Iron Melting (Legend of the Iron Flower Book 6)

by Billy Wong

  "Who is he?"

  "Conrad the Slave," she breathed. One of the best warriors she and Alicia had fought in her youth, who she'd thought dead until she heard that he had resurfaced and made a name for himself in the far south. He shouldn't be here, though. "He loves to kill, and will only take on work if he knows there'll be lots of 'action' for him. If he's been hired by Prince Victor..." He probably means to take over the country, she didn't need to say.

  Finn grunted. "We'll take care of it when the time comes, then."

  #

  They arrived in Gustrone and headed right home, but walking past confused and anxious looking citizens could already sense the tension. Derrick greeted them at the tower with frantic eyes. "Thank goodness you're back! The city is in turmoil—Prince Lawrence is dead!"

  Rose's jaw dropped. "What?! Dead? Did Victor do it?"

  "I don't know... I don't think so. They say he was struck by lightning."

  Finn took on a doubtful expression. "Struck by lightning? That's rare."

  "Prince Victor thought he was going to be regent for sure, but it turned out Lawrence passed the post to Sierra in his will and she sent him away immediately..."

  "So maybe she thinks he did have something to do with it?" Rose asked.

  "I'm not sure. But he carries a strange white trident now in place of his sword, which they says shines bright as any pearl..."

  Rose and Finn exchanged looks. "I just hope he can hold off on his plan long enough to give us something of a break," she said.

  They met Sierra later at her request on the private balcony connected to her room. Her face strained, she confided to them, "I wasn't prepared for this at all. I wanted to be a leader, but not the leader—not the person who has no one to look to for guidance. I don't know if I have the strength..."

  "To hold on to the nation against Victor?" Finn asked. "Don't worry-"

  Rose finished for him, "You'll have ours."

  But first, they needed to go somewhere.

  #

  Weeks later, they stood atop a volcano in the north, their faces uncomfortably warm from the hot air rising from the lava flow below. "Like the great ring from that old story, and that white star dweller we fought the other year," Finn said as he cast the blue spike down into the red-hot liquid rock, "we consign you to the sleep eternal."

  "Hey, you stole that from Rexxon!" Rose said while the spike sank, hopefully being melted away. If not, at least nobody should be able to find it for quite a while...

  "We did kill him, so you could say we won the right to use it."

  She smiled. "I guess. So where do you think Victor went, considering he didn't go right back to Jugeld? Any idea what he's planning?"

  "I don't know." He pounded the butt of his mace against the rocky ground, making an unexpecting Rose jump. "Whoops, sorry about that. But anyway, what I was going to say was... whatever it is, we'll be ready to stop it."

  Epilogue/Bonus Short Story, Scar Maps

  Finn leaned against the rough stone wall of his tower home, wondering how much time had passed since Rose vanished into the washroom. What was she doing in there? The painter was waiting, and Finn anxious to let him begin.

  He knocked and yelled, "Rose, what the hell is holding you up?!" There was no answer, and he banged harder on the door. "Come on, hurry up!"

  A few more seconds passed, and he still heard no sound inside the washroom. "Come out or I'm coming in there!" The words weren't really serious; he would have shut up and kept waiting if he heard any response. But there was nothing, and so he found himself ramming a huge shoulder into the door.

  Wood cracked and hinges snapped, and Finn stumbled into the little room to find his naked wife staring at the mirror on the wall. Despite his noisy entrance, Rose didn't even look at him. He saw in her reflection that there were tears in her eyes.

  "What's wrong?" he asked, putting his hands on her shoulders. He felt them shake a bit. Though she was taller and broader than most men, right now she looked terribly delicate. He could scarcely imagine what troubled her so, on what should have been a joyous day. Their anniversary.

  "I'm scared," she said. "I don't know if I can do this."

  The painting, he realized she meant. He'd hired the same painter to draw her as on their last two anniversaries. Only this time, he had asked her to pose nude. "Why? You're beautiful."

  She looked back at him. "Look at all these scars, Finn. How can you want to reproduce this and call it art? I know you love me, but can you really tell me that if you didn't know me, you wouldn't be disgusted?"

  Rose bore more scars than anyone else Finn had ever met, many from wounds which would have killed another. She was an amazing healer, but she still scarred, and the creams and ointments she insisted on using never seemed to do much. So she always wore long sleeves and pants, though the crisscrossing scars on her face were never hidden.

  "You're not disgusting," Finn said. "Even if I didn't know you personally, I'd know the name of the Iron Flower. Scars might be ugly on another girl, but for you they're just reminders of your heroism."

  "And of my heartbreak. I'd rather not look at them and remember, more than I have to." She touched a puckered scar over her heart, which had been made by the spear of a barbarian king. "I got this the day my first love died because of me."

  He wiped at the tears flowing down her cheeks, then moved her hand to rest over one of her largest scars, a great rough ridge on her lower belly. "But you never let me down. Remember that day? I was dying, and even though the Earth Mother's guardian had gutted you you still managed to save me."

  Rose smiled, and for a moment Finn thought he'd won. Then her hand slid to her flank, and her face grew more miserable than before. "What about this one, Finn?" She didn't explain, and didn't need to. He knew exactly which scar she meant—the one where a sword had entered to skewer her from side to side. She'd been pregnant then, and the blade pierced her womb. That wound had scarred Finn as well.

  Finn's own eyes moistened a bit, and it took him a few seconds to speak again. "Yes, we've lost a lot. But you've got to admit those scars speak more of triumphs than failings." He gently nudged her chin up, and with his other hand stroked her neck. His index finger touched a small, round scar on her throat. "This is where you took that arrow, the time we saved the kingdom from the allied forces of Sevria and Coblan."

  "I know we've had great victories, but how many of them have come without a price?" She took his hands and raised them to her head, parting her hair so Finn could see the scar where a metal pellet had been blasted through her skull. "I was so happy then, after we stopped the monster invasion of Resnick. The jokes I made, the banter I shared—all unaware my student, my dear friend's lover, was dying! I only found out after I'd begun to celebrate, and because of my earlier closed-mindedness, could only watch her slowly fade away!"

  She turned her whole body towards Finn then, and buried her face in his chest as she continued to cry. He stood there, wishing he'd had the sense not to argue. She was a hero, and her deeds enough to make her a legend a dozen times over. But it didn't matter, because no number of victories could erase the pain of the losses she'd endured. And she was hard on herself, yes. He had shared many of her failures, and didn't dwell nearly as much on them. He didn't think that made him stronger than her, though. Less sensitive, yes. She had always been the better person between them.

  As their bodies touched together, he realized how he could bring back her cheer, at least for today. "Bet I know what scar you'll be proud to see on canvas."

  "What? Even those times I only slaughtered evil enemies, I can't help but imagine they could have been good in another life. I'm not proud of killing."

  "Not killing. Giving life." He ran his fingers over her belly, tracing the stretch marks from her first pregnancy. The successful one, which had given them their twins. Her lower torso was so covered with scars large and small that the lines were almost totally hidden, but he knew they were there.

  Slowly, Rose
's mouth turned upwards in a smile, and then she laughed. "Oh, you devil! That's a cheap trick to pull! You really want to have a naked painting of me, don't you?"

  He shrugged. "Hey, when you're not home... He's a great painter, you know."

  "Fine, then, I'll give you your painting—you better not show it off to everyone you get an urge to!"

  "I won't."

  She looked dubiously at him, but her usual good humor was back in her eyes. "One more thing. Can you ask him to put a little more emphasis on my good scar, in the painting?"

  "He is a dedicated realist." Finn paused. "But I'm sure we can get him to make an exception. For the love of motherhood, and life."

  "Then let's get going. We're already late!"

  Finn smiled, and left the washroom arm in arm with his lovely wife.

  Main cover image copyright © Andreas Gradin

  Cover design copyright © Littera Book Designs http://litterabookdesigns.blogspot.ca/

  Author Billy Wong is an avid fan of heroic fantasy, with a special love for strong female warriors. He draws inspiration from the epic legends of old, and is on a quest to bring over the top deeds and larger than life heroes back to prominence in today's literary world.

  http://bklynbill.blogspot.com/

  http://www.facebook.com/authorbillywong

  https://twitter.com/WarriorWong

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  Feedback is of great importance to writers. If you enjoyed my story, please consider leaving a review. I would be very thankful for your help.

  Other Works

  Iron Bloom (FREE!) - A young woman with a kind heart and extraordinary constitution, Rose becomes a warrior to better the world. Despite the wealth and fame she wins as one of the greatest champions of her time, the bloody reality of her new life is nothing like her ideal dream. She yearns for a chance to escape the violence. She finds that chance in Ethan, the leader of an altruistic pacifist group. But when a barbarian horde invades their kingdom, Rose knows that she can make a difference by taking up her sword again. Will her need to protect her homeland cost her the man she loves? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWKEKP4/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

  Iron Flower - One of the greatest fighters in the world, nearly indestructible Rose lets few things strike fear into her—but magic is one of them. Nonetheless, she seeks out the magical dangers left by the ancients alongside warrior partner Finn and curious scholar Derrick in order to protect others from them. Their mission is complicated by Rose and Finn's budding romance, as her choice of lifestyle conflicts with his expectations for the woman he loves. But after their quest pits against such titanic foes as a prince able to slay a thousand men in a day and a draconic archmage, will Rose be forced to embrace the very magic she fears? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C2CV2CY/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

  Iron Bonds - Nearly indestructible warrior Rose has brought the use of magic back to her world with the help of her love Finn and scholar friend Derrick. Yet there is no time for weary heroes to rest as Death General Joghra, military leader of the most advanced nation in the world, and vengeful giantess Fiona come with a vast army to conquer their homeland. But as Rose and Finn clash with these titans with their underhanded tricks and endless horde, will it be the magic she has always feared that ends up costing Rose her love? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D7HD8QQ/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

  Iron Tears - Famed warrior Rose receives a request for aid from Count Brandon, who uses the ogre attacks in his territory as an excuse to get her close intending to woo her. Unknown to him, her husband Finn secretly comes along to help. But the monster problem turns out more serious than any of them expect, especially when they must also protect a pair of much less experienced friends. Can the three mightiest warriors of their nation work together in their strained relationship long enough to save their land? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DSOOLFK/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

  Iron Champion - Nearly indestructible heroine Rose gets a letter from a foreign king inviting her to discuss opening a new branch of the center for magical study she helps run. Upon arriving in his kingdom of Terlon, she learns that his true motive is to request her aid against invaders from a larger country. Though annoyed by his deception, her compassion does not allow her to turn a blind eye to the suffering of his people and she agrees to help. Following unfavorable developments in the war, Rose finds more and more responsibilities being heaped upon her shoulders. A bitter dispute breaks out over the leadership of Terlon with her caught in the middle, and a battle with the enemy nation's war god looms near. But even that might not be the most daunting trouble fate has planned for her. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FGJFHVW/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

  Iron Melting - Wracked with anxiety over a dread prophecy concerning her children and guilt for the men she has killed to protect them, weary heroine Rose decides to take a break by visiting her mother with her family. But ill fortune strikes again as she and her husband Finn encounter The Lost, an organization of people who have lost everything and wish to balance the scales of fairness by making everyone suffer as they have. When they learn The Lost serve the same destructive force their children are foretold to revive, it looks like they may have to face a reckoning earlier than expected. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H16B2AS/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

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  Iron Seeds - Rose thought she had saved her children from a dread prophecy by destroying the evil they were foretold to revive. Her kids grown, the family now adventures together in search of lost knowledge. But when the wheels of destiny turn again and a dark fate looms over the twins once more, they all must face the most powerful enemies yet. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MBNANWO/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

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  Blood of Kings - Illegitimate Mildred "Mildy" Pendragon wants just one thing: To prove to Camelot that she's as much a warrior as her daddy, King Arthur. With her cowardly Greek squire Ares and metrosexual best friend Lance at her side, she strives to prove her legendary bloodline through knightly deeds. But no matter what she does or who she beats, she cannot seem to win over chivalric society. On quest to save the fey from destruction by an evil mage, Mildy meets the mother she has never known and learns the bitter truth of her incestuous birth. She continues to fight for good despite her disillusionment, but accidentally kills Arthur's favorite knight and makes a bitter enemy of her father. Can she defy fate and save her family from imploding, or is the saga of the Pendragons destined to end in tragedy? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EAXFMK6/?tag=bilthestaarts-20

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