Disclaimer: I think I read somewhere that disclaimers are basically is me being honest about how I stole someone else's work, and that I am admitting it, and how naughty I am; like I'm some type of honest thief.
Note: Not much to say, and thanks reviewers. I'll also try to work on flow. I'd also like to point out, that the Tyran Draft I mentioned early is similar to the modern day Italian Draft.
Before the crack of dawn, Phoebe had awoken again, cocooned in Cinder's winter blanket. Leon was next to her, looking very well asleep but she knew it was impossible, not with Augustus' crying. Rather, he was fighting a headache; from the small wound, constant noise, hunger, and lack of sleep. Ripped parts of his shirt were still around his head, the rest bundled up and used as a pillow. Gently, the elder sister nudged Leon's shoulder, her response being an aggravated glare.
"Oh, knock that off!" Be retorted, sounding much like her mother, as Leon closed his eyes behind their lids. Phoebe sighed, rolling her eyes upwards, as she announced, "I'm going back to the house, to get food. Then I'm going off to find work for coins."
Leon shot his eyes open again and sat up far to quickly, for his head swam. He swayed a bit as he spoke, his whisper sounding fearful. "What? You can't go back. Fa-He- could still be in there."
Be shrugged her shoulders as she slid of the hay. Landing on the dusty floor of the stable, she brushed her skirts down to lie properly, then tugged on her blouse. "Codswallop, someone has to."
"Then I'm coming with you." Leon stated, following his sister down to the floor with less grace.
"No, you most certainly are not; someone needs to stay with Gus!"
"Then we can bring him with us!"
"What if father is wakened from his crying? It is safer for one to go back then two, no one else to worry about."
"But-"
"Leon, no! Stay here, you'll be safe."
With an aggravated sigh, Leon gave in, and sat down on the bail of hay that was Gus' crib. Arms folded stubbornly against his chest, a frown on his face. Phoebe offered a weak smile at her brother, before she took the pitchfork that was stuck in the hay. Leon wiggled his nose in displeasure at the pointy item, but said nothing. The young girl then climbed up to a window, the one that once belonged to Cinder. Offering a crooked salute to her brother, she disappeared.
Leon looked down into the makeshift crib, Gus seemingly taking a break of crying, even though his face was twisted up in grief. "Don't look at me like that," The boy said, slouching now in his seat, "I'm sure you didn't get her insanity."
According to mage-boy, it took for too long when a satchel was thrown through the window which Be had exited from. Following it, was the face of his sister, jumping nimbly back into barn. Her brown eyes danced with mischief, and she held herself with obvious pride as she walked over to her two siblings, shifting through the bag.
"He wasn't in the house at all, so I took the time to acquire the last of the milk for Gus, the last of the bread, the not-rotted fruit, Ma's favorite blanket, along with some of her heirlooms, and our stuffed toys." Leon gazed at, what were to him, the most important treasures in the house. Reaching forward, he picked up one of the seashell necklaces, staring at it with a soft gaze.
"Remember this?' He said holding it up, and gently running his fingers over the shells, "We made this when we went to the shore awhile back."
Be looked up at the necklace and nodded, as she tested one of the bottles for Gus. Seeing that it worked, she held it across to her brother, and instructed, "You'll have to do this; I'm going to go look for work. Keep the front barricaded, and don't forget to burp him when he's done."
Leon's opened his mouth a bit in surprise, as he slipped the necklace over his head and took the bottle, "If he wasn't in the house, then he'll be out on the streets!"
"I know. I already took a chance like that just a few moments ago. Please, give me a bit of faith? I'll not come back empty-handed, I promise. Besides, I'll have the pitchfork with me."
Leon succumbed to silence at his sister's little speech, as he looked up his sister, appearing saddened. His instincts told him that today was not going to end well, not with his older sister gone most of the time. Gazing down at his feet, he shifted the dirt a bit. Be moved over to lightly embrace her brother, and he returned it. Both ignored the awkward feeling in the pit of their stomachs, for they rarely ever showed signs of affection.
"Good luck…" Leon whispered to his sister as the broke away, sniffling a bit. Phoebe smiled at her brother as she soon quit the stables.
The day passed on, Leon dozing on and off, and sparring the food the best he could. He didn't dare look out the window, or make any type of noise. He sat fixated on the items Phoebe gathered from their mother's room. It wasn't until after the lunch hour, there was rough rattling of the barn's door, the lock banging up against the wood. Leon stayed still, glancing uneasily at the stirring Gus. Only when the noise did stop, did the boy spare a chance to breathe. He figured that it could only be one person: Giovanni. The people of Tyra were far to busy with their own lives to care about one more, and if they hadn't made an attempt the pass three days, there weren't going to now. It couldn't be Be either, for she would've used the window.
The thought of the window startled Leon out of his thoughts as he silently moved over into Cinder's old stall to close it, wincing as the hinges squeaked and whined as they were moved. Jamming the lock in place, he tiptoed over to the bag and items. In a quiet rush, he placed all the items back in, and adjusted the pack onto his back. The boy jumped as he heard the wood of the door crack as metal made contact.
Leon gulped as he looked at Augustus; how was he going to escape while carrying him? The man outside took another swing at the door with his ax, splintering the spot further, but not yet penetrating. The boy then slipped off the bag; there was still some space within there after all. Unlatching the top he gently picked up the infant, tensing as there was another swing at the door, and slipped the infant into the back. Instead of putting the pack on his back, he put it on his stomach, for easier carrying.
Leon turned his wide orange eyes to the barn door as the ax finally penetrated through the wood. The boy chewed on his bottom lip, unsure of where to go. Leon backed up several paces when the insane grin of his father appeared in the hole that was created. Franticly, Leo looked about the barn, until his eyes caught sight of the beams running across the ceiling. If he planned it right, he could draw his father away from the door, and make a short cut out. Leon's eyes then focused on the door; an arm was sticking through the hole that was made, fiddling with the lock.
The sound of the lock unlatching seemed to of resonated in the quiet barn, and the sound of it hitting the floor seemed ear rattling. The doors of the barn opened outwards wide, showing the gaunt, giant figure of Giovanni. A whip was in his free hand, and an ax in the other. As if a starting gun went off in the boy's head, he dashed over to the pile of hay bails. Gio sneered from his spot below, as he shifted through the barricade that Phoebe had set up.
With more ease then Leon thought he had, he climbed up to the top of the hay. He dared a moment to look down. His stomach squeezed together, and his eyes moved out of focus as he saw a dark figure climbing after him. Leon looked up, his vision clearing, and he continued to the closest beam. Sitting on the beam of wood, he frowned as his father was catching up. Biting on his bottom lip still, he pushed his legs up against the hay bails closest to himself.
He let out a quiet 'hah' of triumph as the hay rolled down into Gio. The then boy looked down the beam he was seated on, one arm hold the pack and Augustus close to him. With uneasiness, he scooted down the beam, away from the top of the hay, knowing well the taller man was recovering quickly from being knocked over. Leon was hardly a third of the way down the beam when Gio had made it to the top of the hay.
The boy leaned over, using his one hand to balance himself. It wasn't that far of a drop, only less than nine feet, not including the hay he'll land on. His orange eyes turned up to his father, who tried to stand on the beam, but he was far too tall. Instead of moving closer, he unhooked and uncoiled his whip, cracking it. His face turned into a sneer as he gazed across at Leon.
Without warning, the boy jumped down, and even though he landed on his feet, it was enough force for his knee's buckle. Both hands went out to break the fall that would continue. He bit back a yelp of pain, for the hay poked through his paints at his and his hands didn't have it easy. The jerking movements of the bag from the fall had only frightened the infant into rising hysterics. The small headache that Leon already had only began to worsen.
Staggering up, he jumped the rest of the way down to the barn floor, his ankles sending pain up his legs. Trying to ignore the pain, and the shouts of his father, the boy made mad dash to the house, holding the screaming infant close to him. Arriving in the kitchen from the backyard, he slammed the door behind himself, locking every lock on it. Taking the bag, he placed it in the crib in that room, despite the infant's cries, and began to trample to every window and door he knew, hardly paying any respect to the items in his way.
Taking in deep breaths, the little boy slowly slid down the last door he finished locking, eyes closing. The only sounds in the house were those of the infant. Standing up with a bit of difficulty, he peered into the crib where Augustus was. Reaching in, he picked up the child and unevenly began to rock his brother. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he moved over to peer out the window with a bit of difficulty. There was no sign of his father out in the yard.
Ducking down again, he soon realized where is father was as the door to the home rattled. Gulping, Leon looked down at Augustus, whom for an infant, looked worried. It was almost as if the child was catching on to what was going on around it. Leon held a finger to his lips, shushing the child from its whimpers. Looking around the kitchen area, he winced as he heard the slam of the ax against the door. Moving across the floor, he opened one of the cabinets beneath the counter-top. Quietly, he settled Gus there, finger to his lips as he closed the cabinet door, ajar only so much to let in a peak of lightly.
Leon then scurried across the room, opening other cabinets a little bit, smirking; he knew his older sister would appreciate the clever thought. As the ax broke through the door, he then dashed across the room to the crib, hearing the sounds of Augustus starting to cry. Reaching in, he pretended to tuck the blankets in, cooing the child that wasn't in there.
The door behind him seemed to have taken an eternity to fall, making all the noise it could as it fell. Then everything happened at once; Giovanni lunged forward; the whip out as he cracked it against Leon's exposed back. The air caught in the boy's chest, as the pain traveled everywhere about his small frame. The yelling of a deep voice resonated as if in a tin can inside the boys head, as he felt the whip lick continue to bite his back. Blood unknowingly was trickling from the wound down his back. His eyesight was blurring, the boy uncontrollably weeping. Roughly, he was pushed away from the crib.
Within the child, a wild fire raged, exploding painfully against the bounds of the child. It was almost urging him to grab a hold of a thread, and set it all to the fires destruction. Leon could hardly concentrate for such a task, for already he was fighting to stay conscious.
Rough hands sat the child up, shaking him harshly and screaming words the boy could not understand. There was a disgruntled sound he heard as he fell to the floor, lost in the pain. His vision swam, as a figure in black soon surrounded his vision, and the boy drifted into unconsciousness.