Broken Promises
Rey was overjoyed as he lay in the noon sun. He loved these hills behind his house, and spent many days simply staring up at the clouds. Carelessly he would wonder what made the clouds float and the sky blue. "Kay would know, he knows everything," he said aloud to himself. His older brother was much different from other people. Their father Angel had sent Kayden off to a place called Avalon at age twelve, to learn from the same swordsman who taught him, said it was his destiny to be a warrior. When Kayden returned as a man he was different, something in his eyes. He looked upon every living thing without any sense of wonder or amazement at the mysterious of life, as if there weren't any. He would talk of the stars being millions of miles away, and all living things being connected to one another. Most of it went of Rey's head, "How can a man be part of a cow?" he would ask, and his older brother would just shake his head at the dark haired young man and look off disappointed.
Tired of reminiscing, Rey sat up and stretched. He'd be seeing his brother at the wedding. He was still in shock of his good fortune, in five days he would be marrying the woman of his dreams. Rey was always very shy and found himself nervous in the company of women. Not so with Paliah, with her he felt confident and childish, and wonderfully inspired. A tinker by trade, Rey made simple pieces of bronze or silver, occasionally a customer would pay extra for a work of gold. Mostly he made brooches, and coincidentally this is how he won Paliah's attention. She had heard of the quality of his work, and had requested that he make a silver brooch for her mother with the symbol of her house, a silver stallion. When she returned it was not one fine piece of artistry that awaited her but two. Rey had made the brooch for the mother as commissioned, but he had also taken it upon himself to make a brooch for the daughter, this time in the form of a silver fox.
"Its is most beautiful," she said in awe, 'sadly I only have enough for the one brooch." He smiled at her and allowed his eyes to take in the full of her beauty. Her hair was deep red, her eyes emerald green, matching well with the healthy tan of her face. Her body was slim, yet full in the right places and she wasn't fat like the daughters of most merchants. Instead she was very well toned. Realizing he was staring he placed the brooch in her hand and held them within his own. "My lady, when I first saw you I was taken back by your beauty. But when I first saw the smile in your eyes I felt touched by your spirit, and since that day I have been inspired. The fox suites you and compliments your beauty and your spirit, except this gift with my thanks." An awkward silence passed as both realized they were blushing deeply.
For the next three years Paliah's father had kept Rey busy with orders from brooches and pins he would resell to nobles at fabulous prices. And always he sent his instruction through Paliah, giving the couple an excuse to see one another often. And through business with the merchant Wallis, Rey had become almost wealthy. The two had talked often of things other than business, their hopes and dreams and plans for the future, and their fondness for one another. It was last year at the winter feast that Rey put forth the question of marriage both to an anxious Paliah and her more than happy father. Though he chose not to show it this was much to the chagrin of a young nobleman who had been trying for months to court the young lady with little success. Idly Rey tried to recall the man's name. But then he remembered his brother's early wedding gift and smiled. Kayden had given up the life of a killer and had joined a monastery.
It was still a shock to him, that Kayden the Ice Demon; would chose to become a priest. "I'm tired of a life that brings only death and pain Rey. Last year a boy no more than seventeen waited for me in a dark alley. With his dying breath he told me that I'd assassinated his father three years ago. His ghost still haunts me, and that's why I'm leaving you wit these." And with that his brother handed him his swords. The weapons were beautifully made, forged by a master and cooled in dragon blood, and supposedly sealed with guardian spirits the weapons were priceless. Rey shuddered at the thought of them, those cursed swords had brought his brother only sorrow since he'd retired from a life a war. He tried to settle down with a young widow and her son, but they died of plague. Stricken with grief Kayden turned to back to life as a warrior, but with no wars to be fought in this part of the world he turned to life as an assassin.
Leaving thoughts of the past behind him he decided on a whim to walk through the woods, he'd promised Paliah that he'd meet her in half an hour, and time had seem to get away from him. "Just a quick stroll then." He said to himself. As he began his walk he felt he understood at least part of what his brother was saying, here he felt at peace, part of the land and the sky and trees. His peace was broken by the sound of a young woman crying out. A sickening feeling hit him as he raced toward the clearing up a head. Not usually given to bouts of heroism he was surprised at the urgency with which he ran. As he finally approached he saw six men, four of which were obviously noblemen from their dress. Two of them held down a young lady with red hair as another made sport of her and the others watched. A burning shot through his blood as he'd never had before and a chilling current of ice followed it, and his hands ached for a weapon to kill the men raping his Paliah.
To his credit Rey managed to kill one of the young nobles before his comrades plunged their knives into him. And as he lay beside Paliah for the last time looked up at young men with tears in his eyes. "Hear me my brother... burried beneath the house is...is a chest. Inside of it...what you...left me, the swords. They call to...call to you don't they Ice Slayer?" As Rey spoke his last words his brother heard them several miles away and opened his eyes.
Rey was overjoyed as he lay in the noon sun. He loved these hills behind his house, and spent many days simply staring up at the clouds. Carelessly he would wonder what made the clouds float and the sky blue. "Kay would know, he knows everything," he said aloud to himself. His older brother was much different from other people. Their father Angel had sent Kayden off to a place called Avalon at age twelve, to learn from the same swordsman who taught him, said it was his destiny to be a warrior. When Kayden returned as a man he was different, something in his eyes. He looked upon every living thing without any sense of wonder or amazement at the mysterious of life, as if there weren't any. He would talk of the stars being millions of miles away, and all living things being connected to one another. Most of it went of Rey's head, "How can a man be part of a cow?" he would ask, and his older brother would just shake his head at the dark haired young man and look off disappointed.
Tired of reminiscing, Rey sat up and stretched. He'd be seeing his brother at the wedding. He was still in shock of his good fortune, in five days he would be marrying the woman of his dreams. Rey was always very shy and found himself nervous in the company of women. Not so with Paliah, with her he felt confident and childish, and wonderfully inspired. A tinker by trade, Rey made simple pieces of bronze or silver, occasionally a customer would pay extra for a work of gold. Mostly he made brooches, and coincidentally this is how he won Paliah's attention. She had heard of the quality of his work, and had requested that he make a silver brooch for her mother with the symbol of her house, a silver stallion. When she returned it was not one fine piece of artistry that awaited her but two. Rey had made the brooch for the mother as commissioned, but he had also taken it upon himself to make a brooch for the daughter, this time in the form of a silver fox.
"Its is most beautiful," she said in awe, 'sadly I only have enough for the one brooch." He smiled at her and allowed his eyes to take in the full of her beauty. Her hair was deep red, her eyes emerald green, matching well with the healthy tan of her face. Her body was slim, yet full in the right places and she wasn't fat like the daughters of most merchants. Instead she was very well toned. Realizing he was staring he placed the brooch in her hand and held them within his own. "My lady, when I first saw you I was taken back by your beauty. But when I first saw the smile in your eyes I felt touched by your spirit, and since that day I have been inspired. The fox suites you and compliments your beauty and your spirit, except this gift with my thanks." An awkward silence passed as both realized they were blushing deeply.
For the next three years Paliah's father had kept Rey busy with orders from brooches and pins he would resell to nobles at fabulous prices. And always he sent his instruction through Paliah, giving the couple an excuse to see one another often. And through business with the merchant Wallis, Rey had become almost wealthy. The two had talked often of things other than business, their hopes and dreams and plans for the future, and their fondness for one another. It was last year at the winter feast that Rey put forth the question of marriage both to an anxious Paliah and her more than happy father. Though he chose not to show it this was much to the chagrin of a young nobleman who had been trying for months to court the young lady with little success. Idly Rey tried to recall the man's name. But then he remembered his brother's early wedding gift and smiled. Kayden had given up the life of a killer and had joined a monastery.
It was still a shock to him, that Kayden the Ice Demon; would chose to become a priest. "I'm tired of a life that brings only death and pain Rey. Last year a boy no more than seventeen waited for me in a dark alley. With his dying breath he told me that I'd assassinated his father three years ago. His ghost still haunts me, and that's why I'm leaving you wit these." And with that his brother handed him his swords. The weapons were beautifully made, forged by a master and cooled in dragon blood, and supposedly sealed with guardian spirits the weapons were priceless. Rey shuddered at the thought of them, those cursed swords had brought his brother only sorrow since he'd retired from a life a war. He tried to settle down with a young widow and her son, but they died of plague. Stricken with grief Kayden turned to back to life as a warrior, but with no wars to be fought in this part of the world he turned to life as an assassin.
Leaving thoughts of the past behind him he decided on a whim to walk through the woods, he'd promised Paliah that he'd meet her in half an hour, and time had seem to get away from him. "Just a quick stroll then." He said to himself. As he began his walk he felt he understood at least part of what his brother was saying, here he felt at peace, part of the land and the sky and trees. His peace was broken by the sound of a young woman crying out. A sickening feeling hit him as he raced toward the clearing up a head. Not usually given to bouts of heroism he was surprised at the urgency with which he ran. As he finally approached he saw six men, four of which were obviously noblemen from their dress. Two of them held down a young lady with red hair as another made sport of her and the others watched. A burning shot through his blood as he'd never had before and a chilling current of ice followed it, and his hands ached for a weapon to kill the men raping his Paliah.
To his credit Rey managed to kill one of the young nobles before his comrades plunged their knives into him. And as he lay beside Paliah for the last time looked up at young men with tears in his eyes. "Hear me my brother... burried beneath the house is...is a chest. Inside of it...what you...left me, the swords. They call to...call to you don't they Ice Slayer?" As Rey spoke his last words his brother heard them several miles away and opened his eyes.