Portrait
"What's on your mind?" Ameada asked Jon, who stood in the throne room, looking at the portrait of Riarcos on the wall.
"Nothing." Jon said evasively. Ameada raised her eyebrows.
"Don't be ridiculous, I know you well enough to see that something's bothering you." she said.
"I don't know, it's just something Iohan said when I talked to him." Jon replied.
"And it had something to do with Riarcos?" Ameada asked.
"Not exactly, but he said Riarcos would be disappointed if he knew that his descendants were weaklings and cowards." Jon said.
"Nonsense." Ameada said, "There's only one of his descendants Riarcos would be disappointed in and that's Iohan."
"That's what I said." Jon agreed, "But what if Iohan's right? What if I really am a weakling and a coward?"
"Don't you even think that about yourself. If you were a coward, you wouldn't have set out to right a wrong, and if you were a weakling, you probably wouldn't have returned alive. Trust me, the only cowardly weakling in that scenario is the man who wanted to kill his family in their sleep to gain power." Ameada said encouragingly. Jon smiled.
"Thank you for saying that." he said gently.
"I mean it. Also, Iohan's army is on our doorstep. We can't have you doubt yourself when we go into battle tomorrow. You're a brave, strong young man and we need you at your strongest tomorrow, you're our leader after all." Ameada said.
"And why would people follow me? I'm seventeen and I have no experience." Jon asked.
"Jon, you might be young, but you have quite the reputation. And you're certainly a great swordsman. They call you the young Lion for a reason." Ameada said.
"They call me that because I became King at thirteen." Jon huffed.
"They did initially, but now they really do respect you. Honestly, some of our soldiers even are a little scared of you. They will follow you, don't worry." Ameada encouraged him.
"If you say so." Jon said.
"Nothing." Jon said evasively. Ameada raised her eyebrows.
"Don't be ridiculous, I know you well enough to see that something's bothering you." she said.
"I don't know, it's just something Iohan said when I talked to him." Jon replied.
"And it had something to do with Riarcos?" Ameada asked.
"Not exactly, but he said Riarcos would be disappointed if he knew that his descendants were weaklings and cowards." Jon said.
"Nonsense." Ameada said, "There's only one of his descendants Riarcos would be disappointed in and that's Iohan."
"That's what I said." Jon agreed, "But what if Iohan's right? What if I really am a weakling and a coward?"
"Don't you even think that about yourself. If you were a coward, you wouldn't have set out to right a wrong, and if you were a weakling, you probably wouldn't have returned alive. Trust me, the only cowardly weakling in that scenario is the man who wanted to kill his family in their sleep to gain power." Ameada said encouragingly. Jon smiled.
"Thank you for saying that." he said gently.
"I mean it. Also, Iohan's army is on our doorstep. We can't have you doubt yourself when we go into battle tomorrow. You're a brave, strong young man and we need you at your strongest tomorrow, you're our leader after all." Ameada said.
"And why would people follow me? I'm seventeen and I have no experience." Jon asked.
"Jon, you might be young, but you have quite the reputation. And you're certainly a great swordsman. They call you the young Lion for a reason." Ameada said.
"They call me that because I became King at thirteen." Jon huffed.
"They did initially, but now they really do respect you. Honestly, some of our soldiers even are a little scared of you. They will follow you, don't worry." Ameada encouraged him.
"If you say so." Jon said.
Completion Date
October 25th, 1217
October 25th, 1217
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