I thought back to Sparta, where children were bred and raised to be fighters. I wrote this. This one is a one-shot, but I'm working on the second chapter of Things that Glow.
Little Soliders
It's not fun anymore, because Bellanca is gone. She was the nicest and sweetest, and now she has gone away, just like Attis. But Attis was mean, and I was glad when he left, because he hurt me, and I did not like it. He used to stick out his foot and trip me, and then when I fell, he called me 'stupid cow.' Bellanca would hold me and make me feel better, because Momma did not care if Attis hurt me, because she said I needed to get stronger. Attis always used to call me a little sinner. He always said that Papa was not my father, because my skin was too fair, my eyes were too light, and he always said I had the hair of an old woman.
I didn't like Attis, I hope he fails his Jedi trial; when Momma is not busy telling me how weak I am, I like to go out and watch the fights that break out sometime. I can't stay out for too long though, because my skin starts to hurt because it is too bright, and when I get back home, Momma yells at me to do my exercises because she says I need to be strong so when I grow up, I can have strong babies of my own, and they can grow up and be strong with the force, or have their own strong soldiers. Momma had a lot of strong Jedis; I do not remember them too well, because they are all older than me. I heard stories about Thomas, he was Thanos's twin, I remember Thanos. Once I saw him get into a big fight, he even used his laser sword, I was watching, and he winked at me, because he knew that Momma was Momma to both of us, because I was holding onto part of her skirt, it was the first fight I ever watched, I think I was one.
Momma did not say anything, just waited until it was over, took me by the hand and we walked back to our house. Thomas is dead. Something bit him, I think it was a alien; he got attacked when he was still a padawan. He didn't complain, so no one noticed. But then he died. I heard this from Attis, he was delighted to know that we had a brother who did not show any emotion as he was eaten from the inside by poison; he said at least someone was bringing some reputation to our house. Then he pushed me and I fell on my doll that I got from Ebony for my birthday, and it broke.
Momma hit me for crying, and said that I needed to be strong. I'm real glad that Attis is gone, but I miss Bellanaca. Momma says Astrid is going to have a new baby soon, so that means I'll have a little nephew, she says this one feels like a Jedi. Momma says Astrid isn't sure what to name him yet, she says she wants a good strong warrior name that'll be remembered through the ages.
Peder was my Momma's first baby, he's a knight now, I think, he was really good, I never saw him loose a fight, because I'm not sure if I was born yet. Peder likes it there. Momma always talks about how Peder should be on the council; I think Peder is mean like Attis, should get whipped, and not get any food. I get really hungry sometimes, because Momma doesn't give me much bread to eat, she says Astrid needs more, because she's eating for the baby now, and needs to make sure he's a healthy little Jedi.
Sometimes I wish I was a Jedi already, so Momma would love me more, and feed me like she feeds Astrid for the little baby, and maybe if I were a Jedi, I wouldn't cry when I fell down, because I'd be strong. Then Attis wouldn't tell me I was worthless because I wouldn't be weak. If I was one of Momma's little Jedi, I'd be strong. I'd be able to keep my mouth shut when I got hurt, and I wouldn't mind giving up my stuff because I don't really have anything, I would make Momma proud.
Momma always says that I need to be strong. I cut my foot once, because Momma wouldn't let me wear my sandals and Astrid's oldest boy broke my clay doll. The pieces were sharper than I expected. One of the male slaves stopped and helped me get the jagged pieces out of my skin. He looked sad when he watched me putting the bandage on my foot. He had light skin and eyes too, he was really strong. He would have made a really good solider too, but he is a slave, and if you give slaves weapons, they always attack.
I'm going to go away too, soon. I'm almost four. I'll go away, just like Bellanca, and Thyra, and Attis before her, and like Peder. Ebony, and Pyrena, and Astrid didn't make it, I don't exactly know why. Momma said something about not being strong enough and told me to go back to my exercises. I'm going to go away, and leave little Oblelix, he's only two, and Momma thinks he's going to be a bad Jedi, so she doesn't give him enough food. He was always hungry, so I showed him how to steal, he's not so hungry anymore, and he doesn't get caught. No one thinks that he can do anything, but he can. I think he's smarter than Peder; because even Peder got caught.
When I go away, I might get to see Bellanca, and maybe she won't be too different, so that whenever I cry, she can take me in her arms and whisper how everything is going to be alright. We can go watch Attis when he gets into a fight and looses. Maybe I can smile like how Thanos smiled. And maybe at night, if he comes to the temple to train, I can sneak away, and go to Oblelix and hold him in my arms like Bellanca did for me.
And maybe, I can be strong, I can be as strong as the soldiers, and Momma will love me because one day I'll be a Jedi.
So?
