A Legend's Tale Season 2

Part 7 - Father

It's a lovely sunny day somewhere along the coast of the Distant. There aren't that many settlements here since a lot of the people fear the Distant for its massive size and frightening stories. Yet there are those who find it rather peaceful and before you know it, villages and towns started to form.

In a small but warm village along the coast, several dozens of people are working hard to expand the town. Trees are cut, houses are build, food is made, steel is forged. Everyone gets along with each other perfectly here in their little isolation. Often people with the least amount of duties and necessities find themselves to be the most peaceful. In a small forest not too far from the village, several man are cutting down a large tree for wood to build new houses. As it falls over, the men try to lift the trunk up but it's too heavy. Suddenly, another figure appears from the woods and asks to help them with that. The men look up and smile as they see it's Maximus. Maximus smiles back at them and helps them carry the trunk to the village. As several other villagers see Maximus, they immediately head over towards him to welcome him back to the village. Even the village chief, an elderly man with a big grey beard, is happy to see him back after several months it seems. Maximus claims he was just passing by so he thought he would pay them a little visit. He can't stay too long however, he still has business to do. The village chief laughs and tells him that he can't go, they are having a big celebration this evening. Maximus asks what for, to which the chief says that Robert and Maeve have given birth to a little boy. These people are familiar to Maximus, thus he decides to stay for the night.

Later, Maximus visits the house of Robert and Maeve. Upon the sight of him, Maeve runs up to him and gives him a hug. She's happy to see him and even more happy that he looks well. After some catching up, Robert arrives as well and also gives him a hug. Robert is slightly older than the 25 year old Maximus. Robert is very excited however and takes him inside the house to the little crib where their little son lies. A very tiny and fragile baby but with the most peaceful look its face. It's a humorous sight how a giant muscular man like Maximus is affected by such a small thing. Maximus smiles but dares not to touch it. He asks what his name is, to which Robert responds that they have called him Meckhi. Maximus keeps on looking at Meckhi. He welcomes him to the world. Maeve asks if he's staying for the night because of the feast. Maximus smiles and tells them that he can't possibly refuse that. Robert is extremely excited especially. They will have a huge bonfire on the beach and everything. Maximus smiles as he sees how enthusiastic Robert is. When they first met, Robert was even younger than he is right now. He will never forget what he did for him. Out of politeness, Maximus already put away his big longsword somewhere so he wouldn't have to carry it inside the house where the little baby is. He tells them that he will help with the further preparations for the feast.

In the monastery, Frederik walks around the gardens outside. He is forced to do gardening chores and other dirty stuff by his superiors. Two weeks he has been doing nothing but cooking, cleaning and serving the elders. He sometimes still thinks he's an apprentice but even that thought has left him by now. He fully knows that it's the bottom of the barrel for him. As he's working, he notices how huge flocks of birds fly over the church, all going in the same direction, away from the forest. That's the tenth flock of birds he has seen in the last couple of days. He would be surprised if there would be any birds left in the north by now. Frederik often wonders if the outside world knows what's happening...or more importantly what's going to happen. Maybe the queen has established her army already. At the very least he hopes they have more braincells than the ones he needs to serve here.

That evening, he joins the head priests at their dinner table to serve them wine. He hears how the priests talk about the mysterious behavior of the wildlife. Apparently villagers from the settlements believe they are dark omens of some kind. After a while, Frederik can't contain any longer and joins the conversation in a desperate attempt to persuade them that they must fight, that they can't just let fate play out and pray to the gods without actually doing anything. The priests look shocked. As if they would ever follow the wishes of a traitor of the monastery! Frederik struggles to believe this. If he's a traitor, then why haven't they send him away. One priest then tells him that they can't send him away. He knows all of their knowledge and secrets. What happens in the monastery must forever stay inside of it. No one leaves... Frederik feels an anger rising inside of him but luckily he can contain that...at least for five minutes. Then he slams his fist on the table and tells them that they know what's going on! They have all read the book he stole! They know what is coming for them, surely they must fight! After some discussing, the priests eventually agree that they must fight...right here in the monastery and nowhere else. This strikes Frederik hard as he knows that will mean certain death to all of them. He intends to join the real fight alongside the other forces that plan on fighting against the darkness. He will probably be the first ever priest to actually make a difference...or at least have the courage for it. After Frederik says that, one of the priest stands up and shouts at him for the whole hall to hear. He shouts at Frederik that he's not a priest, he's an apprentice. He has been accepted in this holy place by the Mother herself and he will continue to serve them from this day until his last, even if it will be by serving them wine. He will not question or insult them ever again or the punishment will be without limits! Frederik stands still and can't say a word. Two other apprentices take him down to his cell. He has been called "a danger to the peace" by many of them. He steps around and thinks. The tiny shred of hope he might have had has all disappeared now. He looks under his bed where he takes the small kitchen knife that he stole some time ago. He sharpens it carefully with a sharp rock. The copies he made from the pages are also safely stored underneath his bed behinds some loose stones. He looks out of the small barred hole in his cell and sees that the sky is bright blue. He must keep on waiting. He must have the cover of a storm for what he's planning to do.