The morning sunlight kissed the top of the trees casting silhouettes of the leaves dancing with the wind on the ground below. The familiar sound of an axe splitting wood could be heard from the distance, and the entire empire was at peace. David lived in a quaint cabin with his Imperial mother on the Black Road to Chorrol. His father, just weeks before, left the family after inheriting a huge claim from one of his Uncles, leaving David to pick up the pieces and handle his father's former house chores.

The head of the axe swung powerfully through the air, precisely hitting the block of wood and splitting it into pieces. It was a rusted old axe that had been around forever, but it was all David had to prepare the firewood to cook tonight's meal. With a grunt he slammed the tool through yet another block of wood. David was finally getting used to his work around the cabin, and had grown up a lot during the last weeks. With another loud grunt, he furiously chopped at the wood, but the age of the axe finally wore out. It had been splintering for days, and with this last swing, the wedge broke from the top of the axe. Time seemed to move in slow motion until the wedge finally fell softly onto green grass below. David let out a sigh of relief,staring at the axe handle with frustration.

"Dammit", he yelled, as he felt the sharp pain of a large splinter protruding from his hand.

The sound of David's dismay could be heard within the cabin, pulling his mother out from a nap. She came to her feet and rushed to the door, opened it and reluctantly peered out into the bright light for David. She could make out David's figure in the light, he was in the middle of the road, trudging in the direction of Chorrol.

"David!", she yelled, hoping to get his attention, though he didn't break stride. She chased wearily after him, still squinting in the light. As she neared David, she could see the drops of blood following her son down the dry path.

David stopped and rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Mom! You have enough to worry about, Chorrol is just down the path. They have healers there, I can handle this." Horse hooves grew louder in the distance.

"David, come back inside, I have a healing scroll we can use", she said, grabbing his elbow and pulling back in the direction of home.

David turned around and saw a cloud of dust building behind his mother, a horse was charging, seconds away from hitting her. David leaped and tackled her out of the way of the horses path. He let out a deep breath and looked to watch the horse ride by, but the horseman had already snatched the reigns. In an instant, David and his mother were trampled. The grass was now painted with smears of crimson.

In a mere moment, David and his mother were dead. This was many years ago, before the rule of Jagar Tharn. The test of time erased the cabin and any trace of existence left by David and his mother. Still, on a dark, cloudy night, lonely couriers often report being waved at by two mysterious figures as they ride by the suspected scene of the incident.

Nice story. Great plot.

Good story, GREAT writing.