Present Day:


            “That’s old man Moody’s place right there. He never opens his front door. Never!” a young boy informed his friend so matter-of-factly that the friend would be stupid to disagree.


            “I bet…I bet you I can get him to open that door.” The friend challenged, “I bet you and if I win… you have to share your candy with me, and if I loose, I will proclaim you the smartest fellow in all the land.”

            The boy had every intention on sharing his treats with his friend, but he had no choice but to take the challenge. To have himself proclaimed as such, it was a bet he would not loose, it would be ludicrous not to take him up on it. With that they shook, “Deal!”

          Moody was in a strange sort of mood today. He had not been in a funk such as this in a very long time. He had not slept well the night before, visions of the past; memories, he wished he could forget, haunted him. Even now, they seemed to plague his mind.

            A tap at the door startled Moody! Without thinking he went straight to it and yanked it open. Two young boys scurried down the street all excited. That’s when he saw him…the man responsible for his unfortunate lot in life. Without hesitation Moody cross the courtyard, went up to the statue of the king and began whaling on him.

            Cathern was in her father’s study when two guards’ men rushed in all in a huff…

“My lady, you must come quickly, Old man Moody has lost his mind and maybe inches from his last breath.”

…Without putting away what she was reading, Cathern rushed from her seat to follow the guards.

Along the way the guards’ men informed the lone ruler of what had transpired…

“We hadn’t realized it was him until it was too late.” explained one.

“He was battering on your father like the king owed him and refused to pay up.” express the other.

“We didn’t realize it was him until he fell unconscious” regrettably the first uttered as they approached the small cottage.

“For your ignorance you will pay this man’s medical expenses. Now fetch my Royal Master Physician and quickly.”

“Yes, my lady; and he is here.”

With a nod, Cathern entered the humble abode from a side door. She found her doctor in his normal robes praying while he was bandaging the head of the man whom had been a father to her in the absents of her own. She temperately lowered herself onto a chair beside Moody and gingerly took his hand in hers. It was clammy and lifeless, which startled her. She looked at the doctor questioningly for some kind of answer to all the questions swirling within her.

Sensing this, the doctor replied, “It’s just too early to tell right now, my lady.”

The sounds stirred the aged man…he breathed, “Cathern, I am so sorry, my child, please forgive me.”

“Whoa! Take it easy there. You have quite a bump.” warned the doctor in a whisper.

Cathern look in her lap not knowing exactly how to respond, but that was when she noticed she had inadvertently carried her father’s last words with her…

“Would it be alright if I read to him?” looking between the two for joint approval, and getting it she began, “My dear beloved wife and child,”