Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  “I shall look for him. In the morning you make the journey to the great mountain where the dwarves are. You will need your rest” she says sweetly and gently kisses him on the forehead

  “Thank you mother” Mellyruna says and looks over to see Rin glowing with pride and love. She has done this as long as he can remember, every time he or Attonnan has called her mother.

  Slowly he turns and gives a slight bow then walks his way to his room. He knows he will not sleep. His father will think it simply cause of the great path in front of him now, but no, it is cause he has not seen Attonnan since training. He is sure that Attonnan heard their father call him weak and helpless, a wound like that left untreated can scar deeply.

  Once she is sure that he is on his way to his bed Rin begins her own scouting of the castle. She knows that Attonnan is wounded, and that if Mellyruna couldn’t find him then he is not in any of the usual places. She moves through the castle thinking of where he might be, it is the day before the Kentonmen and he will need his rest. She thinks to herself about where he might be. Then it comes to her, an elf like him. He would follow the old ways. And in the old days a elf seeking the purity of the Ketonmen and a strong path would have spent the day in the church to pray for a good path, to be a knight, warrior, sometimes prince. With that in mind she slowly makes her way to the temple and opens the great oak doors. All the priests but one have left for the day; candles are lit in honor of the day to come and to send the prayers to the all father. The priest still in the temple smiles to see his Princess walk in.

  “My lady, I wondered when you would be here, he is near the alter, we did not move him” he says and walks the isle

  They walk silently tell they get to the alter, there on the floor is Attonnan, his hand laid over the dagger she had given him, she can still see the streaks of tears down his cheeks.

  “The dagger” Rin says looking at the priest calmly she can tell that things are not well when she watches the priest lower his head.

  “From the tears streaked across his cheek, we believe he meant to harm himself” the priest says calmly He watches as Rin slowly kneels by Attonnan and gently bushes some of his long black hair away from his face. She then chuckles to herself to see that he does not move, doesn’t stir in the slightest.

  “I do not think he meant to harm himself father, I think he meant to leave this world” she says then with all the tenderness in the world she gently lifts him off of the floor and pulls him close to her. As she holds him close to her chest her hand gently runs through his hair. If only his father could see the pain that he is causing Attonnan.

  With a nod to the father she walks out of the temple on to the chambers where Attonnan sleeps. Once in his room she gently lays him down on the bed and pulls the covers over him. Once she is sure that he is comfortable she walks to the other rooms checking on her other children. They are all sound asleep and nestled gently in there beds. She then goes to her own room to find Feff sitting at a desk going through some papers

  “My prince, did you talk to Attonnan today about the kentonmen?” she asks calmly hoping to get to the bottom of what he might have said to Attonnan to make him want to end his life

  “Hmmm, Attonnan, no. I really didn’t have the time today. I had the meeting with the Oda officials and those of the dwarven sorceress” he says and rifles through his papers. He loves Rin with all of his heart but there are some times he just wish that she would fall asleep and not worry about his day, he is far too busy for this.

  “You talked to Mellyruna though right?” she says trying to hide the bitterness in her voice. She prays he says no. For once give the right answer

  “Of course, right after the mourning training” He said with a sigh as if that were a stupid question.

  “You do understand that you are putting two sons on the hill tomorrow” Rin says her voice a bit agitated now.

  “Yes, yes, now do you mind love, I have work I must finish” He said and finding the parchment he wants and then rolls it out.

  “Feff this is important, did you know that Attonnan tried to kill himself today” she says now angered

  “hmmm, well I’ll have a talk with him tomorrow, it’s nothing serious I’m sure” Feff says and then stops as Rin slams her hand down on the table.

  “Did you hear a word I said, HE TRIED TO KILL HIMSELF, there isn’t much more serious then that” She growls at him and then starts to leave the room.

  “Attonnan has always been melodramatic. I would love to put a bit more attention to this problem but I leave early in the mourning to meet with the Oda clan” he says growling back at her.

  “You would leave to tend to the Oda clan knowing your son is laying in a church floor with a knife… . what if this were Mellyruna, what would you say then, or one of our own, would you go to the clan then” she says tears rimming her eyes

  “You know vary well that Mellyruna would never do such a thing, as for our own, well, I don’t think they would either” he says going back to the piece of parchment

  “I didn’t want to believe it, but I think Vulge is right, you hate Attonnan don’t you” she says tears now rolling down her cheeks

  “I do not hate him, as a matter of fact he will serve me well tomorrow” Feff says calmly and goes back to writing on the parchment.

  “Do you feel anything but distain for him. Do you look into his eyes and see any love?” she says calmly turning her back to him.

  “Of course I see love, I am his father.” He says but Rin notices that he is cold and this just seems like some mundane subject like the weather.

  “I wonder, I have seen paintings of your love, your first wife, I see a lot of her in Attonnan” she says as her hand reaches for the doorknob.

  She is stopped suddenly when she hears his fist hit the desk. She slowly turns to see Feff glaring at her, his eyes blazing

  “You are not allowed to speak of her, don’t you dare tell me where I should see my love.” Feff shouts and glares at her.

  “So that’s it isn’t it. You do see it, and you hate it” she says and with that leaves the room.

  Feff thinks to himself for a moment, Rin is still his love but he thinks she has developed too much of a bond to Attonnan. She does not understand what he knows about Attonnan, that he stole his own mother’s life. He is a bit disturbed that Attonnan had tried to kill himself this day, after all if he were to die then he would have to give up Mellyruna to the dwarven sorceress. But he is fine and they will make the track to the mountain tomorrow, first thing in the mourning.

  It is late in the evening when Feff makes his way to the stables. Waiting for him with a black horse is his faithful captain Vulge. He stands in silence as he watches his prince throw things into the saddlebags and then mounts his horse.

  “When shall I expect you back my prince” Vulge asks calmly and watches as Feff pats his horse on the neck.

  “I should be back in time for there ceremony, you know what to do tomorrow correct?” he says looking hard at Vulge

  “Of course my prince, I will wake them both at dawn, get them ready, the track should take a good part of the day, then when they get home they will feast and then rest, the day after they take there vows to the kingdom… . sir. I did not get a message to say that Attonnan will take the vow as defender” He says calmly, but he already knows why, it was only earlier this day that he learned that Feff thought nothing of Attonnan, but the position of lord and defender of Ronin has always been kept for either the second born son, or the captain of the guards. In his case it was him, Feff was an only child.

  “Yes well, we shall see what oath he will pledge when I get back” he says calmly and then kicks his horse into a gallop

  Vulge only watches the prince ride off, he wonders what the meeting is and why so late in the night, he is also sure that no good can come of this. He has already doubled
the guard and tightened the defenses. He only hopes that they do not attack during the feast and festival when the two sons will take their vows. The castle will be almost impossible to guard then.

  Feff rides hard into the night, his mind racing, this was an unexpected meeting. Not much after his meeting he got a scroll saying that the Hitori clan wanted a meeting tonight. But why so late, it is only two maybe three hours before dawn. Of course he thought of a ambush but he had already sent his personal guards to check out the area, a small church not far, only about an hour ride from his castle, deep in the heart of his land. His team of course came back saying they had searched the church and everywhere within ten miles. They came up clean, of course they did otherwise he wouldn’t be riding out. He couldn’t believe the message when it was sent to him. It was the Hitori clan, a group of elite warriors, if he could just convince them to join him in the fight against Mecmed and those that would enslave their lands, they would have a fighting chance. The Hitori clan is a powerful clan, but he truly needs the Oda clan. The Oda clan has ruled the southern elf lands for almost the greater part of a millennium. The current ruler Lord Oda is a man of cunning and skill, they also say he is skilled in the dark arts. The last clan he needs to have fall into the revolution is the Hojo, a clan of ruthless thieves and assassins, he knows he can get them, he’s just wondering what the price he will have to pay. He gets to the gate where he can see the church in the distance. Taking a deep breath he begins to dismount his horse and take a few things out of the saddlebags putting them in his own pouch. He then checks his sword at his side; it is loosely sheathed and will come out easily. From the distance he can see at the entrance of the church stand Musashi Hitori, leader of the Hitori clan. He is wearing his typical red armor strapped to his side as well as an elven blade and an elven spear to his back. As Feff approaches he looks around, he can see two others next to Hitori, but he never expected to meet him alone. It doesn’t matter, if he can get the Hitori to meet and listen, maybe even agree. Then the Oda clan would not be far behind.

  He gets though the gates and half way down the path before he feels something sharp sting him in the back of the neck. Quickly he draws his sword, but is downed before he gets it half way out of the sheath. Something in that sting, was it a dart, he doesn’t know, all he knows is that his body has suddenly went rigid and that he cannot move, he can’t even blink. From behind him he hears a chuckle, a woman’s chuckle. He watches as a woman walks out from behind him, she is dressed in a long purple gown and she has raven black hair, her complexion is pale, almost cream color. As she looks down at him he can see that she has the most beautiful purple eyes, and her smiles is sweet, he also notices that her fingernails, her two index fingernails on both hands, they are long, longer then normal and sharpened like a claw.

  “Welcome Prince Feff” she says with a polite and noble bow.

  “Now Noe, you know our dear guest cannot answer, what you are doing is rude.” another man says calmly, he too has long raven black hair but his is pulled up in a bun, then tossed into a tail. His complexion is just as pale as Noe’s; he also has a square mustache and beard vary black. His eyes are cold and calculated and as Feff stares into them he can swear that they are a golden color, the color of a serpents. “I’m sure your wondering what I am doing here, you see the Oda clan already has sworn allegiance to Mecmed, he has graciously agreed to let us have our lands and our stations, as long as in the end we swear to him our loyalties. We of the Oda clan were not strong enough to take him on our own. You will also find that the Hitori and Hojo clans have sworn as well. All that remains is your clan. The Unagi, we of course knew that your clan would never yield and is almost as powerful as my own. That is why we set up this little gathering” He heard Lord Oda speak and then gesture to the church.

  He watched with unblinking eyes as Musashi Hitori walks out, then from behind him another figure, this one with skin as blue as a corpse, red markings laid in on his arms chest and face, he wore black leather pants and scale mail over his left shoulder and upper arm, black gauntlets that are a mix of leather and steel. His hair is bright red braids each tied at the end with black cloth and his eyes; his eyes were the color of fresh blood. This must be Fuma Hojo, the demon lord of the Hojo clan, a master in the dark arts and the hidden blade. He too keeps walking only to show Prince Feff’s worst nightmare, Mecmed was a tall elf that was of skinny build, he looked skinny, almost on the edge of death, his skin was pale, so pale it almost glowed in the moonlight. His eyes were sunken into his sockets and have a milky look to them. As Mecmed smiles down at Prince Feff he can see the sharpened yellow teeth. He was wearing long loose fitting cloth, almost what Feff would see as bed sheets. One wrapped gently around his waist and then over his right shoulder. Around his waist was a belt of brown leather and gold chain, his hair is long and slick, a dark brown color, his mustache is long as well and on his chin is a thin but long goatee. He smiles down at Prince Feff and then lets his hand drift to the cheek, on his right hand is a gold Ring that curls over his finger like a claw. On it is some small jewels.

  “Your wife has an extraordinary talent with poison, you swear to me that he is unharmed, only paralyzed, he can hear us” Mecmed says and looks over at Noe

  “Yes my lord, but it will only last three hours, then he will be himself, should we dispose of him now” she asked licking her lips.

  “No… I have further plans for him. Oh prince Feff, you are from a strong people, your grandfather that broke the stature and killed his own master, a slave turned prince, loved by his people. That is why I knew the Unagi clan would never fall to mine. That is why I arranged this little meeting.” He said and then licked his two index fingers and straightened out his mustache.

  “What are your further instructions for the Unagi clan.” Musashi Hitori says calmly, prince Feff can see a look of distain for what is going on around him.

  “Hmmm, yes the Unagi clan. I have instructed the Hojo to bring them to me, but not tell after they see the dwarven sorceress. I am told she has been seeing you a lot lately, I am wondering what this is all about. Perhaps your sons could tell me, or daughter, or wife, you know I can be quite persuasive” Mecmed tells him calmly and then turns his back to them.

  “Your orders” Fuma asks licking his lips as he looks down at prince Feff

  “Take him back to Bushi, I will tend to him there, remember Fuma, he is not yours and I do not want a mark on him” he says and watches out of the corner of his eye as Fuma lets out a sigh but bows gently.

  The dawn’s light shines though the windows in Attonnan’s bedroom. Slowly he opens his eyes and finds Rin sitting on his bed right beside him, her hand now gently brushing his face.

  “Mom, what are you doing in here” he asks calmly and then watches as she smiles at him.

  Her smile is so sweet so warm. He could get lost in her smile, loose all of his frustration, and pain, forget all that his father said, just for that smile.

  “I have never asked you to call me your mother. But every time you do, I don’t think you’ll ever understand how much it warms my heart when you or Mellyruna calls me your mother” she says and brushes some hair out of his face,

  Attonnan can only blush a bit; she has always been that way. Full of sentiment and flowing words. She only smiles at him again, but then, then the smile fades to a look of sadness as she glances over at his desk. On it lays the silver dagger that she found with him on the church floor, the one she knows that if he had his way, he would have ended his own life with.

  “Attonnan, my dear Attonnan. I want to talk about yesterday, I don’t think I need to go into much but I do have a questions. Why” Rin asks calmly as she slowly gets up, walks to his desk, takes up the dagger and then gently places it on the bed next to him.

  “I thought it would be best if I… if I wasn’t here” Attonnan says calmly but she watches as tears begin to build up.

  Gently
Rin pulls him to her and lets him wrap his arms around her and sob into her chest. She let him sob for a good ten, fifteen minutes then hands him a cloth to wipe off.

  “Attonnan, listen to me, are you listening” she asks and gently looks over at him, but he can hear the sternness in her voice.

  She smiles as he only nods at her

  “You are part of this family, and I can think of nothing that would break this families heart more then if you left it” she said and pulled him close again.

  “That’s not how father feels” Attonnan says and lays his cheek against his chest.

  “What makes you think this?” she says and gently running her fingers though his hair.

  “That elf has been nothing more then a waist of my time and resources. He was a mistake. After all how could I love the son that for his first act in this world took the vary strength from my love and wife, those where his words, he wants the dwarven sorceress to claim me so that he can keep Mellyruna, he lied to there escorts in order to get her to think I was the strongest, but he hates me, thinks I’m nothing. I… I killed my own mother” he bursts out but she does not let him sob, instead she pushes him at arms length and then looks him dead in the eyes.