The Message

The day was at an end, but still the women waited for him.  She did not move from that dark corner that was possessed by her presence.  As the last villager left Tombly in quick haste, he knew that this women, like the many villagers, wanted something from him, for what other reason would she be standing in that same spot for so many hours? She stood watching him, even with her eyes covered by the dark hood, he felt her, knew she was not ordinary, sensed a strong power that radiated off of her, if even their was such a thing Tombly thought. 

Tombly sat in silence, locked with the shrouded figure, and the figure with him, until Roland spoke out, "Can we help you Mam?" The response seemed oddly quick as the women at one point stood in the dark corner, and in the next blink was beside Tombly, holding his wrist tighter then he felt comfortable.  In all honesty Tombly did not feel comfortable with what just happened at all, but had to tell Roland to take his hand off the sword to not show the woman any hostility.

"My apprentice asked you a question my lady. How may we help you?" said Tombly, more angrily then he truly intended.  "Your wife will be with child.  This child will save the kingdom, but at a most terrible cost." The women spoke.  Tombly was in shock at her words, so sudden, perhaps she did need help, she was old and looked very fragile.  Maybe she needed somewhere to rest, or see the village doctor.  Tombly then realized Roland was approaching the lady about to remove her forcefully if need be, as was his job.  Tombly stood to face him, "Roland! At ease, go to the door and keep watch, leave me with...What is your name?" The lady gave a toothy smile to Tombly, "Call me...... Natassia.  I am a.....seer, who has been around for many years.  Your future is my past, all you will see is what i have seen.....and i must speak to you about what is to change all....to save many." "I have been trying to have a child with my wife for many years now.  How do you know she will have one? How can i take your word for anything that will happen!" Obviously annoyed and angry with the subject, Tombly stood to tower over the old women.  "Your lack of faith in magic is truly foolish of such a wise young man James."  With that she lifted a hand and Tombly flew hard into his throne, paralyzed, left only to be able to listen to the women, not even speak. "You will have a child, yes, but it will go through many trials before it can face the true evil that will present itself to you." Spoke Natassia the Seer.  "You have been warned, now prepare your people, but trust not the ones that seemed close to you.  Carry this signet ring, given to you from me, and whoever else in royalty who has this ring can be trusted, no one else."

And with that, the Seer broke into many cawing crows which flew in every which way extinguishing the light and plummeting the room into complete darkness.  A shiver rose in Tombly's spine as one of the crows flew towards him, he reached for his sword, only to feel nothing, so he fell back to avoid the approaching winged creature only feel like less of a man for cowering to a crow.

As Tombly rose to his feet and wiped himself  off, the light from the candle light shone once more, and the doors swung open, it was Tombly's wife, and she never looked happier.  "We will have a child dear!" She screamed coming up to Tombly and embracing him with tears streaming down her face, but Tombly stood still...shocked with disbelief.  The seer, she was right!   

The Common Folk

Being appointed the guard of one of the kings villages was a great honor that many old and war hardened veterans of the army or royal guard would gladly take up, but not for a man who only served for a limerick of years.  He understood that what he had done was a great achievement for any trained soldier, a true feet in a career that Tombly wanted to stay in for some time, but the stresses of guarding a village was not at all the "retirement" he expected, perhaps that was the reason why the king had chosen him to do this, or perhaps it was because he was not at all fit to engage such a powerful foe again and hope to save the king let alone his own life.

Slowly limping from his warm bed to his armory, Tombly noticed the abundance of chatter in the dining hall of his manner.  A sudden realization dawned upon him, today was the day of the week he would have to sit and listen to the problems of the village.  Instead of training his men for a threat, Tombly would have to listen to Mrs. Dorenshire go on about how she hears noises from the forest near her home (which happened to be where the sheep would rest many a nights), or how the Evonson twins were always meddling in farmer Warrens fields setting off fireworks and dung bombs as a prank to annoy the elderly farmer.

As Tombly walked the cold cobble stone steps to where he kept his chain mail and weapons he began to think of his wife, how many a times they had tried to have a child, but the village doctor believed to be impossible, oh how he prayed to his god every evening to deliver him one, to allow him some extra work to get his mind off of the thought of being once the greatest of guards to now a guard of farmers and common folk.

As Tombly opened his armory chambers and walked  inside to dress, he heard a fain pit pat of foot steps coming towards his direction.  They were not the hard thumping and clanking sound of a suited warrior, nor the soft swooshing sound of a leather clad assailant, no this was bare foot, a sleepy and groggy walk toward him....yes, he knew who this might be.

A slim figure approached him, dressed in silk with fur to keep her warm in a cool manner, this was Sire James Tombly's wife, Lady Joanna, coming to greet her husband to a day he truely did not look forward to start.  "Hello darling" Joanna said with a sleepy smile, that later became a stretched yawn.  "Good morning love," James said to his obvious tired wife.  "Today is the day James.  Today is the day that I try again to see if I will be able to bear a child for you.....I...am scared."  James looked at his wife quizzically, "What do you fear Joanna? You do know that I love you no matter what don't you? I will not leave you for another just because you can not have a child.  I pray to our god daily for this, but he knows what is best in the end, only he will know."  With a delighted and relieved smile Joanna reached for her husband and kissed him.  "Have a wonderful day today darling, I love you." said Joanna, still smiling.  "Same to you, my love."

It was time.  Dressed in mail, sword by his side, Sire James Tombly was escorted by his trusted man in arms Roland, who was his most skilled apprentice, and soon to be knighted by Tombly himself for the valiant work he had done in the village.  Tombly was announced and all stood to welcome him.  He waved a dismissive arm for them to take a seat, and began to call the people waiting in line one by one. Roland stood guard and had to break apart pushing and quarrelling men and women who wanted to be heard out.  This was no problem for him really, seeing his size was almost twice the normal man.

The day egged on, until a women shrowded in fur came into the manners dining hall, mystery radiated off her. She was....different.

A Child Born

It was a dark and cold night, evidence of the winters arrival was easily noticed by the withering of plants, leafless trees, bird-less skies, and the obvious snow covered grounds. The village was quiet, and would remain so for some time, before the clear-cut tragedy would change not one, but many peoples lives.

The village was, like most villages really, beautiful in its own way, with a handful of soldiers to guard it.  All together there would be twenty families in this village, but one would not be ordinary, one would hold the future of all in its hands.

Sire James Tombly was one of the few guards that protected this little village.  He was not overly built, but was clearly not a small man.  His wife Joanna and he settled down in this village after he served directly under the king as a royal guard.  He was still young, still capable, if it wasn't for that injury he received fighting against an assassin sent to kill the good king himself, he would happily serve for more years then he had.  He was rewarded for saving the king, and was given the title and honor of knightly hood.  With saving the king came many perks, one such reward was the early retirement and settling down with a family, and what better way to settle down then in a village that he was appointed to defend, said the king when he was letting Sire Tombly go, clearly not wanting to insult the man that saved his life.

Sire Tombly was loved in this village, as well as respected for not one man could best him in sword fighting, nor in the reading and writing and intelligence he possessed.  He was a good soldier, a good man, a good husband, and soon to be a good father.

The Idea

I will be writing every week, an addition to a story that you as my readers will comment and add additional incite and help let the story play out like you want it to.  Every week (starting from today) the story will progress, depending on the way that the majority (or I) decide is best, feel free to start your imagination from the seed that i plant in your minds because we all have the ability to make something beautiful.