The Guardian of The Lamb

Berwald the Brave

Far from the castle a small inn sat in the snow. The inn was owned by a small Swedish family of three. Their son Berwald was only 7 but he was already very tall and his face seemed very angry all of the time. His parents knew he was alright, he just wasn't very good at communicating. He was coming back from the stables when he caught sight of a carriage with 4 black horses. He met the carriage and a tall Russian man leapt out towering the boy.

"Hello there young man." He greeted.

"Hello." The boy said not changing his expression.

Berwald's father, a very, very tall handsome man with dark golden hair appeared from the inn.

"Hello travellers, are you in need of a place to stay?" He asked kindly.

"Yes, we need two beds for the night." The Russian said changing his attention to the much larger man.

"Of course. My son will take your horses to the stables. You may follow me." The man said turning to the inn.

Then other Russian male escaped the carriage and started to unload their few luggage. They followed the man indoors while Berwald unhitched the horses.

When Berwald had put the horses away he pet one of them before leaving back into the house.

"G'd boy." He said.

He then turned away walking back to the inn. His father looked up from the front desk where he reached down for folded linen.

"Hey, you wanna take this linen to the Russian gentleman upstairs?" He asked.

Berwald took the sheets in his hand and nodded lightly before heading to the stairs. He got to the top and paused when he heard the men speaking in Russian.

"Will that baby be fine in the carriage?" One asked.

"It doesn't matter, we just need the king to be to distracted enough to fight our invasion, that Tino brat was born to die."

Berwald's eyes widened. He dropped the linen and raced down the stairs.

"Pa," he called.

"Ber?"

"The Russian men, they kidnapped the Prince."

Berwald's father was left in shock as he saw his son run out the front door. He heard a creek upstairs and saw the Russian men coming down. Each of them held long spears. But the inn keeper reached under his desk for a large ax.

Outside Berwald trudged threw the thick snow trying to get to the carriage. He swung open the door to see the pale sweet baby. The baby looked up with shimmering lavender eyes. Berwald's heart melted as he took the child in his arms and held him close. He turned around just in time to see one of the Russian men behind him. He ducked and scurried out of the way of the jabbing spear. He raced threw the snow to the stalls where he hid behind one of the horses.

"Come here you stupid brat." The Russian growled.

Berwald held the child closer and looked the man dead in the eyes with sharp sea green bravery. The Russian snarled and crawled into the pen pushing around to the back of the horse. Berwald stepped aside and slapped the horses rear. The horse kicked back as hard as he could smashing the Russian against the wall. He fell to the ground and blood rushed from his head.

Berwald then raced out of the stalls into the snow to be surprised by an army of men. At the head was the very king himself. Some men walked out of the inn and Berwald looked at the king evenly.

"Men, check the stalls for the second man." The king demanded.

He looked back down at the boy and held out his hands. Berwald hesitated still protective of the child but then slowly let the king take his son. The king looked into the blankets with heartbreak, only for it to be warmed by the sweet coo of the child. The king looked down at Berwald and smiled.

"You have saved my son, I am very grateful. I would like to repay you." He said.

"I'm ok." The calm child said.

"But you have done me an honour young lad. So I would like to do you one in return. How would you like to come to the castle and become a guardian and scribe. You will learn everything that even a king should know, you'll live comfortably and have the honour to become one of the princes royal guards." The king said kindly.

"Im honoured, but m' place is here, helpin' m' folks." He said looking at the inn.

"Sir?" A man who had left the inn stepped in.

"Yes?" The king asked.

"All of the people inside the inn..... They. Didn't make it sir." The man said trying not to look at Berwald.

Berwald's heart broke, he didn't show it on his face but he could feel his eyes burning as tears built up.

"I am so sorry son, but my offer still stands."

Berwald looked up and clutched his fist and he did not cry.