The Red Son - Part One

[KidKrinkles 2044]

Thalin brought the axe back and down, sending splinters flying about him as the sharpened steel met fresh tree bark. The tree shook and the birds fluttered away wordlessly, the sound of their wings beating the air. Maybe today I'll earn enough to buy some silk for Mum. He brought it back again, the wound forming in the trees side. It was a ***** thought- he always saw himself as a vicious warrior standing over his quarrel. The forests were just a legion of foes before him. With corpses worth a few minas. He was a masked crusader slaying the wicked behind his red bandanna- in reality, he was a boy, making money, the bandanna warded away the splinters and gave him luck.

"That's all?" Thalin pulled down the bandanna and rubbed it as he did so, My blessing and my curse , looking up at his boss- a tall man with thick arms covered in dirty black hair that was wild as the Kharajyr jungles.

"Oy, quit your belly achin'. I could give ye' less." He reached over for the boy's hand slowly, but thalin closed it quickly. He put the money in his bag and kicked the wood infront of him- the pile fell over infront of the foreman and went quickly from orderly, to a heap.

"You're lucky ye' got yer'self a strong arm or you'd be outta job in moments." The man's name was Cleetus, an angry, rough, all buisness drunk. He called over and a boy who was ordering papers began to repile the logs. He looked over to Thalin and motioned his hand, "Run along little Thalin. Yer' done for te' day."

Thalin had his hands in his pockets, his bandanna was around his neck. His axe was slung around his back and his piercing yellow eyes watched the way ahead, he thought in his head, and song a little tune. With golden eyes, I see the coin. With greedy hands, I take my toll. What's yours is mine and mine is yours, but only the victor can take the spoils. He moved down the short, narrow road through the thin forest line back towards Arethor. He moved through the main gate, he could feel the guards eyes on him. They're jealous of me... I make more money and hit a lot harder.

He remembered back when he was a kid, he was always bullied. He remembered holding the red bandanna around his neck for dear life while they all called him freak. Flay freak , no child deserves that. I wouldn't torment my worst enemy in the ways I was... to make someone feel so outcast like that is a terrible thing for terrible people. And Arethor is home to the worst sort.

He browsed the stalls.. bread, apples, iron, the exspensive diamonds and the weapons on the racks. The only honest thing in this city were the goods, no frauds, I think . He walked down the isle and ignored the men shouting their prices. One came close to him and opened his coat showing a few pocket watches. He shoved the man hard in the chest into a set of crates and moved by unhindered. "Buzzards, everyone of you..." the words came off his lips and under his breath, he rubbed the bandanna and finally spotted his prize. Silk . He looked at the man who was selling all differant rugs, and curtains, and cloaks and cloths. Thalin leaned in and went to touch it, but the man slapped his hand. "Don't soil my goods with your dirty hands, peasant boy."

Thalin ignored the harsh words... "I'm a customer and a worker, you'll remember that. How much for the silk?" The man eye'd him and looked away to his finger nails, seemingly not caring, "How much do you have, mmm?" Thalin produced a handful of horens, a hundred or so minas.

The merchant took the coins in his hands and bit into one. "No, these are no good." The man proceeded to drop them into his other hand and tucked them away. "Your coins are fake and you are no real man. Might I suggest you run along now and take your corpse coins else where?" He thinks I robbed someone?

Thalin snorted and spit at the man. The spit wad hit him on the cheek and his eyes widened in both disgust and horror. "GUARDS! TAKE THIS FRAUD FROM ME! HE MEANS TO ROB ME!" Thalin dove forward and grabbed at the man and flung his arms about wildly, smashing, crashing into his stands and cloths, knocking hanging objects about. His hands were like hooks, pulling and grabbing and smashing at everything for all of a few seconds. The sounds of steel clashing on steel came and grew louder and louder. Two armed guards grabbed Thalin and pulled him away from the vendor and outside behind the stables. They threw him on the ground and began to give him the point of their shoes.

Thalin coughed a little blood, everything seemed darker, hazier then he remembered, he called "That all you got?" but it came out in garbled grunts. IT was nightfall he realised- and just like that his head reminded him of the severe beating he just took, and the swift kick to his face. Thalin got to his feet and patted himself down- he had everything- and the silk he grabbed was still in his pocket. It wasn't even dirty, Not even from my hands touching it . He snickered at the thought but the pain washed away any pleasure he found.

He made his way home and pushed open the door, he looked at himself in the window of the door and saw the bruise on his eye and the blood on his lip. He brushed away the blood and walked in, he smiled to the woman in the room nearby, "Hey Mum, what's for dinner?"

She turned, the bent over gray woman had what seemed like wisps of long gray hair that parted at her face, making an almost heart like frame to her wrinkled face. Her eyes were narrow but she had a slight smile, as though she inspected everything and saw everything as pure and good. She turned with a warped twisted brown cane and smiled with gray eyes, "Oh Thalin is that you? I missed you, where have you been?" She walked over and prodded at his face with her boney hands, still smiling. Thalin grabbed her hands when she got near his eye,

"I'm sorry sweet pea, did dear old Mum hurt you?" He frowned a little, "I'm making your favorite you know, potato and pork stew."

Thalin let go of her and smiled, "I'm fine Mum, I had a drink after work and some buggard punched me. I got you something." He pulled the silk from his shirt and put it in her hand, "Is that silk? Oh my its so soft. Thalin you're so sweet, what would I ever do with you?"

Without you...

[Thatpyrodude 2008]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.