How strange were the ways of the Creator to elevate an escaped arena slave like myself to a position of such wealth and honor. I had told the three men earlier all that I knew.
The news of the betrayal of Lent was a sore point that I could see bothered Romnan the older man and Elim the other councilman greatly.
I left nothing out, especially about how Wilton's reports had been fabricated lies told to him by the Zoarinians through the years and how everything had been a setup in order to get Larc so they could control his mother.
Thaddeus had sat quietly staring at nothing in particular most of the time and at Oswald the rest of the time, which seemed to annoy Oswald. Which was probably the intent of my grandfather all along. Romnan had ended the meeting,
"Thank you Roric, your information is most valuable to us, as is your heroic deed in rescuing the children. We'll leave you now in the care of your grandfather, as I'm sure you have lots to talk about."
As he made to leave the room he pulled to the side and waited for the other two to leave first before saying, "Roric, when the time comes I hope you will consent to join in the fight for our freedom. I need men like you. There are few left short of Thaddeus's age that know what war can truly be like."
"He's right Roric, there are few who have the ability and strength to lead and do what needs done!" Thaddeus added.
Not wanting to disappoint them, but feeling the need to slow things down I said, "I need some time. A lot has happened to me recently, but this I can tell you. I will do all that I can to defend the right of people to worship the Creator."
Romnan and Thaddeus both smiled.
Thaddeus patted me on the back, "That's all we would ever ask of you my boy. If the people remain faithful to the Creator then He'll be faithful in continuing to take care of us."
That conversation had taken place hours ago and now I watched the activity on the wall and in the town as the sun set behind me. A sense of responsibility weighed down upon me for everything and everyone I saw, but I resisted it. What could I do? I was just one man. In the morning I was heading out with Thaddeus towards my family's ancestral home, which I was looking forward to. The fortress lay at the base of the northern mountains and was an area known for severe storms. Fittingly the castle was called Thunder Ridge.