Through Thorns We Bloom
Long ago, history written from the lost Rowanwood Kingdom spoke of the dynamic of the whisper and the arrow. Two halves of knighthood balancing their temperament.
The whisper of duty and the arrow of strength.
It would be within Rowanwood’s walls that a knight will always wield both nobility and beauty with calculated precision. The kingdom of rowan trees and thorny roses founded a deeply rooted knight order for the protection of their people. Within the Rowanwood Kingdom’s Capital, Sorbus Rosa, lived the spark who would change the image of that knighthood. Luella, the first-born daughter of the Shield of Rowanwood, the Commander of the Rowanwood’s Knights.
“Courage is Blooming, Now and Always.” The words of her father, thunderous and true as a summer’s storm. He taught Luella the ways of sword and shield. Allowing her to fight with their family’s twin swords, Bloodthorn and Darkroot. Her admiration furthered the foundation of nobility and honor. Until one day those skills would not go unused. She fought alongside in efforts to defend the Rowanwood King on the Evening of the Spring’s Song, a siege against their stronghold. Many women took up shields and swords to defend their home. Luella stood by her father in defense throughout the night.
A victory for all of the Rowanwood people.
The Rowanwood King established the Rose Shield Knights within Rowanwood’s Capital, Sorbus Rosa. Bestowing the honor to Luella for her unwavering stance. Under the command of Luella the Resilient, Rose Shield Knights were known for their tenancy in and out of the armor they pride themselves in. The thorns of their testaments bloom the beautiful roses of their spirits. Luella knew that courage always blooms like a rose. Vibrant and strong. The duality of petal and thorn mirroring the sword and shield.
“Through Thorns, We Bloom”
The sensation of those words spirals from the heart and mind. A rush through the veins. It flourishes almost gold in the sun and silver in the night’s embrace. The embodiment of “in spite of” meeting “a call to action.” Firmness of the mind meets the tenacity of the heart. It likes to dance during the celestial transitions just as it pierces through growing fear.
The ability to rise and rise again even when you fall.
In just a few years, the Rose Shield Knights of the Rowanwood Kingdom became the strongest force alongside the Rowan’s Knights. Luella inherits the Bloodthorn sword the day she rose to be the First Commander of the Rose Shield Knights. An honor that will soon write itself in history by her sword and her blood. In the hour brightest before the evening, the Order of the Thorn gave through to light the Rowan Kingdom in darkness.
Order of the Thorn
Rising from the ground a Rose Shield Knight will grow. And through the thorns they bloom to join the Order of the Thorn. A Rose Shield Knight swears and upholds the codes written by Luella and her guard. Their roots entangled to The Code of Petals.
From Petal to Thorn, Stem to Root, a Rose Shield Knight yields to no wind. To remain true and fair. Stand for defense and protection. To rise and rise again each time stronger.
With our blades we point the way forward and with our shields we guard the next generations. Courage is Blooming. And when the blossom flourishes the Order of the Thorn will remain everlasting. Do not fear the prick of the thorn when it comes from defending the stem.
I swear the Vow of Root. To serve Loyally and Serve my Community until the end.
I swear the Vow of Stem. To always be Honest and stand with Bravery.
I swear the Vow of Leaf. To Care for the Vitality of our people and act in Valor.
I swear the Vow of Thorn. To first Preserve, Protect and Defend the helpless.
I swear the Vow of Petal; To embody Integrity and ensure Fairness in and out of our armor.
Through Thorns, We Bloom
From the ground we rise.
Luella wrote these vows one evening in her father’s rose garden. This would become her legacy, her dream. A dream not in glitter but in steel. A testament with the roses of her beloved Rowanwood Kingdom at the center. Her eyes locked on the swirl of petals. A familiar shape, one that followed her through each stage in her life. Luella knew she wanted it to outlast her life, her kingdom she fought for, it in various ways.
Embroidered on the banners of Order of the Thorn. Engraved on the chest pieces of the Rose Knights. On the shields that will hang over the fireplace at her home. And her personal favorite, the roses that grew in her father’s garden.
Written by: Artamiz Forge Historian