Eliak ignored my outstretched hand and reached out and enveloped me in his mighty arms in a bear hug that surprised me.
Drawing back slightly, until his hands rested on my shoulders, he said looking deeply into my eyes, "Trust in the Creator and follow His direction is the best advice I can give you. It has served me well all my life. The time will come Roric in your life when all hope will seem to fade. In that moment look to the Creator and He will fight for you and lift you up to a place of honor. But like your father I hope you give the glory that you receive back to whom it truly belongs to. It is the Creator's strength and not any of your own that will sustain you in the harsh moments of life and help you to do what you are destined to do for His kingdom."
Nodding my head in acceptance of his words I said, "I've already started down that road it would seem. May the Creator give me the strength to complete the journey."
Smiling Eliak slapped my shoulder and said, "He will. Now I wish to return the gift that was given to me by your father. After all it does say in the Holy Words that it is 'more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Puzzled, I followed his hand gesture. He was pointing at the younger stallion in the adjoining corral. Flin flicked an interested ear up at being the topic of discussion.
"One of my brood mares escaped into the inner canyons of the Ernor hills where the wild horse packs roam. She was bred by a wily old stallion that has evaded my capture on several occasions, but I was successful in getting the mare back from him. Since then I have been content to let him rule his kingdom as I do mine. Flin is his colt and a finer young stallion would be hard to come by. He is as Ervallion was in his younger days and perhaps more. I give him to you, and may he serve you well."
Wordlessly I stared at the magnificent animal that had just become mine. Never had I received such a gift.
I spent the rest of the evening listening to old war stories of Eliak and my father. It felt good to stand next to someone who had been a friend of my father. It was almost like getting to be near him again. I soaked up the words filling in the missing gaps of my father's legacy finding room for growth within myself to be more like he had been in life.