Chapter 1 "Ancient Thoughts"
"With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 westward expansion of the United States crossed the Missis" I stop reading suddenly, interrupted yet again by that annoying owl. I sigh and get up to stretch. With a yawn, i head to the window in hopes of scaring it away. I Pull open the window and look out. All traces of sleepiness leave my eyes as i stare at the person standing in the tree.
She radiated wisdom rather than beauty. She was dressed like a modern business woman, in a suit. Her silver hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Despite her modern appearance, she carried a massive silver shield. My eyes were drawn to its center at which a hideous woman's head covered in snakes lay. Suddenly i was paralyzed with fear, i couldn't move, couldn't think. Distantly i heard the woman say "You took much longer than i thought." Once again she spoke, "Aegis Begone, I need to talk with this one" The shield disappeared, taking the horrible head with it. As suddenly as it had begun, the fear lifted. "Wh-Who are you?" i said, my voice shaking. She pulled herself up regally and said, "I am Athena, and i have chosen you, Lucas Rhodes"
“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.”
― Hogfather