The Blackguard.

Prologue!

Over several hundred years, the protection of and the duty of the royal families has always been and always will be laid upon several fascinating men and women who possessed very natural but powerful ability. They were called the Blackguard. Each has its own unique shape, color, smell and capability. None were ever the same and none were ever more powerful than the other.

Spain was the main source of these unique people and those that were more powerful than others became the king's personal guard. They would obey any command that their king would ask of them without any disobedience or prejudice on their own part. It wasn't their place to question or disobey. Throughout the years, the king of Spain made alliances which would benefit his people. But it required the Blackguards' ownership. So, in order not only to make his kingdom happy but also prosperous. The four tribes of Blackguards were separated between England, the Swiss, the Irish and Spain, holding the top spot.

Some tribes were treated with fairness while others were pushed to extinction from fear of their abilities. England held the Pope as their saviour to salvation. The Irish and the Swiss held on to their pagan gods and witchcraft for their beliefs. While Spain thought that their salvation came from the Blackguards to protect them from evil doings,The Blackguards were not only feared but killed as well, as more years went by. They became a threat to those that sought power for their own destruction. Many were imprisoned, broken of their will beyond repair. But a prophecy from an Irish witch predicted that it would all change if the people would not change the ways of their hearts.

It all changed one year after a certain small shrill of a child could be heard in the deep forest.

Wooden structures stood in a small clearing with large trees outlining the settlement of people as they gathered around, as the door of one of the houses opened with a man carrying a pink self-blanket with a baby wiggling his arms back and forth.

"It"s a girl!" The man yelled proudly as he raised the tiny infant into the air.

The joy sang into the air as the crowd cheered for a miracle that had been born. Years had been since the old chief had said that there would be a girl born in the village. But most had given up hope until they realized that the chief's wife was pregnant. Men have been born right and left in the village, and it has overcome more males than women, that it has gotten out of hand, so much that some have been fighting over other's wives, while others go to search for some but they come back empty.

"Thank the Lord!" One of the women yelled as she raised her folded hand up to the heavens.

"I call for celebration." The Chief yelled.

"My daughter, it will be the miracle that will lead us out of this great darkness!" The Chief yelled again. He was a tall man among his tribesmen and their leader for 300 years. His name was Gidden the Drull. His muscular body was built throughout the years of cutting trees down for his people and fighting any who wished them harm.

A set of cheers went into the air as the people went away to gather for their feist. Yes, tonight they eat and laugh to their hearts' content. Their bad days are behind them as they look forward to the future of bright light. Their village had had enough and when the little chief"s daughter's cry rang out, it was all over. Since their village was known for the fiercest,it had changed when the new king and queen took the throne and cast them, the Blackguard being out. They didn't want their hands dirty with blood, as there weren't enough when they took the throne. But they, the Blackguards, were vile and evil to be near people of God. The Blackguards all had different abilities. But the Pope has said that they were demons that had taken human bodies and had come to lead them astray.

So here they were. In the darkest part of the deep forest, the entire kingdome feared it. The Pope, an asshole he was, thought that they would perish here, but they flourished. The people of the Kingdome never came this far. But yet the king and queen and the people pushed them this far, either waiting for them all to die or, well, they just didn't know.

The people ran around tables and chairs very set up as wild hogs and pheasant were getting cleaned for cooking over the pit. It had been many years since they had a celebration and yet it was still as new to them as it could be. Many had also forgotten how to cook a pig before one of the elders stepped in and decided to take over, by instruction them. The young boys were cutting wood down so as to make sure that they had enough firewood for the feist. Large smiles could be seen as many passed each other carrying their things. The chief shook his head as he glanced at his people. They were indeed happy but they were acting as if they were starved for food. They have never run out of meals and certainly are not going to start now.

"How is everything going out there?" A tired voice asked as the chief closed the door.

The Gidden looked at his wife, who was lying on the bed with several maids scurrying to clean things after birth. His wife's beautiful brown hair flowed over the cushions and a little down the bed. She looked radiant with her hazel eyes staring back at him with a small smile playing around her lips. Layah was a beauty compared to all the women he ever met in his entire 300 years of life. She was his first and last and he loved her as he loved her the first time that he laid eyes on her.

The Gidden took long strides as he placed the now sleeping baby in the arms of his mother.

"I think everyone is happy." He replied as he watched his wife's long fingers comb the child's hair back, revealing an even more beautiful face.

"What is her name?" She asked as she gazed at her sleeping daughter. Never had she been overjoyed with a small bundle. She had given birth to seven boys over the years. She had wanted to hold a daughter for as long as she could remember. Their village had been plagued with all males born and none females for over a hundred years now. It was like they were almost losing hope when some of their young females started dying at birth. Everyone in the village is long past an age where it would be called 'normal', as kingdoms call it. There was nothing that could be done. As of great force was taking them away. They could not do anything to stop it. It wasn't until the old chieftain had said that we would finally be blessed with a female that they all nearly went crazy. She would be our greatest gift and our greatest accomplishment. They were the Blackguards. There wasn't anything that they could not do. Their chief himself held amazing power as he could see the future. He had led them for many years.

"Dominiah" he replied as he watched his wife again. " You have given me the best gift ever."

She looked at his eyes and saw a lot of love and affection that she teared up. "I have always wanted a daughter."

"We are blessed." He replied as he sat beside his wife on the bed. "I was wondering if she would turn out a boy. But I guess now I know why everything felt different."

The Layah nodded. Indeed, they had all felt different when she realized that she was pregnant. None of the usual symptoms and none of the same cravings as she had when she had her sons.

"I will train her." The Gidden said unexpectedly as his wife's eyes snapped at his. "She will be the strongest and the most powerful."

"I want to enjoy the time I have with her." She replied as she cradled the infant close to her chest and played with the baby's fingers. Tiny compared to hers, but will become the strongest that can hold the entire clan with her fingertips. So much weight to be put upon such a beautiful thing, it broke a few tears that the chief's wife was holding on. She had never wanted to feel the heartache that she feels now. If only the world didn't turn out this cruel and unpredictable. She would be holding her child in her arms all the time without worrying.

"How long?" The wife asked as she looked at her husband. The years have not been kind to him at all. Even with his age. A few strands of gray hair escaped his bun that was tied with blue ribbon. He had been taking care of over three hundred people over those years and they were finally catching up with him.

"Three years." The wife nodded and turned her attention back to her tiny buddle. Three years was not long, but it was long enough for her to memorize her daughter's face. Already with a head full of hair that slightly curled, she grasped it with her fingertips as the auburn hair slipped away from her tips gently. She had wanted to see her daughter's eyes to see what color they were, but I guess she would have to wait. Her daughter's rosebud nose scrunched up a little as her tiny pink lips sucked on their edges. The wife thought she would let out a scream, but the baby just licked her lips and little and nestled back into her mother's arms.

"I don't know if I can live with the pain." The wife said as more tears gathered in her eyes and spilled out. Dripping down her cheeks that wife could do nothing as she watched her little girl.

"I don't know if I can either." The Gidden replied. " But we have no choice. The king wants all our lands and our submission to him. I cannot allow our people to suffer. Our time to rebel is soon."

The wife nodded as she knew that her husband was right. The Kings of Spain have always been their allies, but over the years become allies and have been threatened by the Blackguards, as they were unholy and are abomination. The Blackguards outnumbered and outsmarted the Kingdome as the Pope proclaimed them to be killed. As for the king, well guarded, you would think guard as his most loyal guard that he could at least give aid, but nope. The king went along with the Pope to encourage anyone and everyone to kill the Blackguards. Now their numbers are only three hundred and still being killed and chased into oblivion. But what started all this, well, the power that some Blackguards poses, the king had wanted for himself. Killing off his guard would be the only thing that could come up, so other nations could not have them. So, as the saying goes, if you can't have it or obtain it, kill it and end the trouble for the future that will never come.