Tyler Colter II

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Cold, yet alive, Tyler thought as he handed the reins to his father's squire. He was safely back at Cole Castle, intact but for one ear. Lucy will not like this one bit. He felt at where his ear once was. He did not get a chance to look at himself for a long while, but he judged that he must look a grotesquerie to everyone around him. I wonder what type of name they'll give me in the songs. Tyler One-ear, perhaps? That would fit, but is it not too plain? I should ask Lucy.

His father had nothing but curses and slander for him the whole ride back, but that was to be expected. King Gunther Colter, Or the Yellow King as people took to calling him, was known to be harsh and sour. Weakness sickened him, and defeat irritated him. He did not mince words telling Tyler how disgusted and disappointed he was in him. The slaps hurt, but the real pain was in the words. "I have never known shame like this," he said before he struck Tyler off of his horse.

Tyler's wife, his dear wife Lucy met him at the door to his chambers. "My prince, you are hurt," she said, caressing his skin where his ear was missing. Lucy Colter, formerly Lucy Caldwell of Riker, was Tyler's young little wife, always happy and seemingly innocent. She was betrothed to him the day she was born, Tyler's father told him, despite them being seven years apart. As such, she proved more or less completely loyal to him, but she was a girl of only fourteen.

"I am hurt, yes, but your touch cannot heal me." He sat on his bed and removed his tattered cloak.

"Who did this to you, my love?"

"That I do not know." Tyler removed his sword belt and flung it to the side. "I hope those Starfronts do not believe my father will forget about this."

"Will there be war?" she asked worriedly.

"There is always war, sweetheart," he said, grabbing her hand.

An hour later he emerged from his chambers and crept out to the yard, where his uncle was training his new recruits. Edwin Colter, unlike his kingly brother, was a calm and collected man, friendly and easy to get along with. That was only to be said of him off of the battlefield, though. He was a monster with a sword, and to Tyler's memory had never lost a joust. The same was said of my other uncle until the bastard slew him.

"Raise your bloody shield," Edwin shouted at one of the younger recruits. "Do you not value your head, boy?"

"All men value their heads, uncle," Tyler said, grabbing a training sword from a nearby pile.

"You're alive, boy? I thought the bastard would have cut you down by now. I see he tried."

"This?" Tyler felt at his ear. It felt raw and scabby. "The bastard did not do this. He will suffer for it all the same, though." Tyler moved the young recruit's opponent out of the way and stood in his place.

"You ain't got that wife of yours with child yet, nephew? What's the wait for?"

"She is to blame, not me. Do believe that I try." Tyler turned his attention to the young recruit. "What's your name, little knight?"

The boy flushed. "I am... I am called Bruce. Bruce Boulders, my prince. And I am no knight. Not yet."

"Bruce Boulders. A fierce name." Tyler grabbed an oaken shield from his uncle. "Have at me, Bruce Boulders. I fear my skills have gone to rust."

Tyler was an adequate swordsman, but not one singer would write songs about his battle prowess. His skills were in strategy and crossbows. For a time, young Bruce pressed on him and drove him back with strikes to his shield and few strikes to his arms and shoulders, which hurt hellishly since he wore no armor, but Tyler eventually overtook him and knocked him to the floor with his shield. Bruce hopped up immediately and they clashed again. The boy was not fast, but he was a lot stronger than Tyler. Each time their swords clashed, Tyler found himself reeling and staggering under his strength. After missing a savage swing, young Bruce threw his shoulder at Tyler and knocked sword and shield from his hand. Edwin called an end to it.

Tyler rose to his feet and straightened his crumpled clothes. "How old are you, Bruce Boulders?"

"I am sixteen, my prince." He removed his helm, revealing his dark brown hair and yellow eyes. He had a childish innocence to him, but Tyler could see that he would grow into a fearsome man one day.

"You will make a talented knight. A better fighter than me, at any rate. Remember to keep your shield up. A better man would have had your head." Tyler nudged his uncle. "We must talk, uncle. Do you have time?"

"I do," said Edwin. He turned to the young recruits. "Don't stop until I tell you to. I must speak with the prince."

There was a garden in the back of the castle where queer yellow and blue plants grew. It was planted by Tyler's mother, Queen Elizabeth. She had tried to care for the garden all by herself, but she soon grew tired and bored of it and left it to her servants. Still, she often stood at her window and stared at the yellow and blue sea, smiling as if she were watching children at play.

"What is it, nephew?" Edwin asked when they reached the garden. "Bringing me all the way out here, it must be important."

"You know of my father's plans, I assume?"

"I do. What of it?"

"You see me. My ear. My father will not want me on the battlefield again."

"That he wouldn't, if I know my brother." Edwin shrugged. "Don't tell me you want me to convince him to let you lead an attack on the Starfronts."

"Not an attack, but I do need men."

"For what, boy? You want to go back to Mewood and take revenge on Sir Bastard? Ha! No chance of that happening, nephew."

"I wouldn't be heading west." He leaned closer to his uncle. "I need to head east. To the Trident."

"The Trident?" Edwin stared at him incredulously. "For what bloody reason?"

"We need more allies than just the Snowlanders, uncle. The Arnishmen, they have—"

"Griffins," Edwin finished. "And they're more like to feed you to one than listen to anything you have to say. Do you forget how much we borrowed from them?"

That was true enough, Tyler knew. The Arnishmen worshipped queer gods and made regular sacrifices to their griffins. Many a man travelled west to the Trident in hopes of seeing one and living to tell the tale, but more oft than not they were fed to it after being burned. Tyler's debt to them would be more than enough reason for them to burn him.

"Which is why I need men. If we have them and their Griffins to our cause, we cannot lose."

"Do you fear the Starfronts so much that you think we really need Griffins to defeat them? You must have more faith in your father, boy."

"You have seen the type of destruction one griffin can bring about, uncle. If we do not have payment for them, they will destroy us."

"Which is precisely what I just said to you. Why, then, do you want to go to the Trident, Tyler?"

"We cannot pay them with gold, I know." Tyler leaned closer to his uncle's ear and whispered, as if the yellow and blue flowers were listening to them. "But I know of another way."

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