The Black Widow Clan
written by Donnie Tweedie
Chapter One
Thunder streaked across the sky as the rain pummeled hard against the small hut in the outskirts of Einten. Grey clouds seemed to clasp to the sky as if a tick to a deer. Wind blew unrelentlessly against the small hut which contained a mother and her two sons, one of age fifteen and the other of age ten. The kids played on the ground of the hut as their mother took the cauldron off of the small firepit at the center of the hut. The hut was small and unorganized, containing any number of objects such as books, half melted candles, firesticks, wood pieces, small toys, a cauldron, and the mother's most valued possession: a set of gold embroidered silverware. They were priced at over a thousand gold sovereigns, which was quite a heft price and could easily lead the family into a nicer house inside of Einten.
Three figures moved towards the hut, regardless of the harsh weather conditions on this side of Einten, where the sea was at high tide. They stepped over sand and seaweed and gave three rasp knocks to the door. One man, a man garbed in a royal servant suit with the Seal of the Emperor on his chestplate. Underneath he adorned navy blue robes. The two man standing behind the servant were two guards, who wore blue trousers and white pants underneath a steel cuirass, steel plated boots, and a steel helm. They wielded a shortsword, although sheathed, and each carried a tall tower shield with the Seal of the Emperor emblazened on the front in dark, rich blue.
"Hello, there gentlemen," the mother said grimly as she opened the door. This wasn't the first time they had been here. They were messengers of the Emperor and demanded the taxes due for the protection of His Power. "Exactly what can I do for you today?"
The servant of the Emperor laughed with a smirk and returned his gaze to the woman. "Lidea, you are past due yet again on your debts to His Majesty. Unless you can provide a," he paused and looked at the guards with a smirk, "suitable temporary payment, we can no longer allow you to live." The guards smirked at her and laughed.
Lidea looked down and into the hut to see her children sitting on the floor playing with little knight toys, fighting an invisible war. She walked over and wrapped a blanket around both of them and told them to wait outside, which they did reluctantly as the weather was harsh. She invited the two guards and servant inside the house and closed the door.
Thorak, a boy of fifteen, looked at his half brother, Colith. Thorak and Thokna were both human boys, born of a father they had never met. Apparently, their father had died in the Holy War of the early Empire years. Thorak Valaenia turned his gaze to meet Colith's. "Don't say a word about it to anyone else." Thorak said to his ten year old brother.
"Why not?" Colith asked curiously, tilting his head.
"Because, mum's in there paying in a way that you can't know yet." Thorak said, elbowing his little brother in the ribs. He turned himself a little and allowed the blanket wrapped around them to shelter them from the wind and rain. Thunder cracked the sky and Thorak noticed that his little brother's scream of fright also matched his mother's scream of shame. "Quiet boy! Or they will have your head for interrupting them!" Thorak hissed at Thokna.
Colith frowned and looked down. He hadn't known anything about the cruel world in which he lived, and he felt a little bliss for the ignorance he hadn't known. Thorak had always ridiculed Colith of one thing or another, just as older brothers did. But Thorak had always been somewhat of a bore. Thorak had matured to early and was already working at the general store in Einten.
Thorak sighed and wiped the water from his face. He looked down as he and his brother fell silent for a long time, just allowing the rain to wash over, soaking away their curiosity and fears. Thorak looked up as the door opened to their hut and the guards walked out first, buckling their grieves back on. Thorak scowled at them. The sight of them made his stomach churn and his heart race with excitement. The servant was the last to leave and shoved Lidea to the floor inside the hut.
"Are ya lookin' at me, ya little brat!" Yelled the servant to Thorak. "Maybe I outta' show you a lesson, boy!" He started walking towards Thorak, looking piercingly into his eyes. As he prepared to hit the boy, he felt a sharp pain in his pants. He looked down to see a large, glass shard penetrating his manhood as he fell to the ground howling in pain. The two guards then grabbed arms and proceeded with standard procedure. They unsheathed their swords and charged for Thorak.
Thorak looked at the oncoming guards and shoved Colith out of the way. Colith fell to the floor, tripping over a fallen tree. Lidea started walking out, eyes drowned with tears, yet unmoving to her son's need for help. She stood there with shame in her eyes, watching the guards swing at her son. Thorak jumped to the side and dodged the guard's attacks. He then made a run for the hut, attempting to get any weapon he could find.
While inside, he noticed his mother's old metal sheath. He grabbed the sheathe and, ignoring his petrified mother who stood idle and watching, prepared to defend his ground. The first guard went for a jab to the stomach, which Thorak easily maneuvered around and swung his sheathe to the guard's nose, breaking the bone. The other guard, however slammed the hilt of his sword into Thorak's face, smashing away his nose and shattering his cheekbone. The guard then began to stomp on Thorak's body whilst in the house.
Lidea stood watching, crying but not saying a word against the punishment handed to her son. She looked and realized that this was martial law, and she had no say else they have their way with her again. Then she felt a wave of shame and anger wash over her. She was watching her son be killed, and she would not stand for it.
She grabbed the cauldron with her firemits on and poured the hot concoction all over the guard, while accidently burning her son, Thorak. Thorak threw his head back and screamed, feeling the worst pain in his life wash upon his face. Although when he screamed, he heard no sound, felt no pain. It was as if suddenly, he had fallen asleep. A deep, dark trance that seemed like forever, yet so short of a time.