War Without Reason : The Second Battle

Chapter I - Renner, The King and The Kingsfolk

"It'th all in the bloodline." Willaby Frost said loud enough to make Renner wince. It had been months since Renner joined the king but he still couldn't get used to Willaby's loudness, nor his lisp. But he was the only one who Renner could call a friend now.

It was even worse as the hot day had its silence broken only by silent murmurs among the others and by the horses trotting on dry leaves and twigs, which seemed to amplify Willaby's already high volume.

"We don't even know who his or even our own parents are. How could you just chalk it up to his bloodline?" Renner asked. "And can you keep it down a bit? He's right there." he added motioning at Gazelle Frost, who was mounted on a fine brown mare a few feet ahead of them, to the right side of the king who was on his own horse leading the group.

"It musth have come from hiths blood. You telling me he chose to be this silent? No way." Willaby replied, starting as a whisper and getting louder by the word.

"Alright. That must be it then." Renner said, even though he had much more to say about the matter, just to quiet him down.

Everything had gotten a bit more uncomfortable ever since the day Saint came to him with news that the king wanted to meet him. But he considered it a reasonable price for everything else that had gotten so much better. It still felt like a dream sometimes.

"Greetings! My name is Emilio Frost. You may address me as 'Your Grace'. And I would like you to join me." the King had said right away, seated on a platform higher than the others were at the town that day. Renner had a hundred questions. But the king stopped him with a wave and said, "I don't have any of the answers either. Elder Maverick here requested your constant presence. And I trust his counsel. So here you are."

The Elder was sitting beside him, at a lower platform, nodding his head slowly with a fixed smirk. He requested it? Nope. Gotta get out of here right now, he thought.

"I'm afraid I have to decline... You-Your Grace." he said.

"It's funny. I don't recall asking you anything. Did I ask him anything, Elder?" the King said smugly. The Elder shook his head no, all the while perfectly holding his smirk. "You will be here from now on. What reason do you have to decline this life though? The Elder told me you'd be happy to stay away from the fighting." he said.

"Wait. What?" Renner asked. Every other voice in his head, which had been screaming a hundred questions at him were silenced. "Away from the fighting? What will I be doing instead?"

"Once again. No answers here. All I know is you won't be needed in the battlefield. The Elder will prepare you to do whatever he needed you to be here for." the King answered. Renner considered it for a moment.

"My God! What are you doing? Is he thinking?!" the King exclaimed, sighing deeply and sliding down his seat.

Renner's head shot up. "You can't say that word... Can you?" he asked.

"What word?"

"The G-word."

The G-word - 'God' had been banned from usage a long time ago. There were too many groups with too many versions of the word, which had made coexisting harder.

"Of course I can. I make the rules. I don't need to follow them. Everyone here with me can do and say whatever they want." the King said and laughed as the others there including Willaby, Gazelle and two maids both named Leah, known as the Kingsfolk, joined in.

"I'm in." Renner had said.

With that, he had part of the Kingsfolk. He got to watch from afar as the Frosts and the Flames won over each other unpredictably, keeping them dancing around Mud River. The Frosts were at Berkville now, just below Mud River recovering from their recent loss. None of that bothered him anymore, the Elder just had him do "jobs" that required no effort at all; food was served to them at the same time everyday; and he could cuss as much as he wanted.