In the background, an old Norman castle rises, part of it in ruins. The moon gleams off the violent sea, as storm clouds roll in to embrace the land. A white haired lady in a tight Victorian dress looks out to sea. Her face is ageless and dignified She is standing on an open patio lined with columns. She turns to face the castle, an amulet with a large glowing emerald rests on her chest, and a second is set into a golden belt around her waist. Her hair blows about her face, as the wind rises. An older gentleman, in a more modern suit walks up the winding path to the colonade.
"Morag, My dear, what brings you out here on such gloomy evening. The fires are burning in the castle and dinner is getting cold. After all of Beatrice's hard work, we should at least eat it."
"Jonathan, I will never understand how you can not appreciate the beauty and fury of a storm like this," she replies, her voice betraying a strong Irish heritage. "It brings me closer to my old duties and some of those I remember fondly".
"My dear, you were a different person then, a different being entirely. You are not full of wrath and vengence now. You are trusted and loved by your peers and family, surely that is what is important," Jonathan answers, a worried look in his eyes. His dress and speech mark him as a man of some wealth and breeding, His hair is cut short, greying slightly, although he does seem to be getting on in years.
"Before I met you, I wouldn't have agreed, but since then, and the council's acceptance of my Guardianship, I find this life fulfilling, but it would be nice to go back to my roots once in a while."
Lighting Crackles, a patter of rain starts to fall on the patio around them. Morag stops, her hands glow with a pure light and a shield forms around her and Jonathan, and the rain bounces off. Their hands meet, and as they do, the shields blend into each other, a smile, contentment shows on their faces as they both turn and head back to the partially ruined castle, leaving the storm to do it's worst, but themselves untouched by it's fury.
-----------
18 years later. Hampton Academy for Gentlemen. A private boarding school for young men, destined for Ivy League colleges. An Georgian Style residence hall, well decorated with athletic trophies and fine furniture.
Four young men sit around a table, dressed in t-shirts and jeans. One holds a package addressed to him, the others bug him to open it.
"Come on, Ethan open it" says a young red headed boy, with a light southern accent.
"Joey, I don't think that would be a good idea, I think I'll go somwhere private to open this, where all of you ruffians won't be able to bother me", an older boy, roughly 17-18 years old, responds. "You punks go find something else to do, I don't get things from my parents as often as you do, and I think I want to keep it for a bit before you louts break it."
"Fine, your spoilsport," replies a athletic young black kid. " Joey, go get your football, we can go play some, since it's the weekend. and Ethan is going to be such an [censored] about it"
Joey, mimes tipping his hat, and bowing out of the room, "yes sur, I be right back, sur, " and turns arouund and runs up the flights of stairs.
"Guys, you know I don't get anythng from my parents since they sent me here," Ethan speak up, "It's just, special. and I think I want to be alone with whatever they sent."
"We understand, Ethan. We'll be down in the South Green, if you need us," interjects a boy with a mediterranian look to him.
"Thank you, Elian, I'll let you guys know, soonest. if it's important," Ethan says.
---------
15 minutes later, in a Library. Old books line the shelves, Maps coat the walls, and globes rest on small tables. Overhead, an Orrery displayes the planets in their rotations.
Ethan places the wrapped box on a table, and opens a small pouch, taken from his pocket. Holding the pouch, he goes to the door and locks it, putting the key on the table next to the door. The t-shirted and jeans wearing youth, takes a pinch of silver dust from the pouch and casts it at the door. Words in a strange language come from his mouth, and the dust instead of falling to the ground, line the door's gaps, filling it in
Quickly following the same process, the windows, and vents are similarly coated. Afterwards, Ethan rests in a chair, his breath returning.
Pulling the chair up to the table, he starts to removed the wrappings. Inside is a wooden box, on the box are inscribes some rough runes hastily scribed. Reading the runes, Ethan takes a charm from around his neck and applies it to the box. It's form and decoration change. A golden box lays before him, inlaid with Egyptian mosaics that show Horus, the son of Osirus, triumphant over Set and removing his eyes.
Ethan sits back in his chair and sweat beads on his head. "Why did they send this to me," he thinks. Looking hesitant, and unsure, Ethan opens the box, resting inside are two Large Emeralds, both in their own settings, of Belt and Amulet. Blood and soot coat them, and the inside of the box. Ethan starts to cry silently, as he closes the box.
He spends close to an hour in the library before finding his friends again...(to be Continued)
Coast of Western Ireland, Cliffside.-
In the background, an old Norman castle rises, part of it in ruins. The moon gleams off the violent sea, as storm clouds roll in to embrace the land. A white haired lady in a tight Victorian dress looks out to sea. Her face is ageless and dignified She is standing on an open patio lined with columns. She turns to face the castle, an amulet with a large glowing emerald rests on her chest, and a second is set into a golden belt around her waist. Her hair blows about her face, as the wind rises. An older gentleman, in a more modern suit walks up the winding path to the colonade.
"Morag, My dear, what brings you out here on such gloomy evening. The fires are burning in the castle and dinner is getting cold. After all of Beatrice's hard work, we should at least eat it."
"Jonathan, I will never understand how you can not appreciate the beauty and fury of a storm like this," she replies, her voice betraying a strong Irish heritage. "It brings me closer to my old duties and some of those I remember fondly".
"My dear, you were a different person then, a different being entirely. You are not full of wrath and vengence now. You are trusted and loved by your peers and family, surely that is what is important," Jonathan answers, a worried look in his eyes. His dress and speech mark him as a man of some wealth and breeding, His hair is cut short, greying slightly, although he does seem to be getting on in years.
"Before I met you, I wouldn't have agreed, but since then, and the council's acceptance of my Guardianship, I find this life fulfilling, but it would be nice to go back to my roots once in a while."
Lighting Crackles, a patter of rain starts to fall on the patio around them. Morag stops, her hands glow with a pure light and a shield forms around her and Jonathan, and the rain bounces off. Their hands meet, and as they do, the shields blend into each other, a smile, contentment shows on their faces as they both turn and head back to the partially ruined castle, leaving the storm to do it's worst, but themselves untouched by it's fury.
-----------
18 years later. Hampton Academy for Gentlemen. A private boarding school for young men, destined for Ivy League colleges. An Georgian Style residence hall, well decorated with athletic trophies and fine furniture.
Four young men sit around a table, dressed in t-shirts and jeans. One holds a package addressed to him, the others bug him to open it.
"Come on, Ethan open it" says a young red headed boy, with a light southern accent.
"Joey, I don't think that would be a good idea, I think I'll go somwhere private to open this, where all of you ruffians won't be able to bother me", an older boy, roughly 17-18 years old, responds. "You punks go find something else to do, I don't get things from my parents as often as you do, and I think I want to keep it for a bit before you louts break it."
"Fine, your spoilsport," replies a athletic young black kid. " Joey, go get your football, we can go play some, since it's the weekend. and Ethan is going to be such an [censored] about it"
Joey, mimes tipping his hat, and bowing out of the room, "yes sur, I be right back, sur, " and turns arouund and runs up the flights of stairs.
"Guys, you know I don't get anythng from my parents since they sent me here," Ethan speak up, "It's just, special. and I think I want to be alone with whatever they sent."
"We understand, Ethan. We'll be down in the South Green, if you need us," interjects a boy with a mediterranian look to him.
"Thank you, Elian, I'll let you guys know, soonest. if it's important," Ethan says.
---------
15 minutes later, in a Library. Old books line the shelves, Maps coat the walls, and globes rest on small tables. Overhead, an Orrery displayes the planets in their rotations.
Ethan places the wrapped box on a table, and opens a small pouch, taken from his pocket. Holding the pouch, he goes to the door and locks it, putting the key on the table next to the door. The t-shirted and jeans wearing youth, takes a pinch of silver dust from the pouch and casts it at the door. Words in a strange language come from his mouth, and the dust instead of falling to the ground, line the door's gaps, filling it in
Quickly following the same process, the windows, and vents are similarly coated. Afterwards, Ethan rests in a chair, his breath returning.
Pulling the chair up to the table, he starts to removed the wrappings. Inside is a wooden box, on the box are inscribes some rough runes hastily scribed. Reading the runes, Ethan takes a charm from around his neck and applies it to the box. It's form and decoration change. A golden box lays before him, inlaid with Egyptian mosaics that show Horus, the son of Osirus, triumphant over Set and removing his eyes.
Ethan sits back in his chair and sweat beads on his head. "Why did they send this to me," he thinks. Looking hesitant, and unsure, Ethan opens the box, resting inside are two Large Emeralds, both in their own settings, of Belt and Amulet. Blood and soot coat them, and the inside of the box. Ethan starts to cry silently, as he closes the box.
He spends close to an hour in the library before finding his friends again...(to be Continued)