Our Destiny: Bearers of the Dagger

Journey South, Part 2

The palace armoury was deserted. The soldiers might have gone on break or maybe patrol, Steve wasn't sure, this was the first time he'd seen the room with no one inside.

On the day of the council, Lord Astiel given them a feast in their honour of accepting the Dagger, followed by a grand tour of his home. One of the five keeps of his palace was devoted entirely to war memorabilia and weapon displays. It was kind of sad, but in his heart, Steve was still a guy and he loved seeing this kind of stuff. Plus, there was something that really caught his eye.

The long-haired boy crossed the marble floor quietly, ever watchful in case a soldier might appear and send him from the room. The Lord had offhandedly remarked that they were welcome to visit him whenever they wanted, which they all accepted without any real longing to return again. But Steve remembered the armoury. And he wanted a second look.

He passed several suits of Freeland armor, golden trimmed plate mail with ring patterns and a green cloak hanging from the shoulder. They looked like the bodyguards armor but far grander and more polished. They were probably the suits of former Melwaith Lords.

Dozens of halberds, falchions and Warhammers decorated the walls, some of them so gilded with gems that they would be totally impractical in combat. Steve ignored all those kinds of weapons, instead more interested in the mundane and perhaps boring looking arms. There some dullish, plain steel swords and battle-axes, that looked notched or blunted from years of use but they looked far more impressive than any of the ceremonial blades on display.

Yet the object he revered the most was not a sword or a spear or any kind of blade. It was a warbow.

The device was three-foot-long, made of dark metal and soft wood. The grip was fastened with a simple band of green leather that looked well-used and frayed. Definitely not the magnificent weapon in the armoury but Steve was enamoured by it.

Steve love the idea of archery. He loved movies and tv shows where the main characters would shoot enemies hundreds of feet away, firing arrows so fast they were like bullets. He himself, had never ever used a bow before, let alone touch one. The air cadets used rifles not medieval weaponry. So now, in the presence of this awesome warbow, he had the greatest desire to take it and see just what it could do.

'Beautiful, isn't it?'

Steve recoiled at once. He wasn't alone.

But the voice was familiar and he was right. It was Veyron. The scholar was standing at the entrance of the armoury, clutching a dozen scrolls in his arms.

'I was just wanted to look,' he smiled awkwardly.

The scholar grinned and moved over to the warbow to admire the weapon.

'That's the Venralis Bow,' Veyron explained. 'It was used by Lord Astiel's grandfather.'

'Ah,' said Steve, 'it's a family heirloom.'

'You could say that,' the scholar nodded. 'It's said that his grandfather prevented a war with that bow. You see, the Freelands is divided into many vales, each with their own leader. Some time ago the leaders were up in arms. Trade disputes, territory, trivial reasons to why they were fighting one another. Anyway, it is said on the brink of battle, Astiel's grandfather bought all the leaders to Melwaith. And there he made them a deal.'

Steve frowned. 'What was the deal?'

Veyron laughed heartily. 'Astiel's grandfather said if he could shoot an arrow through the eye of a needle, five hundred yards away, then the leaders would put aside their differences and go home in friendship. If he failed, they could have their war.'