Book III

The Prophecy

Chapter One

By Lady Faelyn Rose

            Night had fallen over the snow capped mountains, which lay to the north of the City of Britain. Nestled at the foot of those mountains, stood the stone fortress of Lord Augustus; Ravenswood Castle. Torches blazed around the stone steps leading up to the main entrance. The iron doors of the fortress stood open this night, flanked by two armed guards dressed in black and red. Six banners, bearing the clan colors, flapped proudly in the wind. Groups of clansmen streamed up the steps and through the doors towards the large dining hall on the first floor of the fortress. It was a long standing tradition at Ravenswood Castle that all members of the clan should dine with their Lord and Lady once a week.   

            The Lady Loria, wife to Lord Augustus, sat in her private chambers at a small table before the fire. Her frail fingers deftly shuffled a well worn deck of Tarot cards, as she waited to be escorted to the dining hall.

Slowly she laid out the cards, face down, on the table. The first card was placed in the center of the table; the second card was laid lengthwise across the first. Several more Tarot cards were placed, face down,  in a circular pattern surrounding the first two cards.

When the pattern was complete Loria began to turn each card over, one at a time, in the order in which they had been laid down. The first card brought a smile to her face.  It was the Queen of Wands, a card which, in Loria's mind, had come to represent her daughter, Regina. The second card, lying lengthwise across the first, represented the immediate influence surrounding Regina’s future.

Loria started when she saw the second card. It was The Tower; a major arcana card which depicted a tall stone structure being destroyed by a giant bolt of lightning. These two cards together could mean only one thing; a sudden and catastrophic change for Regina.

Loria had always used her ancient Tarot cards to foresee the future and warn her husband of danger. But tonight the cards predicted turmoil in the life of her beloved daughter.

Lady Loria drew a deep breath, and with a shaking hand, continued to turn the cards. The pictures upon each card created a vision in Loria’s mind of possible future events. The story which the Tarot cards told caused the wife of Augustus to gasp. Something terrible was about to befall Regina. A long journey and a painful decision would over shadow Regina’s happiness. As Lady Loria turned the final card she saw a dark stranger. His influence could forever change the course of the young woman’s path in life.

            "Mother!"

            The sound of Regina's voice startled Loria out of her trance. She blinked and looked up into the beautiful, smiling face of her youngest child.

            "I am sorry, Regina" the older woman said, smiling to hide the fear that was growing in her heart. Loria decided to consult Lord Augustus before sharing her premonition with anyone else "I didn't hear you come in, dear."

             "Aye, you were so lost in thought that a party of orcs could have attacked us and you would not have noticed" Regina chided her mother, affectionately.

            Lady Loria laughed and patted the chair beside her "Sit, child, and tell me what is on your mind. I can see it in your eyes. You are bursting with gossip to share."

            Regina laughed "You know me too well, mother" she slid into the chair and looked around, checking to make sure that they were alone in the room "You will never guess who I happened upon at the bank of Britain today!" Regina's eyes danced with mischief "Shana Rose!!"

            "Dominic's Shana?" Loria asked, leaning closer to her daughter.

            "Aye, mother, his flame haired beauty" Regina, smiled "And she is just as lovely as father said."

            "Did you invite her to dine with us?" Loria asked, as she gathered her Tarot cards from the table "What did she say about Dominic?"

            Regina sighed "Unfortunately, I was not able to speak with her for very long. Shana was meeting her sister. But I can tell you this, when I mentioned Dominic's name her face lit up like and candle, mother. Her feelings for him were plain to see."

            "Really..." Loria said thoughtfully. For a moment both women were silent "We should find a way to bring them together, Regina."

            "But how? Dominic thinks that Shana is too young for him to court. And you know how stubborn he can be. Why, he growls at the mere mention of her name." Regina pointed out.

            “I fear that your father has pushed Dominic too far when it comes to the topic of finding a wife” Loria said “Although I am quite sure that your brother has feelings for this maid, he continues to deny them.”

            “I suppose that I should not have teased Dominic so mercilessly.” her daughter admitted.

            “Did Shana Rose seem too young to you, Regina?” Lady Loria inquired.

            “Actually, she appeared to be my age” Regina smiled “Quite old enough to make her own decisions and, of course, to marry.”

            Loria laughed “But still in need of a mother’s counsel, I do  hope.”

            “Every young maiden should be blessed with a wise and clever mother to guide her.” Regina replied “I am lucky to have you.”

            Loria gazed at Regina, her eyes shining with pride “Tis I who have been blessed, dearest daughter.”

            Regina returned her smile.

            "Well then, I suppose that it is time that we took matters into our own hands" Loria said, as she stood up "Your father’s birthday is two days from today. We will invite Lady Shana and her family to the celebration."

            Regina shot up out of her chair and followed Loria "Mother, you are a genius!!" she exclaimed, as the two women headed towards the door.

            “But. let us make this our little secret, dear.” Lady Loria cautioned her daughter.

            “I most heartily agree.” Regina replied, taking her mother’s arm. “Dominic must not suspect what we are plotting, or he will surely vanish into the wilderness until the birthday feast it over.”

 The two women laughed together as they made their way down the stair case to the dining hall on the first floor. The hall was beginning to fill with members of the clan of Lord Augustus.  Dominic, however, was nowhere in sight. 

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It was a cold and windy night around the Yew moongate in Felucca. The glowing , blue orb produced the only light illuminating the area. The wind cut across the branches of leafless trees to create an eerie howl.

            Dominic stepped away from the moongate and stood listening. In the darkness beyond the well guarded area around the moon gate, he could hear a battle raging. The thunder of magic spells exploded and the death cries of humans echoed in the woods. Swords clashed against shields somewhere to the northwest and a crossbow bolt pierced the ground inches from Dominic's foot.

            He grinned. A good fight was just what he needed to sharpen his wits and wipe the memory of Shana Rose, playing a song of sadness, from his mind. Not to mention the fact that Dominic would be expected to return to Ravenswood Castle for the evening meal. Dominic reasoned that an hour of fighting for his life could only brace him for the unavoidable verbal sparring with his family. Particularly with his sister, Regina.

            He chuckled as he thought of his sharp tongued sibling.

            Dominic cast night sight upon himself, before covering his head with a magic helmet. Then he pulled on his gauntlets and armed himself with his magic bardiche.

            He flexed his shoulders, as he strode into the trees towards the sound of battle. This was where he belonged, Dominic thought. This was what he was born to be. A warrior. Not some love struck swain hiding in the shadows.

            Directly to the northwest of the Yew moongate, half a dozen warriors were fighting against a handful of murderers. Dominic recognized most of the men and women, on both sides, from previous skirmishes. He called a greeting to those nearest to him, before letting his weapon greet a brigand brandishing a spear. His opponent, who was dressed in purple and riding an ethereal llama,  held his own for several minutes as Dominic fought to destroy him. Without warning, the brigand turned and escaped into the trees heading north. Dominic gave chase, for nearly a mile, before loosing sight of his prey.

            Dominic stopped in a clearing, by a small stone tower, catching his breath and trying to determine in which direction the brigand in purple had gone. For a moment he thought that perhaps the coward had gotten away.

            Then suddenly the trees came alive with murderers. Dominic had been led into a trap. Keeping his back to the outer wall of the tower, he fought a losing battle against eight brigands. The murderers were rapidly beating him to death, when the iron door of the tower opened and a huge man, carrying an axe, appeared on the steps. In a flash of polished steel, two of the brigands lay dead, as the giant from the tower mowed them down like sheaves of ripe wheat.

            Killing the two brigands effectively cleared a path to where the tall stranger stood, upon the stone steps of the tower. "This way!" the giant called, and beckoned Dominic towards the golden light streaming from the open door.

            Dominic hesitated. It was unwise to enter the home of a stranger in Felucca. The laws allowed for the owner to kill a trespasser without penalty. But as more murderers emerged from the woods, Dominic decided that entering the tower was the lesser of two evils and darted towards the door.

            Once inside the tower, Dominic's rescuer pushed the iron door shut and threw the bolt into place. The thumping of the brigands, beating angrily on the door, drew a smile from Dominic. But his strength failed him, at last, and he slumped into a sitting position against the wall. Blood poured from his wounds and Dominic gritted his teeth with pain as he rummaged in his pack for a bandage.

            As Dominic healed himself, he studied the stranger who had come to his aid. The man was at least a foot taller than Dominic and massively built. The strangers arms reminded Dominic of a troll, so bulging with muscle were they. He wore a sleeveless leather tunic, leather leggings and short boots trimmed with grey fur. His long, ebony colored hair hung past his shoulders and his skin was tanned to a deep bronze. His eyes were black as pitch. They slanted upward at the corners in an unusual way. The tips of his ears came to a distinctive point, marking him as a half-breed; human blood mixed with that of another race.

Dominic was unsure of the man’s parentage, but felt that none of his kin had been elves. He had never seen an elf with shoulders that wide. His face looked chiseled; with a large, squared jaw and a long narrow nose. Were it not for the alien look of his eyes and ears, the stranger before Dominic might have been deemed handsome by the ladies of Ravenswood Castle.

            Feeling fully recovered from his wounds, Dominic stood up and offered his hand to the dark eyed giant. "I am Dominic." he said, grasping the half-breed’s hand "You have my thanks for your help, friend."

            "I am Torren. Stay here until the brigands have gone" was all that the stranger replied, and released Dominic's hand as if it would burn him.

            Torren then moved to stand beside a large forge, which was set against the wall opposite the iron door of the tower. Using tongs, he pulled a glowing bar of metal from the fire and placed it on an anvil. Then, taking a smithy hammer in the other hand, Torren began to pound the red hot metal into the shape of a sword.

            Dominic looked around the first floor of the stone tower, and noticed that it resembled an arsenal. Wooden racks lined the walls, each one holding a dozen finely made weapons. The designs, which were engraved into the hilt and along the blades of each weapon, were like works of art. Dominic marveled at the craftsmanship as he approached one of the wooden racks. Never in all his travels had he seen weapons such as these. The warrior’s gaze was drawn to a golden katana, whose shiny surface was glowing with magic.

            "Did you make these weapons, Torren?" Dominic asked as he studied the katana. The golden blade was etched with an intricate scene, depicting a garden of vines and roses, rising up from the hilt of katana along the blade.  The flora reached towards a sky filled with stars and a full moon on one side of the blade. Dominic suddenly thought of Regina. He saw her, in his mind’s eye, brandishing this beautiful weapon “Did you create this katana?”

            The smith stopped hammering and turned to stare intently at Dominic. "Aye" was Torren's quiet reply.

            "May I?" Dominic asked, motioning towards the katana.

            After a long pause Torren nodded.

            Dominic carefully removed the weapon from the rack and tested its balance. He examined the blade in the dim light of a single lantern. On the other side of the blade, the same rose garden flourished beneath an elaborate etching of the sun. "Would you be willing to sell this?" he asked, turning the katana over in the light.

            "That weapon was meant for a woman's hand." Torren said, still watching Dominic closely.

            "I wish to purchase it for my sister" Dominic told Torren. He sliced through the air with the katana, and heard the hum of magic in each stroke.

            Torren placed the glowing metal on the forge and joined Dominic by the weapon rack "Your sister is proficient with a sword?" he asked, taking the golden katana from Dominic and returning it to the weapons rack, once more.

            "Aye. She is very skilled." Dominic answered "How much do you want for the katana?"

            Torren did not answer. He stood looking into Dominic's eyes, his expression was unreadable.

            Dominic laughed "You are not much for conversation, are you, my friend?"

            A deep chuckle rumbled in the giant's chest.  "Nay" he answered, and the shadow of a smile curved his lips.” I have had little practice, of late.”

            "I will give you fifty thousand gold pieces for the katana" Dominic offered.

            Torren turned away and walked back to the forge. He began to hammer on the half finished sword, leaving Dominic to wonder if he had offended the man with his offer.

            After a few moments, Torren turned and said "The weapon you have chosen is priceless and can not be bought with gold. But, I will give it freely to your sister on one condition.”

            “I am listening.” Dominic answered, cautiously.

            “I must be the one to present it to the lady” Torren said “Only I can gift my golden katana to the woman who will wield it.”

            Dominic's eyes narrowed. What was Torren up to? He was willing to give a weapon like this to a total stranger, and all he wanted in return was to meet Regina?

            "What is your reason for this request?" Dominic asked.

            Torren's black eyes held Dominic's gaze "That is my price. I must present the weapon to the woman who will own it. I can tell you no more."

            Dominic glanced at the magic katana again. The golden weapon glowed with an inner magic. And once again, he felt so strongly that Regina must have this katana that, against his better judgement, he decided it was worth the risk of letting this stranger into his family's home.

            "As you wish." he growled, and reached into his pack for his rune book. Dominic removed the rune stone marked "Home" from his book and placed it on the stone floor.

"Come to Ravenswood Castle tomorrow evening at eight. My sister will be there." Dominic cast recall and targeted the rune stone upon the floor.

            After Dominic had vanished, Torren walked over and picked up the rune stone. He held it in his hand and let his gaze settle upon the golden katana, glowing in the weapons rack.

Torren had nearly forgotten about the prophecy from his childhood, until he had seen the determined look in Dominic’s eyes. The magic weapon had chosen this warrior to show Torren the path.

            "And so it begins." Torren spoke the words out loud, breaking the silence of the night. The events which had been foretold by the Seer, Kerwyn, were about to unfold.

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