A whip hovered over the boy as he became more and more terrified. The man who stopped the child told to the trader in fear for the boys life
"please…. Don't do this! He's just a kid! I will punish him for this… he- he was just hungry!"
But the trader acted as he did not care and replied "The peasants must know their place! They have no authority to interfere in my business!"
Without any remorse, he swung his whip and hurt the child. The man behind was scared to interfere because of the status the trader held. All he could do was watch as the boy screamed and cried to the pain of the whip… A truly horrifying scene he saw that day and it was all because of him.
In his mind he thought "Why did I stop the child? Why did I do it? It is because of me that the boy is suffering! What made me do it?" as blood spilled all over him and the trader.
after the trader left, he quickly grabbed the boy and ran from there to the mountains through a small dirt path.
He ran and ran with the boy on his hands as if he were fleeing for his life but while carrying dead weight.
A log cabin then came into the man's view as he grasped for breath and said "finally! Am home!" with a sigh of relief and a half smile on him. Slowly he walked towards the cabin and opened the door and said "I-I am home, Claire!"
A women come running from the kitchen and held the man on her chest and asked him "where have you been? What happened to you?"
The man responded "Water! Some water for this child! And treat his wounds! He is" and collapsed on the door.
TRANSITION TO A BEDROOM
The boy woke up and looked around to see a bedroom and a woman sitting next to him on a chair reading a book.
"Who are you? He asked, with a mean look in his eyes.
"Claire" she replied.
The boy did not think of her much and with a hostile look asked "Are you here to sell me to traffickers?"
Claire was surprised and as the book in her hand fell down, she hugged him and said "No, no one will hurt you anymore! I heard what happened and I promise you! I promise that I will take care of you!'
Astounded by her reply, the boy cries as he hugs her back… "Why? Why is she being nice to me? She… she sounds just like my mom!" this thought went over his mind over and over again until he finally calmed down.
He eats dinner with the couple but does not talk to them or request anything; slept on the sofa without complaint as he could also watch the sky through the window next to it.
He said to the sky "Mom, even if you're dead I... I... I know you are there watching over me! and want you to know that I have people around me who takes care of me now… Mrs. Claire and Mr. Hilbert those two have given me a new life!"
Claire, who were standing behind the door heard all of this. And she cried after hearing this but she was happy as she said "Thank you son, thank you.'' with a low voice.
3 years later
"Mom! I got in! I got in! I got in!" Arthur said as he ran around Claire with happiness
"Got in? You mean you were chosen as a page? (T.N: Page is the first stage or phase to be a knight) Oh! That's my son!' Claire replied with a smile on her.
The boy showed Claire a paper and asked her "Can you fill this form? I need your sign here and other things too!"
She glanced through the paper, and then wrote all that was necessary but before she could sign it, she saw her "son's" full name. "Arthur Berata Sanders" she said to herself 'Berata? I've heard that name before…. So that's what the 'B' stands for in his name…"
"What's wrong, mom?" Arthur asked her.
"Nothing" Claire replied and signed the paper. Arthur then says 'Bye, I have to give it in to the barracks now! I'll be back before dinner!"
Soon, Arthur was back to the barracks. He met a lot of others people who were waiting to be filled in. As he was just about to leave the barracks he heard a few noises colliding with each other.
"Get lost kid!"
"What do you mean by I can't join because I can't afford it?"
"You are not the one paying for the equipment and besides what can a peasant 'child do anyway?"
"Wanna see?"
He turned around and met a kid around his age. It was clear by his looks that he hailed from a family of peasants. He was clashing with the admission overseer. The overseer was not a fool like you would expect, he was in admission duty as he was very impatient and found a lot of success. It was easy for everyone to think the kid was about to get beaten up.
"What do we have here, a kid trying to be a hero, eh?" Arthur said to himself.
When the kid was getting in the overseer's head, the overseer began to lose his temper.
But to all's surprise, the kid beat up the overseer! Arthur -as all else were- was stunned.
The barrack's head came in to see the commotion and himself was shocked beyond belief.
In front of him, a full grown ass man was crying for mercy before a peasant's kid. (T.N: We are just writing a story. Anyone can do anything in certain conditions. This is set in a pre modern world, so rich poor distinction was very common.) He immediately arranged a letter to the general to allow a special exception for that kid. The kid left. Arthur got over his shock and left for his home for one last night.
The next day, he was learning chivalry and all other stuff. Then the practice began. He was asked to fight George Linback, the exceptional kid. There, for the first time, he was reminded of his grueling past and both of them were equally strong.
Arthur, himself astounded both by his opponent's strength and his ability to deal equal if not more damage. Both of them, fell down by exhaustion. He soon becomes friends with him.
Years later, both of them are squires to knights. And since their knight's are rivals, soon their friendship melts. When Linback does a daredevil deliverance of a weapon which makes his knight come victorious over Arthur's, he becomes jealous and soon both of them become rivals. Then personal tragedy struck. Arthur was given permission to meet his family. All was well until when both him and his mother go out for a walk. Then out of nowhere, a man with a dagger came and dug his dagger into Arthur's body. Or more like it was what he intended. He mother, Claire died saving her adopted son. Arthur was full of emotions. He was happy, then sad and quickly anger took control.
Being a squire of a top knight, he was especially well trained. He overpowered that assassin and butchered him.
Years pass again, both Arthur and Linback are now knights. They quickly became famous because of their tactics. Arthur was a great leader and inspirer. He also was a great fighter himself. Linback, due to his family's poverty had been involved in the streets. There he learned of the ways to defeat a foe. Linback, was stealthy, sly and a mastermind. He knew all the fatal points of the human body and with precise accuracy would deal heavy damage early in the duel. Even if the foe predicted a swipe to his lungs and dodged it, Linback would just go after the neck simultaneously. His intelligence requires special mention. No matter the situation, he would quickly find a way to slash his foe's throat.
Soon, the battle for the position of general came down to the two of them. The king, prepared for a huge duel and it quickly spread. You could see, people making bets everywhere on who would win. The king himself profited with the huge money from the people attending it. Kings and princes afar came to witness it and along with them gifts.
The battle soon began. Arthur knew that Linback would be up to something and kept his guard up.
Linback however did nothing but sharpen his weapons. People who expected a great battle were surprised and began to leave. Arthur, however, knew it was a trick and took a defensive position. Just when he took it, Linback charged at him. Arthur was too stunned to move and Linback had given him a nice blow to his chest.
Arthur, soon recovered from the stun and despite the heavy pain from his chest, kicked Linback.
Linback, himself never expected it and was down. Arthur ran in for a lot of attacks but by the devils luck, Linback got his sword and parried Arthur's. It was a match of death. The audience were more satisfied and it was just as they expected. Author came in for the kill again but Linback dodged it. Suddenly, Linback quickly attacked Arthur. Arthur, however dodged it and dealt a counterblow to him. Linback was down with his sword in the other side. Arthur without hesitation striked him. Linback stayed in a pool of blood.
Arthur waited and soon walked to the center of the stadium with his sword up, with people cheering.
Then, a chill ran down his spine when he heard; "You fools!" Linback had charged and struck Arthur once again in the chest. By either the God's or the devils grace, it was not fatal.
The crowd which was cheering was now booing, even those who voted for Linback. Linback continued, "You fools! All's fair in love and war! You do anything to survive!"
The people was just more and more disgusted but the knights and nobles knew what he meant, sometimes you have to play dirty.
Linback turned to Arthur who he held at knifepoint and said; "I could kill you now, but I will let you live so that this day will haunt you for the rest of your life.:
To be continued-