Be the Hero (Book I)

Chapter III | Lets Just Be Friends

King Pharaoh's Castle: One Year Ago: Ben's P.O.V.

For hundreds of years there has been word of a prophecy. I have yet to see it until today. I've planned this for weeks, making sure to grow a thick beard concealing my face. I looked totally different from the drawling they had on my wanted posters.

I put on my cloak and prepared my bows and arrows. Putting my battered sword from The Banded Brothers I knew this could be a deadly mission, but I must know that prophecy. Whether it'll affect my future or not is beyond me.

I climbed out of my temporary tent and undid the tie on the post holding my horse Johnny Spirit. I had named after my deceased father Jonathan. I took some carrot bits out of my pocket and held them under his nose.  He ate them out of my hand as I patted his neck lovingly. 

   I got up onto him and yelled, "Yah!" I took hold of the reins and stayed low.  He galloped through the forest as I prepared myself mentally. 

*

    I arrived at the southeastern entrance of the castle, getting off Johnny Spirit.  I patted him once more before hiding behind a tree.  I picked up at rock, large enough to make noise but light enough for me to throw it far.  I threw it into a garden making the birds pecking at the ground flee in fright. 

   "Hey ! Cé a théann ann ?! Taispeáin tú féin !" A guard said in Irish, which to my benefit I understood.  I smirked as the guards carelessly left their posts. 

   I ran to the entrance door, slipping past the crack in it.  I walked down a hallway to find Pharaoh and his court.  To my advantage the king and his court seemed to be leaving for a meeting.  "Perfect," I whispered. 

  Under the king's chair laid three tablets.  I picked them up examining them.  This must be the prophecy, but why under a chair.  The king's a low life anyhow. 

   One tablet was in Irish, one in English, and one appeared to be in Latin.  I took out a dark powdery rock and some scroll paper, 

   I laid the paper flat on the stone, as I scribbled across the indentations of the words.  Once I got the words I placed the tablets back into place. 

   I ran back trough the hallway and out the door to be met by some guards.  Damn.  Damn damn.  I unsheathed my sword threatening the guards as they chanted. 

   Then I saw my horse slain on the ground.  "No!!!  Johnny!!"  It felt like my father died all over again. 

   "No way out is there Masked Peace?"  One of the guards asked, holding my wanted poster. 

   I chuckled nervously than ran with tears in my eyes, slightly blinding me.  The men followed me near Lake Taunta.  I stopped and looked back. 

   "Stop runnin' you bloody miscreant!"  A guard shouted waving his cheap sword around. 

   "Okay," I said and dive into the murky water behind me, keeping the scroll above the water as they cursed at me. 

   "Damn fool," he muttered walking away with his winded friend. 

   "I wouldn't go in those waters for nothin'.  Only a madman would think of jumpin' in a lake full of water serpents."