The Kingdom of Zabaria on the Northern Plain, 4749; Cloister of the Holy Goddess, 4750; the Kingdom of Hebrun, 4760

Darius is the second-born son of King Isham of Zabaria. He is a handsome warrior with his own battalion. He is also an artist and ladies’ man. At sixteen, he is successful, prosperous, and well-liked by his men. He and his close friends, Barris, Maxim, Karolys, and Patrus, all earned their spurs when they were only thirteen. He thought that his life was set, that he would serve his father, protect his home, and give praise to the Goddess through his joy of living and helping others. But, a month before his seventeenth birthday, his world collapses around him.

In the hierarchy of politics, younger males of the kings’ families, in order to avoid threats of succession to the throne, are sent to cloisters to become devotees of the Goddess. The second-born becomes Highman, the highest clerical position and spiritual leader of the kingdom. Such is the fate for Darius. If he does not enter the cloister, he will be charged with treason and executed. Darius’s older brother, Crown Prince Elweir, an unpleasant sluggard, has known all along what would happen to Darius. He has his eyes on certain properties Darius owns, but by giving everything that is his to his friends, Darius thwarts his brother. It is a small victory. When he does enter the cloister, Darius is beaten and starved. Only then does he take vows and sign the papers making him a devotee, effectively killing his soul.

In the wonderful kingdom of Hebrun, women and men work together. The oldest child of the monarch, regardless of gender, becomes the next ruler. Crown Princess Roxana and her younger brother, Pavlek, work well together. They both have their spurs, and Pavlek enjoys a lovely camaraderie with his sister that benefits them both. Their people serve the Goddess with songs, dance, and art. All of their clerics, including the Maieurs, are encouraged to have families of their own. When Roxana and Pavlek are young, the Goddess herself appears to them in a vision and leaves both of them with a golden streak in their dark hair.

Darius’s younger brothers, Phanis and Volney, follow Darius into the cloister…Phanis, sanctimonious little prig that he is, comes willingly. Volney, like Darius, is most unwilling. Volney is deeply disturbed when he sees Darius. Darius has grown to be seven feet tall, but all the spirit has been beaten out of him.

Ten years after his encloistering, Darius is going on a pilgrimage to a holy shrine to bathe in the waters there. The shrine is on Hebrun land, but the road to it is open to all. The Hart battalion, with is commanded by Roxana, is supposed to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. When the pilgrims are attacked, she and her warriors arrive too late to save all of them. When Roxana bends down to the tall, gaunt devotee in a filthy habit that she saw hit one of the brigands, she hears him ask her in a whisper to let everyone think he is dead.

Darius is granted asylum, and as he regains his strength and health, he and Roxana fall in love. But, no matter the fact that he was coerced into making his vow of celibacy, by honor, Darius knows he is still bound by it, so what good does the much longed for freedom do him?

So much happens in this elegantly-told, heartstring-tugging story. Different cultures, same Goddess, different ways of worship, and many characters are expertly meshed together in a vibrant weave. THE PRINCESS AND THE PROMISE made me cry, and I wanted to reach through the monitor and kill Elweir myself for his cruelties to Darius. Elise Dee Beraru captures emotions on an extremely high level. If I could give it higher than a 10, I would. You simply must get THE PRINCESS AND THE PROMISE. The next book in the series can’t come soon enough for me.

Vi Janaway