Tales Of Eradon

Story I: Runner's Tale

Author Note:
" So our tale begins with an odd sequence of unidentifying events due to some family problems... How Delightful!"

A call was quickly spread across the village, one cottage at a time, like last season's wildfire.
"How odd?" I mumbled in the crop field after the murmur secrets. Thoughts raced through my mind like the windwhirls on an Autumnal Eve.
I recognise the exact words spoken. Deja Vu was never my friend. But alas, I realized.
"MY DREAM!" I accidentally yelled out these words as I ripped carrots out and threw it into the other baskets of assorted roots.
"How odd?" I mumbled once again and finally decided to let it go and focus on harvest so I was never to blame for an upcoming famine.
The runner had ran from the kingdom of Nairize, our present King's brothers land in hope to spread the news before we were to die.
Exactly how I saw it in the subconscious mirage of my mind, I anticipated the runner sharing the dreadful news.

"For thy citizens of Eradon, I greet you with some news that maybe shall save us and kingdom from deviation and crumbling. King Natri decided today in his town meeting that he would deteriorate our homelands by the dark magic partnered with the main witch of the farlands. We must protect the king and nothing else besides the evening Earl tea and bread, and the other roots harvested by the river rats. Everyone go protect our kingdom and I hope to not cry at a hundred small funerals. Get a move on!"
I sighed and stared into the well in the centre of town. Seeing colors reminded me of one man can be all. However I would never be able to stand a chance about this farcry. However I was to carry on and probably perish along with the evil even though I have spent a mear 56 fortnight's of blatant innocence and no nonsense whatsoever. I hauled the handwoven baskets made by the artisans and dressed neat in the Sunday clothes I sew using only the fabric used from burlap and what the rapil coins could by me from the merchants after we had our other taxes taken care of.
I decided to walk alone on the long and far crushed gravel path on way to par with the castle walls. I hoped to deliberately pay these small goods to the king myself, in hopes he would remember me.
All I hoped for was to be remembered for the smallest act of kindness one could give.
The journey taking about a long song of whistling and preparing to possibly be able to meet the king I finally stumbled across to see the grey castle walls.
My eyes were appalled at the sight of a house larger than 5 barrels wide. And the walls of cobble and floors of polished marble leading to the door of oak and a throne of gold.
But my fascinations did not last long. Before long I was stopped by a knight doing nothing but glaring at me.
"Excuse me miss? Are you here to deliver roots to the king? Has the other merchants come as well?" He talked polite, strange for speech given to a "river rat."
Then I realized. Did I perhaps dress well enough in burlap and blue dyed cotton cloth to be known as a young merchant?
He realized my long thoughts and I gracefully responded, "Yes sir, I'm sorry to cause an inconvenience, I've had a long day with the peasants not paying up."
He laughed, "Well go on now, go say your goodbyes to the king just in case. Honestly I think the rats will die first. Most likely you'll make it."
Faking a laugh at the igneously dark humor I replied with a small simple smile, thin like the sliver of hope I received.
Looking in through the grey cobble walls I decided to walk across the castle door of oak, used for a moat drawbridge. The water once again showed my true colors.
I saw a darkish yellow, almost pure gold, and the beautiful reddish pink, reserved by the roses grown in the town's centre.
I walked in a sighed and heavily straightened my posture and proceeded to the golden throne.
"Why Hello young merchantress, what may you be around these castle walls for?" King Erad echoed across the half empty space.
I gave a small curtsie and replied, "I'm here to deliver the roots from the rats. They didn't want to give them up but nothing like a small threat to give their owes to the king."
"Oh good thanks. I've never seen you before? From another lands." He raised an eyebrow.
I carefully handed the basket back and stepped back unaware of what I was going to say.
"My father has hidden me from society and I was never to be out of the cottage. Today is my first and most honored delivery my lord." I smiled and brushed the hair out of my face.
"Very well then.." He lost his questioning and got up from the velvet seat bordered in more currency than I was to ever have and handed me a small envelope.
"Go on, open it." His looks were somewhat deceiving but it's not like a giant earwig would come out of it.
I held the small paper package and lifted up the seam underneath the wax seal. I popped off the crimson coin and held it in my other hand. Carefully, for some matter I lifted the triangular tab and looked inside.
"What is this?" The envelope was completely empty besides for a small poof of dust that spread out and around me after I opened it. I assumed it was dust.
"Wait until you can't remember," he bellowed and the whole area around my being became dark, fading away until I fell into a world of twisted neglect, somewhat like today's and ended up somewhere completely different. A place unknown.
If only Deja Vu told me...