In a big forest there was a little clearing that sheltered a stone cottage
and barn. Both looked like there had been no inhabitance for years. There
was little evidence that anyone had been there for at least 50 years. Well
there was.
There in the shade of an ancient willow a teenage girl lay asleep with a huge black dog sleeping at her side. The black dog was a girl-dog named Isabella, Izzy for short. Izzy woke up to hear a soft noise that only a dog could hear. The dog perked up to sniff the wind. The sent on the wind spoke of blood and sweat. A shark bark startled the girl out of her sleep.
"What was that for?"
Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up Rayin, Izzy apologized.
"Well what is it? What you smelled?"
I smell blood and sweat. In a proportion that only a tired army could hold, the dog said.
"An army? Coming here? I thought when I came here that it was completely unknown!!! How could they be coming here? How far away are they? Will they kill us? I mean every noble at Court hated Ma for her being a bastard. And even more so that she married Dad." Rayin said.
Diane and Numair are perfectly respectable, especially since they gave you me, Izzy said smugly.
The green of the willow cast a soft glow upon the room walled of willow braches and leaves. Each leaf was individually patterned with complex waves and lines weaving themselves in and out of each other. The gnarled trunk of the tree was sprinkled with knobs that made the perfect handholds to clime to a little niche to sit in.
"My castle, my strong hold, my foothold, my palace, my life." Rayin murmured, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
What? The army is headed due north, but their position is southwest of here, Izzy reassured the crying girl.
"No, that can't be. There is a prophecy! The prophecy, yes the Prophecy the prophecy will tell." Rayin ran as hard as she could into her bedchambers to grab a dusty book written by the greatest prophet of all Tortall. She quickly opened volume to page 174 where the Prophecy that Rayin had spoken of was written.
"Is love meant to be?
If so answer me,
Is the kiss of the Rayin
Meant for a soldier in pain?
Is love meant to be?
Under the willow tree,
For there lays the flower
That holds the power
To bloom the love
In thee."
What does that mean to you? I mean, the girls name could be spelled differently, Izzy said.
"I would know each spelling is and they match."
Fine. But how are you going to meet? The dog asked.
"Only time will tell."
There in the shade of an ancient willow a teenage girl lay asleep with a huge black dog sleeping at her side. The black dog was a girl-dog named Isabella, Izzy for short. Izzy woke up to hear a soft noise that only a dog could hear. The dog perked up to sniff the wind. The sent on the wind spoke of blood and sweat. A shark bark startled the girl out of her sleep.
"What was that for?"
Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up Rayin, Izzy apologized.
"Well what is it? What you smelled?"
I smell blood and sweat. In a proportion that only a tired army could hold, the dog said.
"An army? Coming here? I thought when I came here that it was completely unknown!!! How could they be coming here? How far away are they? Will they kill us? I mean every noble at Court hated Ma for her being a bastard. And even more so that she married Dad." Rayin said.
Diane and Numair are perfectly respectable, especially since they gave you me, Izzy said smugly.
The green of the willow cast a soft glow upon the room walled of willow braches and leaves. Each leaf was individually patterned with complex waves and lines weaving themselves in and out of each other. The gnarled trunk of the tree was sprinkled with knobs that made the perfect handholds to clime to a little niche to sit in.
"My castle, my strong hold, my foothold, my palace, my life." Rayin murmured, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.
What? The army is headed due north, but their position is southwest of here, Izzy reassured the crying girl.
"No, that can't be. There is a prophecy! The prophecy, yes the Prophecy the prophecy will tell." Rayin ran as hard as she could into her bedchambers to grab a dusty book written by the greatest prophet of all Tortall. She quickly opened volume to page 174 where the Prophecy that Rayin had spoken of was written.
"Is love meant to be?
If so answer me,
Is the kiss of the Rayin
Meant for a soldier in pain?
Is love meant to be?
Under the willow tree,
For there lays the flower
That holds the power
To bloom the love
In thee."
What does that mean to you? I mean, the girls name could be spelled differently, Izzy said.
"I would know each spelling is and they match."
Fine. But how are you going to meet? The dog asked.
"Only time will tell."