Prologue continued

A sleepy, muffled response wove its way out of the blankets and Lee managed a laugh for her granddaughter’s benefit, careful to hide her growing fear.

“I know it’s cold, but Joseph will most certainly have a hot treat for you when you arrive. Now, no more fusing, child. Out of bed.”

The young girl muttered a complaint, but complied with her grandmother’s wishes. Margaret was always a good child for Lee, which she greatly appreciated. Joseph would see her well protected from everything to come.

The city beyond her door would be awakening this fine spring morning, people slowly going about their routines. The caravans would begin arriving, travelers would fill the streets, bards would wander about singing songs of the past. The market would open, slowly filling with multitudes of people. Normally Lee would make her way to the fine stalls and cheerful venders, seeing humanity at its best, taking in the buzz of chatter. But not today.

“Get dressed in an extra layer and pack a small bag. You’ll be staying with Joseph for a bit.” As she spoke, Lee shook free the sand from the parchment, unconcerned the tiny grains fell to the table and the creaking floor. There was no reason to worry about the mess.

Lee carefully, but quickly rolled the parchment tightly, Margaret packing a bag with her clothes. She knew Margaret wouldn’t ask why she was doing such things, after all she often sent
Margaret to stay with Joseph and his family. But this time she hoped desperately the child wouldn’t ask her grandmother’s intentions. She didn’t feel she would have the strength to lie to Margaret.

“Grandma, will we practice writing when I return?”

The question was innocent enough. Margaret enjoyed writing and learning to read, but it only emphasized to Lee what she was about to leave behind.

“If you would like, child.” How could she say no even when she would never be able to fulfill the promise? “Now, when you give this scroll to Joseph tell him not to get involved until the old man and the sword comes. He must keep the scroll safe. It is important to the world.”
The seer tied off the scroll with a stray ribbon, handing it to Margaret. “Repeat my message.”

Margaret quickly did so without error and the Seer patted the child gently on the head. Margaret had never failed her and she certainly wouldn’t now.

“Why don’t you give Joseph the scroll yourself? He likes when you visit.”

Another innocent question to be answered with a powerful, partial truth.

“I am expecting an important guest soon, Margaret. It would be impolite to not be here.”

“A king or a prince?” Margaret scooped up her bag and hugged her grandmother.

Lee smiled gently, knowing many such men had come to her door for answers in the past. “Something like that, child.”

Margaret smiled in turn, heading for the door, Lee following her with a heavy heart. Despite wanting to forget everything she must do she had a task set to her by the Gods. They would see her Margaret was taken care of when she was gone.

“Now don’t dawdle, child. I know how you like to talk to the baker. Straight to Joseph’s, no matter what happens.”

“Yes, grandmother.”

Lee held the door for the child, following her out into the street. She pulled her shawl tight around her shoulders to stave off the cold of the early spring morning. She kissed her granddaughter on the head, gently propelling her toward Joseph’s inn.

Margaret skipped happily down the nearly empty cobbled road a few steps, then turned to wave at her grandmother before continuing on.

Lee waved, wanting to give Margaret one more happy moment to remember. She watched her for a few heartbeats as the city of Devonshire came to life with the morning’s light.

Lee turned from Margaret, pulling her shawl tighter around her once again, but this time it wasn’t to stave off the cold. She stared at the giant gates which led through the only maintained pass in the Tsalagi Mountains. They were barely visible from her stoop and though she could not see them in the dim light, she knew guards patrolled the gate and the wall. They were there to protect not only the city but the pass as well from the evils of the east.

“So, today it begins.”

Lee’s whispered words were punctuated by an explosion so sudden it rocked the sleepy dawn.
Monday: Character: Elly