Prologue: Binding Ties

Golden haired Firia Ul Copt looked up as she heard a child's cry. Her bright blue eyes searched for the source, and she quickly tracked the sound.

"Momma..." A small child whimpered. The young boy was drenched head to toe, and was pinned to the shore of a deep lake by a heavy peice of driftwood. From the look of it, he had been there for a while, at least a couple of days.

"Oh, you poor dear," Firia murmured, rushing over to lift the offending log. "Are you all right?" The youth did not answer, instead he buried his face in her skirts as he cried.

"My momma is gone," he sobbed. "Momma can't swim."

"You poor little boy," she soothed him. "Come with me, and I'll get you fixed up." The teary eyed lad looked up and nodded, then moved to stand. His injured leg gave out from under him, though, and he crumpled to the ground.

"Itai!" He cried out. "Oww..." Firia paused to contemplate the situation, then knelt down to pick him up.

"Would you like a hand?" A soft baritone voice chuckled from behind her...


Chapter One >>