I SPEAK THE TRUTH

Brett walked out of the infirmary, hands healed, and the blood gone.

He saw Eliza, and looked at her quizzically. She'd smiled.

"That kiss with your friend, I was teasing you Brett." And then she'd kissed him. And they'd gone back to her room and done things Brett had done with other court ladies, only never this good. The experience had left him lightheaded, slightly tired and with bite marks all over his shoulders. But gods, it had been fantastic.  They'd done everything but the big thing, because she'd passed out, but it didn't matter, he'd already slept with some court lady a couple of weeks ago. So Brett left a note, saying he really had to go.

And then he'd bumped into Sir Mark. Went and saw Sir Damien, who asked him to be his squire. He accepted, and then Nathan and Mark came into the room. And he was embarrassed, because Nathan wouldn't look at him.

            The two friends sat in silence, instead of the usual jokes and laughter.

Finally Brett said: "Is Sir Mark going to be your knight master?" Nathan nodded.

"Sir Damien's going to be mine." Nathan rolled his eyes, as if the subject bored him.

Brett changed tactics. "I'm going in the archery contest this coming Friday. Did you get picked?" Then he remembered, archery was something Nathan found difficult, because he was a left-hander (a/n lefties rule!) "Oh, sorry, forgot, archery's not your strong point." And then Nathan was a millimeter away from Brett's nose. And when Bret looked in his friend's eyes, he saw cold hard fury.

"You boastful asshole. I've always been better. Just never try. I could have gone in the trials for the contest, but no, Brett gets selected on the grounds that he's the good looking one, who sucks up to the teachers." Brett was getting scared. "Do you want to know something Brett? You have a spoon up your arse. You used to be a completely different person. You used to be nice. You used to be just like me. But that wasn't enough, being one of the best. Oh, no, you had to be the best, so you could sleep with the girls. So you'd be the most popular. So Andrew would stop picking on you. And he didn't. But he beat me harder. As if you'd believe that. No one could be beaten harder than me. No one. Well, remember that week I disappeared. He broke my bloody leg. And you didn't even care. So until you can prove you do care, I see no reason to be friends with you." Nathan lent back.

  "Goodbye Brett. Thanks ever so much for all you've done for me. I have so much self confidence, thanks to you."
"You're not going to kill me are you?" Fear could be heard in his voice.

Nathan didn't answer, just left the room. Brett could hear him ask Mark if he and Damien were done yet. He heard them leave. Damien came back into the library.

"Something wrong?" Brett shook his head.

"Good. We won't be leaving for Fleming Forest until August, so you'll have time to relax. See you later." Damien left Brett in the Lesser Library.

I am a weakling,

Fighting everyone

Fighting lies

My ammo runs low

And Still I walk on

This war has to be won

Captured I stand

In chains

The enemy's prize

When the war is over

I am not believed.

Yet I speak the truth

Because I have nothing else.

I was the only solider left

And I fought on.

For truth.

     

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