Part One

A Simple Hero

     Thayne woke to the sound of the clock ticking. He looked up as the copper hand went around its path. His awakening had been abrupt and he wished he could have stayed asleep. He had been dreaming peacefully.
     He could now hear the sound of breakfast cooking downstairs. Aunt Rachel must have gotten up early, he thought. As he climbed out of bed, the pungent smell of eggs and pork rose to his nostrils. He went, speedily, downstairs.
     “Why are you up so early?” Rachel asked. “I just couldn’t help it,” Thayne replied. “Breakfast smells so good.” “Of course you would say that,” she replied. Thayne took a slice of meat and walked over to the window.
     The street was already lined with spectators, preparing for the Governor’s arrival. As Thayne looked, he saw four knights galloping north, up the road. They were on their way to meet with the Governor’s company. They would escort the company on the last part of their journey. Thayne was filled with wonder as he saw the knights. All he wanted was to join their ranks.
     “Are you ready to eat?” Rachel asked, bringing Thayne out of deep thought. Together, they are a hardy (and a very delicious) breakfast. After finishing, Thayne went back up to his room and got dressed. He wanted to go out and join those by the street.
     After saying goodbye to Rachel, he left the house. Outside, he found his friend Markus. They waited together, about a quarter of a mile away from Thayne’s house. Time passed slowly.
     Finally, the time had come. It was nearly mid-day; the time when the Governor was supposed to arrive. Presently, the noon church bell rang. The chatter on the street died. All looked north, up the road, but nothing could be seen. A slow fifteen minutes passed by. There was nothing. An hour passed. The was still no change.
     The crowd began to disperse, discouragedly. “Maybe he isn’t coming,” some said. Thayne and Markus stayed. “He’ll come,” Markus said, assuredly. More time passed.
     Thayne was just getting up to head home, when, suddenly, he heard the sound of hoofbeats. Down the road galloped a lone, knight-bearing horse. The crowd (those who still remained) rushed toward him. “Where is the Governor?” some asked. “What happened?” others inquired. The knight was out of breath. Desperately, he replied, “We were ambushed!” “They killed everyone except… maybe not the Governor.” “I had to flee for my life!” “There were hundreds of them!” he continued. “Hundreds of who?” asked the crowd. “The Ryloths!” he answered. “I have to get to the Mayor,” he stated, and he spurred his horse on.
     There was an uproar in the city. The citizens were shouting and the knights were gathering. Back at Thayne’s home, he and Markus discussed what had happened. “There has to be something we can do,” Thayne said. “I don’t know,” Markus answered. “Let’s go find the Governor,” continued Thayne. “I don’t think so,” said Markus, frightenedly. “We can’t do anything the knights couldn’t do.” “Yes we can,” replied Thayne. “You know how they do things.” “They’ll just gallop into the forest in a rage.” “And when they don’t find anything after a while, they’ll give up and come back.” “By then, every track and clue to where they took the Governor will be trampled.” “But we don’t even know if they left the Governor alive,” Markus answered. “Then let’s go and find out,” Thayne said concludedly.

copyright 2007 – Tyson Simmons

Preface

A Simple Hero

     A time long awaited had finally arrived. The people of Faern had been looking forward to this day for months. The Governor’s carriage, in a mere few hours, would be rolling down the cobbled center street into town. His coming was especially important, because he would be deciding what exactly to do for the defense of the infant city of Faern. However, more importantly, would be discussed how the Governor was going to cope with the threats of the Ryloth Thieves (or Ryloth Warriors; as they called themselves).
     The town of Faern had been founded only a decade in the past. No real defenses besides the city wall had been assembled. Lately, there had been many attacks on the town by the Ryloths. Many shops had been raided and the Mayor’s mansion had been ransacked. Though only a few people ad actually been hurt, the citizens of Faern were frightened, and they wanted something to be done. It was widely thought that the Governor’s coming could provide this. No one, though, could have predicted the strange things that were about to happen.

copyright 2007 – Tyson Simmons