06-25-2009, 05:58 AM
3)
Sammie was in bad shape, but it wasn't life threatening. At least that's what they'd been told. How she had gotten in that state was another matter entirely. Marcus was sitting in a chair next to the bed that Sammie had been laid upon. Daniel was standing beside him, gazing thoughtfully down at the child. "Do you know her?" Daniel asked quietly.
"My niece." Marcus replied, burying his face in his hands. "She has a brother as well. Alston. I wonder how he could have let this happen! Their mother...my sister, died six months ago, but I thought the castle was no place for them. Too much corruption. Too much greed. Alston claimed that he was old enough to watch over her. I never should have listened."
Daniel placed a hand on the older man's shoulder. "You don't know yet that it was his fault. Besides, I know those two as well. Alston and I grew up together, and I know that he's strong. Whatever happened to Sammie, he probably didn't know about it." Or he's dead. Daniel didn't want to say that aloud, and the thought made a horrible pain grip his heart. "I'm going to Javon." He announced. "The village may need help. Keep an eye on your niece."
"Danny!" His mother exclaimed fearfully. "Not by yourself." She grabbed his arm, trying to stop him. He shook her off, heading for the door. He didn't want to be cold to his mother, but this was not the time to argue with her. "Please, Danny!" She called after him.
Robin came running just as Daniel headed into the stables. "What's going on?" She demanded of Daniel's mother, who was sobbing inconsolably.
"Sammie..." She whispered, pointing to the inside of the house, where Sammie lay upon the bed, with Marcus beside her.
Marcus had half risen when Daniel had announced that he was headed for Javon, but he couldn't bring himself to leave his niece. She might need him. Besides, Daniel was no weakling. If Javon was in trouble, he'd help them. He had to place his trust in the boy. Right now, he had no other choice. It was his fault that she was like this. He should have forced Sammie and Alston to move in with him after their mother had died. Then he would have been able to protect them.
"Go after him." Marcus told Robin. "He'll need your help. Sammie's my niece, so I-I have to stay by her in case she needs me."
Robin nodded in understanding. "He's headed for Javon, then." She ran towards the stable, and saddled her horse quickly. Daniel didn't have that much of a head start, so she should be able to catch up with him quickly.
Marcus bowed his head, wanting to tear his hair out in frustration. He could just sit there and wait.
"Uncle Marcus?" A sweet, childish voice asked hesitantly.
Sammie was in bad shape, but it wasn't life threatening. At least that's what they'd been told. How she had gotten in that state was another matter entirely. Marcus was sitting in a chair next to the bed that Sammie had been laid upon. Daniel was standing beside him, gazing thoughtfully down at the child. "Do you know her?" Daniel asked quietly.
"My niece." Marcus replied, burying his face in his hands. "She has a brother as well. Alston. I wonder how he could have let this happen! Their mother...my sister, died six months ago, but I thought the castle was no place for them. Too much corruption. Too much greed. Alston claimed that he was old enough to watch over her. I never should have listened."
Daniel placed a hand on the older man's shoulder. "You don't know yet that it was his fault. Besides, I know those two as well. Alston and I grew up together, and I know that he's strong. Whatever happened to Sammie, he probably didn't know about it." Or he's dead. Daniel didn't want to say that aloud, and the thought made a horrible pain grip his heart. "I'm going to Javon." He announced. "The village may need help. Keep an eye on your niece."
"Danny!" His mother exclaimed fearfully. "Not by yourself." She grabbed his arm, trying to stop him. He shook her off, heading for the door. He didn't want to be cold to his mother, but this was not the time to argue with her. "Please, Danny!" She called after him.
Robin came running just as Daniel headed into the stables. "What's going on?" She demanded of Daniel's mother, who was sobbing inconsolably.
"Sammie..." She whispered, pointing to the inside of the house, where Sammie lay upon the bed, with Marcus beside her.
Marcus had half risen when Daniel had announced that he was headed for Javon, but he couldn't bring himself to leave his niece. She might need him. Besides, Daniel was no weakling. If Javon was in trouble, he'd help them. He had to place his trust in the boy. Right now, he had no other choice. It was his fault that she was like this. He should have forced Sammie and Alston to move in with him after their mother had died. Then he would have been able to protect them.
"Go after him." Marcus told Robin. "He'll need your help. Sammie's my niece, so I-I have to stay by her in case she needs me."
Robin nodded in understanding. "He's headed for Javon, then." She ran towards the stable, and saddled her horse quickly. Daniel didn't have that much of a head start, so she should be able to catch up with him quickly.
Marcus bowed his head, wanting to tear his hair out in frustration. He could just sit there and wait.
"Uncle Marcus?" A sweet, childish voice asked hesitantly.