The True and Destined Prince

The first time I saw her in action she was saving my life. Not just her of course, Lavitz was there, along with the others: Dart, Shana, and Haschel. At the time I had been more concerned with the fact that one of my former council members was magically forcing my family’s heirloom out of my body where it had been hidden when I was a child. The process was quite painful, so I excuse myself the lapse in observational awareness at the time. In retrospect, however, I recall seeing her there.

She was beautiful.

I say this with all due respect to her, and the assurance to any who might read this that I was never attracted to Rose in any way. She was beautiful the way a symphony is beautiful, the way a masterwork painting is beautiful, the way a sword crafted by a master smith is beautiful.

She was quick and lithe; every movement she made was carefully calculated. No energy she exerted was wasted with unnecessary movements. Not like Dart. He was slower, more powerful yes, but sloppier as well. I would come to find that Rose’s entire being was a honed weapon. Her skill with the blade was remarkable, but she also had a sharp wit and a keen mind. She was an excellent tactician and she knew much of the world, even more so than I, though that was hardly surprising once she had revealed the truth of herself.

We were never close, she and I, but I find that I look back to her for inspiration now that she is gone. I sometimes think to myself: what would Rose say? What would she do? What insights might she have? And I find it helps, attempting to think the way she might have thought.

--

musing_way

Rose said once that war was not the natural state of being for humans or dragons. She said in order to fight we entered a kind of insanity and bent that insanity to our will. She worried we would not be strong enough to endure it one day. She endured it for over ten thousand years. All on her own, with only the memories of friends long dead for company. Perhaps at some point she did go a little mad. For the longest time she did not smile or laugh or even speak when it was not necessary. But with us she slowly found her smile, her humanity.

I have faced the insanity she spoke of, every time I embrace the power of the Dragoon Spirit I feel it rise within me, but could I survive in the face of it for a millennium? For ten? Rose's spirit was enormous, and while we were not close, I still hold her in the highest regard. It is her example that I look to as a warrior and as a king, and I hope that if ever I had to walk in her shoes that I would overcome it, and be inspired.

muse_prompts