2. Swordplay
Rating: PG
Characters: Conrad, Lord Weller (Conrad's Father), Yozak
When the king of Dai Shimeron summoned Conrad's father back to his native country, he left his sword in the care of his son, who had just barely grown tall enough to wield it.
"But you'll need it!" Conrad protested. "And I should be going with you!"
"No," his father said, turning back to his hurried packing.
"I won't stay here!" Conrad's face flushed with anger. "Not when you…"
"No!" Lord Weller shouted, then sighed as Conrad bit his lip angrily and turned away. "You have to stay here."
"I don't understand!" Conrad yelled.
"Son, listen to me," Lord Weller put his hands on Conrad's shoulders and turned him back around. Conrad tightened his grip around the sword until his knuckles turned white. "I will not use this sword to spill blood in the name of King Belal, and I will die to make sure that you never do either. You must guard the Maou, you must guard your mother and your brother, and you must guard Yozak, in that order, do you understand?"
"No," Conrad whispered, a tear slipping down his cheek.
"You will," his father promised. He wiped the tear away. "From now on, you will be Lord Weller in Shin Makoku, and that blade will kill for no one but the Maou."
An hour later, Lord Weller stood stoically at the front gates with a wailing Cheri and an apologetic Gunter, watching his father ride into the distance for the last time.
Many hours after that, Conrad crawled into Yozak's bed with a sword he was barely tall enough to wield and cried until he passed out just before dawn, face pressed against Yozak's chest and fingers tangled in the bright orange hair.
