Duty, Honor, Loyalty #mfrwhooks

The challenge topic is "What is the most important value to teach children?" I considered the times when nieces, grandnieces, or grand-nephews were small. Then I thought about the characters whose tales I've been fortunate to chronicle.

Captain Ellspeth grew up adhering to the guild mottos carved in old script on the wood doors of the guildmasters office. On the left panel the way to do business, "Fair Trade – Fair Profit." And on the right panel, guidance for living the right life, "Kin Above All – But Honor."

Although it doesn't exactly match the qualification of "most important value," the following excerpt shows the Archmage Dal teaching a lesson, not in the classroom but on the battlefield. Dal demonstrates mercy to the vanquished... if they deserve it. To set the scene, now that his enemy's army has been routed, he advances of his previous captor who hides behind another man.

Dal closed the distance to Ruaridh’s fragile protection. He lunged forward and knocked the sword from the soldier’s hand. Beneath the askewed helmet, Dal saw frightened eyes within a pale face.

He could not be more than sixteen turns, Dal realized. “Unless you want to join him, I suggest you leave.” The hope that flickered across the youth’s face brought a memory of another boy who stood disarmed before a superior warrior. He heard Telarim the Red’s words again, as if for the first time.

I might as well use Telarim’s technique. “Return to your home,” Dal ordered the youth. “If in two turns you still want to soldier, find Telarim the Red. Tell him Lieutenant Dal sent you. Telarim will teach you well if you’re willing to learn.”  

The boy stepped aside, careful to keep his hands away from his sides. His throat convulsed several times before he was able to speak. “My lord, my life is now yours. I have no home to return to. For your mercy, command me and I am yours.”

Dal stared down into brown eyes young with life. “Take that black gelding. Go to Stratven and present yourself to the King’s Guard. The toiseach of the guard will assign you work until I get there.”

In honor of the nation's founding a bit of self-promotion about the book that inspired the title of "Duty, Honor, Loyalty." Hearth and Sand: Stories From The Front Lines and the Homefront is a collection of twelve tales of those who served on the battle front, and the stories of the loved ones left behind who preserved the homefront. How it relates to the title? The tales represent a continuity of service from the past to the present and into the world of tomorrow.

If the books referenced in the post, the fantasy Windmaster or the multi-genre Hearth and Sand, intrigue, click on the cover for excerpts and the first chapter. Or go straight to the buy links to paperback and ebook formats below.

Windmaster books2read  /  Amazon

Hearth and Sand books2read /  Amazon

~ till next time, Helen