The rain fell steadily across the land. Thunder rumbled and the lighting rattled across the open plains. King Everest stood on the rampart of the castle and observed the gathering horde as his gate.  He watched as his noble men prepared for the coming attack. The king stood in his armor, feeling the rain pelt on his shield, and felt the pain of coming defeat.  His guardsmen stood no chance against the attackers but he knew they would not surrender. For a hundred generations, his family stood watch at the great keep and protected the realm. He now faced a terrible decision. His wife and his new born daughter both stood in the keep. The great king knew his forces were not strong enough to stand against the outcast military.  He stared at the horde before him. “Greglan!” the king shouted. Without warning or sign a dark figure appeared at his side. Greglan was one of the kings’ closest and oldest friend.  He was a classically trained assassin, one of the dark few who survived the training. He had one job, to kill at his Kings command.  “Sire, do we know where they came from?” The king turned to him and sighed. “Our scouts report seeing several banners, none of which were recognized.  Helenam  says he has seen several signs of dark magic, which could only mean outcast. Frankly it makes no difference, they outnumber us 20 to 1.” Greaglan couldn’t be sure but he could have sworn he had seen a flicker of terror in his kings eyes. What ever he saw, it quickly disappeared and now the kings expression was one of supreme confidence.  The king placed his hand on his friends shoulder and motioned towards a doorway behind them. “Come my friend, let’s have a word.” He turned to his fist commander.  “Desmund, don’t let them start the battle till I get back.”  The commander smiled and nodded his head. “Of corse sire, I wouldn’t dream of it.” The king headed through the door followed by Greaglan. They walked down the corridor into a well lit room with a raging fire in the fireplace. The room was quite small and only had a table two chairs and a crib. The queen stood by the crib watching her tiny daughter sleep quietly despite the noise from the army outside. The king crossed the round room and embraced his queen. She was dressed in a priests armor, clearly ready for the coming fight. Greglan stopped and bowed his head. “My lady.” She looked at him with bright blue eyes, swollen from obvious tears. She stepped over to him and threw her arms around his neck. He hugged her back.

The king walked over to the table and set his shield against the wall, took his sword off and laid it next the shield and sat down heavily into one of the chairs. The queen sat next to him and they both stared at him. “The truth is,” the king said. “We are quite sure they are the decendents of the outcast, and the hard truth is we don’t have the military might to defeat them. Some of the advisors anticipate the castle will fall in just hours.”  Greaglan finally understood the fear he saw earlier. “What will you have me do sire?” The king looked at his queen and back to his friend. “You must take Alisa and get her to safety.” His hand gestured towards the crib and the sleeping child. Greaglan was visibly shaken but the command. “But sire, I, my place is by your side in battle, I have no experience with children.” He stammered . the king raised his hand and Greglan stopped. There are none here who can get her out of this castle undetected. You are the only one who can save her.”  The cold assassin could see tears welling up in the queens eyes as well as the kings. “to what event sire, what shall I do with her?!”  “She must survive.” The king responded. “I wish I had a better answer but I am afraid it all I have.” Greaglan made another attempt to sway the king. “Can the priest not port her out of here?” The queen responded. “We can use no magic; the dark wizards will detect it and find her.”  Greaglan searched both faces for several moments. “I beg of you Greaglan, please, do this.” The king stood and knelt down one knee in front of his longtime friend the queen followed, fully aware of the sacrifice he was asking of him. Greaglan grabbed the kings shoulders and pulled min to his feet.  No member of the dark league would ever, for any reason, leave their king to battle; it was the worst type of dishonor. The two men stood eye to eye for a moment.” Okay” said greaglan. “As you wish sire, my lady, my friends.” The king hugged him and thanked him in tears, the queen also hugged as she sobbed.

There was a knock at the door, Commander Navic steeped into the room closing the door behind him. “Sire, I hope you have talked him into it, because the attack has begun. They have started the attack on the main gate.” The king nodded and turned to his wife. They exchanged glances and he stepped over to the crib and placed his hand on his young daughters head and shed a single tear, “Be safe my love.” The commander looked at Greaglan.  “Don’t envy your journey my friend but if anyone can protect the young princess, it is you.” The commander stepped over to Greglan and stuck out his hand. Greaglan grabbed it and hugged another lifelong friend. “I will protect her with my life.” The commander began to chuckle. The king turned and looked at the commander and gave a quizzical look. The queen matched the stare. Navic looked at him and said “I just had an image in my mind of Greglan the dark as a nurse maid.”  Both the king and the queen smiled at the comment. “

“Commander, lets give this man all the time he needs to get Alisa out of here.” The king grabbed his shield and sword and headed towards the door, he stopped and turned to Greglan and held his sword in front of his chest, the commander also saluted. “Death before dishonor!” they said. Greglan returned the salute.  The two opened the door and walked back to the overlook to join the battle.  The Queen moved over to the crib and stared at the sleeping infant. “Thank you Greglan.” She said. “She will survive, I swear it.” He responded.  She picked up the child and walked over to him. “I know” she handed him the baby and he placed her in his arm under his cloak. “Where will you go?” she asked. He looked at the queen and shook his head. “ I am not sure at the moment. I have a friend who is the leader of a werewolf village some distance from here, it a good place to start.” She nodded “there is an old priest that lives in the ruby forest, he has long since retired, but he can help you if you need it.  His name is Haglaw. Her mother is a priest so she will some training at some point.” ‘Yes ma am.” he Said. “Good bye my love.” She said with a hand on his cloak. The queen stoodup strait and gathered a stern look on her face. She swept out the door to join her husband. Greglan opened his cloak and stared at the infant fast asleep in his left arm. He fashioned a sling out of his scarf and tucked the baby under his arm. He glanced at her one more time. “All right my little lady, it is time for us to make our escape. He pulled the hood over his head and slipped out the door.

As he glided silently down the deserted corridors, the sound of battle was steadily intensifying. Thoughts kept racing through his mind. He was the last person in the kingdom who should be a stand in parent. He was a member of the dark order, a league of highly trained assassins, not nurse maids. Despit that fact he could not nor would not deny his king and queens request. A moment of pain went through his mind at the thought of them. They would not survive the night. Greglan was headed for the east entrance, it was small and would give him access to the east woods, there he could easily disappear. With any luck he could make Warwick village in five days. His mind kept dwelling on the daunting task of raising a child, a daughter at that and to what end? Alisa was also the daughter of a powerful priestess. How could he possibly prepare for her time of ascendance, he knew nothing of the powers of light.