Crest of Power: Kevin and the Magician

3 The Family Dinner

Joseph had a wonderful family. They were all so cheerful! Isadar had never seen anything like it. A family all eating at the same table at the same time was a foreign concept to him. Not only that but they were all talking to each other. The parents bantered back and forth between each other and the children. It was like some sort of wild comedy performance. It was really nice. Isadar had a painful feeling in his chest as he thought; this is what a family should be. The meals at home were lonely and if there was anyone else at the table, it was difficult to speak to them.

"Are you going to spend the night?" asked the little boy. He was sitting next to the little girl named Zenobia. His name was Lincoln, Link for short. The children had taken a liking to the knight immediately. That much was clear.

"I... I don't know," Isadar replied shocked, looking to Joseph for help.

"Why not," said Joseph smiling meaningfully at his wife. "It's not like we don't have the room."

"Yes, please stay!" said Zenobia. The children looked at him with such pleading eyes that he had no choice.

"Okay," he said, "but only if it's alright with your parents."

It was.

When the children had gone to bed and Isadar and Joseph were the only two awake, he told Isadar, "I want you to take me and my family with you when you leave tomorrow. We won't take much, so we won't slow you down. Besides, if you don't take us with you I cannot guarantee my family's safety."

"What do you mean?" inquired Isadar. I can't imagine anything terrible befalling this family. He was filled with an urgency to protect them no matter what.

"By now you know this village is hiding something. We haven't betrayed that secret," said the man.

"But when I invited you to stay over here tonight, that's what it looked like to the rest of the village. I'm positive they think I told you something I shouldn't have. Someone is always watching." Seeing Isadar's eyebrows raise in the dimly lit room he added.

"I have taken an oath. I will not break it."

"Isadar nodded in understanding. He knew that for a man to break an oath meant that he was not a man. He didn't want Joseph to feel that way. Even if Joseph was in possession of the Crest itself; he would not make him tell. Joseph was now, and forever a friend.

"I don't mind you coming with me," he replied. "The road gets lonely." He spoke from his heart. Joseph beamed and replied, "Good, then I want you to accompany us to my wife's village."

*=*=*=*

In the wee morning light, you could see torches lighting up a small house on the edge of town. It was Joseph's house. Isadar and his new friends watched from the forest just a little out of sight, as the house went up in flames. Isadar was horrified. What would've happened if I hadn't suggested we get an early start? He didn't want to think any more about it. The group wordlessly turned and went their way.

There were not supposed to be any more villages east of Joseph's. So why did Joseph keep saying his wife's village was this way? Isadar didn't understand; but he followed along anyway. He would protect this family until they were safe. It was partially his fault they were in this mess.

The Forest of Ern began to get thicker. He had never been this far into the forest before. The forest was much too easy to get lost in, and when their missions took them near the forest they always stayed on the edge of it.

Even criminals never traveled into the deep foliage. It was the biggest forest in the world. If the fastest man in the world ran all the way around it, without stopping, it would take him at least five years.

They were traveling on a rocky path, which was nothing short of a game trail. Isadar began to feel uneasy. He could tell there were no streams nearby, and they were almost out of water. He didn't know what to do.

Were they lost? Should he make them turn around and go back now? Surely there was no village out here! Joseph seemed so sure though. As long as Joseph was sure he would see them to safety.

The next day they had completely left the trail behind them. Isadar was lost.

He had finally voiced his concern to Joseph an hour ago. But instead of getting angry like a man who had lost his way, Joseph laughed and said he was happy Isadar was finally lost.

Now they could get on their way quicker. He knew exactly where they were. He was merely getting Isadar lost so the villages' whereabouts wouldn't be found out.

Joseph did not act like a lost man. Isadar was glad that at least one person knew where they were going. Isadar had even volunteered to be blindfolded.

"It's not necessary," Joseph replied. If you're the man I think you are, you would be able to track your way back here, even with the blindfold. But I hope you never have to leave the village we're going to. I'm hoping you will remain 'lost' with us. If you choose to leave your future looks bleak." Joseph had almost

Isadar smiled at the comment, he was happy someone was concerned for him. I wish I could, he thought. But he knew that he would have to find the Crest of Power and take it to his brother. He needed to prove that he wasn't a traitor.

"I'm thirsty," Zenobia whined. They only had one flask of water left.

"I'm afraid that you'll have to wait a while dear," said Joseph. "We don't have much water left."

"But he still has a whole flask," she said pointing to Isadars belt. It was true; he did have a flask full of water. He looked at it frightened; he hoped desperately it wouldn't come to that.

"I- he, well..." he said at a loss for words. He looked to Joseph for help, none came. "We cannot drink this particular flask," he finally said. "It contains... something... very precious to me. I'll show you when we come to a stream."

They traveled for two more days; the adults refused any water, keeping it only for the children. They had traveled through dense foliage the entire time, Isadar kept watch on the canopy above him, he missed the sun. Finally they came to a clearing, Isadar saw the sun.

The moment they stepped into it, he knew it was a trap. Nothing seemed suspicious; he didn't even see any one. But he sensed it. Right behind him the family tumbled happily out of the dense thickness of Ern. Before Isadar could utter a sound to warn them, they were surrounded by people with bows, arrows and swords. He hadn't even had time to draw his sword. Where had these green clad men come from so quickly?