Gift Giving

They were in a large, dome shaped chamber. There were intricate drawings carved into the stone walls, that seemed to flow together like they were telling a story. Before Callum could focus on the drawings, his attention was pulled to the center of the

chamber.

There, stood a great tree with no leaves. But it was unlike any tree he had ever seen, the wood was dark red, almost black and it shimmered with waves of silver all throughout. The branches extended high up into the ceiling and the down into the walls and formed the main structure of the chamber.

Beneath the tree stood two men, they looked identical but for their physical condition. One man was wearing bright silver plate armor with grey robes underneath. It was decorative but also functional, something a warrior king would wear.

The other man was in much worse condition. He was filthy from head to toe. His clothes were ragged and torn. He wore only a single pauldron on his right shoulder, and a sword in its sheath on his left hip. Both were strapped to his body with dark brown leather belts.

The men were speaking but Callum couldn't make out the words. Then the man in silver armor began to raise his hands and the chamber began to flex and distort.

Then he heard a voice.

"Callum, wake up sweetie."

________

He opened his eyes to find he was inside of a house. Standing above him were the village healers, Halia and her daughter Rhenyn.

Halia was a tiny old woman with long white hair with two braids on either side. Her daughter was an attractive middle aged woman with long black hair that was tied up while she worked. One would not think they were related if it wasn't for their eyes. They both had fierce green eyes, a trait shared among all the women in their family.

"Is he going to be ok gran?" Raela asked her grandmother.

"He and your brother definitely did a number on each other. Callum has plenty of cuts and bruises but the worst of the damage is in his arm. It's a clean break, it will have to go in a sling but he's going to be ok." Old gran said, her voice surprisingly musical.

"Your brother is still unconscious in the other room, if you care to know." Rhenyn chimed in. "How did you say he ended up like that?"

"Of course I care mother! But he was acting like a monster. All because his ego got a little bruised, he needs to learn to control his emotions better. Like I said, after he broke Callum's arm, he dropped the stick and just fell over next to him, that's when Wenrys and I ran to get Orin and father."

"Stop your worrying, both of you, they are strong boys and this experience will serve only for them grow." Halia said.

"Ughh." Callum groaned as he sat up in the cot he found himself in.

"How are you feeling dear?" Halia asked him.

"Like I tumbled down a hill made entirely of fists." He replied through a forced smile. "But I'll survive."

"Good! See Raela, he's fine. Now fetch a fresh pot of water and some clean rags and help me with your brother."

"That was awfully dumb of you boy." Raella snapped at Callum. "But I'm happy you're ok."

Callum noticed her shoot him a cute smile as she ran out of the room, and it made his cheeks flush.

"Good to see some color back in you." The old lady chuckled to herself.

"She talks about you, you know."

"Really?" Callum squeaked excitedly. "Wha, what does she say about me?"

Again, she couldn't hold back her laughter. "You'll have to find that out yourself. But she is right about one thing. You have magical eyes, green with flecks of gold, just like your mother."

"You knew my mother?"

"Aye." She nodded. "And your father too."

Callum's mind was swirling with emotion. Even those few in the village that knew his parents they rarely spoke about them. This was his first chance to learn about them from someone with real memories of them.

"What were they like?"

"They were kind folk. Your mother was as sweet as she was beautiful. Your father, a sharp handsome man, loved her fiercely, and they loved you and your sister more than you could ever imagine."

"When the plague took her, like it took Wenrys mother, your father was lost."

Callum's eyes were filled with tears, he knew the rest of the story. "Yeah yeah, that's when he left us here by ourselves like a coward."

Halia sighed. "He loved the two of you. Don't you ever doubt that."

Callum could only stare down at his feet, trying to process his feelings.

"Better get out of here boy, Orin is waiting for you at his place, keep that arm of yours still so it can heal."

"Thanks gran." He said as he quickly shuffled out of the house.

__________

On his way to the butcher's home Callum played through his conversation with Halia in his mind.

The plague that took his mother mysteriously came and affected only the women of the village, and all of them in different ways. Some of the afflicted lived but still, many lost their wives,mothers, and daughters. As quickly as it came it disappeared with only sadness left as evidence that it even existed.

Callum was only one year old when it happened, a year later his father had left him and his sister in the middle of the night.

The entire village came together to take care of them but most of the credit would have to go to Halia and Orin, who always treated them like their own.

As Callum entered Orin's house he could hear Wenrys talking excitedly, while the butcher laughed a deep laugh from his belly.

"You should have seen him dad! He was like a whole other person altogether. He was moving as fast as a wolf, and he was smiling! Can you believe that? Smiling! Like he had realized his life's purpose. And Firrol, you should have seen him. Ha ha! If he hadn't found that stick he would have pissed himself right then and there."

"There he is." Boomed Orin's mighty voice. "The bane of cattle molesters. How are you feeling kiddo?"

Callum couldn't help but smile as he shuffled into the dining area to see what most would consider a feast. Roasted potatoes and squash. Juicy flame cooked beef, and spiced apples for dessert. He couldn't stop his mouth from watering as he sat down and fixed his first helping.

"Yeah, about that. I don't think Firrol was responsible. He said he and Raela were up there training and noticed the gate was open. I didn't believe him at first but while they were fighting I looked over and saw a post was broken and trampled, almost as if the animals did it themselves." Wenrys said.

"Hmm." The butcher hummed while twirling his beard. "Only time animals will do that is if they get an awful scare. Few things in this world capable of that."

"Dragons?" Callum asked.

"Aye, could be dragons, but I think we would have heard it ourselves if dragons were so close."

"Never mind this sour conversation, eat your fill boys, so I can give you your gifts."

______

After supper, Orin gathered the boys in the main room of the house. They sat in carved wooden chairs while Orin stood before them.

Laid on the table in front of them were two long objects with cloth draped over them.

Orin began to speak.

"In celebration of all four of you kids being eligible for The Hatching this year, Firric and I both thought it would only be right for you to receive your first weapons. These swords are just as much a gift from Firric and his family as they are from me, as we both pooled our resources to craft them. Raela and Firrol will be receiving their own soon, but I wanted you to receive yours together. Probably a good thing you all didn't have them today." He said while laughing nervously.

He placed a sword in each of their laps and pulled the cloths of them.

The boys were looking at twin swords, both in sheaths wrapped in leather. The handles, while simple, were smooth and well forged, and wrapped in a leather matching the sheaths. Wenrys light brown and Callum's dark brown.

The boys unsheathed the blades and saw identical, dual edged swords with a wavelike patter running the length of them.

In the center of the blade just above the straight silver cross guard, were the runes that spelled "Brothers"

Orin looked down with tears in his eyes. But not tears of sadness, he was overwhelmed with a sense of pride. "No matter what happens in your lives, I know that you two will always have each other's backs. Like brothers should."

"Happy Birthday boys."