Ok, this is just an excerpt from near the beginning of the first book. I'll get the prologue and first chapter up once I get them over to this computer. I do have some older stuff posted somewhere, but it's outdated, andmostly re-written, so if anyone's interested, I can get that up soon, too.. Rated PG-13 for lauguage, and some stuff coming later on.
Sam glanced idly at the book she held, her search still fruitless after three hours. She had several books strewn about her, some falling off the small table in the library, others already fallen and some still open half-heartedly on the table. Her last attempt using the books led her no where and it was the most likely of the books, well, in her opinion. The Last of the Lines of the Kings: The Ralgan to the Andgua. Sam had cried out to her friend Luke that she had found something when she saw Sarah Aldrich listed, but it showed no descendents. She then searched in vain for Andelli Watcher, before remembering Watcher was a later-given name to the knight. Luke had laughed at her, and suggested she try the lists to find the knight, but she knew (she couldn’t say how, but she knew) Andelli would be listed in the huge volume. If only she knew where…
“The Bastards of the Watchers from the 12th year of the reign of King Ganda Ralgan II and the 12th Watcher Rhiannon Sure-Sight” Sam read, skimming the list in hopes of finding something of interest.
Jonathyn “Jon” Star
Raylon “Ray-Ray” Day
Kinwana “Kila” Snow
Andale “Andy” Line*
Lysa Song
She stopped. “Luke!”
“Yeah?” he asked, walking out from behind a bookshelf, and dropping several thick volumes on the table, subsequently knocking several other volumes onto the floor.
“Take a look at this,” she pointed to the listing for Andale Line. “What does “andale” mean in the Watcher’s Tongue? The old version.”
“Andale.” he muttered, “Andale… Well, as a name is means true son, that much is known, but true son of what remains unclear. I think it may be true son of the Vale, but what Vale, or where is was located, I don’t know.”
Sam snorted. “True son it may mean, but I doubt it would be of a vale. Look at the list. It says “Bastards of the Watchers” so maybe it means true son of the Watcher?”
“Why would someone name a bastard a true son? You know as well as I do that would be stupid, especially as the surname is one of the common ones for those born without a name in the north.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, “Well, those of the northern east…”
“What?” Sam asked, “Wasn't that part of the Ralgan’s strong-hold before they ascended the throne?
Luke nodded. “But it makes you wonder…” He grabbed the nearest book and started flipping through the pages earnestly. He slammed the book shut, glanced at the title and snorted in disgust. “Hand me the book you have.” Sam handed it over, marking the pages she found with a slip of paper. “Good,” he murmured. “Here.” He shoved the book under her nose and pointed to a footnote on the page she marked.
“’The 12th Watcher had two true born sons, only one did she accept as her own. The other she disowned, and with that, took his name. He is listed as a bastard of the year she disowned him. He was 16 or 17 at the time, young for a Watcher, but old enough, in his mother’s eyes. The Watcher’s reasons for disowning him are still not known.’” She glanced down the small text until a name caught her eye. “‘Andelli,’” she whispered, “‘was renamed Andale Line, called Andy.’ Luke, we found him!” She looked happy for a moment, but her smile was short-lived, “But what of Sarah? Wait.. it says here ‘it is thought the kings daughter, Sari, is believed to have something to do with the Watcher’s strange behavior in regards to her son,’ but the time is off. She can’t be our Sarah, even by a different name. They lived about 100 years apart, if the time tables are correct.”
“We’re this close!” Sam sighed, exasperated after another day of fruitless searching.
“Ah,” Luke smiled slightly, “close, yet, so far.”
“Wipe that smirk off your face, Luke.”
“But it was funny,” he laughed. Sam sighed in mock defeat.
“No, this is funny,” she said as she threw a pillow at him.
“Not funny. Silly.” He grabbed the book she had out of her hands, least she throw that next.
“Pig-head,” she muttered.
“Oh, you’ve wounded my soul!” Luke cried as he fell on to a chair.
“Get up. We have work to do.”
“B-but, I’m dying. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Ooof!” he grunted as Sam threw another pillow at him, “ok, ok, I’ll work.”
She raised an eyebrow. “We’ll see.” Once he was out of sight, she smiled slightly to herself, “We’ll see.”
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Awkward sentence anyway.
