The Fate of the First Hero of Light
I had been released.
I am in my clean room.
There are no magical instrument or fragrant reagents.
Just a clean room.
I had installed a stand for my parka and headdress.
I see tears falling on the floor they are my mine.
This is how heartbreak feels like.
Like one would have a revelation.
I was told while we enjoyed our victory of the formation of the Tulok Tribes Union and my release from jail.
The Dark Elf assessed her situation and could see everything clearly. She passed me while, I was sleeping on the floor. She had the mages guild come fetch her belongings.
She returned to the Mages Guild from where she had come from.
There was no problems with her employer.
My Grandmother had still been paying for the use of her services, so to the Mages Guild she had just been on another assignment.
After my Grandmother had finalized the contracts payment.
She went to acquire of the Dark Elf's whereabouts, luckily Uncle Thandall had accompanied her. She had demanded to know where she was. When the Head Mage had refused.
The mages guild had to sacrifice a wall to her!
My joke is not funny.
I cry again.
My Grandmother could not extract the information legally, as she was the President of the Tulok Union, there would be legal and financial ramifications. Uncle Thandall has moved home again.
I was requested by Dwarven Heads of the Union to visit them at the end of the suncycle. Uncle Thandall had said his business was concluded for now. But that he would also return soon. When he left. I had never cried like that in my life. I thought that for a moment I even saw him cry.
Still I composed myself eventually and together with my Grandmother bid him farewell.
Even with all the staff in this estate I feel alone.
My Grandmother has been busy running the Union, I see her rarely, I practice my sword each day.
Like a miracle, no one noticed in my school that I was, Geir the Butcher!
They had assigned that name to different person. I see my Tribes people daily we greet each other conspicuously with complex signs. As to conceal our identity. At school there are 10 tribe members. I had always thought them socially awkward. I understand now.
If someone knows you are from the Tulok Tribe they might be ignorant, fearful or worse be an enemy.
We had been a brutal tribe. There is undoubtedly bad blood between us and some other groups. So we hide our identities. I was getting used to my life of a normal student again. I had caught up to my peers. I feel as if I had broken through a wall. Studying so hard to catch up. Forced me to adapt differently learning techniques and those hurdles, I always thought had held me back disappeared! I am top in the class!
The athletic season had started.
I knew what would happen, when we were testing the measurement equipment. I completed one of the events in such a time. I would be able to compete at a professional level. I had to fabricate a lie. I had developed an injury while hiking with my Grandmother. It could not heal, only worsen. After having been forged in battle, no child would be a match for me. Still I feel the care and love of my Grandmother. When I showed her my growth in my grades. She still gave me the same approving smile, she had always given. I realized that she would love me no matter what!
I am walking over the mighty bridge joining the one side of the river wall to the other.
I see a figure standing behind the railing.
"You there that is dangerous. Do you need assistance?"
The figure looks familiar and jumps into the river.
The bridge is not high but the water is exceptionally tempestuous. Before I realize it, I am in the river. I see the figure drifting limply in the rapids. Finally we are out. I have a stick piercing out the front and back of my body. I think if I am not treated in half a day I will die.
"Are you conscious? Can you hear me? "
"...Geir...is...it... you?"
"That is my name. Please tell me are you injured?"
The hood is removed. It is the Queen Zelda!
"Your Majesty!"
"Geir I have been deposed I am only Zelda now."
"WHAT?!"
After many revelations later. Because of house Dominitus's betrayal, the Three House system would have collapse if everyone were to be tried for treason. They had used the curtailing of the Queens power. To dethrone her. A system was constructed where the Queen would be guarded constantly an intermediary would be used to relay her words.
A similar looking House member was selected out of the Royal Houses.
Magics where cast that even her life energies matched Queen Zelda's.
So an emergency war meeting was held on the river bank of the Zora river.
After much resisting I had convinced her to come stay at our estate.
My Grandmother immediately opened the door and glared at the Queen.
"I see you had been deposed."
"How could you know that Grandmother?"
BAM
She punches me in the face.
"Geir I have taught you from little how to look at the little things. Here look at the picture, the faces look the same but everything else is different height, weight, proportions of the limbs. You are the Warchief you will have to be able to tell the difference."
The Queen who I had thought was nervous, started laughing.
BAM.
Blood was spilling from her mouth but she was still laughing, eventually the laughing turned into tears.
"Come Geir bring her inside."
It felt as she had been cast into stone.
I could not move her inside. But one glance from my Grandmother and she was in hiding behind my back. Looking at each member of the staff, as if they would immediately kill her.
After we dined my Grandmother called to have a private conversation with the Queen.
She would call for me later.
The Queen was extremely intimidated.
"Geir thanks to you the Tulok tribe will probably never die. We destroyed the Royal Castle the seat of power of the Capital. You single handedly massacred a ruling House and stopped a civil war from starting. You protected Zelda with your life, you also killed your family for her. Where you fighting for her or the kingdom?"
"What do you mean Grandmother?"
"Did you fight for Zelda or for the Kingdom?"
"Can I answer later Grandmother even when fighting, I was thinking about this."
"Very well, but Geir she is not the Queen anymore. You are the Warchief you only use honorifics with someone of your station or higher. Safety wise it would protect her too."
"Your Grandmother is correct. Please call me Zelda. I will be leaving tomorrow thank you for your help on so many occasions." says the previous Queen.
I am sleeping on my tiny bed.
On my desk is a red envelope with a with a wax seal it has no marking on the seal.
The Dark Elf left it in my room when she left.
I have so many times thought what might be written on it.
We had a mostly physical relationship.
I can deduce the contents.
I am going to burn it.
I take the matches I light them, they break easily.
The third is lit.
"Zelda what are you doing outside?"
"I love the moon. I would spend many a moment staring at it."
She grabs the envelope.
"What is this?" she opens it.
Her face instantly goes red.
"WHO WROTE THIS?!"
Immediately a window shatters.
My Grandmother is outside with an ice sword in her hand.
"WAIT! GRANDMOTHER IT IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!"
"GEIR! THIS TIME I AM GOING TO CASTRATE YOU! IF YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE LADIES ALONE!"
"NOOOOOOO!" I start running.
Zelda starts laughing hysterically, tears flowing down her cheek.
After much running around in circles dodging ice missiles and avoiding groin cuts. The situation calmed down sufficiently that my Grandmother retired back to her room.
"Zelda, you know how my Grandmother is. She will really kill me."
I grab the envelope from her hand and get the matches, I lift the envelope and light the flame.
"Are you not going to read it?"
"No."
"Do not waste someone feelings."
"What would you know about that!?"
"It was my husband we had a fight. He wanted to tell me something. When I returned he had passed...even now when I sleep. I wake up with tears in my eyes, my mind racing imagining what it could be, something tedious or even something that could have.."
"You only have starry eyes, this world is cruel you only think of positive things. It could have been an unimaginable cruelty that would have maimed your heart. There is a difference between being positive and being naïve. That you thought it would be impossible for a mother to kill their child proves it."
"Still I think you should read that..."
"You do not know me. I had murdered my entire House for no reason. Give that here."
"I will not, still you saved me."
"Zelda I saved your position and the power it had. It has been taken by the Royal Houses the war has been lost."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"
"I saved Queen Zelda who the people loved. With some cheap theatrics, you have been totally replaced."
"Still read this letter!"
"Why should I?"
"It contains someone's feelings."
"Zelda never forget I lead the Tulok my feelings will evaporate like mist in the sun if my position requires it."
She tries to slap me.
"Geir you are not like this.."
"ENOUGH!"
"Little girl, you have never known pain or suffering. You have never felt humiliations, that you could not easily escape. Since young Geir has only known pain. He knows what he can handle. You look at everything as if it is a seed that can grow. You think that letter will change Geir's heart, he will wait for her and she will come back. Geir knows what is on the letter. Only words not actions, he can only control what he can grasp.
Terrible truths are better than sweet lies. He knows that better than anyone. Geir give her the matches."
I hand Zelda the matches.
"Zelda burn the letter. You had betrayed him by looking at that what was only meant for him, now crush his dreams."
She starts to tear up.
I look at her with disgust, I go to my room...
Finish.