Marsonee appeared in the skies over the farming village known as Arter. It was a small village, surrounded by fields on three sides and a large lake on the other. Marsonee immediately soared down to a modest, wooden hut held together by mud and straw. Inside,
a woman sat knitting quietly while her husband stood shucking husks of corn.
“I have come for the boy named Justin,” Marsonee said. “Are you not
frightened by my presence?”
“I am not afraid,” the woman replied, placing her yarn down. “So soon. Has the time come so soon?”
“Great favor has been placed on this home,” Marsonee remarked.
The man knelt down beside his wife and embraced her as gentle tears welled in their eyes. “What does the King ask of us?” he said.
“Only the boy,” Marsonee answered. “Where might he be found?”
“He is tending our fields,” the man said. “I shall fetch him for you.”
The man rose and left the house. Marsonee eyed the woman. She reached down and picked up her yarn. She began knitting again.
“You and your husband were not frightened by me,” Marsonee remarked. “Do you know of your son’s destiny?”
“Yes,” she answered, almost in a whisper. “I have known since the day of his birth.”
“How can you know the mind of your King?”
A young boy, Justin, entered the house. He was followed by his father. When he saw Marsonee, Justin fell to his knees.
His mother rose from her chair and lovingly touched her son on the cheek.
“Do not be afraid, my child,” she said. “Marsonee is here on behalf of the
King and has come to take you with him. I shall prepare your things for the
journey.”
Justin slowly stood and watched as his mother began packing clothes and
things into a large, knapsack.
“You are older than I had imagined,” Marsonee commented. “Not a boy, but not yet a man. When your mother has finished, we shall go.”
“Where are you sending him?” his father asked.
“We go to the city of Rone,” Marsonee replied.
“But...but I cannot leave my family now,” Justin said. “The harvest is only weeks away and my father cannot do it alone. Flar already demands the village send so much corn and grain.”
“My son,” his father said, placing his hands on Justin’s shoulders and looking
deeply into his young, worried eyes. “Do not be concerned for your mother and me. There comes a time in every man’s life when he must leave his family and seek his own way. You are not a farmer. Your path shall take you to greater things.”
“But I cannot travel alone,” Justin said.
“No one travels alone,” his mother replied, placing the knapsack on the sole
table, “when they travel in the service of their King.”
“I will gather for you your horses,” his father said. He left the house.
“We have no horses,” Justin remarked. “Only mules for plowing.”
“On that, we shall see,” Marsonee said. “Come, let us go outside and see what your father has found for us.”
They walked outside the house. Justin’s father was leading two, beautiful stallions down the dirt pathway. Justin stared at the horses in amazement.
“How father?” Justin gasped, taking the rein and stroking the one horse on the side. “They are so strong.”
“You have far to go and there are still several hours of daylight left,” his father said. “You have no time to waste, my son.”
Marsonee mounted one of the horses as Justin embraced his father and mother.
Then, he too mounted a horse.
“I do not know why I am going,” Justin said to his parents.
“Then go in faith,” his mother replied. She looked at Marsonee. “Will I see him again?”
“Yes,” Marsonee answered. “He will come back for you.”
The archangel and the boy turned and rode way. His father and mother watched as the two figures slowly disappeared from view. She wiped a tear from her face.
“Are you sad?” her husband asked.
“No,” she said with a slight laugh, turning to look into the distance at the Great Divide, “happy.”
THE ADVENTURE WILL CONTINUE........