Prelude
She ran through the dark woods, with only the faint moonlight filtering through the trees as her guide. The bale of the hounds sounded behind her. Panic filled her heart as the dogs crashed through the underbrush getting closer. She willed her feet to move faster, but blistered and raw they would not respond as they stumbled across the rough forest floor leaving a trail of blood. Her once elegant dress was now tattered and torn from her long journey. Her body quaked with exhaustion and from the many bruises and cuts covering her. Suddenly, her foot slipped from under her and she stumbled to her knees. Desperately she clung to a bundle wrapped inside a blanket in her arms. She pushed back the frabic to find her treasure, her reason for living, still sleeping soundlessly. She wrapped her love back up and got to her feet.The sounds of the dogs was growing closer, along with the men who lead them. Again she raced through the forest, dodging through trees and bushes, scraping her legs and arms. She could hear the men behind her now, coming upon her. For so long she had so long avoided them. Days and weeks seemed to blend together into one everlasting nightmare. She ducked behind a tree to catch her breath, her body quivering with fear. The treasure she held in her arms began to stir; a small cry came from under the blanket.
She pulled the bundle to her cheek, “Hush my love, everything will be alright,” she cooed, trying to hide the panic in her voice. Suddenly, a piercing pain struck her lower back. She bit her lip to hold back the scream. She reached around to find a wooden shaft protruding from the middle of of her back it. Warm blood flowed over her hand as she reeled fom the pain. Steeling herself against the pain she forced her legs to move. Slowly, she began to run, every movement bringing piercing agony. She ran through the darkness, praying to the Light to save her love from the men who pursed her. In the distance, she could faintly see lights through the forest. As the lights became closer, she could see it was a complex of some kind, with a wall surrounding several large buildings and what seemed to be steeple. Stumbling through the underbrush, she made her way to a small wooden door in the wall, still she could hear her pursuers close behind her. She banged on the door with all the strength left in her. A few moments passed before she finally heard foot stops eochoing on the otherside. The bolt slid open and an elderly man with a neatly trimmed white beard, dressed in a simple gray robe, opened the door a crack. He took one glance at her and stepped out of the door.
“Are you all right child?” He said with grave concern, wrapping his arm around the woman’s waist to lend his support.
“Please take this, keep it safe,” she said as she pushed the blanket in his arms, “Please,” she pleaded. The elderly man took the bundle carefully as he looked at the pain in the woman’s eyes. She leaned over the bundle, pulled the fabric aside and kissed her treasure’s head, “I love you,” she said as tears fell from her cheek. She turned to the elderly man, “Thank you,” she said in a shallow breath. She turned and raced back into the woods. In a moment she was gone. The elderly man looked down at the small bundle in his arms and wondered.
