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Regin Hardhammer · 08-23-2004, 12:34 PM

Eric stood in the courtyard watching his father load the grain into the wagon. He would have liked to help, but this was a job that would take somebody bigger and older. He gazed at the door of the stables that opened onto the courtyard, wondering what sort of wonderful horses the King would have. For a moment he wanted to run off on his own and push open the door and go exploring. But then he remembered the last time he'd gone exploring, things hadn't worked out too good. He'd better stay here and wait patiently till the grown ups had finished.

He thought of going and playing with Eli, but his twin had fallen asleep curled up on mother's lap. So he went over to Daisy instead. She was two years older and, worst of all, she was a girl, but still she was better than nobody. He took out three of his prized rocks that sparkeled almost as brightly as jewels and offered her one of them. But before the two children could begin talking or playing, there was a sudden moaning sound, loud and insistent, coming from somewhere deep within the stables. It sounded very much like a young child who was crying and in desperate need of help.

"Somebody's in trouble! Bad trouble!" Eric noted. "Just like I was. We need to help them." Eric looked around for someone big to help, but everyone seemed to be loading grain or drawing water at the well. He could stay here and do nothing and let the child cry, or he could go and try to help.

He made his decision very quickly and sprang to his feet. "Come with me, Daisy. Some kid is in trouble. We've got to help them. Or are you too much of a cry baby?" he taunted. Daisy did not answer but quickly ran after Eric as her cousin sprinted through the stable door.

***********************

The two children scurried forward through the aisles. Some of the stalls were empty. Apparently, the royal grooms and trainers had already removed a number of the horses and sent them to Long Lake. Worst of all, everything was dark. They could barely see an inch in front of their face. The stable was a big place, and Eric had no idea where he was going. He ran up and down trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.

Daisy was the first to figure out what had happened. Taller and older, she sprinted ahead and called back to Eric to come quickly. To her surprise she had found three young children: two girls and a boy, each wearing the livery of the royal house. Eric came running in just behind his cousin, hardly believing what he was seeing. His jaw dropped open in disbelief. These were King Garion's children!

"How did you get here?" Eric questioned.

"We came to try and rescue our ponies," the older boy explained. "Only our ponies weren't here and then this happened."

He pointed towards the ceiling. There was a jagged hole in the roof where the wyrm had made his latest attack. The thatching on the roof was burning, and one of the smaller beams had eveidently given way and come crashing to the ground. It had come down on top of little Layla's ankle. The girl was pinned down and could not move. Her brother and sister had tried to remove the beam but it was too heavy. Even the five of them working together could not budge it.

"Please don't leave me!" Layla moaned. "I hurt bad. And that monstor will come back and eat me."

Eric reassured the little girl that they were not going to leave her alone, and he would drive off the monstor if need be. "I've already driven him off once today," he explained. "Some of us will stay with you. But one or two must run back to the courtyard and get dad and Uncle Rhysdan and the rest of our families to come and help. We'll all have to push together to move this heavy beam."

Eric looked around and asked, "Alright, who wants to go get help?" As they stood there thinking, Eric could see that the fire had already spread. Whoever went to get help had better do so very quickly, he thought.

08-23-2004, 12:34 PM	#42
Regin Hardhammer Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tumunzahar/Nogrod Posts: 364	Eric Eric stood in the courtyard watching his father load the grain into the wagon. He would have liked to help, but this was a job that would take somebody bigger and older. He gazed at the door of the stables that opened onto the courtyard, wondering what sort of wonderful horses the King would have. For a moment he wanted to run off on his own and push open the door and go exploring. But then he remembered the last time he'd gone exploring, things hadn't worked out too good. He'd better stay here and wait patiently till the grown ups had finished. He thought of going and playing with Eli, but his twin had fallen asleep curled up on mother's lap. So he went over to Daisy instead. She was two years older and, worst of all, she was a girl, but still she was better than nobody. He took out three of his prized rocks that sparkeled almost as brightly as jewels and offered her one of them. But before the two children could begin talking or playing, there was a sudden moaning sound, loud and insistent, coming from somewhere deep within the stables. It sounded very much like a young child who was crying and in desperate need of help. "Somebody's in trouble! Bad trouble!" Eric noted. "Just like I was. We need to help them." Eric looked around for someone big to help, but everyone seemed to be loading grain or drawing water at the well. He could stay here and do nothing and let the child cry, or he could go and try to help. He made his decision very quickly and sprang to his feet. "Come with me, Daisy. Some kid is in trouble. We've got to help them. Or are you too much of a cry baby?" he taunted. Daisy did not answer but quickly ran after Eric as her cousin sprinted through the stable door. *********************** The two children scurried forward through the aisles. Some of the stalls were empty. Apparently, the royal grooms and trainers had already removed a number of the horses and sent them to Long Lake. Worst of all, everything was dark. They could barely see an inch in front of their face. The stable was a big place, and Eric had no idea where he was going. He ran up and down trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. Daisy was the first to figure out what had happened. Taller and older, she sprinted ahead and called back to Eric to come quickly. To her surprise she had found three young children: two girls and a boy, each wearing the livery of the royal house. Eric came running in just behind his cousin, hardly believing what he was seeing. His jaw dropped open in disbelief. These were King Garion's children! "How did you get here?" Eric questioned. "We came to try and rescue our ponies," the older boy explained. "Only our ponies weren't here and then this happened." He pointed towards the ceiling. There was a jagged hole in the roof where the wyrm had made his latest attack. The thatching on the roof was burning, and one of the smaller beams had eveidently given way and come crashing to the ground. It had come down on top of little Layla's ankle. The girl was pinned down and could not move. Her brother and sister had tried to remove the beam but it was too heavy. Even the five of them working together could not budge it. "Please don't leave me!" Layla moaned. "I hurt bad. And that monstor will come back and eat me." Eric reassured the little girl that they were not going to leave her alone, and he would drive off the monstor if need be. "I've already driven him off once today," he explained. "Some of us will stay with you. But one or two must run back to the courtyard and get dad and Uncle Rhysdan and the rest of our families to come and help. We'll all have to push together to move this heavy beam." Eric looked around and asked, "Alright, who wants to go get help?" As they stood there thinking, Eric could see that the fire had already spread. Whoever went to get help had better do so very quickly, he thought. Last edited by Regin Hardhammer; 08-23-2004 at 11:43 PM. Reason: fill insave.