Iron of the Innocent: The Dark Judge (Vol 1)

Chapter 20: Inheritance

274 I.C.
Sacren
Solorn Kingdom
Solorn Province
City of Clendon

The present...

Dreydan Ruin sat astride his light brown, war horse approaching the city of Clendon from the east. He liked this recently acquired horse and decided to name him Hands. The mount was broad, strong, and being many hands tall, Dreydan chose the name. Hands was the largest horse the soldier had ever owned. He purchased a new leather saddle, protective plate and chain barding, saddle sheaths, and saddle bags. The soldier chose the colors of the kingdom, white and blue, for the horse's cloth.

The soldier was arrayed in highly polished plate mail, sword, shield, and an embroidered Solorn tabard. The white and blue color of the cloth matched that of the horse. Dreydan's armor reflected the sun when its touch made it through the tree limbs above. The stains of war and death on the man appeared erased.

Dreydan was traveling in a small contingent of soldiers from Vaxtin Outpost. They had business in the city. Needing to return to his own assignment, he decided to travel with them. Coming out from the trees, the soldier watched the kingdom's banner ripple with the movement of the air far above the eastern gate of the city. The white helmet and sword design showed on a field of blue. The noon sun was glorious, and it did not have to compete with clouds to be seen.

A couple of weeks passed quietly as Dreydan recuperated back at the outpost. After making his report and being debriefed he was left alone. The intensity of emotion over the death of friends, his dream, and the vision had been overwhelming. He needed the time to rest. The days were slow, and the only contact he had was with Merisa. Those visits were short and few. Dreydan really preferred to be left alone.

Listening to the heavy hooves of the horses, the soldier refocused on the city. Clendon was the center and most important city in the kingdom of Solorn. It was quite large, and fortified with multiple, tall, thick walls. A military garrison built of heavy stone was in the central area with the city hall and other administrative buildings that were situated on wide open ground.

There was nothing the city lacked. Some of the most beautiful parts were the arts district with its museums, music halls, and theaters. The parks, the open merchant areas, variety of shops, and the education facilities were practical with an architectural elegance. Clendon was home to Solorn academic life, and the religious section housed various temples to assorted gods. The city felt open and did not have the cramped feeling like so many other towns.

On the other side of the coin, the darkness and corruption of the city was terrible to behold. If a person could find a place of enlightenment and scholarly pursuits during the day, at night the person could indulge in all kinds of debauchery and shadowy pursuits. The criminal underworld was vast, and the black market thrived equally compared to the normal business and trade of the city. There was addiction, crime, and injustice. Dreydan was no stranger to the extreme opposites that could be found in the city. He saw it every day he was stationed there. It was always busy for the city guards in one way or another.

A friend tried to recruit the soldier into the city guard, but Dreydan turned him down flat. The soldier preferred the active service of the military. It was true the military operated within the city working to protect it from external threats, but Dreydan wanted to work outside its walls as well. The city guard never went on missions to distant places. A touch of emotion touched Dreydan's brow. It was a distant place where he fell. Where friends had fallen, and where a woman that touched the young soldier's heart found her end.

As the small group of soldiers approached the tall, wide, iron bound, thick wood gates, they found they were open as was the custom during the day. It would be the same for all the gates of the city. People were coming and going, and the city guard kept a heavy presence. Looking to the north, Dreydan could see Solorn Castle in the distance, the seat of the king's government and home. The massive structure could be seen for miles due to its elevation at the foot of the mountains in central Solorn.