This is the preface to my first serious novel, Twin Gates. I decided to redo one of the the main situations which required that I start over again. I just couldn't explain how a particular even happened and it bugged the heck out of me so I had to rework it. The new chapters will be up sometime. I am currently working on my Stardust story because it has a hold on me right now but after that I will start working on this again. Sorry to all the fans but you'll just have to wait.
I now present to you the Preface to Twin Gates written/last updated on October 26, 2000.
Preface
The distant sound of scuffling feet echoed through the dusty hall. Erik, head sorcerer of Maemar and disgruntled babysitter, hurried down the hall toward the sound.
"Children," he called desperately down the hall. The scuffling stopped. Erik lifted up his long emerald green robes and began to jog down the hall.
The young man slowed at an intersection. Looking down the familiar halls, Erik longed for a time long past when he and his older brothers had played in these very halls. But now wasn't the time; he must find the children. "Children," he called again, his voice echoing off the sturdy stone walls.
"Here Unco'!" came two high pitched voices from inside a nearby room. Erik hurried toward the door the where the voices had come from. He opened the door to find two dust covered red-haired children staring up at him with their big brown eyes. The little boy had a tear on the shoulder of his tunic and the girls hair had halfway fallen out of its intricate braid. Erik reached down to the boys shoulder to make sure there was no scratch to the skin. There wasn't. Relieve that both children were fine and found, he went back into his strict babysitter mode.
"What are you two doing down here?" he said as he looked down on his niece and nephew. "It's almost time for the ceremony and your father will kill me if his own children are late!"
"We sorry," both children said in unison as their heads slowly tilted toward the floor. Erik sighed and crouched down to face them eye to eye with a very stern look on his face. Slowly he began to smile. Then, without notice, he grabbed each child with an arm and slung them over his shoulders and headed off to their room. Both children giggled with glee.
"Are they ready yet?" Came a call from down the hall. Erik turned from his post at the entrance of the children's room to face the speaker. A middle aged man with dark blue robes similar to Erik's green ones was approaching. His long brown hair, delicate build, and crooked nose made him look like an older version of Erik. Erik smiled as his older brother approached.
"Their almost ready. Nice to see you could make it, James. Johnathan was afraid you wouldn't be able to come. It's great to see you again." Erik embraced his brother in a sturdy hug.
"I was afraid I wasn't going to make it either. With the attacks from the White Siron my services are needed more and more. I finally convinced the head healer that I needed a break and that I could inform the King of the situation. He reluctantly agreed. Boy, it's sure good to see you, Erik." The brothers continued to talk until the door behind them swiftly opened.
The men turned to see their niece and nephew being ushered out the door by two disgruntled mid-wives. Both children wore large frowns and from the look of it they had put up quite a fight before reluctantly giving in. The mid-wives had done their job well, though. The children were dressed in light green robes that ended slightly above their ankles. The boy's hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail while the girl's was back in a braid but this time it had beads and ribbons entwined with the hair. Both children had gold chains around their necks with a medallion containing an etching of a blooming rose-like flower, the crest of Maemar. A golden tierra was placed upon the girls brow while a small crown was atop the boys head.
James kneeled down so he was eye level with the prince and princess. "I have something for you two. A gift for the occasion. Hold out you arm and shut your eyes." Both children did as he asked, sort of. From his hip pouch, he pulled two matching bracelets made of leather and beads. He took each child's arm in turn and wrapped the bracelets twice around each small wrist before clasping the ends together. Neither child made it the whole time without peeking. "I want you to wear these at all times. They are made of Maemarnian glass beads and are very hard to come by. I made them long so that you can grow into them. Do you like them?"
Both children beamed from ear to ear and gave their uncle a hug. As the children were withdrawing from the embrace a bone curtailing scream echoed through the corridor. James stood up so fast he almost knocked his little nephew over. Erik was already running toward the source of the scream - the King and Queen's chamber. He didn't have to enter the room to know what had happened. A stream of red liquid slowly crept from under the door. Erik knew his brother and sister-made had been murdered; he could still taste the magic in the air.
Copyright 2001, K.C. Ramey. Don't take this without my permission. you can read it but don't steal it as your own. If you want to use it as an example please e-mail me with what you want to use it for. sardogmom@yahoo.com