Sneak Peak -THALIA The Seer

Thalia

The Seer

Chapter 1

Mesmerized by the beauty of the day, I meandered my way through the lush flora of the forest behind our house to clear my mind. Every day I would explore different pathways to better familiarize myself with our new surroundings.  Soon I found myself at the edge of a big meadow that was framed by rolling hills across the other side. I sat down at the base of a large field maple tree, leaned back on the trunk then closed my eyes for a second as I breathed in all the sweet smells of the earth. A soft breeze swept across my face. I opened my eyes and watched as golden leaves floating off the tree down towards my lap. I counted ten so far that had fallen. Picking one up I flipped it over and studied the many veins that spread across it like an intricate road map with the vibrant colors of fall, creeping across each leaf. 

I gazed at the rolling hills spread out before me also changing color to the burnt oranges, deep crimsons and bright yellows with spots of green here and there from the season passed. Autumn was my favorite time of the year. 

A gust of wind out of nowhere blew a few strands of my hair wildly in front of my eyes, and as I pulled them back into place, I noticed a little bird flying aimlessly about over my head. It landed on one of the big branches in the tree stretched out above me. With its speckled beak, it started to diligently groom itself. I giggled to myself as I watched it fluff its feathers burying its beak deep into its plumage. 

As I sat there amused at the bird preening itself. My ears perked when I heard the faint sound of pounding hooves off in the distance, that grew louder by the second. I looked in both directions and all around to be able to see from which direction the sound was coming. The little bird that I had been observing flew down to the ground in front of me and said, “They’re coming!” then flew off.

The air turned cold, and the soft breeze turned to a howling wind. Dark clouds drew together forming a grey blanket across the sky throwing long dark shadows onto the ground. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and an eerie feeling came over me.

Seconds later over the hillside like ants, came an army of men on horseback. They were shouting war cries that made my skin prick. I have never seen anything like this before. “What were they doing? Where were they going? Were we being invaded?” All these questions were running through my mind as I sat frozen with fear. I couldn’t move from my spot.

They thundered past not paying me any attention whatsoever, like I wasn’t even visible to them, but then the last one in the group rode over and stopped just short of me, looked my way and said something in a language I didn’t know. “Sali was machush Du do chilies Midli? Du muesch em Kӧnig vo Neapel sӓge dass mir esies Kӧningrich edringe wӓrde, um dr rechtmaßigi Aspruch uf dr Angevin Thron zruck erobere,” I scrambled to my feet and ran in the opposite direction away from him as fast as my feet could take me. Stumbling over a root on the surface of the ground brought me quickly to my knees and fell into a thorny shrub. Covering my mouth with my hand and bowing my head down towards my lap, I tried to muffle my cries, so he wouldn’t hear me. Shivering and shaking I couldn’t move.

A loud clattering sound startled me and made me jump…how odd…I could smell something baking. I opened my eyes to find myself lying in my own bed warm and safe staring at my ceiling.  I shook my head a bit and rubbed my eyes, in hopes of erasing the memories of yet another horrifying dream. I just wish I could make them stop.

.....COMING SOON!!!