Top o' the mornin

Morning dew still clung to the fresh spring grass, the new sun was rising in the east and all was well. Patrik walked along the path leading into the village as two young ladies traveled towards him. "Top o' the mornin to you ladies." Patrik said with a grand smile, "Visions o' beauty ya are." The two girls passed Patrik with glowing cheeks and mirthful giggles upon their lips. With a deep breath and a sigh Patrik continued on his way. There was much to do today.

As he passed through the grove bordering the village, he noticed shadows moving to his right. He continued along acting as if he had not noticed, in hopes that it was merly his mind playing tricks, and not some Sidhe looking for merriment at his expense. He was nearly through the grove and had not seen any further movement. "It must be my eye's playing trick on me, but still it feels as if I'm being watched."

All at once a large mass fell upon him. Patrik rolled to his left and came back up with a dagger in each hand. He was greeted with a deep booming laughter, as he looked upon the face of his old friend Nigel. "To Legion with ya, ya bastard! Ya nearly scared the witts right out of me."

"Nearly you say. I'd say I did a damned good job of it" replied Nigel. "Amy is waiting for us at the windmill." Nigel slapped Patrik upon the back and headed towards the old mill. Patrik sheathed his daggers and followed Nigel, still cursing him under his breath.

When they reached the mill Amy greeted them with warm smiles and hugs. "Glad you could make it. Tonight we hit Wilshire manor." Patrik looked at Amy with a bit of concern; "Do ya think we can do it? I mean, we've never hit anyplace that big, or well guarded."

Amy smiled, "Don't worry so much, it will be as easy as taken money from a drunkard." She tossed Patrik an apple. "And don't ya be worrying about the guards either." Amy unfolded a map and pointed to a room. "This is the master's chamber, we'll enter through this window. The master's away on holiday and the staff is all gone, except two guards."

We'll go over the fence here," she continued, "there are a couple of trees that can hide us. Since the master is gone the guards will be either asleep or drunk. It doesn't matter which, in any case they shouldn't bother us. We wont mess with the silver or art, I've been told the master keeps a chest with gold and jewelry under his bed. That's our only target, in and out, nothing else. Even if the guards are awake they won't even know we were there. Like I said don't worry."

Patrik gave Amy a nod and smile, but something still felt wrong. Nigel placed his hand on Patrik's shoulder, "You heard the lass, it will be a piece of cake, in and out, no fuss."

Three nights later Patrik found himself resting under a tree, on a hill overlooking the mist enshrouded Carleon. He fought the darkness that struggled to over take him, but it was futile, his eyes grew ever heavier and soon he could not refuse the waiting arms of sweet sleep. He was greeted again by the nightmare of two nights passed.

They had just entered the window, when a spark disrupted the shadowed night. A lantern flared to life, and the three found themselves starring at the barrels of four muskets. A fifth man, in heavy armor, stood holding a torch in his left hand and a sword in his right.

A sixth man sat in a large plush chair. "Welcome home Amy, have I not told you a thousand times to use the front door. Your mother would turn over in her grave if she could just see you now, may Theus bless her soul. Look at you, consorting with this riff-raff. " said the man, with a noble's disdain for peasants.

"Don't you speak of my mother you flea-infested maggot!" Replied Amy. The man glared at Amy for a brief second and then stood and turned to leave the room. The man stopped at the door and said, "Take Amy to the boat and kill the other two." Patrik's eyes locked on Amy's as she turned to look at her two friends. For the briefest of seconds the world was silent and still. Then Nigel stepped forward to take Amy's arm, and the cracking of thunder broke the silence.

Nigel was knocked back into Patrik as the musket balls tore into his chest. The force of Nigel's body striking Patrik threw him back against the window frame. Patrik looked down at his childhood friend, and watched as his eyes started to glaze over, and his life began to slip away.

Nigel spent his last breath to speak to Patrik, his voice calm and clear, even though his body was racked with pain and his life was slipping away. "Save her Patrik, I know ye love her as much as I do. You can't let them take her. Save her."

Patrik lowered his friend's body gently to the floor, and then in one motion rolled forward and sprang back up with a knife in each hand. The four musket men had advanced drawing their blades. Patrik dodged under the swing of the first man, and came back up cutting the inside of the man's thigh and spinning around him; sinking his second blade in between his ribs. The second man brought his blade down to strike at Patrik's head, but Patrik quickly deflected it with the knife in his left hand. With a spin of his wrist, Patrik changed the hold on his second knife, and brought it up into the underside of the man's jaw.

The last two musket men advanced as one, swinging their blades. Patrik was driven back upon the bed. He used his momentum to roll back, kicking the third man in the face. The fourth man came around the bed, swinging wildly. Patrik dodged, parried, and struck. The man dropped his sword and fell to his knees, holding his belly, blood pouring between his fingers. The third man was still clutching his face as Patrik walked past him, sinking both of his knives into the man, one in each shoulder.

Patrik drew two fresh blades and advanced towards the man in the armor. The man stood there, as still as a statue, "You fight well little man, it was entertaining to watch, but now I must do my job." Without any further warning the man sprang to life and charged Patrik. With blinding speed the man brought blow upon blow at him.

Patrik found himself fighting desperately against a whirlwind of blades. He knew there was only one outcome to this fight, but still he fought on. After just a few moments, but seemed an eternity, Patrik again found himself resting against the windowsill. This time he was covered in dozens of wounds.

"You fought well little man, I enjoyed it while it lasted but now it is through." The man drew his blade back, and began to trust it into Patrik. The blade did not reach its mark. Instead it sank deeply into Amy's back. The world again froze, as Patrik in horror, starred deeply into Amy's eyes.

Until the shocking blow of him striking the ground, Patrik did not even realize that he and Amy had fallen out the window. He pulled Amy closer to him and looked gently at her. Amy smiled at Patrik, and gave him a soft and gentle kiss, her head sank to the left of Patrik's and she whispered, "I love you".

Amy's body quiverd once and then went still.

"I love you Amy, I've always loved you", Patrik said as he wrapped his arms about her. He lay there holding Amy, starring at the night's stars. He blinked as he looked on, was it his mind playing tricks, or did the stars begin to stir? Patrik's vision began to blur as five of the stars descended towards him. He could hear the laughter of what sounded like children, as darkness reached up to claim him.

"I love you Patrik."

His eyes snapped open and he setup, looking desperately around for Amy but she was not there. He found himself setting on the banks of a stream, in a forest that he did not know. His wounds were gone and his blades all sheathed in their scabbards. His clothes too were mended, and there were no stains of blood upon them.

He stood up and again looked about for Amy. "Amy where are you? Amy!" There was no answer. He began to search the forest but could not find any signs of her. Patrik came to a small clearing with a large ancient oak in the center. A woman stood under the tree, she was tall and slender, her hair was of fine silver strands, and her face was gentle and beautiful beyond compare.

Her voice was soft and sweet as she spoke, "Your Amy is not here, do not fret Patrik. In time you will again be with your Amy. But now, now is your time to seek your destiny. Go south to Carleon. There you will find your path; follow it and in the end it will lead you to her." With that the woman pointed south and faded away.

Patrik made the sign of protection and stood, staring south. Again he heard Amy's voice, "I love you Patrik, I will always love you."

With that he turned south and began to walk, "If I must follow my destiny to find you, I shall not make it wait." Patrik's eyes opened and he found himself again looking on the mist enshrouded Carleon, "Tomorrow will be a grand day, I'll go into Carleon and find myself a job.

It will be a grand day…" he said again as if to convince himself. With that he settled back, and faded into sleep.