Note to reader: Jaguá is a small town in Du Weldenvarden, just South-West of Osilon. It is very small and unknown to most, which is why it is not on most maps of Alagaesia. Also, Öru is pronounced Ore-roo.
Son of a Rider
The flame dwindled in a large wooden fireplace, as the final log began its transition to charcoal. The subtle change in temperature awoke the young man named Öru, who lay absorbing the fires warm heat in his cozy armchair. He looked up at the brown, varnished wood, which made up the fireplace in front of him, and his eyes wandered straight to the strange insignia in its middle. It displayed a large oval, which seemed to shine with a beautiful shade of silver. An unsaid power emitted from it, much like the one, though much smaller in size that was etched into the palm of his father's left hand. What it meant, he did not know, but as he looked at the clock to his left he realized that it wouldn't be much longer until he found out.
It was five o'clock in the morning and in just twelve hours time he would be entering manhood. Today was his sixteenth birthday and today, he knew, would be the day that he would finally understand the strange mysteries, which made his life so abstract. He had always known that something peculiar was going on. On his twelfth birthday, he had confronted his father about the strange oval on the palm of his hand. He remembered his fathers reply like it had happened yesterday,
"Oh Öru… Ah, yes, I knew this was bound to happen sooner or later. I know this is difficult to hear, but now is not the time for you to hear this tale. You are much too young to understand it. Even I am too young to completely understand…, or perhaps it is just my lack of wisdom, which hinders my understanding. I have thought of what would be an appropriate age to tell you, but now is most certainly not the proper time. I had hoped that you would not approach me until that time, but even with my lack of wisdom I did foresee this coming much sooner than I-, well really than you were ready to know. You must realize, this is not a tale for such a young boy, but perhaps when you have matured a bit more, perhaps when you have entered manhood will I tell you. Yes, that is when. Just wait, Öru, the time will come"
His wonder had increased in the past month as his seventeenth year of life crept ever closer. He slowly climbed out of the imprints he had made in the cushions of his favorite armchair and, dressed still in his clothes from the previous day, walked towards the front door. Suddenly he stopped, turned around and whispered "Brisingr", hoping to see a fresh flame appear in the fireplace. Yet again this word had no affect, though when he had caught his father saying it a flame had quickly formed.
Seeing his efforts fruitless, he turned back towards the front door. Before leaving his home, he took a quick look at his reflection in the rounded mirror that hung beside the exit of his house. His dark brown eyes were reflected in it, and in the little bit of light still emitting form the small flame in the wooden fireplace, he could see his narrow face and his black hair, which was a complete mess. With a quick ruffle of his hair, he turned the doorknob and opened the door, which led to the rest of the town of Jaguá.
Öru looked up at the cloudy, early morning sky, and began to walk to a small shed located beside his house. He lifted the latch of the sheds door and after opening it, grabbed as many logs as he could. It was now warming up outside as the sun broke through the many clouds in the sky. He walked back inside his house and placed the logs he was carrying beside the fireplace. For the second time that morning, he looked up at the clock on the far wall. Five eighteen. Just under another three quarters of an hour before his father would return home. He wasn't quite sure what his father's work was, that kept him out until so early in the morning, but every time when he went to sleep, he could hear him putting on his coat and going through the door. Once he had even tried to follow him, but after trailing him a half a league through the bushes, he was caught, and immediately sent home.
Six o'clock was always when he returned home from work, and Öru decided to wash up and change in to some fresh clothes. It was his seventeenth birthday after all, and it was very important to present himself properly as he finally became a man.