Chapter Three

"So, what was it like?" Elias asked. 

Gideon ignored him for the umpteenth time and focused on the flock grazing nearby. They were part of his father's flock and they were his responsibility. One day, he would work on the farm itself but until then his father wanted him working with the sheep. So, every morning, he trekked the steep, rocky path to Shepherd's Hill to find pasture for his sheep.

Shepherd's Hill was located just south of the village and one could see the entire village from its summit. He could see his father's farm to the north close to the Mettlewood. He could see the village square bustling in preparation for the fair. He could see little people going about their daily lives. The people of Mettledown were simple people and it reflected in how they lived their lives. Most houses were simple, made of timber frame and mud walls with straw and wood for roofs. There were a few exceptions like the mayor's house that was made mostly of stone.

Elias was his best friend. He was a blacksmith's apprentice and had been away with his master when Gideon had had his dream. Gideon groaned at the thought of it. It had been the talk of the village for three days.... three days. Frankly, it was ridiculous. Many people had come to meet him to ask about it and all he'd been able to do was smile and tell them he was okay. It was a change of pace from how things normally were. Being the bastard of one of the more prominent men in the village meant that he was something of a village pariah. Out of his childhood friends, the only one that still spoke with him was Elias. No one wanted to have the shame of being a bastard attached to their name.

"Well??" Elias prodded again and Gideon sighed in annoyance. "I've told you. I don't remember. One minute I was having a dream and the next I woke up and my entire family is standing over me crying"

"Really?" Elias asked. His blonde hair and blue eyes made him look like a typical citizen of Mettledown, of the old blood of Judah. Gideon's darker features on the other hand were less prevalent. "Do you remember the dream?"

Gideon shook his head. Of course, it was a lie. He remembered the dream as clear as day. He remembered the man and his golden eyes. He remembered the sounds of hooves like thunder. He remembered it all. But he left it as what it was. A dream. A terrible dream, yes but a dream nonetheless.

"Your entire family was there? Even Mistress Elsa?" Elias asked. 

Gideon paused and tried to remember. The details were still fuzzy in his memory but he was sure that his father and Elizabeth had been crying. Elsa, on the other hand was a different matter. Gideon had a difficult relationship with his step-mother. As far back as he could remember, she had never given him the time of day. She was always the woman in the far distance who had a terrible scowl on her face, the woman who never called him by name and referred to him simply as the bastard or the boy. It was not difficult to imagine that she wouldn't shed a tear if he was dead. After all, she had probably wished him dead when she'd first laid eyes on him. Bastards were never well liked by their father's wives. 

"I'm not sure" He answered truthfully. 

One of the sheep in the flock bleated loudly in the distance as it quarreled with a smaller sheep drawing Gideon's attention for a moment. It was only for a minute though; all was well the next moment. Gideon was glad to be back doing what he loved. There was a kind of peace that came with being out in the wild with his flock. 

Elias could never understand it. Even though they were best of friends, Elias was always the more adventurous of the two. He had lofty dreams of one day becoming a knight of the realm traveling around fighting in tourneys and winning glory. Gideon would rather just live a simple life in Mettledown, marry a young girl and settle down. 

"All the interesting things happen when I'm not around" Elias complained as he laid back on the floor raising his hand to provide some shade from the sun. 

"I almost died" Gideon reminded him.

"You're fine" Elias said dismissively. "Plus at least now you'll have something to talk to Jane about."

Gideon felt his face heat up. "There's nothing going on between me and Jane"

Elias laughed. "Even a blind person can see how head over heels you are for her. I don't blame you. She's quite the catch"

Gideon struggled to come up with a response and instead settled for simply grumbling to himself causing Elias to laugh. 

"How was Rushford?" Gideon asked, trying to change the subject. The smile on Elias' face indicated he saw through the ruse but he humored him.

"It was Rushford." Elias shrugged. "You know, you should see it yourself one of these days. It's just a three day's ride through the Mettlewoods. It's bigger than Mettledown by far. And there are people from all over the realm. And many more women, prettier than even Jane"

Gideon found that hard to believe. Jane was the most beautiful girl in all of Mettledown. Everyone agreed on that. 

"I can't leave my father and my sister. He's growing older and since Eliab left, there's no one to help out" Gideon replied.

"Your father is one of the richest men in Mettledown. I'm sure he can hire one or two men to handle his business for a few days if you needed to go down to Rushford" Elias turned on his side so he was facing his friend. "You don't have to spend your entire life locked up here in Mettledown"

Gideon sighed. "I'm a bastard." He said it as it was. It was a fact, one he had come to accept very early in life. "There's no place for a bastard out there in the world. There's barely any place for me here. My father was kind enough to raise me under his roof. Most other bastards don't get that kind of privilege"

"You didn't choose how you were born Gideon. You shouldn't have to pay for it." Elias' voice was softer now "And bastards can still rise high in the world"

Gideon scoffed. "Name one"

"The Bard King" Elias replied. "You're always reading about him in that book of yours. He was a bastard. He roamed around as a bard for many years until he rebelled against the tyrant king Saul and brought about peace to this land"

"That's a myth. It's only a story." Gideon said. He loved the Chronicles of the Bard King not just because of the stories but because it had been a gift from his father. The only gift he had ever received from him. He had read it and re-read it many times.

"All myths are born from truths" Elias replied.

"So, you want me to start a rebellion" Gideon asked.

"No. I'm saying being a bastard doesn't mean you don't matter"

Gideon turned to look at him, his dark eyes trained on Elias' blue as a flurry of emotions burned through them faster than he could process. He finally turned away from him.

"I know what I want Elias and I like my life as it is"

Elias sighed but thankfully did not press the matter further.