Soul

Prologue

Trees shrieked against the wind and rain under a cruel night sky as a woman stumbled through the woods. She was injured; her leg suffered a wound from the beasts that resided beneath the twisted branches of the swaying trees. The wind only grew stronger, and the woman pulled the bundle in her arms tighter into her chest. She would protect that bundle with her life.

A light revealed itself through the whipping rain. A cottage. She proceeded towards it and the trees and the foliage finally gave way at the cottage's wake. The cottage was rough-looking; vines wound themselves through the cracks in the old bricks and moss inhabited wherever the vines couldn't reach. They seemed to work together to support the cottage, to prevent it from the wind's raging shove. It was as if nature was calling to the woman, promising embrace and protection for her blessed possession. This was it.

She staggered through the small wooden door. The walls around her were damp and moss-covered just as they were outside. Buckets were placed at random about the small interior, catching the droplets of rain that crept in through the roof. There was little furniture, only a table in the center of the room that was cluttered with utensils and paper with a single chair to its right. A rickety wood-framed bed with tattered sheets sat beside a lit fireplace on the far wall. In front of the fireplace was a man who had turned to face her when she fell through the door, un-welcomed. The man was not intimidating. He was no taller than six feet, his features were gentle and he had honey brown unkempt hair that fell into his kind but worried eyes. He wore rags and there were holes in his shoes.

"Miss...?" the man spoke. His voice was soft, hesitant, trustworthy, kind just like his eyes.

The woman said nothing, only walked around the table that separated her from the man. She glanced at the bundle on her chest in sorrow, then her eyes trailed back to the man.

"He must never know the truth." She finally said. Her voice was strong though she felt she was about to break. She handed the bundle to the man. He took it with caution, and peered down at the baby boy that was now in his arms. He did not understand.

"Please..." she spoke again, "you must treat him as your own. You can never tell him who he is, but do let him know that his mother loved him, though she could not live to see him grow. Tell him it was Dayne. That is all he can live to understand."

The man still did not understand. Why was this woman leaving her child with a stranger? Why was she injured? Where did she come from?

"Make up any story you need to in order to keep him satisfied. He will live in lies...but he will live. That is what matters. He must never know the truth of this night. Please, can you do that for me?" Her eyes were frantic.

The man only nodded. The woman kissed his cheek and touched her son's face for what would be the last time before turning towards the door.

"Wait, miss!" the man called after her.

The woman did not turn. Only muttered a Thank You before she set off into the storm.