Aleon 

Capital City: Valour

Color: Green

Sigil or Symbol: Lion surrounded by six stars

KHARAV

Includes the mountains of Bahoul

Ruler: Mikael Ratha Shal 

Capital City: Ashan

Color: Black

Sigil or Symbol: Sun

MERCIA

Also known as ‘the North’ or ‘the Northern Kingdom’

Ruler: Norah Elizabeth Andell

Capital City: Capital Isle

Color: White

Sigil or Symbol: Winterhawk

OSAN

Ruler: Tagasi Kai

Capital City: Saraka

Color: Red and yellow

Sigil or Symbol: Diagonal line with crowns on either side

PRYAM

Ruler: Monarch Menali Mesal

Capital City: Port-au-Mesal

Color: White, gold, and blue

Sigil or Symbol: Hull

RAEL

Ruler: Cyrus the Usurper

Capital City: Cairn

Color: Red

Sigil or Symbol: Short Sword

Serra

Ruler: Milar Cevain

Capital City: Perthe

Color: Gold

Sigil or Symbol: Tiger

Pronunciation Guide

CHARACTERS & NAMES

  • Abilash: Horseman king (A-bi-lash)

  • Aamon: King Aamon of Mercia: Norah’s father (AY-muhn)

  • Aaron: Mercian guard (AIR-uhn)

  • Aman Arvedi: Sevina’s father (uh-MAHN ahr-VED-ee)

  • Adrian: Alexander’s brother (AY-dree-uhn)

  • Alastair: Mercian council member (al-uh-STAIR)

  • Alexander Rhemus: the Bear; Mercian lord justice (a-luhg-ZAN-dur REEM-us)

  • Alke (AL-kee)

  • Allan: Evangeline’s father (AL-luhn)

  • Amet (Ah-met)

  • Analil: Salara-Mae, Mikael’s mother (an-uh-LEEL)

  • Anderson: Mercian soldier (AND-er-sun)

  • Ando (AHN-doh)

  • Artem: captain of the Kharavian Crest (ar-TEM)

  • Aston: brother of Phillip and Gregor (A-stuhn)

  • Augustan: Calla and Cohen’s father (au-guh-STAN)

  • Austus: first mate of the Norah (AH-stus)

  • Beurnat Rhemus: “Beurnat the Bear”, Adrian and Alexander’s father (byur-NAHT REEM-us)

  • Bhasim: the Kharavian seer of Odepeth (BAH-seem)

  • Bhastian: guard of the Crest (BAS-tee-en)

  • Boshtok: son of Totekah (BAHSH-tahk)

  • Bosley: Mercian noble (BAHZ-lee)

  • Branton: Mercian noble (BRAN-tuhn)

  • Bremhad: Kiran’s father (breh-MAHD)

  • Bullo (BULL-oh)

  • Cade (KAID)

  • Callamine, “Calla”: Cohen’s sister (KA-luh, CA-luh-mine)

  • Caspian Frey: captain of the Mercian guard (KAS-pee-uhn FRAY)

  • Catherine Andell: Norah’s grandmother, queen regent of Mercia (KATH-er-en an-DELL)

  • Cavaatsa: Soren’s dog (ka-VAHT-suh)

  • Charles: Mercian council member (CHAR-lz)

  • Coca Otay: chief of the Uru (KOH-kuh OH-tay)

  • Cohen: Calla’s brother (KOH-en)

  • Cusco: Soren’s dog (KOO-sko)

  • Cyrus: king of Rael (SIE-rus)

  • Daniel: Mercian guard (DAN-yuhl)

  • Dartan: Ismene’s father (dar-TAHN)

  • Edward: Mercian council member (ED-wuhrd)

  • Elias: Mercian council member (eh-LIE-us)

  • Esther: wife of Nemus (ES-ter)

  • Evangeline: Norah’s second cousin (ee-VAN-jeh-leen)

  • Evanya: Norah’s mother (eh-VAHN-yuh)

  • Gregor: king of Japheth: brother of Phillip and Aston (GREG-ohr)

  • Hagen: first king of Mercia (HAH-gehn)

  • Hakah: Horsemen god (HAH-kuh)

  • Hamed: Calla and Cohen’s grandfather  (HAH-mehd)

  • Hammel: Mercian god (HAM-muhl)

  • Henricus: Mercian council member (HEN-rih-kus)

  • Heta: an ex-wife of Mikael’s, daughter of Narsing (HEH-tuh)

  • Horath: high king of the Aleon Empire, Phillip’s father (HOHR-ath)

  • Ismene (iz-MEEN)

  • Jaiah: king of Aviron (JIE-uh)

  • James: Mercian council member (jaymz)

  • Javed: guard of the Crest (JAH-ved)

  • Jeord: prince of Osan (jyord)

  • Jude: Alexander’s servant (JEWD)

  • Katya Sator: captain of the Kharavian army (KAHT-yuh suh-TOHR)

  • Kelos: Mercian god (KEE-lohs)

  • Kiku: white fox of the Wild (KEE-koo)

  • Kiran: guard of the Crest (KEER-an)

  • Lethos: Naavi’s horse of the Wild (LETH-ohs)

  • Liaman: Mercian guard (LEE-uh-mehn)

  • Lucien: Adrian and Alexander’s late brother (LOO-shen)

  • Marta: Calla and Cohen’s grandmother (MAR-tuh)

  • Massey: runs the Mercian castle’s kitchen (MASS-ee)

  • Mathias: King Phillip’s grandfather (muh-THIE-us)

  • Mikael Ratha Shal: the Kharavian king, the Shadow King (mi-KALE RAH-thuh shahl

  • Milar: king of Serra (MIE-lahr)

  • Misa: Calla and Cohen’s mother (MEE-suh)

  • Myral: Mikael’s ex-wife (MIE-ruhl)

  • Naavi: of the Wild, Sana’s sister (NAH-vee)

  • Narsing: a Kharavian noble (NAHR-sing)

  • Nemus: the Mercian traveler seer (NEE-mus)

  • Norah Elizabeth Andell: queen of Mercia, the North Queen (NOHR-uh ee-LIZ-uh-beth an-DELL

  • Orrid: usurped king of Rael (OR-rihd)

  • Phillip: King Phillip of Aleon (FIL-ip)

  • Rasha: Mikael’s ex-wife (RAH-shuh)

  • Rebecca: Mercian maid (re-BEK-uh)

  • Rhalstad Ratha Shal: late salar of Kharav, Mikael’s father (RAHL-stahd RAH-thuh shahl)

  • Salara-Mae: Mikael’s mother (suh-LAH-ruh may)

  • Sana: of the Wild, Naavi’s sister (SAH-nuh)

  • Salta Tau; mastera of the ink; ink mastera (SALT-uh tauw)

  • Samuel: Mercian seer (SAM-yuhl)

  • Savan (SAHV-uhn)

  • Savantahla: the spirit of the wild (SAHV-uhn-TAH-luh)

  • Semaine: Mercian lord (seh-MANE)

  • Sephir: Norah’s mare (seh-FEER)

  • Serene: Norah’s maid, from Mercia (ser-EEN)

  • Sevina Arvedi: Adrian’s wife (seh-VEEN-uh ahr-VED-ee)

  • the Shoen: Horsemen tribe (shone)

  • Sonal: guard of the Crest (so-NAHL)

  • Soren: “the Destroyer”, Kharavian lord commander (SOAR-en)

  • Surat (sur-AHT)

  • Tagasi: king of Osan (tuh-GAH-see)

  • Tahla Otay: of the Urun Horsemen tribe, Chief Coca Otay’s daughter (TAH-luh OH-tay)

  • Theander: Mercian captain of the Norah (THEE-an-dur)

  • Theisen Arvedi Rhemus: Adrian and Sevina’s son (THEE-sen)

  • Titus: Mercian guardsman (TIE-tus)

  • Totekah: chief of the Kartan, father of Boshtok (TOE-teh-kah)

  • Tusten (TUS-ten)

  • Tyrhar Nazim: Soren’s late father, prior captain of the Crest and lord of Bahoul (tihr-AHR nah-ZEEM)

  • Umai: Horsemen goddess (oo-MIE)

  • the Uru (adj. – Urun): the largest of the Horsemen tribes (OO-roo, OO-roon)

  • Vasil: Soren’s training captain (vah-SEEL)

  • Vimal: Mikael’s servant (vih-MAHL)

  • Vitalia: Norah’s maid (vih-TAH-lee-uh)

LOCATIONS & REGIONS

  • Aleon: capital kingdom of the Aleon Empire (AY-lee-on)

  • Ashan: capital city of Kharav (uh-SHAHN)

  • the Atolean Sea (uh-TOEL-ee-uhn)

  • Aviron: kingdom destroyed by Kharav (A-vi-ron)

  • Bahoul: Kharavian stronghold (bah-HOOL)

  • Basrah: in Kharav (BAHZ-ruh)

  • Caan (kahn)

  • Choan: kingdom destroyed by Kharav (chone)

  • Damask: in Mercia (da-MASK)

  • Eilor: the most southern kingdom of the Aleon Empire (EYE-lore)

  • Elam: kingdom (EE-lahm)

  • Etreus: kingdom (EE-tree-us)

  • Hava Lake: in Kharav (HAH-vuh)

  • Hetahl: kingdom absorbed into Japheth (heh-TAHL)

  • Japheth: kingdom (JAH-feth)

  • the Kartan: Horsemen tribe (kahr-TAHN)

  • Kharav; “the Shadowlands” (adj. – Kharavian): kingdom (Ka-RAHV)

  • Kolkar (KOHL-kahr)

  • Lorys: kingdom (LOHR-is)

  • Mercia: “the North” kingdom (mer-SEE-uh)

  • Moray: a Mercian township (MORE-ay)

  • Nestrana: kingdom across the Aged Sea from Kharav (nes-TRAHN-uh)

  • Odepeth: city of the seer in eastern Kharav (OH-deh-peth)

  • Osan: kingdom (OH-sahn)

  • Praetoria: kingdom of Aleon (preh-TOAR-ee-uh)

  • Pryam: kingdom across the Aged Sea from Kharav (PREE-um)

  • Rael (adj. – Raelean): kingdom (RIE-el)

  • Serra: slaver’s kingdom (SEHR-uh)

  • Tarsus (adj. – Tarsen): island kingdom (TAHR-sus, TAHR-sen)

  • Valour: capital city of both the Aleon kingdom and Aleon Empire (va-LURE)

WORDS, TERMS, & PHRASES

  • the Aether: (ETH-er)

  • adda trees: (ADD-uh)

  • alhilat: Kharavian word - false spring (al-hih-LAHT)

  • “Allameade”: Mercian dance (all-uh-MEED)

  • amah: Kharavian word- grandmother: (AH-ma)

  • apah: Kharavian word - grandfather (AH-pa)

  • corian: root (KOHR-ee-uhn)

  • dauo: vegetable (dow)

  • isarium: flower (ih-SAIR-ee-um)

  • judisaept: council room (joo-dih-sept)

  • karo: fish (KAIR-oh)

  • khlavik: mark of salar (KLAH-vik)

  • lacies: a flower (LAY-seez)

  • mastera; ink mastera (mas-TEHR-ra)

  • mortite: rock (MOAR-tite)

  • mortium: mortuary (MOAR-tee-um)

  • oleiden: plant (oh-LIE-den)

  • peoly: sea creature with shell (pee-OH-lee)

  • rhine: flower (rine)

  • salar: Kharavian word - king (sa-LAHR)

  • salara: Kharavian word - queen (sa-LAHR-uh)

  • septimana: measure of time (sep-tih-MAH-nuh)

  • serium: plant (SEER-ee-um)

  • sol: Horsemen word of exclamation (sole)

  • torith: plant (TOAR-ith)

  • tresantha: plant (tres-AN-thuh)

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