Dawn's Edge I: The Queen's Seeker

ORONARD - MELLIFLUOUS

Whenever Aedon would visit, Oronard would long for the retreat of the Horngrove. At the feast he had not known whether he was sitting across from his closest friend or staring into the eyes of his mortal enemy. Aedon had always been a man of fierce ambition and a deft commander of war; it was these qualities that had made Oron believe that the western king could save Ylisse during Rhogon's Rebellion. But years of losing the War of Summer and Snow had made Aedon old and mad and hateful – three traits Oron knew made cowards of kings. Now, in an act of desperation, the old miser had turned to the Middle-realms for his saviour – Oron was his only hope.

Oronard had wished that losing his iron crown to Geraeris Stormwind, he who thought the Lord of Irondorne too merciless to be a sensible king, would denounce him from duty that extended beyond the Iron Forge. But now, once again, the lumbering chains of responsibility hammered on the door of conscience and Oron was left deafened to its song.

He had come to irondeep to pray to an avatar of Eir weaved with grass and strips of bark in the centre of the Horngrove. The early morning sun rose slowly in the east and cast long shadows across the downs. The heavy, smutty scent of rain on dry dirt clung to his nostrils like barnacles to the belly of a ship. Oron had taken the Long Walk to reach the shrine and now he sat in silence, watching the seven saffron stars hanging high above the castle of Noveðrein. He had always admired the Einar for their unique form of defence to protect their fortress. Surrounding the castle was a giant maze of shrubbery eight-foot-high that stretched for half a mile in every direction. Endiro Ferric planned for the Long Walk to have but one clear path to reach Noveðrein, a secret which would only be known to its lords and traders. If residents had lived in the castle and its town for more than five years, it would fall to the lord of House Ferric to inform them of the One Path. Oron smiled to himself.

Much like the choices that make labyrinths of my mind, the Long Walk has but one track to open air. The remaining routes lead to only dead ends and dead faith, he thought.

He turned his attention once more to the seven stars of an orange hue that had made their home in the sky for days. Oron had wondered what omen they may stand for. He feared that, with only seven members of House Greyscar still living, the stars may hold some grim destiny for his family in their golden light. The remaining Greyscars outside his father Rogarrd's bloodline were old and scattered and naught but distant cousins of Tolod, the First Iron King.

It was these seven saffron spheres of light that made Oron's decision regarding Aedon's proposal so difficult to make. On the one hand, failing to obey the order of a king could sentence his children and siblings to a final conflict further down the road. But embracing Aedon Valarys' will, and accepting the proposal, could grant Oron his strongest desire.

He only lived to protect his family. This was his code, his duty. If Saera married Prince Lonnel, she would become Queen of Rassai after Saurien. But he had heard whispers from Illyias that the king's son was cruel and malicious, that being unable to walk had made him mad. There were even tales of Lonnel having his guardsmen abuse young women for not wanting to make love to him. Could Oron really give his daughter away to a prince of such a fiendish likeness? Then again, Saera would flower soon, meaning that she would be able to have a child with Lonnel in less than a month's time. Cripples and bed-ridden boys were said to only live till their twentieth name day, so perhaps Saera's suffering would be a small price to pay for a lifetime of her ruling Rassai with a babe at her side that she could raise to be kind and gentle – just like her.

A thrush called out and bolted through the trees, snapping Oron out of his daydream. He looked lazily at the statue of Eir, cursing the New Goddess for making his role as a father and a lord so difficult. He quickly prayed for her forgiveness, however. As, if he were to make the right decision, he would need gods old and new on his side.