Ashlee - Chapter 3

My father escorted my brother and I to all the village people for proper introductions, while everyone fluttered about preparing for the feast we were to have tonight. I was still in awe and shock, but it was hard not to believe something that was right in front of you. There there was still so much that needed explaining though. So I started with something simple.

"Father? Why do the people call you the Captain or Sir, and mother Lady"

"Why else Roxy? Out of respect. Duh!" Mark said giving me a mocking gesture. Yes that made perfect sense, but I knew there was more to it than just respect.

"Well yes as much as we are respected there is a reason for why we are so respected.." He didn't continue, instead he led us up one of the many spiraling stairs and into one of the houses for more introductions.

There was a well aged man and a woman sitting by a fire reading to the two children. I immediately remembered my mother doing the same thing for me and Mark when we were little.

"Sir Gaven." The man stood and gave a little bow to my father before doing the same to me and my brother. The woman stood too and scowled at her children.

"Might the two of you forgotten your manners?" Standing behind their mother they gave a shy bow and awed at me like the three little girls had done earlier.

"Mr. Lurence could you escort my children to light some candles in honor of our Lady, while I get some supplies?" Now what? All I wanted was a little explanation.

"Of course Sir. Right this way." We followed the man out of the house and across one of the wooden bridges. I didn't want to be impolite but I had to be sure it was safe.

"Uhm, are you sure I wont fall, it wont break while we are crossing will it?" The man bellowed a loud booming laugh and gave me a reassuring smile.

"Of course not my Lady, but if for some odd reason it does you will be safe. I can promise you that." Not knowing what he really meant I walked out in front of them and to my surprise the bridge didn't even budge under our weight.

We kept walking around houses and across more bridges until we came to a tree with a humungous covered deck all the way around it. Around the floor of the tree were many candles and flowers. Hung on posts around the deck were paintings of warriors captured perfectly. I walked around the deck until I was sure I had seen all of the paintings. What did this have to do with my mother?

"My Lady, I'm sure you have missed one." I walked to where Mr.Lurence and my brother were standing. Before them was what shocked me most of since the fire this morning.

I couldn't help but stare in amazement. Before us hung a portrait of my mother gallant in her own beauty. Her hair tousled in the wind and hung almost to the back of her knees. She was dressed in fine cloth of witch a warrior would ware, just like all the other paintings I had seen.

Her top was made of leather and was fringed what looked like scales. The front of her skirt stopped at the middle of her thighs but the back continued to her ankles rustled by the wind. The only armor she wore were shoulder plates and a belt that hung lop sided on her hips, It held a variety of knifes and something that resembled a gun but I wasn't quite sure. She held a huge Halberd in her right hand that rested on her shoulder. Was she actual a warrior? She looked so beautifully and at peace, and.. happy. I looked over to my brother who was lighting a candle now but he never took his eyes of the painting.

"Would you like to light a candle Miss?" Mr.Lurence was holding out a candle witch I lit with some flint and set it among all the others scattered about.

"Now I know you two must have a lot of questions, but I will leave that to your father. Say a prayer for our Lady and I will be back with your father in a moment." I nodded still unable to speak. The man left us alone and I sat knelling in front of my mother and said a prayer.

"You know the little girl was right." I opened my eyes at my brothers voice and saw him leaning against the railing of the deck over looking the village.

"What?"

"The little girl who said you were 'even more beautiful than the Lady herself'..." For a moment I saw a hint of our father in him; He too looked like he could be a warrior with his strong features and dark hair. He stood tall and proud just like our mother did, even in this time of distress.

"You look so much like her you know? Someone who didn't know any better could easily mistake you for her." Right! She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and she was so strong too. We had nothing in common except for DNA and our last name.

"Why didn't they ever say anything?"

"Because we didn't think we needed to." I jumped at the sound of my fathers voice.

I didn't mean to think out loud; But at least on of my questions had been answered. In that moment he looked so sad and aged. He was only in his thirty's but he looked so much older. The lines around his eyes and mouth showed how much he had laughed throughout the years. He no longer stood as tall as before but slightly slumped forward as if a huge weight had been placed on his shoulders. I looked at my father felling sadder than ever.

"What is going on dad?" It was a whisper, but it meant so much. Mark still leaned against the railing a few feet away from our father and I was still on he floor next to my mothers portrait, Mr. Lurence stood off to my right. We were crowded around my father like children around a campfire telling stories, except this time it was for real not just fairy tales. It was the beginning to a new life....