Son of Ren Preview: Updated

Lord of Stanren

Elkay was standing at the forefront of a host- not an army, but a realm. The men, women, and children of Stanren all watched him, some eyes widened, others narrowed. It seemed the world was staring at him. The sheer number of them- thousands at the least- sent fear like an arrow into Elkay's heart, and his gaze dropped.

"Ren means pure." Those were the last words Demir had spoken to him. They pushed to the front of Elkay's mind now, and Elkay repeated them aloud to the people before him. He had known this day was coming ever since Demir boarded that ship and sailed north to fight the war.

Elkay drew one sharp breath of the morning air, crisp with frost, and spoke. The sober words that passed his tongue seemed foreign and laid a great burden upon his heart. It was an ancient oath, taken by every lord at the start of each year for ages, but never before had Elkay stood in this place uttering it.

"I shall stand foremost in the front lines and last in retreat. I shall be first to build up the goodness in this world and last to surrender before evildoers. I will stand for the cause of just men, honorable women, and innocent children." Elkay paused and looked into the faces of old men and young, mothers and maidens, children, and infants in their mother's arms. It was their fate that was now placed in his hands, and a loneliness like wind swept over him. He forced himself on. "Love of riches and hunger for majesty shall not govern me; I am a servant to goodness, honesty, and purity. These things I, Elkay Ren, swear to by the light of this rising sun, by the sapphire banner of the House of Ren, and by all that is good in this world."

The stillness of a slight mistral swallowed up Elkay's last heavy words. All at once the people cheered in a thousand voices. "Hail the lord of Stanren! May your days be long!"

The cheering flooded his ears, and the weight that had lain on Elkay felt lightened. The House of Ren had never yet failed. Perhaps it was the thrill of the moment, but there Elkay decided that this son of Ren was not a man who would soon be forgotten.

The monsters attacked less than a month after the ceremony. Elkay's spies told him of a small force of gormbeasts, tall blue beasts from the north, captured and driven on by an old enemy. The sorcerer Kabar had built a fortress somewhere north of Stanren and strengthened his forces over the years. He began the fight in the spring.

It would be Elkay's first battle. He stood in the armory just before the fight began, searching through his memory for any advice on the use of swords that might protect him in the fight, but all sensible thought fled. There was nothing but heavy silence as he wrestled to strap on his armor.

"Elkay, I express my deepest regrets for this untimely attack." Aldal stood beside him, holding Elkay's sword and helm. His ruddy hair and cheeks were so mismatched with the mournful face he put on that Elkay laughed as he took the helmet.

"Thank you, but I don't see how it is your fault." Elkay struggled to lace the helmet over his head. "Though this isn't quite how I wished to spend my birthday."

"You are twenty-three now, are you? A fine number. Perhaps Kabar finds a surprise-party such as this amusing." Aldal laughed merrily and reached to help Elkay. "That sorcerer has always been fond of our family. Perhaps he thinks himself considerate."

"Shrewd, maybe. He sends his giants to attack while the realm is unstable." Elkay took the sword. He paused for a moment, trying to remember how to tie it. Had it truly been so many years since he bore a weapon into battle? He bound the sword to his hauberk as best he could, but the rings of the mail-coat trembled. Aldal seemed to notice and dropped his jesting.

"Elkay, let me lead the men in your place. That is why I came from Agran. The soldiers know that you have never led a fight before."

Elkay shook his head. The armor was heavy, so he leaned against the wall for balance. "No," he smiled at Aldal. "Three others have told me this already, and a fourth would have given me a second mail-coat." He glanced down at his own huge burden of armor and laughed. "I told them that it is a lord's duty to lead his men to battle, even if he is a terrible swordsman."