The Chronicles Of The Council #1: The Sun's Tears

Chapter 22: Aebbé - Dedication

"I have never thought of it like that. If you had a choice, which career would you have pursued?"

He looks at me intently: "No one has ever asked me that question. I do not know. Maybe a healer or a teacher, but definitely not a royal advisor or appointed leader. They are all talk and afraid of doing anything. I have also found them to be hypocrites."

"I have found that to be true. So you like action and not passivity?"

"I have no other choice there. It is just who I am. I have never been able to sit still and not do everything within my capability to change the world around me for the better."

"It does not sound if you have many choices then," I say mockingly, but underneath I know I am serious as I ask the question.

"I was denied one choice in my life, and now I do not have nearly enough choices," he says resentfully.

I don't pry, but I am dying to know what in all of Ardam that choice was. I take a peek at his hands: No rings, thus not a marriage. A title? But he doesn't seem to care for titles. No, it has to be something that I would never be able to guess. What event or decision could take away all your choices? War? Death for sure? Life?

"The day after I arrived, you told me it does not matter who your family is and where you come from, but that clearly shows it is important. I deduced that you come from a very important family and are either too ashamed to be associated with them, or you want to make your own name."

I cannot help my inquisitive statements. Lord Caith really is mysterious and curiosity might be my fatal flaw - curiosity and the disability to say 'no'.

He ignores me and shouts: "Swords."

At his command, the men and elves draw their swords and start to practice again.

That signals the end of this line of our conversation.

"How much do you know about swords, other than that they shatter if they are rusted and you try to behead a tree?"

I grin. He is sharper than the piece of blade that cut me yesterday.

"My father taught me a few things."

He walks to a corner and picks up two swords. He throws one to me. I catch it perfectly at the hilt.

"You are too discreet with your talents."

"Modesty is one of the most important characteristics of a maiden," I say mockingly.

"Well, fair maiden, show me what you can do with a blade."

He swings his blade at me. I block it. He strikes again. I block again.

"Your father did a good job."

"He gave me lessons regularly. He believed that I was as worthy as my brothers and that it is my duty to protect his realm and my people. He fought all his life to unite all the humans under one king. He even thought that he would be blessed with three sons and not two. He named me 'Strong Bear.'"

"I once met your lord father. He was a better man than most. His intentions started out pure."

"When did you meet him?"

"At one minor feast or the other. I cannot recall. I was still very young."

It is strange that he cannot recall when he met my father. I would think that meeting a king as legendary as my father would leave a big impression in anyone's memory. Maybe he just doesn't want to tell me. Because it would give me a hint to his ancestry. Which of course, means that I am right about him being of noble blood.