Everyone has a best day in their lives and a worst day in their lives, unfortunate are the ones that happen on the same day.
The boy awoke as he always did on cloudless dry mornings in the Desert of Destruction, licking his lips and wondering how far away the first life giving drops of water were. The chickens were clucking outside his paneless window where his mother called out his name again. He lifted off the quilt that kept him warm in the cold desert night and rose to the window. He shields his eyes in order to block the first rays of morning from burning his retinas.
"Good day mama" says the dark skinned boy.
"Lipshein, I'm sorry, we are out of water, I need you to go to the cavern so I can make us breakfast." said his mother, a tall rigid woman, with stern blue eyes and rough blonde hair who had a glint of love for the child in every word that she spoke. She fed the chickens with great care and eyed the fattest one of them with which to make the days meals. As fast as lightening her brown well worked hands grabbed a gray rooster by the legs and and took it over to the chopping block. The boy took this as his cue to get his sandals and gray wool moth eaten hat so he may walk to mile to the cavern well and back with out burning to a crisp. He heaved the bucket pole onto his shoulders and with a determined stare, brushed the wirey dark hair out of his face and headed for the well to fetch the water for the day.
"Be careful dear!" cried his mother as he took his first steps into the blazing sun.
He had hoped his father might have gotten assigned the job before he did, but it was no matter, he loved the mile towards the cavern. He said good morning to the mountains and saw the clouds rising from the oceans that would pass over and just might give a little rain. The pillars of eroded salt here and there all had names according to his mind, and he greeted the desert animals with a glance of understanding. He loved the air, crisp clean air that was still cool from the night. He hated the air that he smelled in the towns of Elmekia, where he and his father would travel to sell the gold they'd collect in the streams near the cavern. The air smelled like rotting flesh and strangers, people that dad not want him or his father around. But here, he was free. Nothing to stop him but his fathers lesson period of his mothers swift hand if he misbehaved. Other than that, he didn't want to live any other way.
He arrived at the cavern and ducked under its roof and sat by the fall that came out of the rift in the wall. He splashed his face and took the first sweet sips of water. He sat there for a moment to listen to the sound of water trickling down the wall. He filled the buckets and heaved them on his shoulders to take them back to the house. He could see the smoke rising from the house and knew it would be only a little while till the scents of a sumptuous breakfast would enter his nostrils. But to the left of the house, he something he had never expected: Three horses and and three men walking towards the house. No one ever came to their house, the only time he saw any other people was when he and his father went to the town. He stopped in his tracks not knowing what to do.
"Zangulus! Come here quickly before they see you!" he heard his fathers voice and looked behind the pillar he called Kane. He saws his father in his travelling outfit, the orange cloak wrapped around his shoulders and travelling hat, brown and well worn with its point bent to the right.
" Father! Who are those men?" asked the boy.
"Men who know who I am, and to them I......we are....a danger."
"What do you mean?" asked the puzzled boy brushing his hair out of his face.
"I fear we do not have the day I have always wanted to tell you how I and your mother came to call this wilderness home. All I can tell you is, that" He breathes to gain mental balance, and looks towards the house to see how much time he has. "My mother, had a hunger that could not be satiated, for power. Power over others, especially those who served her. She could not be said no to, nor could she be held responsible for her actions. She and your grandfather, broke her father the kings law in their land, and your grandfather was banished for it. Later in his life he was killed for it, I had to run, so I ran to the desert of destruction." He pulled the cloak to the side, and reached inside his shirt, and pulled out a medallion on a string, he ripped it from his neck and gave it to his son. The medallion beared the sign of an eagle, with its tongue sticking out of its beak and grasping a serpent in its talons.
"This is the key, to me to you, and to your destiny. Your grandfather never told me, but we belong to a house of royalty. He never told me which one, for he feared I would seek revenge and a throne that would only lead to destruction."
Zangulus took in the meaning of what he said. and Stared at his father in amazement.
" I have taught you all my father taught me, I want you to remember it when I'm gone. How to wield a sword, how to keep yourself strong, how to survive. I fear you may need it all before the sunrises to its Zenith."
