Ashdown
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 1:46 am
Due to the Story of Seikfreid's lack in popularity, I have revised, edited, and altered the plot of the story but kept the characters so that it may be a better tale. I am still having difficulties as I do not know how to post a picture that is a link to a Brickshelf gallery, so any help there would be appreciated. So here goes, the story of Ashdown:
The harsh wind whistled over the rocks, swirling the last of the autumn leaves from the ground and sending them tumbling down, down, into the valley. The wind brought with it a chill, a damp, harsh chill that warned of a long and frigid winter. The morning light reflected red from the petals of the early-winter flowers that bloomed this time of year in the rocky valley. Seikfreid stood alone as he often did, for this was the place where he came to think, to get away from the noise and bustle of Ashdown. It had become much busier in the small northern village since the soldiers of the Crown had moved in to defend the border. Always, there were guards hurrying about here and there, running messages or moving to the front or stockpiling weapons about the village.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4023229
It wasn't that Seikfreid disliked the Crown Empire, in fact King Artaeus had been very good to the people of the Northlands, which was more than one could say for Lord Maharran, who ruled the lands around Ashdown. No, what Seikfreid hated was the war with the trolls, and the fact that he could do nothing because he was confined to the areas around Ashdown. So Seikfreid had come here to think as he often did, to wonder about his past and his future. His past was faded; he only knew that his parents were killed when he was very young and that old, wise Anselfer had raised him all his life. His future was even more hazy, as he didn't even know what trade he was to learn in his life. But Anselfer's answer to this question was the same every time: "Everyone must take a different course, Seikfreid, one that they alone must choose. But yours, I think, may already be set before you. All that you must do is find that path and follow it, follow it to the end. Remember my words, Seikfreid, and soon enough they may come true, maybe even sooner than you can predict."
Nothing had happened to make Seikfreid believe this, and life had continued as usual. Until yesterday. First, a messenger had ridden into town in the middle of the night with an urgent message for the Captain of the Guard. Immediately the entire town was awake because a majority of the village guards followed the Captain and the messenger out into the night. After the soldiers had departed from the village, Anselfar had appeared at Seikfreid's bedside and made a strange announcement. "It is time, Seikfreid. Pack your things. It is no longer safe for you to remain here. We leave tomorrow, before midday."
Now it was time. Seikfreid shouldered the bow that Anselfer insisted he carry everywhere and whispered one last goodbye to this place. He turned away from the flowers of the valley and headed back up towards the village center. He didn't know where he was going, but he had a feeling that he wasn't coming back for a long, long time.
The harsh wind whistled over the rocks, swirling the last of the autumn leaves from the ground and sending them tumbling down, down, into the valley. The wind brought with it a chill, a damp, harsh chill that warned of a long and frigid winter. The morning light reflected red from the petals of the early-winter flowers that bloomed this time of year in the rocky valley. Seikfreid stood alone as he often did, for this was the place where he came to think, to get away from the noise and bustle of Ashdown. It had become much busier in the small northern village since the soldiers of the Crown had moved in to defend the border. Always, there were guards hurrying about here and there, running messages or moving to the front or stockpiling weapons about the village.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4023229
It wasn't that Seikfreid disliked the Crown Empire, in fact King Artaeus had been very good to the people of the Northlands, which was more than one could say for Lord Maharran, who ruled the lands around Ashdown. No, what Seikfreid hated was the war with the trolls, and the fact that he could do nothing because he was confined to the areas around Ashdown. So Seikfreid had come here to think as he often did, to wonder about his past and his future. His past was faded; he only knew that his parents were killed when he was very young and that old, wise Anselfer had raised him all his life. His future was even more hazy, as he didn't even know what trade he was to learn in his life. But Anselfer's answer to this question was the same every time: "Everyone must take a different course, Seikfreid, one that they alone must choose. But yours, I think, may already be set before you. All that you must do is find that path and follow it, follow it to the end. Remember my words, Seikfreid, and soon enough they may come true, maybe even sooner than you can predict."
Nothing had happened to make Seikfreid believe this, and life had continued as usual. Until yesterday. First, a messenger had ridden into town in the middle of the night with an urgent message for the Captain of the Guard. Immediately the entire town was awake because a majority of the village guards followed the Captain and the messenger out into the night. After the soldiers had departed from the village, Anselfar had appeared at Seikfreid's bedside and made a strange announcement. "It is time, Seikfreid. Pack your things. It is no longer safe for you to remain here. We leave tomorrow, before midday."
Now it was time. Seikfreid shouldered the bow that Anselfer insisted he carry everywhere and whispered one last goodbye to this place. He turned away from the flowers of the valley and headed back up towards the village center. He didn't know where he was going, but he had a feeling that he wasn't coming back for a long, long time.