Chapter 1

Lighting struck the night sky as a dampened gallon of loyal pupils roared at the endless entertain provided by the Queen of Scanahare. Citizens from every province traveled miles to see the many stages that had been riddled with plays of mischievous villains and promiscuous harlots. It was the yearly kingdom celebration. The anniversary of the day the Queen’s Great Grandfather established the little known Kingdom of Scanahare. Laughter, liquor, and blood spilled as people gathered to watch English mastiffs tare into lamed horses and giant angry bears war with starving one-eyed bulls. All was joyful throughout and the evenings main event was set to wrap things up with a performance by the Kingdom’s newest sensation. 

“This is it you know. You make a splash here tonight you’ll have no need to swim again,” a short stout man with fuzzy hair and long fingers named Liandro boasted as he readied his parter back stage in their suit. “I can see it now. ‘Ahhhh we love you Oswyn. Ahhh’ they’ll die for you as soon as you lick the first note,” he continued as he straighted a dotted bow-tie around Oswyn’s thinly chiseled collar. He continued on not noticing the color of Oswyn’s skin beginning to fade. “Are you alright,” Liandro paused as he saw the sweat start to drip from his friend’s forehead. “NO! I cannot do this. I can’t breath. They’re all going to hate it. We’ve got to leave,” Oswyn burst out with great nervous emotion. 

KNOCK KNOCK! “Let’s go boy!” shouted a man from behind the door. “Two minutes,” Liandro anwered. “I said lets go boy,” the man again shouted as the heavy door banged against the metal stopper. “We have to leave,” Oswyn said grabbing Liandro and pulling him towards the back window before stopping over a barrel and retching. Liandro hurried to the door and slipped out. “So sorry sir. He just needs one more minute to finish his warm up,” he pleaded with the stalky man and his pointy sword. “Was there a request for an explanation,” the man replied arrogantly. “Oh no sir. You just like like the type that might need one,” Liandro shot back. “I’m a captain in the Queen’s Army boy, what is it you think your doing talking back,” the man said as he started to approach Liandro with harm in his eyes. “Just buying a little time,” Liandro reply sharply. A moment later Oswyn pushed through the door. “Gentlemen,” he said with a sharp eye as he glanced at both men before walking down the hallway towards the stage. 

Oswyn’s heart still beat with a rage but he had settled his nerves enough to act the part. He continued on towards the stage and arrived just as they were introducing him. He turned to Liandro for one last bit of confidence to which Liandro was already obliging with two thumbs up and nodding his head. The heat from the torches that lit the room put the stage at a smothering degree. Oswyn loosened his bow-tie a bit and sat down in front of an enormous black grand piano. The white keys shined bright in his eyes. He had practiced all his life for these moments. He loved what he did. Oswyn was home in front of the piano. 

The first key he struck sent a wave of silence through the veins of the spectators. Very few in the crowd had heard him play before. The ones who did knew the rest were in for a treat. As Oswyn continued the crowed listened in awe at the sound of his somber upbeat melodies and the clever rhymes and notes he delivered. There was no question he had won the crowd over just as the Queen had suggested he would. Which is why he was hand picked for the grand finale of the celebration. She knew he would be something to remember.

Oswyn became lost in his music. The crowd ceased to exist. He was one with the rhythm and the words. He felt an unbiased sense of calm as he came to his final number for the night. He struck the first keys and felt a chill come through his body. His last song was his favorite. “Copper Wheels”. It was a song about traveling and experiencing what ever the soul desires no matter how wonderful or troublesome the desire. The audience loved it. Oswyn’s timing and voice were peaking just at the right times. 

“Hey you, how’s about that explanation you wanted to give me earlier,” a dark voice said from behind Liandro as he was watching his friend thrive. He relished in seeing Oswyn perform. They had been at this since the womb. It was a bit odd the way things went but he always felt the need to protect his older brother Oswyn at whatever cost. He smiled with all his teeth and took in one last moment of his older brother playing so gracefully before feeling the first blow to the back of his head. 

Liandro turned to see three men, including the Captain from earlier, waiting to attack him. The three men were all paused, seemingly surprised that Liandro didn’t fall from the blow. Liandro felt the blood rush from his head and launched himself into the three men using his weight against them and putting them all on the ground with Liandro on top of them. He slammed his right fist down on the first man’s head shattering his nose and sending blood squirting from his face. He quickly rolled onto the man to his left and landed a blow with his elbow to the Captain. As he got up off the third man he picked him up and threw him back down onto the Captain. He could hear Oswyn’s notes playing perfectly in the background as he watched more men come to the defense of the Captain. 

As Oswyn came to the last few notes he felt a pain in his heart. All his excitement, all of his joy, gone. The crowd was now fading back in. He looked up as his fingers brushed the last key. The look of the crowd was like a painting from his dreams. Everything he could have imagined. He quickly turned to where his brother was standing. Distress rushed through his bloodstream. ‘Where’s my brother’ he thought to himself as he waved to his adoring new fans. As he turned to leave the stage his brother’s spot was still held empty and he was in no position to make an inquisition. Performer or not he was still a black man