We never know where life will take us or where it will all end. So all we can do is follow the path we choose for ourselves and stand for the ideals we believe to be. Even if no one remembers our names, no songs will be sung of all we have accomplished. Our legacy lives on through those that come after us, age after age, century after century. But every great legacy has a beginning an end. But also ... rebirth.
It was a day just like any other the morning winds were calm, and animals heard in the background.
"Wake up, del!"
My sister said as she tackled me in my bed, waking me from my comfortable slumber.
"Come on; Father wants you up to help him in the garden"
She said with a very rowdy and playful tone, as it was apparent that bothering me and telling me what to do like a lord to her squire gave her a particular joy
"Tell father to give me till the sun can at least be seen in the sky"
"Ok, but he told me that if you are not up before dawn break, you are doing the pig pens first"
"Alright. Fine."
As I got up from my bed, despite the heavy weight I could still feel over my eyes, I proceeded to splash the water from the iron pot kennel at the end of my room. As I finished putting on my ragged tunic shirt, I then went outside. I took in a breath the morning air was sweet, or at least it would be to a farmer's boy.
"Delias over here..!"
My father was in the back of our potato farm with his hands in the ground pulling potatoes from the ground up; he was a man well along in his years his grey hairs were beginning to become visible, yet he still managed to find the strength to work the farm every day.
"How you and Nialla wake before the sun has touched the sky, I will never know, father." i said
"True, but intern, I will never know how you can sleep till supper HAHA! Now do me a favor shut up and give me a hand will yuh this plants stubborner than a merchant with his gold." he replied
"Alright"
We grabbed the stem with both our bare hands and pulled with all our might, but yet it still did not budge in the slightest, so we pulled again and pop out came the root and stem, and we fell on our asses
"All that trouble for just one measly little potato" he said
"how you do this day after day, father?" I asked
"It's called appreciating life, Delias. So I hope one day you'll learn that this whole farm will one day be yours, yeh know." he replied
"I know, father, but this just... it just doesn't feel like me; I want more; I want honor and glory. I want more than this."
"What more could you want delias it's honest work you have a roof and food"
"I know father, but *sighs* I want to see I more than the life of a farmers boy"
My father looked down. I could see the concern and disapproval on his face. I knew that he was only fearful for my safety; any father would want to keep their child from harm, but I was already a young man, and I guess when your youthful, you want to find your own way
When would you leave? He asked
Four days the latest I said
And there's no changing your mind?
No
sighs* follow me
I followed my father as he led me into the dining room of our tiny home. He then got down and removed a loose wooden plank from the floor to reveal a long object wrapped in black cloth with golden outlines; it appeared to have aged, but even over time, it was still a thing of beauty.
This is an heirloom that's been passed down in our family for generations ever since the first men came to Westeros.
He said as he set the object on the table
My father and his father said that it was a gift
He then removed the top layer of clothing, which revealed a medium-sized sword it's scabbard was black with a dark grey silver lining that decorated the casing. Beside and the design of the hilt was black as well; the creation of the blade emerging from two silver wings; he then unsheathed the sword to reveal what really made the sword special the blade itself was as black as the starless sky; it was thin thinner than the average blade with two edges.
This is a sword that was given to us by a knight of the old age; it's made from dragon glass obsidian and valerian steel; it's far more substantial than average steel, so even if it were to be struck by a mighty hammer, it would not break.
He then handed me the blade, but as he put the sword into my hand, I was humbled as if I could feel the weight of the many stories that this blade could tell if it could speak.
You've kept something like this all this time, and you never sold it, father? this sword must be worth a lords fortune
Don't yeh think I didn't try every blasted merchant I ever came across said that it was just a decorative, but I trust the words of our fathers over a greedy jackal any day.
I inspected the shadow-like blade, and I saw an engraving in it. It must have been a foreign language as I could not recognize the words.
Why are you showing this to me?
Because I'm giving it to yuh, it'll serve yuh a lot better out where yuh going more than staying here collecting dust.
Thank you, father
Yeah, well, since you're so grateful and all, you won't mind doing the pigpen now, will yuh.
He looked at me with a smile and a laugh; my father has always been this way. He had a light and joy for the simple things and drew me in for a hug.
I'm just messing with yuh; I need yuh to-.
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence his playful expression. It was now replaced with one of absolute seriousness and fear.
What is it, father-.
Shush! Be quit
The room was filled with nothing but silence and the slight background of the animals when we both heard the very slightest whisper of horses galloping growing louder ever so slowly as the feeling of dread was laid bare on my father's face, for we both knew who was coming.
Where is your sister? Find her now!
I ran out through the house, calling out my sisters name but to no avail as she was nowhere to be found. In the place, before I could search some more, my father grabbed me.
Listen to me grab the sword and hide. Please do not come out without my Return, do you understand!
Father, let me go with you. I can fight
Your skill with a sword is no better than that of a squire, he said
But what about nailla? She is nowhere to be found ?!
Listen to me!
He grabbed me by my head and brought me close. I could see fear in his eyes as he knew for sure he was about to be sent to where all the dead sleep.
If your sister could not heareth us, that means she is of reasonable distance away she will see the soldiers and know to stay hidden, and you will do the same do you understand!
Yes father
I grabbed the black sword and hid so that I could not be seen through the openings of the wall, but there was a small hole in the crack of one of the walls. Gave me a good view of the front yard while the men in armor rode on their stallions. And stopped at the front lawn of our tiny home in front of my father.
Hail good sirs, what brings you here to these lands
Five soldiers had arrived with their horses; their armor had golden lion designed on the shoulders
Keeping the king's peace, there have been reports of bandits roaming around these lands
He said with a simple tone, yet it was easy to detect the malice behind his words and the greed and darkness in his eyes. They were the eyes of a killer of a man with no shred of honor in his heart
Really now I haven't seen or heard of no bandits they must have come recently
My father replied, yet I could see from my small view and feel in my gut that my father knew exactly what these men had come for. I could see him walking ever so casually and obviously as he made his way to be closer to the pitchfork that was embedded in the pile of hay that was close by, trying not to give off his intention to the soldier
The soldier had dismounted from his horse and approached my father until he was directly facing my father. Lucky he was already close enough to pitchfork to grab it at a moments notice
Yes, they have, and yuh know to handle, and chasing criminals are tiresome work, surely you wouldn't mind contributing to the guard to help us with our duty
And how might I per se contribute
Well, we could use some meat, maybe some pigs, a cow or two sounds reasonable, don't yuh think.
He said as he gave my father an evil look as if they were enjoying playing with my father, knowing that he could quickly kill an older man and not even care the following day.
Well...
My father gave a sigh and pretended that he felt terrible for what he was about to say, but it was clear that he was faking, and the soldier didn't seem to be fooled one bit.
Now that's going to be a problem; see, I only have 4 pigs and five cows, and I honestly don't feel like parting with them. Surely I'll eventually eat them, but I enjoy their company till that fateful day. Call me sentimental
He smiled and chuckled as if he was enjoying denying these men and tell them off. However, his regretful demeanor had shifted to that of a mocking one.
Or I could kill you and take all your pigs and stock anyway
His sword now drawn and firmly in his grasp, he was enjoying himself in the position of power as he was eager to kill the man in front of him and take everything he owned when there was a slight scuffle sound that came from one of the nearby bushes
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