Legendary Warrior (Warrior 1)

“Not until the very end.”

Reena felt her breath catch, and tears gathered in her eyes. This was difficult for him, she could see the way he warred with his memories and the hurt that surfaced and grabbed hold of him.

“Friends of William warned him that officials were on their way to accuse and persecute him and his family. His wife, Bella, believed as he did, as did their daughter Mary, a young lass of barely ten years with a voice sweeter than the heavens. When she raised it in song, all quieted and listened, for it was a sound so lovely it mesmerized.

“The warning came too late. Officials arrived and began to question William and his family. He understood immediately his situation and the danger he and his family were in. There was no longer anyplace for them to hide. He was quickly accused of heresy and imprisoned in a nearby keep’s dungeon, his wife was imprisoned shortly after him, and William feared that his daughter would suffer a horrible fate, left on her own.

“He knew it was only a matter of time before he and his wife would be put to death by fire. He asked that I spare them the suffering. . . .”

Magnus stopped and took a breath.

Reena fought a losing battle with her tears.

“He also asked that I made certain Mary did not suffer. He believed that together, they would all be happy in the afterlife. He asked as a good friend that I do this for him. I had to tend to the matter immediately and then leave and return to my own land. He told me to take the night to think on the matter for there was little time, and he told me to tell Mary how much she was loved and that they would unite with her soon, that she would understand.”

Magnus shook his head. “I could not do what he asked of me, not until I returned to the dungeon the next night, having bribed the same guard with a bag of coins to let me in. William and Bella had been tortured and lay in horrendous pain from their horrible ordeal. William begged me to end their suffering and see to Mary. I did not think twice.”

He paused, shutting his eyes for a moment. “I will spare you the details and tell you their deaths were swift and painless. Bella felt nothing, she simply smiled and whispered her thanks just before the end. Before William died he asked me if I had the answer to why he did not keep his tongue silent so that he did not have to run and hide in fear. I gave him the answer, and he smiled and told me that I needed him no more. I laid them side by side, went and took care of Mary, then left.”

Tears ran down Reena’s cheeks. “When did you discover the answer?”

“That moment before he was to die. I realized that he was not the one who ran and hid in fear. It was those who hunted him that were running and hiding in fear.”

“You tell me the true tale; what is the gossip that preceded you home?”

“It was said I confronted evil and without fear destroyed it and that only a man of strong conviction and honor, a legend, could do what I did. The tale traveled far and wide and I was hired by many monarchs to deal with their battles and wars, and I was substantially rewarded.”

“And all feared you because they thought you capable of turning on a friend and killing him without thought or remorse.”

“Aye. I was the Legend, a warrior without a heart or soul, a formidable commodity to those looking for protection from their enemies.”

“You told no one the truth?”

“No one would believe it, and I would place myself in danger if it were known I did it to save them from suffering. And my teacher would have expected no less from me, for instinctively he realized what would happen after his death, and that would mean his death was not in vain.”

“You would live to help others, while those in power thought you helped them.”

“Helping those in power allowed me to help others who were less fortunate, and it helped me to grow in my own strength and power until I became a force of my own.”

“I will tell no one the true tale, but . . .” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I wish you to teach me the understanding of instinct.”

He stared at her for a moment. She was so very different than the women he had known. Her interests were more similar to his, wanting to understand all that she could.

“You practice much of it already.”

“Do I?” she asked, surprised.

“Aye, you do. The first part of understanding instinct is awareness. You must be aware of your surroundings and see all. You do that when you sketch.”