CHAPTER 35: CALLED TO SERVE AGAIN

"You want me to train him?" Varek asked as he turned and faced Elarya fully now. "Elarya, is that not what I’ve been doing his whole life? Training him to fight? To defend himself? You’ve seen that."

"No, Varek," she said softly. "Not that kind of training. Not just how to use a bow and arrow."

Varek blinked, confused. "Then what kind do you mean?"

"I mean the training that you had. The one you’ve never spoken about. The kind that teaches you how to survive not just a fight, but a world full of people who want you dead."

Elarya stepped closer. "I know what you are, Varek. And I know what you must have been through and survived. I want my son to survive it too."

Varek studied her carefully, then gave a small nod. "Alright, Elarya. Let’s say I agree. Let’s say I give the boy everything I’ve got. But before I do that... you’ll have to tell me something first."

Elarya tilted her head slightly.

"You clearly know more about me than I thought. So now, I want to know about you."

"You want me to train your son," Varek continued, "I’ll do it, maybe. But only if you give me the truth. Who are you, Elarya? Where are you really from?"

Elarya turned her back to him and stared at the furnace and spoke in a low voice.

"I’ve never told anyone this before," she began. "Not even Aeron. I buried this part of me so deep, I almost forgot who I used to be. I don’t want to relive it. I don’t want to remember it. But..."

She swallowed hard.

"If it helps my son... if it’s what it takes... then I will tell you."

Varek stood still and kept listening to her.

"Do you remember sixteen years ago?" she asked.

He nodded. "Of course. That was when you first arrived in Varnmoor. With a newborn in your arms."

Elarya closed her eyes and continued. "I came from far away. From the capital."

"You mean... Aerthwyn? The capital of Ivarion?" He asked.

She nodded slowly. "Yes."

Now he became more confused. "Then why...? Why haven’t you ever gone back? In all these years, not once have you spoken of it. Don’t you have anyone there?"

"No," she whispered. "Not anymore. All those I loved... everyone who shared my name... they were slaughtered. Wiped from history. Because of a prophecy I believed to be false."

"Wait," Varek said and took a step back. "Sixteen years ago... a prophecy... You..."

His eyes became wide with a sudden realization.

"You... You’re the wife of Lord Lucian Velzorah?"

Elarya shut her eyes in pain as she heard that name.

"That one lord who joined us in training," Varek began, with a quiet voice as he spoke about his own past. "The one who stood with us and encouraged. He never hesitated to get his hands dirty. The one who treated us like equals, even though we were just guards."

He took a slow breath.

"That one lord... was the only one who truly believed in the code we swore to uphold. To protect the people. To protect the throne, when the throne was worth protecting. That man, Lucian Velzorah... he was indeed a good man."

Elarya lowered her gaze. Varek’s words had reached something deep in her heart.

Varek continued. "We all heard the news that day. I was here, back in my hometown. My wife had just given birth to twins and my long break was almost over. Only for me to hear that the Royal House had betrayed House Velzorah. They had wiped it out completely and burned it to the ground."

He clenched his hands then.

"Most people saw the headlines. A house that betrayed the throne. But those of us in the Phoenix Guard? We knew. We saw through the lies. And one by one, we resigned. I was one of them. I laid down my blade and walked away. And since then... I’ve had nothing to do with the capital. I stayed here with my family and tried to forget."

"I was right about you," Elarya said as tears quietly ran down her cheeks. "You’re one of them. You were a Phoenix."

Varek nodded slowly.

"The elite," she continued. "Sworn to protect the royal family... But you resigned... because of him?"

Varek’s voice was low and honest. "If we had stayed, we would have been part of the sickness. Part of the rot is spreading through the Royal House. That’s not a life I want for myself, or my family. I miss the service, Elarya. Gods, I miss it more than you know. But I will not serve evil. Not even in a golden crown."

Then he looked her in the eyes.

"You say you’re the wife of Lucian Velzorah?" he asked softly. "Then that means... Aeron... is his son."

Elarya nodded as she wiped her tears.

Varek continued. "We were told both the father and the pregnant mother perished in the fire. That was the bloodline that ended that night. But here you are. Alive. And so is the boy."

"It was a sacrifice he made to save us," Elarya whispered as her voice was completely breaking now. "He made me promise to keep Aeron safe. But now, I’m afraid... afraid that sacrifice he made will be for nothing... if you don’t help us now."

Varek was quiet for a moment. Then out of loyalty, he said. "You’re asking me to prepare the son of Lord Lucian, to train him not just to fight, but to survive. To carry a name that was meant to die... but didn’t."

He placed his fist to his chest.

"Then yes. It is my duty. My honour. I will serve him. I will protect him. And I will help in any way I can."

Elarya gasped and covered her mouth with her hands as tears went down her face. She reached forward and held Varek’s hand.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you, Varek. You don’t know what this means. To me. To Lucian. To Aeron..."

But before the moment could sink in, they heard a footstep that rushed to the door.

"Elarya!" a woman’s voice called out.

Both turned quickly.

It was Elisa, Varek’s wife. She rushed into the workshop and was panting heavily.

"There you are," she said while trying to catch her breath. "Thank the gods I found you."

"What’s wrong?" Varek asked as he was slowly moving toward her.

"It’s Elarya’s house," Elisa said, pointing back toward the village. "There are armed guards outside. And definitely not from here. They’re asking about her. And Aeron."

Elarya’s heart skipped.

"No... Not now..."

Without another word, she turned and ran out of the shop into the street. Varek didn’t hesitate. He dropped the blade he’d been working on and followed her immediately.

"Elarya, wait!" he called out.