"If you can't depend on your Lance you can't depend on anyone." Lord Roan's last words at the Battle of White Field. Himdales Saga.
Prologue
A New Beginning
A story taken from the early writing of the great mage Rupert Longtree were he puts aside the concerns of a boy and takes up the responsibilities of a man. Gaps in his early writings are filled from historical sources, and other writers' works.
Normally I liked mornings, the new day's sun shining in through the cracks around shutters, the smells from the kitchen promising breakfast, and songs from the winter birds at the feeder in the courtyard below my childhood room. But today was different, very different. The sounds, smells, and light assaulted my body as if seeking vengeance for some unknown wrong.
Some fool had left the shutters open, letting the cold winter air and the hateful sun in fully. A dam redbird had chosen the windowsill as the perfect place to serenade the world. The cooks must have hit upon a recipe perfectly designed to tie my stomach in knots just from its smell. So this was what a hangover was like! I promised my body I would never offend it in such a manner again. Just because one is old enough to drink now does not mean one should. Especially in the quantities I was encouraged to imbibe in last night. Dam friends, hope they had New Years hangovers too.
You see in the Empire everyone counts Midwinter's Eve as his or her birthday. I do not know who came up with this idea. It is said to have been an ancient tradition from before the Empire was founded. So now on Midwinter's Day, at the end of the Winter Festival, I am eighteen years old and considered a man. With adulthood comes all kinds of new opportunities. Including some that that I had not yet considered. Like drinking something stronger then watered ale.
Say were are my clothes? Why am I so tangled in these sheets? With those thoughts the door opened and Hildebrand came in.
"Thendra's tits, what are you doing coming in here? Damit…"
"Well lazy boy this is my room. Or don't you recall? You did have much more to drink then was needful." Hands on hips now, lips formed into that sweet pout that I had noticed last night. At least I remembered her face and name. "You have missed breakfast. Are you doing to miss the Choosing too? At the very least you will be late. Do you not know they lock the doors silly boy? If you do…"
"The Choosing? Dam what time is it? Were are my pants?" I struggled with the bedclothes but they seemed to have a mind of their own as I tried to keep myself covered and disentangle myself at the same time.
With some help from Hildebrand I was able to quickly dress and make it to the Great Hall. She seemed well acquainted with buttoning a man's shirt. What did not help was her big smile the whole time. "You know you blush very sweetly. Here let me button your collar." Thankfully she had thought to bring some soda bread in her apron pocket. Which greatly helped settle my stomach, but did little for my nerves.
The estate's Great Hall was mercifully right next to the kitchen over which Hildebrand had her room. Unfortunately I had to pass though the kitchen to get to the courtyard entrance of the hall. I did my best to ignore the snickers of the cooks and servants as I came down the servants' stairs. Such people and their comments were beneath my notice. "Run now, you are already late." Dam girl, calling from the window will just get me more notice that I can ill afford.
I swallowed the last of the soda bread as I ran for the doors to the Great Hall. Thankfully they were still open. At the doors two older guardsmen in polished armor with ceremonial plumes on their helms turned their stern faces toward me and motioned me to enter. Whether their scowls were from the girl's hollering or for my lateness did not matter. Any attention was unwanted at the moment. I must have been the last expected as they closed the doors behind me with a thump. As I stepped inside I heard the sound of a bolt being slid into place by the guards who remained outside.