Ashlee - Chapter 4

"Long ago before your time, or even my own. This village was nothing more than a forest of ash trees; But off in another world the king of this realm vanished and a war was about to begin. Your grandmother was just another common woman, or so she thought, but when the war began her family was murdered brutally and she did everything in her power to get vengeance. After the war subsided for a while she began to train long and hard to become a warrior. The war began again and no one could touch her, every battle she fought she won. Then after three long days of endless fighting she was wounded and tiered and she lost hope. A man came to her rescue and brought her back to heath, he was no mortal man but had powers of a wizard. He gave her that power to protect her for they had fallen in love and fought beside each other until they were feared by every enemy."

"They wanted to settle down and start a family so they left their homeland and came to this forest and started a new life where no one could find them. After sometime the village filled with wondering warriors and got bigger. The war thought to have ended and your mother was born. After some years had passed with out war or fighting, your mother grew older into a young woman much like yourself Roxanne." My father paused troubled by his thoughts. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, or even think to believe what I was about to hear. But I had to, I knew the words my father spoke were true. Or else we would not be here now.

"Word had traveled that the war had started up again and that your grandparents were wanted, everyone began to train their children and prepared for attack. Your mother grew to be a great warrior and she protected everyone in the village. Her father died of old age and her mother grew ill, she didn't want her child to live in a world of war forever. No matter how much your mother wanted to stay your grand mother cast her out of the realm as her last word. Your mother and I had fallen in love and I followed her to the world you grew up in. After she gave birth to Mark she had heard the war was worse than ever and they were losing warriors, so your mother left everyday to train and fight in Ashlee."

"She fell pregnant with you and that's when I left for Ashlee in her place. You were born and we continued to leave for Ashlee when ever we had the chance; We wanted to return for good but didn't want to put the two of you in any danger." He stooped again and I wasn't sure I wanted to know why. Some things made sense but a few things still confused me.

"So...why did we have to come here." I'm not sure if I should have asked but I have a right to know, no that I didn't like it here. If anything I felt more at home here than I ever had anywhere in my entire life.

"Your mother and I always wanted you two to be apart of this world that we loved so much but you were to young then to understand, so we decided to wait and in that time your mother and I became...." He sat and thought to himself how to put it in the right words. But he wasn't the one to speak next, instead it was Mr.Lurence who stepped in.

"Your mother and Father had become like...our leaders, but our village didn't work like that. We all worked together and made choices together." Father smiled at the flattering words but let the man continue.

"He is our Captain, and your mother our kind Lady.They fought so hard to make this place a peaceful one, no matter how much fighting we did with them here we were at ease." I understand now, it all makes seance. But my father had something else to say that he wasn't saying.

"What is it dad, you might as well tell us now." Mark spoke up, he still stood tall and proud but I saw the amazement in his eyes.

"I would never force you two to do anything you didn't want to do, but I am afraid we must stay here for a while."

"You mean live here?" He only nodded his head. But I saw the pain he felt for forcing us into something we didn't want to do.

"For how long?" Mark he sounded so sad but not reluctant, maybe even a little exited for what we were about to get ourselves into.

"I don't know, it depends on what happens next."

"what do you mean?" I waited hoping all the bad news was over. But he let out a reluctant sigh, this is was what he didn't want to tell us. Well what could be worse than my mother dying?

"Your mother wasn't just killed in a house fire, she was murdered, and who ever did it burned down the house afterwards. The only lead I have is this." He was holding up a piece of burned cloth with some kind of insignia on it, but I couldn't concentrate on that. My mother was murdered?! My breath caught in my throat and I couldn't control my breathing. Good thing I was sitting or I would have fallen over. I didn't faint this time, I just got very dizzy.

"Roxy! are you okay?"All three men came to my aid not knowing what was wrong or how to help. I could barley speak but I managed to get a few words out between gasps.

"I c-cant breath..." They leaned me against one of the post then Mr.Lurence ran to the railing calling for help.

"Someone bring a pail of cold water and a rag. Hurry now!" I was sweating uncontrollably and still couldn't catch my breath. My mother was murdered! A boy about Marks age came quickly with a pail of water and a rag just as Mr.Lurence had asked. He dunked the rag in the water and placed it on my forehead. It helped little to my breathing, but I slowly began to feel better.

"Here.." The boy grabbed my hands and placed them over my mouth and nose.

"Cover them over your face and breath" Within seconds my breath slowed to shallow steady breaths. I felt better and dropped the rag back into the pail. They all bricked that I shouldn't move so soon and I should lay down but I brushed them off, and looked to my father.

"So we are staying here for a while?" Pain flashed in his eyes again, he didn't like doing this to us.

"I'm sorry but you guys are in danger there..as soon as I knew it is safe we can go back, I prom-" I put my hand up to shush him and gave him a honest smile from the bottom of my heart.

"Its okay..I want to stay here and fight like you and mom did." Tears swelled up in his eyes and well as mine and he smiled a wiry smile unsure of himself.

"Roxanne you don't have to."

"I want to" I spoke so quietly I wasn't sure he heard me at first, but a smile slowly crept across his face and I'm sure he was about to throw his arm around me and swing me about.

"So do I" Mark stood and helped me up along with our father. One second we were staring at one another and the next father had embraced us with tears running down his now rosy cheeks.

"Your mother would be so proud!" It was hard not to cry, but unlike my father I managed to keep mine hidden.

"What great news! I promise to keep my trap shut until dinner tonight, now you three should clean up and change." Mr.Lurence looked more exited than father did.

We were sent off to a near by river to bathe, it looked cleaner than any drinking water I had ever seen. Mark was sent to one side with father and a few other men and I was sent to the other to bath on the women's side. It was a little bigger than a hot tub but no one was there so I could bath alone. I stood there for a few moments looking at the water a little disappointed.

"I with I could take a nice hot bath." I mumbled to myself.

"I assure you the water is warm Miss but I could make it hotter for you." I jumped almost five feet in the air at the sound of the voice. I wouldn't have been so scared if it was a woman's voice but it was male and I turned around to see the boy who had helped me earlier during my nerves breakdown.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you Miss Roxanne, but I have clean clothes for you after your bath." He looked a little ashamed of himself; He was very handsome with blond hair that fell a couple inches past his shoulders and was dead straight. His eyes were dark blue and they twinkled in the fading light.

He was tall and built and wore almost all black, except for a cloth tied around his upper arm that was as blue as his eyes. I smiled hoping I could make a new friend and held out my hand.

"Thank you. And no need for calling me miss you can just call me Roxy" He grabbed my hand and brought it to his mouth giving my knuckle a kiss before looking back at me.

"I'm Kaden." he dropped my hand and handed me my clothes. I felt my checks flare up at his gesture.

"Would you like a hot bath?" I nodded clinging to my clothes he turned and whistled loud and sharp and turned back to me. Within seconds a creature flew down from the tree and landed in between us, it wasn't big but I screamed and it scrambled away from me and hid behind Kaden in fear.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare him!" I was so embarrassed but he only laughed.

"Its okay he is just shy. Roxy this is Lanten, hes a dragon." I don't even know why I was so scared before. He is so cute!

"But he's so small!" He laughed again but this time it was rugged and musical.

"Hes only a baby. Lanten Roxy would like a hot bath." The dragon gave what looked like a shy smile and waddled over to the water and breathed fire making it steam.

I giggled in excitement and skipped to Kaden and gave him a hug.

"Thank you! This is fantastic!" He laughed along with me and I jumped up and down a little tiring to calm down.

"No problem, enjoy and I will see you later at dinner." With that he walked off and I got undressed and sunk into the water.

"Perfect" I sighed and closed my eyes relaxing for the first time that day.