A Life Beyond by Mark Church (e book reader txt) 📖

this giant person standing between them and safety.

'Is she trying to get us eaten or something?, Daniel go get her back before she gets hurt',

Daniel shouted to Lillie to step away from the soldier but she wouldn't listen

'Lillie please...I don't want you hurt, let me try' Daniel pleaded with his sister to get behind him but she refused so Daniel stepped in front of her and tried to grapple her away, in the scuffle Daniel's sleeves pushed up his arms to reveal his birthmark on his arm.

The soldier stooped down when he spotted it, wanting a closer look at what it was on Daniel's arm, then in a booming voice shouted as he turned back towards the castle doors,

'He has the mark!!!!, the boy has the mark' the soldier said rather excitedly,

'What's he going on about Dan? What mark?' came Harvey's reply as he stood there now totally confused by what was going on,

'The mark on my arm you plank!!!, you said your baby cousin could've drawn, this mark!!' as he thrust his arm right into Harvey's face to show him that the mark actually meant something to the guard standing before him.

'Ohhhh that one!!' as his cheeks flushed a crimson colour through embarrassment Harvey finally realised what all the fuss was about and smiled awkwardly at Daniel who now turned away from him to once again face the giant soldier standing there waving to someone in the castle doors to follow him out.

As Lillie and Daniel stood there slightly stunned with what was going on, through the mist coming from within the doors to the castle the figure of an older man appeared, limping slightly as he walked, a large cane in his hand helped him to balance himself.

'Who’s this?..' questioned Harvey as Daniel's eyes were transfixed on this figure coming towards them

'Maybe this is your dad Dan….' he continued,

'Thought he'd be much younger, looks like he's been beaten up a lot too!!' Harvey had noticed the fact he was struggling to move properly.

As the figure drew closer they were met with the sight of an older man now standing in front of them, his face was shielded from them slightly by a hooded cloak but they could see that he was a lot older as his hand holding the cane was wrinkled and boney.

His long greying hair draped down past his chest from behind the hood and his breathing was shallow and rattley.

'Come...come forward boy…' the old man beckoned Daniel to step forward, he turned round to look at his sister who was urging him to go, 'Don't be shy boy…', he continued

'Go Daniel, see what it's all about, I seem to be getting a good feeling about this' Lillie smiled as she slowly stepped forward too, just behind her brother who slowly stepped up towards the old man.

'So...My soldier here seems to think you have the mark…' The old man smiled as he pulled his hood back slightly to reveal more of his face which was scarred and weathered,

'The mark?, you mean this thing on my arm...my birthmark' Daniel peeled back his sleeve to reveal what he thought was his birthmark and showed the old man who took his arm in his hand and looked at it in detail, his eyes squinting occasionally as he did so,

'Ahhhh yes, this is definitely the mark…' smiling as he looked straight at Daniel,

'So what does this birthmark mean to you?, to me it's just a mark that's always been there' Daniel asked politely as the old man took a deep intake of breath before answering,

'This ‘birthmark’, as you call it, is a mark that is given to all young boy's after they are born, it's the emblem of Erwin, only a select few will have theirs still visible over time' The old man pulled the arm on his cloak back to reveal a slightly faded but still recognisable mark on his arm that was the same as the one on the doors and just like Daniel's also.

'The mark represents Power, Freedom and Knowledge…, you see there

have only been a handful of people who possess or have possessed this very special mark over their entire life, and as you can see I am one of those people', the old man smiled at Daniel as he said this with the kind of look only a family member could share with you,

'And who might you be then?' Harvey piped up from behind the shoulder of Lillie who turned around glaring at him,

'Ahhhh yes...please forgive me' the old man cleared his throat before continuing,

'My name is King Tahlid Casborn, Ruler of the realm of Dioshea and Overseer of the Last Bells'

'Bit of a mouthful that' Harvey laughed, Lillie elbowed him in the ribs to stop him talking as she was getting fed up of his attitude now,

'Keep quiet Harvey!!, any more of that and I'll brain you' she warned him,

'Oooo, sorry!!' Harvey screwed his lip up as if to mock Lillie, followed by a rueful smile as if something strange was happening to him again,

'Please do go on, I'm sorry for our idiot friend at the back there' Lillie turned and threw Harvey the kind of glance that would normally bother him but he seemed slightly vacant,

'Well you see…' The old man cleared his throat once again 'it seems as if we have been expecting all three of you here at the castle, as I said before the mark is one that runs through our family…'

'Our family?..' Lillie screwed up her eyes slightly as if taken aback with what she was hearing,

'Yes...Our family...' the old man beckoned Lillie closer to him,

'You see I know who you two are now, in the past few days I have felt something strange within this land which made me aware of your being here, it's a feeling I hadn't felt in a very long time!!'

'So YOU'RE our father??' Daniel's face suddenly lit up as he had known there was some kind of connection here now, a feeling of them belonging in Erwin, a feeling that they were part of a bigger family,

'Not quite my boy, although you are part of this family along with your sister...Yes I know that you are both related my girl, I would be known to you as ‘Grandfather’ where you are from..' And with that he pushed back the hood of his cloak to reveal his face to the children, a huge smile spread across his slightly withered face.

Daniel took a step back as if wanting to take it all in, he was totally expressionless, not knowing whether to run away or run forwards, Lillie on the other hand let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled one of the biggest smiles she had ever shown, the old man beckoned her into his arms which she accepted and squeezed him so tight,

'Well young girl, you are a strong one aren't you!!' The old man laughed as he felt a tight grip around his waist which didn't want to let go, Lillies eyes filled with tears of happiness as she thought about all they had gone through to get here, not through choice though.

Daniel slowly walked towards the old man still a bit unsure of what was happening, so many questions filling his head right now, he stopped short of who he was told was his Grandfather,

'S..so that means that our father must be here somewhere...' Daniel's shoulders stiffened as he spoke,

'Well yes...you are correct...Lord Casborn, Your father and my son, does live here my boy, He has been ever desperate to find out where you disappeared to, It has been something that he has been hoping for ever since you were both young, a search that has taken its toll on him',

'You mean...It's actually him?...Our actual father?' Daniel seeking an answer to confirm what he was hoping for which the old man duly gave him,

'Ha-ha, yes he IS your actual father my boy, and you will get to see him very soon I promise, but first we must go inside and I will explain further ok?' the old man put his arm out for Daniel to get under which he happily did, letting a smile fill his face and tears welling in his eyes,

'Errrm...hello!!' came a voice from behind, 'what about me??, do I get to come in?' Harvey was standing there, hands on hips looking rather annoyed by them walking off and leaving him stood there alone,

'Ahhhh yes, the foolish friend…' the old man turned round laughing as he seemingly knew of Harvey and what he was like,

'Of course young man, please follow us but please be careful inside, this place is centuries old and isn't ready to fall down just yet'

Lillie let out a roar of laughter when she heard this making her hold her stomach tight,

'Ha-ha it seems everyone here knows of you too Harvey, I bet this isn't the only place that sees what we see!!' She mocked Harvey even more as he just stood there looking red faced and angry,

'Do you know what..' Harvey said 'Think I'll stay out here instead of coming in with you, don’t want to cramp your style or anything!!' 'Then stay there then you oaf, see if I care what happens to you!!' Lillie replied as she turned on her heels to join her Grandfather once again,

'No I'm only joking My dear boy, please join us inside, this does concern you too and anyway you don't want to stay out here too long in case something decides to have you as it's lunch, there are a lot of roaming creatures here, all hunting for that one big feast!!' a glint appeared in the corner of King Casborns eye as he tried to scare Harvey into moving which he duly did.

Daniel had never seen his friend move so fast as he shot past them towards the open castle doors muttering to Daniel as he went past,

'Errrm I'll meet you in there Dan, bit of a toilet situation going on now!!'.

Daniel laughed at the sight of Harvey running off, Lillie just muttered how embarrassing he was as they made their way towards the doors of the castle, the winged bird emblem sitting proud on the doors as if on a constant look out for trouble.

As they got closer to the castle Daniel had to ask his grandfather a question about his family though,

'So I'm...sorry WE are going to meet our father here?'

'Yes my boy, and on his return here his endless search will be over, you see he has always dreamed of this day, the day he would get to see his children again, then the circle would well and truly be complete, nothing would ever break it apart again!' King Casborn smiled at the thought of his son being able to finally rest properly,

'You mean he isn't here right now?' asked Lillie

'I'm afraid he's out on...shall we say...castle business, but he should be back tomorrow by dawn, he has no idea you are here so I think a little surprise will be in order!!' Laughed the King as the reached the doors to the castle.

'Oh, I do have one last question though' Daniel said as he stopped in his tracks,

'And that is?' The King replied,

' The reason we ended up here was because I was chasing my pet who I thought fell through some kind of hole, and now I can't find him, His name is Bucksy and he's a dog, black in colour with strange coloured eyes and he's my best friend, Have you seen him anywhere here?' Daniel asked inquisitively.

'Hmmm…' The King screwed up his eyes and tapped his boney finger on his hairy chin as he seemed deep in thought at what Daniel was asking,

'I think I might be able to help you there...I think I know who you are talking about, let's get you all settled here first though, then I can give you anything you need'

'So you have seen him??, you don't know how long I have been