Chapter 1

GlenShadow was an unremarkable settlement in many ways. Its inhabitants were set up much like the larger realms surrounding it. There was the picturesque forest encircling it with a large river rushing through. The river ended in a grand waterfall that cascaded into the sea and was one of the more famous landmarks here.

There were the wealthy merchants and Nobles who usually took up residence in the high class neighborhood, namely around the palace where the King and Queen resided. The people were divided into familiar classes from there; the moderately wealthy, farmers, craftsman, thieves, beggars and the poverty-stricken.

There were subtle but marked differences as you traveled through the different social structures of this modest village. The area would grow less fancy and more threadbare as you walked towards the outer edges of town. Finally you would arrive at the outskirts; less civilization, more farmland and the trees grew thicker. Any further and you would be in the deep woods, the Forest Folks territory.

The citizens of GlenShadow were mostly human. Here and there, especially in the marketplace, you would happen across an elf or dwarf peddling some exotic wares from far away lands. This, however, was rare. Most of the Forest Folk avoided human cities. Those who did visit sold their valuables and then left quickly.

It was a time of peace. There hadn't been an attack or a war to help fight in many decades. It was one of the few perks of being such an ordinary place ... no one was interested enough to conquer it. Arguably, it was a much safer, albeit humdrum existence.

There were small accomplishments, however, please do not misunderstand. GlenShadow Falls was a hot-spot for the locals as well as traders. Many events took place there. It was a lovely area enhanced by the sound of the waterfall and tang of sea in the air. The fishing was excellent and being so close to the sea it was easy to collect salt, a valuable commodity sold to travelers who did not come across it very often.

The visitors who passed through in turn told others and so GlenShadow became a popular trading site. This encouraged the townsfolk to bake and sell delicious home-made goods, craft colorful novelty trinkets for souvenirs, and put on various entertainment to attract customers.

Past the clearing where festivals were held, a naturally occurring twisting passage took you down an incline and behind the falls. This unassuming path had been discovered ages ago by the town's first inhabitants. A small tunnel had been carved into the side of the stone wall and out the other end. Here, a staircase of stone had been painstakingly etched into the mountain side leading to the beach below.

It had taken many, many years to finish. Its initial purpose had been to save themselves from having to make the long journey around the mountain to the ocean. All in all, it now only took them a half hour's walk rather than three days.

Nevertheless, tales were told and passed once again, and many people came to see the Path Through Stone. The tourists still marveled at how long it must have taken these people to carve through solid rock and appreciated the short, pleasant walk to the sunny beaches. S

hallow Cove was a small slice of paradise. A rock pool of clear blue water lent the people a lovely view of various sea-life the ocean had to offer. The fishermen jealously guarded their chosen sweet spots, and their catches sold readily in the market, providing the village with yet another means of income.

Altogether, GlenShadow was a small but bustling community with the best of all things combined; beach front, forest floor, open farmland, and city living. Crime was infrequent but not out of place, and included pick-pocketing and thieving in general.

This was not out of the ordinary, where there were people there would be criminals. Violent crime was out of the ordinary though. But very rarely was there anything worse than a street fight between a few of the young men. Sadly enough, murder did occur once in a while, but the perpetrator was usually caught and punished swiftly. And in GlenShadow the severity crime was directly related to the severity of the punishment.

The King's soldiers were few, but well-trained and very efficient. When vacationers and merchants dropped in, so did their gold and goods ... a fact not lost on by the King. He made certain that his people and visitors were generally well protected.

It was nearing the end of Summer. The days were noticeably shorter and the leaves had just begun their colorful change. GlenShadow's occupants began to think about preparing for the coming cold season. It was almost harvest time of the Spring Crop, soon it would be time to prepare and plant for the Winter Crop.

If all went according to plan, the storaged crops from the early season would hold them over until it was time to harvest again. A good system, tampered only when there was a bad yield.

Quite often, this was due to some pest outbreak or unusually bad weather. Luckily, there were some plants that grew during the cold season as well, so an abundant variety of grown food was ordinarily on hand.

Anya and Andi were just getting home from their weekly foray into town. To say they lived on the outskirts was an understatement. In fact, they lived more in the woods than out. Their cottage was comfortably enclosed by the surrounding trees. Not that it was entirely engulfed, but certainly beyond the town limits to be sure. The nearest neighbor was a lone farmer, half a mile away.

As it was, the journey to market took several hours alone. In the far distance, GlenShadow Falls could be seen from the front yard. It was quiet and cozy. The trees made an excellent sunshade, the little house was covered by mottled shadows, never in direct sunlight. And although the trees lost their leaves when the snow came, the canopy made a serviceable snow shield as well.

It hadn't been Anya's idea to build the cottage so far from town, it had been her parents. But when they'd passed on from some mystery sickness, she found she couldn't bear to move away from her familiar home. Besides, there was a garden and orchard to care for and she simply couldn't afford a new dwelling. It hadn't been feasible to relocate at the time. And, well, as time passed she'd just never gotten around to it.

She had to admit though, that she preferred the quiet and solitude of undisturbed nature to the busy hustle bustle of town. She'd never been much of a socialite. People tired her out and when she did participate in a Fair or whatever else, mostly to subdue the pleas of her younger sister, she'd need several days to recharge.