The Legend of Aarian

"A story Granny," Miriam begged, her red head bobbing with encouragement."A story you say?" Granny Neville asked, clapping her hands before her just as the log in the hearth caught fire, filling the single roomed hovel with bright golden light."Aye!" the children chimed together."If it be a story you seek, then it is a story you shall have." Granny folded her arms and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and looked to the captivated green eyes of the two children eagerly sitting before her."There was once a time in our not so distant past when our lands were prosperous, a time when our people were ruled by a just and noble King. A King whose throne was taken from him by the evil blade of his own cousin. "Our kingdom was lost and our beloved King's family scattered." She paused in thought for a moment, took in the wide eyes of youth before her and continued."Now our once thriving lands are wrought in ruin and our people suffer in sorrow and hunger.""Is there a hero, Granny?" Lionel asked his arms still wrapped about his little sister. He was eager, as he always was when granny told them stories, to see the wrongs that were committed against the innocent were set right."Aye, love. It was written by the hand of our King that in the midst of our darkest despair, when our lands are shroud in wickedness there will be two who will rise. Two who have been marked at birth by the hand of destiny to avenge evil. Only they have the power to free Aarian from the grasp of her enemy and return our lands to former glory."It is written that only when the evil that surrounds us is smitten and the rightful ruler sits on the throne will the lands of Aarian be prosperous, and her people thrive once more." The fire snapped and popped in her silence, warming the chilled air of the hovel, but her soul felt no warmth from the welcomed blaze. She knew what was to come and the truth of her tale."Is your story true?" Miriam asked, pushing away from her brother to stand before her guardian. "Will there be two warriors who will come and make Aarian good again?" "It is legend, child, the truth it holds is only for those who would believe."