FicWad

"The child is found" whispered Sian.
She had returned form a perilous journey through the Human Land. Sian had been summoned to the elf lords chambers as soon as she returned. After a journey that had taken almost a year, she was weary and exhausted.

Her summons was not to be ignored. After laying down her bags at home she went straight to the main house and was shown straight in to the elf lords chamber.

"Greetings to thee Sian" said Donovan the lord of the elf lands.
" Greeting my lord, I see you are well and praise to you and your family sire" Sian greeted in return with a low bow, as was their custom.

With the formal greetings over Donovan showed Sian to a seat by the window. Looking out over the gardens Donovan checked to ensure no one was below the windows or in the gardens before turning to Sian.
"how was your journey and were you successful?"
" you can rest assured my lord I have achieved my aims and am home for good. The issues I had have been settled and my world is at peace."
Donovan smiled.He knew Sian had left in a hurry and he knew why. The village had been in up roar when she left a year ago. No warning, no goodbyes. She had just up and left without a word. the village seer had left and no one knew why. It had taken Donovan several months to put the pieces together.When the disastrous news had arrived that the child was missing and war being declared on the land of the magic realms, he had known why she left.

Sian told Donavan of all she had bore witness to in the human world. How she had hidden her elfin features beneath hoods and cloaks. on several occasions she had almost been caught. She told of all the strange sites she had witnessed.

The sun was setting as she told the last of her tales of things she had seen. Donovan thanked her for returning and as she rose to leave he took her hand and kissed it to show his happiness.

Sian walked slowly to the door. As she reached out for the handle, slowly she turned to Donovan and with a smile whispered "The child is found"

It took a few minutes for Donovan to comprehend what Sian had told him. By the time he realized what he had heard, Sian had slipped from the room. Donovan sat back in his seat and smiled. The future was secure for now. He needed to know No more than that.
Sian made her way back to her small dwelling. A lot had happened and it was now time to rest. She could do no more, the future was safe for now and she would need to regain her strength for the fight to come.
Donovan knew now what she had done and would now prepare the guard for battle. Both knew the price they would pay and they were both prepared to pay it.

Breaden woke to the sound of the cockerel crowing as he did every morning. The sun had not yet risen and there was a mist on the ground. It was the same every morning, wake before the sun rise and just before the suns rays lit the ground under his feet and before his shodow was born he was to have all the farms animals fed, eggs gathered and cows milked. Only then would his uncles allow him to enter the kitchen of the small farm house to eat.

Ailis would be in the kitchen at the same time Braeden was feeding the animals. she would prepare the first meal of the day for her brothers, her son would be allowed the scraps they left each morning, not that there were many. Some years ago she had told Braeden to hide two eggs every morning in the wood store outside the kitchen, door each day once her brothers left for the day she would collect the eggs and she and Braeden would eat them together.

Ailis and Braeden ran the farm. It had once belonged to her father and mother. When they were killed her brothers had inherited it. Both Calhoun and Galbreath had no interest in farming. Neither of them had any grace of morals. All they wanted was gold and glory with out doing any work. Ailis had suspected that they were involved with the dark forces that had come to thier part of the world. She could not prove it but she knew they were no good. Both of her brothers has refused to tend to the farm soon after their parents died. Both Calhoun and Galbreath had become distant in the last months of their parents lives. They would leave early and not return until after dark. Ailis had covered for them by doing the chores they left unfinished.
Galbreath was not a hansom man. His sharp fetchers were harsh, his sever nose was crooked from being broken many times. His large round middle showed his love of all things rich. As he came from a poor farming family the other villages suspected that he was indulging else were. Due to his temper no one dared to question how he maintained his robust physic.
Calhoun was the opposite in some ways. He was a hansom man. A mane of hair that put you in mind of sun rich silk. Eyes that did not reflect the blue sky but more like mirrored it. He was strong and lean. He refused to partake in any manual labors but would spend his time developing his sculptured body. Calhoun had a temper but showed it in a calculated way. He was sly, although not of great intellect he was able to get his own was in more underhanded and vulgar ways than violence alone.

Braeden was sat at the kitchen table with Ailis. This was a normal thing for both of them and they were comfortable in each others company. To Ailis this was the same as any other morning were they shared their breakfast.
Braeden on the other hand was not so comfortable. He had not slept well the night before. He could not help a feeling deep down. He did not know what it was but he no longer felt he belonged on the farm. Some thing was calling him away, but what for he could not say.
“Ailis, were did I come from”
Ailis looked at him startled by his words. No one had ever told Braeden of his real background. He was a Gift from the gods and Ailis was his mother. That is what he had been told. Ever her awful brothers would not tell him of the real story of how he had arrived on the farm.
“Ailis” Braeden said again more forceful this time calling her from her stupor.
“You know were you hail from my son. You were a gift from the gods to me to replace the child that was stolen from me.”
Braeden looked soulfully at his mother. He had always known that she had adopted him. He also knew there was more to his arrival with the family than he had been told. Now was the time for these questions to be answered.
“Ailis please. I know there is more to my arrival than you have told me. I am older now, I will understand. You ARE my mother and will always be but I wish to know were I came from, who my people are.
“ Your people are our people. That is all you need know”
Both Braeden and Ailis turned to see Calhoun standing in the door way.
“You were abandoned by YOUR PEOPLE and you should be grateful that we allow you at our table. We should have left you were found to die, but my dear sister took pity on you and that old fool of a father thought it good for her to have a child of her own. That is all you need know.”

Breaden stood to leave but Calhoun blocked the doorway. Both men were of the same height and build. Even though Breaden matched his uncle in both areas he dare not challenge him for he knew his mother would suffer the consequence. He would find a way to take them both away from the squalor his uncles forced on them. Ailis was worth more than this. After a few moments Calhoun stepped aside to let the boy pass as he did Calhoun pushed him down in to the dirt and laughed.

Ailis jumped up and ran to her son but Breaden was on his feet and walking away before she got to him, instead she followed him out to the barn.
“ I am sorry Ailis I am leaving. I will not be a slave to those who would call themselves my family. I no longer feel I belong here. I need to know were I hail from? what happened to my family? Please understand. I don’t wish to hurt you but I must leave”
“You do not hurt me my son. Before the sun rises in the morning we shall be away from here. I can not remain here with out you and worry what will be fall you. We shall travel together and I will tell you all that I can about how you came to me. My brothers are not to be trusted they care for no one and we must be cautious so they will not know our plan. Now finish your work and I will prepare for our journey and your story will begin.”
With that said Ailis left the barn. Breaden did not see her for the rest of the day. At supper time she did not speak but busied herself preparing and serving the meal. Her brothers did not realize that she had made more than needed thinking only that they could eat more than normal.

With their appetites sated both Galbreath and Calhoun retired to bed. Ailis continued with her work in the kitchen. After a few minutes she turned to Breaden “ Off with you to bed you are to be up early and have a lot of work to do.” Ailis winked at him before turning back to her task.