Chapter 3 - Flight to the River

"Andres!  Andres!  Wake up!"

Andres felt a vague sensation of being shaken, and he thought he heard a voice off in the distance.  His eyes shot open.  He looked to the left, and he looked to the right.  To anyone observing him, they would have thought that he was wide awake.  But they would be mistaken.  His eyes closed again, and he was gone.

But the shaking would not go away.  "Andres!  Andres!  Wake up!"  Andres opened his eyes again, and could make out the faint outline of a face.  The voice was familiar...could it be his mother?  No, not at this hour of the night.  He remembered that he had just gotten to sleep, and that it was therefore way to early to join the ranks of the conscious.  So he rolled over and went back to sleep.

Now he felt a body jump on top of his.  Then he felt some arms put him in a headlock.  These arms shook him considerably more than the first set of hands.  He knew why--because the first set of hands belonged to his mother, and these belonged to his brother.  This was the last straw.

"Get off me, Cable!" Andres cried, suddenly very much awake.  He tried to push Cable off his bed, but the headlock was firm.  To Andres' relief, their mother intervened.  Quietly but firmly she said, "Cable, there is too much to do.  Please, get dressed.  Now."

The room was faintly illuminated by the light of two candles.  Freed from the death grip of his brother, Andres rolled out of bed and started getting his clothes on.  His mind was full of questions, but his mouth was still asleep and could not voice them.  Within minutes, both boys dressed.  Their mother grasped both their hands and let them outside, behind their house.  A full moon shone, obscured by an occasional cloud rolling by.  The sun was nowhere to be seen.

It was midnight.

Finally, Cable asked the question that both were thinking: "Mama, what is going on?  Why are we up in the middle of the night?"

Hannah paused before answering her son's question.  Then she whispered, "Cable, look behind you, off to your right."  As Cable turned, she continued, "You'll see a tall oak tree at the edge of the wood, a couple of hundred yards away.  You and Andres must run there.  A friend will be waiting to take you away...for a little while."

"Why, Mama?" Andres objected.

"You have a special job to do, boys.  It's the job you've been prepared for these past ten years, ever since you first came.  Now you've got to hurry..."

Cable interrupted.  "What do you men, 'ever since you first came'?  I'm twelve years old!  I don't get it!"

Andres was similarly bewildered.  "Yeah, I don't see why we've got to go anywhere!"  Then he proceeded to lay down on the back yard.  Hannah quickly grabbed his arm and urged him back up.

"Boys, I know this is confusing.  But there is no time to explain now.  It will all become clear in time, I promise."  Then Hannah reached behind her and grabbed two small leather satchels.  She placed one over the shoulder of each of the boys.  "I put some snacks in here.  And a letter for each of you.  You can read it later."  There was another pause.  She put her arms around their shoulders and drew the boys to herself.  "Please boys, just do what I ask.  I love you more than you can imagine."

Cable looked up and into his mother's eyes.  He noticed that her voice was steady, but that tears were coming from her eyes.  He asked, "Mama, when will we come back?"

"We...will see you again soon, Cable," replied his mother.  "Now please, go!  There is no time to waste."

Andres, still fighting the urge to go to sleep, did not register the urgency in his mother's voice.  He plopped down to the ground once more.  "I'm not going anywhere, Mama," he declared.

A figure then emerged from around the front of the house.  It was their father, Torey.  His deep, whispering voice pierced the darkness.  "Andres!  Cable!  It is time to go!"  He lifted Andres off the ground and then went over the Cable.  He hugged his sons and nudged them toward the woodline.

"Where have you been, Dad?" Cable asked, again hoping to stall his departure.

"Son, I've been watching.  Trust me...you must do as you've been asked.  A friend is waiting for you, but time is growing short.  I'm telling you, go now...Aaaahhh!"

The shocked boys looked as their father fell to the ground, and arrow piercing his shoulder.  The boys looked behind him, and saw a tall figure approaching by horseback in the distance.  His bow was poised to shoot again.  Hannah cried out, "It's too late!  He's found us!"  And she tried to pull the boys inside.

But at that instant, another figure on horseback appeared from the other direction.  The rider reached down and, in one smooth motion, picked the boys up and placed them on the back of the horse.  The threesome then began a desperate dash toward the woodline.  The mysterious horseman that had shot their father veered off and started pursuing them from behind.

The rider was carrying a shield.  He handed it to Cable, who was furthest back on the horse.  "Hold this behind you!"  He ordered.  The utterly bewildered Cable obeyed without question.  It was a good thing he did.  The pursuing horsemen was relentless in his attack.  Arrows were repeatedly flung toward the fleeing boys, deflected only by the shield.

Soon the rider plunged his horse into the darkness of the forest.  The arrows stopped coming.  They were safe for the moment.  The rider declared, "He doesn't know the woods like we do, boys!"  But there was no relenting from the pace.  Andres, his eyes filled with tears, was sure that a stray branch would strike him and plummet him to the ground.  But the horse seemed to know every gap between the trees, as though following a hidden but meandering path.

Cable finally blurted out, "Will my parents be okay?"  Now that he was safe, at least temporarily, he suddenly despaired for his wounded father. 

The rider replied, "I'm sure of it.  That murderous horseman doesn't care a whit about them.  He wants us.  But he's not going to have us, if I have anything to say about it!"  And the rider spurred the horse on to even greater speeds.

An hour of silent riding ensued.  The boys wondered about the strange reply, spoken by a strangely familiar voice.  Why was someone intent on killing them?  And why was this rider helping them?  What was the "special job" their mother had talked about?  The innocent bamboo fight of a few hours ago seemed like a story from the distant past.  Their lives were in the process of changing forever.

The rider and the boys finally reigned in.  The boys looked below them, and in the moonlight saw a birchbark canoe.  Now that the riding had stopped, they could hear gently running waters below them.  They had reached a riverbank.

The rider leaped off the horse, then helped the boys down.  Without giving them a chance to speak, he directed them over to the canoe.  He placed the canoe in the water, parallel to the riverbank.  He ordered the boys into the canoe, and the boys obeyed without question.

"Boys, there is no time for questions.  We've got a headstart, but it won't last for long.  Listen to me closely now.

"You must paddle as silently yet as quickly as you can.  About 5 miles down the river, you will come to a waterfall.  Above the waterfall, on the right bank, you will find a clearing.  It is there that you will find help."

The rider pulled two items out of a bag draped over his horse.  "I am giving each of you a dagger," he said as he placed one inside each boy's satchel.  "Use them only to protect yourselves.  Don't let them out of your reach.  Do you understand?"  The boys nodded.

Then he reached and grabbed two more items.  They were bags of coins, and he handed one bag to Andres and one to Cable.  "These coins are more valuable than you can imagine.  Use them if you need them, but be prudent.  Do you understand?"  Andres wasn't sure what "prudent" meant, but he nodded anyway.

Finally, he reached around his neck and pulled off a necklace.  It was a simple leather band with a ring tied around the end of it.  He placed it around Cable's neck.

The rider spoken once more.  "Boys, listen carefully.  Your mother was right--you have a very important mission to accomplish.  You have two tasks.  First, you must search for King Maximillian's son, Prince Dorian.  He has been missing for a long time.  You must find him.  Second...above all things, you must guard the ring that is draped around Cable's neck.  No one can truly reign over the Kingdom of Aberdeen unless this ring rests on their finger.  You must guard it until the rightful king is restored."

The rider continued, "I'm sending you off now.  Your questions will be answered as your adventure unfolds.  But remember these two things.  First, use the coins if you must.  They will be good help.  But whenever you give them to someone, do not listen to his words.  Instead, observe his reaction.  This will let you know whether you can trust him.  And second, remember that things are not always as they seem.  Do you understand?  Things are not always as they seem.  Let your tasks guide you, not appearances."

The rider then made the boys repeat their two tasks, and their two things to remember.

Without allowing the boys to ask any questions, the rider then pushed their canoe into the water.  Andres took one glance back.  In the light of the moon, he observed a great scar on the left side of the rider's face.  He gasped.  But he dared not break the silence.  The boys paddled into the night.  Their adventure was just beginning.

Chapter 2 - The Blind Man Speaks

The boys slowly walked down the path. They figured they should get home quickly to let their parents know about the strange visitor approaching the village. But they had no desire to run into the man again, so they moved with caution.

Before they had taken too many steps, they heard the call of an owl from the trees above them. The sound spooked Andres, who jumped about a foot off the ground while at the same time dropping his prized sweetcake. He immediately dove on top of the cake, fearful that the owl would swoop in and take his booty. But the owl didn't budge. Satisfied that his cake was safe, Andres stood up next to Cable and gazed up into the tree.

"This is really weird," Cable finally declared. "Never in all my 12 years have I seen an owl while the sun was still up." Andres figured 12 years was a pretty long time, so it seemed odd to him as well. The owl seemed to be staring directly at the boys. But it didn't utter another sound.

As the boys stood transfixed by the stare of the owl, another voice broke the silence. "Boys, have you anything to spare for a poor, hungry man?" There, sitting by the side of the road, was Ronaldus, the blind man. He evidently had been there the whole time, though they had not noticed him. A hood was pulled down over his face to shield his eyes, and a cane lay by his side. The boys were not surprised to Ronaldus, for the blind man had been making his rounds at the village for as long as they could remember. But they had never, ever remembered hearing him speak.

The boys stood motionless. Andres rubbed the side of his head, unsure of what else to do. Ronaldus asked again, "Boys, have you anything to spare?" Cable looked at Andres. Andres looked at his hand. Sure enough, the sweetcake was still there.

At that moment, Andres realized that he'd never felt hungrier in his entire life. His first instinct was to shove the cake into his mouth before he had a chance to think. His hand started to shake. He mumbled, "Aw Cable, didn't Mama say to not share food with strangers?"

"She said to be careful about talking to strangers. I don't think she said anything about food," was Cable's reply. Andres was disappointed.

After what seemed like hours, but was in reality less than a minute, Andres tossed the cake at the blind man. It struck his cloak and fell to the ground. "Here you go, Ronaldus," he declared. "I didn't want it anyway. Sweetcake is gross when it gets a little dirt on it."

The boys turned to resume their walk back home. Cable turned to Andres and said in a low voice, "That was dumb. He's blind--he couldn't even see you toss it at him." Andres felt chastised; he hadn't thought of that. But he didn't feel too bad. After all, he'd just made quite a sacrifice.

But before the boys had walked too far, they heard the blind man's voice again. "Boys, can you come here a moment?" uttered Ronaldus. His voice seemed somehow younger and less hoarse.

The boys turned around, figuring that at this rate they'd never get home. They slowly walked back. When they got close, Ronaldus reached up and gently grabbed Andres by the arm. Andres tried to withdraw, but the blind man's grip held firm. He said, "Son, can you do something for me? I have an important message for you to deliver."

Andres replied, "Yeah, you'd better give it to me. Cable forgets everything." Cable turned and tried to give Andres a dirty look. But it didn't do any good. Andres was staring at Ronaldus. And as he stared, he noticed a great scar on the left side of his face--a scar he'd never seen before, since it was usually shielded by the hood.

Ronaldus reached down into his cloak and retrieved a folded-up piece of paper. He felt for Andres' hand and placed the paper in it. Then he closed his hand over the paper. "You must deliver this to your parents right away. Hurry home now. The stranger will not bother you, so run, run, run."

"Okay, sir," replied Andres. "Now can you let go of me so I can run?"

"One more thing," uttered Ronaldus. "You must not--I repeat, you must not--look at this note. It is only for your parents to see. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Now go. Go, deliver the note, and get some sleep. You will need it."

The boys didn't need any more instruction. Once the blind man released Andres' arm, they started running. Of course, it soon turned into a race. Cable got in front, and Andres grabbed at his shirt in an attempt to pull him back. But Cable pushed away his hand and ran ahead. About 100 yards down the road, however, Cable figured he'd better stop. He did, and sure enough, he saw the Andres was no longer following him. Instead, he found that Andres had stopped and was holding the note up to the setting sun.

"What are you doing, Andres?" Cable yelled.

"Uh...I'm just making sure that no dirt got on the note," replied Andres.

But Cable was not fooled by the feeble excuse. "You're trying to read it!" he bellowed. "You remember the instructions! Let's go!"

This time, Cable waited for Andres to catch up and pass him. They ran the rest of the way to their house, with Cable keeping a watchful eye on his impulsive brother.

They entered their house and immediately started yelling for their mother. Of course, if they'd paused to think before yelling, they'd have realized that she was standing right in front of them as they opened the door. After receiving a mild reminder to keep their voices down, Andres thrust the note to his mother. "Here Mama, the blind man told us to give this to you."

The boys' mother, whose name was Hannah, got strangely silent. A very sober look came over her face. "Ronaldus gave this to you?" she asked in a quiet voice that alarmed the slightly more perceptive Cable. "He actually spoke to you?"

"Yes Mama, now can you read it?" replied Andres.

Hannah slowly opened the note. She stared intently at it. She then put it down on the table that lay in the middle of the room. She then walked over to the boys and put her arms around them. "It's getting late, boys," she said. "I think it's time for you to go to bed."

"But the sun hasn't even gone down yet!" argued Cable. Andres, however, didn't say a word. He couldn't get his eyes off the note.

"I know, son, but it's been a busy day and you boys need your rest. Now off to bed." And Hannah walked her sons to the bedroom. She kissed them, left the room, and closed the door.

The boys knew it was no use arguing. They usually liked a little more time to wind down, but their mother had been clear: they needed to be in bed. They crawled in. Cable was convinced he wouldn't get to sleep for hours. But the hours of bamboo dueling soon caught up with him, and he drifted off.

Andres, on the other hand, was wide awake and stayed that way. Once he was convinced that Cable had fallen asleep, he crept toward the door. He slowly opened it and looked around. There was no sign of his mother. She had evidently gone outside to look for their dad. He walked over to the table; the note was still there, lying upside down. He turned it over and read it.

It simply said:
"It is time. Midnight. Tonight."

Andres read it through three or four times to memorize it. He then laid it back down on the table, making sure that it was face down. He walked back into his room, shut the door, and crawled into bed.

But he couldn't sleep. He lay there wide awake. The whole time he told himself, "I never should have read that dumb thing."

Chapter 1 - The Stranger

"Begone, vile villain!" cried the boy, sword in hand.  "And may your presence never beguile our homeland again!"

"Hey, stop that!" cried the boy's brother, two years his junior.  "I'm not a villain, you...you...you jerk!"

With that, the duel continued, swords clashing, tempers flaring.  Truth be told, they weren't exactly swords--they were bamboo sticks, carefully selected from a bamboo grove in the nearby woods.  And the boys were doing what boys do best: compete with one another, the level of aggression gradually elevating as the quest for superiority went on.

The older boy, whose name was Cable, gradually got the upper hand.  His bamboo stick was thicker, and his strength was somewhat greater.  So he pressed the attack.  As the battle wore on, his brother Andres continually mumbled, "I hate this dumb game.  I always lose.  I can't believe I let you talk me into playing again.  I hate this dumb game."  Yet through his frustration, he fought on.

Finally, Cable felled a blow that shattered Andres' bamboo stick.  All that was left was a little stump that remained in his hand.  Ten-year-old Andres chucked it into the woods in frustration.  "That's it.  I'm DONE!  I'm going home."

Then the fraternal ritual went on, as Cable tried to persuade Andres to play again so that the beating could continue.  "Aw, c'mon Andres.  Hey, this time I'll let you be King Maximilian, and I'll be the evil Prince Dor-ko.  Just one more match.  Okay?"

Andres thought about it for a few seconds.  The thought was appealing.  But, as the sun slowly set over the hills to the west, he figured that going to sleep sounded even better.  "Nope, not gonna do it, Cable.  I'm done."

But Cable persisted.  He had anticipated this moment, and reached down to a nearby rock and grabbed some sweetcake that he'd strategically placed there.  He made an offer.  "Hey, if you play, you can have half of this piece of Mama's sweetcake that I saved.  And if you beat me, you can have the whole piece."

Andres found this considerably more persuasive.  Even if he felt tired now, the prospect of sugar would surely revive him.  And he loved nothing on earth more than Mama's sweetcake.  Andres replied, "Awright, Cable.  One more time.  That's it."  And then the boys dashed into the woods to seek out their bamboo weapons.

When the battle resumed, Andres seemed renewed.  "Take that, Dor-ko!  And that!" he yelled with each parry and thrust.  "I, King Maximilian, will end your evil reign once and for all!"

The boys dwelt in the small village of Corrin, in the northwestern corner of the Kingdom of Aberdeen.  It lay in the foothills of the Jagged Mountains, which towered over the village to the west.  There were no roads into the village, just a narrow path that wound through desolate terrain for dozens of miles before reaching the nearest city.  It was a peaceful village, but that was because of its remoteness.  The rest of the kingdom had been living in turmoil, ever since the reign of Dor-ko had begun about 10 years ago.  The citizens of Corrin kept to themselves and enjoyed their isolation.  Every once in awhile, a small group would travel to the city for supplies.  But no one from the city ever came out to Corrin.

Until now.

As the duel between the brothers dragged on with increasing fury, a tall stranger came riding down the trail on a tall, black horse.  He could hear Andres' volume rising.  "Begone, Dor-ko!" cried Andres, amazed that--after about 10 minutes--his bamboo stick was still intact.  "I, King Maximilian, am back!  I order you to lose RIGHT NOW!"  Cable fought back but said nothing.  He didn't want to lose, but secretly he hated playing the role of Dor-ko and wanted the battle to end.

The stranger stopped his horse and listened for a few moments to the boys, who were completely oblivious to his presence.  Finally, the stranger spoke.  "Boys!  Fools!  Stop your fighting now, or you will surely pay for your insolence!"

The boys jumped when they heard the voice.  The man was barely two feet away, yet in the intensity of their combat they had not heard him approach.  They turned and stared at the stranger.  His glare made them cringe.  He had long dark hair, a bushy moustache, and a jaw that stuck out awkwardly.  The jaw was offset to the right, which meant that his face had a perpetual scowl. 

Andres--the more impetuous of the brothers--spoke first.  "Hey mister, we were just minding our own business.  You don't need to yell at us."  Then he turned from the stranger and spoke to his brother.  "All right, let's finish, Cable.  Where were we?  That's right, you're..."  But Andres never finished his thought, because the stranger took a staff which he'd been carrying and swung it at Andres' head.  The boy crumpled under the blow and fell to the ground.  He clutched his head and writhed in pain.

This time, Cable spoke up.  "Hey mister, we were just playing.  Can't you just leave us alone?"  He then knelt down to check on his brother.

The stranger reached down from his horse and grabbed Cable by the shoulder.  In a quiet, raspy voice, he muttered, "Never...EVER...let me hear the name of Maximilian again.  Do you understand?"  Cable nervously shook his head.  Then the stranger slapped his horse with his staff and started his journey back up the path.  As he pulled away, he continued, "If I do, both of you shall be beaten severely and taken away from this place of filth." 

In a few moments, he disappeared around a bend in the path.

Andres was soon back on his feet.  Pain wasn't anything that bothered him too much.  In fact, he figured that he'd given as much as he'd taken--he was pretty sure that the blow to his hard head had caused the staff to crack.  But he didn't feel like continuing the duel.  He turned to Cable and said, "Can we just say that I won and go home?"

Cable wasn't one to concede defeat, but he'd been troubled by the strange visitor.  He grabbed the sweetcake and handed it to Andres.  "We'll fight more later.  You can just have the cake," he said.  That satisfied Andres, who was really more interested in the cake than in being declared the victor.  The boys tucked their bamboo sticks under some rocks (where they could find them later) and started to head back toward home.

Prologue - Quest for the Lost Prince of Aberdeen

The servant's heart pounded within him as his horse galloped through the woods.  He had not stopped moving since he'd seen the sign.  This was the moment he'd known had been coming for weeks, yet it did not make his journey any easier.

The faint smell of smoke stung his nose.  Tears came pouring out of the servant's eyes--whether it was from the wind, from the smoke, or from the panic, he wasn't sure.  Yet he pressed on, his horse sensing that his rider's vision was blurred and choosing a cautious course through the thick woods.  Finally, the horse arrived at the crest of the hill, in the midst of a grove of maple trees.  The servant reigned in, leapt off his horse, and looked around.  When he felt somewhat sure that no one was watching, he ran toward a tree at the edge of the grove and started to climb.  He'd built a makeshift ladder in preparation for this moment, and he was glad he had.  With his hands sweaty and his knees shaking involuntarily, he'd never have been able to climb this tree on his own.

When he neared the top of the tree, he looked off to the east, toward the castle.  His worst fears were true.  The castle was in flames.  The only home he'd ever known was being destroyed.  Then he looked west; the sun was setting, and the faint smoke that had rolled westward cast an eerie red glow over the field below.  Then, looking back to the east, he saw what he'd been expecting.

A knight, clad in silver armor that shone in the setting sunlight, was riding a gallant white steed toward the base of the hill.  He held a basket in his left hand, and a young child was mounted in front of him.  No one accompanied him, and it was just as well, for no one in the kingdom could hope to keep up with this horse.  The silver knight dashed toward some bushes that were clustered at the bottom of the hill, about 200 yards below the tree in which the servant was perched.  Upon reaching the bushes, the knight reigned in and dismounted in one smooth motion--the basket in one hand, the boy in the other.

The servant watched, spellbound, as the silver knight tucked the basket into the bushes and out of his sight.  He then started to guide the boy into the bushes as well when he abruptly stopped and turned.  A figure emerged from the woods to the west--a tall knight, clad in black and riding a black horse.  The servant cringed as he saw the black knight draw his bow and shoot and arrow towards the boy.  The silver knight lurched toward the boy and covered him.  The arrow deflected off the silver knight's armor.  The silver knight clutched his side with one hand while shoving the boy into the bushes with the other.

Meanwhile, as the servant continued to watch, the black knight relentlessly charged.  The silver knight rolled over and drew his sword.  He raised it just in time to parry the oncoming thrust of the black knight.  The silver knight then jumped to his feet.  A great duel ensued.  The black knight held the advantage, as he also had a shield and used it skillfully to block any challenge from the silver knight. 

As the duel continued, the silver knight--apparently weakened by the initial blow from the arrow--continue to fall back.  The black knight was relentlessly pushing him away from the bushes.  Finally the black knight knocked the silver knight to the ground.  He raised his sword for one final thrust to the heart of his adversary.  The servant prepared to close his eyes; his mission was about to be ended before it even began.

But, summoning his last reserve of strength, the silver knight rolled away from the sword thrust and leapt upward, grasping his enemy's shield.  He then thrust the shield upward into his enemy's jaw.  The blow knocked the black knight down.  He lay motionless on the ground.

The servant hoped that the silver knight would finish the duel and thrust him through the heart, but he did not.  Rather, he took off his own silver armor, and then proceeded to take off his enemy's black armor as well.  Then he donned the black armor and placed his silver armor on his still-motionless adversary.  Once this was done, he reached into his quiver, grasped an arrow, and sent it flying in the direction of the servant.  The arrow landed at the base of the tree in which the servant was setting.  Then the silver knight (now wearing the black armor) jumped on his enemy's black horse and headed back toward the castle, his own white horse following him at a distance.

The servant knew that now was the time to act.  He swiftly climbed out of the tree and examined the arrow.  A note was tightly wrapped around the shaft of the arrow.  He tore off the note and read it.  The tears began to flood into his eyes again as he absorbed what it said.  With new resolve to serve his king, the servant re-mounted his horse and raced to the cluster of bushes at the foot of the hill.  Peering into the bushes, he saw a young boy--about 3 feet in height--silently kneeling in front of the basket.  The servant gestured to the boy.  The boy came, his face stained with tears but resolved to obey.  The servant then grasped the basket and guided the boy to his horse.  His job was nearly complete.

The servant then did as the silver knight had done earlier: he mounted his horse, with the boy in front and the basket in his left hand.  He turned westward and continued his journey toward the setting sun.

After he'd ridden about 50 yards, however, the servant felt a terrible jolt to his head.  An arrow had struck him from behind, nearly knocking him from his horse.  The arrow had struck his cheek.  Blood splattered into his eyes.  Once again, he fought off panic as he tried to maintain the course.  He turned around and saw that the black knight (now wearing the silver armor) had revived.  He had fired one arrow, and was preparing the shoot another.  The servant abruptly turned to the right.  For the next minute, which seemed like an eternity, horse and rider dashed back and forth, dodging arrows and seeking the refuge of the woods to the west.  Finally he escaped the range of the ruthless black knight.  He was safe for now.  His journey would continue.