Chapter 40 The House of Estar
That afternoon, Beret and Revik left the inn to seek out the family said to have in their possession one of the Holy Swords of the Seven. Kestalon was a large city and heavily populated. They asked the people whom they found in taverns, inns and shops whether they had heard of the Estars.
After an hour, Beret finally found someone who knew where to find them. The directions they were given led them to a house near Kestalon’s main market. One of the large windows of the house was open and he could see inside a woman mending some garments.
This had to be it, Beret thought. When he began to approach the house, Revik spoke.
“It may be best if you went inside alone,” Revik said to him. “They might wonder why a practitioner of the arcane was accompanying a Knight of the Royal Order.”
Beret considered this and finally agreed.
Revik remained at a distance, while Beret proceeded to the tailor’s house.
Beret knocked on the door and the woman he saw from outside the window opened the door to greet him.
“Good day to you, sir knight,” the woman said warmly.
“Greetings,” Beret said. “My name is Sir Beret of the Knights of the Royal Order.”
“And my name is Vel of the House of Estar,” the woman said.
“It is a pleasure to meet you Vel,” Beret said.
“Would you like to come inside?” Vel asked. “Thank you,” Beret said.
The inside of the house was filled with all kinds of cloth of different colors. The garments she was mending were placed on a table with a chair beside it. Looking around it appeared that she lived alone.
“The reason I had been meaning to see you is because of the stories I heard about your family’s history,” Beret began.
Vel motioned Beret to sit on a long wooden chair in front of the table where she worked. Beret did her bidding and they both sat.
“Please continue Sir Beret,” Vel urged.
“I have come upon information that a valuable item that was lost seven hundred years ago may now be in your family’s possession,” Beret said.
Vel became silent for a while but the warm smile on her face did not disappear. She even appeared to be rather delighted at what he had just said.
“Stories of our family’s past had been told and retold for generations,” Vel said. “But after such a long time, I did not know what details were mere myths.”
“I see,” Beret said.
“But your presence here today seems to confirm much of what I have been told,” Vel said. “You are the first knight to ever come seeking my family out in all these centuries.”
Beret looked at Vel eager to hear what she had to say.
“My grandfather had told me about the story of a knight seven hundred years ago who, despite his troops being outnumbered, was able to defend Kestalon from invasion and destruction,” Vel said. “Though they were defeated in the end, they managed to hold off the attackers long enough for reinforcements from the capital to arrive. I believe the knight’s name was Lord Meer”
Beret did not recognize the name. But perhaps Revik could confirm this, he thought.
“It was said that an ancestor of mine became Lord Meer’s friend as they fought side by side,” Vel continued. “But when the battle was almost lost, Lord Meer tried to fend off a dozen foes allowing my ancestor to escape.”
“My ancestor returned to the battlefield the next day only to find Lord Meer’s body,” Vel said. “He brought home with him his sword. Lord Meer did not have any children, so my ancestors kept the sword as a reminder of how our family’s line survived during the Time of Despair.”
Beret now understood.
“Would you like to see the sword sir knight?” Vel asked.
Beret’s eyes brightened.
“Yes, I would be honored,” Beret said.
Vel disappeared into what seemed to be a cellar. She reemerged holding something that was bound in cloth. She handed it to Beret.
“Here it is,” Vel said.
Beret removed the cloth and saw the relic that he had come for. The sword was still in its scabbard. He unsheathed the sword and could see the unstained steel that glinted in the sunlight. It looked as though it was forged only yesterday. He admired the beauty of its craftsmanship. And he felt an unexplainable strength as he held the sword by its handle.
“You can have it if you wish, Sir Beret,” Vel said.
Beret could not believe what he had just heard.
“I have no children,” Vel said. “So, I am the last of my line. And this sword would be of more use to you than it is to me.”
“I am deeply honored and very grateful,” Beret said as he bowed to her.
“Well then, you should get on your way,” Vel said. “And these garments won’t mend themselves.”
Beret bid her farewell to Vel, the last of the line of the House of Estar and keepers of the Holy Sword of Lord Meer. He then covered the sword in the cloth that came with it.
When he had exited Vel’s home, he saw Revik outside waiting for him.
He smiled at Revik. Revik saw what he was holding and returned his smile. They then proceeded back to the inn.
Beret still could not believe what had just happened. He had considered every possible way of convincing Vel to let him have the sword. But none of that even mattered. He thanked the old gods for this gift.
But he now wondered whether the sword would heed him. Was he worthy? He would find out soon enough, Beret thought.