A Warrior's Redemption

  *****

  I stood bathed in moonlight on the balcony of what was to be my room from now on. The rooms were carved out of the very mountain itself and were accessed by a tower that buttressed up against the side of the mountain. From my vantage point I could look out over the whole castle and the entire valley beyond the walls.

  Thaddeus had given me the option of choosing any of the luxurious quarters within the castle, including his own, but I had liked these rooms, far from the great hall of the castle, the most. It was a new experience having four walls around me that were not a prison meant to keep me in, but rather a home.

  Most of the townspeople had long since settled in for a well earned evening of rest. They were a hard working people. There were no slaves at Thunder Ridge or in the village beyond. Smoke from their dwellings rose lazily into the cold still air of the night. Even though it was late spring and warm during the day, the temperatures dropped rapidly after sundown. Yes, this is where I would stay. This was my home now.

  A combination of many things about the entire castle area imparted a feeling of permanence to my new home; the formidable strength of the castle fortifications, the strong capable looking soldiers that manned her walls, the wholesome townspeople, who had welcomed me as their own, coupled with the beauty of the natural grandeur of the castle’s setting, not to mention the long standing traditions of the place. All had played a part in my decision to stay. My arena mates hadn’t left my side since we had arrived. Their slavish loyalty towards me, while it could often be annoying, was also heartwarming. They had insisted on having the quarters that were housed in the tall tower off to my left, which butted up against my cliffside quarters. Sinking to my knees, I left my hands on the balcony railing in front of me and prayed to my Creator.

  “Dear Creator help me! I’ve made a decision to stay, but I fear that my decision will be in vain if I do not have Your blessing. With Your help, I can do anything. Help me lead these people well in times of peace and war. Please Lord, help me be Your faithful servant first and foremost and may I never fail You. All I have is Yours. Use me as You will for Your purposes. Thy will be done and thank you for all that You have richly given me, which is far above anything I could have ever asked for or even dreamed.”

  I got up from the cold stones of the balcony floor and, bidding the moonlit valley one last look, I retired to my warm quarters to rest, even though I could have stayed out there all night looking out over the land.