Old School Scribbles

Fai

The grounds were vast, a soft breeze was blowing. It was a clear day; it would have been beautiful, if the servant boy's screams weren't filling the spring air. Lance, who owned the grounds, thought it fit to punish his servants by whipping them. Lance had a manor atop a hill surrounded by forest which cut him off from the village below.

  "Boy, you've done it this time," he brought the whip down again. "You're pathetic Fai," and again, "Trying to steel from me, tis a crime punishable by death." Fai knew what was coming, he would of preferred to have dishonoured himself by running away, but he was kneeling on the ground, hands bound and his back bleeding.

  He heard Lance unsheathing his sword from its scabbard. Fai hung his head; he wouldn't have one in a minute. Lance held the sword in both hands, preparing for the swing. Fai could feel the blade on the back of his neck, 'this is it' he thought.

  "HELP!"

  "What?" Fai looked up; he could see the figure of Lance out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't see the sword but he knew where it was. "Little Annie, what are you doing here?" Lance didn't want Anne to see Fai die; he was a favourite amongst the children of the village.

  "M-my sister sent me here to get you and Fai," she glanced down at him who was now trying to discreetly untie himself. 'At least she can't see the blood' he thought.

  "What for? Calm down." Anne was clearly distressed, for Lance barely ever took on a softer tone

  "Spain, they've invaded! The town's people are trying to fend them off, but there's just too many. Please sir, my dad's fighting as well." tears were steaming down her face.

  "Fai," Lance said turning to him, "Time to earn your keep." He brought the sword down, but instead of severing his head, he cut the binds that held his hands. "Get up" said Lance grabbing his upper arm and forcing him to stand. "Run and get yourself a sword and come to the village."

*               *               *

Or what was left of it. Most of the houses had been burned, dead bodies littered the streets, some were the enemy, others...

  Fai had grabbed a katana; Lance had won it by beating the samurai who had tried to invade a few years previous.

  He could see that the villagers were loosing. Lance, who was very skilled at any weaponry, was hacking down any Spanish-men who dared to come too close.

  Fai set off at a run; he had crept around to behind the Spanish, so he was in a key position. Breaking through the tree line, the Spanish didn't know what hit them. Any head that came within swiping distance to his blade fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Fai was very aware that he didn't have one ounce of armour covering his body, he dodged and weaved in and out of swords that came his way, taking a few more heads in the process. Smatterings and flecks of blood covered his face and torso, the Spanish had retreated back to their boats, or what was left of them. Some of the villagers had started piling up the bodies and setting a light their clothes and hair.

  "We have had yet another victory!" Lance screamed out over the crowd. "And we have someone to thank for that," he briefly glanced across the villagers, "Fai! Where are you?" somebody screamed, Fai was on his knees, blood gushing from an open wound at the side of his stomach. He gagged and fell to his hands, the blood now trickling from his mouth.

  "Fai? Fai! Get up!" the voices sounded distant; soon he couldn't distinguish one from the other, just a blur of noise. He fell on to his side. Looking around himself, he could only see shapes and colours, all of which now were fading to nothing...

*               *               *

  "Fai?' someone was calling his name, it wasn't Lance, for it sounded kind, gentle, sweet even.

  "Mmmm," he felt groggy, his eyes like led weights. A light tapping on the side of his face was made apparent.

  "Fai, it's time to get up," with great difficulty he opened his eyes. He was staring at the upside-down face of a girl who looked to be about his age. His mind finally clicked,

  "Isabelle?"

~Too be continued...