Skip to main content

Vagrant - Part IV


           “Yes,” Van replied simply, still with a smile on his face.  “Undoubtedly.  Finnian Pell is still my brother.  You were my brother too, once.”
“I still am,” Thrace barked.  “Perhaps an older brother, admittedly.  I think the two of you are fools and I do not believe this is a good idea.  Van, you have natural talent but it takes discipline to be a soldier.”
“Thrace please,” Van grew earnest and let the smile fall from his face.  “Let me prove to you that I am not a cynical man.  I simply have not found what I was put on this earth to do.  I want to do something I believe in, with people I believe in.  Let me fight for you.”
Thrace looked hard at Van, studying the resolve of this would-be recruit.
“You’re drunk,” Thrace said simply.
“A bit, yes,” Van admitted, the smile returned so easily.  “But I’m honest when I’m drunk.”
“Please Thrace,” Finnian pushed.
“You understand you’ll have to change your entire way of living if you join my battalion?” Thrace put to Van.
“Of course,” Van answered.
“Will you?” Thrace pressed.
“I will,” Van put a hand to his heart.
“Then let us drink to our newest recruit…” Thrace raised his glass.
Van and Finnian looked at each other with stunned smiles.  Quickly, they raised their mugs and touched them together with Thrace’s so that all three vessels were linked above their heads.
“…and to the dyad of Finnian Pell and Van Orel.”
“Here here,” Van and Finnian said as one.
The three of them brought down their mugs and drank deep.  Then, they talked - for hours; about the past, about the present, and all the possibilities that this new, exciting future held for them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kiki's Cat Cafe

INT. KIKI’S KITTY CAT CAFÉ Along the walls are a bunch of loose cushions and bean bag chairs – lots of soft stuff. Kids are running all over chasing and playing with all kinds of cats. High-top tables line the center of the room where trendy adults stand, sipping organic teas and ignoring their kids. Behind the coffee bar in the back is a 40-ish white woman with the build of a shot-putter – like from the Olympics. This is KIKI, and she watches on with a relaxed smile. A THIN WOMAN and TREVOR, her ten-year old, approach Kiki.                           THIN WOMAN                We’re done.                           TREVOR    ...
Post a Comment
Read more
OF GODS AND MEN Chapter 1: The Chase         All was still on the edge of the Wandering Wood.  A light breeze blew past as tree branches danced in its sway.  The sun shone down from a clear sky.  It was peaceful here: serene. From inside the wood, the neighing of a horse echoed faintly; as though it were coming from deep in the heart of the forest. Then, suddenly, a bolt of black crashed through the trees on the forest’s edge.  It raced down the road leading out of the wood.  Latched on behind the black was a cart that held a cowering woman holding frantically onto the railing that fenced her in.  Her high-pitched shriek rose and fell as the black blur sped forward to Meeks Harbor. Only moments after, two chestnut mares crashed through the same forest opening onto the road.  The riders, two young men wearing simple leather armor, willed their steeds on.  The cart was not far ahead. “Ti...
Post a Comment
Read more

Vagrant

CHAPTER 1          The Vagrant                    The tavern was mostly empty.   Not unusual for the early afternoon.   Most men were working the fields, dreaming of a few short hours from now, when they would be able to end their day with a mug of the finest ale in all the town of Rookwood.   But Van was making his dream come true.   Sitting at the bar, he finished off his third mug.   There was no work for him today.   Truth be told, there had been no work for him for quite a few days.   “Another?” he heard Cecily ask.   Van looked up from his mug then.   He had been daydreaming; but no dream could be lovelier than Cecily.   He had known the young barmaid all his life, and she had never ceased to impress him with her beauty.   Her red hair always unkempt and loose, while her green eyes probed into him searching; always searching. ...
Post a Comment
Read more