The Pen.

Chapter 1 - The Choosing.

Weapons are not a personal choice, something or someone, makes the choice for you. Our story centres around the  kingdom of Morrighan where, for the first time a rather unique weapon picked someone.

Emma Barnes was one of five in Morrighan to be fast approaching her sixteenth birthday, an important age for anyone but far more special here as this was the time when she would be chosen by a weapon. The Barnes family were famous for their prestige with weapons, her father had a Warhammer, her mother had star knives and her two older sisters had a morning star and bastard sword. Even her grandparents had weapons like the battle-axe, long spear, longbow and a scythe. All of which meant that there was a certain level of expectation on the weapon that would choose Emma, nobody seemed particularly concerned about the choosing ceremony for her, it was assumed that she would be just like the rest of them. 

The ceremony itself was a grand occasion where the entire kingdom would cram into the town square, the weapons that were up for selection lay on a rich purple silk and those who turned sixteen lined up and waited for their name to be called. What follows, no one can quite describe, its nothing as drastic as the weapon jumping up and down calling on you to pick them up, instead its more like a moth being drawn to a flame, you simply feel an attachment to the object and a bond forms between it and the person. Emma and the other four walked through the streets until they reached the square where their families, the King and the ministers were all waiting for them. One thing that is important to note about King Benedict is that to call him a warmonger wouldn't do him justice so for him he saw the choosing as an opportunity to fill the ranks of his army. 

"My happy and loyal subjects" King Benedict boomed as he began his usual speech. "As we know this is an important occasion, not only for the youths who have turned sixteen but also the kingdom as a whole. We are a formidable force, we are the greatest army on this side of the Predator Sea and everyone knows it!" The crowd cheered loudly and Benedict raised his arms to hush them again. "Yes! Our great kingdom is feared and revered and now we are prepared to add fresh blood to our ranks!" The crowd roared again as King Benedict sat down.

At this, one of the ministers stood up and began to speak, "I shall call out your names one at a time and in no particular order" He then rolled out the scroll, coughed a little and called out, "Richard Griffin!"

A tall, black haired boy stepped forward and grinned. Not a nice grin, not a nervous grin but the kind of grin that makes you feel sick and your skin crawl. Richard walked up to the table and scanned this years range of weapons and found his hand reaching for the heavy longsword, he grasped it gave it a few swings and held it up victoriously. The crowd cheered and the King applauded loudly and had a smile that made Emma feel that he had already formed an idea of how to use young Richard Griffin and his weapon. Once the crowd had settled down and King Benedict had finished giving his congratulations, the next name was called.  "Margaret Boots!" Like Richard Griffin she stepped forward to the table but moved silently, Emma noted that her movements seem calculated and her weapon was the dagger, which Emma felt would suit her very well. The next two were twins, Marco and Julius who stepped forward together and saw the first end up with a gladius and the second a sabre. King Benedict gave his congratulations as the twins waved about their chosen weapons and went to stand with their proud families. 

Emma began to feel her heart pound a little as she scanned the table, looking at the weapons. Shouldn't she already be feeling something by now? She didn't feel like anything there was grabbing her. Her composure never cracked on the outside but on the inside she felt like she was caught in the current of a stream and if she wasn't careful then she would end up drowning. 

"Emma Barnes!" shouted the minister.

Emma stepped forward to the table and looked at the array of weapons before her. There were longbows, maces, spears, whips and axes but she wasn't drawn to any of that, instead she found herself wandering to the end of the table where there lay a single fountain pen. Emma cocked her head to the right and stared at it for a moment, picked it up and twiddled it in her hands. The crowd began to mutter, no one had ever picked up the pen before in fact it was often considered a joke that it was considered a weapon. Emma liked the way it felt in her hand, it felt comfortable and even as she looked at the other items on the table, she couldn't think of abandoning the pen. Emma gripped the pen in her hand and stood back from the table, bowed to King Benedict and stood with her shocked family. There were no cheers for Emma, only silence. It appears that nobody knew what to do, her family said nothing and the King looked outraged by what had just happened. The minister shocked by the events eventually stuttered into life.

"Erm well...yes. Congratulations to all who have been chosen by their weapons. I hope that you all find them" the minister paused and looked at Emma before adding, "useful".

With the choosing ceremony over the crowds began to disperse until it was just Emma and her family left.

"A bloody pen!" shouted Mr Barnes.

Her sisters laughed, even her mother sniggered.

Emma ignored them and stared down at her weapon.