Day of Rebirth

4 months ago, Mhoried

“All I need is an opening, one and only opening to reach him, cursed that spear of his!” Kristopher’s thrusts were ferocious keeping him constantly out of range of his sword.

“An opening Kristopher, give me half of an opening”

“What are you murmuring there Tristan? Did you grow old?!”

They were dueling for almost ten minutes. Judging from their sweat, the end was not far. Kristopher’s next thrust met again Tristan’s shield but this time the wood fell to pieces. Half of the spearhead broke through, but only the half.

“It’s stuck” In a moment the knight’s blunt sword was on Kristopher’s head.

“Hm...The winner is Lord Kristopher!”

“But Stewart..! Are you blind?”

“I am sorry Sir Tristan, but in a real fight facing Lord Kristopher’s spear after that thrust you would have been handless, at least, I dare say”

The knight smiled. He was always enjoying their sparring. In his eyes it was the only moment that Kristopher was his old companion, plain and simple!

“My Lords, may I have your attention?”

They both looked to meet the bearer of the voice.

“Your Grace!” they replied almost simultaneously

“Please walk with me.

...................................................................................................................................................................

“Marlae Roesoene; Lord Tristan, do you know that name?”

“Hardly your grace. It has been many years since I heard it”

“Is she the baroness of Roesoene? And she rules all by himself, without a husband? And moreover, she stands alone against Tael and Kalien?”

“As far as I knew, yes my Queen”

“I want to meet her, and I want no arguments! For now I will send Jonathan to make the first contact and later I will go by myself and the best part is that I will also take along your wife! That’s the end of the conversation!” She smiled.

He sighed. He knew that Ondine was not a child anymore, she was a ruler.

“Only a question your grace if I am allowed. How did you learn about the current status of Roesoene?”

“A friend wrote me a letter! The same friend that gave me the information you asked.  Prepare for your journey my lords! Our hope depends on it!”

1 Month ago, Elinie

Every time Kristopher was on watch in the wilderness, each time he was recollecting his life in the palace of Seaharrow, his life as Arch-duke. The night was cold but the campfire was out of question, it was Tristan’s “decree”, “no night fire camps, it attracts unwanted attention”, like it was that Kristopher did not ask for some, it would break the boredom of his watch now that his two friends and companions were sleeping in their blankets, snoring lightly.

“Again out on the road, I am not that young anymore” He smiled as their past adventures crossed his mind.

He stood up to take the numbness out of his legs. A cloaked figure was staring at him, a figure of an old man standing on his walking staff.

He immediately grabbed his spear, but he didn’t wake up the others, something was telling him that this man was no threat.

“Who are you? Are you lost old man?”

The old man said nothing. He stood frozen, like a statue made of stone.

Kristopher made a couple of steps towards him. He couldn’t see his face, only his eyes. They were white, the eyes of a blind man.

“Do I know you old man? Have we met before?” moving even closer to have a better look at the man, he had seen some weirdness, a blind man was not such, he thought.

The old man suddenly fell on his knees making a big effort. Tears were already rolling down his cheeks, joy was painted in his face.

“How was I so blind? Forgive me Father” .His deep voice was crumbling under his tears. “Only Aedan saw it through, only him”. “Stand up old man, are you ok? You are making some mistake here.”

“I made a terrible one, years ago, I was lost in my blindness and I could not see “His” light?” He slowly stood up and stared at Kristopher eyes. The tears were flooding the old man’s visage.

“Now I may rest in peace, Praised be the Great Father, I was not worthy of such an honor”

Turning his back he started to walk towards the forest, he came from, as dawn was breaking in, Kristopher could see riders waiting some yards away. I must have not been paying that much attention to watch, he though, that man had company. He watched them ride towards the west, getting lost in the vast plains of the Elinien horse lords.

“Kristopher, is everything all right?” yawing and spreading his arms called Tristan, clearly waking up. “Yes Tristan, everything is ok”, with his eyes secured towards the west watching the company of men vanish in the horizon, the thought crossed his mind, and he spoke it loud out. “Did we have ever met a blind man of the faith, Tristan?”
Belladaene let out a louder snore, making them both turn to their side.

Day of Rebirth, 1579 H.C.

“For the sake of Haelyn’s name Belladaene! Just this once listen to what I am trying to tell you!” The knight’s face was red, full of tension. “We are almost there and this time you MUST be serious, especially with the women, do you hear me?”

“Tristan, get off my back? I am not one of your knights; I am a grown man, should you know!” said the man, he was enjoying this! He always did! “He learned to enjoy every moment of his life, every day, he knew could be his last”, that is why he left the halls of Boeruine.

“After all, the women more or less are everywhere of the same sort..! Blinking his eye, he gave out a hearty smile towards his first although he knew that the knight commander has no such sense of humor, one the other hand he was really enjoying this!

Many years ago, when they first met, he wanted to duel him, to make him take back his arrogant words “Boeruine himself betrayed the last Emperor”. What a fool. To speak such insolence, inside the palace of Seaharrow, in the presence of the court of nobles, it was his duty to stand up, maybe better, his chance, he was after all a third son, he couldn’t expect any better chance than that. Belladaene was sure that the Knight’s stubbornness had not budged a bit! He was sure that even now, even after all these years that they had fought side by side, Tristan wouldn’t take back his words, that duel though seemed so distant. They came so close friends, comrades in arms, they were both “serving” the same man. Their trust was forged by the countless times they fought side by side, back to back. “How did I end up caring for her*? We are so much different, me and him, like black and white” that thought troubled his mind so much, it was so hard to keep such an emotion buried deep inside. He was never sure if Tristan never caught a glimpse of an eye to eye contact, or his affection for her, or maybe her “trust” in him. He tried to clear his mind, these thoughts were befuddling him.

“Belladaene, this is not a game.” The knight commander has had a hard time to keep his voice down.

“Come on Belladaene, you know that I mostly disagree with Tristan, but in this case I cannot deny that has a point” pointed out Kristopher from the lead.

“In some years from now you will take chastity vows and start growing wine, Kristopher, life is full of joys and pleasures, what is wrong with..; The Boeruinean “black sheep” turn abruptly his face towards the left side of the group of three; this bundle of stones over there, they seem quite odd, and they have grown hair…..???

“These are no stones idiot! These are Dwarves! We have finally made it! Belladaene was confused, his mind cleared of all though and he was now focused on the stout but sturdy rock like creature.

*this mentions the affection Belladaene nurture(s)d on Lady Elsa Stoutheart during the time he and she had on their arrival to Mhoried after a six month climb down the Eastern side of the Five Peaks.

by George Kanellopoulos.