The Forty Knives of Fifty Theives

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

An all but forgotten staircae, that spiraled into the depths of the earth, deeper than some of the most ancient tombs of Egypt. Footsteps pounded on each step creating echoes off the slick, smooth, walls.  Cracks and crevices scarred the once perfect marble steps that led to the floors of a once high towered castle. It was a magnificent piece of Architecture once, full of a dark beauty that now was buried in the sands of the underground. Towers that touched the clouds and walls that had proved the structure to be impenetrable. Tall and made of stone unlike any you've seen before, glossy marbled stones each holding its own deadly magic. Cursed by years of darkness the castle stood strong on the day of its ambush.

The towns' people knew nothing of the castle that loomed over them carrying an invisible threat that brought fear to the people. Corrupted by this fear the people decide to attack the castle on midnight of the summer solstice. Hours they led their attack on the castle busting at the wooden doors that never even seemed to splinter at the onslaught. Fire diminished on the stones and the castle seemed invincible as it held through the night. The attack carried on through two more nights when out of the third night fifty people appeared on the roof of the castle looking down on the attempts to penetrate the lovely structure at their feet. The towns' people blinded by fear and rage attacked the innocent bystanders who were the very salvation to the people of the town. Forty of the fifty masked men died that night. Each had been armed by just a knife. The remaining individuals took their fellow friends knives and disappeared into the night never to return. The castle never was penetrated for the people of the town believed they had defeated the enemy and went home to celebrate. The castle was buried deep into the sand and forgotten by all.

Megan

"Baaahhhh" wailed Fluffy, Fluffy being one of the sheep in our flock.

"Shut it" I muttered to her.

Snip, snip and more of Fluffy's wool fell to the ground. I clenched my teeth in frustration. Where is Naric, that stupid brother of mine? Snip, snip. Fluffy struggled in my vice lock around her. I should not be the one shaving this damn sheep, I should be out in town selling the stuff. Our family's flock is the main source to our money. Many people in the town buy wool to stay warm in the winter. Naric collects the wool, Mama spins it, and I sell it. Today however the cycle got screwed up because of  him.

Fluffy wailed one last time as I cut the rest of the wool from her. Gathering the wool in one of Mama's woven baskets, I carried it down to the house. Our house is a stone cottage type place with flower beds and a vegetable garden out front. A dirt pathway leads to the sheep fields that I'm now leaving. We have a front gate and a fence around our property. The fields are on a hill with lush green grass for the sheep to eat. Our front gate leads out onto the road which goes into town. As I walk down the rest of the pathway I spot Naric coming up the road. Yes, now I can yell at him!

"Hey Megan," Naric says as he enters the front gate.

Frankly I just want to punch him in his cocky face.

"Don't 'hey Megan' me I'm mad at you" I reply as I carry the wool basket past him.

He follows me. "What'd I do?" he asks.

I stopped walking and lifted the basket in front of him.

"Oh, sorry," he says.

I rolled my eyes and walked to the door of our house. The structure has ivy growing up the sides of it and the roof is half covered in moss. We have a porch that extends around the front and left side of the house. The flower beds sit in front of the porch. On the back right corner is a round tower type addition to the house that extends out over the roof. That tower is actually where Naric and I share a room. The house is big in proportions by still tight and cozy. Being only a three-person family we have a lot of stuff except most of it is stuff for sewing wool and weaving clothing.