The History of Rekaz

By The Sacred Order

      A young man sat on horseback, his proud chin lifted with confidence. He stared off toward the eastern horizon. Campfires were seen against the darkness of the distant hills. A small breeze from the east carried the echoes of drums.

      "Brother, don't go," a little girl tugged on her brother's leg. "Please don't go."

      He smiled gently down at the innoccent girl. Her eyes were wet but she fought to hold the tears back. "She needs me," he declared in a deep, yet gentle voice.

      "Let the dwarf-lover go!" shouted a middle-aged woman. She stood a good distance away, close to the Eastern Highport Gate. "Go live among the dwarves, you pathetic sot!" Another little girl was held tightly in her arms. She is the twin of the first. The girl was silent. Her face was expressionless, sadness and anger numbed away in time.

      "Mother," sorrow filled the young man's voice, "I am sorry things turned out like this between us."

      "Sorry?" the woman scowled, "You're sorry!? I'm sorry I ever brought you into the world! I did not raise my children to be dwarf-loving drunks!"

      "Mother..." the man pleaded.

      "Don't 'mother' me! Get out of my sight! I don't know you!"

      "Mother, she needs my help!"

      "Then go to her! But don't ever come home!"

      The young man turned his head away from his mother reluctantly. He released a long, sad sigh. He quickly lifted his head again, and drove his boots into the side of his steed, "Hyahh!" The horse began to gallop quickly toward the eastern mountains.

      "Brother!" the first girl screamed, "Brother! Come back!"

      "Come back here, Rekaz!" her mother snatched her, "Come back here! I don't want you growing up like your brother! Don't you be like that sot!"

      The girl threw her arms out, tears flowing from her eyes. "Drefan! Come back!" she cried.

zap

      "Mother, I don't wanna go!" Rekaz whined to her mother. The woman wrestled the little girl's hands free of her legs and tossed her into the carriage.

      "You and your sister are going to Sigil, and you two are going to school!" the mother declared, "I don't want you two ending up anything like your brother!"

      "I don't wanna go!" Rekaz continued.

      "You shut your mouth! Why can't you be like your sister? Jun get in." Jun emerged slowly, silently from behind her mother and climbed into the carriage. Not a word escaped her lips. Her face remained expressionless. The mother closed the door and bid her daughters goodbye.

      "Hyahh!" the coachman yelled, and the whip cracked. The cart began its journey.

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      The cart rolled slowly along the Tradefare Road, its wheels clacking upon every bump. Rekaz moved anxiously around in the cart, darting to catch every glimpse of the scenery.

      "Don't you ever sit still?" scowled Jun. Jun sat adamantly in her seat. Her lips moved, but her face seemed lifeless.

      "You're so boring, now," Rekaz complained, "You don't play anymore. You just sit around and tell me to shut up!"

      "Well you should shut up!"

      "I don't wanna shut up! I wanna go home!"

      "Shut up!"

      "This is a stick up!" a harsh voice bellowed from the road. Suddenly, the cart came to an abrupt halt. The horses' snorts became cries of fear.

      "Bandits!" Jun exclaimed, "Hide!" she tucked herself into the corner of the cart.

      "I'm not scared of no bandits!" Rekaz said. She stuck her head out of the cart and screamed, "You leave us alone you bad bandits! My brother's gonna kick your--" A scream and gurgle interrupted Rekaz's threat. The body of the coachman fell down onto the road. The horses shrieked again, and the cart flew forward. The sudden jolt threw Rekaz out the cart. The little girl shrieked as the cart left her behind.

      "What have we got here!" a bandit approached her, knife in hand. "A little girl! Just what am I going to do with you?" Several more bandits appeared and encircled the frightened girl.

      "Y-Y-You b-better watch yourself!" Rekaz stuttered, "My brother's g-gonna b-b-beat you all up!"

      "Is t-t-that so?" a bandit mocked her. He began to step toward her. A low snarling stopped the man in his steps. "What the hell is that noise?" He turned around to meet a tiger poised to attack. "Run!" he exclaimed as he turned and ran. But the tiger pounced.

      "Run!" another bandit screamed. They all turned in different directions, but it was too late. A family of tigers had encircled the bandits. Slowly, they moved in.

      Rekaz frantically pulled herself to her feet and fled aimlessly into the woods. A young tigress scurried along by her side, guarding the girl - the, now, young druid...