CHAPTER 6: ANOTHER STORY TIME WITH ARTHAM
Artham hesitated a bit, trying to find the right words to say. "As I was running towards the castle, everything seemed to fade away except for what the small voice said."
"You heard a voice?" Sara asked.
"Yes. It is the voice of a Throne Warden that tells them to protect. And once it starts to speak, it almost seems impossible to ignore it because it will keep getting louder." Artham said.
"So the only thing that you ever heard was that voice?" Oskar asked.
"Yes, and it only said one thing... 'Protect'..."
Artham ran with his sword in his hand while he looked up at Castle Rysen which was now covered with black smoke. He looked toward the doorway that he had just come out of and braced himself for the heat. He heard screaming and crying from behind him. He heard Podo scream at him, "COWARD!", and he could even hear Janner call his name, "Uncle Arfam, don't leave us. Please, Uncle Arfam." But soon, the only thing Artham heard was fire all around him. But even the fire seemed distant once it was overcome by a voice. It was as loud as thunder and yet, it sounded like a comforting whisper, "Protect...protect...protect...PROTECT!" The voice was the only thing he could hear. Smoke was the only thing he could smell. The heat was the only thing he could feel. Yellow, orange, and red was the only thing he could see. He ran through dark doors that were hot to the touch and ran into a room that looked familiar. It took a while to find out that he was in the dining hall.
He didn't know what Esben was thinking about running back into Castle Rysen but he had to find him. He prayed desperately to the Maker that Esben would somehow be alive. Artham screamed out Esben's name for as long as his lungs would let him. He coughed and choked on the smoke so he put his jacket over his nose and mouth trying to stay low. Then he heard someone coughing and ran towards the coughing until he found a figure laying on the ground with their right leg under a big piece of wood. Artham looked closely at the figure's face and even through the dirt and ash he knew it was his brother. Artham put away his sword to only hear it drop to the floor. He looked to the ground and found his sheath torn and worn out from the heat. Artham called his brother's name again, then Esben woke up to a great throbbing in his leg and cried out in pain.
"Esben? Esben, can you hear me?" Artham said with tears in his eyes.
"Artham? What are you doin'-ahh!" He cried out again as he tried to get up. Artham got up and moved the piece of wood off of Esben's leg. His leg looked black and swollen and covered in blood. "Come on Esben, I have to get you out of here."
"No!" Esben said.
"No?! What do you mean 'no'"
"Artham, I told you to stay with everyone else!"
"I can't leave you!"
"Artham they need more protection than I do."
"Esben, we can't be doing this right now I have to get you out of here!"
"Take this!" Esben gave Artham an old book, "Make sure you give this to Janner."
"What is it?"
"The First Book"
"WHAT?!"
But Esben had already fainted from the smoke. Artham put the book in his jacket, picked Esben up, and ran. He tried to go where he came from but it was blocked so he went to the main entrance. Once he got outside he dropped to the ground holding Esben close. Then a noise came from above, it sounded like a thousand crows were above him. He looked up to see black smoke but then realized that half of that smoke was really crows flying in a circle. Artham tried his best to get up but only fell to the ground. Then he heard a familiar voice. "Well, what do we have here?" It was Bonifer Squoon. "Bonifer? What are you-" Artham was cut short when he saw a fang stand next to him. "General Khrack, would you like to escort the King and this so-called protector of Anniera to their carriage?"
"It would be an honor old friend.", said Khrack. That was when everything became a blur to Artham before he fell unconscious. Many Black Carriages and crows, every place that held his childhood memories on fire, and screaming and crying. It was all a nightmare to Artham.
...
Oskar, Leeli, and Sara listened in horror as Artham told them what it was like to be in the prescence of the Stone Keepers, learning that the freind he trusted all his life should've been arrested long ago and to look out his cell window to see black smoke rise in the distance. Artham told them when the Stone Keepers would order the Fangs to beat them up and leave them there bleeding and broken. "We kept ourseleves from singing the song and when Esben would begin to sing I would stop him and remind him who he was until..." Artham who was looking down the whole time took a deep breath and said, "He thought that you were dead and he sang the song. I did everything I could to stop him but no matter what I told him and how loud I screamed he still kept singing. And I thought that since I failed on protecting him that I should just sing the song. And when I did I was able to get out but I..." Artham stopped and his wings drooped even more, "I left him. I was afraid and I left him. I left him. I cleft lim. I left who? I left him. Him. Him.!"
Oskar felt a great sadness stab his heart as he saw Artham turn into Peet the Sockman all over again. He kept on shreiking and his wings started to beat the ground. "Artham it's okay." Leeli said stroking his hair. She wiped his tears and made him look at her. "If you didn't come to Glipwood imagine where would be right now. Oskar might still be in Skree, Sara would be lost in Dugtown, and me,Kal, Janner, momma, and Grandpa would either be dead or turned into Fangs."
"But it's my fault you don't have a father." Arhtam said through sobs and tears as he looked down once more.
"Artham, I think Pappa would be proud of you. Before he died he wanted us to let you know that he said thank you for the song that you gave him so that we could see him one last time. And we're all proud of you. We love you, Artham."
Then Artham looked back up at leeli wiht eyes filled hope. "You all still love me?" He said looking at Sara then Oskar then back to Leeli. "Of course we do." Sara said, " What makes you think we wouldn't?"
"I always thought that the whole family would hate me once you found out that I left Esben. My own brother. I was ashamed to say anything."
"Well Artham, does it look like you are being hated by us?" Oskar asked.
Artham shook his head, "No."
"Did the Maker use something that seemed so bad but instead used it to save the Jewels so that Anniera could rise from the ashes." Oskar asked.
"Yes." Artham said looking up again.
"Then there really is nothing to fear but fear itself." Oskar said.
"We love you." Leeli said with a smile. Artham smiled back as Leeli crawled into his lap and hugged him then Sara hugged him as well. Oskar put a hand on Artham's shoulder and thought how sad and beautiful this sight was. Artham lookedd up Oskar and for the first time Oskar saw the Artham P. Wingfeather Throne Warden of Anniera. A man who was once brave and whole sta ther broken and afraid but soon was slowly being put back together with love. But then a voice came from behind the trees that made everybody jump out their skins. Then Oskar realized that he knew that voice all to well. A voice that only belonged to one person. The voice said, " I gotta admit Artham, ye're good at telling stories but I could teach you a better way to tell a story." Then Leeli yelled.
"GRANPA?!"
