I thought our lives were simple. I suppose they are, but they are meaningful as well. I thought that life was safe, but I was wrong. To what ends my father has gone to protect me and our family, I will never know, I think. I do not think he is meant to write his story down. It is written and those who can see it, who know it, are strengthened by it and they await my father's arrival with great anticipation in the world to come, but here in this world, perhaps no one knows it fully but my mother. We came to the stone house in the woods beyond Mount Baekdu after the Great War. My father fought in that war, but in ways most will never know. His name will never be written in the histories of our civilization. Perhaps I am meant to write something of what he did. Perhaps it will be read by you in these pages. Perhaps your father is like mine. Perhaps there are others like us in the world. Truly, I do not know. I do not know what will come of writing all of this down either. I do not expect anything. Writings such as this have been written and then hidden for centuries, millennia, awaiting the time of their purpose. I do not know if the time for this has come, or if it is yet to come. Truly, I do not know. Only, I know it must be written - and the time will come for the others to write their stories too. I suppose we were chosen for this from eternity. My name is Grace Christianson. I am Royameheir. My family have been Royameheirs from the beginning - at least 5000 years. Our line has been protected and guarded by our ancestors. It was important - even for you, whoever you are - to protect the line of Royameheirs. The Royameheirs protect the secrets of life - all life. Did you know this? Or do you take it for granted, like so many others, that life simply is. I suppose I have always known that life is more fragile than most suspect. The secrets of life were entrusted to my parents, as well as others, for protection. I do not know why I am called to write down what I know now. I do not know who you are or what you know. Perhaps it does not matter now. The secrets of the Royameheirs were once guarded so tightly that if you were not born into our knowledge, our sacerdotés could have been put to death for revealing it to someone without permission from L'Agneau. But the world has changed much since that time. Perhaps the time is coming, perhaps it is already upon us - when the secrets of life will be revealed to everyone. I have seen that this may be the case. Our life - the life of the Royame - has been available to all for some time and it has been the job of the Royameheirs to fight and even to die to open our Kingdom to the Gentilians and the Water Walkers and all who are called, but we are told that a time is coming when all who walk upon the earth will be called. I have been born into the cusp of this time. This has been revealed to me. And so, you, whoever you are, if this writing has made it into your hands, no doubt you too are being called and perhaps the time has come for you to know who you are and why you are here. As for me, I am Grace Christianson, Royameheir, and this is my story.
About the Author: M. Lee Maloukis is a full time writer and teacher who lives near the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma.