Chapter One A Stranger in Our Midst "Cedric, if you don't hurry, we'll miss the procession," William called. William was a dreamer. Unfortunately, these were times when not even dreamers could hope for a brighter tomorrow. Although his heart was tender, his features were sharp, giving the false impression that he was a hard man. William was strong and knew where he wanted to be, but he was not sure how to get there. His hair was dark and matched his brown eyes. Taller than average, he was a handsome man. I had known him since I was a boy. He was my friend. "William, you know I've got to check on Leinad first," I said. "Besides, what is so grand about seeing not-so-noble Noble Knights pass by when my stomach howls in hunger?" "If only we were one of them, we wouldn't be hungry," William said as we approached an old cottage that matched the age of its lone occupant. "You're dreaming again, William. We were not born of noble blood and will therefore never become Noble Knights. Get that foolish notion out of your head!" Leinad lived just outside Chessington near a small stream that lazily wound its way toward the sea to the south. He was a strange fellow. I had come to know him when I was a young lad. People tend to avoid what they cannot understand or what makes them uncomfortable, and this was the case with Leinad. Although most people avoided him, I was drawn to him and his stories-stories that seemed too strange to be true and too original to be fabricated. If even a small portion of the tales were true, then Chessington was ignorant of a very gallant man. If the tales were indeed made-up, then Leinad was just as everyone thought him to be: insane. Either way, I had a tender spot in my heart for him, especially since he was now too old to properly care for himself. "Good day, Sir Leinad!" I raised my voice in greeting as we approached his door. Many of his stories portrayed him as a knight in service to the King. I half-jokingly addressed him as such, but I could never tell if I was humoring him or if he was humoring me by graciously accepting my flippant use of the title. "Ah, dear Cedric," came the familiar warm voice. "Welcome to my palace. Please come in." We stepped into his home to see Leinad seated at a small table near the south wall. His left hand was resting on the sill of the window he was staring through. His silver hair and brows partnered with his bent frame to paint a picture of a man near the end of life's journey. He attempted to rise and meet us, but I halted him as I placed my hand on his shoulder. "It's all right, Leinad," I said. "I know you are already standing in your heart." "It is good to see you, Cedric and William," Leinad said with sincerity. He smiled at us with his eyes. "Hello, Leinad," William said. "How are you feeling today?" Leinad took in a deep breath, and he turned again toward the window. "They listened once before, but time has defeated the sincerity of truth," Leinad said, answering a question no one had asked. William glanced my way with a raised eyebrow. I smiled. "We brought some bread for you," I said, trying to break his distant trance. "I will try to bring some fruit on my next visit, but the city is pretty short on food these days." Leinad turned to us and gazed into my eyes. "Time is short," he said. "The power of the King is near, and the Dark One is mounted. You must be ready...the people must be ready!" We were used to Leinad's odd talk, but today he seemed overcome with his delusions. "My mission is nearly complete,&# Excerpted from Kingdom's Edge by Chuck Black All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
