Two Meetings

Wake up. Go for a run. Eat a hearty breakfast. Study the arts. Cook and consume a protein-packed lunch. Master all aspects of athleticism. Tend to the garden. Steak and potatoes. Study the stars. Go to sleep.

This was the daily routine of Beckett and Owen Fite, two of the four heroic Brothers Fite, everyday since first coming to the Training Grounds of the Head Coach. It was pure chance that the oldest two Fite brothers found this great coach's hideaway. After Beckett's exile, the brothers wandered through the woods for many days. One day, they came across a small clearing with a modest lodge in the center.

"Who would live way out here?" Beckett wondered.

"Maybe it's a prince and his incredible, better-looking younger brother who were exiled from their father's palace," Owen suggested. "Or it could just be a some weird loner."

Ignoring his brother's snark, Beckett said, "Well, whoever lives here, they can probably help us figure out how to survive living way out here."

So the brothers marched up to the front door and knocked. A man a little older than their father greeted them. He had tanned, leathery skin, a salt-and-pepper goatee, and rimless glasses obscuring his kind eyes.

"Hello sir," Beckett began, "my name is Beckett, and this is my brother Owen. We just moved to this region, and were wondering if you could give us any advice."

"Hmph," the man grunted, "no one lives all the way out here without good reason. Especially not when they're as young as you. You two probably have quite the story to tell. Why don't you boys come on in and tell me what exactly you're doing out here."

So Beckett and Owen told their host who they were, where they came from, and why they had to leave their father's kingdom. They had no idea they were talking to the Head Coach, the greatest trainer and friend the kingdom had ever known. After serving the kingdom for years, the Head Coach retired to a meadow far away. But when he met these two young brothers, the coach knew he had one more job to do.

"I'll tell you what, boys," the Head Coach said, "you two can stay here and train with me if you want. It's not going to be easy, but one day you two will get to go back to your homeland. And when that time comes, you need to be ready to lead and protect your people. I can prepare you for that. What do you say?"

Beckett and Owen looked at each other. When they were living in the palace, they were constantly learning princely lessons about how to run a kingdom. After Beckett's exile, they just assumed they were on their own. Neither one loved the idea of spending all of their time studying and training, especially not Owen. But they knew that the Head Coach was right. They needed to be ready to lead when Beckett's exile ended.

So the brothers accepted the coach's offer, and fell into their difficult yet rewarding routine. Beckett and Owen studied with the Head Coach for months. Then one day, a new adventure presented itself...

They loved their studies, both physical and spiritual, and greatly appreciated the coach's guidance. However, like most young boys, they were itching for adventure. Especially Owen. Beckett, the oldest of the four Brothers Fite, loved his little brother and wanted to make him happy. And, to be perfectly honest, Beckett was yearning for adventure just as much. So, Beckett talked with the Head Coach and got permission to leave the Training Grounds for a few days and explore the kingdom. The brothers gathered their gear, promised to keep up their training, and set out.

Beckett and Owen traveled the kingdom, catching the eye of every young lady as they went. The brothers cared for nature and performed athletic tasks as often as they could, earning them great admiration from all. One day, they found themselves at the Meadow of Sports, a beautiful glade where athletes from all over the kingdom came to compete in all the honorable sports. Beckett and Owen had grown up on legends of the Meadow of Sports and all of the athletes that competed there, and dreamt of one day being asked to compete one of the great tournaments.

It just so happened that the very day that the Brothers Fite came across the Meadow, there was a great baseball tournament that brought together the best athletes from all over the kingdom. The brothers made their way into the stands, hoping to at least catch a glimpse of the athletes. But there seemed to be something wrong. No one was playing! During warm-ups, two players were injured, and their team didn't have anyone to take their place! The brothers were disappointed, because they thought that meant they weren't going to get to see any baseball. But they were very wrong...

The coach of one of the teams had heard of the brothers' incredible athleticism, and when he realized they were there, he immediately asked them to join the team. And they did. The Brothers Fite remembered their training and played the games of their lives. Playing with intelligence, humility, and endurance, they led their new team to victory!

Little did they know, the king and his daughter Maggie were at the game. Maggie was amazed by the brothers' skill, looks, and kindness, especially Beckett's. After the game, one of the coaches introduced Beckett and Owen to the king and Maggie. Although their interaction was brief, Maggie and Beckett fell instantly in love. But Beckett and Owen had promised the Head Coach that they would return to the Training Grounds, so they left the Meadow of Sports and returned home. But Beckett couldn't stop thinking about Maggie, and knew that somehow, someday, they would be together.

Author's Note:

For my first story, I wanted to include a story I had previously written about Rama (Beckett) meeting Sita (Maggie) and expand that story to tell about how the brothers met their advisor. The inspiration from this came from the hermit Vishvamitra that Rama and Lakshmana (Owen) encounter in the Ramayana. There isn't a specific episode that this part is based off of, just the character as an advisor. My inspiration for the second part of the story is the story of when Rama meets Sita. I thought it would be really fun to write about Rama and Lakshmana on their exploration of the city and how Rama met Sita. In the story that I read, the meadow of sports was mentioned, and I really liked the idea of taking ahold of that concept and expanding it. I changed the story a bit, making the boys get Sita's attention while they were playing baseball instead of picking flowers. As my characters and story develop, I may shorten this story a little or maybe even make it two separate stories. But for now I like the idea of meeting two characters (who I think will be big players throughout the rest of my storybook) in the same story will add to my narrative.

Source: Sita, found in the public domain

Cover Image: Source

Book Image: Source

Baseball Diamond: Source