Shielded in Broken Armours
Traveller
The mountainous path to Aquiline passed through the treacherous keys of a melted glacier, and provided the rider with enough knowledge of what the region should have looked like if the ice had not regressed. The large lake shone brightly in the afternoon sun, and a thick canopy of pine trees surrounded the road. It was the only access route to the capital of Demonis, when coming from either south or west, and also from the Dreak training facility.
Memories of the Monastery and the time he had spent there were bright in his mind, and he had wished fate had allowed him to remain in that haven for the rest of his final year of training. But that was only wishful thinking on his behalf. He knew he had to return to Aquiline now and take the place that was rightfully his at Court. He had escaped his duties for far too long, and was even a little afraid he would not be able to handle things properly. But he had been raised for this, and had studied hard to comply with his father's wishes. It had been almost as hard as the military training, but his teachers had said he had a quick mind and would have no problem adapting to his new duties.
The traveller sighed and looked down at the lake and the paved road again. It all seemed so small, from atop the cliff. Few knew that the path to the Monastery was there. No people were allowed to enter the sacred ground except the Prince of Demonis and the Knights of the Order of Drako.
The Dreak. He was now one of them. This somewhat soothed his sorrow. He had thought he would have to give up his dream after his father's death. But Drako had been with him once more.
The wind ruffled the black feathers of his wings and his shoulder-long hair. He had been forced to cut it, as a sign of his initiation. Now it constantly got in his face, and he pushed it away with a furious gesture. As much as he liked wearing it free again, it was disturbing to have it in his eyes all the time. He pulled it back and started plaiting it, then remembered it was not long enough so instead he gathered it in a ponytail.
He dismounted and led his stallion down the narrow path descending from the mountain. With a little luck, he would probably reach the lake by dusk. The path was not as difficult as it might have seemed to inexperienced eyes, but it was still dangerous and rather long. He had used it before, on the few occasions he and his former colleagues were taken to visit the city of Gheest. Then it had been just another part of the training. Now it was the road home. A home that he hardly remembered, that he had not seen in more than seven years. And now, no one was really waiting for him there. Oh, they would be anxious for his arrival, all right. But he had no real family in the palace anymore.
He continued his descent, chasing away morbid thoughts and the pain that plagued him lately. He wondered what was to become of him, if he had been misled. What would happen if he would not manage to take control of the situation, like he was expected to?