Vol 1.2: Arthur Deglacier

Our family had been commoners all our life. My father, Martin, was a skilled warrior and blacksmith. He later found out that his hand was much better on the forge than on the sword and because of that, he put down his cape and focused intently on the craft.

Almost all of Lord Erdemir's personal weapons were made by him. His skill was unmatched and uncontested in the North.

Because of this, we were way wealthier than the average commoner. My peasant friend had even joked that my family may become noble once. I laughed it off each time even though I desperately wanted it.

Becoming a noble would make me at the same level as Mord. Obviously he was the young master of Isenhart and a mere noble man cannot be compared. But if I was a noble man, we wouldn't be that much different anymore. Lady Isenhart wouldn't be looking at me with contempt in her eyes.

Carrying the nobility title was both a blessing and a responsibility. You would be able to have your own land, your own mansion and servants. People will address you with respect and dignity. In turn, you are bound to your King and your land. If there was a war, the noble would be the first to go out on the battlefield. They did not always lead the charge obviously, but they couldn't refuse to leave their home as well. If they do, they are dishonourable and a humiliation to their household and name.

Commoners did not care about this though. If given the chance, they would have taken it and become a noble in every situation. I would've too as well, for anything in the world.

Secretly, I was jealous of Mordus. He was smart and extremely fine with the blade. The girls look at him like they want to bed him. The guys look at him like they want to be him. I was no exception. I fantasised of what would've been if I was the young master of House Isenhart. Even further, what if I was the lord of the North. People would admire me. Bards would travel around and tell my story. My name would precede me in every corner of Everland.

What a sight that would've been.

When I was around six or seven, my father had asked if I would like to follow his work in the forge.

"It is honest work", he said. "It will be a peaceful life", he said.

However, I had refused and started training with Mordus ever since. You can say that because of him that I had chosen to become a swordsman. I wished to be like him even for a tiny fraction.

It was an indescribable feeling. When I saw Mord with the sword, the blade seemed like it was moving on its own, attacked with extreme precision, guided by the delicacy of his hand. I tried my best but Mord could easily defeat me if he wanted. He was much more restrained than his younger brother, Bert, though. He wouldn't outright humiliate like what Bert did with Luc.

Mord never outright finished me off in a duel. He always tried to help me improve, guided me like a true mentor. And in our duel, I can feel that he was always holding back. He did it very sneakily as well, observers wouldn't be able to tell the difference and sometimes thought that I had almost won. But I could see it in his gaze. His eyes focused on my weak points, his blade was just slow enough for me to catch up, never too fast, never too slow. Always in a very manageable way but above my current skill level.

I had learnt a lot from him. He was, indisputably, our future lord.

We were close to each other as well. Not so different from my father and lord Erdemir. Even when I was a commoner, Mord did not mind my lowborn status.

His younger sister, Gwenevere, however, hated my guts. She hid her disdain well but I can see the distastefulness in her eyes. She thought little of me and the common people around her. 

Gwen thought she was some kind of princess, waiting for her charming King to come and marry her like those old tales we used to hear at bed times. She talked about her dreams a lot, especially to the female servants in the castle. Then they tell me, that's how I knew it.

And as a princess, servants, soldiers and us commoners, were nothing but support characters of her stories. 

Gwen was not popular amongst the servants.

Ninianne, lord Erdemir third born, was a complete opposite of Gwen. She was only twelve then but extremely, and I meant extremely, unpredictable. She disliked those fairy tales of princesses and kings. What she yearned for was an adventure like no other. I could see the fire in her eyes. The urge to see the world in its purest form.

Nina got the guts to back that up as well. Once, when me and Mord were out, skipping boring literature class. It was her who joined us on our hunt. She even managed to shoot a rabbit dead in the eye.

If I was able to shoot them in the butt, I would have been happy all day. She's on the other hand, sharp like an eagle.

If the sword was Mord's instrument, then the bow was Nina's puppet. She could manipulate it like no other. I could already see what a fearsome lady she would've become in the future.

Lord Erdemir was blessed with his children.

Bertalan and Lucius were average at best. They didn't show any significance like Mord. Still, the future held the answer. Maybe they too could find their own path.

I had been pondering that question as well. My coming of age was closed. Precisely two months from then.

As tradition, I would have to choose my path. Mordus picked his. He wants to become a ruler, the next in line Lord of Blackpool. Since his birthday, we had very little time to hangout. He was always busy following lord Erdemir around to learn the way Blackpool operated.

Well, it is expected of him if he wants to be as honourable and righteous as his father.

Me, I had no idea what I should've chosen. Father said don't stress it but the question did not leave my mind. 

The man we rescued that day had awoken. For some reason, he did not speak. It's almost like he did not understand our language.

I didn't think much of it and carried on with my days.

Father was tasked to forge a new sword for Lord Erdemir. His old one had become rusty and unusable. Lord Erdemir had to use one of the common swords in the armoury as a temporary weapon. Obviously, such a sword was not worthy of his Lordship and he was in desperate need for a new one.

None other was more capable than my father to bear this task.

I wanted to help him but my specialty was not weaponsmith. 

Around two days after the stranger was taken into the castle, he woke up. The man was weak and barely able to sit up. Surprisingly though, the healer informed that his wound was not that serious. The man was able to seal his wound with natural herbs and tree sap, therefore preventing further blood loss.

The healer didn't even think this was possible until he examined the man. According to him, there was nothing much that we could do, it's all depending on him now. If he was able to fight through, he would survive. The healer thought that there shouldn't be any problem.

Lord Erdemir was kind. He assigned Lily, a friend of mine, to mind the man's wounds and needs. The man did not get better though. On day three, his face still pale as a dead man and he barely walks. We thought he would die eventually and therefore, left him to his end.

Lord Erdemir did come and see the man. However, he did not respond to any of the words of his Lordship. A faint ignorant light in those eyes, as if the man cannot understand a word

The fifth day, it was early in the morning and the sun was nowhere to be seen. I was sleeping like a drunkard in my room. Yesterday was training day and my body needs more time than usual to heal up.

Suddenly, a knock on my door. Without putting on my shirt, I checked who it was.

Lily, the servant, the girl who was assigned to the man with no name. She seemed shocked, even horrified.

"Arthur! The man speaks!" Lily frantically spoke.

"Who? The stranger?" I replied. As the word came out of my mouth, I realised that I was half naked. Miss Lily had to cover her face in shame.

"Pardon my unruly behavior, Lily. Please wait for me at the door." I shut the door quickly and put on some clothes.

Lily was no stranger. We were friends before and even had a thing so to say. But we did not even come close to see each other with not much clothes on. I hoped that she wouldn't say a single word about this humiliating act of mine.

"Yes, Lily. What was it again? The man spoke?" Acting like nothing weird had happened, I approached Lily outside of my room. This time, fully and formally clothed.

"Yes, Arthur. The man wishes to see you."

"Me? Not lord Erdemir?"

Arthur's home had an empty guest room. Lord Erdemir had asked my father if the stranger could stay in his house. My father obviously accepted.

I did not know why the man wanted to see me. Still, I did not refuse. I was curious about what a soon to be dying soul had to say to me.

Lily waited outside the room when we arrived. Only I entered and talked with the stranger.

He looked even worse than when we first met. Before, he was a mess but still, life force spurred out of his body. Now, there was only a pitch black darkness in those eyes.

"I heard you want to meet me?" I pulled a chair and sat across the bed, facing the man.

"Yes… my lord. I need help." The man spoke in a low, tirely voice. His accent was a bit weird, definitely not from the North or anywhere that I knew. He talked like a baby who just had learned how to speak.

"Please, I am but only a commoner. I'm not a noble man so you do not need to address me so formally. I can give a word to lord Erdermir so that he can come here." I said.

"No. I need you help. Not lord."

The following conversation I cannot tell you. I made a deal with him to never speak a word about it. I often think about that day, of how such an inconsequential talk could lead to such changes in my life.

I can say that it was for the better. If Myrddin did not show up, I wouldn't be here today. My true calling would've lost to the ill fates that the false gods promised.