The Tale of Three Brothers

The Tale of Three Brothers

Chapter 1 ~ The Beginning

This story is about my brothers and me. Through the abuse of our wretched childhood and training we stood together and still stand together now. I was the ‘Chosen One’, the one to fulfill our father, Joseph’s wish. I’m getting ahead of myself - I’ll go back to the beginning.

Joseph was our father. Joseph was the royal advisor to the great King Benjamin and his son, Prince Andrew. Joseph loved power and he only wanted more. The urge and Joseph’s lust for power took over and he decided to take the throne of the kingdom Janue, himself. Ben had to go out of town one night and he asked Joseph to come with him.

On their return home, a thunderstorm erupted. Joseph stopped the carriage abruptly. Ben stuck his head out the door. Joseph jumped down from the driver seat and landed in the mushy road. He was covered in mud and soaked to the bone when he entered the carriage; he sat down on the opposite side of Ben. All Ben saw before he died, was a glint of a metal object being thrown at him as a bolt of lightning sprang from a dark thunder cloud. Joseph shred the curtains, his clothes, and Ben’s clothes. He took apart the carriage and threw their belongings all over the street. Joseph put Ben’s corpse on his shoulders and returned home to the castle the next morning. No would suspect what Joseph had done, especially after the story he had told everyone about being attacked by a gang of men from the hills.

Joseph had a special journal that he'd write in everyday. He'd write down every single detail and event in the day before he'd go to sleep. Joseph's journal was his downfall.

It wasn’t until ten years later, the truth came out. Andrew had found Joseph’s journal. Andrew had accidentally mixed the journal up with one of his school books and discovered the real cause of his father’s death. Word spread quickly across the castle that Joseph had killed Ben. Joseph tried to flee but Andrew stopped him. Joseph scurried up the castle stairs and found himself cornered by Andrew on the castle rooftop. A thunderstorm as dark and gloomy as the night Ben died took course. It made the polished marble stone of the castle slippery. Joseph slipped and slid across the roof. He flew off the castle edge and found himself holding onto a gargoyle’s head with his left hand, his sword in his right hand.

“Let me help you” Andrew yelled above the wind and thunder. Joseph swung at Andrew but lost his grasp of the gargoyle. Joseph plunged into the muddy moat below. When he smacked face first into the mud his head hit a rock and his sword was thrust into his gut.

Joseph pulled the sword free and slowly inched his way to the bank. With one last groan he pulled himself out of the water. Joseph collapsed on the grass and his sword started to sink into the mud. His eyes fluttered open when he heard faint splashes.

He looked up to see his family all soaked to the bone. They all had sapphire blue eyes and matching dark brown hair that clung to their faces. Joseph’s wife, Stefani, and seven year old Samuel bent down next to Joseph. Five year old Ryley, held his one year old sister, Dakota, close to him, trying to keep her dry.
“Stefani”, Joseph whispered, “You must promise me something.”

“Yes my love”, Stefani replied, “Anything for you.”

“Your next son will kill Andrew. Train him” Joseph moaned, then closed his eyes, never to open them again.

Stefani and Samuel carried Joseph back to their village. The village consisted of women and their children who all thought Joseph should be King. The next morning, when the earth was dry, Joseph was buried. Samuel and Ryley returned back to where our father had died, to take his sword. When they returned to the burial site, they placed the sword on Joseph’s tomb.

Eight months later twins Hayden and Heather were born to the new King Andrew and his wife Queen Lisa. I was born in a small village called Hoobasa which means evil. People thought we still wanted to get rid of Andrew - well some of us did. We left Janue, after Andrew banished us from the kingdom. Andrew banished us - as I said before - because he thought we were out to kill him.

Finding a new home was difficult for the Hoobasas. Not very many countries really wanted a village full of "evil" people to be among them. One day while my brothers were out exploring the woods they found a small oasis. The Hoobasas set up their tents and made their new homes.

The small oasis wasn't enough for our village and the water ran out. There wasn't any water or food unless we went to Janue.

As soon as I could walk, I started training. Everday the children ran around the village ten times..... running around the village once would be a quarter mile. Once we were all done running we'd spilt up into two groups - boys and girls. The boys would go with my mother while the girls went with another lady.

My mother trained me the hardest since I was going to become King. She thought it was best to have a strong King who was a good warrior unlike Andrew. My mother hated Andrew for reasons I'd never know why. She wouldn't tell me and I wasn't going to ask her - she'd probably slap me or worse claw me with her claws. I was always slower and weaker than the other boys and I’d be thrashed if I didn’t work till I passed out. I wasn’t allowed to yell or shed a tear as I was being thrashed or I’d get extra lashes. My brothers would let me cry in our tent at night they wouldn’t tell mother.

My brothers always knew how to cheer me up. I guess I was able to cheer them up without even trying being the goof ball that I was. When mother, Dakota, and the women were away my brothers would teach me how to fight barehanded. I got Samuel good in the nose once. Ryley would’ve smacked my head if I hit him in the nose and made it bleed. Sam just ruffled my hair and said, “Good one!” I didn’t get to see my older sister much, she was always with the women learning to cook, tend a house, and fight.