The Betrayer's Blade

The end of Mercy

Take the blade, boy. Run it across your arm, nice and deep. This is your first and most important scar.

— Jace Piper, high lord's Shield, to a young Aric Vasey during his Anewal

The Betrayer's Blade is a highly-embellished dagger that has a great significance to the Shields. Whilst its history is dark, it has become an important artefact that serves to remind the Shields of their oaths.

by IMG4FreeRgood1

Appearance

The Betrayer's Blade is a highly-embellished cross-hilt dagger, commissioned from a highly-skilled blacksmith and made out of the finest materials. It is unique and eye-catching, although it remains highly functional.
This dagger has a seven inch, symmetrical blade made out of folded steel. Both edges of the blade are kept wickedly sharp, and a shallow rounded fuller runs down its centre.
The hilt is five inches long and made from a single piece carved dragon bone, including the crossguard and the pommel. The crossguard is inlaid with fine gold filagree, whilst the pommel is carved in the shape of a dragon's head, with Seruic sapphires for eyes. To allow for better grip, the main part of the hilt is wrapped in strips of the hide of a wolf shark.

History

His blood was so damn warm on my hands. Every time I close my eyes I can feel it there, can see his smile.

— Lucas Harker, during interrogation

by Artbreeder

Originally known as Mercy, the dagger was gifted to nine-year-old Lucas Harker by his father Lord Ambrose Harker. It was a gift, intended as a good luck charm, when Lucas became a candidate to become a Shield. The extra luck worked, as Lucas was selected to be the Shield to the five-year-old Elenasia heir, Abel Elenasia.
In 4552 EA, when Abel was ten years old, something changed within his Shield. One dark night, whilst a storm raged outside, Lucas Harker entered the prince's bedroom from his adjoining chamber with Mercy clutched in his hand. He climbed up on the bed, causing Abel to stir and - as Harker recounted later - smile at him. He then stabbed the boy a total of twelve times. Later during intense questioning, Lucas Harker could not explain why he had murdered the boy.
He was executed two days later by Callan Erell, the High Lord's Shield, by beheading. The punishment was carried out with Lucas's own sword. He was fourteen years old.
From then on, Mercy was renamed the Betrayer's Blade. The Harker family has never again been invited to send a Shield candidate to Lord's Rock.

Current Usage

The Betrayer's Blade is an integral part of the Anewal, one of the ceremonies a new Shield must complete. Under the instruction of the High Lord's Shield, the young boy must cut himself with the dagger on the forearm, deep enough to scar.
This scar has two purposes: firstly, to remind them what happens to Shields who break their oath and, secondly, to promise that it will never happen again.
For the rest of the time, it remains locked in a box in the vault beneath the castle. It is considered taboo for anyone to open the box outside of the Anewal ceremony, and forbidden for anyone but a Shield to touch the dagger directly.