A Warrior's Journey (11 page)

The governor’s face had turned pale and
sickly in complexion and his breathing had grown shallow and
fast.

“Captain Ona.”

“Yes sir!” Responded the captain with the
same color, as the governor’s patron city on his uniform.

“Take the governor to the edge of the camp
and give him a traitor’s reward.”

“Yes Sir! It will be my pleasure to
Sir!”

As the governor was dragged off into the
semi darkness that fell just after sundown I couldn’t but feel the
betrayal against father had to go deeper than just one
governor.

Roric looked away from the governor being
dragged away to the group of men breaking up all around him. There
were other traitors, perhaps not here, but elsewhere for sure. They
would go to ground for a while and bide their time before they
struck out against him again.

He would have to watch his back just as he
had always done. His eyes fell on his son Zevin. He admired what he
saw for a moment. He may have lost ground with one son on this
campaign, but he had seen another of his sons mature into a
man.

Zevin stood there with a confidence of ease
that he hadn’t had before. His old sword handles sticking above his
son’s shoulders looked so natural there already that they had
already become his son’s in a way they had once only been his.
Zevin wasn’t as heavy of build as his brother’s were, but he made
up for it with a quickness of agility that Roric doubted, if even
he could match anymore.

What was best of all was how completely he
had seemed to have given himself over to the Creator’s will for his
life. Roric’s eyes touched the long scar that ran down the side of
his son’s jaw. He knew it bothered his son greatly and he could
guess as to why too.

What his son didn’t know was that the girls
would go crazy over him now. He hoped not though, in fact he prayed
that none of them would notice his son. He wanted the best for his
son. He didn’t want him falling for the first girl that showed
interest in him that is unless she was the right one.

His son was a one woman kind of man just
like he was and that required someone extra special to share such a
commitment with and he hadn’t seen any such girls around the castle
that he thought right for his son. It was a sad thing to have to
admit of his own people.

There were plenty of pretty girls, but few
that combined faithfulness in with what they valued. They weren’t
bad girls they just wanted to experience life before settling down
and in most cases their parents hadn’t taught them better or
witnessed anything better to them.

His son was too serious though for an easy
kind of relationship like that. He needed stronger commitment that
could withstand the swirl of stronger emotions, because as quiet as
he was, Zevin was a man of intense emotion.

It was a steady prayer on his part on behalf
of his son for the girl out there, who would one day be he his
son’s other half. Roric prayed for her safety, for her character,
and that she would have a caring heart that his son would one day
be able to trust in securely. Until his son met that girl he hoped
the other girls never gave Zevin so much as a passing look of
interest, even though they would be crazy not to.

“Zevin take a walk with me.”

I blinked at father unsure as to what to
expect from our little walk. He had been staring at me
contemplatively now for several moments. I followed along beside
him, as he walked out through the campfires.

“Zevin I’m curious on what your take is on
the situation faced by our people.”

What situation?

Was he referring to the governor’s betrayal
and perhaps others? People just didn’t seem to be who they should
be any more.

“As long as the Zoarinians exist and believe
as they do there will always be enmity between us, especially now
that we destroyed Rauel. But if we hadn’t attacked then the new
cult would have stirred them up against us anyway. Conflict seems
inevitable, but worst of all….”

My voice trailed off unsure of what I had
thought to say being the right thing.

“Worst of all?” Father asked prompting me to
finish my thought.

“I don’t think our people are the same, as
when you led them to victory the first time. They seem weaker to
new ideas from what I can see by the opposition that they raise
against you. They don’t want war, but war is inevitable unless our
people give up their beliefs, which seems at least some are willing
to do.”

Father stopped and brought an arm around my
shoulders and pulled me closer to his side, “When did you get so
smart?”

“Must have been who combined together to
make me.”

He chuckled and nodded, but then his face
grew serious.

“You point out the problem well Zevin. The
problem isn’t with the preparedness of our armies, but rather with
our people’s hearts. We’re not fighting an invading force this time
so much as an idea. Ideas are powerful things Zevin. How do you
think we should best fight this new idea that tantalizes the minds
and ambitions of the men and women, who fall prey to its
wiles?”

“With another idea perhaps?”

His arm squeezed across the top of my
shoulders, “Front of the class son. I think that is exactly what we
will do.”

“But we have nothing new in terms of ideas,
just what we’ve always had to work with.” I responded trying to
feel out what he had in mind.

He smiled at me mysteriously, “I’ve enjoyed
our walk Zevin, but I’ve kept you from your rest for far too long
already.”

Father left me then and I couldn’t but help
wonder what he had up his sleeve.

I stared out over the valley of my homeland.
It was good to be back. We had received a hero’s welcome, when we
had returned, but things were different somehow. It had been good
to see Gavin, Mother and even my sisters again, but I was a
different person than when I had left.

I was even more alone now then when I had
left, because of that perceived difference. Talaric hated me of
that I was sure. Father had been distant from everyone since our
return. He was working on something. He would disappear for long
periods at a time.

Every time I showed my face in public I felt
like I was some kind of bug being held up to the light to be
inspected. Talaric took every opportunity he could to make fun of
me or get back at me for what he saw as a usurpation of father’s
attention. It was getting so that I almost wished I was somewhere
else instead of at Thunder Ridge.

Storm clouds were moving in and I could see
lightning in the distance. It was a fitting backdrop for how I felt
right now.

“My! My! Don’t you look down in the
dumps!”

Startled I looked up to see mother making
her way into my lofty perch overlooking the castle and the valley
below.

“I thought I was the only one who knew about
this place.” I said.

“Oh no your father’s brought me here several
times. Just to enjoy the view of course.”

I gave her a quick look not believing her
for a moment and she confirmed it by giving me a suggestive
wink.

I couldn’t help the burst of laughter that
escaped out of me and I looked away shaking my head. It was no
secret to anyone within the castle of my parent’s passionately
amorous affections for each other.

“My how you’ve changed! It wasn’t that long
ago that you would have reacted with a resounding, ‘Eww gross! I’m
never coming back here again!’”

She had me there. She sat down next to me on
my bad side. I usually kept my hair long and I had recently taken
to letting it spill over the side of my face that I had the scar
on.

I felt her pull the hair back and tuck it
behind my ear with a finger. Her lips kissed the rough still
enflamed ridge of the scar gently.

“You my son are one handsome young man. You
have nothing that you need to hide Zevin Ta’lont from anyone.”

I turned to look at her and gazed into her
face, which carried its own scars. I had always thought of her as
beautiful, scars and all. I could tell that she was sincere about
what she had said, but then she was my mother.

“You’re so like your father. You doubt
yourself too much. You’ve convinced yourself that you’re all alone
and that no one will ever care for you as passionately as you want
to care about a special someone. The reality Zevin is that men like
you and your father make the best friends, husbands, and lovers a
girl could ever ask for!”

My face red I started to stand up. I was not
having this conversation with my own mother!

Before I could rise to my feet her hand was
pulling down on my arm. I could have broken her hold on me, but it
wasn’t in me to be so disrespectful to her. I settled back down
reluctantly resigned to my fate of being embarrassed.

“Zevin, do you know women and men are quite
different.”

No kidding mother, I thought to myself.

I was rewarded by a slap to the back of my
head for my derogatory thought that I must have revealed
somehow.

“I was referring to the way they think and
express themselves, silly boy.” She stated pointedly.

“Women want to be loved and cared for. They
seek the comfort and security that a man can offer and not
necessarily his passion, which can scare them. They like smooth
words and adoring attention that makes them feel pretty, feminine
and highly sought after. A lot of men know that and exploit those
needs of a woman to get what they want, a passionate no strings
attached physical release. The woman’s concepts of love and self
worth are brought into question, when she’s left alone and less
respected than she was before. The man is not content in what he
has achieved and moves on to his next conquest ever seeking
something better. You know who loses out in this scenario Zevin?
They both do. The man misses out on the benefits of a lasting
relationship, which could have fed his continual need for respect
and the woman wounded by the pursuit of love grows bitter and often
settles for less or values herself as less and thus achieves and
experiences less in life. Don’t be envious of the crowd around you
Zevin that you see enjoying themselves and hurting each other in
this vicious cycle! You and your father aren’t like that. You’re
both blessed with noble traits such as caring natures, protective
instincts, and self control over your desires. Many men will often
mistake the way you are as being weak, but the truth Zevin is that
you are far stronger than them, because you are a master of
yourself and do not allow yourself to be controlled by your lusts,
as many men do. Other men will often be jealous of the finer
elements of which you are made of and revile you for your
restraint, but in time like your father they will respect you above
all others, because you exemplify strength and are a leader by
example. Credibility is essential to leadership and you must guard
yourself against ever losing it Zevin. Now the side of you that
most will never see is that highly controlled men such as you are
seething pots of passion, simply waiting to explode when given the
right opportunity. More specifically when you feel it’s safe to
express yourself and lay yourself bare before someone you love and
trust is when you explode and it can be intense for any girl to
even attempt to handle. It really can’t be handled and as I said it
can be scary to be around, but if she’s smart she’ll embrace your
passion and encourage you to show her more. Her willingness to
except you as you are, and how few rarely see you, will unlock all
of your caring nature and she will be showered with all she needs
to feel loved and adored. When you unlock each other like that it
only gets better with time, as you grow emotionally and even
spiritually closer together. There’s a girl out there somewhere
Zevin, who will recognize the many gifts that you have built up
inside of you and freely step into the fire of your passionate need
to love and be respected in return by likely the only person, whose
respect you’ll ever care about achieving. Look at how it turned out
for me and your father. That passion of love and commitment will be
yours one day, I’m sure of it!”

My gaze tracked the flight of a butterfly as
it journeyed from flower to flower, “It feels more like torment to
be the way that I am right now than it does the privilege that you
make it sound like.”

“Yes, Zevin it can be a living torment and
if you let it, it can turn you bitter. But I encourage you to hold
on for something worth waiting for and have faith! God will provide
what you need, you’ll see that if you stay faithful to the plan He
has for you. Trust me Zevin it’s worth the wait! And this.” Her
fingers traced the length of the scar on my jaw bone, “Is not a
problem, I assure you! Display it proudly my son, because it’s a
part of who you are now, and there is no shame in it only
honor!”

I nodded.

I loved my mother! She always had a way of
communicating with me and getting through my shell to help me with
the issues I was dealing with, even the hard ones. She brought my
face around to look at her again, “I’ll make you a deal son. If you
haven’t found your dream girl by your twenty second birthday, you
have my blessing to go buy yourself a pretty sex slave.”

My mouth fell open as I stared at her
speechless.

She couldn’t be serious!

I saw the corners of her mouth start to
crack into a smile as merriment took over in her eyes, “It worked
for your father didn’t it?”

I shook my head, boy she’d gotten me this
time! She leaned against me now laughing so hard, tears were
running down her cheeks.

She wiped the tears away and got to her
feet, “I’ll leave you now to resume your moody brooding.”

She had started away, when I said,
“Mother.”

She turned back to me, “Your wrong about
something.”