Godmund the Golden Guardian Ch.3 (Patreon)

— Godmund (A Few Weeks Later) —

“You’ve grown strong, let not your skills grow dull in this castle.” The Elden Lord said with a proud smile as he clasped his first son’s shoulder, the younger man did the same. 

“Of course not, Father.” Godwyn grinned. “No lesser warrior could ever challenge you and walk away. Believe me when I say I aim to one day reach your might.”

“Aim higher, surpass me, and give my spirit and body back to the Erdtree.” Godfrey corrected, earning a quick, excited nod from the young blonde.

We had only stayed at Stormveil castle for a few weeks. Initially it was supposed to be a week-long visit, so I wasn’t complaining. In that time, Godwyn had shown us around the castle, along with all the skills and techniques he’d picked up over the years. Beyond that, he brought all of us along to give intel to Maliketh, the very reason we even went on this trip in the first place. 

Putting it simply, Mother’s Golden Order had enemies, and there were many. Some stronger than others, but all posed a threat to the order she wished to establish in the world. 

Maliketh typically wouldn’t be fighting in a war far from his Goddess, no, she had Father for that, but with just how many foes our armies had to hold back, it was time for Maliketh the Black Blade to take the battlefield. The exception being that Maliketh had to act in command of her prodigal son, Godwyn the Brave. 

And what an interesting title that was, as interesting as it was, it was also well earned. Over our visit, my brother told me tales of the battles he fought against lesser tribes that opposed the golden order. Mere skirmishes in his mind, but there was one battle that almost cost them everything. 

A battle against three fire giants. 

In truth, Godwyn was but sixteen years old at the time, and led an army of less than two hundred.

The knights were not as physically gifted as their leader, and they had all seen their deaths in the glowing eyes of the Fire Giants—yet their leader did not. 

“Let not thy fear take bear over thou, stand proud, these adversaries shall fall hither! In the warm embrace of Queen Marika the Eternal, and the Erdtree’s ever-glowing radiance, we are strong!” 

Godwyn’s words of strength spurred the men forward, and though the lives of him, and nearly all of his men were lost, they managed to defeat two of the Fire Giants and cripple the last one, effectively winning the battle. 

With the light of the Erdtree, death wasn’t permanent. Godwyn and his men returned, though the Fire Giants did not. They won, and it was because of Godwyn’s willingness to lose everything in the pursuit of the Golden Order.

Thus, he earned the name, Godwyn the Brave of the Golden Order.

When I heard that story, I could feel goosebumps course through my entire body. He had managed to fell Fire Giants! I knew not how powerful they were, but from the way father had looked at Godwyn, even he was proud. I was not aware of how powerful father truly was, but I knew he was mighty, his recognition meant something.

There was a reason they were winning the war against the Fire Giants and that reason was named Godfrey the Elden Lord. 

Alas, now that our visit came to an end, I had no idea when next I would see my older brother. 

“Thou hast filled with me, mine hardy boy.” Our mother smiled as she placed a gentle hand on Godwyn’s cheek. He leaned into the touch and enjoyed what may be the last time he saw his mother for another set of years. 

“Tis all I hast wished to try.” The golden haired man smiled down at her, before his eyes trailed down to me. He gave our mother one last nod before he walked past her and dropped down in front of me. “Remember mine words, use them as thou see fit.” 

I nodded and stepped forward, wrapping my arms around his large body. As he returned the embrace, I felt like I was being consumed by a gentle giant, as his large frame easily encompassed my smaller one. 

“Thou’rt full of potential, grow, then rejoin me hither to slay our Queen’s foes.”

“Of course.” I grinned and earned the wrath of his large hand as it rubbed my hair aggressively. 

“Good.” He smiled. “Til then, farewell.” He turned around to our mother and father. “Farewell.” 

With one last embrace from mother, we began making our way back, down a party member, and debatably one of the strongest. Maliketh would make his powerful debut along with Destined Death, and the sheer fact that he would be staying behind left my heart at ease. 

I knew Uncle was stronger than anyone who wished to oppose Mother, and the fact that he would be right behind Godwyn when battle struck brought calmness to my heart. 

I would see him again, and when I did, I’d show him just how much I’ve grown. 

— Six Months Later —

A powerful dust of red swept over my face as I lay my head on my mother’s lap. 

I had overdone it in training, just as Brave Godwyn had warned me, yet I wasn’t particularly upset by my progress, nor the result of my work. 

I was growing stronger, day by day. Father had told me so, and he was someone who didn’t lie. For he saw no need for such stupid things. 

My mother’s lap was soft and warm, and her fragrance and soft humming made my stay all the more enjoyable. 

Though my visit was a bit…cumbersome. Mainly because of how close her belly was to my face. 

“...Mother?” I asked and she stopped humming to look down at me with a softness I had grown accustomed to. 

“Yes, mine dear boy?” She hummed out with a small smile. Everytime I talked to her it was like she knew exactly what I was going to say, or what was on my mind anyway, but she still liked to tease me by making me ask things that I deemed embarrassing. 

The red in my cheeks grew a bit as I turned my head away. “How much longer will it be until I see my siblings?” 

Silence met my question initially, and as I turned back to her, her face had shifted. A thoughtful frown took its place.

…Why was she frowning? While I wouldn’t say Marika was Omniscient, she knew a lot about the world and like I mentioned before, could practically read people’s minds. Another ability I speculated she has is foresight, which would make a lot more sense, but I wasn’t certain about that. Which means she should know an estimate for her birth without thinking too hard. 

“One day, I suppose.” She ran a soft hand through my hair as she smiled down at me. 

I don’t know what it was about that moment, but as I looked up at my mother, for the first time in my life, I knew her smile was fake.

— Godmund (Eight Years Later) —

I let out a tired breath as I wiped my sweaty face and body with a cloth, handed to me by one of the many servants. 

“Thy growth is commendable.” My Uncle nodded to himself, throwing down the metal he used to spar with me. “Haply in a few centuries, thou will match thy father’s might.” 

I shrugged at his praise, but still lowered my head a bit in a bow, a small sign of respect to the wielder of Destined Death. 

Over the years it had been drilled into me just how long I would end up living…forever, as long as nothing went wrong. 

I used to worry about not being able to protect my mother, but if I was to grow as strong as Father in a mere three hundred years, then that means I could spend the rest of my immortal life protecting her and her order.

A deep frown crossed my face at the thought of my mother. 

For years I’ve grown…confused as to the ambitions of Queen Marika the Eternal. Make no mistake, I still loved her a great deal, but the more I spent time around her, the more I saw of her hidden nature. 

Firstly, a great many of her smiles do not hold any real emotion, a mere tool of deception that I now realize I fell for so much as a child. Secondly was her wrath, which was partially understandable. If a servant or noble slighted her, or said words of contempt behind her back and she learned of it, they’d end up dead by morning, and not through direct means. 

No, I believe she used her party of assassins for such cases. 

Lastly, and perhaps the most concerning of them all was her complete disregard of her miscarriage as she referred to it as. 

She hadn’t given me any real details regarding what had occurred. All I knew is that one moment she had a full womb of twin children, fully matured and ready to be birthed, and the next she was as slim as she usually was, with the children nowhere to be found. 

The disappearance of my little siblings was questionable at the very least, and downright diabolical at the most. 

I had asked around, trying to learn anything I could about the event. Like I mentioned, Queen Marika told me there was a problem that occurred and the twins did not survive and left it at that. 

So I asked Uncle next, and got the same answer, and he also told me not to worry about such things and focus on my training. 

I had looked at him with such unfamiliarity that day. 

What had happened to my kind and caring Uncle that let me ride his back when I was tired. He was still here, that much was clear, considering he allowed me such a right a few days ago, but how could he completely disregard the death of his Goddess’ children? 

Realizing hope was likely lost, but not willing to give up just yet, I asked my father. 

The same man who refused to lie. 

And as such, I was met with silence initially before he said words that clued me in that something was going on behind the scenes. 

“Those born outside of the Erdtree’s grace will never have a home here, your mother upholds that belief within her order. Drop it my boy, lest you wish to earn her wrath.”  

The moment he told me those words, I pieced together what may have happened to my little siblings. 

Either they were born soulless, and thus utterly incapable of anything, as I have heard some of my older siblings were from gossipping servants. Or, they were born as Omen. 

The latter was more than likely the case. Had it been the former, I doubt my father would have hesitated in just telling me. 

Up until then, I knew very little about Omen and why people hate them, but I did some digging. Talked up a few nobles, dove head first into some libraries (as much as I hated it) and turns out Omen aren’t as uncommon as I thought, and contrary to belief, not all Omen are killed at birth. 

In commoner settings, when an Omen is born, it is standard for the family to cut the horn of the omen, effectively killing the Omen through blood loss. This greatly differs from noble and royal families. 

If an Omen is born in nobility or royalty, the Omen is cast into the sewers of the city, typically with a blade made by their family and given to them with the intent to fight for survival. 

Truly the fate of an Omen is the worse I’ve heard in my time here. Making matters worse, when an Omen dies, they’re life is over. As they are not born out of the Erdtree’s Grace, there is no revival for them. 

“Is something on thy mind, Young Godmund?” My uncle asked which pulled me from my thoughts as we walked out of the open area used for training. 

“Yeah, I was thinking about ways to go about growing faster.” I lied with ease. I didn’t normally lie, but the last thing I wanted to do was alert my mother of my snooping. 

My father was anything but cautious, yet he saw it fit to warn me against digging too deep into the fate of my younger siblings. Which means, if Queen Marika found out, punishment was promised. 

Yet there was no way she wouldn’t learn of my plans. Her potential foresight along with her godly ability to decipher my thoughts would cue her in, if it hadn’t already. 

Which means the only way now was forward. 

Omen curse or not, they were my little siblings and I was gonna help them? How could I ever be called a protector, a guardian, if I couldn’t even protect my little siblings from the fate they were born into? 

I gave a wave to Maliketh and walked toward my room. He was going to head to my mother’s quarters, as he typically did after our spars to tell her of my progress and converse about her plans. 

Which is why the moment I reached my room, I immediately went in, closed the door behind me, grabbed a brown cloak, and opened the window.

Mother would be busy, now was the best time to execute my plan, which admittedly wasn’t well thought out. 

I wanted to see my siblings and make sure they were doing alright. There wasn’t enough time to tend to them in any meaningful way, but I at least wanted to introduce myself to them and let them know they weren’t alone. I would provide aid whenever I could. 

I jumped out of the open window down about thirty feet and landed on one of the castle’s roofs. I then broke out into a sprint, trying my best to clear as much ground before the knights, servants, and assassins took notice of my leave.

I wasn’t worried about getting spotted, my mother would know when I came back anyway, no, I was worried about her catching me beforehand. 

If she stopped me before I reached the sewers, the jig was up. Once I was in there though, I wouldn’t have to worry about her. She wouldn’t be found dead in Lyndell’s sewers, much less go there willingly. 

I jumped off the castle roof, plummeting another fifty or so feet downward and landed with only a slight pain in my ankles. This Demi-God body was really durable, and only grew more so the older I got. In a couple of years, I knew for fact that I wouldn’t feel anything from a drop like that. 

I sprinted through the gates and made my way into the actual capital that was bustling with people. They noticed me, but thanks to the cloak that covered my body, face, and hair, they couldn’t tell it was me, or at least I hoped they couldn’t. 

I didn’t know any way to get into the sewer, but I assumed there were potholes or a ladder down somewhere, not that I recall ever seeing either, so this may be harder than I thought. 

I ran around, exploring for several minutes and didn’t find what I was looking for. A frown came to my face as I thought back to the castle. I knew there was a way to the sewer in there, but I also knew that I would have been compromised the second I stepped foot into the lower level. 

I’d just have to keep looking. 

It took me about ten minutes, but eventually I found a ladder that led downward, and with a victorious grin, I made my way forward—before stopping at the sight of a black-cloaked womanly figure standing in my way. 

“Lady Marika requests thy presence, Young Lord.” 

“...Would telling you to step aside work?” I asked, skipping the formal speech. The woman slipped a blade out of her cloak and lowered herself. 

“It would not.” 

Damn these assassins! Always three steps ahead!

For a moment I weighed out my options. Surrender and go with her, or fight and continue forward. 

Father’s warning replayed in my mind. I knew Mother was going to be pissed that I went against her order, and by extension her. But fighting and defeating one of her most trustworthy aids would definitely make her lose her shit. 

I let out a sigh and held my hands up. 

Sorry little twins, you’re just gonna have to wait a bit longer.

— Marika —

“The Young Lord is being escorted back to the castle, my Queen.” One of her many assassin’s said with her head lowered. 

“Excellent, send him hither.”

“It shall be done.”

With that, the assassin left the room, leaving her alone to her thoughts. 

She had suspected Godmund would learn the fate of those two, it was only a matter of time until he did. He was always an intelligent boy, and the sheer fact that he managed to decipher how she really felt about things that occurred around her was proof of that. 

Unlike with Messmer and Godwyn, she couldn’t fool this boy with fake smiles and acts of love, he would see through it. 

And if she couldn’t deceive him, she couldn’t control him. 

A frown graced her supple lips. A quick thought passed her mind that maybe being rid of him would be for the best, but that died the moment it was birthed. 

He was a warrior, just like his father, with the potential to grow into so much more. The rise and strength of her Golden Order would be increased an incalculable amount if he could reach his full potential. And that was without mentioning the fact that she did actually care about the boy. 

Knowing the truth wasn’t all bad, and the boy was proof of that. 

He had the ability to decipher how she felt, and could even sense her sad stretches that she hid with a smile. Her sweet, innocent Godmund would ask her what’s wrong, and try his best to provide aid when he could. 

A sweet boy, and powerful too. An ideal child to her Golden Order. Which is why she ultimately decided to straighten him out here and now. 

As a knock came to her door, her soft voice granted entry, and in walked her youngest son.

“...Mother.” He said. The boy barely tall enough to reach her waist walked forward and dropped to a knee before he offered his hand to her. 

Marika waited for a moment, all to let him stew in his failure, before she inevitably reached down and gently placed her hand in his. With that, he rose and met her scrutinizing gaze. 

“Thou’rt just like thy father.” 

“A meathead?” He asked nervously.

“A disobedient sort, yes.” She hummed before gesturing for him to sit down. 

He walked over to her bed and took a seat as she planned on how to correct this behavior of his. 

“Why did you lie?” He asked suddenly, halting her train of thought.

“Did I?” Marika asked with a frown. 

“You said my little siblings died.” He further explained and to those words, Marika raised a golden brow. 

“Yes, and pray tell, how hast I lied? Those twins are not your brothers. They are accursed with something so much worse than anything thou could imagine.” 

“But they’re still family!” Godmund, her protector to be, shouted with more emotion than she had ever heard from him. 

Her frown deepened. She knew he felt rather powerfully about this, but she had hoped it wasn’t to this extent. 

“As I have spoken, they are not. I may not yet, nor ever, claim them.” Marika finalized. “Now, shall we proceed with thy punishment?” 

“I won’t accept that.” Godmund shook his head. “They may not be family to you, but they are to me!” 

Truly, a disobedient boy. One in need of proper manners and respect. 

“What those forsaken creatures mean to thee holds no stake.” Marika said a bit louder, her patience was beginning to run out. 

Disbelief and sadness filled her youngest son’s face, and her heart panged in her chest, yet she held firm. 

“Mother…” Godmund said quietly. “If I was born like them…an Omen, you would have casted me aside like them, wouldn’t you have?” 

The question made Marika pause as she knew what the answer was, and she too knew that he did as well. However, such an answer would effectively ruin her relationship with her son, who seemed so broken by all of this, so she opted for silence. 

“Beyond that…if I ever became a burden for you, if fate led me astray, would you harbor hate for me?”

Again, she did not answer. 

“Why cast them aside when it was not their fault they were born inflicted with such a curse?” Godmund asked, his voice grew in volume but remained just as saddened. “Why must you cast so much hate in the fate of others?” 

“You know not what you speak of.” She spoke, her formality was gone and her tone was filled with an undercurrent of rage. “Never speak to me of fate again.” 

A look of fear filled the boy’s face and she quickly realized that she had gone too far. A soft sigh escaped her as she walked beside him and took a seat. 

“Godmund, second son of mine lord, please be at ease.” Marika pleaded as she gently wrapped her arms around him, and pulled his head into her breast. “Thou art the first, to make mine self feel this way, to think this long and hard, in a most long while.” 

The boy in her arms remained quiet, his body was still rigid, almost defiant to her touch, and she realized she needed to resolve this before things got worse. 

“I love thou, and haply I was blinded. That love shall never change, even if thou one day betrayed me. Alas, mine mind hath long since been made regarding those twins. Please, put these foolish ambitions to rest, for mine sake.” Marika said, opening her heart to her son, and a part of her cried out to wash her boy in as much love as possible, to give him what he wanted, even if it meant going against her belief, if only to keep him in her arms. 

His body relaxed in her hold, and he buried his face deeper into her breast. A soft smile of relief graced her face.

“I cannot, mother.” He whispered as he pulled away slightly to look up at her. “I cannot part with the knowledge of my brothers and yet still do nothing.” 

Her smile remained, even as a large part of her demanded he be punished for his insolence.

“Then perhaps we can make terms.” She offered. Her mouth was about to betray everything she stood for. 

“Terms?” He asked, and a small amount of hope filled his voice. 

She nodded, and pulled him back into her chest. “You wish to see those two, and I wish to see mine decree spread across these lands. Shouldst thou feel capable, I bid that thou conquer mine enemies, doth this, and I shall allow thou to try with the twins as thou please, towards the condition  they are not to be associated with me.” She offered as an Erdtree branch. 

In truth, she believed she was giving too much, but if it kept her son as her protector and enforcer, then it was a worthy trade. 

“Do we have an accord?” Marika asked, glancing down at her son who pulled back to look at her. Their faces were inches apart and in his golden eyes, she could see his heart and his pride. 

“We have an accord.”

Marika smiled, lowering her face to place a kiss on her youngest son’s cheek. 

“Most well.” She playfully smiled at him, that smile grew at the sight of his blushing face. Even now teasing him was all too great of a way to pass the time. This would be the last time she could for a while, if her order was to be enacted as soon as possible. “Then thou shall leave for Stormveil tomorrow, where thou shall stay till mine enemies surrender or are wiped from mine lands.”

His eyes widened in surprise, but nonetheless he nodded. 

Truly her boy was so brave. He was but a mere twelve year old, yet still wished to fight on the behalf of the two he viewed as family. 

A strong boy with a stronger heart. 

Marika reached a gentle hand out to his cheek and pulled his head against hers so their foreheads touched. 

He didn’t fight it and they stayed like that for a few minutes before Marika pulled away. 

“Now then, for thy punishment.”

His eyes widened.

“P-Punishment?!” 

“Didst thou believe thou could disobey mine order and go unpunished?” Marika asked with a teasing smile that only grew as he reeled backward. “Arch thy back and ready thyself.” 

— Chapter End —

Beta Reader: @Basilisk

Author’s Note: Was Marika’s character incredibly difficult to decipher? If so, good, then I did a good job, at least in terms of what I’m going for. 

Next Chapter of Vegeta tomorrow.