The Tales of Miriela: Shadowborn

Chapter 12: Liam Bannister

The sound of the waves crashing, one over the other, was strangely familiar. He had not seen these waters in over fifteen years, but Liam's ears recognized their sounds. He stood alone at the bow of the ship, as his eyes pierced through the cloudy fog, searching for land. His hands were wet, cold, and slimy with anticipation. Heart beats began to appear in what seemed like his throat. His breathing felt as violent and heavy as the crash of waves against the boat. They had to be close. The journey felt like a permanent sentence, so many days and nights spent at sea.

Liam only had a few faint memories of home, but he could remember the look of the castle walls standing in the fog. That was his last sight of Cranst, a memory etched in his mind forever. "We're nearly there, Lord Bannister," Said a ship hand, as he pulled a rope, redirecting the sails and catching the Northern wind.

Liam kept staring out at the horizon. For all the excitement which he felt, it was worry that lay heaviest on Liam's heart. He had not been at Cranst during the Great War, and now he returned, a noble. His Father and Brothers both gave their lives to defend the city's walls. But Liam was safe, far from war in the Southern Suns, on the island of Redsand, with his uncle. And so, Liam could not help but wonder whether the city's people would respect him as a noble. He felt more like a foreigner, after all.

He had spent every day he could remember in a foreign land. When the Esternlund army arrived and war broke out before Cranst, Liam's father sent his newborn son South. One of Cranst's bannermen escaped in the night with a baby boy and a sailboat.

He took Liam to an island of the Southern Suns, Redsand. It was here that King Jeromy Bannister resided, the brother of Jacob Bannister, and the uncle of Liam. King Jeromy had been banished from Cranst, many years ago, by his father. And Redsand was where fate took him.

Liam had lived a safe life there, and heard many stories about Cranst from the maidens and servants who raised him. His Uncle Jeromy, however, told no such stories. He despised Liam's father, and only agreed to allow Liam refuge if he would serve Redsand Island as a slave, until he reached his twenty second name day, old enough to be considered a man.

King Jeromy never allowed his nephew to stay at his keep. Liam grew up in the servant's quarters. It was there that he learned to clean stables, and tend to gardens. Liam had been a servant all his life, until now.

"Land!" One of the ship hands yelled. Sure enough, through the thick fog of the Southern Seas, castle walls began to appear. The walls were darker and smaller than Liam remembered. Some areas were still torn from war, and had not yet been rebuilt. Vines, stretched up from the ground and grew over the stone walls. Liam could already tell things had changed. The walls were older now, and so were those who remained inside them.

The ship jostled amongst the waves of the Southern Sea, until the bow finally struck against a white sand beach. Liam stepped off of the small ship, which had carried him so far, and for the first time in weeks his feet felt land. As his legs wobbled about upon the dry land below him, a man began to walk towards Liam from near the castle's gate. As he approached closer, Liam could see his brown hair, which rested upon his shoulders, his bright blue eyes, and a scar which traveled down his right cheek.

"Liam! I can't believe it's you. You're grown!" Shouted the man as he approached with open arms. Liam said nothing, he was confused. He didn't know who this man was. The two embraced, awkwardly, as Liam still wore a look of utter confusion.

"Forgive me, Liam. You were too young. Surely you don't remember me. Nicholas Brenly. A minor house noble of Cranst. Now, unfortunately, head of House Brenly," Said Nicholas.

Liam recognized the name from the Redsand servants' stories. The Brenly's and Bannister's had served Cranst together, their houses joined through history. Once both minor Noble houses, they swore their allegiance to serve the Sentrione line. But the last King of Cranst, Illian Sentrione, had gone mad. He had children murdered in the streets, and innocent men killed without cause. The city was in terror and Lord Jacob Bannister believe something must be done.