Clubberlark

Aelrin’s high elven mother gave him into to the hands of his uncle’s family. Her whereabouts is unknown, she was on the run and told the family that if they knew anything it could put them in danger. Aelrin’s uncle, Todarn, was a well-respected commander in the Kingdom of Ruska’s army. He was bald with skin as rough as leather, a messy grey beard and deep alluring eyes. Todarn was harsh on Aelrin, treating him like deadweight in the shadow of his true son Denian, a masterful swordsman for his age and an engineer under the eye of authorities for his future potential contribution to their city. Aelrin’s high elven presence brought shame to their family.

Highlanders held presumptions about Aelrin’s arrogant high elf heritage and made every attempt to belittle him, similarly to plucking a poppy that has grown too tall for a garden. Aelrin grew reserved, which in their eyes confirmed their assessments of his narcissism. From sunrise to sunset, Aelrin would venture out of the city walls to escape the heat. Here he could be anyone he wanted to be. His thoughts would wander and thus his mind’s eye grew. Here he would reflect upon his indignation and channel his emotions into learning to play the lute, reading, but most of all writing.

Even as he came back within the walls, he became a great judge of character. Never speaking, but always observing. At the age of 8 Todarn insisted he trained in close combat. He snapped his lute and burnt his books, saying that Aelrin needs to “get his head out of the clouds”. In Todarn’s eyes it was time for him to become a man, but Aelrin felt depleted of everything he held dearly. He was the youngest of the group by a few years. He was far underbuilt for training against the brutish Highlanders. Command would turn a blind eye to the consistent beatings he would receive behind closed doors. They constantly threw around insults towards his pointy ears, pronounced brows and glossy blonde hair. The strongest among them was ‘Bog the Unbeaten’, the son of a renowned Highlander warrior. As his title suggests, he had never lost a duel.   

Indignation fuelled Aelrin’s motivation to train. In secret he would practice in the woods. Over the years he became the most evasive of the group, dancing around his opponents grandiloquently and using their own momentum against them. His skill brought with him a defendable ego. For the first time he built the confidence to fight back against his peer’s judgement.

An annual combat tournament arose. Aelrin bested his foes but faced off against the final opponent, ‘Bog the Unbeaten’. The fight persisted for what felt like an eternity, trading blows between sheer force and evasion. As Aelrin began to gain the upper hand, Bog landed a critical blow to his right arm which left it severely fractured, but he persevered and struck the brute with all the force he could muster. For the first time, Bog had been defeated. Aelrin stood dazzled with blood dripping from a gash in his cheek. The crowd erupts. Aelrin scanned the masses but Todarn was nowhere to be seen.

This polarisation left Aelrin feeling disdained, unable to see the worth in his endeavours. He packed his bags and planned to depart during the midst of the night. On his way out, he was met by Todarn, standing in the doorway. A singular candle flickered in the room and Todarn’s drags from his pipe lit up his threatening glare. From his gown he drew out a thick journal and placed it on the table. He extinguished the candle with his finger and brushed past Aelrin, exhaling smoke into the air that left a trail that followed him into the darkness of the house. Aelrin opened the first page that read:

“Give this to my son when he is of age.

“If you’re reading this than I am sorry to inform you that I am already dead.  The man your mother was destined to marry is on our tail with his squadron of high elves. Our love caused a great disrupt in her family in Taliyna‘maehr that they were unable accept.  Through greed your mother was destined to marry an uncaring man. Your mother was far too beautiful in heart and soul for me to ever let this happen, so I took her hand and we ran.

But they were faster than we had thought. Chances are they have caught me by now, but hopefully I have bought enough time for your mother to deliver you to my brother, there you will be safe. Highlander’s will not take kindly to you but under Todarn’s support you will be safe. I am sorry I could not be there for you in person. The thought of the memories I will never be able to develop with you strikes a nerve in my heart. But I know that Todarn has done enough to strengthen you to the point where you can lay forth your own path. Everything I know is in this journal. Take it with you and keep it safe.

…You have your mother’s eyes.”

Each word struck Aelrin’s emotional barricade like a tossed stone, eventually collapsing it. He stormed out of the house with tear filled eyes and made his way to the shipyard, where he would depart from Axios and awaits his destiny across the realms.