Friday, October 1, 2010

Prologue of High King's Sword

I'm not going to post the whole thing here (since its a wee long). I'll post more the next time I post a part of my book, but I thought this would give you a good feel of my world. Happy reading!

The Illuminations of the Future
"A small light in the darkness can still give hope to those without it." Saying of the Mages of Pezuta

The candle flickered in the slight breeze which often found its way through her shuttered windows. Its illumination was barely adequate in the predawn light to see the aged parchment which lay upon the rickety table in the center of the small room.
Older writing lay at the top of the weathered parchment, but her steady, old hand swiftly added more flowing script to its yellowed length. The woman's movements bespoke need and lack of time but she carefully made each word legible. It was vital the future should know her her precise words.
Lee lifted her quill and inspected her work with a critical eye. She nodded absently, reaching for her bowl of sand. Effortlessly she sprinkled the sand over the top of the words to dry them and keep the ink from smudging before she stood.
Her long, gray skirts swirled about her ankles as she moved across the wooden slat floor until she stopped, kneeling next to a small bed along one of the drafty walls.
Lee couldn't suppress her sad smile when she glanced at the small child who lay beneath several worn blankets. She loved Margaret and was sad she would not see her granddaughter grow into a woman. It was better in the end, though. Seers were too dangerous to live long in this world.
Lee placed a gentle hand upon the child and gently shook her.
"You must awaken, child."
There was no response, so Lee shook the child more insistently.
"Margaret, you must awaken. You need to deliver a message to Joseph for me."

2 comments:

JAMES BURKE said...

Very well done. Lighting, temperature, age, and characters all seem solid and visible to the reader. Already some mystery and a cliff hanger. Looking forward to more of the story.

James Burke
kellysreef.blogspot.com

Violet said...

Such an excellent and mysterious beginning! I can't wait to read more! :)