The blizzard in the north lasted for a week leaving Elise, Alana, Pierre, Rose and Aeron stranded in the cave. The storm would have breaks in it allowing the group to hunt small animals around the area. When the storm finally let up, the snow was about half the height of an average person. The group then gathered their stuff and started to head back to the village.
"Finally, we are heading back to town," said Elise while walking next to Alana and Rose. Her stomach made a growl that sounded like a hungry bear. Her face became flushed with embarrassment, but none of the girls seemed to be paying attention to it.
"Sounds like someone's hungry," said Aeron as he tried to hide his laughter.
Alana then angrily replied "Shut up Aeron, sometimes it is better to just not say anything."
"Yeah leave Elise alone," said Rose backing up Elise . The walk back to the village was hard because of the large amount of snow still piled up from the storm.
It took them half a day to find their way back to the village. When they returned, the people there had moved most of the snow around to the side of the road, leaving a clear path to walk through. The town seemed a little livelier than when they first arrived, children were playing in the street and people were working all around the village. The group headed back into the lone crow which was the inn that Elise's father owned. As they entered the inn, Elise's dad rushed from behind the counter to greet his daughter.
"Elise is that you?" asked her dad standing there in disbelief. He was trying to hold back his tears as he waited for a response.
Elise then says "Of course it's me. who else would I be?"
Her father hugged her tightly and said "I thought something terrible had happened to you. I'm glad you're okay."
"I missed you dad," said Elise as she started crying. Elise was trying to hold back her feelings the whole time she was with Aeron and the others, and it seemed that she had finally reached her limit. Her feelings started to reveal themselves as streams of tears began flowing from her eyes.
The others stood back a few feet to give Elise and her dad a moment. Her father then glanced over at group to see who his daughter had been traveling with. Their clothes were torn and ragged from being out in the wild for so long.
"So, you were the ones who convinced my daughter to go out to some dangerous tomb," said Elise's father with a sullenly tone. "I should have the guards come get you right now."
Pierre then replied "Wait mister you got it all wrong. She was helping us out that's all."
Elise father questioned Pierre "Look at her, she has bruises and cuts all over. Do you expect me to believe that she went with you on her own?"
Rose backed up Pierre "She offered to help us find the tomb. We didn't make her do anything."
Elise then pleaded with her father "These brave people are my friends. They saved my life several times." She then moved next to Pierre "He has put himself in danger to save me from a falling boulder and a beast. And if I were to put a value you on him saving me, I would say that I owe him my life."
"Even though we haven't known her for long, Elise is one of us now," said Aeron.
Elise's father was shocked at how the group was protecting his daughter. He started to see that they really cared for her.
Elise then asked "Please father, you have to believe me. My new friends would never hurt me."
He sighed and then responded, "I believe you." Elise's father looked at Pierre and said, "because you saved my daughter's life, I'm am forever indebted to you. You all can stay at this Inn for as long as you want and free of charge."
"Thank you, sir. You are truly too kind," said Alana.
"It is the least I could do," said Elise's Dad. "Now all of you should get some rest."
He took them upstairs to two room that were side by side. Aeron and Pierre went in one room while Alana and Rose went into the other. Aeron and Pierre were beyond exhausted so as soon as they laid on their beds they fell straight to sleep. They slept the entire day until it the sun was about to start anew and rise again. Aeron was awoken by the sounds of cawing crows early in the morning. Since he got up before Pierre, he decides to relax and take a look out of the window. The people of Aride were getting ready to start a long day of hard work. The voices of the villages could be heard coming from the streets below. He closed his eyes and took in a slow deep breath, which calmed his nerves. The sounds of the people reminded him of home. His mind paints a picture of the Palace in Kingsfall, bringing back memories of his family. The times he and Alana would walk around the city and go on little adventures together gave him a warm feeling. Then suddenly the palace became engulfed by a green flame that was similar to the ones he saw back in the tomb. He could see his entire family being burned by the creature he found chained up. It grabbed his father by the neck and said "It's your turn now. Fulfill your destiny." Aeron started sweating and his breathing became short and quick, then he felt someone grab his shoulder.
"Snap out of Aeron," said Pierre in concern for his friend. Aeron quickly turned his head to face Pierre. A single tear rolled down his cheek, which he wiped away. Pierre then says "This is the second time I've seen you like this. Tell me what's going on."
Aeron turned his head back toward the window "I have been having these visions."
"Visions, what do you mean?" replied Pierre.
Aeron continued to stare out of the window "Sometimes when I zone out, I see vivid images in my head. I think they are dreams, but they feel too real to be dreams."
"What types of images do you see?" asked Pierre.
"A green flame that destroys everything it touches," Aeron then turned back to face Pierre with a frighten look.
"Sounds scary. Now that I think about it, your chest mark it glows with an ominous green." Pierre then asked, "Do you think it may have something to do with that strange symbol on your chest?"
Aeron then thought to himself and he realized that the visions started when the symbol appeared. "I think you're right Pierre. What should I do about it?"
Pierre then responded "You should tell the other about it, especially your sister. Then we can find a way to deal with it."
Aeron didn't want to cause the others to worry, which was the reason why he hid the truth from everyone. "I don't want to be a burden to any of you and telling them would just cause them to worry about me."
Pierre couldn't understand Aeron's decision to continue to hide his visions from Alana and the others but just went along with it. "Okay, I won't say a word to them, unless there is an emergency."
Aeron agreed with Pierre and then they both got ready and headed down to the dining hall of the Inn. The girls were already downstairs sitting at a table, waiting for Pierre and Aeron so they could all eat together.
"What took you guys so long, we've been waiting down here forever", sarcastically exclaimed Rose.
"Shut up, we were taking our time," said Aeron while he went to go sit down next to Alana.
Alana stopped eating her food and turned towards Aeron "Good morning Aeron. How are you feeling?"
"I'm alright," responded Aeron before dipping his spoon into his soup.
Alana was suspicious "Why are you acting kind of strange?"
Aeron then quickly dismisses her question so he could enjoy his breakfast. She looked at him with an annoyed expression, but she decided to let it go. The tavern had more people eating than the first time they were in there, and it was a lot nosier. Elise came from the back of the Inn and sat down with the rest of the group. Her father decided that she should rest since she just got back. They all talk to each other enjoying each other's company. A group of 100 soldiers appears over the horizon of the village, with the flag of the Venied Empire. The towns people stop everything they were doing to clear the way for the soldiers coming through. The soldiers make their way to the middle of the town lead by a man with riding on a horse. The man had dark hair the color of freshly mined coal and his armor shined with no dents or scratches on it. Two of the soldiers set up a stand allowing the man to walk up and stand on it and give an announcement to the village. The man in the gleaming magnificent armor looked at one of the soldiers and nodded his head to signal him to continue. The soldier took out a horn that was attached to his waist and blew into it causing everyone in the village to gather around. The man waited for a large group of people to from a crowd before speaking.
"People of the village of Aride, I am Sir Baldwin. By order of the king, my men and I shall be occupying this town for a time being to prevent enemies from invading."
An old man in the crowd yelled out a question, "My lord, what enemies do you speak of? I thought weren't at war anymore."
Sir Baldwin laughed quietly and thought to himself "I thought the villagers that lived here were stupid farmer, maybe he's the only smart one here," he then responds to the old man's question. "King Emeric has declared war on all of the small surrounding nations, so that we can win back land that is rightfully ours."
The crowd of people were shocked at the news of the upcoming war, but Sir Baldwin brought everyone's attention back upon him. "Anyway, I will now be taking control of this area for now." He then pointed at a young man in the crowd "You there, take me to the village elder." Sir Baldwin followed the man down a road that led to the only other building with two floors in town other than the Inn.
Aeron and the others watched from the inside of the tavern so they wouldn't get discovered by the soldiers.
"Wait, I think I know him," said Aeron. "He's one of the thirteen royal knights of the Venied Empire"
Pierre then responded, "Your right, that's Sir Baldwin the 10th royal knight. He has a reputation as a powerful leader among the military. He is also known for having the upmost loyalty to the king"
Alana became struck with fear "Aeron, we can't let him find us here. Remember you still have to leave this country."
"Why does he have to leave? What so special about Sir Baldwin?" asked Elise. Even though they became friends, none of them had told her about who they really are.
"We are just…" He paused for a second and then turned his head away "not wanted here anymore". She could hear the sadness in his voice and decide not to dig any further.
Alana looked at the others with a serious face and asked "What should we do then?"
Aeron and Pierre began trying to come up with a way out the village without getting noticed by sir Baldwins' men. After bouncing idea off of each other the group finally came up with and the plan to leave after the sun goes down.
"Aeron and I are going to look for a way out of the village, where the guards can see us," said Pierre. "You guys stay here. Try to not let the guards see you. Aeron and Pierre put their cloaks and walked out of the tavern.
When they walked outside the soldiers and villagers started to fortify the town defenses. It was mandatory for males villagers over the age of 16 to work when the military requested assistance. The sounds of hammers and yelling filled the air of the barren town. Aeron and Pierre tried to stay away from the center of the village, since there was a lot of soldiers present.
They passed a small building at the entrance of the village. There was a window with thin wooden bars with a man sitting behind. A sign was hanging above the window with the words "local notices board." Aeron and Pierre walk to the side of the building and see a bunch of Papers posted up on them. Pierre then starts to talk to the man inside the building "Excuse me, what is this building for?"
The man had a wooden pipe with smoke emitting out of the end while the other was in his mouth. He was also reading a book titled "Distance Empires". The man gave a quick glance at Pierre and then returned his eyes back to his book.
He took a deep breath and a brilliant red light filled the bowl then it returned to gray bowl of ash. He then let fog of smoke into the air before answering, "Can't you read boy? Read the sign," bitterly said the man.
Pierre responded "I read it, but I just wanted to clarify with you."
The man thought to himself "I knew these peasants were dumb, but this is ridiculous. This is why I hate living out in the backwater towns." He then bent a corner of the page he was reading and close the book, "This is a Local notice board. I get request from villagers and post them on the sideboard out there, and people can choose to take the job or not."
"Do you get messages from other places like the capital?" asked Pierre while he took his hood off.
That was the first time the man had ever heard anyone ask about outside the village, he became intrigued with his question. "We do, but no one in this village takes time to read them except the village elder." He then asked, "You must not be from here, where are you from boy?
"I'm from the Kingsfall," said Pierre.
The man's attitude changes completely from before, "Why didn't you say that before young sir. I thought you were a native here." The man placed his pipe down and then continued, "I from there too, I was station here from my old job. I'm quite the unlucky fellow you know."
While Pierre was talking to the man, Aeron was still looking at the different notices. There were so many papers on the board it looked like no one had taken one down for months. He looked at one of the recent papers on top and there was a drawling on it.
"So young sir, I recent heard news of a the-"
The paper read "The Third Prince Charged with Treason." Aeron tapped Pierre on the shoulder and said, "I think it's time to go."
"Perhaps we can have a civilized conversation later," said the man who was sadden that Pierre had to leave.
Aeron and Pierre spent most of the day looking for different ways out the village that weren't guarded. They come across a small path that leads out the back of the village near a group of houses. They then head back to the Lone crow to tell everyone about their new plan. While Aeron and Pierre began telling the others of their plan, a soldier walked into the tavern and sat down a table across the room. The soldier was out of the sight of the group and he closely listen to the conversation writing their plan down on a piece of paper.