The Heart's Call: Part I

On a bright autumn afternoon, a fair haired half-elven boy and a red headed human girl faced each other in the garden of Camelot. Both children were young, yet both had already known the pain of loss. They stood there as leaves floated lazily past to land in the fountain, staring at each other in silence as they sized each other up. Finally, the boy stepped forward and held out a hand.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you."
"I'm going to be your brother."

*********

It was wrong to resent his own sister, and for the most part, Shane was able to keep such emotions at bay, pushing them away by reminding himself how much he loved Ari. But at other times, especially days like today when he practiced, he couldn't escape the simple truth. For the past few years, he'd leaned more and more towards becoming a bard, learning what skill his uncle could teach him, and in one night, his plans had come crashing to the ground, the night when he discovered his oldest sister had a better voice than he did.

How could that be? He was the one who everyone said had talent. And yet that night, after Wallace had bid them all goodbye and they were walking back home, Ari had started singing and even as he joined his voice in harmony to hers, he knew hers was the purer sound. He'd thought it a fluke at first, but they'd sung many times since then, and there was no denying it.

Arista sang better than he.

"There you are!" He looked up to see his mother standing at the door to his room with a smile on her face. "I hope you are thinking about your name. It's only a month until your Naming Day, you know. Have you decided on it yet?"

Shane shook his head. " No I haven't, ma. Do I really have to do this? Da didn't, did he?"

"I'm afraid he did, young man, and he and Ashe are looking forward to it, so I suggest you come up with a suitably impressive name for yourself." Skye leaned forward to plant a kiss on his brow, since he was sitting and in easy reach. "And Ari and the rest are planning something in your honor, so I'm afraid you are committed to it. So, start thinking!" And like a whirlwind she strode for the door and was gone.

Shane sat staring after her for a few moments, then scowled and went looking for his cloak. He might be committed to the Naming Day ceremony, but he had other plans for after.

*********

If there were a more intimidating gateway in all of Camelot than the entrance to the area known as The Hook, Shane didn't know about it. There were several unsavory characters leaning to either side of the crumbling arch and the stench that was blowing from beyond it was nearly enough to make him turn back. But he'd decided on his course of action on the way down here and he was as stubborn as his father when his mind was made up. He kept his hooded head down, then walked by the toughs and through the gateway as quickly as he could. There were two more lounging on the other side by the inner wall but he moved past them as well for a few yards before stopping to look around.

"Young `Thorn? Why, it is you!" A hand rested lightly on his shoulder Shane turned to see it belonged to a shorter man dressed in nondescript grey clothes. His hair was silver, but the face was by no means ancient, and was one Shane knew from childhood encounters. "What are you doing down in The Hook on your own?"

It certainly wasn't a tone he'd ever heard before from the man who'd told silly stories to the Blackthorn children when Shane was younger." Hello, Master McDougal. I'm here to find my uncles, the O' Malley brothers. Do you know where they are?"

Tyralor pursed his lips and then looked back towards his companion who was still by the wall. The other man nodded, and then Tyralor looked back to Shane. "I can take you where you have to go, Young `Thorn."

"I'm not a child anymore. Just tell me where they are and I'll find the place on my own."

"And I'm sure you can, Young `Thorn, but there are many here who are not great admirers of your father, and now we've been seen together."

"So what?" Shane found himself becoming indignant.

"So, if some bravo took it upon himself to cut off your ears, tack them to a board, and open a tavern with the name `The Elf's Ears`, I've no doubt your father would attach some blame to me. So, I will take you safely through The Hook to where you have to go, avoiding any unfortunate incidents." He pointed to a street just ahead and to the right. "Come along, it's not very far." He took a step, and Shane found himself walking along as well.

"The O'Malleys, you say? Another disruption I could do without." A look of annoyance crossed Tyralor's face as they turned the corner. "I swear the place has gone to hell in a basket since Fat Henry's untimely end. And why are we seeking your rather loud uncles?"

"I want to ask them if one of them can take me on as a cabin boy." That seemed to take McDougal by surprise, that and the man who stepped out of the shadows by the side of the building to their left and then quickly moved back into them when he'd seen who his intended victim had been.

"Indeed? But you were aiming at being a bard, were you not?"

The boy wasn't sure why that question rankled him so much. "I had a change of heart. I'm not good enough to be a bard, so I'm going to try my hand at being a sailor like my other uncles."

"I've heard you sing, `Thorn, and I thought you were rather good. You should think this over before you live to regret it. "Down this way." He led Shane around into an alley on the right. "What makes you think you aren't good enough for the Bardic College?"

"I heard someone who's better than I. She's better, and she hasn't even been trained as I have."

"For pity's sake! There's always going to be someone better than you at something. That doesn't mean you should stop trying to improve your own skills." Tyralor shook his head as they emerge out onto another street and they turned to the right. "I'm shocked. I'd no notion a Blackthorn could give up so easily."

That brought a flush of anger to Shane's face. "I'm not giving up! I'm moving on to something else."

"And if someone is a better sailor than you? What will you do then, move along to something else?" They emerged out into a sunlit street, and Tyralor pointed to the left. "Here we are."

They were back at the entrance to The Hook. Tyralor's friend grinned and waved a black gloved hand at them as Shane turned angrily to glare at the smaller man. "You said you 'd take me where I wanted to go!"

"I believe I said I'd take you where you needed to go, and that is what I've done. Go home, Young `Thorn. There are lads on these streets who need work as a cabin boy much more than you ever will. Besides, your uncles aren't down here today. Try the taverns over by the warehouse district." His grasp on Shane's arm tightened slightly as he walked the boy over to the deteriorating arch. "I've some business to conduct now, I'm afraid. It's been pleasant seeing you again." And with that, he left Shane on the far side of the entry gate.

There were some snickers and catcalls from those loitering at the wall, but Shane paid them no attention as he walked angrily away in the direction of the warehouses along the waterfront. He was too angry to pay attention to anything as he stalked away.

He wished he had when someone grabbed him from behind again. But this time, as he turned to confront whoever it was, another pair of hands grabbed him around the arms, and a cloth sack pulled over his head, and then he knew no more.