xx 01 xx [[Fear]] Is Just The [[Beginning]] xx 01 xx

xx 01 xx The Beginning of the End xx 01 xx
Fear is only the beginning.
It leads to heart break and lies. Everyone sees the good things that he has done for them. His friends. His family. All of which he had given things up for. The things he's wanted his whole entire life were now on the line. All because of them.
Should he risk it all to save them?
His heart thumped loudly as another cry is heard through the house. He told himself he wouldn't let them control his life anymore. The words he said before will hurt them more than his departure. They meant nothing to him. They never had.
He was a heartless monster.
That was all there was to it. Why couldn't they see that? Why did they continue to refuse to see the real devil on the inside? All the smiles, laughter, and kind words were all just flukes. It wasn't him. The real man was caged inside of him just waiting to go on the prowl. Waiting to be released upon all of humanity. The people of Yelner would never see it coming. All the world would be cast in shadows all because of his existence.
Never before in his life had he ever felt so right.
Turning his back on the life he once led once and for all, he took the first bold step into his new future.
An evil smile flickered across his face, it was time to start some chaos.

---

Fire broke out of the homes filling the village as the man walked along the dirt path. His heavy boots leaving huge footprints in the road as he took long strides. The cries of the women and children that were still trapped in their burning houses. The man stopped for no one as he continued on his path. The slight chaos that he had caused so far was not enough for him.
He wanted more.
His bright green eyes glanced to the setting sun as he climbed his black stallion. His boots dug into the horses back causing it to run faster. Its hooves dug into the ground as he guided the horse along. He was headed for the next town. It was there that the chaos would blossom, but first he had a need to quench his own thirst.

---

The sun was beating down on the lonesome village. Peasants were busy battering their latest crop to the passerbys. Everything stopped in motion as the sound of horses hooves beating against the dirt road echoed through the air. The peasants drew back their children in fear of the lone rider dressed in all black.
The man took no mind of the villagers obvious fear as he departed from his black stallion and entered my pub.
"What can I get you, sir?" I asked boldly wiping the inside of a brass cup.
"Beer," he said in a gruff voice sitting at the counter.
"Coming right up, sir," I said with a salute and went off into the storage room in the back.
I smoothed out my apron as I wiped the water off my hand. I could feel the obvious disdain my usual customers had towards the lone rider. As for me, I could care less. He was a paying custormer after all. My family would do well to earn respect from all travelers. Especially the rich ones.
"Emma, deary, what are you doing back here?" Mama asked cleaning sweeping the floor with an old broom in hand.
"Mama, I'm working," I stated briskly pouring beer into the empty brass cup.
"Where's did Nat run off to now?" she sighed. "It's not lady like for you to running the counter, you know."
"Mama, please. There's a paying customer waiting for his refreshments. Can you lecture me later on the properness of a lady?" I scoffed.
"Right. Right. Carry on then," she said dismissively waving her hand towards the main room of the pub.
I rolled my eyes at her as I walked graciously out towards the bar. Without a care in the world I slid the newly filled cup down the bar and towards the stranger dressed in black. He extended his hand out to grasp the cup without so much of a glance in my direction. I shook my head slightly. Oh how I wanted to catch a glimpse of his hidden face.
"Emma, sing us a song!" one of my regular customers cheered out.
I shook my head at him, "Not this time, Bryant. I'm afraid I have far too much work to do at the moment."
"Aw, come on. You know how we like it when you sing to us," Bryant whined. "Just one small hum of a tune will be all we need to get our spirits up for the new day."
The other men sitting along the pub cheered in agreement at Bryant's statement. All of which were the customers that seemed to come back only to meet my prescence. Now that Nat had found himself something better to waste his time with I was the only one left to run the pub. Seeing as Papa was very ill at the moment.
A small smile graced my features as I shook my head once again, "Maybe some other time."
"Come on," Griffin interjected. "What about that song you sang to us the other day? It was a short tune, but very well done."
"Not today," I repeated with sense of determination in my voice.
My customers all replied with the same gruff sigh of disappointment. I shook my head at them. I knew all to well that I would never truly comprehend the inner workings of a man's mind. What could be so thrilling of hearing me sing a simple tune? Though I've heard it dozens of times, I still couldn't grasp the fact that I had a decent enough voice for such things. It was absurd to say the least.
"Oh my... Emma! You won't believe what just happened!" McKinley gushed the moment she swung open the door leading into the pub.
I mentally rolled my eyes, "What is it, Kin?"
"Nat just asked Brianna to be his bride!" she exclaimed.
My eyes widened, "Did you just say that my own flesh and blood decided to ask someone to marry him without so much of a warning in my direction?"
She nodded, "Yes. He did indeed."
I dropped two brass cups full to the brim with beer to the floor out of shock. So that's where he'd run off to everyday for the past week. Well, that made sense. He had always said that he wanted to settle down, and if he did it would be Brianna. They were meant for each other from the very beginning. That was for sure.
"What did she say? Her parents?" I inquired.
"They agreed to grace their marriage as long as Nat builds himself a decent house for the both to live in!" she squealed. I immediately started heading towards the back room once again only to be pulled back by McKinley. "Nat gave me firm demands stating that I was only to tell you about this. He will inform the rest of the family."
"But you just burst through the door and proclaimed it to the whole pub! And now I can't say a word to Mama and Papa?" I gasped.
"Mhmm," she smiled. "He made me swear to him. Sisters oath you know."
"Right," I rolled my eyes at her. "Then why has it never occurred to you to keep my secrets? Or do you just so casually forget that we are sisters as well?"
"No, I don't forget. You're just a big push over. We all know you could never hurt a fly," she laughed tossing her head back slightly.
"Why would I want to hurt a fly?" I asked. "It never did anything to hurt me. So why should I hurt it?"
McKinley shook her head at me, "You're hopeless. You know that, right?"
I laughed at her as I went to go get the mop from the back room to clean up the mess I had made before. My hands firmly grasped the wooden handle as I poured water into a bucket. Once it was filled I lifted it from the pump and headed back out to the bar. By this time Nat was standing in the middle of the pub proudly with the rest of the regular customers surrounding him. I shook my head at his gallant pose while a smile traced my lips.
I busied myself about the mopping ignoring the rest of the commotion going on in my pub. I sighed leaning against the mop as I looked out towards the windows hopefully. Oh how I wished I could stay outside in the bright sunshine and just relax like I used to do when I was younger. Those were the good days when money was just fine and there were no new rulers in Yelner that we were forced to deal with.
My gaze shifted uneasily to the man in black as his piercing grey eyes met my own bright blue orbs in a moment of pure enchantment. He swiftly broke the intense gaze that connected us between each other. Without a second to waste he stood roughly from his seat and place a few gold pieces on the counter next to his empty cup.
Rest. In. Results. ----->
His boots hit the wooden floor of the pub noisely as he walked out leaving the crowd of babbling fools behind him. There was one person in particular he wanted to rid himself of. The woman. As he recalled her striking blue eyes shivers went up and down his spine. There was something about the way she looked at him that made him regret ever stepping foot into the pub.
Such innocence.
The way the men at the bar had clearly stated their love and adoration for the woman revealed that he wasn't the only one who was caught in her eyes. She seemed to be able to draw anyone in. Whether it be her innocent blue eyes or her gorgeous black hair. There was something that stood out about her from the rest. She was no average peasant, he decided.
Unique was the only word he could describe her as, but no matter how striking her beauty was he had to leave it all behind. He had a mission to do after all. His own dreams to fulfill. It wasn't his fault that his dreams just so happened to be of the village's demise. If he had his choice on the matter he would whisk himself away from all society therefore ending the impending doom that would come in his wake. Still, he thought with a grim expression crossing his features, the prophecy must be reborn.
He grabbed onto his stallions reigns and hoisted himself ontop. With a quick, but barely noticeable, jerk of the reigns the horse instantly began to gallop down the dirt road. Heading off to an unknown destination, the man in black allowed himself one glance back towards the pub in which he departed from.