The Book of Paradoxia Whispers

Paradoxia II - Chapter Four

"Helter skelter, hang sorrow, Care will kill a Cat, up-tail all, and a pox on the hangman" - Every Man in His Humour by Ben Jonson

The Sun rose over the meadows green. The animals awoke from their slumber. The town returned to the beating heart beat it was once before. The kingdom of Fable was awaking once more

"Get up Arthur", a strong man's voice echoed in the hut

A young lad awoke from the echo and stretched from the morning sun still half asleep, the young lad's name, by that strong man's voice, was that of Arthur. A skinny looking boy, roughly in his late teens, with short cut black hair. Still half asleep, he dragged his feet to the water bowl, washed his face with fresh cold water, got dressed and went downstairs

"Morning dad", Arthur said as he almost reached the last few steps of stairs

"Good morning Arthur", said Arthur's father, who was the strong man cooking breakfast

Arthur sat down on a wooden bench, while Arthur's father was still cooking he said, "Arthur, I need to join the other lads outside the city limits and head into Iorvia"

Arthur looked in shock towards his father. "Iorvia?', he asked in shock

"Yes", replied his father

Iorvia was the biggest forest on the west side of the kingdom of Fable. Fable was the biggest kingdom out of the other six kingdoms. Iorvia surrounded the other kingdoms and was the biggest forest and the most dangerous as it hosts some of the most vile creatures, some of them still not even discovered by man, and Fable was being invaded by Iorvia's creatures, most commonly, Iorvia's fearsome dragons. They are the strongest creatures who would burn the wooden huts and destroy the stoned houses and walls and cause havoc across the kingdom. One kingdom was completely destroyed by one single dragon, since that kingdom was destroyed and now abandoned, Arthur's father could not allow that to happen to Fable

Arthur's father was the chief knight who protected Fable from thieves, armies and creatures. His father's duty was very dangerous and his life was on the line. Arthur too wanted to become a knight, but he was not as strong as his father and his own father did not want him to join the knight's order, not in fear that he might injure himself but in fear that his family's name will be ridiculed. Arthur's family was always part of the order of the knights, but, the next in line, which was Arthur, might stop this long line of knights from continuing...

"Why do you have to go?", Arthur asked

"Because it is my duty", his father answered

"But you could die"

"I know! I know what I risk when doing this", Arthur thought about his next question carefully

"Can I come?", he asked

"No", his father replied

"But-"

"NO!", his father shouted, and nothing was said after

His father finished cooking Arthur's breakfast, gave it to him and went outside to get ready to leave. Arthur quietly finished his breakfast and walked outside to join his father. They were both quiet. He saw his father getting ready, with his full suit of armor, ready to enter the dark forest

"I'll hopefully see you later"

The word, hopefully, always worried Arthur. "Yeah, I'll see you later", and Arthur waved goodbye to his father as he started walking towards his probable demise. Arthur continued with his own life, hoping his father would return after his travel to Iorvia