The next morning Ewan awoke to find Lazar standing near the fireplace,
gazing intently at the flames. The rustling sounds of sheets pulled Lazar
out of his reverie. He looked up and smiled at Ewan. He walked over and
said, "Morning young Ewan. How was your dream?" It had become a daily
ritual. Ewan would wake in the morning and Lazar would ask about his
dreams. And his answer was always the same, "She was there wielding the
blade and I am always in the shadows, watching over her." But Lazar could
sense something was wrong, the uncertainty lingered in his eyes. Ewan
needed to be careful, his emotions were intense and they reflected in his
eyes. Which made him too easy to read.
"What's bothering you, Ewan?" The boy lowered his eyes unsure if he should tell Lazar about the apprehension he sensed with Fiona. How could he tell him he was troubled over a seven-year-old girl he had just met? As if reading his mind Lazar added, "Do not be afraid to tell me anything, young Ewan." The boy nodded his head and quickly searched the room. "Kael and Fiona are not here. They left for the village. Now tell me what is bothering you." Lazar sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Ewan took a deep breath and began explaining.
"What does this mean, Lazar?" Ewan looked up, hopeful that the old man held the answers.
"Is she in your dreams?"
"No"
"Then for now push this feeling aside." Ewan's eyes widen in disbelief, his mouth hung open. "But." Lazar held up his hand, halting any protest. "Your training starts tomorrow, you must be focused and ready. You cannot dwell on things that have yet to come. I am not saying to forget. People will come into our lives, some with good intentions and some with not. We can never truly know the roles they play in our lives but they are there. Use this knowledge to keep on eye on Fiona. For if she does have an important role then you will be prepared." Ewan sat still on his bed as Lazar's words sank in. Ewan looked up and grinned.
"Good. Let your dreams be your guide, Ewan." Lazar gave Ewan's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I thought you were my guide, Lazar?" Ewan smiled up at the old man, the sense of dread over Fiona no longer occupied his mind. The older man chuckled as he got up from the bed and walked over to the cot. On top was Lazar's bag, filled and already packed. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder and walked back to Ewan. 'He's abandoning me when I need him most?' Ewan thought, as his smile faded, and eyes already brimming with tears. Over time he had grown attached to Lazar and it was getting hard to accept he was leaving.
"You are never abandoned, young Ewan. You knew this day would come when I had to leave." Ewan sniffed; using the back of his hand he brusquely wiped the tears away. Lazar's own eyes began to water. He too had grown attached to the young protector. He cleared his throat and continued to speak, "Besides you don't need an old man hanging around while you train to become a great warrior." It had been the first time that Lazar's words were not reassuring or comforting. Ewan understood and he could not be selfish by keeping Lazar here with him. He had to let go. Ewan was not the only one that needed Lazar. Soon when the wielder is chosen she will need him too. Lazar will watch over her until Ewan is ready to take his place by her side as her protector.
"I..I.don't want you to go Lazar," Ewan paused to take a deep breath and exhaled, "but I know you must. She will need you when the time comes." Lazar beamed with pride. There were not many who, at any age, were willing to make such sacrifices. And all in the name of destiny. This boy truly surprised him. Ewan got up from bed and followed Lazar out.
They walked up to the dirt road and parted ways. But before leaving Lazar turned to Ewan and said, "Remember Ewan you must have faith. Never doubt yourself. Look into yourself here," Lazar placed a finger over Ewan's chest, above his heart. He then moved his hand to cup the boy's cheek and gave it a loving pat. Lazar turned around and left Ewan standing there alone.
Ewan spotted a steep hill with a large tree to his right that over looked the main road. He quickly ran up the hill, pushing his little legs as fast as he could. By the time he reached the top he was out of breath and Lazar was nearly gone from site. Tears began to roll down his face. He bent over and leaned heavily on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The ring slipped from under his shirt, swaying slightly as it dangled from the worn out twinge.
He grasped the ring in his hand and he felt it pulsating in his palm. He straightens up and watched Lazar's retreating back. Before disappearing from Ewan's site Lazar stopped and turned around. "I'll be near; I am always near." Lazar's voice rang in Ewan's mind. The boy smiled and waved. "Good-bye Lazar," Ewan whispered into the air. In the distance Lazar flashed his own lopsided smile.
Lazar turned and was soon gone. Ewan stood on that spot, ring clutched in his hand, for who knows how long. It was until a large hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his trance. "Don't worry Ewan he'll be back one day." Kael looked down at the boy then out into the horizon. From the corner of his eyes, Kael could see Ewan nodding his head. With a smile he lightly squeezed Ewan's shoulder. "Come help me unload the wagon. Then I'll show you around. We will start your training tomorrow." Ewan turned around and grinned at the large man. He raced down the hill with ease and in no time was near the wagon helping Fiona unload.
Kael shook his head as he carefully walked down the hill. He couldn't understand how the boy got up the hill in the first place. It was steep and high. Even he had had a hard time climbing up and Fiona never made an attempt. Lazar was right the boy was special and he already conquered one task of this training without even knowing it. Kael shook his head, 'training him will be interesting.' He made it to the wagon and was surprised that half of the load was already done.
"What's bothering you, Ewan?" The boy lowered his eyes unsure if he should tell Lazar about the apprehension he sensed with Fiona. How could he tell him he was troubled over a seven-year-old girl he had just met? As if reading his mind Lazar added, "Do not be afraid to tell me anything, young Ewan." The boy nodded his head and quickly searched the room. "Kael and Fiona are not here. They left for the village. Now tell me what is bothering you." Lazar sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Ewan took a deep breath and began explaining.
"What does this mean, Lazar?" Ewan looked up, hopeful that the old man held the answers.
"Is she in your dreams?"
"No"
"Then for now push this feeling aside." Ewan's eyes widen in disbelief, his mouth hung open. "But." Lazar held up his hand, halting any protest. "Your training starts tomorrow, you must be focused and ready. You cannot dwell on things that have yet to come. I am not saying to forget. People will come into our lives, some with good intentions and some with not. We can never truly know the roles they play in our lives but they are there. Use this knowledge to keep on eye on Fiona. For if she does have an important role then you will be prepared." Ewan sat still on his bed as Lazar's words sank in. Ewan looked up and grinned.
"Good. Let your dreams be your guide, Ewan." Lazar gave Ewan's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I thought you were my guide, Lazar?" Ewan smiled up at the old man, the sense of dread over Fiona no longer occupied his mind. The older man chuckled as he got up from the bed and walked over to the cot. On top was Lazar's bag, filled and already packed. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder and walked back to Ewan. 'He's abandoning me when I need him most?' Ewan thought, as his smile faded, and eyes already brimming with tears. Over time he had grown attached to Lazar and it was getting hard to accept he was leaving.
"You are never abandoned, young Ewan. You knew this day would come when I had to leave." Ewan sniffed; using the back of his hand he brusquely wiped the tears away. Lazar's own eyes began to water. He too had grown attached to the young protector. He cleared his throat and continued to speak, "Besides you don't need an old man hanging around while you train to become a great warrior." It had been the first time that Lazar's words were not reassuring or comforting. Ewan understood and he could not be selfish by keeping Lazar here with him. He had to let go. Ewan was not the only one that needed Lazar. Soon when the wielder is chosen she will need him too. Lazar will watch over her until Ewan is ready to take his place by her side as her protector.
"I..I.don't want you to go Lazar," Ewan paused to take a deep breath and exhaled, "but I know you must. She will need you when the time comes." Lazar beamed with pride. There were not many who, at any age, were willing to make such sacrifices. And all in the name of destiny. This boy truly surprised him. Ewan got up from bed and followed Lazar out.
They walked up to the dirt road and parted ways. But before leaving Lazar turned to Ewan and said, "Remember Ewan you must have faith. Never doubt yourself. Look into yourself here," Lazar placed a finger over Ewan's chest, above his heart. He then moved his hand to cup the boy's cheek and gave it a loving pat. Lazar turned around and left Ewan standing there alone.
Ewan spotted a steep hill with a large tree to his right that over looked the main road. He quickly ran up the hill, pushing his little legs as fast as he could. By the time he reached the top he was out of breath and Lazar was nearly gone from site. Tears began to roll down his face. He bent over and leaned heavily on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The ring slipped from under his shirt, swaying slightly as it dangled from the worn out twinge.
He grasped the ring in his hand and he felt it pulsating in his palm. He straightens up and watched Lazar's retreating back. Before disappearing from Ewan's site Lazar stopped and turned around. "I'll be near; I am always near." Lazar's voice rang in Ewan's mind. The boy smiled and waved. "Good-bye Lazar," Ewan whispered into the air. In the distance Lazar flashed his own lopsided smile.
Lazar turned and was soon gone. Ewan stood on that spot, ring clutched in his hand, for who knows how long. It was until a large hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his trance. "Don't worry Ewan he'll be back one day." Kael looked down at the boy then out into the horizon. From the corner of his eyes, Kael could see Ewan nodding his head. With a smile he lightly squeezed Ewan's shoulder. "Come help me unload the wagon. Then I'll show you around. We will start your training tomorrow." Ewan turned around and grinned at the large man. He raced down the hill with ease and in no time was near the wagon helping Fiona unload.
Kael shook his head as he carefully walked down the hill. He couldn't understand how the boy got up the hill in the first place. It was steep and high. Even he had had a hard time climbing up and Fiona never made an attempt. Lazar was right the boy was special and he already conquered one task of this training without even knowing it. Kael shook his head, 'training him will be interesting.' He made it to the wagon and was surprised that half of the load was already done.