Between the Lines

Boys Will Be Boys

April, 1970

          "Little beast! Oh, little beast; come out, come out wherever you are," Sif called, her wooden practice sword held in her hand as she poked the bushes in the garden. We had been chasing Eibhlin  through the garden behind the kitchen since shortly after breakfast, delaying her chores in turn; unsure of which excited us more: that she would be disciplined for failing to get them done or that we were able to torment her so. "I swore I saw her come this way," Sif muttered bitterly, kicking a goldenberry bush so hard, I thought she might upturn it.

   "Calm yourself. We shall find her, and when we do we can do as we will to her."

   "That sounds far less like a mocking threat and more like an actual threat of assault coming from your lips, Fandral," I glowered, crossing my arms over my chest as I looked up at the older boy as he rolled his eyes.

   "I assure you I will not harm a hair on her beastly little head, oh great protector of the demon handmaid," he scoffed.

   "I am not her protector. I just do not believe such topics should be mocked lightly." Truth be told, I was unsure why I did feel so protective of her all of a sudden. Fandral had said similar previously, particularly as her body had begun to develop faster than Sif's despite her being two-hundred years younger. Today though, for some reason, it just bothered me more.

   "Oh, come off it, Loki," Sif called, smacking another bush with her sword. "Over the last week you have refused to participate as heavily in our wild beast chases as you once did. Have you grown soft for the little oddity?"

   Fandral shuddered "The thought of touching the little beast is off-putting enough; could you imagine actually sticking your wick in such a candle?"

   Sif made a gagging noise as she whirled around, her face twisted in disgust. "Fandral, really? Must you always think with your lowest appendage?"

   "That would be my foot, dearest Sif; what you suggest would be my middle appendage." I snickered as she rolled her eyes, rudely gesturing toward him before continuing her hunt for the dog-eared chambermaid.

   As Sif ran ahead, continuing the search, we hung back, both sighing. "Not that this is not amusing in and of itself, but must we do this every day?"

   "What's the matter, Loki, miss being yelled at; or is Sif correct, and you have developed a soft spot for our sport?"

   "She is not sport." I scoffed and snorted. He knew I didn't miss being yelled at either. Still, it seemed a waste to continue to harass the poor girl day in and day out just for looking differently. "I mean, why are we bothering anymore? It was one thing when she was easy to catch because she did not know the castle as well as we; it almost seems a waste of time to continue the pursuit once she manages to get such a lead."

   "Forever the scholar," Fandral sighed. "Even if she is excellent at hiding, part of the fun is smoking her out. Besides, think of this as an opportunity to continue to test your illusions. I am sure you could get her to reveal herself far faster than we ever could."

   I smirked lightly. I did enjoy that part of things. Closing my eyes, I moved my fingers in a slithering-like motion, conjuring at least a dozen snakes to begin moving throughout the garden. We did not have to wait long as I heard her yelp, her ears rising between the hedges near the reflecting pools.

   Fandral called out for Sif as we dashed off after her. "She's headed toward the bridge!"

   "Stop her before she can exit the gates!"

   "She's afraid of horses, even if she gets passed we can ride her down," I said as we ran, trying to deter her further by turning things within her path into obstacles; hoping to get her to circle back.