The Sword

The Sowrd

       Rhea Breccan always knew she would do great things. Ever since she could remember,
her grandmother Ruth told her vivid tales of her heroic mother Rowena. Rhea never got to meet
her mother, because when she was a year old both her mother and father went to war with the
Ridges, the greatest enemy of the Breccan’s.
     “If my mother was so heroic, why was she killed by the king?” Rhea questioned. She had
always wondered this, but now that she was of age she needed to know before she took the
throne in four weeks time.
     “Every great ruler’s time comes. Sadly, your mother’s was sooner than she had
expected.” Her grandmother answered. Deep down she knew that Rhea would only be queen for
a short time, but she didn’t want to burden her dearest and only granddaughter with that
knowledge.
     “What if my time is even sooner?” Rhea responded. While she knew she’d do great
things, she always had a gut feeling that those great things would end in her death.
    “Dear, that isn’t something you need to worry about right now. Enjoy your last few
remaining weeks as a princess, then we will discuss what will be expected of you as queen.”
Ruth suggested. She knew she was going to find out about her true fate, but Ruth always hoped
she could avoid the tragic end of her short-lived life.
    “Princess Rhea, your father requests your presence in the throne room.” A servant
woman announced.
    “Okay, tell him I’ll be there as soon as I’m fitted for my gown.” She responded
breathlessly as her dressing maid cinched up her corset to the gown. When she was finally fitted
in the black and gold gown, she hurriedly changed into her riding clothes and began the long
journey to the grand throne room.
    “Father, I was told you wanted to speak to me.” Rhea stated as she walked through the
large oak doors.
    “Yes dear, there is something I must tell you before you go to your riding lessons for the
afternoon.” He responded, his voice echoing through the large but almost empty room. “You
remember your mother’s sword, correct?” He began.
    “Yes I do, it’s the one in the great hall.” She responded.
    “The tradition of passing this sword down has been going on for many generations, and it
is finally time for you to be given it.” Her father continued. He approached the doors that opened
to the great hall.
     “I will be presenting it in your mother’s place at your coronation.”
    Rhea’s eyes began to well up with tears. “I miss her so much.” She then turned and began
walking towards the doors, but her father’s booming voice stopped her.
    “I do too, Rhea. I do too.” He replied, his voice dripping with sorrow.
    Finally Rhea left the hall to go to her riding lessons. She had always had a love for the horses. However, when her grandmother first saw the visions of Rhea’s future, she forbade her from
going to the stables. Rhea, being the rebellious princess she was, continued to go see her favorite
gelding. She had him since he was a colt. When Ruth found out about her mischievous
granddaughter’s adventures that occurred when the castle was in dead silence and you could only
see with the dim light of an oil lamp, she was panicked. Fear of the visions that have plagued her
since she learned of Rowena’s pregnancy.
    “Rhea dear, please be careful on that gelding of yours, I don’t need you getting hurt out
there.” Her grandmother called out to her as she hurried past her.
    “Okay grandmother, I will, but I’m going to be late for my lessons if I don’t get out
there.” Rhea called back. She wanted to get out there before the stable boy had a chance to
saddle Habiba.
    “Princess Rhea, I can do that.” Baron stated as Rhea lifted the saddle.
    “No, Baron, it’s fine. I love doing this myself.” Rhea replied. Baron pretended to be
annoyed that she never let him do his job, but secretly he loved it. The independence that Rhea
showed always baffled him. He never understood why she was so different from the other royals
he has worked for.
    Finally, she mounted her horse and was gone in the blink of an eye. She was free from
her duties as a princess for the time being. At least until she made it to the arena for her lessons.
She was training in archery on horseback, one of the many requirements of being the ruler of this
kingdom in the near future. Her grandmother however, tried everything to prevent her from
taking these lessons. The more she did the more her grandmother saw her untimely death.
    “Hello Rhea, ready to begin?” questioned Joana her riding instructor.
    “Do I have a choice?” Rhea sassed back, knowing all to well the outcome of her attitude
would bring.
    “Rhea don’t start with me. Just because you’re the princess, does not mean you can
disrespect those who are preparing you for your role as queen.” Joana snapped back.
    “Now I want you to make twelve full laps at a gallop for warm-up.”

Time Skip

    As she walked down the great hall in her gown she thought of what her mother would look like.
Would she be proud of her? Would she want her to become queen?
    “Princess Rhea Blaine Breccan, do you vow to rule this kingdom respectfully.” the priest
asked.
    “I do.” she responded.Was this what she really wanted?
    “In that case I announce you the new Queen of Renham.” he stated.
    She let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. Was she prepared to do what had to be
done? The one thing she knew she would have to do in order to help her people. She would have
to go to war once again with the Ridges.
    “Rhea dear, now that you are queen I must present you the sword that your mother
carried to war with her.” her father began as he walked towards his daughter.
    Tears fell onto her gown as she looked down, too afraid to look her father in the eye at
that moment. “Oh I don’t want to accept that.” she mumbled.
    “Dear you need to take the sword, it’s tradition.” he argued, not wanting to draw attention
to them.
    “I don’t want it. I don’t care about the tradition, this sword is why my mother died and I
don’t want the same fate.” she responded, her voice became slightly louder with each word.
    “Rhea there will be no discussion about this. You will accept this sword, and you will
rule this kingdom.” Her father growled.
    She kept calm long enough for the ceremony to end, before she stormed out of the hall and
straight to her room. As she changed out of her gown the was a knock on her door.
“Go away, I’m too busy to deal with anything else.” She shouted towards the locked
door.
    “Rhea, please let me in. It’s your grandmother.” Ruth replied.
    Finally Rhea unlocked the door and her grandmother walked in.
    She locked the door behind her and sat down on the bed. “Rhea, why don’t you want your mother’s sword?” She questioned. As a child Rhea always wanted to play with the great sword.
    “Its just I don’t want to have the same fate as my mother.” She explained.
    “Dear, we all have fates that we don’t want to face, but if it’s meant to be it will happen.” she reasoned.
    “Do you know something that I don’t?”
    “Well, yes kind of, but I shouldn’t tell you.”
    “Please just tell me.” Rhea begged.
    “Fine, after you are announced as queen, the Ridges will try to attack the castle, because
they believe you are not fit to rule. When they storm the castle, you will prepare the troops for
battle, and you will remove the head of the ruler of the Ridge family. Whilst you kill the king,
someone from our kingdom will betray the throne, and they will kill you.” Ruth explained. The
dread she felt when she told her was hard to miss.
    Now that Rhea knew her fate; she prepared for the task ahead of her.