A/N I'm sorry for the delay in posting this, there will still be a new chapter on Monday.

Chapter 6: North Umbria; 1307

The knight and the fishermen stood on the shore for a moment, enjoying the feel of solid ground beneath their feet. Winter was settling over the sea and the water was getting rough; both were glad they had reached their destination before it got any worse.

Eli however knew it was not over for him. He still needed to return to Dover before the sea became impassable, which meant he had no time to waste here. "Well Sir Vespas, I think it's time for me to start my return trip. I wish you good luck," he said as he turned back to his boat.

"Eli!" Vespas called out just as the young man was shoving his boat back in the water.

"Yes?" he asked, gazing at him expectantly, ignoring the cold waters of the North Sea that were breaking him, leaving him completely soaked from the knees down.

"Come back here, I have a question for you." When he had obediently trudged back onto the beach, Vespas looked at him up and down, assessing his potential. Finally he said, "Is there anything you want out of life Eli?"

"Excuse me sir?" Eli asked, puzzled by the question.

"What drives you to get up in the morning? What is the one thing you know you want to do?"

Eli looked down at the sand and then back at the knight. "To be honest sir, I've never had much of a choice about what I did. I'm a fisherman because my father is. Even if I was not the youngest in the family, I still would have very little choice."

"But is that what you want?" Vespas pressed.

"I don't know," Eli said with a shrug.

"If you don't know then the answer is no. Would you like to have a purpose, to be a part of a larger plan?"

Excitement mixed with the puzzlement in Eli's expression. "I suppose. I mean, would not we all? But how would that happen?"

At his question, a mysterious smile crossed Vespas' face. "I may have the answers you're looking for right here Eli," he promised, patting the bag that was slung over his shoulder. "But first I need to know if you will come with me."

"Come with you?" Eli repeated. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Rosslyn first, and from there I will be going elsewhere in Scotland to start a monastery. If you come with me, I promise you will play an important part in the beginning of my new order."

"I don't want to be a monk sir," Eli said, wrinkling his nose.

"Not as a monk my boy, as part of the destiny. Are you interested?"

He considered for a moment, but really there was no doubt as to what he would choose. He had no life of his own in Dover, even his family did not really care if he was around. They certainly had not put up much of an argument when Vespas had asked if he could accompany him. "I will come," he agreed. "Now what is this destiny you keep talking about?"

In answer, Vespas set his pack down on the sand and tugged a small box out of it. "It is here," he said, handing it to Eli.

Eli took it and opened the lid, looking at a couple of scrolls. "I'm not sure I understand sir," he said.

"Of course you don't Eli," Vespas said. "You're not supposed to. the destiny is meant to be fulfilled by your descendent."

"Then what difference does it make if I come with you?" he asked, his excitement fading as his smile turned to a pout.

Vespas sighed and prayed for patience. "If you don't come with me, your family won't live near my monastery or near the scrolls. The only way for any of this to happen is for you to come with me now. Then you can teach your children about the importance of the Parker family and eventually it will come true." When he saw Eli was wavering, he said, "Remember, Abraham was told he would be the father of a great nation, but when he died he only had two sons. Some of the greatest prophecies take the longest time to fulfill."

"What exactly do these prophecies promise?"

"Power," Vespas said simply. When he saw the gleam in the other man's eye, he smiled to himself. It had begun-soon the first phase of the prophecy would be reality. "So I ask again Eli, will you come with me?"

In answer, Eli picked his bag up out of the boat and turned his back on the sea. "I'm ready," he said, walking alongside the knight as they left the beach.