About Maleghk StonebreakerMaleghk Stonebreaker
-------------------- Horse, light (combat trained)
Appearance
Personality
Background
Then one day his life changed. It didn't seem to be a life altering event at the time but it was the beginning of Stonebreaker. On that day he went to help his father with a task, the shoeing of Captain Kragg Hammerthrow's warsteed Ash. Ash was notorious for making this task more than just a challenge(he had broken more than one limb during the attempt to shoe him). Karig now personally attended to the matter with three stout dwarves to aid him. On this day Maleghk was tasked to help his father for the first time. He had seldom been to the stables and when he had it had only been to deliver supplies. They approached the metal clad rails of Ash's enclosure with caution. He would lash out at anyone (other than Kragg) who approached him. Karig expertly snaked the lasso over the steed's head and as it settled on his neck the fight began. The four dwarves began to drag the horse into the narrow chute where the shoeing would take place. After a couple minutes of spirited exercise the task was accomplished. The blocking posts were slid into place and the hobbles attached without injury. Karig assigned Maleghk and his older cousin Luck(these two being the heaviest and strongest of the four) to keep Ash's head under control. With amazing speed for his size Luck darted in to the left and grabbed Ash around the neck. Maleghk (being unfamiliar with the task at hand) had yet to move. Luck was hanging on for dear life as the horse hammered him against the metal clad rails for all he was worth."Get in here boy and help me!" he shouted. As Maleghk moved forward the warsteed slammed Luck's head against the top rail. He slumped to the floor as the horse bared his teeth and his head began to move down for a taste of dwarf. This was the moment that started the path to Stonebreaker. Maleghk applied a none to gentle open handed slap to the side of the horse's head. His head came up to deal with the new offender and their eyes locked. Maleghk stepped up and grasped the horse by an ear and began admonishing him for his poor behavior. To his father and remaining cousin's amazement the warhorse immediately calmed and allowed them to finish their task unhindered. As Luck's eyes opened he saw Maleghk calmly standing over him speaking softly to the warhorse. He still removed himself from the area as fast as his dazed condition allowed. So the course of Maleghk Stonebreaker's life was changed by this one small but unusual event. The changes began the next day when Captain Kragg was told of the now epic pummeling of Luck by Ash and Maleghk's ability to approach and handle the dread warhorse. Upon learning Maleghk could handle the horse, Kragg requested his services as a squire. If Maleghk could saddle and work around the beast it would free Kragg of having to spend so much time in the stables. Karig quickly agreed for more than just the obvious reason of possible political advancement for the clan and family. He hoped the training and association with the warrior class might put a little more starch in the boy's britches, after all he was among the biggest and strongest of the clan. He should be able to excel as a warrior and gain even more standing for their family if he developed a little attitude. Kragg agreed to train the boy as time allowed but privately was not optimistic (from what he had seen of the boy he didn't appear to have the fire a warrior needed). So began Maleghk's journey from the backwater of working the forges of Albern to the earning of the title Stonebreaker. The next few years saw Maleghk's training progress. He was an apt pupil. He could down a target with a longhammer mounted at a full gallop. Kragg still doubted the boy had the fire for battle but he had all the physical tools. Kragg worked him with the longhammer, longaxe, lance and chakram from his warhorse. He trained him with warhammer, waraxe and chakram afoot. When not training with Kragg he was assigned to train warhorses and attend to their needs in the stables. He had a gift for working with the untrained horses. He could turn animals that others deemed hopeless into serviceable mounts. It was during this time that Kragg asked Maleghk to train a warhorse for his daughter Alaya. The horse would be a surprise for her on her approaching birthday. He was a large spirited bay named Strider. Maleghk worked with him for several months developing his skills. The mount could be controlled using knees or voice. He was a superb beast with both speed and the dexterity to rapidly change direction. His steel shod hooves could destroy a target manikin in seconds and his bite could tear large pieces from the same. Strider's training complete, Maleghk informed Kragg that his gift was ready. On Alaya's birthday Kragg brought her to the stables and Maleghk's life changed again. Kragg had asked Maleghk to present his gift to Alaya when he summoned Strider. He also had asked him to help Alaya with the horse as she learned to control him with the knee and voice commands of Strider's training. As Kragg and Alaya approached the corner where Maleghk waited with Strider, he could hear her badgering her father about when he was going to allow her to begin her cavalry training. He replied somewhat heatedly "Until you can ride a warhorse and control him correctly you will only train afoot as you have been doing to date!" As the enraged shriek burst from Alaya, Kragg began to howl with laughter. "Maleghk" he shouted " Bring Strider before my beloved daughter commits fratricide!" His laughter continued unabated. Maleghk hustled the warhorse around the corner to confront a furious Alaya. As furious, as beautiful, as wondrous and as stunning a girl as Maleghk had ever seen stood before him. The shrieking turned to spluttering and then back to shrieking as she soundly took to flogging her defenseless father as the laughter shook him. As the blows continued to fall he backed up against the corral wall still laughing. "Now, now girl - don't you want to meet yer warhorse?" he got out between the belly laughs. "Father, you are - you deserve to be - ooh you are going to pay for this one Father!" she said as her eyes turned to Strider. Maleghk was still standing staring at her with his mouth wide open. Luckily Kragg and Alaya had been too involved in their exchange to notice. He stumbled forward to hand her the reigns. Kragg, his laughter subsiding told Alaya, "This is Strider - young Maleghk here has been training him for you these last four months. He assures me he is as fine a warhorse as he has trained in his young career. He will assist you in learning to control him. Now will you forgive your father his trespass or is there other penance I must perform?" Alaya stepped to Strider running her hand down his shoulder, then turned beaming to her father. "He is beautiful Father but you will still pay a price for this days enjoyment!" she said. Kragg replied looking to Maleghk, "Ah she's got her mothers fire that one!" Looking back to Alaya he said,"Very well my dear - Maleghk will teach you his commands and I will keep my eyes open!". With a laugh he walked away. The next few weeks Maleghk worked with Alaya and Strider. Each day he fell deeper under her spell. The strange thing was the noble born Alaya was as attracted to the mild and soft spoken squire as he was to her. Maleghk and Alaya rode each day and trained hard on Strider and Brick(Maleghk's mount). Brick had received his name from Maleghk's cousin Kraal. The trainer had told Maleghk,"You might as well ride a brick as that obstinate nag - you'll get the same distance!" and the name had stuck. For Maleghk and Alaya life was good. Each day was better than the last. When the training extended to a month then two, Kragg questioned Alaya as to how things were going. She explained the progress they had made and that she enjoyed Maleghk's company. Kragg pinned her down and discovered to his dismay that his daughter was in love with his squire. While he liked the boy he had much higher aspirations for his only daughter than marriage to his own squire! Kragg mulled over the problem the rest of the day and came to a decision. Alaya would go to the family estate three days from Albern and train under his brother until she came of age. If she felt the same way on her birthday then it was her choice. He hoped she would come to her senses and pick one of the suitors he meant to send her way. But if not he had done his duty for his family and none could say he hadn't! He told Alaya of his decision when they met on the road home that evening. He soon discovered that his wife did not share in the wisdom of his decision. When they reached home and she learned of his plan he had to deal with two angry women instead of one. He dug in his heels though and insisted if the love was true a little time and separation would only make the love stronger. While the Lady Hammerthrow was not happy she reluctantly agreed. More to come- |
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