RUGBY SATURDAY

Just settled down to watch the England v Italy rugby match (how weird that there is snow on the pitch in Rome) and then we will be having our good friends Jeff and Lisa over for a meal tonight.  On the menu (which is all homemade) for tonight are king scallops and chorizo on a bed of salad leaves with a lime dressing to start, briam (which is a roasted Greek vegetable dish in case you were wondering) made with sweet potato and red onion will be accompanied by cheese and tomato bread for main and brandied fruit cake with brandy cream for dessert.

Lucas raced in the Scout swimming gala last night and came third and fourth in his races - considering he was against some members of the Spenborough, Halifax and Bradford swimming clubs - he did really well.  Some of his friends also raced, Liam and Ryan came third in their races and Liam's brother Cameron came first in the cubs race.  Well done boys.

Here is the beginning of my fantasy novel that I started yesterday in readiness for a competition I will be entering in March.  Let me know what you think.

THORDE: THE KEEPER OF THE TRYSK

They were coming at dawn.  The elders had consulted with the truth-seekers and they had foretold of a mighty battle.  The enemy would come on their mormoths and their fearless warriors would ride upon the scaranx.  I had heard tell of these creatures many times around the fire.  Tales of their size, ferocious teeth and claws bigger even than a wyverns, that could snap a man in two or cause the blood to leave your body quicker than a river when it bursts its banks.  It was said that they had a ring of fiery fur around their necks and the devastation that their long tails could bring with its spiky ball at the end was legendary.  I had heard of many men that had died that way.  As if that was not enough to chill my blood, the truth-seekers also prophesised that the sky would flood with the beating wings of the pterodyls carrying men who could swoop down upon all with swift and terrifying accuracy.  I was eternally grateful that I had not been born a truth-seeker (to have to live with visions and futures that you could not alter was a heavy burden) but not being one held no comfort either.

I know what you are thinking?  How do I know so many things that only Kings and trusted servants would know?  Am I born of noble blood or work high up in the castle echelons?  Or do I hang around like a thief in the night, watching and waiting to hear things I should not be privy to?  Well no, that’s not it either; I am just Thorde, the keeper of the animals.  Now I’ll bet you are thinking that’s nothing, but I assure you I use my position to its full advantage.  The Knights all use my services and I even have full access to the King’s noble steed.  That’s how I find out all the things that I do and sometimes, like now, I really wish that I didn’t.  They have told the people, obviously they have, because they have to be ready for battle, but they have not told them who and what are coming, only that they are.  The King has told them that they come and that all must fight and when I say all, I do mean all.  They thrust a helmet upon my head and gave me a sword and a shield.  Me, who has never held a weapon in my life and the worst thing is, I know what’s coming and I know we don’t stand a chance.  Mormoths are bad enough, I’ve seen them, they stand three times taller than our noblest steeds, but pterodyls and scaranx, the best weapon a man can have in his armoury other than a wyvern.  I can only hope that their truth-seekers have not mastered the language of the beasts, only the truly gifted can do that.  But what if they have?  We can use the boiling oil, the flaming arrows, all our best defences from behind the castle walls, but to have the power of fire in flight, that is a weapon indeed.