There is a verse in the bible of which I have always received with disturbing interest, perhaps because I find myself unable to relate to it;

Proverbs 17:17; “A friend loves at all time and brothers are born for adversity.”

The part; ‘brothers are born for adversity’ leaves me dubious, for as one who has a brother, I find that there is nothing truer than the link shared between those born of the same blood and perhaps because of this, subconsciously at least, I have applied brotherly themes into my writing and not just in The Evening Tide (of which this article concerns), but in my unpublished works too.

For those who have read The Evening Tide you’ll know that its main protagonist, (or antagonist, depending on how Asharal made you feel), is a character of distinct attributes, enough to overshadow the significance of the one who stayed by his side throughout the book, who helped him gain a crown.
I am speaking of Sharal Evening.

Asharal’s behind-the-scenes brother will now be called forward and evaluated, shall remain no longer in the shadows of our forgetfulness but will be appreciated for the asset that he was, the very key to Asharal’s triumph.

Where Sharal fits in the order of things.

Sharal is the youngest of his siblings. Between him and Asharal, there is their sister, the beautiful Ashara who like Sharal, has a very minor role in The Evening Tide, though unlike Sharal, had next to no effect in the unraveling of Asharal’s schemes.

Sounds dark, where were the parents…? They died, read the book and found out how…

Sharal grew up watching his brother develop into the type of person who would one day defy a government and win. And while Asharal grew up as the sole provider for himself and his siblings, Sharal at some point decided that his brother was worth following.

Was it my own brother that inspired this element of the story?

Actually, it was the story of two other brothers who inspired the relationship between Sharal and Asharal. Yet if not for my appreciation for brotherhood, brought about through my admiration towards my own brother, I doubt these brotherly concepts would have appealed to me as it does and so in that regard, I suppose one could say that my own brother did have some influence.

“Sometimes being a brother is better than being a superhero” --- Mark Brown

If not my brother, then who?

While I was writing The Evening Tide, I started noticing that Sharal’s disposition towards his brother showed a striking resemblance to a certain English king.
This particular monarch was King Richard III, one, who I might add, became the singular component that did engross me towards anything involving English history, creating in me a bit of an obsession for all things medieval.

But moving on…

Before King Richard III’s coronation, he was the Duke of Gloucester. He was given this title by his brother, King Edward IV. Like Sharal, Richard would become a fundamental pillar of support to his brother, one that not only helped his brother become king but allowed him to stay king.

Sound familiar?

No matter how impressive Asharal is, his weaknesses were Sharal’s strengths, that though Asharal could best most in a duel, is by popular belief, a master at wielding blades, Sharal’s knowledge and grasp over the magical properties in the world made him an invaluable necessity to Asharal’s cause, one to be used against the very sorcerer Asharal meant to overthrow.

Sharal; the key to Asharal’s victory?

Exactly! King Edward, in all his brilliance, couldn’t have succeeded in his endeavors without the help of his brother, who, even in exile, stayed loyal to him. Asharal too, was dependent on Sharal, making it an easy conclusion over how it was that Asharal could accomplish such a staggering overthrow as the one he did achieve during The Evening Tide.

“I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those who may be said to be born to be friends,” -- James Boswell

In conclusion; brothers born to cherish one another.

The Evening Tide is a fictional story but the theme of brotherhood was inspired by a story that actually happened. In both cases, the bond of brotherhood ensured a dynasty that lasted decades, centuries even and it was accomplished not by competing, envying or resenting the other, but by understanding and accepting that despite how one might be destined to outshine the other, that bond of pure genuine affection and loyalty remains a treasure to safeguard no matter what and should not be disregarded for an opportunity in the limelight.

Thank you for reading.

To experience Asharal’s rise to power first hand and witness the bond of which was just now dissected, visit www.jeremyforsyth.co.za and download The Evening Tide for just $2.