"New Story" Chapter 2 & 3

Chapter 2

“Zane I don’t see how we can keep from fighting much longer.  From what Infantryman O’Brien and Quinn have told me.  The kingdoms are overly eager to get on with the battles.”

“Bryon wasn’t the reason most of the people left the Land of the Celestial Raven Spirit and came to the Land of the Northeast Raven Spirit was to avoid the fighting.”  Zane said arguing with Bryon.  “I don’t see what the use is this time.  Sonja Hope will not leave our homestead.  She grew up there and so has Krystal.”

“I’m not asking you to pick up and move to a different land.  I’m asking you to help me keep the peace, even if it means fighting.  Besides those that left the Land of the Celestial Raven Spirit were the more peaceful of the kingdoms over there, but that doesn’t mean they are still peaceful.”

Bryon was seated behind the large red oak desk in his study. He looked about the room; the shelves that covered two complete walls were almost overflowing with books.  He watched as his stepbrother paced the floor in front of the desk.

“I don’t think fighting is going to solve anything Bryon.  Dad knew that.  He was able to keep the Mossy Thunder and the Relics of Rodents from being so rebellious.  Where did we go wrong?”

“I don’t think it was us that did anything wrong.  You’re forgetting, Dad dealt with the Lord of his time.  We’re dealing with the Lord of our time.  They’re two completely different people.  Just like we’re different people then dad was.”

Zane stopped pacing and looked at Bryon.  He didn’t understand how Bryon could be so calm.  Zane was thinking his world was going to end.  He may have been forced into marrying Sonja Hope, but he loved her more the life itself now.  Not to mention the beautiful child they had together.  He would die for them if it came to that.  He wondered if his brother thought the same way about Natasha and A.J.

“You’re right.  I just can’t believe that the feeling of peace was not instilled in the new Lords.”

“It’s not that it wasn’t instilled, it may just be that they chose not to go along with it.  Why I haven’t a clue, but that’s why they aren’t listening to my talks of peace.”

“We need to keep trying.  I refuse to fight now, when I have so many things to look forward to yet.  I’m sorry if I’m sounding jealous.  But I would like to see our children grow up and get married.”

“Don’t worry they will.  Maybe even to each other Zane.  But we will see them wed.  I will see to that.”

“I don’t know about to each other.  One of your Infantrymen has already asked her to pierce her ears for him.  You know how serious that is.”

“How wonderful!  Which one prey tell?”

“Quinn.”

“Quinn…in all honest I’m not so sure I trust young Quinn.  I know he’s been here a few years already.  But to be moving in on my sweet innocent niece is another thing.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it.  Krystal doesn’t seem at all interested.  She didn’t give him an answer yet though.”

“But Quinn?  Vincent Quinn?  We are talking about him right?”

“Yes and I wish not to speak of this anymore at this time.”  Zane said.

“Very well then.  Back to the subject at hand.  Peace talks aren’t going as well as I had hoped.  They haven’t been listening to A.J. either.  I think one of us should try to talk to them.”

“Do you think it will help any?”

“I should hope so.  We’d be talking Lord to Lord instead of Captain to Lord.”  Bryon said getting up out of his chair.  “I haven’t decided what the best approach is yet.  But I assume that the best way to do it would be both of us going to talk to each of them separately.”

“Well what ever the case we really should figure it out.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I really should be at the scrimmages today.  Besides the walk will give me time to think over the situation at hand.” He walked to the door and opened it.  Before he walked out he added, “Bryon, don’t worry we will resolve this.”

Bryon watched as Zane walked out of the study.  He knew there wasn’t anything he could say or do know that would deter his brother’s mind.  Bryon had realized how much Zane had come to love Sonja Hope, probably about as much as he loved Natasha, if not more.

*~*~*~*~*

A.J. and Krystal had stopped when they reached the lake that was in the forest.  They dismounted and let the horses get a drink of water.  A.J. was still disturbed by what Krystal had said.  As far as he and his father were concerned they could trust all of their men in the army.  Was it possible that Krystal was right and they had spies?  Infantryman Wesley Jayson O’Brien had been in the army as long as A.J.  In fact they had grown up together, playing until the last possible moment when they knew one of their mothers would come and call them inside.  On the other had Infantryman Vincent Grant Quinn had moved to the kingdom from one of the other kingdoms a few years back.  He’s reasoning was that he didn’t like the way the other when was ran.  Plus he decided on the Kingdom of the Misty Oak Sunset because he had heard such good things about it.

            “Krystal, I’m confused.  Surely you can not know the army as well as I.”

            “That is true A.J.  But I have this feeling.  Well at least I’ve been having it the last couple of times that I’ve visited and seen the army doing scrimmages.   Maybe it’s just the way us women sense things or maybe I’m just unsure of what things are suppose to be."

            “Maybe you are right.  The army is doing scrimmages today.  Maybe we can go watch and you can tell me what you see and feel.”

            “I am sure that would go over well with the officers in command.  Having a female tell them what’s wrong with the army.”

            “Father and Uncle wouldn’t mind I’m sure.”

            “Father and Uncle…will they be there?  It doesn’t matter any but I don’t promise anything.”

            A.J. smiled and went and gathered the horse’s rains.  They remounted and A.J. led the way to the scrimmages.  They had to go out the other side of the forest and over one of the hills to get to the open field where the scrimmages were being held.  They halted the horses just as they got off the hill.

            Krystal scanned the Infantryman.  She knew that it was only one that had stood out the last couple of times.  Only that one that made her senses jump and the hair stand up on her neck.  But for some reason she didn’t get that feeling this time.  She didn’t understand why this time was different from the last ones.

            “Are there any that aren’t doing the scrimmage today?”

            “Just Infantryman Quinn I believe.  He’s visiting his sister at the Kingdom of the Relics of Rodents.”

            “I see.  That would explain it.  Because I’m not sensing anything right now, and if he was here the last time I saw them…”

            “Are you saying its Vincent that’s giving you these odd feelings?”  A.J. asked. “Are you sure it’s not because he asked you to pierce your ears for him?”

            Krystal turned open mouthed to A.J.  Only her parents knew that Vincent Quinn had asked her to do the unthinkable and pierce her ears for him.  She had no intentions of being off the market for marriage.  She didn’t even like Vincent with his beady brown eyes and sloppy cherry red hair or his overly muscular body.

            “How did you know he asked to have my hand?  Only mother and father knew.  He father was happy and couldn’t keep his trap shut or mother decided to be the kingdom gossip again!”

            Krystal spurred Buttercup.  She had Buttercup at a full, sweat-breaking run back the way they had come.  A.J. was stunned.  He knew he shouldn’t have said anything seeing has how he had actually heard it from Wes, who had over heard Vincent ask Krystal.  He nudged Honor.  He wasn’t in any hurry.  He figured he’d let Krystal take to Zane about.  A.J. would let her apologize to him.  He felt that was only right.

            “Honor I think I should find Zane before she does and warn him.”   A.J. was headed towards the castle via the main path from the fields when he spotted Zane coming down the path himself.  “Uncle Zane!”

            “Greetings A.J.”  Zane said as he reached A.J. and Honor.

            “Have you seen Krystal?”

            “I thought she was with you.”

            “Well she was.  But I mentioned something I shouldn’t have and she thinks you told me but I know and you know that you didn’t.”

            “A.J. what are you getting at?

            “Well I know that Vincent Quinn asked her to pierce her ears for him.”  A.J. surged forward.  “I heard it from Wesley O’Brien who over heard Vincent ask her.  And I let it slip.”

            “Well I’ll be.”  Was all Zane had to say.

            “That’s all.  I’m not in trouble?”

            “Nope.  But I do have one question for you.  How do you feel about Vincent asking Krystal to pierce her ears for him?”

            “I think Vincent a low down dirty scum and I think it sucks and I wish…”

            “Go ahead son.”

            “I wish I had thought of it first.  But I keep trying to figure out where the whole ask the girl to pierce her ears for her hand in marriage thing came from.”

            “I don’t know if I recall the whole story, but I know your father does.  You should ask him sometime.”

            “Thanks I think I will.  You heading to watch the scrimmages?”

            “Yep I was.”

            “I think I’ll join you.”  A.J said as he dismounted.  He walked next to Zane, leading Honor.

Chapter 3

Over in the Kingdom of the Relics of Rodents Infantryman Vincent Grant Quinn sat talking to his sister.  They were sitting at the table in her shabby kitchen.  Vincent had told her that he was going according to plan.  That he had asked Krystal McKnight to pierce her ears for him.

“Did she give you an answer?”  His sister, Hazel Jocelyn Quinn Hanuman, asked.  She had her hair, which was the same cherry red as Vincent’s, pulled back into a sloppy braid.  She had green eyes that always seemed so heavy and tired.  She wasn’t skinning, she was plump going on paunchy.  She stood less then average height when she wasn’t where her shoes.  Hazel had married Virgil Stefan Hanuman, one of the best Infantrymen in the Kingdom of the Relics of Rodents.  He would soon be advancing and any information that Hazel could get out of Vincent would help Virgil.  She was wearing a very ugly brown dress that was showing it’s wear.

“No she didn’t.  But I was sure that that snotty wuss O’Brien overheard me asking her.  I figured that was just as good as having Captain Wolfe hear me.”
            “Do you think anything will come of it?”

“Not a chance, I know her answer will be no.  She doesn’t like me.  But I have at least asked.”

“How could she not like you?  You’re the figure of politeness and you wouldn’t think of betraying her father and uncle.”  Came a deep and booming male’s voice from the doorway.

“Thank you for the complement my dear brother-in-law.  I know you mean that from the bottom of your unfeeling heart.”  Vincent said without turning around to look at Virgil.  He didn’t have to turn to see the big burly man.  Vincent could see Virgil’s long black hair that was so oily it looked like it was constantly wet.  His beard was no better and Vincent was sure that a vermin could live in it with out Virgil’s knowledge or anybody else’s for that matter.  Virgil stood the same height as Hazel and was very muscular.

“So how’s the plan going?”  Virgil asked stepping around the table so he stood behind Hazel.

“So far so good.  Captain Wolfe knows about the proposal by now.  I’m sure O’Brien told Captain as soon as he could.  I just wonder if the captain has let on that he knows to Krystal.  I’m sure he will, because I myself have overheard him talking to O’Brien about asking Krystal himself.”

“That’s just disgusting, them being cousins and all.”  Virgil said.

“Virgil you feeble-witted apple head!  They aren’t cousins by blood.  Commander Wolfe and Commander McKnight are stepbrothers.”  Vincent said scolding his brother-in-law.  Virgil may have brawns but he got shorted when it came to brains, in other words he isn’t the brightest color in the rainbow after an afternoon rain.

“Do you want to take it outside Vincent?  You know I can beat the living daylights out of you.”

“I’d like to see you try.  You may be the best Infantrymen in the Kingdom of the Relics of Rodents, but I’m the best in the Kingdom of the Misty Oak Sunset.”

“So what’s the next part of the plan?  I mean where do we go from here?”  Hazel said ignoring her brother’s naming calling, for she knew it was true, but she love her feeble-witted apple head.  But she also knew that more then likely Virgil could beat the living daylights out of Vincent.  She just want to get the next part planned.

*~*~*~*~*

Over in the Kingdom of the Mossy Thunder Infantryman O’Brien’s relatives, his aunt to be exact was writing a letter to him.  She didn’t know what to write.  Knowing that the information she wanted to send him would be considered treason and possibly beheading.

            My dearest nephew,

            I write this in hopes that it will help you in you journey of enlightenment.

 Talk around lazy kinfolk sadly, because another day prickles.  Reap every pear and rake ever wildly around rabbits.

“I hope he remembers our code from when he was young.  If the sentry looks at it, it will only imply what they’ve always thought…that I’m crazy.”  Opal Noreen O’Brien Gray said out loud. She kept her black hair that was starting to get peppered with white in a tight braided topknot.  She was vertical challenged and lean with a slight limp in her walk from a beating she got last time she was caught mailing information to her brother in a neighboring kingdom.  She wore a cherry-blossom white gown, that was heavier then a traveling gown, but lighter then a ball gown.  She had her barefeet on top of her matching cherry-blossom white sandals.  “What else can I tell him and make it have some sense to it.”

No one knows what to expect from the peace talks.  I’m hoping that it will allow me to visit you once again.  Since they started the talks, we haven’t been able to leave the kingdom only those going to the talks with the other Lords and Commanders are permitted to leave.

I feel that one day I will be with you again hopeful it will be physically and not spiritually.  For if I do leave behind the Land of the Northeast Raven Spirit before I see you again, I fear they won’t inform you and will “borrow” my things permanently.

Please tell me how things are going for you.  How do they say the talks are going in you’re kingdom?  (They tell us they are going wonderfully, which is what they expected.)  Do you know which kingdoms are standing where?  (Seeing as how I’m just a widow they don’t see fit to inform me of the things that are going on and that may effect my life.

Please write me soon my dear Wesley.

Your Aunt Opal

“Well I hope that will make it alright.”  Opal said as she folded the letter and stuck it in an envelope and sealed it.  She then stuck it into a bigger envelope and sealed it again.  She wrote on the outside envelope Infantryman Wesley O’Brien, Kingdom of the Misty Oak Sunset, Land of the Northeast Raven Spirit.  “That should do it.”

*~*~*~*~*

Krystal raced Buttercup back along the path that her and A.J. had taken that morning back to Phoenix castle.  But by going back that way she completely missed Zane altogether.  She was in sight of the castle when she finally slowed down.  She was just nearing the stables when she completely stopped.  She gazed over at Phoenix castle; if from what she remembered from her uncle’s stories it was built by her great-great-great grandfather, Shayne Cedric Wolfe.  It was built of a damson-grey colored stone that were mostly medium in sized but there were defiantly different sizes.  There were four turrets that stood in each of the corners; each one had its windows facing a certain direction (such as north, south, east, and west).  Each turret also had the banner of the kingdom and the banner of the land flying from a post that was at the top.  It has three floors not including the dungeon/cellar depending on the season and what was being stored there.  There was also a beautiful courtyard in the middle of the castle.  It was full of various flowers from other kingdoms and lands that the army had brought back for the Lord’s wife.  Krystal knew though that her aunt Natasha still favored the roses that she grew herself.  Off of the courtyard there are seven doorways leading into the castle; four of them lead to the turrets, one leads to the main hall (which then leads off into several different directions also), one to the dungeon/cellar and the last one out into the fields.

Krystal still couldn’t believe that her father decided not to build a castle as big as Phoenix castle, but why build when there was already a castle.  Zane actual hadn’t quite made up his mind how big the additions would be to Sunfire castle.  He didn’t want it bigger then Phoenix, but other then that he wasn’t quite sure.

“My lady, back from your ride so soon?”  Wes said beside Krystal, making her jump.

“Yes, Wesley isn’t it?”

“Aye.  Wesley O’Brien at your service.”

Krystal dismounted and handed the rains to Wesley.  She walked into the stable and headed towards the stall that held Biscuit.  She put her hand inside the stall for Biscuit to sniff.  Biscuit approved and started to neigh. 

“Have you seen Commander McKnight perchance?  I have something I need to discuss with him.”

“Last time I saw him I believe he was in Commander Wolfe’s study, discussing the talks.”

“Yes the peace talks.  For some reason I have feeling there’s a war coming, and nothing Commander Wolfe and Commander McKnight can say will change the Kingdom of the Mossy Thunder or the Kingdom of the Relics of Rodent’s Lord’s minds.”

“How do you know so much about the peace talks?”

“Don’t you remember, I’m Captain Wolfe’s cousin.  Commander McKnight is my father.  So I hear about the peace talks more then I’d like.”

“OH!  That’s right, Krystal isn’t it?”  Wes said.  “Didn’t Infantryman Quinn…”

“Didn’t Infantryman Quinn what?  Did my father tell you also?”

“Oh no, Commander McKnight does not tell us infantrymen things that shouldn’t be told.  I overheard him asking you, I’m the one who told A.J.  I know how much you mean to him.”

“How much I mean to him?”  Krystal said turning to look at Wes.  Hoping he’d help clarify what he meant and also hoping that it would clarify her feelings as well.