War of Earths Dimensions: Ruling the Light & Dark worlds

Chapter 1: A HOME FROM HOME

The train seemed to whine and sigh as it left Euston train station, almost as if it too was sad to be leaving behind everything that it had ever known. Ladened down with luggage, William sulkily followed his father down the aisle until they finally found a spare table seat. His father placed the luggage in the overhead compartment and then sat down next to his son.

“Why do we have to go?” William Bryce asked his dad, David. David gently kissed his son on the forehead. “You know why. Please don’t make me say it,” his father pleaded. William turned and looked out of the window. He couldn’t even bring himself to wave goodbye to London. It was just too sad. His dad was right though

William did understand why they had to leave. Although only nine years old, William had to grow up fast following the tragic death of his mother Catherine a couple of years ago. After his wife’s fatal car accident, David had not been able to bring himself to drive any more. And he still did not feel comfortable in their home either, which is why they were now moving. He used to say that there were too many memories in that place.

A few moments of silence passed between them. “But why Poynton Green?” William asked. He’d never even heard of the place before being told that they were moving there!

“Why not Poynton Green? It’s in the countryside, so fresh air! Relaxation! And horses! Who knows? We might even be able to get you a pony. You could learn to ride. Would

You like that?”

“I’d like to stay in London, with my friends,” William replied.

His father sighed. “I’m sorry. I just...I can’t, Will. I know it’s a big change for you but just you wait. You will make new friends in no time.”

William’s lip quivered as he fought back the tears.

“Come here, you,” his dad said, before embracing him and affectionately stroking William’s wavy blonde hair.

“It’s going to be fine, Will. We’ll be happy there. Just you wait and see.”

The taxi pulled up in front of their new home; 5 Poynton Green. The removal van was already waiting for them there when they arrived, with the rest of their belongings. It had taken them two train rides, a bus ride and a short taxi ride in order to reach this place but they had finally managed it. Poynton Green was a tiny hamlet in the middle of nowhere just over a mile away from Roden Village in one direction, and over two miles away from William’s new school in Shawbury in the other direction. William wasn’t looking forward to going to Shawbury County Primary School; and was glad that there was still a week left of the holidays before he would have to face it. Their new home was a white-walled thatched cottage, which had a large garden filled with flowers, apple trees and both conifer and holly bushes. At the bottom of the garden was an old, disused pigsty. There was also a vegetable patch and a chicken coop.

“Fresh eggs; you can’t beat them”, his dad jokingly said to his son upon learning that the previous residents were leaving their chickens behind.

The garden had been one of the major selling points for David. He thought that it would be a nice place to raise his son. As an added bonus the previous owners had also left a swing and a climbing frame.

David paid the taxi driver, and then proceeded to help the removal men with the unloading of their belongings, starting with a large antique chest which he had inherited from his own father.

“Do you want me to help?” William asked his dad.

“No… that’s okay, Will, but you’re a good boy for asking”, he replied. He was panting from the exertion of carrying the chest. “Why don’t you go and play in the garden?

“Okay,” William agreed. He ran off to explore.

In the middle of the garden stood an old apple tree; Red Cox Apples hung from the branches. It had been awhile since William had eaten anything, and his mouth watered when he saw the fruit. He tried to get an apple, but even the lowest branches were out of his reach. He studied the tree trying to figure out how he was going to reach one of the apples and he noticed that there were a number of notches in the bark of the tree. William thought that he could use those notches as footholds to help him climb the tree.

The notches did help him to climb the tree, and in no time he was resting in the boughs of the tree with a freshly picked apple in his hand. The apple was a little bitter because it was not completely ripe. William ate the slightly green apple, because he figured even a bitter apple was

better than being hungry. While he chewed on his apple he looked up through the leafy branches of the tree and wondered whether or not his dad would allow him to build a tree-house in this tree. It would be nice to have a little hide-a-way to call his own. He was disturbed from this daydream by a small voice from somewhere down below him.

“I guess you are our new neighbors”, the voice said.

William was so surprised by the voice that he almost fell from the tree! He scanned the ground below him but could not see anyone down there. “Where are you”, William asked the voice.

“Oh … give me a minute,” the voice answered. William looked to where the voice was coming from and noticed a couple of conifer bushes that were creating a border on the right hand side of the garden. He watched as a gap grew between the two bushes, and a small boy emerged. The boy had scruffy ginger colored hair, pale skin, green eyes, and freckles. William guessed that the boy was probably the same age as he was, but the boy was an inch or two shorter than William.

“Chuck me an apple”, the boy said.

“Come up and get one!” William said as he took another bite of his apple.

The boy looked up to where William was perched in the tree and William could tell that he was trying to decide whether or not he should climb the tree. William bit into the apple again, and even though it was a little bitter, he emphatically said, “Mmmmm!”

“Alright, I will come up” the boy said. He ran over to the tree and began to slowly scramble his way up. The boy was not as strong or dexterous as William and he lost his footing from time to time, but he finally made his way up the tree far enough that he was within reach of William.

William extended his arm and offered the boy a hand and helped him onto the branch where he was seated.

“Thanks,” the boy said, panting as he sat down beside William. “My name’s Rob. Well...Robin really, but only my mum calls me that.”

“I’m William. My friends call me Will,” William began, then he became sad again, “or at least they did, when I still had friends.”

“Well Will, you’ve got a friend now,” Rob replied, smiling at him, “Now let’s eat!” Robin reached up, plucked an apple and took a huge bite out of it. He scrunched up his face. “Eeewww, it’s so bitter!”

William laughed. Perhaps living here would not be so bad after all.

“You got any brothers or sisters?” Robin asked him.

“No, it’s just me and my dad,” William replied.

“No mum?” the other boy asked as he bit his apple again.

William sighed. “No. She died, a couple of years ago,” William said.

“I’m sorry,” Robin replied.

“How about you? You got any brothers or sisters?” William asked him.

“No, no brothers or sisters. Mum says I’m hard enough work as it is,” Robin replied, badly imitating his mother’s voice.

William smiled. “But you’ve got a dad too, right?”

“Wrong!” Robin replied.

This surprised William. William said, “He...he isn’t dead, is he?”

Robin laughed. “I wish! No, he’s not dead. He left my mum shortly before I was born.” Robin looked down at his apple.

“Oh. Well...I’m sorry too then.” William said.

Robin shrugged his shoulders. “It’s okay. Mum said he wouldn’t have been a good dad anyway.”

Robin looked out at William’s garden. He noticed the old pigsty at the bottom of the garden and pointed in it. “Hey...have you looked in there yet?” he asked.

“No. Dad said it’s a pigsty. We don’t have any pigs, so...” Robin smiled.

“Mr. Bourne’s, the man who lived here before you didn’t have any pigs either. But, he used to store all kinds of things in there. I bet we’d find something good. Come on!” Robin said.

He jumped down from the tree, landing on his feet. He stood up, turned to face William and said, “Come on!”

William was a little nervous about jumping but did not want to be shown up in front of his new friend, so he steeled his nerves, took a deep breath and jumped. He landed in a heap on the grass but he wasn’t hurt. Well...not much, anyway.

“Are you okay?” Robin asked him, while helping William to his feet.

“I’m okay,” William replied, “Let’s go! Race you t...”Before William could say “there,” Robin was off, and running down the garden path, laughing all the way. William took off after him. “Stop! No fair...you cheated!” William called.

“No I didn’t!” Robin protested. He reached the pigsty before William, and threw his hands up in the air saying, “Winner!

When Robin grinned broadly, it made William notice the dimples in Robin’s cheeks. Combined with Robin’s freckled face and his lack of height, it made him look very innocent, and even younger than he really was.

“Okay, you win,” William conceded, not wanting to argue any more about whether or not Robin had cheated.

“Let’s look inside!” Robin said, dashing to the pigsty’s door.

“It’s probably locked,” William said.

Robin lifted the latch, and smiled at William. “It’s not locked,” he said.

“Well...it’s probably empty,” William said.

Robin opened the door. It wasn’t empty, either. The Bourne’s family had left so much behind when they had moved. William and Robin rooted through the contents of the pigsty, wondering what treasures they might find. On more than one occasion, William almost cut himself on rusty nails and broken glass. It was Robin who struck gold first. He held his find up above his head. “Look what I found!” he shouted.

He was holding up two wooden swords.

“Yes!” William cheered.

“Here...catch!” Robin said. He threw a wooden sword over the debris towards William, who caught it and headed back outside with it, followed by Robin

.

“En garde!” Robin said, brandishing his sword, “I will beat you today, black knight!” William only just managed to block Robin’s swing. “What? Wait...no, I don’t want to be the baddy!” William protested.

“Well, I don’t want to be the baddy either!” Robin said.

Fortunately, just then, William’s dad walked down the garden path to where the two friends were playing. He was smiling; feeling pleased that his son had already found somebody to play with.

“Who’s your friend, Will?” William’s dad asked.

“I’m Prince Valiant!” Robin said.

“And I’m not Will! I’m Sir Lancelot!” William replied.

David laughed. “Oh, my mistake! Sorry, Sir Lancelot! Slay any dragons today?”

“Not yet,” William said.

“He didn’t want to be a baddy,” Robin explained, pointing his sword at William, “So we’ve got nobody to fight!”

“Well boys, you’re in luck! Because I was just taking a break and it just so happens that I’m the most terrifying dragon that this dimension has ever seen! Roar!” David raised his arms in a menacing gesture.

Robin and William squealed with delight and ran from William’s father. He chased them both all around the garden, and then they turned around and chased after him, swinging their swords wildly and screaming out their battle cries. Robin struck David on the back. “Take that, dragon!” Robin said. David laughed.

.

“Hey! Not so hard!” David said. But as he was still laughing, William guessed that he hadn’t really been hurt too much.

“But you’re a dragon!” Robin protested.

“That’s right, I am,” David replied, “And I’m hungry!”

He scooped Robin up in his arms and pretended to eat Robin’s tummy.

“Nom-nom-nom!” David said as he pretended to eat the boy.

Robin was ticklish. Laughing, he dropped his wooden sword on the floor.

“Robin! Robin! Where are you? Dinner’s ready!” Somebody called out.

“Mum!” Robin happily said.

“He’s over here!” David yelled.

“I’ll meet you at your front gate,” Robin’s mother said. She did not fancy trying to squeeze through the small gap in the bushes as her son had.

“We’d best go meet your mum,” David said. Still carrying Robin, he jogged to their front gate, followed by his son. Robin’s mother was there waiting for them. She smiled, pleased that her son was enjoying himself.

To William, Robin’s mother just looked like a taller, more feminine version of Robin; she had a curvy figure, long, wavy red hair, pale skin and a freckled face. But in his father’s eyes, she was one of the most beautiful women that he had ever seen. It was love at first sight.

“I believe this little monster belongs to you,” David said, while carefully placing Robin down on the grass in front of her.

“I’m not a monster. You were the monster! I’m Prince Valiant!” Robin replied defensively.

David smiled. “Oh, my mistake! I believe this Prince belongs to you” he said and bowed before Robin’s mother.

“Thanks for looking after him. I hope he’s not been any trouble,” Robin’s mother said.

“No trouble at all.” David replied.

She held out her hand. “I’m Emma.” She said.

David shook her hand. “David”. He replied.

“We’re having stew for dinner. There’s enough for you both too if you’d like to join us,” Emma offered.

“Mum always makes too much,” Robin explained.

“Yes! I’m starving!” William said. He threw open the gate and stood next to Robin’s mother.

David smiled. “It looks like we’ll be joining you. But next time, dinner’s on me, okay?”

“It’s a deal,” Emma agreed.

As William ate the stew with Robin and his mother, he felt happy. It wasn’t just because he had made a new friend but it was because this felt so right; sitting with Robin opposite him, his dad to one side, and Robin’s mother on the other, enjoying a meal as a family again.

True to his word, a few days later David did have Emma over for dinner.

In fact, over the next few months, David and Emma spent a lot of time in each other’s company; as did Robin and William. But whereas Robin and William were involved in games of make believe where they pretended to be knights, pirates, superheroes or Robin Hood and his Merry Men, David and Emma seemed content to just walk together holding hands and to hug each other. Once or twice, William even caught them kissing!

One night when the four of them were sitting down together for a meal in William’s home, David smiled at the boys and said, “Boys, listen; Emma and I have been thinking and...Well, how would you feel about us all living together?”

William and Robin gasped with excitement. “Really?” William said.

“Really,” Emma answered.

“Here or at our home?” Robin asked suspiciously.

“Well...it would be here, Robin. You know we’re only renting and David bought this place outright, so...”

William’s father was an author who mainly wrote science fiction and fantasy novels. His last novel, The Bridge to Elysium, had sold very well. So well in fact, that unless he really wanted to, David wouldn’t have to work again for the rest of his life. He did enjoy writing though, and couldn’t imagine himself stopping completely.

“I don’t know,” Robin said sulkily, “I like my bedroom.”

“Aw, come on Robin! Please!!! Just give it a chance, will you?” his mother begged.

Robin thought about it.

“Come on, Rob!” William cajoled him, “It’d be like having a really long sleepover!”

Robin surrendered. “Aw...okay. But I get the biggest bedroom!”

“You have a deal!” William agreed, “Come on! I’ll show you around!”

The two boys dashed away from the table and thundered up the stairs.

“Hey, wait a minute; you haven’t finished your dinner!” David called out.

But it did no good the boys were already all the way upstairs and did not hear him. In the end, Robin did not end up with the largest bedroom. That one was taken by William’s father and his mother. His new bedroom was at least a little larger than his old room had been and he was happy that he was now going to be living with his best friend, William.

Only six months later, they had another important discussion over dinner, one which both William and Robin had seen coming for a while.

“Will, Rob...we’ve been thinking,” David began, “and...Well...your mother and I have some news for you.”

“What is it?” William asked.

Emma smiled broadly and held out her left hand to reveal a diamond engagement ring. It was white gold, with a large cluster diamond which sparkled brightly on her finger.

“We’re engaged! We’re going to be married!” Emma beamed.

The two boys cheered and the four of them embraced. It was official; they; were going to become a family. After dinner, Robin and William played with their Star Wars figures in William’s bedroom. William was playing with Luke Skywalker and Robin with Darth Vader.

“Luke...I have something to tell you,” Robin said.

“What is it?” Luke asked.

“Leia and I have been thinking and...Well, we’re engaged! We’re going to be married!” Robin exclaimed.

“Wait, wasn’t Leia Darth Vader’s daughter?” William asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” Robin said. He had already started making Leia and Vader kiss each other.

“Oh. Okay,” William replied. Then, he went quiet.

“What is it? Don’t you want to play anymore?” Robin asked him.

“No, that’s not it. If our parents get married, won’t that mean we’ll be brothers?” William asked him.

“I guess so. Why?”

“Well, do you think that means that we’ll start fighting? My friend Justin...he has a brother and he says they always fight each other,” William nervously explained.

“Aw, Will! Just because our parents are getting married, that doesn’t mean that I’ll stop being your friend!” Robin said.

“Thanks, Rob,” William replied, smiling.

“Mind you, just because I’m your friend, that doesn’t mean that, I can’t still fight you!”

Robin pounced on William, pinned him to the floor and started landing gentle punches on William, which were interspersed with tickling.

William laughed and fought back. Maybe having Robin as a brother wouldn’t be so bad after all he thought.

A few months later in the Shrewsbury Castle’s courtyard, David and Emma were married. Robin and William were both their page boys. As William watched Emma walking down the aisle, for the first time he thought he saw her in a similar way to how his father did; she really did look beautiful that day, like a fairytale princess.

“Do you, David Andrew Bryce take Emma Louise Walters to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live?”

“I do!” David replied.

“And do you, Emma Louise Walters take David Andrew Bryce to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live?”

“I do!” Emma replied, as happy tears ran down her cheeks.

“Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you; husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

For once, William did not close his eyes or pretend to be disgusted as his father and Emma kissed each other. He smiled. This was the happiest that William had seen his dad since his mother had passed away. They both deserved a little happiness.

And a little happiness they did get.

That year was one of the happiest of William’s life. From a family honeymoon to Disney World to birthdays to his dad actually buying him a pony (which he soon learned to ride) it really was the happiest year of William’s life. He should have known that it would not last.

Soon after William’s eleventh birthday, he came home from school with Robin to find his stepmother crying in the kitchen, with her head down on the table, her face in her hands.

“Mum, what is it?” Robin asked her.

Emma looked up at them both. “Oh, boys...my special boys, I’m so sorry.”

“What? What is it?” William asked her, fearing the worst.

She turned to face William and taking his hands in hers she said in a barely audible whisper, “William... I’m so sorry. It’s your father. He’s...he’s dead.”