Chapter 1

Well, I have not been able to keep myself accountable to working on my story... :P I need a sort of deadline to make sure that I work on it regularly. So I'm going to start posting it to here in one chapter a week increments. :) One every Wednesday. Or at least almost every hopefully. :P

If you don't want to read it now, and would rather wait till it's all together in one piece and completely finished you can. :) It will be quite a while I think though...

If you can think of a name for my story... I'm horrible with names. :P

CHAPTER 1

Two men rode down a darkening road that cut its way through the dense woods. It had once been a main road but now due to years of disuse the trees were threatening to swallow it up. Long vines of ivy drooped from overhanging branches and cast a weird glowing light on the muddy ground and the grey trunks of the trees. A strong wind whipped the leaves around in small whirlwinds and flicked drops of mud in the traveller's faces. The overcast sky told of rain to come which was nothing new. Now it only stopped raining long enough for the water logged ground to firm up. Always cold but never cold enough for the rain to turn to snow.

The older of the two men had dark hair that was long enough to cover his ears and get in his brown eyes. He viewed the world with a quiet amusement like he had his own private joke. His name was Peter, he was twenty, tall, and strong.

The other was his younger brother Derek. At eighteen he was also tall and dark but a little smaller. Derek wasn't as quiet as Peter, he had many opinions and usually voiced them. He was very talented and smart and he knew it too.

The two brothers had been on the move since they were young.

Peter pulled his cloak tighter about himself as the bitter wind picked up speek. "We should find someplace to set up camp." He scanned the tree line looking for a break into the forest. It was not a good idea to camp on the side of the road. There were many scavengers and thieves who would kill for a scrap of bread let alone a horse. Horses were a rare luxury and Peter and Derek both had fine ones.

"Wait." Derek reigned in his horse.

Peter looked ahead trying to see what had caught Derek's attention. He couldn't see anything but he could guess. "More?"

"Yes, and see that?"

They had been entering a good sized field. At one side a small hut stood defensless. At the opposite end a group of three men were just entering the clearing. This was the fourth group thieves they had come across this week. They didn't notice the two brothers, they were too intent on their victims in the shack.

"Come on!" Peter urged his horse forward again.

Derek needed no such encouragement. Letting out a blood curdling yell he spurred his own horse across the muddy field towards the group of thieves. As soon as he was close enough he threw himself from the saddle and landed full on top of the nearest of the men knocking them both into the mud.

Peter hurried to join the fray and efficiently dealt with the other two before they had a chance to flee or help their comrade.

Meanwhile Derek still struggled witht he man in the mud, their swords lay forgotten a short distance away. The other man got his hands around Derek's neck and was trying to choke th ebreath from him. But Derek managed to get his hand beneath his cloak and pulled out a dagger. With a quick thrust it was over. Derek stood, mud and water dripping from him.

"Derek," Peter stooped to clean his blade. "Lets hope I'll always be around to watch your back. You left yourself wide open for attack from the other two."

Derek shrugged and grinned trying unsuccesfully to wipe some of the grime from his clothes. He glanced at Peter who was relatively spotless.

"Maybe if you didn't roll around in it so much." Peter said. "But really, what if I hadn't been here to take care of the rest for you?"

Derek flicked his knife in the air and caught it again. "Plenty more where this came from." He held his cloak open displaying a row of daggers.

So........ there's chapter one. Most of you have read it already. But this is the new and improved chapter one. :) Most likely one of the last versions of chapter one. :P At least I hope so... You would not believe how this story started out and where it was going...

So tell me what you think!

Anways, goodnight!!

Much love, Shay

Peter chuckled. "I really don't understand that. Doesn't it ever get too heavy?"

Derek had always been fascinated with knives. He said they were more maneuverable than a sword.

"Well, we'd better find a place dry enough to light a fire. Come on."

Derek paused looking back at the tiny home whose inhabitants they had just saved from being robbed and most likely murdered as well. "Do you think they-?"

"No, I don't." Peter cut him off. "They have little enough for themselves and we would probably just frighten them." He looked meaninfully at Derek whose nose was bleeding making red tracks down his muddy face.