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 Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 5:36 pm
She placed her hand on her stomach, distended and round and growing, and for the first time felt that tiny fluttering second heart beat. It must have been pressing it's hand or foot hard against her to stretch, but she felt it there, alive and struggling. Tiny, wriggly life willing itself into existence. She knew nothing about it. Him? Her? Would it look like her? Like him? A bit of both?
That little heartbeat disappeared, as it shifted, and then kicked her - hard. Whoever it was, they would be fiesty. A bit more like him, then.
She was glad.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 5:57 pm
Building a home was tiresome work. She had splinters all over her hands, but they were finally turning into the hands of someone who worked, and even the rough spots made her proud. When it was done, they would have a home to live in, forever. To it's left, the home of their closest friend. To that one's left, the house of her sister, and her brother in law. A line of barely made houses rising up like a wall, to protect the precious treasure in the center of the island. They were guardians, but they were also family.
And they would be together for the rest of their lives. She would watch her children grow up with theirs. And they would teach them all about what a sacred, and important task they would grow up to inherit.
But it all began here. With wood and splinters and houses, and love.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 6:04 pm
She fell back in exhaustion when she heard that first cry. It was healthy, and happy, and -
"A boy!" She could hear her friend screaming past the ringing in her ears. Their first child had finally arrived despite how long and grueling the process had been. She could relax, now. Her child was in good hands.
Later, when he'd been cleaned up and separated from her, swaddled and placed against her bosom, she heard her husband's voice close to her ear. She was too tired to open her eyes, but her head turned in his direction, brushing her face against his. If she could have seen him staring with wonder at their child, she would have known what was next to come.
The name was perfect from the moment it left his lips, and she smiled, and nodded. Their family had their first of many additions, and his name would remind them forever of what they'd gone through to be here.
"Welcome home," Her scratchy voice whispered, "Lance."
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 6:28 pm
"Don't you dare." Riley practically growled at the child whose hands were seconds away from dropping a bowl of soup over his sister's head. Lance had already moved his entire bowl several feet away, fearful of the splash that the twins 'playtime' would inevitably cause. But the boy with his bowl of soup stood frozen, staring at his mother with wide, doe-like eyes. He held the bowl over his sister's head and stared, and stared, and stared.
Riley stared back, her face tensed with motherly consternation. "Put. The bowl. Down."
And he did. Slowly. All over his sister's head.
The last thing he heard before he ran away was Lance slurping his bowl of soup to hide the snickering.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 8:47 pm
"Come closer, and I will tell you a tale. It is a tale of brave knights, and true evil. If you listen closely, you can still feel the hum of our savior Excalibur, protecting us from that evil. For this is not a false tale, no. This is a lesson that you must learn, and share, and pass on just as I am doing to you. Just as my parents did for me."
Lance lifted his head, and looked with hesitation at his mother, sitting in the wooden chair across the way. All around his feet and on his lap were children, so many children. His own, and his cousins and their friends; it felt like the entire populace of children had come to hear him speak. But even so, he waited for his mother.
"Are you sure you don't want to tell the story, mother?" He asked, his eyes brightening with hope. "You tell it so much better than I do. She was there, you know. Fighting like a true heroine."
Anna settled her head back on the chair, her eyes open only to half-lids. "Not this time, Lance." Her old, shaky voice whispered. "I've grown tired. It's your turn, now."
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 10:50 pm
The buildings was coming along nicely, the sounds of sawing and hammering in the background as he wiped the sweat from his brow, positioning the plank properly so it would join up with the others, making the roof sealed tight to keep the weather out of the house.
Next to the building sat only a few beams and framework. His was still only half done, but he left it that way in favor of helping his friends. They would need a cozy home soon, since Anna was expecting her first, and he was determined to have it finished before it arrived, also trying to coax her out of working so hard. She already had a hard enough job as it was.
In the time he had between nailing wooden boards and carting supplies around, he studied hard to learn the knowledge needed to help them welcome a new life into the world.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 10:52 pm
She was so beautiful. A voice like a angel, her hair glowing in the sun as she stared back at him. Her eyes shone with such a fervor that he couldn't tear his own away from their brightness.
He felt his heart swell when she mumbled those few words, barely heard but they still meaning the world to him.
He placed a tender hand upon her cheek, giddy with happiness. She blushed at such a innocent contact, and he leaned in closer, planting a gentle kiss upon her lips.
Was this what love felt like?
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 10:53 pm
"Can you tell me the story again, pretty please?"
His daughter looked up at him in wonder, and he laughed, placing his book down. He had lost count of the times he had told her. He never tired though, as she had always loved hearing it.
"Okay Annie, I'll tell you about the brave knights of Camelot." He hoisted her into his lap, letting her look at the book on the table, the original story he had spent many days and nights writing down, recording their legacy as he had sworn to do.
Behind him the book shelf was filled with many other books, countless things he had seen and done, records of events and people and things, and anything else he had encountered.
He would remember their legacy.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 10:54 pm
He crouched next to the tombstone, placing a small bundle of flowers upon the name, and stood back in a moment of silence. His eyes roamed the scene before pausing on something surreal.
It shouldn't have been there, but it was. There were still a few shadows left in their world, and every so often a new one would emerge. They were rare, but he found that many were attracted to the knights that still existed.
Jacob knew this one meant him no harm, and he showed a rare smile to the supernatural, holding up a bottle of wine. The shadow smirked back, and the two shared a drink, the knight telling the shadow of his daily life, about his kids and his friends antics, and reminding the shadow of the memories he once had in another life.
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Posted: Sat May 30, 2015 10:55 pm
The sun was setting upon the fields, the last rays of light warming his tired old body. His children and grandchildren had gone to visit Lance and listen to him tell them the stories of bravery and heroism, about their great deeds.
He felt the presence of something near him, and the touch of a hand not of this world.
"Aren't you a old fart now"
He chuckled, a quiet rasping voice. "Nice to see you too."
There was a few moments silence as the two drank in the beautiful sunset, before he felt the hand tighten.
"How about we get going, then."
He stood up, with the help of his friend. "Where are we going?"
A moments pause. "On a journey."
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 12:01 am
[The End]
Riona brushed her hands from the dirt, her last planting of cucumber for the season, added to the many row of vegetables and fruits they could acquire for their land.
Felix had to be around somewhere. Perhaps he was dueling it out with Anna's oldest? It seemed the men in either family were spontaneous.
How long had it been now? more then five years. It was crazy.
She had gone from simple farmer to Knight caught up in a epic fight for kingdom...back to a simple farmer again.
Sometimes though she'd catch herself looking over at Felix, or into the darkened woods...
She'd remember drawing her blade and her shield.
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