The man’s name was Adam, and his young wife’s name was Shelly. Adam grew up in Riverton, and knew from the moment he could hold a blade that he was destined to be in the Kain’s Guard to defend his people against any evils in the world that would dare take on the mighty Kain. His wife Shelly grew up in a small fishing village on the northeastern shores until she was old enough to move to the capital to further her education. The two met while Adam attended the five trials of the Guard in the capital. From the moment they saw each other for the first time, they knew that they would spend the rest of their lives together, and would live peaceful and productive lives. Adam was accepted into the Kain’s Guard, and Shelly got a job as a private instructor for the children of Menethiel.
They passed the interview process conducted by the ‘Mother’ of Riverton, and were granted the right to own a Trueborn, but at a large price. They spent most of their life’s savings so that Adam could fulfill his dream of owning a Trueborn. They led the young filly all the way to the capital on foot. On the long road, Adam and his new Trueborn filly, which he named Brethany, began to form a bond that would last them their lifetimes, for Trueborns often lived as long as their masters, and were even said to die within the same year. Three years have passed since Adam and Shelly have brought the filly home to the capital. Adam was now a Sergeant in the Kain’s Guard, and Shelly was recently promoted to the Royal Instructor, and taught the children of the powerful and wealthy, including the King’s son, Dathian, and the treasurer’s daughter, Savannah. Adam and his now well-trained and spirited five-year-old Trueborn Brethany were attending to some business south of the capital the day the Dragonkin attacked. Shelly, however, was not so lucky, for she still resided in the city when the Dragonkin overtook the capital. She lost her life that day as a fire drake engulfed her and many others in flames as they ran for the mines once the conjured wall fell. Adam and his company quickly responded to the attack on the city, not knowing that his beloved wife laid dead on the blood-stained and fire-scorched streets. Adam and his entire company lost their lives against the Dragonkin, all but one.
The Trueborn mare Brethany managed to escape the massacre at the southern gates. She ran towards the only place that she knew to be safe, her birthplace of Riverton, though she didn’t know the way. She was intercepted by the Kain’s Guard, and taken into their charge. Ayden ordered a young recruit by the name of Matthew to watch over the mare until they reached the city. Matthew was too overwhelmed by the recent tragedy in the capital to pay much attention to the grieving mare. He was callous to her, and neglected to show her the care she deserved. She felt alone and defeated, until the night Daane demanded Matthew to give the mare to another young recruit… Ethan. From the first moment he rested his caring hand on her cheek, she knew that his heart was pure, and his intentions were true. Although the mare was physically exhausted from the long journey from the capital, she gave everything she had to carry him and the two orphaned children all the way to Riverton. When Evelyn looked to the Trueborn mare for approval of the teen, she did not hesitate in her acceptance of her new owner. Although the mare was fond of her previous master Adam, she felt in her heart that she was always destined to be paired with him. She did not hesitate when it came time to march on the overtaken capital, for she trusted her master with her life. Her heart broke the first time he was killed on the platform outside of the Throne Room, although he came back to her, but this time was different.
Talliel fought throughout the night to free herself from the expert tie her master tied the night before. She watched helplessly as he was strangled to death by Krog right in front of her. The morning after, although exhausted, she finally broke free from the tree, and nervously walked over to the lifeless body of her master. As she approached, she noticed a small white hare approaching him, and slammed down her hoof in defiance. She watched as the perturbed hare turned and scurried back to his burrow. Just before he dove down, he gave her one last look, as if to say, ‘I’ll be back.’ Talliel quickly turned back to her master. She didn’t know what to do at first, as she bent her neck down and sniffed for any sign of life, nudging his limp body with her snout. She then moved to the other side of him, and began to paw at the deep snowdrift that trapped his body in ice-cold snow. As she pawed the remaining snow away, his frozen body fell onto his back, eyes still wide open. Talliel once more bent her neck down to sniff the teen to see if her efforts revealed any success, but was saddened to discover that no life remained in his cold body. Not knowing what else to do, she walked around in a tight circle, before gently kneeling on her knees, followed by her hide end. Once on the cold ground, Talliel slowly and carefully rested her head on the young teen’s chest, and let out all the air in her lungs. A solitary tear fell from her wet eyes as it coursed its way down her long winter hair. As the tear reached the end of her whiskers, it lingered for a moment, before falling onto his white chest. The tear trickled down the curvature of his torso, before it slowed, and froze to his skin. She could not bear the loss of another master, so a heartbroken Talliel then closed her eyes, and prepared to stay with him until death took her too.
The Reclaiming: The Keepers Saga: Volume Two Page 45
