Hello everyone,
I want to quickly apologize for the extremely late chapter. Working two jobs, plus school really drains a person. But, I still have so many ideas and things I want to go into this story that I will not give up on it. I promise you that.
Also, I couldn't have done with without my wonderful beta readers, Salome and Lieke. Love you both so much!
So, without further ado, enjoy!
Wood chips flew off the large wooden pole as it was struck over and over again. They littered the ground beside a young man, his hands red and scratched from the constant striking. "Your form is off," he heard an older woman's voice mutter from off to the side. She tapped his ankle with a long stick and he quickly corrected his stance, once again concentrating on his striking. "Breathe," she added, now she was circling him like a vulture. All he could see were her large grey locks swaying from side to side. "Switch."
He moved away from the pole, his hair clinging to his face from sweat, and wiped his face with his forearm. His younger brother, a near identical image of him, "You okay there Matthew? You look kind of tired," Alfred jested as he pushed his brother slightly.
"Come on Alfred," the older woman barked and Alfred quickly made his way to the pole as Matthew took a seat under the large tree. He watched his brother; his strikes were powerful, quick, deadly. Larger chips flew off of the wooden pole and onto the ground beneath him. The older woman walked, although she was tapping the ground with her large wooden stick. She looked like she wasn't paying him any mind at all, of course, Matthew knew better. Without warning, she struck the wooden pole into Alfred's rib cage.
"Ow! Sophia!" Alfred shouted hugging his side and quickly stepping away from the pole looking at the older woman.
"What?" the woman asked moving a piece of grass from one side of her mouth to the other. "You weren't protecting your rib-cage. Any decent fighter would have seen that and you'd be dead." Alfred grumbled to himself and she smiled patting his leg gently, "All out of love here boys."
"Tsk," Alfred grumbled. Matthew held back a chuckle and grabbed a canister full of water as he took a long drink from it.
A breeze rolled through, causing the surrounding trees to stir. The vast countryside had farms stretching as far as the eye could see. The sound of cows moving from one pasture to another, dogs herding sheep, and horses pulling plows were all around. Matthew was caught up in the simplicity of it all when a snapping noise brought him back.
"Hm," Sophia raised her eyebrows. "Looks like you've gone and broken this one. How many is that this week?"
"Three," Matthew said as he got up from the shade of the tree.
"Sorry," Alfred smiled rubbing the back of his neck.
"No, you're not."
"Shut up," Alfred hissed smacking his brothers arm.
"Now both of you," Sophia said as she kicked the fallen piece of wood. "This is good. You two are getting stronger. Your magic is getting stronger as well, I can feel it." She looked up at them with her honey ambered eyes, deep wrinkles showing when she smiled at them. "But, this does mean you have to go get another log," she said before walking toward the shade of the tree.
"Wait, right now?' Alfred asked furrowing his eyebrows.
"Has the sun set yet?" she asked looking up at him. Her small frame leaning against the tree, her aged body practically making her look frail as a twig.
"No, but supper is going to be on soon," Alfred muttered pretending to look at his knuckles.
"Is that all you ever think about?" Matthew chuckled as he picked up the halved log, easily hauling it over his shoulder.
"Hey, food is important. How would we live if we didn't have food?"
"You're right, and I'm sure your lovely aunty has cooked up something special," Sophia said crossing her arms. "But, since you're so eager to have training end early, why don't we get a round together?"
Both Matthew and Alfred paused in their tracks staring at the smaller woman. "You mean us...against you?" Alfred chuckled nervously.
"Well, why not?" Sophia pushed herself off from the tree and popped her knuckled. "You're not afraid are you?"
"You know we could just go chop down a tree," Matthew muttered glancing at his brother.
Alfred grinned, "Alright, granny."
"I'm going to get a tree," Matthew said stepping aside.
"Granny?" Sophia narrowed her eyebrows. "Did you just call me granny?"
"What kind of tree should I get?"
"Sure did. You're not mad, are you?"
"Oak? Oak sounds good."
"Oh, honey, I'm not mad." Sophia grabbed her curls in a bunch making it a large bun atop of her head. "You just know how much I hate being called granny. Yet, here you go, running your mouth."
"I'm going to go find some Oak now."
"Better than hag, right?"
"Did I mention I wasn't angry?" Sophia chuckled.
"Then what are you?"
"I'm livid."
"You know, maybe I'll just shut up now," Matthew said as he set the log down and sat down atop of it looking between the two of them. Alfred had gone and done it now, gotten himself into a pickle and there was nothing that was going to stop Sophia from giving him a whooping from hell.
Alfred stood his ground as the smaller woman wiped the bottom of her nose. "Well, sonny boy, you can go first."
"I insist, ladies first."
"If you say so." Alfred tensed up as Sophia began to walk, not run, but walk. She was taking her sweet time walking step by step closer to him. Her feet crushing the blades of grass beneath her as they seemed to bow even before she stepped. Her amber eyes no longer held any light, a deep burning bourbon color was to be seen. Her shoulders back and her head held high she strode over to him casually as could be.
"Um, Alfred, you can always back out," Matthew said from the log. But, what was the point in saying that? Alfred was just as stubborn as a mule and this was going to end badly. "How many broken bones will you have this time?" he jested aloud.
"Maybe my entire rib cage," Alfred replied with a smile that slowly faded with each step. "Or, you know, she could actually kill me this time."
Sophia laughed as she stopped right in front of him, inches away from the taller younger man. "You think I could ever kill my sweet nephew?" she cooed. Alfred didn't respond, a wise choice on his side. "Of course I couldn't," Sophia sighed and stepped back slightly. "I mean, what kind of aunt would I be if I killed my own kin, hm?"
Matthew quickly glanced away shaking his head.
"However, a good disciplining never hurt nobody," she winked at Alfred just as her fist clashed with his stomach and the air was knocked out of him. He stood frozen at the end of her arm, hunched over and the feeling of blood rising in his throat. "Come on, sonny boy, I thought you could handle a granny like me." She pulled her arm away with Alfred falling to his knees gasping for air.
"Told you we should have just gotten the tree," Matthew muttered wincing at the gasping noises his brother made.
Sophia clapped her hand together to get rid of dust and then wiped them on her shirt. "Right, well your aunty will be done with dinner soon. So let's get washed up and ready, yes?" She walked right over Alfred, undoing her bun, "And Alfred, sweetie," she said slightly turning back towards them. "Don't call me granny." Then she continued on her way to a small farmhouse in the distance.
Matthew got up from the log where Alfred was already pushing himself up off the grass. "You did this to yourself," Matthew said as he helped him up.
"Why are looks so deceiving?" Alfred whined as he winced standing up.
"Because you can't control your tongue." Matthew dusted off his brother and noticed their incredible talent to heal quickly already kicking in. "You really didn't have to call her a granny, you know she hates that."
"What's wrong with a little joke?"
"You don't know when to stop, and she can't take jokes. Those are two things wrong." They both stared at each other before laughing. Matthew shoved his brother slightly as they headed toward the farmhouse in the distance.
"THE VILLAGE! THE VILLAGE IS UNDER ATTACK!"
Both brothers turned upon hearing the shouting and watched a horse come running down the dirt path, dust in its wake, and they stared at one another in confusion.
Sophia had just reached the front of the house when she saw the older man racing down the dirt path. "James! James hold on!" she shouted as she raced to the middle of the road where the horse was pulled to an abrupt stop. "What are you yammering about?"
"The village is under attack!" he shouted, his eyes wide and the older man held onto his hat with the wind getting stronger.
"By who?" Sophia frowned.
"Th-the royal army?" he furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief and shook his head. "I have to warn everyone!" He pulled the horse away steering it around her as he raced back down the dirt path.
"Sophia?" another woman called from the farmhouse. "What's going on?"
"I'm not sure," Sophia responded as she picked up her dress heading back to the house just to see Alfred and Matthew already inside. "You boys stay here, I'm going into town-"
"You're going into town? While it's under attack?" Alfred crossed his arms. "I think we should go with you."
"No. You boys stay here," Sophia said and turned to the other woman. "Stay here, lock the door. If you hear something, head for the shed," she kissed her sister's forehead and grabbed a sack off a kitchen chair.
"Sophia," Matthew said after exchanging looks with his brother. "I think we should go."
"You don't think I can handle myself?" Sophia asked as she paused at the door staring at the boys.
"You know that's not what we're saying," Alfred muttered rolling his eyes. "It's better to stay in a group."
"Then who's going to take care of your aunty, hm?" Sophia narrowed her eyebrows. "I need you two to stay here and protect her and the farm. Do not leave under any circumstances. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am," they said in unison as she walked out closing the door behind her.
"Boys," they heard and turned toward their other aunt, more fragile looking than Sophia. Her hair was short and graying, with streaks of dark brown, and her skin was just as aged."Go. Don't worry about me," she whispered. They glanced at one another and nodded before heading out the back door.
"Get them under control!" a man shouted from atop a horse. He glared at the crowd of people who seemed to have suddenly gone mad. He looked around, half of the small village was burning or burnt, bodies piling up no matter where he looked and the screams of women and children filled his ears. He desperately wanted to cover them and block it all out, but how could he lead his men if he did that?
"Sire! Sire!" shouted another man looking up at him. His long blonde hair tied back into a short ponytail with his helmet to his side. The Prince looked down at the man from his horse. "It appears we've caught everyone who started this whole ordeal."
"Appears? Or are you sure?" the Prince said as he climbed off his horse. "This was senseless bloodshed Francis! You can't just appear to have the culprits."
"Of course your Majesty," Francis said bowing his head slightly. "We have three men in custody, all three of them denying their actions. Although we have several witnesses saying they took the first shots."
"Is the rest of the village under control?" Prince Arthur asked.
"Yes Sire, we are working on putting out the fires and making sure everything else is under control." Francis followed after the young Prince, his blonde hair looking spiky from sweat and large dark bags underneath his eyes. "Perhaps you should rest sire, we can take care of the rest."
Arthur waved his hand at him as he glanced around, "Where are they? The three men?"
"Over here, Sire," Francis said leading him to a small house. The inside was a disaster and Arthur noticed food and plates thrown on the floor. The family must have been in the middle of eating a meal when this whole ordeal started and he paused seeing a hand, a small hand, sticking out from underneath a part of the house that had collapsed. "Here you are, Sire," Francis said.
Arthur turned slightly to see three men, chained and on their knees looking at the ground. He clenched his jaw, "What is the purpose of your actions here today?" The men glanced at one another, but none of them said something. Arthur didn't have patience, perhaps any other day, but not today. He gripped one of the men by his hair and forced him to his feet. "Tell me what your purpose was."
"Y-Your majesty we are wrongly accused!" he said quickly. "We didn't do nothin' I swear."
"I have witnesses putting you as the culprits who started this all," Arthur responded. "Care to explain how that happened?"
The man swallowed and then glanced away, "Sire, we didn't do anythin', honest. We only did what we needed to."
"And what the hell did you need to do?" Arthur said trying to keep the anger in his voice down.
"We saw one of the soldiers with a young lady, Sire," another man spoke up.
"With a lady? If he's with a lady then why is it any of your damn business?"
"She was just a child," the second man snapped and then quickly looked back down at the floor.
"She couldn't have been any older than twelve, your Majesty," the first man spoke. "We tried confrontin' him. But he just got angry, told us to mind our own damn business."
"And where is this said soldier?" Arthur asked.
The men looked at one another and the first man cleared his throat. "D-dead your Majesty. B-But we didn't go killin' nobody! Honest! We were just protectin' the young lady!"
Arthur glanced back at Francis who was just as conflicted. "You mean to tell me, all of this bloodshed, started because of that?"
"Well...a-after the man started gettin' fussy he tried fighting with us. That's when other soldiers showed up and then started firin' at anything that moved."
"The soldiers said the men were rough handling the soldier in question and a crowd began to gather. They fired warning shots, Sire," Francis added.
"They shot at the crowd!" the second man shouted.
"Hush," Arthur said and then walked to the man who sat in the middle. He hadn't said a word the entire time and Arthur told him to stand. "Who are you? Why are you important here?"
"I saw the whole thing, your Majesty," the man said looking up at Arthur. He was bald, a scar over his left eye and his eyes an endless abyss of black. "I'm just a traveler, but what the men say is the truth. One of your soldiers was gettin' rough with a young lady, and they stepped in."
"Does anyone know where this young lady is?" Arthur asked looking around the room at where the others soldiers stood. They glanced at one another and shook their heads. "Find her," he demanded and a few of them nodded running out of the house.
"What does it matter if ya find her?" the bald man said.
"She clearly is the cause of all of this," Arthur said turning away from them.
"She was not!" the first man shouted. "Your soldier was gettin' rough with her!"
"Well he's dead now, isn't he?" Arthur replied not looking back at them. He could see the small hand sticking out and he turned away from it, ignoring it. "Take the one on the ends for execution. The middle one is free to go."
"Yes your Majesty," Francis said.
"Wh-what? Why?" the first man shouted as they were hauled up. "We were just protecin' our own!"
"Now over half of your village is dead," Arthur snapped back. "For what? Some girl who could have been a whore for all you know!'
"She was not a whore!" the second man snapped nearly breaking free from the guards that held him back. "She was just a child!" But Arthur didn't respond.
Sophia ran into town, avoiding the eyes of the soldiers that walked around. Piles of familiar bodies were all around, the air thick with smoke. She made her way to the center of town just as three men were dragged out from a partially collapsed home. She recognized two of them and she stood up as they were dragged near a wall, they were shouting something but she couldn't hear what it was.
Francis had walked out behind the men and he ordered for several soldiers to line up. They did so loading their guns. "We didn't do nothin' wrong!" the men shouted.
"You started this! We were just protectin' our own!"
Francis tried to drown out their voices while staring at his own men. They all got into position and Francis closed his eyes for a second, praying for forgiveness. "Ready!" Francis shouted, raising his hand. The soldiers readied and steadied their guns aiming at the men. "Aim!"
Sophia held her breath and looked away, she had no idea what was happening. To intervene now would only put her in that lineup.
"FIRE!".
There were no gunshots. Francis furrowed his eyebrows, looking back at his soldiers who seemed equally confused and took a look at their weapons. Then like flies, they fell one after another to their knees, unable to breathe.
Arthur walked out from the home after not hearing any gunshots and turned to see the men gasping for air on their knees. "What is going on?" Arthur shouted.
"Sire get inside!" Francis shouted as he rushed from one man to another but slowly fell over. Dead. He frantically looked around, the men on the wall were fine and only watching in horror as the soldiers fell. That's when he felt it, like a hand around his throat. He paused only for a second before drawing the sword by his side and swinging.
"Have you gone mad?" Arthur shouted, watching Francis swing at the air and nearly hitting one of his soldiers.
"It's magic, your Majesty!" Francis shouted. "There is someone using magic around us!" Arthur clenched his jaw and drew his own sword, but couldn't see a single person.
Sophia cursed under her breath, of course, they couldn't see Matthew. He moved quickly and swiftly weaving between the bodies. "Those damn boys," she looked around quickly searching for Alfred, who wasn't nearly as good at hiding as Matthew was.
"Enough!" Arthur snapped as he stomped his foot on the ground and raised his hand. The earth trembled and shot up encasing Matthew in a mound of rock that slowly hardened. "What is the meaning of this?" Arthur snapped at the young blonde man in his hold.
Matthew struggled against the rock, but it only became tighter. "The Prince is speaking to you!" he heard a man say from his side. "Answer!" Matthew's breath picked up and he glared at the Prince, meeting the equally glaring gaze.
"I said speak!" Arthur demanded as he walked closer and his hand became a fist, the rock becoming tighter around the young man who coughed roughly. He could hear him whimper slightly under his breath and it only further irritated him.
"Arthur!" Francis yelled as he tackled him. He covered the young prince with his body, the rubble from the earth mound flying everywhere. Arthur closed his eyes, his ears ringing with the burst of force and he held back a groan holding his head. "Are you alright?" Francis asked glancing back at the pile of dirt that was left.
"I'm fine," Arthur whispered and winced as he sat up. The mound of earth had turned to rubble and a second man stood there. He was blonde as well and looked nearly identical to the first man. "Who are you?" Arthur whispered seeing Francis immediately stand up and draw his sword at the young men.
Sophia held her breath, she got up without thinking and wanted to race towards them but felt a barrel of a gun against her back. "Stay where you are," a man said. She slowly raised her hands and glanced back trying to see who it was.
"State who you are!" Arthur demanded as he got up.
"We're protecting our village, that's all you need to know," Alfred replied.
"All I need to know?" Arthur scoffed. "Well, then you'll be happy to know that you two are in violation of the law. You two are not of noble blood, but you're using magic."
"Good thing too," Alfred smirked, "Because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to kick your ass."
"Alfred," Matthew whispered tugging on his brother's shirt. He saw Sophia being forced forward and then kicked down to her knees. "Sir, I believe she knows the boys," the soldier behind her said.
Arthur glanced back at the fragile-looking woman, "How do you know these two?"
"She doesn't," Alfred said staring between the Prince and Sophia.
"Your speed at replying implies otherwise,' Arthur murmured and turned toward the older woman. "Again, how do you know these two?"
"My nephews, Your Majesty," Sophia replied with her held high. Her long grey locks falling over her shoulder, but she refused to look at Arthur himself.
"Did you know of their magic?" Arthur asked walking over to her. From the corner of his eye, he could see how tense both young men immediately became.
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Sophia!" Alfred shouted.
"Sophia please," Matthew whispered.
"Then you do realize that by concealing them you have conspired against the crown. The punishment for which is death." He watched her reaction, as she still refused to look at him until she turned meeting his eyes with her fiery amber.
"I know," she smiled softly, "I would do it all over again if I could," she declared.
Arthur looked down at her and then at the soldier nodding towards him. The man raised the barrel of the gun to Sophia's head as Arthur looked away. "Perhaps, next time, you won't be so careless."
"Perhaps," Sophia whispered closing her eyes.
"SOPHIA!" Alfred screamed rushing forward but was met with a sword to his throat, which was engraved with various symbols.
"Don't move," Francis cautioned as he stepped forward with the sword, making Alfred take a few steps back, both glaring at one another.
Arthur waved his hand at the soldier when a loud crash filled the air. Arthur quickly put up his guard when he saw a soldier flying from the partly collapsed house, hitting another house and didn't move anymore. "Bloody hell what is it now?" Arthur muttered under his breath as the last of the three arrested men walked out of the home.
"Well, can't say I was expecting this," he hummed, breaking the chains around his wrists like he was tearing paper.
"You are?" Arthur asked furrowing his eyebrows at the man.
"That, Prince Arthur, is on a need to know basis," he then turned casually toward Francis and Alfred. "You my boy, you have quite a gift."
"Porter," Sophia whispered, "Porter what are you doing here?" she shouted.
"Sophia, lovely to see you again. Been a while hasn't it?" Porter gazed at her with his endless eyes. "You look as stunning as ever."
"Porter get out of here!" Sophia shouted, "They'll kill you!"
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm afraid that isn't possible." He looked at Alfred who hadn't moved a muscle with a sword to his throat, "Let me help you out there lass," he hummed as he clapped his hands together. A long scythe appeared in his hands, a different set of symbols on it and Francis glanced at him, clenching his jaw. "Come on soldier boy, right here."
"Drop your weapon," Arthur shouted, holding his own pistol up at the bald man. "I command you."
"Ah, but I am a traveler, Your Majesty," he said glancing back at him. The scar on his face seemed to glow dimly, like embers from a fire that were dying out. "I belong to no country, to no King. I have nobody to answer to but myself."
"You're in my country and you will obey me!" Arthur snapped. "Now drop. Your. Weapon."
Alfred swallowed, his eyes darting between the mysterious man named Porter and Sophia. He stepped back from the sword and looked back at Matthew, who nodded at him. They needed to get out of this situation, quick.
It's late here but I said I would put this up, so here it is. Please leave a review on what you liked, or what you didn't like. Thank you!
