Chapter One Rude Awakenings Part Twelve
Day 829, 18:28
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Published in Philippines 
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by
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by Josie Brooks
“Hey Boy!” a familiar and welcome voice called out. “Don’t you think it is a little late for all this, farming?” the laughter that followed made Hekter blush. His grandfather was always making fun of him for his wandering thoughts, especially since he got so distracted sometimes that he didn’t notice the sun leaving the sky. Like today, he was still attempting to plow a field even though he could barely see his hands on the handles, let alone where he was going.
“I will be there in a minute Grandfather! I am almost done with this part.” Then, to himself he muttered “I think” and went forward a few more steps to ensure that he had proven that he was still out here on purpose. Dedication was a good thing, distraction was not.
Walking calmly over to his grandfather, he stood up straight and pulled his shoulders back, attempting to look like the man he hoped to soon be. Smiling at him, his grandfather looked at him and shook his head, chuckling.
A frown creasing his brow he put his hand on Grandfather’s shoulder, asking “What? What is so funny?”
Shaking his head a little harder, he laughed again and said, “Nothing son, it’s just you are so very skinny. You look like a scarecrow almost.” Laughing harder now he tried to look sorry and failed miserably. “I am sorry grandson, I am sure you are perfectly average for a normal boy, it’s just that your father was so much more…….manly by your age.”
As Hekter’s face fell and his shoulders drooped, making his chest cave in a little his grandfather attempted to make amends. “I am sure you will fill out soon, don’t worry. Your mother was a late bloomer as I recall. Maybe you take after her.” Putting his arm across Hekter’s shoulders, he led him into the house.
Great, Hekter thought. I take after my mother physically. No wonder no girls ever notice me. Looking at the broad shouldered silhouette of his father did not encourage him at all. The entire family sat down around the fireplace to eat. They usually ate at the table, but when Grandfather came to visit it was a special occasion. The oldest member of his family preferred to eat around a fire. He said it reminded him of his adventuring days.
As the family talked amongst themselves about daily life and asked Grandfather about life in the city Hekter stared into the fire and left the business of eating to his hands and mouth to do without help from his brain. His mind started to drift as he stared into the flames and for once it wasn’t to stories of victory and adventure he traveled. This time, his mind went into the past, a few years ago. He was looking into a different fire then. A campfire. A girl and he had built it together and they were staying out abominably late because she was cross with her father and wanted him to worry about her a little. He remembered their time together fondly; because that night was the closest to an actual adventure he had ever come to, and would probably ever come to.
Everything about that night had seemed almost surreal. The sky was too big, the stars too bright. Everything was too beautiful and perfect to be real. Even the cold of the wind didn’t really bother them. They just huddled together a little closer to the fire and laughed at their boldness. They had talked for hours about anything and nothing. How he felt inadequate at home and she felt under appreciated. How he felt like he might never become a man, and she despaired of ever being happy as a ‘lady’. Then her father’s guards had found them and he had not seen her since. Although, his father had been informed that if he was caught compromising the young lady’s virtues again the guards would throw him in a hole so deep the sun would never grace his face with it’s warmth again.
A poke in the ribs brought him back to reality and he realized his sister was letting him know that the story was beginning.
“Well,” Grandfather started. “It was no big deal really. For adventurers like we were, a dragon was no big deal. We had dealt with worse than a small black dragon before. I mean,” he chuckled good naturedly and winked at Hekter “At least it wasn’t a green!” Everyone laughed at his joke. Only Hekter and his grandfather knew there was a real difference between black and green dragons. The first time he had heard this story, Hekter had practically interrogated his grandfather about dragons. The questions had gone on for hours after everyone else had succumbed to sleep.
“So,” he continued, “We approached the beast’s lair. Quietly, our rogue, little light fingered devil that she was, snuck right up to it’s snout and slipped an elven rope around twice and gave it a good sailor’s knot. Nothing beats a good sailor’s knot you know. I went right up to its face while Damian approached it’s side to the right and Jasper was on the left. Sheila gave us a nod to tell us the knot was as secure as it was gonna get and I poked the beast right over it’s big left nostril.” He poked his spoon forward to demonstrate how he poked.
“Well, it woke up quick, I can tell you and it wasn’t too happy about it. It’s head reared up and took poor Sheila right off her feet! She was tossed to the side and hit the wall. The crack as she hit was so loud it rang in my ears.” Looking a little subdued he said quietly “We were sure Sheila had tied her last knot. Well, that made us so mad that Damian and Jasper stabbed their swords right into both of its flanks. It reared up even more and it’s wings spread out so fast it took them both off of their feet. Hey, I shouted, down here!” he actually shouted the line and Hekter’s little sister, still a little sad at the imagined loss of beloved Sheila, jumped in her seat, which made everyone laugh a little.
“The beast took a deep breath and put it’s face right in front of me. Acid dribbled from between it’s lips and the rope just dissolved. It mouth opened wide and I leapt to the side to avoid the terrible spray that hit right where I had stood a moment before. Turning about, I knew I had to keep moving. So, I ran right at it. You see family, a dragon, once it has shot it’s killing breath at you, takes a minute or two to build it back up. That is when it is safest to get it. So, I ran right at it and thrust my trusty sword right into its left eye. My arm sank into it right up to the elbow” he declared, showing where on his arm he now carried a slightly twisted point where it had been inside the dragon’s head. “Well, it pulled me off my feet and had just enough strength left to toss me across the room. I landed and forced myself to my feet, prepared to face it again, but it wasn’t necessary. The beast was dead.” He smiled triumphantly and sat back down.
“Well, what happened to Sheila and the others?” Hekter’s sister asked.
Delighted that the story had found a good audience yet again, Grandfather answered her. “Sheila was just fine, the loud sound had been her wineskin popping and her tools breaking in their wooden case. Damian and Jasper were both also fine. Although, Jasper walks with a limp now. As for your brave Grandfather, my arm never fully recovered, and since it was my sword arm, that was my very last adventure. Not that I regret it at all.” He sighed and looked a little sad. Hekter shared his pain.
“Well,” father said, breaking the moment. “I bet Grandfather is tired, why don’t we all go to bed?” and stood up. That signified the end of the night, so everyone went to their beds. Except, of course, for Hekter. He sat up for a while longer, staring at the flames and thinking.
Cast of today’s Episode
Hekter as Hekter
Would you like to be a part of the adventure? If so, then audition here!
“I will be there in a minute Grandfather! I am almost done with this part.” Then, to himself he muttered “I think” and went forward a few more steps to ensure that he had proven that he was still out here on purpose. Dedication was a good thing, distraction was not.
Walking calmly over to his grandfather, he stood up straight and pulled his shoulders back, attempting to look like the man he hoped to soon be. Smiling at him, his grandfather looked at him and shook his head, chuckling.
A frown creasing his brow he put his hand on Grandfather’s shoulder, asking “What? What is so funny?”
Shaking his head a little harder, he laughed again and said, “Nothing son, it’s just you are so very skinny. You look like a scarecrow almost.” Laughing harder now he tried to look sorry and failed miserably. “I am sorry grandson, I am sure you are perfectly average for a normal boy, it’s just that your father was so much more…….manly by your age.”
As Hekter’s face fell and his shoulders drooped, making his chest cave in a little his grandfather attempted to make amends. “I am sure you will fill out soon, don’t worry. Your mother was a late bloomer as I recall. Maybe you take after her.” Putting his arm across Hekter’s shoulders, he led him into the house.
Great, Hekter thought. I take after my mother physically. No wonder no girls ever notice me. Looking at the broad shouldered silhouette of his father did not encourage him at all. The entire family sat down around the fireplace to eat. They usually ate at the table, but when Grandfather came to visit it was a special occasion. The oldest member of his family preferred to eat around a fire. He said it reminded him of his adventuring days.
As the family talked amongst themselves about daily life and asked Grandfather about life in the city Hekter stared into the fire and left the business of eating to his hands and mouth to do without help from his brain. His mind started to drift as he stared into the flames and for once it wasn’t to stories of victory and adventure he traveled. This time, his mind went into the past, a few years ago. He was looking into a different fire then. A campfire. A girl and he had built it together and they were staying out abominably late because she was cross with her father and wanted him to worry about her a little. He remembered their time together fondly; because that night was the closest to an actual adventure he had ever come to, and would probably ever come to.
Everything about that night had seemed almost surreal. The sky was too big, the stars too bright. Everything was too beautiful and perfect to be real. Even the cold of the wind didn’t really bother them. They just huddled together a little closer to the fire and laughed at their boldness. They had talked for hours about anything and nothing. How he felt inadequate at home and she felt under appreciated. How he felt like he might never become a man, and she despaired of ever being happy as a ‘lady’. Then her father’s guards had found them and he had not seen her since. Although, his father had been informed that if he was caught compromising the young lady’s virtues again the guards would throw him in a hole so deep the sun would never grace his face with it’s warmth again.
A poke in the ribs brought him back to reality and he realized his sister was letting him know that the story was beginning.
“Well,” Grandfather started. “It was no big deal really. For adventurers like we were, a dragon was no big deal. We had dealt with worse than a small black dragon before. I mean,” he chuckled good naturedly and winked at Hekter “At least it wasn’t a green!” Everyone laughed at his joke. Only Hekter and his grandfather knew there was a real difference between black and green dragons. The first time he had heard this story, Hekter had practically interrogated his grandfather about dragons. The questions had gone on for hours after everyone else had succumbed to sleep.
“So,” he continued, “We approached the beast’s lair. Quietly, our rogue, little light fingered devil that she was, snuck right up to it’s snout and slipped an elven rope around twice and gave it a good sailor’s knot. Nothing beats a good sailor’s knot you know. I went right up to its face while Damian approached it’s side to the right and Jasper was on the left. Sheila gave us a nod to tell us the knot was as secure as it was gonna get and I poked the beast right over it’s big left nostril.” He poked his spoon forward to demonstrate how he poked.
“Well, it woke up quick, I can tell you and it wasn’t too happy about it. It’s head reared up and took poor Sheila right off her feet! She was tossed to the side and hit the wall. The crack as she hit was so loud it rang in my ears.” Looking a little subdued he said quietly “We were sure Sheila had tied her last knot. Well, that made us so mad that Damian and Jasper stabbed their swords right into both of its flanks. It reared up even more and it’s wings spread out so fast it took them both off of their feet. Hey, I shouted, down here!” he actually shouted the line and Hekter’s little sister, still a little sad at the imagined loss of beloved Sheila, jumped in her seat, which made everyone laugh a little.
“The beast took a deep breath and put it’s face right in front of me. Acid dribbled from between it’s lips and the rope just dissolved. It mouth opened wide and I leapt to the side to avoid the terrible spray that hit right where I had stood a moment before. Turning about, I knew I had to keep moving. So, I ran right at it. You see family, a dragon, once it has shot it’s killing breath at you, takes a minute or two to build it back up. That is when it is safest to get it. So, I ran right at it and thrust my trusty sword right into its left eye. My arm sank into it right up to the elbow” he declared, showing where on his arm he now carried a slightly twisted point where it had been inside the dragon’s head. “Well, it pulled me off my feet and had just enough strength left to toss me across the room. I landed and forced myself to my feet, prepared to face it again, but it wasn’t necessary. The beast was dead.” He smiled triumphantly and sat back down.
“Well, what happened to Sheila and the others?” Hekter’s sister asked.
Delighted that the story had found a good audience yet again, Grandfather answered her. “Sheila was just fine, the loud sound had been her wineskin popping and her tools breaking in their wooden case. Damian and Jasper were both also fine. Although, Jasper walks with a limp now. As for your brave Grandfather, my arm never fully recovered, and since it was my sword arm, that was my very last adventure. Not that I regret it at all.” He sighed and looked a little sad. Hekter shared his pain.
“Well,” father said, breaking the moment. “I bet Grandfather is tired, why don’t we all go to bed?” and stood up. That signified the end of the night, so everyone went to their beds. Except, of course, for Hekter. He sat up for a while longer, staring at the flames and thinking.
Cast of today’s Episode
Hekter as Hekter
Would you like to be a part of the adventure? If so, then audition here!
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Squee, the return of Hekter! 😃
So, what is the difference between Black and Green dragons?
And this episode was pretty good, I eagerly await the next chapter!
Black dragons breath a stream of acid. Green dragons breath a cloud of chlorine gas. The preference being black dragons because it is easier to dodge acid than a cloud of gas!
I see, thank you very much! And I look forward to the next chapter.
Nice bit of story as always. Voted and subbed from my Org. 😛
poor hekter! you will get there someday, lad!
read it too late.....inactive for the moment