A blade rises high, glistening brightly in the sunlight behind it. It lowers to touch the left shoulder of a kneeling knight. The man was accustomed to titles and oaths, but this one felt different, it felt…more sincere. "In the name of the warrior, I charge you to be brave," a woman's voice whispered softly as the blade rested on his shoulder. He continued to kneel before her, ready to accept this charge. He was no longer a scared child, he had the strength to be greater, to be steadfast. The blade lifted again and softly touched his right shoulder as the woman's dark blue robes lit up in the sunlight, "In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just." Memories of his real father flooded in, a farmer who, despite the hardships he faced, never accepted dirty coin, never turned away a hungry son, and never abandoned a broken family, he always chose to do what was right, and the man knelt before the woman was living proof of that. The blade lifted again and pressed against the left shoulder once more, “In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the innocent.” Again, images of his true mother appeared in his mind, a doctor-no, a healer-who took in anyone in need. She would mend them, cure them, and nurture them as they recovered. A mother who gave up her own ambitions for her son, yet she bore no resentment towards him. She took pride in him, she was his guardian, his mother. She is the reason for his existence, and the reason for him continuing to live on. The blade moved to the right shoulder again as the woman continued speaking, "In the name of the Lord, I equip you to hold these charges." He didn’t question it, his trust in her was already set, just as her trust in him was set. The blade was then set on his head, and she spoke words he did not expect, “In the name of the Father God, I give you the blessings of olde. The charges of Meraldian of Valethorne. Of Verdict.” His eyes both widened, staring at the ground in surprise. His emerald, green eye sparkled while his light blue eye darkened to match the robes of the woman in front of him. This was the final charge that was tied to him, the one that would resonate the most. A thought crossed his mind, questioning whether he could truly bear these charges, but that doubt was quickly silenced by a voice, one that was louder and more assured, "I can."
