tales of spara
marameer
rorik sat by the pond of the small abbey in which he tended to. rorik lived a peacefull life in marameer abbey. but that whould all soon change. rorik was on the eve of man-hood in a weeks time he whould have to leave his abbey and travel to the great city of spara, valfora. he had heard tales of valfora, and knew that people werent as kind and loving as those in marameer. he whould have to make it on his own with no one to lean on, or no one to catch him when he fell. "rori rori! wha' are you dooin bye e' pond aw buy ye lownsum?" said dommer. dommer was 5 years old and looked up to rorik. "oh nothing. just looking at the fishes." dommer turned around but before he did he called "well are ye' jus' gonna stand 'ere lie' a lemon? suppah is ready!" he said and ran off laughing. rorik smiled and got up. he took one last look at the pond and began walking to the dinning hall.
rorik packed his plate with tones of food, shrimp with meadow cream, strawberry meadow tart, candied chestnuts, and a big glass full of strawberry cordial. he was about to take a nice refreshing swig when his father uthren stoped him. "son your on the verge of man-hood atleast try some october ale" he said with a hint of frustration in his voice. rorik looked to the metal mug of ale infront of him. he knew that only the young ones drank strawberry cordial. he picked up the pint and people around him watched. he hesitated then took a heartfull swig. the men cheered and went back to there food. in the entire dining hall with four great tables roriks was most packed, and most loud. the music and loud voices continued as rorik discussed with his father what he hoped to become when he reached the city of valfora.
"i was thinking of becoming a soldier or something" his father laughed and patted him on the back "dont throw your life away rorik spara is a new country and has many enemys" his father said and took another swig of ale. "you should think of becomin' a black smith lad!" the man across from him said. then a man sitting next to him nudged him in the arm "and whats so good abou' blacksmiths eh?" he asked. the man took a swig of ale before answering "well like the lads father said spara is a new coontry and they need plenty 'o' armor n' swords n' things 'o' tha' sort" he said. there was a loud murmer of agreement and they went back to eating.
rorik looked away from his plate, and over to the childrens table were he spotted laura. rorik allways had a special thing for laura even though he tried to hide it every-body knew. he looked to his father as he nudged him in the arm. "what?" rorik asked. uthren jerked his head towards laura and winked. rorik blushed and got up. he took his glass of cordial and sat in a small chair beside laura. "hi" he said shyly. laura looked as if she was trying to remember him "hay i know you! your that silly boy that shot that arrow into mr.swinkee's rear, " rorik blushed and soon his face was as red as his cordial. "well it was my first time" he said. dommer laughed as he held his fork in the wrong way. "silly ol' rori' hit' ol' man swinkee in 'a bo'um" laura laughed. "so what did you come over here to tell us?" rorik shruged and said "dunno wanted to hang by you guys. not quite ready for the older people table" he said. laura laughed "but your 17!" rorik shruged again and flushed. "well on the inside im only about 9" they all laughed. rorik took a swig of cordial and began to sing along with every one else.
after more eating, and drinking, and singing a man at the head table stood up and yelled out "silence!" every body hushed, and looked up at the abbot who had yelled it. "i am glad to anounce that this new season will from here on out be called!" a man walked up to him and handed him a scroll. there was a pause as he read it " the summer of the sparrow!" every body yelled "hay!" and drank. "it will be named in honor of the rising of this great country of sparra!" another 'hay' went up and then was followed shortly after by thunderuss aplause.
men, and women alike all stood in a circle surounding the to abbey clowns, peri, and tomkin. they slaped custard tarts in each others faces, and hit eachother with fish. the children laughed untill they cried, and even the men laughed. rorik sat by the pond were it was quite and away from every one else. nameday festivals were allways fun but they gave rorik bad headaches. he jumped as a voice said " why arent you enjoying the party with every one else?" it was abbot jaques. "oh hello sir" rorik said as he stood up. the abbot apeared out of the forrest line and smiled "no no sit down rorik i want to talk to you" rorik sat down by the abbot and looked into the pond at the big traut that was there for as long as he chould remember. "i under stand that in a week you will be turning 18, and you will have to move to valfora? is this true?" rorik sighed and threw some grass into the pond. the trout surfaced and nible at it. "yes its true sir...but to tell you the truth i really dont want to go" the abbot nodded his head with a look of understanding. "i remember when i was young, and i turned 18...except sparra didnt exist then...i lived in imperia. but i know what your going through, and yes it is tough trying to make it on your own in the big world , but remember your teachings rorik...fear is the minds greatest weakness but it can be made into its greatest strength." the abbot said. rorik threw more grass in the pond as he processed the information. "its not that i have trouble adapting to this new place but ill miss marameer." the abbot noded again "well come one there will be a day for greif but today is not that day"
the weeks passed by to fast for rorik, and soon enough the day that he had dread for his whole life came. every one was dressed in black and stood in a line. rorik walked out of the gate house with his rucksack on, and the sword that had been passed down in his family for generations. he walked to the first person in line. the person hugged him and gave him a parting gift. rorik walked the whole line, untill it came to the last four people. laura paused then kissed him on the cheek "take care of your self dont get hurt, and write to us every week!" she said then hugged him. he moved to his mother. she smiled, and began to cry. she held her son deeply and then kissed him on the head as in family tradition. he moved to his father. his father shook his head and smiled "im proud of you son...take care" he kissed him on the head and let go of his hand. rorik moved on to the last person. the abbot. the abbot bowed and beckoned for a man with a box standing behind him. the box was handed to the abbot. he opened it revealing a beautifull necklace wtih the abbey symbol on it. every adult in the village had one. it was a sign for man hood that was tradition throughout sparra. the abbot put the necklace around roriks neck, and shook his hand. "remember what i told you" he smiled. a tear rolled down roriks cheek. he turned to the gate and began to walk out into the real world. as he was he heard dommer behind him. "no mummy i don' want him to leave!" dommer got free of his mother and ran to rorik. rorik was past the gate and allready making his way down the trail. dommer stoped at the gate and began to cry "bu' oill miss you!" he said. the entire village walked to the gate to bid him fare well. the abbot put his old hand on dommers head. and like that he was gone.