Sword of stars

Never Say Good-Bye

"Ok, what can I do to help," I asked.

"Nothing," she told me.

"What, this what I've been training for," I plead.

"Raibyn, you are to remain here, continue your training, and listen to your father. Do I make myself clear?"

I stood there a little dumbfounded. She had never spoken to me this way before.

"Do I make myself clear," she repeated with authority in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am," I said quickly.

I stood there a moment, trying not to cry. Later, I went and grabbed my short sword I had saved up for and had specially made from the village blacksmith. The handle was silver wired wrapped and other than the shorter scale it looked like the Emperor's great sword he used. I sheathed it and headed out my door.

I entered the Queen's private dressing room. She was dawning her plate armor. Maids were strapping pieces on her. She spotted me in the mirror and turned to look at me. I stepped forward and shoved my sword in her hand. "Take this. Use it when you need to the most," I told her. She told the maids to leave. She put her gauntlet hand on my shoulder.

"Raibyn, this is your sword. I can not take it," she said.

I shook my head. "If it's the only thing that might stand between you coming home or not, then you need it more than I do." I was fighting back tears and they were starting to burn my eyes.

She knelt down and put her arms around me. Pulling me away, she looked me in the eye and said, "I'm coming home, Raibyn. I'm coming home!"

She got up and unfastened her belt and slid my sword sheath on it and fastened it again. "Thank you, my dear. I will carry it always." In her hand it looked nothing more than a big knife, but to my size it was perfect. I just hoped in her darkest hour she would remember she had it.

The next day at the head of a huge parade was the Queen clad in armor on her pale Peryton marching down the main street. I was already at the coliseum training when we were told they were going to be passing. Sabra let us take a break to watch them go by.

I stood by Sabra out front of the coliseum when we saw them pass. The Queen waved and blew a kiss but, her face was not one to be admired at that moment. We all knelt as she and the army passed.

"Did you get a chance to tell her good bye," Sabra asked.

"I gave her my sword," I told her. Her eyes widened.

"I don't think you realize the honor you gave her," she said. She patted me on the back and we all went back inside to keep training. One day that was going to be us. We had to be ready.

Reality set in quick after that. Meals were even more quiet then they already were. I wrote to the Queen as often as the messengers would come and go. I think for the first time ever in my letters I refereed to her as Mom. The castle wasn't the same without her.

Training five days a week was what got me through. Getting stronger. Pushing myself to the limits and trying to stay in one piece while I was at it.

It was close to the end of the fall season. The weather was getting cold and living on a coast didn't help matters either. The ocean breeze made ice form in the ends of clothes and hair.

  A horn bast came from the top of the coliseum. We all stopped what we were doing. Coliseum guards were running through the doors and barring them from our side. Commander Sabra barked orders at us, "rally behind me!" Her shield and sword were drawn and ready. All we had was practice equipment. Wooden swords and armor. The only real protection we had was real helmets and we had to wear wool caps underneath to keep from freezing our ears off.