"Nagymama read me a story?" a little girl asked her faced flushed from illness
The grandmother turned to look scornfully down at the ill child, "Nem sleep"
But the child shook her weak head, "No Nagymama read me a story please?"
"If I give you a story then will you sleep?" the child nodded sighing the grandmother sat down on the edge of the bed looking far out into the distant hills darkened by the night. After a long pause she finally spoke….
Once upon a time there were five Kingdoms, each Kingdom had a city where the Nobel families lived, those families ruled the great Kingdoms, North, West, South, Central, East and lastly the Turkish Kingdom.
"Nagy mama why is it called the Five Kingdoms if there are six Kingdoms?"
"Because dear the Turkish Kingdom had only one city so it is not counted as a Kingdom now be quiet"
Deep in the heart of the Northern Woods the silence was broken as birds fled through the canopy; deer jumped racing through the thicket.
Pat thump!
The bush ruptured as a young boy hurdled himself through the branches leaping over fallen trees with burning urgency. His blue cloak whipped out from behind him, snagging; but he simply tugged harder, nearly choking himself before the branches gave. Blindly he bolted through the forest, a blur of red and trailing blue.
The forest broke opening up to a cliff overlooking the rugged sea. Digging his heels into the rocks he tried to slow down, only to fall hard on his side while awkwardly protecting a small bundle, held securely in his arms. Panting he pushed himself up glancing down at the precious bundle wrapped protectively by his chest.
Green eyes met another set of slightly darker green eyes, of the child by his chest. The child looked up tears forming in its eyes; a shriek broke out echoing across the open air.
"Nae dinnae cry, shhh" the boy cooed frantically in between his gulps of air, "Nae cryin'!"
The child grew quiet as the older boy placed him on the ground. Bright teary eyes stared back at his older brother, his straw yellow hair ruffled gently in the sea breeze.
"That's bettar" the older brother smiled ruffling his brother's hair, "This will do, wonnae it Artie? Yer gonnae be safe, live a barry life, find yerself a wee bonnie lass, forget yer broths, Patrick, Seamus, even yer twin Cedric. Yer gonnae forget us all, Màthair too."
The red head boy's voice cracked tears forming in his nine year old eyes, "Yeh wonnae remember Màthair or yer big brother Alba."
Artie squealed playing with his cloak, not noticing his brother watching him with teary eyes.
"But yer gonnae be just dandy, aye just dandy."
A gun fired in the distance.
The red head nearly screamed, leaping to his feet, his face soaked raw with tears. Whipping away from his younger brother he tossed a necklace to the ground before sprinting toward the forest. His body morphed, shredding his clothing until a small blood red dragon flew up into the air. Flying away from the excited squeals of his younger brother below him.