Varheiman Myths: The Dragon And Her Fire

Sword Forged In Fire.

The night wind whispered an untold tale, the stars beheld blooming fruit of love, but the love never did know that his flesh and blood was living the life of someone he isn’t meant to be. Rhineas's life would never be the same again, there was this disconcerting desire rippling through him. The urge of wanting to unite with his father, while Velina feared the outcome of their union.

‘I wouldn't compel you not to see your father.’ She had said, ‘I’ll stand behind you and respect whatever decision you make, son.’

Rhineas sensed the sacrifice his mother is pledging without a single trace of reluctance for his happiness, Rhineas didn’t know the circumstances of union with his father either. He contemplated the possibilities of how would the reunion be, he would be a prince soon enough. And if Edgard denies to accept him, he'd bear the name of bastard for the rest of his life. People would degrade his mother for having a illegitimate relationship with the King. Rhineas certainly didn't wish any of that for his mother.

The first light of dawn lit the sky orange. Birds greeted the village of Talle ,singing the songs of praise to the Gods of kingdom of sun. Rhineas wandered through the realms of his mind where he discovered every scenario, few with dismay and a few with joys of his further life, he had spent the night sleeplessly. He found his mother already off to work in the fields. Rhineas stepped out of his hut to help his mother with the work, he'd ride the carriage into the city gates and sell the grain and fruits. He saw the chattering of people, the children playing around reminded him of his childhood, women fetching water from the stream flowing down from the trails of Hetra, the port was busy as usual with the merchant ships bringing spices, wine and perfume.

The day was bright and airy, the breeze swirled around Rhineas as he went looking for his mother in the village. His mother never went in the city gates, in truth no one from the village were permitted in, but the merchants and traders with a few exceptions of men and women who worked in the palace, served as royal staff. Velina was in her orchid watering the fresh green apples, which were to be sold in the city by the merchants who had a place in the market of the capital.

‘Mother..’ Rhineas was delighted to find her, ‘I was looking for you.’

‘And you always know where to find me son.’ Her blue eyes reflected the gaiety of sunshine.

‘I wanted to take our fruits to the city mother.’ Rhineas was trickling with eagerness.

‘I am afraid we can’t get into the city my son.’

‘Why is that so mother?’ He frowned, ‘Aren’t we part of the city?’

‘Only the noble and highborns are deemed to enter the city.’ Velina's smile faded in the wistful air.

‘I am the first-born of King Edgard.’ Rhineas urged.

‘Yes, you are.’ Velina sighed.

‘I’ve decided, Edgard should know about his first-born.’ The ambition flashed in Rhineas's scarlet eyes.

Velina's skin prickled in thinking if she'd done the right thing telling him about it or not. He knew her son how stubborn and ambitious he is.

Velina remembered the time when she’d try to keep him away from the forest telling him the tales of half-men and flesh eating dwarves, but she ended up motivating him and that made him more eager than he used to be. She'd never succeeded to keep him away from the forest. He'd spend his whole day their, he'd hunt and bring home rabbits or sometimes catch a fish for the supper. Velina was as delighted by his approach to help her with the harvest and orchid, but she was afraid she cannot prevent him from getting into the city.

 ‘The king is married to Pysenia, she is the queen and prince Aeron is the rightful heir-’

‘I don’t want to be a King mother.’ He cut Velina amid sentence. ‘I just want to know how does it feels like to have a father.’ Rhineas felt iniquitous immediate after saying that.

 The wind howled and the branches over them swayed while the leaves rustled in the pleasant weather followed by the distress of mother and son. Velina’s eyes moistened with remorse and she was disappointed with herself, all this time she thought that she'd never let him felt the absence of her father, she thought she'd filled that space in his life, but now she knew she failed him as a father, she knew she could never give her son fatherly love that he deserved. She cursed herself for doing what she wasn’t meant to do, first time ever she cursed the King.

She realised she had made a mistake telling her son that he had a father, whenever little Rhineas would ask about his father she'd answer the same what every mother would answer pointing at the flame which kept them warm through cold night, the flame which illuminated the darkness from the world, she'd pray the God of Fire to look after her son when he'd run off into the murkiness of the forest she never feared for her son's safety because she'd known Emone would protect him and guide him, in truth he'd the blood of Edgard who was guarded by Emone himself, through the war and always, Emone is the guardian of Edgard and Velina was certain he'd guide Rhineas as well.

‘I am sorry dear, I couldn’t love you as a father would.’ She slumped down on her knees, on the damp ground flurried by the dead leaves and twigs fallen from the branches vaulted above them.

‘No, mother. No. You have loved me and raised me as a fine boy.’ Rhineas admitted.

‘I am thankful and grateful to all the Gods from the Kingdom of Moon and Sun. I don’t know what it is like to have a father, but I fear imagining how is it not to have mother, it'd be more grievance.’ He meant it.

Rhineas held his mother by her shoulders gently and elevated up from the damp ground. Velina kissed her son's cheek and embraced him. She is afraid to let him go she prayed the Gods every time she held him near. Rhineas later helped his mother picking up the apples from the trees, and ploughing the soil for sowing wheat which was demanded by the city merchant of bread.

Rhineas made a promise to his mother that he'd not insist on taking the fruits in the city market, but he didn’t make any promise for not entering the city otherwise. Rhineas spent his childhood thinking about his father, he'd look at his playmates Reyto and his blacksmith father teaching him forging shiny blades, armours and arrow that would penetrate through them. He wondered what if he had a smith father?  He'd help him forging and maybe someday impress a Knight by his crafted shiny armour and a sword that would cut through it like it would cut a cake. Then the Knight would take him as his squire, he pictured if he had a farmer father, he'd plough the fields with him learn about the harvest and agriculture. Someday he'd expand the agriculture on a large scale and become a prosperous merchant selling his yield for himself. He tried to think about all the aspects if his father would've be, but he was scared to think if his father would be a king, which was the most true portrait. He'd grow up to be a brave man, a generous prince, he would go off fighting battles to the north and travel all through the Varheim and it’s six kingdoms, accepting the hospitality of the Lords and Kings. He imagined how his father would teach him ride a horse he'd mount on the stallion proudly, with a sword hanging on his side, wearing a shiny armour. He'd never dishonour his father and would always try to be worthy of his titles and legacy. He'd learn how to wield a sword from the best swordsman in the Kingdom, he could picture himself practice on the dusty ground of the royal palace, flinging the sword impressively like the Knight he'd seen when he was younger on the street behind the fleet, when the pirates tried to steal the barrels of wine. He knew that could all come true but he could not neglect the possibility of it staying  just a dream either. His chest already ached thinking of it, his heart already bore a tiny c***k from fearing disappointment. He'd would just settle for a smile from his father, and if it’s not too much to ask the king about a decent job.

Rhineas wished if he'd not insisted her mother on telling him about his father, if he’d just been happy having the shade of motherly love above his head. He knew his mother had given all the love, but yet there was indeed a part of him craved for a father's hand of guidance and wisdom telling him about skills. He'd not cared if his father was to be a king living in lavish palace or a peasant in the straw-twigged hut, all he cared was just a father.

He went inside his mother's bed which was separated by a thin panel of leaves and twigs interwoven together. He saw Velina breathing, and her scrapped hands ,how hard she works in the field the job which is too coarse and not meant for the delicacy of a woman, but yet she does it for their survival. He felt her sacrifice for him, she's still beautiful and young but she never married other man she'd live a decent life. She never wanted other person in her life, she devoted all her love to me. Rhineas was infuriated by this thought he abruptly felt a strong dislike for the King and blamed for the endures of his mother on himself, but that was for a brief moment, he knew that is not a rational thing to do, he wished if the Gods hadn’t forfeit the wisdom of magic then he’d learn it and would cast a spell upon the king if he would deny the truth, maybe that’s why the Gods took back the wisdom, people were misusing it. Rhineas propped his head next to his mother's feet and drifted into the darkness against his eyes.

The sixteen years old Rhineas was embroiled in the destiny. He was not the chosen one by the Gods, but neither was he an ordinary boy. His heart had a soft spot which would stay untainted through the eternity, Velina was never wrong that he was watched by the Emone, he protected Rhineas, and kept the fire kindling in him.

The sunlight filtered through the canopy formed by the straggling branches of the huge trees over Rhineas's head. He'd come in the Stegardian forest after visiting Reyto's forge where he works with his father, to feel a sword. After everything he'd dreamt about last night his unbridled will brought him here, he don’t need to be a highborn to wield a sword, he thought. He could feel the heat of afire forge, where the flames danced viciously melting the hard unbreakable steel into orange glob. The high pitched clinking and clashing of metal deafened all the other sounds of the world. It was spacious and exceedingly hot, Reyto held the orange glowing steel in a tong and pounded it with a hammer repeatedly. Reyto would incline the steel and peer through it with one eye frequently.

‘What’s got you here?’ Reyto asked loudly, behind the other clashing of metals.

‘I was wondering if I could get a sword.’

‘What?’ He gazed incredulously.

‘I’ve developed a keen in sword, recently.’ Rhineas avowed.

Reyto looked at Rhineas's red eyes he saw a crinkling flame of passion flickering in them. He was as confused as Rhineas himself a night before.

‘What is your source of this abrupt interest in blades, Rhineas?’ Reyto's astonishment was evident. Anyone who knew Rhineas would be curious of his peculiar actions, this is not what a peasant boy would do.

‘I might be considering to be a recruitment for a soldier.’ Rhineas unveiled. For a brief moment he'd considered that thought.

‘Do you know how to swing a sword?’ Reyto daunted.

‘I will train myself.’ Rhineas said his pale white face gleamed against the orange shimmering steel with sanguine assured that he would.

Reyto picked a few swords which he considered best fit for Rhineas, and presented them to him. The blade glaring in his hand, the white steel made him feel fearless and potent.

Rhineas pointed it towards Reyto. ‘Careful there, it will cut through me like cheese.’ He warned.

Rhineas smiled. His prior innocent smile was replaced with a grim of proud lord.

He fumbled awkwardly with the blade Reyto retreating cautiously not to get cut.

‘This fits you well, Rhineas.’ Reyto admired.

‘How much would it cost me Reyto?’ Rhineas asked considering he would pay whatever the blacksmith would say. He'd forgotten that he don’t own a single dime in his pocket.

‘Six coppers.’ Reyto said carefully, he knew Rhineas wouldn’t afford it he saw the smile upon his friend's lips sinking in his face and a hard line replaced the lips.

Rhineas eyes dropped and the flame in his eyes extinguished like the proud lord who has been stripped off his dignity and garbed in dishonour.

He came here in the forest to solidify himself from the existential bitterness outside. He climbed upon a tree and sat there in absolute silence listening to the murmurs of leaves, and whirls of air.

‘Wait ya filthy little beast.’ A harsh bellow voice crying from beneath disturbed the quietude of the forest.