Revelation: Son of Trojeim (Book 1)

Chapter 2 "Unfamiliar Faces and Outlandish Music"

The remaining drops from last night's deluge clung to the windowpanes of the monastery and crept down the clear surface. Father Hubert walked up the stairs with a young Madeline following behind him with a basket of folded sheets and clothes. As they approached the upper floor, he stopped at one of the closer doors.

"Madeline, we had a guest arrive last night, who will be staying with us for a while. Do you think that you could check on him to see if he's awake?" he asked.

She nodded causing a strand of her hair to fall from her bandana. "Sure thing, Father Hubert!"

Having still been awake at the time, Madeline heard the visitors arrive last night during the storm. She had been sure to watch from her window to try and catch a glimpse of the strangers. The door let out a slight squeak as she carefully pushed it inward, after twisting the knob.

"Excuse me," she whispered, "are you awake yet?"

Before Madeline could take another step into the room, she was tackled and pinned to the floor by a flurry of gray fur. Bewildered blue eyes stared into hers and were looking for answers.

"Oaq sitî-sauv?!" he barked out in her face. "Àu soas-ij?!"

She didn't understand what he was spewing but that didn't quite matter in getting her legs against his stomach to throw him off.

"Get off of me!"

The body of the mongoose made a loud thud as he fell back before Father Hubert rushed in. He swung the door open to see Madeline scramble back up while the mongoose was still sprawled across the floor.

He stepped in between the two of them to protect Madeline and glared at their visitor. Meanwhile, Madeline had recovered from her shock and was about to start swinging at the mongoose.

"What is going on here?" he said sternly.

The mongoose recovered from his position on the floor and switched his gaze back and forth from the two strangers. Father Hubert tried to pull Madeline behind him again but she noticed that he was more confused than he was vicious.

"Are you okay?" Madeline lowered her hands and adjusted her hair before taking a cautious step towards him. "It's okay, you don't have to be afraid. What's your name?"

The mongoose looked at her and to her hands before calming his breathing. His ash brown hair was a tussled mess from sleeping and sections of his coal gray fur stuck up at odd angles. Finding some form of a calming aura in Madeline's spring emerald eyes, he was able to think clearly and formulate his response.

"S-Sorry," he began with a heavy accent, "I am Fredrik. I do not know many Veronian. I am from Trojeim."

Father Hubert tensed up and watched Madeline walk over to him before lightly chopping him on the head. Seeing that the threat was from a state of displacement rather than animosity he managed to relax his mind.