Edmund rubbed his face with his palm and yawned, he stretched his aching body. He was tired but he knew he dare not take the day off, his mother was still working on the farm, it was time for early planting of potatoes, he knew their survival depended on it, but he didn't like farming.
His mother has always called him "Lazy" but he didn't see himself as being lazy, he just wasn't meant for farming, he wanted to be like his Father, a warrior but whenever he brought up the issue of learning swordsmanship his mother would refuse downright claiming it would lead to his destruction, "it's better to live a silent life of farming" she claims.
His mother had told him to get some rest when she saw that he was showing signs of being tired, they have been working since morning. He was hungry but he knew if he should go out to ask his mother for food, he would resume work after eating. He decided to rest some more before going out, it was better to endure hunger than to endure working on the farm.
He was about lying down when his mother came in, he gasped. "I was about coming out to ask for my food then join you on the farm" he blurted.
"About coming out or going back to sleep" she retorted.
"No Mom, you know I would never leave you alone on the farm while I doze off here" he responded with a fake smile, well where is my food?
Mrs Harry brought out Bread and Cheese, we have some leftover bread and cheese, she said bringing the food out at the same time.
"What!! I thought we took that this morning and some of the bread were moldy already, is that we are gonna eat again" Edmund exclaimed. "You know food can't get wasted, we have to make good use of the little we have" Mrs Harry replied dishing out the food.
"I don't think am going to eat that, what about the apple I saw on the table this morning, can I have that? His mother gave him the three pieces of apples they had left. He mouthed a thank you and made a bite into the apple hungrily
"You can have the bread to yourself, am not eating anyways" Edmund said with his mouth filled with Apples, his mother responded by drawing the plate nearer to herself
"How could she eat that moldy substance she called bread" Edmund thought within himself
"Go check those traps if they caught anything in the evening, probably we can have a decent meal" Mrs Harry said.
"Okay ma'am" Edmund replied.
*****************
Mrs Harry ate the bread silently looking at her son Edmund, he was growing up into adulthood and exhibiting some of his father's trait, he was now metamorphosing from the young, innocent and gentle Edmund she knew into a wild, picky and easily angered lad just like his father.
He had taken a liking for archery and swordsmanship and was always sneaking out to Mr Smith smithy just to learn swordsmanship from the blacksmith.
He hated him with passion because looking at him everyday reminded her of his Father Stephen, but still Edmund was her son, her first and only son and she couldn't afford to lose him, he was the only ray of hope she had in her dark world.
Stephen had been killed during the dark period when the unwanted son of King Charles V, Robert ascended the throne treacherously killing his elder brother William who was heir to the throne and his father.
King Charles had a special army who made his conquest easy, this special army were made up of men and women with superpowers. The King made use of them whenever the battle was getting fierce or the nation he wants to conquer seemed stronger than the Army of Aroer. They enabled him build his empire and no nation or country could stand the Army of Aroer for fear of what they called their "Invisible Army of the Night"
This special army were called "The Dark Knights" only the King and Army Generals knew of this army since they only operated at night and answered only to the King. Stephen Edmund's Father was the leader and Captain of the "Dark knights" he was highly respected by the King, he was known to everyone as a special soldier in the army and nothing more than that.
Robert knew he wouldn't be able to kill the King with " The Dark Knights" around him, so he started his rebellion after getting the support of the King's Generals by killing members of the King's secret army, he got their names from the King's most trusted friend and general Kevin, then he started out assassinating them one after the other.
But he wasn't able to kill Stephen and his friend Brandon due to the fact that this two had special powers and stronger than other members of the Army. He decided to win the both of them to his side, he succeeded with Brandon but couldn't with Stephen, but even with Brandon on his side Stephen still stood as a threat to the success of his plan, since nobody could stand his powers not even Brandon.
Then he resorted to another means of destroying him, that was when I came into Play.
"Mom! Mom! The traps caught two rabbit" Edmund shouted happily and jolted his mother back to reality