Sorry about the late chapter, my beta ran late again. But, we still own thanks to zealousfreak27 for checking these chapters and keeping my grammar under control. Thanks for all the reviews and hits.
Now, onward to the chapter.
Chapter 6: Guardian
Colette watched the strange boy leave alongside Dirk. She remembered the boy from long ago and had seen him a couple times in town, although she hadn't spoken to him in years. Lloyd was his name if she remembered correctly. Her grandmother had a long history with him. She told her that Lloyd was a damage young man, but she wouldn't say why he was damaged. Perhaps it was because he refused to accept Martel into his life.
"Why'd you stop, Colette?" the other kids asked. They then followed her line of sight.
"Oh, it's that weirdo kid." a child said. "Haven't seen him in a while."
A kid shook his head. "My dad said he's dangerous because he doesn't accept Martel and he was raised in the beliefs of a dwarf."
"What do dwarves believe in?" A young girl asked.
"Who knows." another girl said. "But it's weird that he doesn't have human parents."
Colette moved away from her playmates and began to follow Dirk back to her house. The other kids made no effect to stop her. She was the Chosen, after all, and no one besides the priests could tell her what to do.
Colette followed them until she saw them standing in front of her house. The door was opened and Dirk was happily chatting with her grandmother. Lloyd looked around, not interested in the conversation.
"You've grown so much, Lloyd," Phaidra said kindly. "How old are you now?"
"I'm eight," Lloyd answered simply.
Phaidra nodded. "I thought as much. You're a year older than Colette." She paused when she saw Colette walking towards them in the distance. "Speaking of which, here she comes now."
Dirk and Lloyd turned around to see the energetic seven year old running at them. She stopped just a couple inches in front of them.
"Hi, Lloyd," Colette said happily. "I just saw you leave the mayor's house."
Lloyd gave a forced smile. "Hi, Chosen."
Colette tried not to flinch to the bluntness of her title.
"You don't have to call her Chosen until Day of Prophecy arrives," Phaidra said.
"She is what she is," Lloyd said. The slightly rude comment got him a nudge and a glare from Dirk.
"You've gotten bigger and more pretty, lass," Dirk said. "You will be a beautiful young lady one day."
Colette giggled slightly. "Thank you, Mr. Dirk. When will you be coming to service?"
Dirk gave a forced smile. She always asked that question. Lloyd didn't bother hiding his annoyance. "Lass, as I've said before, I don't believe in your faith."
Colette frowned. "But you said you would read more about it."
"I did, but I still can't sign on," Dirk said. "I respect and honor the Goddess Martel, but that's as far it goes."
"But the only way through salvation is to the Goddess," Colette said, close to. "I want you to go to heaven Mr. Dirk. Along with Lloyd."
"Colette, you know you can't force people to accept Martel," Phaidra said kindly. "Some people have to find their own way before discovering the truth."
Although Phaidra was trying to help Dirk out in her own way, he kind of wished she could have done it without implying that everyone would eventually accept and worship Martel.
Colette stared at her grandmother with wide eyes. "But grandma, those who don't believe are sent to the void, where they remain for all eternity lost in darkness. It's my duty to guide as many people to the light as I can. I want everyone to have happiness in this world and the next, once the world is regenerated."
Lloyd looked like he was about to say something, but was cut off by Dirk who squeezed his shoulder tightly.
"I understand your concern, but me and Lloyd will be fine," Dirk assured kindly.
"Dirk, we have some catching up to do," Phaidra said, trying to change the subject. "Colette, why don't you take Lloyd to play with the other kids for a while."
Colette's mood brightened at the suggestion. "Yes, grandam."
She grabbed Lloyd and pulled him away from the others. He was so caught off-guard by her strength that he was dragged along the road. Colette didn't stop until she rejoined the other kids in play. They all stopped when they spotted Lloyd.
"Hey, Colette brought that dwarven kid," one of the kids said.
Colette clapped her hands together. "Lloyd is going to play with us now."
Lloyd shyly waved to everyone.
"Can he even play human games?" a kid asked.
"Well, he was raised a dwarf," the young girl said.
"What are you playing?" Lloyd asked. Not caring how they were talking like he wasn't there.
"Tag," the other girl said. "You know how to play?"
Lloyd nodded. "I play that all the time with my dog."
"Cool, keeps us from telling the rules," the first kid said as he tapped Lloyd. "You're it." The other kids, including Colette, scattered at they attempted to get away from Lloyd.
Lloyd smiled mischievously as he chased after his peers. Some of the kids were nimble and quick, but they were no matched for Lloyd. After years of chasing boars, wild chickens, and even small monsters in the forest, the kids posed little challenge to him.
Although he did find Colette to be extremely hard to catch. Every time he got close to tagging her, she would trip on some invisible rock or stick and fall out of his line of sight. He even fell over Colette more than a couple times. He wasn't sure if Colette was just clumsy or extremely lucky.
"Sorry, Lloyd," Colette apologized as she again as helped Lloyd up.
"Stop saying sorry," Lloyd said. "You're not doing it on purpose." At least he didn't think she was.
Colette put her head down in shame. "I know. I'm sorry."
Lloyd was about to say something, but chose to sigh in defeat.
After twenty or so more times, he finally managed to tag the elusive Chosen.
"I win!" Lloyd exclaimed. That was a hard won victory.
"You're pretty good," one of the kids said. "Did you learn all that from your father?"
Lloyd shook his head. "I haven't seen my father in years, although I have been looking for him."
All the kids looked at each in confusion. Lloyd also gave them a confuse look.
"I was talking about your adoptive father, Dirk," the kid said.
Lloyd stepped away in shock. "He's not my father! I'm just staying with him until my real father is found."
"But he raised you since you were a kid, so wouldn't that make him your father in a way?" one of the girls asked.
Lloyd shook his head. "He's still not my dad."
One of the other kids decided that what Lloyd had on the side of his waist was more interesting than the current conversation. "Wow, is that a sword?"
Lloyd looked down as his sword sheath and smiled. "Yeah, Dirk made it for me." He took it out and showed them the shiny steel, causing everyone to grasp.
"So cool!" one of the kids exclaimed.
"You're so lucky," a kid said as he began to jump up and down. "My dad said I can't have one until I'm eighteen."
"Have you killed anyone?" a girl asked.
"Only animals and monsters." Lloyd answered.
"How about Desians?" another kid asked.
"You mustn't say such things," Colette said. "One shall not kill unless it's in the service of life."
"Who cares about a bunch of Desians?" a kid asked. "They do mean stuff to people all the time."
"Doesn't mean we should become like them," Colette said. "It's written that the good servant always follows the light despite the temptation to do darkness."
Lloyd pointed his sword into the ground. "Well, I haven't used it on any Desian yet. Dirk forbids me to go anywhere near that Ranch."
"I hope someone comes and kill all the Desians one day," the other girl said. "My mommy said that if all the half-elves had died during the ancient war, we would all be at peace."
Colette grasp. "What a terrible thing to say. The Desians are evil, but not all half-elves are bad."
"Have you ever seen a good half-elf?" one of the kids challenged.
Colette bit her lip before answering. "Well no, but I do know plenty of half-elves are part of the Church of Martel all over the world. Some have even become priests."
"Maybe they're Desians spies sent to get close to you and kill you," the girl suggested.
Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Colette's right, not all half-elves are bad. My dad has even worked for some half-elf clients. The Desians are evil and I won't mind taking their lives."
"Hey Lloyd, did Dirk teach you any cool techniques on your sword?" one of children asked, obviously bored talking about the Desians.
Lloyd smiled as he shook his head. "No, I taught myself."
"So, do you know any techniques?" a girl asked.
Lloyd's wolfish smile got even bigger. "Sure do, watch." He broke away from the group and stepped near a tree. His eyes narrowed in concentration and he could feel something warm swirl around his body and into his sword.
"Demon Fang!" Lloyd yelled as a wave of mana was released from his sword. All the kids grasp in both shock and surprise as the wave of mana hit the tree and left a nice size dent on the tree trunk.
"That's so cool!" all the kids exclaimed as they surrounded Lloyd.
"How'd you do that?" one asked.
"Can you teach me?" another asked.
"How you come up with the name?" someone else asked.
Before Lloyd could answer any of them, someone broke through the crowd and grabbed Lloyd harshly by the arm. "What do you think you're doing?"
Lloyd looked up to see the stern eyes of the mayor glaring down at him. He then began to look around and saw several adults walking towards him.
"Answer my question?" the mayor demanded.
"I was just showing the other kids my sword." Lloyd said.
"Really, who gives a sword to a kid," a woman said as she shook his head. "Doesn't Dirk know better."
"This is what happens when a kid is raised by a dwarf," another person said.
Before Lloyd could take it all in, the mayor spoke again. "Using a steel sword in this village is strictly forbidden until the age of eighteen. Your careless actions could have hurt one of the children or worst, the Chosen."
"Dirk said it was okay!" Lloyd shot back. "Besides, I know how to use my sword."
The mayor ignored that statement. "Give it to me. Give me that sword right now."
"No!" Lloyd said, as he broke away from the mayor's grasped. "It's mine."
"Insolent child, didn't Dirk teach you any manners," the mayor said. "I guess I should expect no less from a boy who's not only raised by a dwarf, but one who refuses to attend church."
The parents of the kids began to pull their children away from Lloyd.
"Get away from him. I don't want his bad influence rubbing off on you," one parent said.
"What a little heathen. I would set him right if he was my child," someone else said.
"Chosen, get away from this nonbeliever," one of the adults yelled. "You're too pure to be in his presences."
Colette looked around, horrified. "Stop treating Lloyd like this. He didn't know better and he caused no harm."
Lloyd was surprise to see Colette standing up for him.
"Chosen, he could have hurt you with that attack," the mayor said. "Don't you see if anything would had happened to you, our world would be doom. It's obviously this nonbeliever doesn't care about you or our world."
Colette shook her head. "Just because he doesn't believe in the Church doesn't mean he doesn't honor or care about life."
The mayor's face softened, but his eyes remained stern. "Even so, I must ask him to give me his sword. He broke the law of our village to sneak it in here."
Lloyd shook his head. "I won't. I've done nothing wrong."
"Boy, give me that sword!" the mayor yelled as he attempted to grab Lloyd again. Lloyd ducked the sloppy grab and ran off.
He broke through the crowd that had gathered and ran towards the exit.
"Stop him!" the mayor yelled.
The commotion got the attention of the guards, but they didn't act fast enough before Lloyd ran between them. He kept going until he entered the woods.
The mayor chased after him for a moment before he gave up, completely out of breath. "Crazy kid."
Colette chose to run back to her house and tell Dirk what had happened. She managed to get there without tripping and slammed the door open.
"Colette, what's wrong?" Phaidra asked. She got up from the sofa Dirk and her were sitting at.
"The mayor ran Lloyd out of the village," Colette said, closed to tears.
"What!" Dirk exclaimed. Now he was standing up too.
Colette attempted to calm down. "The mayor was mad at Lloyd for having a sword. He said Lloyd was too young to have one and put me in danger."
Dirk slapped his hand on his forehead. "Förbanna mig, I've completely forgotten about that law," he said as he slipped back into his native tongue for a moment.
Phaidra shook his head. "That is still inexcusable for chasing a child out of town. I'll give that man a stern talking to later."
"I better go after Lloyd before he gets hurt." Dirk said. "Sorry to cut this visit short."
"Just take care of Lloyd," Phaidra said. Dirk nodded as he walked out.
"It's all my fault grandma. Lloyd wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble if I was there," Colette cried.
"Perhaps, but it's too late to do anything about it now," Phaidra said smoothly as she hugged Colette and stroked her hair.
Colette finally calmed down as she went back outside to get some fresh air. She still felt guilty and wanted to apologize to Lloyd in person. But the only way to see Lloyd now was to go into the forest. She was forbidden from ever leaving the village. She didn't want to disobey the village's laws, but she couldn't let Lloyd leave with such bitter feelings.
With her mind made up, she snuck back into the house and went into her room to get the chakrams that she was trained to fight with every since she was five years old. From what the priests told her, she had chosen them over a room filled with weapons when she was three and they found one of the best trainers in the Church's system to train her. Even though the Chosen was always guarded, a good Chosen was one who could defend themselves when the moment came.
She snuck back down, careful that her grandmother wouldn't see her, and ran out the house. Without stopping, she took the short cut through a broken part of the wooden gate to get passed the guards. She saw a doggy digging a hole through here a couple days ago and she was thankfully just small enough to squeeze through.
Soon, she was outside of the village and began to make her way towards the wood. A part of her was scared, but excited that she was about to see a new part of the world. It was a little part, but it was more than she had seen in her short life.
As she entered the woods, she was taking in by how beautiful it was. She has never seen so many trees in her life. Seeing the forest from the distance did not do justice to its beauty. There were also a bunch of plants she had never seen before. She wanted to taste them, but remembered hearing that some plants were poisonous and could make one sick just by touching them. So she decided to side with caution for the moments. Besides, there were other pretty things to see.
Before she could go off too much, however, Colette remembered the reason why she was there. She had to find Lloyd. The most likely place he would be was back at Dirk's house. Although she had never been to Dirk's, she knew he lived near the end of the forest not too far from a cave. She should be able to find it if she wondered long enough.
With that in mind, she began to make her way towards the back of the forest. Every now and then a bird, squirrel, or a couple of piglets distracted her. They were just too cute, especially hearing the piglets squeal as they hurried away.
As she got deeper into the woods, she began to feel that something was stalking her. She looked around, but saw nothing unusual. At least, she thought it was usual. She kept going until a loud growl hit her ears. She turned around to see gray doggies beginning to surround her. They were about ten of them and they were a dark gray with pointy ears, and sharp teeth. They also had fluffy tails sticking over their backs and they weren't wagging.
"Hi, doggies," Colette said cheerfully.
The doggies didn't return her greeting, as they got closer to her. Colette suddenly got the feeling that these doggies were not friendly. Her assumption was proven correct when one of the doggies tried to jump her. She dodged the attack and took out her chakrams.
"No, bad doggies!" Colette exclaimed as she nicked the next dog that attempted to attack her. She cut it across the back, given it a huge gash. The doggie yelped in pain as it got back into formation.
"Down doggies." Colette ordered. "I don't want to hurt you."
The doggies growled at her as they prepared to pounce on her again. She was in a bad position since she was surrounded on all sides, which meant her back was always turned to one hostile group. It was one of the worst situations you could find yourself in from what her trainers always told her. It didn't help that she didn't want to hurt the misunderstood dogs.
One of the dogs jumped her again. She dodged, but was taken off-guard when another dog attempted to pounce her from the side; she had no time to react before the doggie was right on top of her. Before it could sink its teeth into her, however, it was knocked back and blood flowed from a wound on its neck.
Colette looked in front of her to see Lloyd now stand there. His sword was out and bloody from the strike. "Are you okay, Chosen?"
Colette nodded as she stood up. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting these doggies to be so mean."
"That's because they're not dogs," Lloyd said. "They're timber wolves."
"Wolves?" Colette questioned.
"Think of a bad temper dog," Lloyd simplified.
Colette nodded.
"Stay back," Lloyd advised. "I can handle them."
The wolves attacked again and Lloyd ran into the action. Faster than Colette could see, Lloyd was cutting and slashing his way through the wolves. There was a type of brutal grace to his style and it left Colette speechless. Lloyd was didn't seem to mind the blood that was spraying everywhere. Colette couldn't help but to feel for the poor wolves.
Lloyd was actually finding the wolves more difficult to deal with than he thought. They outnumbered him and one false move would give him a painful and bloody end. He also had to protect the Chosen. If anything happened to her, the village would have his head, along with Dirk just because he was there. He needed some extra space.
He glanced around the forest floor and saw a long stick lying in the grass. It would have to do.
A wolf attempted to pin his arm with its teeth, before Lloyd rolled over and grabbed the stick with one swift motion. He was back on his feet and poised with a stick in one hand and his sword in another. Despite the awkward difference in weight, it strangely felt right. Like, this was the way he was supposed to fight.
With his newfound confidence, he began to beat back the pack, but stunning them with stick and cutting them with the sword. He could have killed them, but he could tell by Colette's face that she didn't want the wolves harmed too badly. Despite his feelings, he decided to honor her wishes.
Soon, the wolf pack had enough abuse and retreated back into the forest. Lloyd took several strained breaths as he kneeled on the ground. That fight was more exhausting than he had expected.
"You saved me!" Colette cheered as she ran towards Lloyd's side.
"Chosen, what are you doing here?" Lloyd asked as he caught his breath.
Colette looked down. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way the villagers treated you."
Lloyd looked at her in surprise. "You came all the way out here to say sorry?"
"It was my fault that the villagers treated you so harshly. It was because I'm the Chosen and everyone got worries about me," Colette said as she shook her head.
Lloyd stared at her for a moment. "I'm surprised you cared. I'm, after all, a nonbeliever."
Colette put both her hands together. "But even a nonbeliever is a person. No matter our beliefs, we still hurt the same."
That was the last thing he ever expected the Chosen to say. This was supposed to be the person who looked down on him. Then again, Colette has never actually treated him badly. She could get preachy at times about the Church, Martel, and him being saved, but she never downright hated on him. If fact, as much as her preaching annoyed him, it was done more out of love and concern than righteousness. Maybe he was so blinded by his dislike for the Church that he missed the subtle differences.
"Besides, Martel sent you to save me from those doggies," Colette smiled.
"What, I was just moping in a tree when I saw you in trouble," Lloyd said. "You were just lucky you were attack here of all places."
Colette shook her head. "There's no luck with the Goddess Martel. She put you in that tree to protect me, like a guardian."
"Guardian?" Lloyd questioned. What was this girl talking about?
"Whether you believe in Martel or not, she can see your heart," Colette said, her smile growing wider. "And, it's a good one."
Lloyd could feel himself beginning to blush before he began to cough. "Well, I guess I could take you to my house. I really don't want to go back to the village and explain why you're with me."
Colette nodded. "Sounds good."
Lloyd stood up and put away his sword and dropped the stick. He then grabbed Colette's hand and guided her back to his home. It was actually a nice feeling to be called someone's guardian.
I have to admit, Colette and Lloyd make a cute little couple. Although, it is hard to write Colette since you have to balanced her being a feather brain and her odd quirks without making her stupid. Hope I did well on that.
DennyTribal, I honestly wasn't excepting anyone to understand my really bad swedish. I hope my use of it didn't insult the language since I'm pretty much using an internet translator, because I speak no other language but english sad to say.
Until next chapter.