The Legacy (Part 1)
By Riverwind

The Dark Man was reaching for her. He was speaking, but 
Shannon couldn't make out the words. His icy cold hand 
grabbed her bare shoulder and pulled her closer to him. For 
the first time since the nightmares had begun, Shannon 
could make out his words.
"Find the Spear. Find the Spear!" he was shouting. 
Shannon bolted upright in her bed. Her mother was beside 
her smoothing back her long dark hair off her forehead. 
Catlin's face was etched with worry.
"Was it the same dream?" she asked.
"Yes," Shannon replied close to tears. "Ma why is this 
happening to me? Where are the nightmares coming from? 
Who is the Dark Man? What is the Spear?"
Catlin's face turned white at the last question. "Where did 
you hear about the Spear?" she asked quietly.
Shannon noticed the change in her mother's voice. "That's 
what the Dark Man said to me," she said slowly. "He told 
me to find the Spear."
"Did he say anything else?" Catlin asked quickly.
Shannon looked at her in puzzlement. "Do you know 
something about what he was talking about?"
"No."
"Ma if you know something you must tell me. Please, 
I'm begging you."
"I know nothing. Please, my child don't ask me again." 
With that said Catlin ran from the cave leaving Shannon alone .

Catlin rushed into her cave, tears streaming down her cheeks. 
She threw herself onto her bed and stuffed her fists into her 
mouth to muffle her sobs.
Conor came in a few minutes later and sat down on the bed 
taking her into his arms. When Catlin's sobs had quieted he 
asked very simply, "Is something wrong?"
Catlin looked into his eyes. "It's Shannon's dreams, " she 
responded quietly. "The Dark Man in her dreams is Longinus."
"How do you know?"
"Because he spoke to her. He told her to find the Spear."
"Does she know what the Spear is?"
"No. He didn't tell her and I didn't either," Catlin answered.
She stood up and began to pace. "I've been thinking that it is 
time we told her the truth. I know we agreed to wait until her 
eighteenth birthday, but I don't think we can wait any longer. 
She must know the truth." 
Conor looked at her. "Are you going to just tell her about the 
Spear or all of it?"
Catlin gazed at him steely-eyed. "I have to tell her all of it, but I
don't know how I can do it. How do I tell my only daughter 
that the father she loves is not her father at all. How do I tell 
her that the most evil man on the island is her father?" 
"It must be done," Conor said. "He is invading her dreams. How 
long until he captures her soul? She is of his blood. It would 
not be hard for him to do. We can't protect her any longer. She 
has to protect herself now."
Conor stood up and walked over to Catlin. "We must tell her 
now or all that we have fought for could be lost," he said softly.

Shannon was startled out of her thoughts as her parents walked in.
"What's wrong?" she asked noticing the grim looks on their faces.
Catlin sat down by her daughter. "We have something to tell you," 
she said.
"Does it have anything to do with my dreams?" Shannon asked.
"Yes. What I am going to tell you is the reason for your dreams. 
The Dark Man in your dreams, the one who told you to find the 
Spear is named Longinus."
"Why is he in my dreams?"
Catlin took a deep breath and shut her eyes.
"Because he is your father."
Shannon sat there in shock. "How?" was all she could manage to ask.
"It's a long story," Catlin said, "but I will try to tell you everything.
You know that I used to be a slave and that Conor rescued me and then
became one of my closest friends. I was in love with him, but he had 
just lost Claire and I thought he could never love an abused slave girl. 
Well one day on a routine scouting mission, Conor, Tully, Fergus, 
and I were all captured by Roman soldiers. We were taken back to 
the Roman base and while the others were taken to the dungeon I 
was brought before Longinus. He asked me what I would do to save 
myself and my friends. I told him I would do anything he wanted 
as long as he let my friends go. I never dreamed that he would ask 
me what he did." Catlin stopped for a moment and took a deep
breath.
"What happened?" Shannon asked softly.
Catlin looked at her daughter with tears shining in her eyes. "He 
told me that if I gave myself to him for one night that he would set 
us all free the next morning. I agreed even though it disgusted me 
and he sent a servant to bathe and perfume me. I was then taken 
to his bedchamber and I stayed with him for a night.
The next morning we were all released and we traveled back to the
Sanctuary.
Conor and Fergus and Tully did not understand why we had been 
released when we should have been executed. I of course knew, but 
I did not tell them what happened. I let them believe that I also did 
not know. I was too ashamed and I promised myself that nobody 
would ever find out." Catlin stopped and could not continue.
Conor took up the story. "I knew that something was bothering 
your mother, but I did not know what it was. I noticed that she 
would lapse into periods of silence and she would often take long 
walks by herself. It was not until one day when she fainted while 
we were hunting that we found out why we had been freed. She 
was pregnant with you as a result of that night and I was
angry."
Catlin now took up the story. "I was not sure what I was going to do. I
knew that I did not want anyone to know who your father was because 
of my shame. I was going to leave the Sanctuary and go someplace else 
where I could pretend I was a widow who had lost her husband in the 
wars, but Conor told me that was out of the question. He agreed to 
marry me to give my child a name and we would say the baby was 
early when it was born. We got married and when you were born 
everyone thought you were early which was exactly what we wanted. 
The only ones who knew the truth wer Fergus, Tully, and the
midwife who delivered you and they were sworn to secrecy. We 
decided to name you Shannon in honor of our dear friend Shannon 
the banshee who died too young in order to restore balance to the land."
"I raised you as my own," Conor said, "and loved you so much. Claire 
and Aiden were born when you were six and even though they were 
my own children and l loved them very much you were still my beloved 
oldest daughter. And even though you know the truth now I don't 
want you to think that I am not your father. You may not be of my 
blood, but you are still mine."
Shannon looked at him with tears in her eyes. She got up from the bed 
and walked over to him. She looked into his eyes and said, "I love 
you Da."
Conor wrapped her in his arms and stared at Catlin over the top of 
her head. Catlin walked over to them and Conor pulled her into 
their hug. They stood there a moment holding onto each other and 
then Shannon pulled back.
"Ma...Da...I am worried about something now. Because Longinus 
is my father will I grow up to be as evil as he is?"
 


Power to the Rejects
Peace Love and Flower Power
May the Schwartz Be With You
Riverwind