Highlander, the idea and its characters are owned by Panzer and Davis.
I am borrowing them to tell a story. No profit is being made. All other
characters are of my own creation.
Chapter 4
1987
Days, and then weeks passed for Jessi as she continued to study and to train. Xavier had convinced her that her parents had died and that there was no one else to care for her. That he had surprised her because there was an evil man watching her and he didn't want to give the evil man a chance to grab her. There were six other children at Xavier's school. There was one boy older than Jessi. Tony was 14. The other children were younger, Kaitlin and Jenny were 7. Jacob and Peter were both 8 and Jason was 9. They were all from English speaking countries, Jessi had noticed immediately. Kaitlin and Jenny had been from the same foster home in Canada. Jacob was Scottish. Peter was English. Tony, Jessi, and Jason were American. It didn't really matter too much. Part of their training was learning to speak several languages. He also had them trained extensively in the martial arts and fencing. He claimed that when they grew up, the strongest of them would be like he was, able to be young forever, as a part of his army of warriors. The others would support them, spy for him where the Chosen could not. None of the children knew if they would be a Chosen or a Seeker. The children both loved and feared Xavier. He provided them with toys and gifts, but when they upset him they would be locked up for days. Then one day, Xavier was gone. The children were scared, but James said that Xavier would return. Slowly Xavier weaned himself away from the children. He needed his little army, especially since he knew that the Gathering was getting closer to time. After all that blasted Connor MacLeod had defeated the Kurgan. But he had other places to be, things to steal. He still wanted to live his life of luxury and not be saddled by seven children. He had done what he could so that they would remain under his thumb for the rest of their lives.
Jessi entered the dining room. The other children were already seated around the table, as was James, Xavier's first student. The guards were also surrounding the room. She sat down at the ornately decorated table and started eating her food. She didn't really like meal times because talking was strictly forbidden. James scared her. He always seemed on edge and she didn't know why. The children always ate dinner quickly, because it was only after dinner that they were allowed to play games and have fun. The rest of the day was spent studying, learning, and practicing. This day was no different, however suddenly James stood up quickly.
"Guards, there is someone on the premises. Quickly find him!" He said in his strong Irish brogue. He glared at the children. "Stay here. Don't move." The children, fearful of what would happen to them if they did move, nodded their agreement. James then grabbed one of the swords off from the wall and walked around. It wasn't long before the children heard the clanging of swords. Minutes passed and then they heard an unknown man shout, "There can be only one!" Lightening started flashing everywhere. The children didn't know what it was. Tony gathered the others around him, as they huddled in the corner. The lightening storm lasted for about a minute, but it seemed like a lifetime for the children as they saw pictures on the wall get struck down. Finally they saw a man round the corner. Tony immediately jumped up and grabbed one of the other swords decorating the walls. And pointed it at the stranger.
"Relax son. I am not here to hurt you. I didn't even know you were here. Xavier must have found you all, huh?" He said. Jessi trusted the man's hardened, but kind eyes.
She timidly stepped forward, "Actually Xavier said that my parents are dead. But I don't believe him because he kidnapped me."
The stranger kneeled down to her level. "Well then I think we need to get you home, don't you?"
Jessi broke into a big smile and reached over and hugged the stranger, "Thank-you!"
The stranger rose again, and reached out so she could hold his hand. He looked over at Tony who was still gripping the sword. "Put the sword away. I will take you all to a friend of mine who will help us get you all home." Tony laid the sword down and motioned to Jenny and Kaitlin to hold his hands. The rest of the boys followed as the stranger led them out of the house. and walked them down the street. It was still light out, but the sun was getting close to setting. Jessi realized, for the first time in nearly six months that they weren't in America. The seven children scrunched into the tiny car as the stranger got in the driver's seat. About ten minutes later they reached a church. They got out and walked to the gates. Jessi saw the stranger tense for a moment, but the smile on his face contradicted his body posture. A man in robes approached them. He had a very kind face.
"Connor! What are you doing here? And who are these children?"
Connor laughed, "Well, I went looking for St. Cloud, but found these children instead. Children, this is Darius. Sorry Darius but I haven't had the chance to ask them their names yet. Can you take care of them until we figure out who their parents are?" Connor pointedly looked at Darius.
"Of course! Gather the children up and bring them in!" Darius opened the gates and allowed the small band of children in to the church. Once inside he allowed them into his chambers. He wanted them to feel comfortable while he and Connor tried to gather information about the children. Jessi wandered around. She saw hundreds of books, most of them looked rather old. One of them caught her eye. "Darius," she said cautiously.
"What is it child?"
"Do you know my mommy and daddy? This is the same symbol that they have on their wrists. They even said that one day when I am grown up, I can have the same symbol. Do you know them?"
Darius looked at the book she pointed too. "I don't think I know your parents, child, but I should be able to find them rather easily."
Chapter 4
1987
Days, and then weeks passed for Jessi as she continued to study and to train. Xavier had convinced her that her parents had died and that there was no one else to care for her. That he had surprised her because there was an evil man watching her and he didn't want to give the evil man a chance to grab her. There were six other children at Xavier's school. There was one boy older than Jessi. Tony was 14. The other children were younger, Kaitlin and Jenny were 7. Jacob and Peter were both 8 and Jason was 9. They were all from English speaking countries, Jessi had noticed immediately. Kaitlin and Jenny had been from the same foster home in Canada. Jacob was Scottish. Peter was English. Tony, Jessi, and Jason were American. It didn't really matter too much. Part of their training was learning to speak several languages. He also had them trained extensively in the martial arts and fencing. He claimed that when they grew up, the strongest of them would be like he was, able to be young forever, as a part of his army of warriors. The others would support them, spy for him where the Chosen could not. None of the children knew if they would be a Chosen or a Seeker. The children both loved and feared Xavier. He provided them with toys and gifts, but when they upset him they would be locked up for days. Then one day, Xavier was gone. The children were scared, but James said that Xavier would return. Slowly Xavier weaned himself away from the children. He needed his little army, especially since he knew that the Gathering was getting closer to time. After all that blasted Connor MacLeod had defeated the Kurgan. But he had other places to be, things to steal. He still wanted to live his life of luxury and not be saddled by seven children. He had done what he could so that they would remain under his thumb for the rest of their lives.
Jessi entered the dining room. The other children were already seated around the table, as was James, Xavier's first student. The guards were also surrounding the room. She sat down at the ornately decorated table and started eating her food. She didn't really like meal times because talking was strictly forbidden. James scared her. He always seemed on edge and she didn't know why. The children always ate dinner quickly, because it was only after dinner that they were allowed to play games and have fun. The rest of the day was spent studying, learning, and practicing. This day was no different, however suddenly James stood up quickly.
"Guards, there is someone on the premises. Quickly find him!" He said in his strong Irish brogue. He glared at the children. "Stay here. Don't move." The children, fearful of what would happen to them if they did move, nodded their agreement. James then grabbed one of the swords off from the wall and walked around. It wasn't long before the children heard the clanging of swords. Minutes passed and then they heard an unknown man shout, "There can be only one!" Lightening started flashing everywhere. The children didn't know what it was. Tony gathered the others around him, as they huddled in the corner. The lightening storm lasted for about a minute, but it seemed like a lifetime for the children as they saw pictures on the wall get struck down. Finally they saw a man round the corner. Tony immediately jumped up and grabbed one of the other swords decorating the walls. And pointed it at the stranger.
"Relax son. I am not here to hurt you. I didn't even know you were here. Xavier must have found you all, huh?" He said. Jessi trusted the man's hardened, but kind eyes.
She timidly stepped forward, "Actually Xavier said that my parents are dead. But I don't believe him because he kidnapped me."
The stranger kneeled down to her level. "Well then I think we need to get you home, don't you?"
Jessi broke into a big smile and reached over and hugged the stranger, "Thank-you!"
The stranger rose again, and reached out so she could hold his hand. He looked over at Tony who was still gripping the sword. "Put the sword away. I will take you all to a friend of mine who will help us get you all home." Tony laid the sword down and motioned to Jenny and Kaitlin to hold his hands. The rest of the boys followed as the stranger led them out of the house. and walked them down the street. It was still light out, but the sun was getting close to setting. Jessi realized, for the first time in nearly six months that they weren't in America. The seven children scrunched into the tiny car as the stranger got in the driver's seat. About ten minutes later they reached a church. They got out and walked to the gates. Jessi saw the stranger tense for a moment, but the smile on his face contradicted his body posture. A man in robes approached them. He had a very kind face.
"Connor! What are you doing here? And who are these children?"
Connor laughed, "Well, I went looking for St. Cloud, but found these children instead. Children, this is Darius. Sorry Darius but I haven't had the chance to ask them their names yet. Can you take care of them until we figure out who their parents are?" Connor pointedly looked at Darius.
"Of course! Gather the children up and bring them in!" Darius opened the gates and allowed the small band of children in to the church. Once inside he allowed them into his chambers. He wanted them to feel comfortable while he and Connor tried to gather information about the children. Jessi wandered around. She saw hundreds of books, most of them looked rather old. One of them caught her eye. "Darius," she said cautiously.
"What is it child?"
"Do you know my mommy and daddy? This is the same symbol that they have on their wrists. They even said that one day when I am grown up, I can have the same symbol. Do you know them?"
Darius looked at the book she pointed too. "I don't think I know your parents, child, but I should be able to find them rather easily."