Starclimber

© 2000 Tom Waltz
All rights reserved.

Two brothers—princes both—sat high atop their great steeds at the edge of a sheer cliff, overlooking league upon league of wild, emerald forest. The young men, each raven-haired, bright-eyed, strong and sturdy, gazed quietly down upon the sprawling land before them. All of it, and much that was beyond their vision, belonged to their father, the king. They remained silent for many moments, and their horses—snowy white stallions resplendently decorated in the scarlet and gold standard of the kingdom—pawed nervously at the rocky ground beneath their hooves, sensing the tension that hung heavy between their riders.
At last, the younger prince broke the long silence.
"I still do not understand the necessity of this, Eno," he said, turning away from the forest and gesturing toward the hooded falcon that his brother held aloft on a thickly gloved arm. The large, brown bird, despite its temporary blindness, stood tall and proud. "It seems such a senseless waste."
Prince Eno faced his brother. In a calm voice, he spoke: "Starclimber's time for freedom has come, Cale," he explained. "And our time for sport has ended. It is that simple."
The look on his face was stoic and determined; mature beyond his twenty years. Prince Cale, however—junior to Eno by three years—appeared only frustrated.
"You have told me this already," he said, a slight pleading in his voice, "yet it leaves me perplexed still. Why... after all this time and after all the glorious hunts we three have shared together? Why now?"
Eno remained patient, empathetic to his brother's confusion. "Cale, our father lies dying and the kingdom under siege. Already fires burn to the north and east." He pointed in the two directions, and Cale could see the unmistakable signs of smoke filling the distant skies. "Sodbin and his evil horde approach even now, leading the flames I speak of." He rested his free hand on the silver hilt of the long broadsword hanging from his belt. "Our king—our father—will perish soon; it is beyond human ability to stop that grim truth. Only the gods have the powers necessary to change the course of his death, and I fear They—and father—have already made a decision regarding the matter. The Almighty Ones call our father to Them, and he listens."
He grew quiet once again, returning a sad gaze to the land below. On his arm the falcon stretched its wings to their full span, then rested them again upon its wide back. Eno continued to speak:
"When our father leaves, I will become king of this land, Cale, and you, my right hand. My general." He stopped, giving Cale time to contemplate his words. He then resumed. "Yet, we are young, you and I, and there are many who will believe our youth to be a weakness in us, an opportunity to exploit. It will be so with Sodbin."
Cale grunted in agreement. He had heard whispered talk amongst many of high rank within the castle, full of doubt and fear—concern that the two youthful princes would be unable to lead the kingdom as their father had. Like his brother, though, Cale had no such worries; their father had taught them well. In time they would prove their worth. This he fully understood.
"But," he protested, tightly gripping the reins of his horse with both hands. "What has this to do with Starclimber? Surely, even as king and general, we will desire time for sport. A man cannot live without such moments, can he, and be truly happy in life? King or peasant, there must be play."
Eno smiled.
"Yes, brother, there will be time for such things. But that is not important now. Now is the time for war—not folly." He looked back toward their squires, who dutifully remained some twenty horse lengths away. "We must show we are willing to set aside such idle amusements. To prove we are able to take hold of our royal responsibilities. To lead our armies against Sodbin and his vile host." He faced his young brother, meeting his eyes. "Know that this is not an easy choice for me, Cale. Yet, it is a choice I know to be right. Starclimber will be the message to all that we are ready. The time has come."
As he spoke, he began to loosen the hood resting upon the falcon's head. Once undone, he carefully lifted it off. He caught a flash of the great bird's yellow eyes—cold and knowing. Then, without a thought, Eno jerked his arm quickly down then up.
"Be gone, Starclimber!" he shouted to the falcon. "Be gone, and be free!"
The falcon immediately took to the air, its huge wings flapping violently. For a moment, as it rose away from the princes, it seemed confused—unsure of what was happening or of what to do. This was no normal hunt. No, this was different. Strange. This was...
Freedom!
With a shriek, the majestic creature turned away from the brothers, toward the rolling forests beyond the cliff. The princes watched as, with a fierce grace, it glided further into the distance, until it was only a speck against the azure western skies.
And then it was gone.
After Starclimber had disappeared, Eno peered at his brother's face and saw the look of disappointment that was there.
"Be not sorrowful, Cale," he said, his tone comforting. "Instead, rejoice in our feathery companion's much-deserved liberty. And, remember this." He moved his horse to face the smoke-filled skies. "Sodbin expects us to wait for him, defending our castle on the heels of our boots. He is wrong. We will take this war to him, my brother. Our defense will be astride charging stallions, not from fortified battlements and castle towers." He turned to look upon his brother once again.
"Aye," he continued, his voice harsher now. "The time for sport may be done, 'tis true. But the hunt, my brother ... the hunt goes on."
He brought his horse around, nudging it in the direction of the squires.
"Come, Cale," he said, not looking back. "Our kingdom awaits."
And with that, the two brothers—princes both, and suddenly much older—silently rode toward their destiny.

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