(Book One)
Two men, both very different yet very much the same. When the last match has been lit, one became blinded by its smoke. A rash decision has been decided, for the two men have agreed upon a duel... But when the last light goes out in the t...
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Chapter 3
The Morning of Mayhem
E. Hamilton
Rubbing the heavy sleep from my eyes, I was greeted with, yet, another sunny summer morning. I heard the horses trudging along noisily on the cobblestone and the voices of children who ran about... Well the ones inside the house. A small flicker of irritation lit up inside of me as I slid out of the stiff bed. As I made my way to the door, my eye caught a glance of a small piece of parchment on my dresser. Carefully, I walked towards it and snatched with my hand and continued back to the door. I braced myself for the sight that'll behold itself...
The thumping of feet echoed in my brain as the small boys chased after one another over some unsolved nonsense. In the corner a small, young girl huddled and wept as she cradled her lone toy. A simple straw doll in which she insisted to get from the store up the street corner a month back. Rubbing the back of my neck and sighing, I rose my voice to scold the misbehaving adolescents.
"James! Alex! What exactly is the meaning of this?" I asked of them. They noticed that I have waked up and stopped running but Alex crashed into his brother in an abrupt flurry. The two boys straightened up and looked at me.
"Mother, James has stolen something of mine. I was simply getting it back," Alex spoke plainly. James gave him an irritated expression and waved a envelope out of his vest pocket.
"Alex, this is not yours! It's father's! I wanted to find him but then you proceeded to chase me like a dog after its sheep! Honestly, you irritate the hell outta me sometimes..." James growled. Instantly, I scolded him for the use of that word in front of his younger sibling.
"James! Where are your manners? You do not use that word in front of your younger brother and sister," I scolded. The two boys glanced at each other and back to me.
"Sister...?" James half-spoke half-whispered as he turned around to see the weeping girl behind him. Gasping and then biting his lip he turned back to me.
"My apologies, Mother... I didn't know of the Eliza's presence in the area..." James apologized with a slight bow and handed the mysterious letter to me. I took it in the same hand as the other paper and began to walk towards my youngest daughter, Eliza. I looked to my boys once more before I continued down the hallway.
"Learn to behave yourselves and to act respectfully," I told them. In response, they both nodded quickly and bounded off to somewhere. I wonder where Alexander went off to...?
....
"There, there, honey. Nobody's here to harm you," I calmed my daughter whilst rocking her gently in my arms. Small tears leaked from her eyes silently as she gazed up at me. Her doll was clutched in her stubby little hand.
"Mommy....where's daddy?" she spoke quietly. I stiffened a little bit... He's not home...? Where could he possibly be at this moment? Will the papers in my hand explain to his whereabouts?
"There's no need to fret little one... He's probably occupied with his work at the moment that's all. He should be back soon," I attempted to reassure my five year daughter. Her eyes pleaded that I told the truth. I only hope I did indeed tell the truth. I am a little concerned to where he went off to.
"Promise?" the little girl asked of me. I smiled at the toddler's cuteness.
