The Prophecy -On Hold-

Chapter 2

Hey dear readers! Thank you for reading this. I'm sorry the last chapter was a little boring (i know) but it was essential for the storyflow later on. Please vote and comment!

Picture on the side ------------> Zoe in her dress

11 1/2 years later

Lovely birdsongs wakes me in the morning. Lazy I open my eyes and stretch in my wooden bed. I do not want to get up, but as I know my mother, every moment she ...>>Zoe! Get up, get dressed and get down. Breakfast!<<

I torture myself out of bed and trot to my basin. The water is freezing cold and when it has touchs my face I'm awake. I dry myself and go to my dresser. My latest acquisition. It is unsteady on its feet, but it has a mirror.

I sit down in front of it and brush my hair. Since my childhood I have let to grow out and only cut the tips. It's up to my butt, but has still as beautiful curls as before. Otherwise, I've changed a lot.

Critical I eye up myself in the mirror. Aristocratic eyebrows over big green eyes framed by dark lashes. High cheekbones are now slightly pink by the cold water. Right in the face a little snub nose and a full red mouth.

Others describe me as beautiful, but I find myself only usually. In my critical survey I put on my prettiest dress. Today is a special day. Because today I am going to the market in Thissos and I go out alone for the first time.

Excited I check if my forest green dress sits properly. Then I get up and go down to where mother is. >>Good morning honey. So, are you already excited? <<

I sit down at the table and pick up a freshly baked piece of bread. >>Why should I be excited? I'm only going to the market.<< She wrinkles her forehead, but says nothing more to it.

That suits me just right. >>You sure know how to get to Thissos,right?<< >>Mama. How often do you want me to explain this now? I know how to get to the capital. I'm just curious if I see Jon again.<<

The last time I saw Jon, is almost two years back. At that time he told me he could not come probably so soon. But now years have passed and still no news of him.

Therefore I am very much pleased to go to the capital again. Maybe I meet him randomly on the market.

I push the last bit of bread in my mouth and get up to bring the plate to the washbasin. >>And you must not talk with strangers! Lately there have been more reports of highwaymen. Nowadays, you can not trust anyone.<<

I twist my eyes on this speech once again, because she preachs it almost every other day. >>Alright mom.<< I must say, so she's calmed down a bit.

Then I'm going out to say good-bye to my father who works on the field. He takes me in his arms and reminds me also of the bandits. In addition, he says >>And no matter what you'll learn about Jon, he is still the same as you know him.<<

What a strange statement. I shrug my shoulders and am on my way to the barn to hook around the car with the goods. My beautiful snow-white mare Lilien must serve as a workhorse.

Poor thing, but our other horse is needed on the field. After I hitch her up, we are on our way to Thissos.

The road to the capital is well-maintained and we should arrive there right before nightfall. The whole trip we haven't met a soul, but that does not scare me. On the path on which we move, travelers rarely come by since it passes only at our farm to the village.

I tell Lilien how excited I really am and that I am looking forward to a reunion with Jon. I picture different scenarios, how and when we meet in the market. The most likely is probably that he is hurled at my booth and be surprised when he finds me alone in Thissos. Thereafter, we will then meet in the evening to eat in a tavern...

Suddenly, I am torn from my daydreams by a piercing scream. We're in the middle of the forest and I hear a far cry. >>Woman! Halt immediately!<<

In front of my carrige a man jumps on the path with ragged clothes on, bringing Lillien to shy away. I have great trouble to get her under control again. >>Are you insane! She could have hurt herself or trample you down!<< I call startled.

And the men, five in number, have me surrounded and laugh at me. >>Look at that, we have here a pretty booty, men! So beautiful and young and with plenty of goods in transit.<<

This is again followed sardonic laughes. Thats where I realize that I actually ran into the infamous bandits! I exhale loudly and want to raise, as the man who jumped on the way, pushes me back on the cart. >>Beautiful remain seated until we tell you something else.<<

Reluctantly I let myself fall back down on the seat. Meanwhile his cronies search through the contents of my bags. They seem to be disappointed, because I hear exasperated groans again and again. >>There is only corn flour and a few perfume bottles inside. Nothing of great value.<< Says one of the vagabonds.

>>Sweety don't you have anything else of value here?<< Asks the man in front of me. I wonder if the silver dagger in my boot is probably valuable, but as they just get to see it if they attack me, I move this rigth now insignificant question to a later time.I will not voluntarily give it away, as it is the last gift from Jon.

Negative I shake my head. >>Well, then we probably have no other choice than take you and your horse with us.<< Outraged I narrow my eyes to small slits >>No I won't! At dusk I must be in Thissos, and you will not stop me!<< The highwaymen are laughing. >>This sweet thing here has fire! We will get a good price for her.<<

As I hear those words I jump up and I beat the man standing before me on the nose. I hear the bones crunching and see how blood squirts from his nose. The bandit howls and holds on his injured nose with watery eyes.

Before he can react again I kick him in his crown jewels (why men have there Jewels anyway ...?) And hit him again with the fist on his temple so that he loses consciousness.

The other four remain shock rigid. Without hesitation, I raise my dress an pull out the dagger from my boots. So I'm charging at the closest cutthroat. Taking advantage of the surprise I cut him through the achilles's heel, so he can not fight anymore.

Remain three left. Now they have recovered from their state of shock and also pulled out their weapons. Since my dagger is indeed quite large, but it is still only a knife, I swallow violently at the sight of three saber.

I want to consider about what to do when the men move on to attack me. Since three at ones stand themselfes in the way, two grab me from the front and the other tries to sneak up behind me.

I struggle with all my might and parry their blows as good as I can, but I quickly realize it is not enough, unless a miracle soon happens. Hardly as I finished this thought, something heavy falls from the tree on the man behind me. He screams and then theres silence. I have no time to look around, as the the other two continues to harass me.

Suddenly a broadsword shoots just over my arm into stomach of my attacker. The pressure is so strong that the sword exits at the back. The man lets loose a bloody cough and collapses.

This has shocked even my last attacker, so that he no longer looks at me as he watches his comrade in death. Quickly I come forward and cut him on the side of his belly. Not too deep that it is a mortal wound, but deep enough, this freed himself from his trance as he flees with a hand pressed on the wound.

I breathe a deep breath and turn around slowly. I see a bear of a man, his face mostly covered by a scruffy beard and dirt. He has dark eyes and just as torn clothing as the bandits, but instead he wears a red shirt and black leather pants, as the forest green of the highwaymen.

His black hair is secured in a loose knot at the back of his head. When he goes to pull out his sword from the pierced dead, I recognize his muscles under clothing. This man is a warrior without a doubt.