Tale of Stories
Book 2
Chapter One: John Aginworth
John stood alone among a vast sea of darkness. He tried looking around, but only saw total darkness, the type of pitch black that was deeper and darker then even starless nights, all around him. He walked forward, not sure where that would lead him, but it had to start taking him somewhere.
How long he walked, John wasn't sure. It certainly seemed like a long time, but also rather quick, like a deep sleep that one wakes up from. But then the blackness, the void around him, shifted, light seemed to pierce through the eternal night. Suddenly John found himself in an elegantly decorated hallway, large lavish paintings and décor plastered on the walls illuminated by candles.
"Help!" suddenly came a scream, emanating further down the halls! John was initially surprised, but then it came again, definitely a woman's voice. "Help me, please!"
Shaking his head out of his stupor, John dashed down the hallway, reaching out for his sword, Gilgaren down upon his hilt! He quickly reached a large wooden door at the end of the hallway. He heard screaming and the sound of banging and movement behind the door. This must be where the woman was! Leaning back he knocked down the door, crashing it open and he burst into the room, sword drawn!
Inside, however, was nothing! A bare room! What is this? John thought. But then he heard the woman's voice again, moaning and muffled further behind another door!
"Please, please! Stop this!" she cried.
John ran over to the door and without a second thought slammed his shoulder right no into the door, knocking it open! But once again, there was no one inside! Yet the voice came again, this time louder then ever. John barreled through the door of this room and dashed down a long corridor. He could practically hear the girl's screams right in front of him, even though he didn't know who she was or what was even going on. Finally, after incessantly running for over several minutes, he finally reach a large door, this one made of ornament iron.
John knew that the woman, whom he heard very clearly now, was right behind this door. She had to be! Pulling the door's handle wide open, he yelled and charged forward, right into the bright bathing light that awaited him!
John sat on his bed quietly, staring into the simple stone ceiling. He'd had this dream several times before, ever since that incident with the Evil Queen several months before, and it was always the same, though there were some variations. Sometimes he could hear the woman's voice more clearly as someone he knew, his mother's, the girl Angela perhaps, and sometimes even the Princess Snow White. But no matter what, he was never able to see who she was, or what was even the matter, or even get through that accursed door.
It irritated him to no end, unable to help whoever they were, even if they only existed in his dreams. But vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord. His mind recalled to that verse as he sat up, shaking such thoughts from his head. It didn't really matter; he had more important things to do than dwell upon dreams and superstitions.
John put on his clothes and got ready for the day, saying his morning prayers and seeing to his father, who was sitting in their simple banquet hall, staring out the great stained window. The duke of Canterwood was grizzled and clearly had seen many years of hardship and combat, but John always saw the kind glimmer in his father's eyes, the round face always ready to laugh or pronounce some word of wisdom. If ever there was a true knight in all of Faeland, Duke Johann was it.
"Father," John began as he sat down, "How are you this morning?"
Johann turned to his son and gave a soft smile. The Duke was over his sickness, but was still rather weak, and John had noticed how his father had declined over the last months, eating less and staying more inside the castle. However, he still has a streak of energy, and retained some of his old vitality.
"There you are John. Alright, I suppose." Johann looked out into the light that beamed from the stained window. "I believe today shall be a very pleasant one, do you not think?"
"Yes-yes indeed, father."
"Well come, let us pray and eat."
John acquiesced and the two set down to their breakfast.
Following their simple meal, John and his father went outside to prepare, making sure they had all the supplies and that their horses were ready for the journey ahead. As John had learned quickly when he became the acting lord for Canterwood, half the time being a duke was just visiting and checking the land and other baronies, with all sorts of social events happening all the time.
As John and his father left the small town of Canterwood, he sighed and said, mostly to himself "Well, off we go."
I finally finished the second "book" for Tale of Stories. This one is notable longer than the first, and has plenty of problems I am aware of. Still, I am rather happy that I at least got it finished. I will be regularly updating with a new chapter every week until this story is done. Until then, please enjoy it, and let me know what you think. In particular, what I can do better as it pertains to writing. Thank you, and enjoy.