Not All Heroes Are Guiltless

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Dungan’s POV

I’ve waited long enough, and my divine benevolent benefactor has started getting restless over the last year or so. I secretly wished I could stay with my Nadar, but I can only hope she’s learned enough to protect herself while I take part in the changes of this world. Bellar has been weakening for a good century, and my attunement markings aches more and more every day.

The treaty the Bellarn king made with the Hou Ndours was actually a surprise to me. However, with the corruption of Tian and the other movements Hou Ndour has been creating along with my mate asking about a descendant of Neith. I’m almost positive another of the demon kin is making moves to fulfill their father’s ambitions. Why else would they hold my mother out of their schemes?

The only perk about leaving my Nadar to her own devices in Redland is that all my sorrow and pains of separation will give my sprite another boost in strength. Something I will need in order to deplete the corruption plaguing Bellar and get rid of the Hou Ndour from my domain.

King Roland was never a strong ruler, and when I arrived in the beginning, he was nearly overthrown by renegade usurpers who were not within the warrior god’s, Bellar, favor. At first, he was impatient with me and wanted me to take the throne. But I found the easiest way to appease him was to strike a deal with the king. He allowed me unfettered access to his personal library, the only one of its kind I could get access to holding ancient books on theories and histories, and in return I would do his little tasks while giving me time to not be rooted to my birthright.

A few assassinations and some other forced persuasions and King Roland gained full control of his land without me having to endure the humility of being a royal. I never told him I was his son, and he always kept me at an arm’s length. He was always weary and never learned to trust me like a good Bellar King. In the end, he betrayed me and started signing his own people into slavery with the Hou Ndours, and there have been calls for him to abdicate his position and allow the temple to rule. Bellar, the god, doesn’t like that plan either because he can’t keep the corruption away from the inner workings of his temple, hence the frustration reverberating through the markings.

I ditched everything connected to me and found a remote village. Since abandoning my Nadar, I’ve been working as a blacksmith’s apprentice to keep a low profile. The labor and the abuse from the master blacksmith keep my sprite calm and consistently fed on a day-to-day basis. While the low profile will keep anyone from truly suspecting my age and nobility. Something I find essential to be able to get a better view on who I should keep and who is on the chopping block when I take over.

I nearly vomited when I saw the priests from the temple arrive in a big parade. They obviously enjoyed their wealth and would flaunt it to the villagers who kept them fed and dry. King Roland had been nice to them to keep their silence on the fact he was never fully attuned to Bellar. He failed in his attunement, just like he failed in much in his life.

The parade’s herald calls out, and I can hear the priests grumble. One believed the remote village couldn’t possibly have an illegitimate child of their king. Another stating the oracles said a child was living.

The temple guards directed everyone to come out and pray with the high priest and receive the temple’s blessings. The high priest begins his uniformed prayer when they pull out a special lantern with a blue flame candle. It casts a blue glow upon the skin of anyone in its vicinity. The blue glow will show off the hidden tattoos of a Bellar’s chosen champion. Tattoos that a bastard child would not even know they had until they reached the light if they hadn’t already had an opportunity to be attuned to Bellar.

The lantern stops at me, and the crowd gasps. I have my head still down in prayer. The people are mumbling because although I have only been here for not quite a year, I have been helpful in their community and have been competent at the forge. Now, they know me as a marked champion.

“Young man, what is your name?” The High Priest smiles at me in mid prayer. His eyes light up on me to hide the thrilled expression about his current charge. My goal of getting an unfettered impression of the temple is achieved. This high priest obviously believes he can influence my decision for his personal benefit. This is a new high priest, so I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but first impression is exactly how I expected.

“Dungan.” I say while looking unimpressed by the high priests seductive tone.

“Who is your father?” Then he smiles deviously.

“I never had one. I was orphaned as a young child.” I say while cautiously calculating which other officials who were gathering near would also be added to my blacklist.

“Do you have a job?” Another priest says with a judgmental gaze at my attire.

“Your Excellencies, I am the towns blacksmith. He’s been my apprentice and has been a hard worker.” My boss says while bowing his head. He’s been a slave driver, but nothing I couldn’t handle.

“Good, since we must take your apprentice, you will be handsomely compensated.” The high priest snaps his fingers at several of his men, and they procure a bag of gold pieces, and without finishing the blessing he started with the lantern, he returns to his carriage.

One of his bodyguards grabs me by the arm and ushers me behind the pompous man and nearly throws me into the carriage and slams the door. Two of his cronies priests sneak into the carriage from the other side, and the high priest croaks, “Dungan, I hope you understand what’s happening.”

I slowly nod my head, irritated that he is going to try to manipulate me the same way the temple has manipulated King Roland the last few years. He didn’t even give me a chance to return home for my things. “We’ve been looking for you for years. The king will be overjoyed. Do you happen to know who your mother is?”

I purse my lips and clasp my hands, “No one of consequence.”

“Oh good. That’s fine, indeed. I will be with you every step of the way. We need you to ascend the throne before we lose all our lands to the Hou Ndours.” The high priest smiles.

“High Priest Dubin, are you sure a blacksmith’s apprentice can lead our armies?” one of the priests asks.

“We will be his advisors. You saw the marks; he will be a strong king.” The high priest smile never leaves his face as if he’s plastered it on so no one can determine his schemes. He pats my leg, and I have to steady my breathing to keep from swatting him away.

Yeah, he’s on my house cleaning list. The three try to tell me about the politics of the country and help explain the steps I need to take to gain control. I listen to them intently, mostly because it’s been a while since I had a bit of fun. At least I’m going to find some sport in my task ahead of me.