Chapter Three

   Evening fell heavily on the kingdom. Word of the foreboding name had spread quickly, casting an uneasy gloom over the castle. High in the council meeting room, the Namer paced back and forth in front of the windows, a worried look plastered on her pale face. The door opened and the council strode in, their faces reflecting back her own anxious state of mind. The Keeper, the Recorder, and the Reader were the first to arrive. King and Prince entered followed by an old woman known as Grandmother. They took their seats around the smooth table with King at the head and the Namer on the opposite end facing him. King was a tall man with ink black hair swept back in a pompadour. His hazel eyes smoldered and when he smiled his almost feminine lips quirked up only on one side of his face. Tonight he was not smiling which made King look tired and old. The others settled, nervous murmurs passing between them until King tapped his long fingers on the tabletop.

   "Let us begin this meeting," he said in a voice that was smoky and sweet, with a hint of a southern drawl. It was a voice made of song and sorrow that reverberated deep inside the Namer's chest. It was a voice that made people stop and listen. "Now will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" King's eyes fell on the Recorder who paled under his stern gaze.

"Sire," he said in a quivering voice "I have reviewed the histories of the last fifty years and in the beginning there were names like this War. It never ended well for the child or the society at the time." The Recorder was a small, thin man with a face like a rat. His beady eyes shined nervously out from behind half-moon spectacles. "The last recorded name War was...um..." the Recorder paused, lips drawn tight in a worried line.

"Yes, go on," King drawled.

"The last recorded name War was twenty-five years ago." A gasp came from the old woman, her eyes wide with fright.

"What is it Grandmother?"

"The year of Zero," whispered the old woman, making cross with her gnarled fingers. The Namer recognized the gesture as one to ward off evil. The year of Zero, she thought with uneasiness. She had been just a babe then and did not know the history. The Recorder nodded, his face grave.

"So what the Hell does that mean?" demanded Prince. He sat, back straight as a ruler, bright blue eyes boring into the Recorder.

"Perhaps," croaked the old woman "I can explain." Everyone nodded in solemn agreement. Grandmother stood, her gray eyes shining brighter than ever. "The year of Zero was a terrible year. Drought, famine, disease, and fighting covered our fine land. The Namer, may she rest, was distraught for it was her names that had brought these horrors to the world. She was at a loss, so she ventured out to the nameless wood in search of a mage that some say lived there since before the world as we know it had began. The Namer, your mother dear," Grandmother said to the current Namer "never returned. King sent out a large party to search but none of them returned either. Since you were just a baby, the Recorder took over the duties as Namer until you were older. When your mother disappeared, everything stopped. It rained for a week start and those who had been sick were cured. They say that your mother found that mage and in exchange for her life brought peace and prosperity back to the kingdom. The one named War was slain by the Hero and all was well again. Now tell me dear, where there any other unusual names at the ritual today?"

"There was a Fighter, but that is not too rare," the Namer replied. There was always a Fighter to help protect the lands against dangerous creatures and other things that go bump in the night. There was always the chance of a bad name, although they were rare. "So what do we do?" the Namer asked, her voice soft.

"We keep an eye on the child, record the names, and hope that a Hero will be named again to defeat the child named War. Keeper perhaps you should take the child, keep a close eye on her. Maybe it will be a different type of War she becomes."

"For all our sake, Grandmother, I pray that you are right." King stood, his hazel eyes taking in the pale faces of the council. "Rest well tonight, tomorrow will be a new day, and there is hope in that, at least." With that, King strode out of the room, followed by his son. The Recorder, Reader, and Grandmother left with a brief goodbye. Only the Keeper remained, his eyes full of fury.

"Why should I take care of the whelp?" he hissed once the door had closed behind Grandmother. The Namer sighed inwardly, she did not feel like dealing with him right now. She wanted to go to her room, curl up under her covers, and forget today had ever happened.

"You are the Keeper, it is your name and duty to keep the children with undesirable names and find proper jobs for them in the castle or towns of this land. You have been the Keeper since my mother was alive and if you want to stay in this castle and not be banished to the nameless wood, you shall do your duty!" The Keeper bulked, surprise covering his broad face at her sharp tone. The Namer cursed herself for losing her temper but she was tired. Taking a deep breath, she continued "The father, that Strange fellow, will probably have no problem turning this child over to you. Go fetch her in the morning and bring her to my chamber. I want to keep an eye on her as well."