Chapter 3. A crowded ordeal.

Chapter 3. A crowded ordeal.


Gentle rasping of a knock upon an old door, the quiet chapping running over to where the figure lay, still, dead in his slumber, not wishing to acknowledge the wakening sounds over his room. The soft calls of his sisters voice came next, her pleading want for his quiet dreams to end, time for his awakening, time for his show to start.
The groan that passed over his lips was audible, perhaps intentionally louder than needed, as to show his disgust to have been woken. The gentle chapping stopping as light struck through a crack from the opening door. Slender fingers creeping around the edge as the frame slowly shifted.

"I'm sorry to wake you Cain but, you must get up, the celebrations of the towns folk are starting and what kind of celebration would it be without their hero there?"

The voice of an angel glided over his soul, pulling him from his bed as he managed to open those desperate eyes to gaze unto her. Curved figure touched with a long, dark blue dress that billowed gently around her calves, the light fabric glistening in a draft from the doorway. Silver jewelery hanging long and free in various positions over her body, the large pendant that sang out in magnificence around her neck being the center fold of her attentive decoration. Green eyes locking to the figure that slumped in the bed, half covered by white sheets.

"Please dear brother, you must get up and wash, I'll make you something to eat to give some of your needed strength back and then we'll go into town, father is already there, telling tales of a great battle, no doubt, as if he was there...Like always."

Her final words spoke as if the old man was of foolish nature, yet the tone within her voice showing great love, hidden behind the laughter.

"Alright...I'm coming, just, give me a second to drag myself out of here..."

A groggy sound, not like his usual tone was lifted from those lips, clear exhaustion filling his body as he pulled his palms to the bed. Pushing himself upwards as the solid door fell shut, the young woman leaving her presence behind. Bare feet eventually falling to patter over the wooden floor as the man pulled a robe around his muscular form. The room being left behind as he moved to wash away the sleeping state that had brought horrid peace to his mind.


Billowing flames stood atop long poles, above the height of men and woman around, the band that were gathered to play for the nights festivities tested their instruments, keys of annoyances filled the air as obscure notes were hit in uncertain timings. The chatter of a crowd lifting as the unusual sounds gathered to battle one another in a manner of drowning the other out. A single man sat at the center of the largest group of people, rocking back and forth on a short legged chair, a cask of ale in his hand as droplets of froth lay around his mouth and down a shaggy beard. The booming voice filling the ears of those around him, all falling silent with the few cheer or howls of laughter from his tales.

" And then! The great snarling beast roared a great bellow of fury at my dear son, challenging him to the duel, wanting to shred his very soul and rip apart the poor boys hide....Did he flinch? Heck no! He stood strong and drove forward, the mighty spear that passed down our families name held forward and with that final lunge he killed the monstrosity and cleared our land of the terrible wolven curse! "

The story continued, repeating itself and growing, more exaggerations and alterations to make the boy seem more like a god than a man in battle with each attempt. The crowd of men and women alike lapping up each word, drinking with their own drinks and begging for more of the final battle. Whether they believed in the stories seemingly irrelevant for at that moment they were real to their hearts and nothing of that could be taken away.


A soft mist of smokey air spiraled over the high ceiling within the building, aromas of wondrous food drifted through the house, catching the sensory desire of nasal lust. The pattering of movement from the kitchen as delicate voice sang a low hum, the voice soft and joyful, an innocent surrounding its majestic tonality.

"It smells divine..."

The low voice trailing off slightly as the stock man came to pull a chair from the large oak table, resting his still weary form in place. The roughness from his voice disappearing as the sleep disintegrated back into the slumber he had left.

"Thank you dear, eggs and bacon, some bread made only yesterday. Should be enough to get your strength back for the celebrations tonight..."

A radiant smile lifted over the young woman's soft lips as she placed a large plate, full with that of her efforts laden over it. Only a pleasured grunt lifted from the mans own lips as he delved into the feast before him, the smile that had fallen over Jades own lips from seeing his joy at her meal glorified her perfect features all the more. Sliding gracefully into a seat opposite the man who's gluttony was clear as he devoured the meal before him. Her delicate hands cupping in front of her as she rested her arms over the table, watching the man eat, waiting for him to be ready for their walk down to the tows center where they would join in with the great celebrations.


"Long have the days passed, that we struggled to live with the curse, the wolven curse of our domed ancestry. To bare upon us and take our people from their place, paining us in the struggles of a battle against the depths of hell itself. Today however we celebrate! For a young man, a great hero of our land has ridden us of the curse, has killed the last of the fowl beasts that have plagued our existence for so long. That man stands before us now, our hero, our champion, has arrived! Cain, step forward and receive us, receive the love and thanks that we give to you, for your effort, for your triumph!"

The great voice of the elder spoke clear in the minds and hearts of his people. Standing tall, yet holding a slight slouch in his old age, a great beard draping downwards in a white haze. The man moved to the side, a few paces bringing him clear of the front stage as he beckoned for the other, Cain, the fine hero to step forward and make his own speech. The resentful gaze that cast over the mans features as he stepped forward was clear for anyone who knew him, though in mind would pass it off as his disliking towards speaking over large crowds than anything else. The great roar and cheer that bellowed from the crowd, erupting into life as the man stepped forward, moving to his seemingly invisible podium.

"Thank you...Thank you all but, I don't know how much I truly deserve all this, it is not just me who has been battling the curse. We've all spent years of our lives fighting the curse, defending ourselves and that of each other, so it is truly to all of us that this honour should be placed. To all of us that this right should be held, we are all apart of a great town and one who has struggled together, to win over all..."

The cheers of the crowd echoed into the diminishing light of the sun, grasping outwards to the man at the head of him as his words trailed off. The voices filling his head once more, that feeling from yesterday seemed to be falling over his body again, senses wavered into confusion as his mind filled with the grasping noise from around. Pain struck his ears, the noise deafening, hurting him, hands flying to his head brought sounds of shock and confusion from the crowd. Knees coiling slightly as he hunched over, the sounds only getting louder as people cried out in fear and confusion for their hero's seemingly suffering form. Jawline ripping open as silent cries were trying to escape, anger filling his soul, wanting nothing more than to escape, to release, to kill.

A sudden change, a singularity clarified itself once more as a woman's voice rang clean through the rest of the deafening yells. His sister, her touch had come once more, a delicate hand placing itself over his shoulder as she spoke in that gentle tone again, lifting her voice to his ear, her lips coming close to his own face. The smell living within his senses just as it had done the day before, her heart, beating in that perfect chest was heard, desire taking his thoughts as he felt her gentle touch. A great breath slipping from his lips as he exhaled once more, the voices dissipating and a calm returning again.

"I\m alright, just a bit shaken up, guess my bodies still not entirely recovered from yesterday, can we go back to the house?"

His voice was low, quiet and pained to a certain degree, responding from her questions of his suffering.

"Of course, I'll take you home..."

Her own voice trailing off, some concern held within those words, eyes glistening in curiosity and worry as she allowed an arm to wrap its way around her shoulder.

"Your hero is still tired from his great battle, I'm sure my father has told you all of his conquest, he wishes to rest but wants you all to share a fantastic celebration and once her recovers a little, he will try and return to you all. Thank you. "

The words spoken from those soft lips, the two carried their way off the platform, as the band sprung into life and played them out, the crowds parting for their movements as the two figures moved slowly back up the gentle hill to reach the pale house atop it.