Routa Belvadear Cain
He was royally pissed off at his father. Here he was trying to show the man that he wanted to lead to lead his men into battle and his father had completely shut him down as if it meant nothing! He wasn't a lowly servant or wayward brat! Why did his father want to send him away? Was he not worthy? What if he died on the road? His father would have no heir left to the throne. Mother couldn't bear any other children. Was his words worth so little that his father could risk him so far away into an enemy's territory as he traced down a fabled sword? It could be a fake! He would have lost so much time and energy for this! He wanted to be on the front lines. That was his place and where he felt most capable to make a difference! Not on the sidelines!
Routa noted his father's discomfort and quickly located the scar near the man's eye. So an arrow had grazed his face. Normally he would have softened at the sight and he would have inquired more of his father's health and ask if he required anything, but right now, his heart was too angry. Besides, if he said anything, he'd bring everyone's attention to the injury and he didn't want his father to appear weak though the man had made him look like an incompetent brat. At least in his view of the whole situation. He couldn't believe his father was giving him such a cold shoulder! Didn't the man trust his arm on the front lines? Why didn't he trust his judgement with these men either? He even backhanded his suggestion about testing them. Didn't he want to send people out there that he could trust to do this? Why hire hands that he didn't know anything about? Fine. If his father wanted to pull his authority card, Routa would let him. He wasn't going to pretend he was happy about it.
"Fine," he answered his father thin lipped. "I'll go after this fabled weapon."
He turned to his knight and the two mercenaries before them. "Liatris and Varil, was it?" he asked as he sized them both up. "It appears that our task is quite urgent. As my father said, let's have this little quest prove who is worthy and who is not. The two of you will go hunting for this legendary sword together. Take the main roads. Tessa, you and your squire will come with me. We'll take the back trails, see what we can find," he ordered. That would keep them a little closer to the borders and nearer the mountain. If this sword was in the mountain, he wanted to find it first and bring it to his father. He didn't want Varil or Liatris to find it first. He trusted Tessa over these mercenaries. A mercenary's loyalty could easily be bought and he wasn't about to let them cut his throat in his sleep. Tessa had been a knight of Roune since she was young and had always fought valiantly and proudly, many times beside him. He still wanted to test these fools sword arms, but it appeared his father would rather have them gone and since he wasn't resting for the night after his long trek back to the campsite, it was better to retain what strength he had left. See? He could be stubborn to. He didn't want to spend another moment in the campsite.
He looked back at his father and sighed inwardly. "Good night, Father," he answered him before he headed out of the tent and motioned Tessa with him. "Go to the horses and wait for me with Mikael. I'll go get us supplies," he announced to Tessa.
He immediately walked to his second in command who was sitting by a fire enjoying a much needed hot meal. He patted his shoulder and squeezed it in a brotherly gesture. "Haren, my father has sent me out with a scouting party to look for that damnable sword of Valein legends. I am going to need you to be my eyes and ears on the battlefield. Keep the mens' moral high for me and make sure my father doesn't hurt himself."
"He's sending you out? Now? You haven't even rested! What about your army?" the man asked a bit surprised.
"Well, you'll be leading it, my brother. Stay safe as much as you can. I don't want to return and find you dead," he said firmly. "And I am leaving now of my own volition. I'll do something stupid if I don't leave now."
"You are doing something stupid by leaving without rest," the soldier counted.
"I'll be fine. Tessa is going with me. We'll rest once we are on the road. Do I have your word about you leading the army in my absence?"
"Yes, my lord. I'll do anything for you," the man nodded. Routa smiled warmly and the two clasped hands and bumped shoulders briefly before Routa got to his feet and stole the man's dinner with a wink. "Go get yourself another helping. I don't think you had your fill," he grinned and started to munch away on the roasted meat he had taken.
"Bye, Routa. Stay safe. I don't want to hear about you going full cocked into a battle and run into a spear," he grinned right back.
Routa just laughed before he waved as he moved away from Haren. He grabbed provisions for himself, Tessa, and Mikael before he returned to the horses and saw Tessa and Mikael. He turned his attention to Tessa and Mikael then. "You two ready to go?" he asked and pulled himself up on his trusty steed.