WarGames Shadow

 

Our boy needs a sword.

 

A large man yawned deeply as he rested his arm on the grand family chair . It’s leather cushions protesting heavily against his frame. 

The War Games are upon us soon, he continued. It will not end well if he doesn’t learn the ways of war.

The madam of the house stood with a fan blowing slowly on her face. The plumpnesses that had been with her the years after the bo’s birth had faded away leaving a striking woman of noble birth and pristine beauty. 

He’s just a boy my love . A Gifted boy at that. Give him time . 

The woman patted her husband’s shoulder, Her face considering. Ask him once more .   Let us be clear and we will find something fitting. 

The man calmed , and then decided on a direct approach. 

Zabu! The bellow went through four floors of the Vedro estate . It ran over the ears of one maid, two guards and one sleepy old lady. With a rush it made its way under a doorway on the highest floor where a young boy sat peacefully upon his bed. 

His hair was auburn and his skin was tanned. his eyes that just snapped open , were silver. The eyes scanned the room and rolled off the bed and onto their feet. 

The young heir to the house Vedro was on the move. 

The boy was through the door in seconds. A bundle of energy tossing himself up and full speed sliding down the banister. 

He stopped at the end only long enough to grab the next banister around the corner and slide down that one as well, his perilous decent continuing rapidly.

He stumbled on the second to last floor. 

A slight miss in speed that he attributed to the awkward balance of having two legs, a real weakness he felt of being a human. 

As he fell through the air , he awaited another sensation he hated about being a human . 

Pain. 

Except he was caught . 

A young maid in her late teens caught the young boy mid fall, humor in her eyes. 

Young master, she said putting him down. The floor is much safer. 

The boy only partially listened , the other part of him interested in another sensation of humans . 

Soft. 

He looked back at the maid and lifted his arms . 

The maid was unsure of what to do ,then remembered the madams instructions to make sure the young master walked more. 

“Sorry young master . “ you’ll have to walk. 

The boy’s head dropped immediately. 

He was devastated . 

With a look of regret towards the maids softness he shook his head and turned away , one leg already atop the banister . 

“Young master. “ the maid said hurriedly. 

Then she sighed, Inside her head she swayed back and fourth between the act of carrying the boy and the act of letting him barrel down the banister . 

The carrying won. 

The boy smiled to himself as he was carried down the stairs letting out a small huff of victory as he leaned into the maid. 

The softness was reached. 

A slight walk later the maid spoke . 

Come now young master , get down now . The maid said dropping the boy low and stepping away. 

There the boy stood looking up at his parents . 

He tilted his head to the left and right regarding them. 

Yes parents? 

The scarred man regarded the boy with one heavy hand upon his grand chair. 

Still finding your way into someone’s arms boy?

The boy huffed and made a face of victory nodding his head. 

His mother turned to the maid with a stern eye. Vala , she said her voice sharp.

Madam the maid bowed, and then pointed to the banister . 

The madam sighed.  

———————-

Boy you are seven now, you are soon to be eight, 

Do you know what that means? 

The boy closed his eyes and thought as hard as he could . Then opened them and confidently answered,

Nope. 

See, wife .

He is ignorant. 

Boy. The large man said leaning in, a gold tooth flickering in the light. You should know about your upcoming battles . 

Then the boy remembered a memory, an annoying one , that pinned a thought to the front of his mind. 

The war games . The boy said annoyed. 

His parents for the most part hid their surprise at his remembering , sharing only a glance before starting again . 

Yes the lord of house Vedro continued . Have you changed your opinion on it boy. Do you still think it a waste of time? The man finished  voice closer to a growl, his annoyance hardly contained. 

Yes . I’ve changed my mind father. 

I want to go to the games father. I’ll Need to practice .

You want to be in the games now? The Lord of house Vedro asked suspiciously . 

Yes . The young boy said simply . 

The boy raised a finger then . The pointer one to be exact  and held it in the air. 

In the time it takes a roaring fire to burn a leaf three flickers of light turned into a beam that burst into existence, it’s gold aura sizzling the air . 

For the sake of revenge. The boy finished . 

Lord Vedro , a man known in many circles for his wild personality , smiled.

Good enough for me.