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Good. That’s what I assumed was happening.
The emotional/spiritual aspect will be addressed later.
I’m afraid I was more concerned over the emotional/psychological aspect, but I suppose that’s kinda what you meant.
…
*Cackles*
Oh, and I wasn’t sad. I was almost angry. Slightly mad. Highly miffed. And rather sorry for Joseph.
The question is: should the short story outright punish Ellette, or a character she cares about?
*Twirls gold pen*
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the GorkLolol. And yeah, I can see what Koshka is saying, but that wasn’t really what I was thinking while I read it. I thought the scene was great.
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
Aha!
*pulls on gloves*
*Grabs gold pen*
Lisa was looking for that. You don’t want her looking for you instead!
*Looks around*
Oooo, nice story, Ellette. I like Julian.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
Thank you! I like Julian too. Though it’s really funny that he’s the character that you like. lol.
May I ask why?
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Not sure. Maybe because he’s a guardian type, protecting his younger brother. Maybe because he reminds me of a centurion, and I always loved the centurions in the Bible. He doesn’t understand everything, but he has a strong sense of honor.
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
You nailed the exact reasons why I like him! lol.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
@hybridlore @linus-smallprint @koshka @keilah-h @elishavet-pidyon
NEXT SECTION
Joseph curled up in his bed. He could hear the murmur of voices downstairs and knew that Noah and Darrien were holding one of their secret meetings with a few young men in the church. Sabina was in the other room, tucking in Asher and Eric. He could hear her gentle voice as she prayed over them. Then the door closed, and her steps crossed to his room. Sabina came in and Joseph looked up. “Sabina, did anyone take away the things on Adrian’s desk?”
Sabina shook her head. “No, I meant to do it today, but I couldn’t bring myself to go in there. Perhaps I’ll try again tomorrow morning. Someone really should clear it all away.”
“He wrote out a passage on one of his papers, and he has a payer under it. Do you… do you think I could please have it to keep?” Joseph asked.
Sabina turned and walked quickly from the room. A moment later she came back with a piece of paper in her hand. She gave it to Joseph, and he held it tightly, fingering the rough edges. “Thank you,” he whispered, his eyes filling with tears.
Sabina sat on the bed and tucked the blankets about him. Then she smoothed his hair back with a gentle hand. Joseph smiled
Sabina smiled back; her eyes filled with tears. She smoothed her hand over his head again and Joseph relaxed into the bed, pulling the piece of paper to his chest. Sabina continued stroking his forehead as she spoke. “Father, protect Joseph tonight. Fill him with Your peace. Comfort and strengthen him. Draw him closer to Your side in this time of pain and sorrow. Give him courage and raise him up as a strong leader and warrior for You. Guide him and guard him and use this pain for Your glory. Use this evil and work through it. Take Joseph and hold him close. Help him, Father. Give him rest and help him to sleep peacefully.”
She bent forward and kissed Joseph tenderly on the cheek. Joseph opened his eyes slightly and a small smile touched his lips. His eyes closed again and slept.
***
It was evening of the next day. Joseph was alone, sitting in his room by the window. In his hand he held two very special treasures. The Psalm Adrian had copied and Arron’s letter. He was sitting on the floor, and beside him was a wooden box. It wasn’t very big— about a foot wide and one and three-quarters long. In it he kept his most precious things.
There was a little box holding the ring that had been his mother’s. Her favorite shawl was folded beside his father’s hunting knife. His very own Bible lay with the treasures, and beside it were several shiny stone from the creek that flowed through his father’s farm. Joseph leaned forward and set the papers gently back into the box.
His father had made him the box for his birthday when they had lived on the farm. It had just been the three of them, but Joseph had been happy.
His father had made the box so he could keep all his treasures in it, instead of in his bed, his mother’s dishes, on the floor, or on random shelves. When Joseph received the box, he had decided to put all his treasures in at once. Then of course came the problem. He couldn’t find any of them except his river rock collection.
Before Joseph could add to his treasures, his mother became very ill, and he forgot all about the box.
Joseph let out a slow breath. He still remembered those long, frightening days as his father fought for his mother’s life. They had been two days from their nearest neighbor, and three days from the village. His father had been extremely frightened and unsure of what to do. He knew his wife needed help, but to leave her alone with Joseph for six days was unthinkable, and the long trip to town would have killed her.
Joseph remembered the sleepless nights and his mother’s fevered crying. One day had been worse than all of them. His mother had cried for most of it, and his father had held her, whispering softly. Joseph had been sent to bed, but he crept out and hid under the table, watching the two through the open bedroom door with wide, frightened eyes. His father must have known he was there, for he called to Joseph. It took a moment before Joseph fearfully crept into the room. His mother had been very pale, her long dark hair tangled and soaked with sweat. She was lying in his father’s arms. He remembered her looking toward him and laying a weak hand on his head.
Joseph closed his eyes, feeling her touch once again. He remembered reaching out and wrapped both his hands around hers. She had pulled him close, and he had laid his head against her. He never knew when she died, but she had died in those last moments; only twenty-six years old.
Joseph brushed away a tear. The next treasures in the little box were real treasures. They were his mother’s shawl and ring. He could still hear his father’s words in his mind. “This was the ring I gave to mama. She would want you to have it so you could give it to the girl you marry.”
Joseph ran his hand over the beautiful dark-blue fabric of the shawl. It was made of smooth, thin material, and the color was like the night sky. it was not so much for warmth as for looks. His mother always wore it when she danced with his father at the harvest feast. Joseph carefully lifted it out and pressed his face into the soft folds. He could smell a hint of wild fresh air, of ripe crops, and that sweet scent that always seemed to come whenever his mother was around.
Joseph gently set the shawl down and ran his hand over the hunting knife. His father killed an Imperial scout with that knife, and receiving scars across his face in the fight. That was the night his father had grabbed a few things and put them in a wagon. Then he had woken up Joseph and told him to grab whatever was special to him. In a few moments they were driving away from the farm; the only home he had ever known.
The journey to the capital was long, and every hour, more people joined them on the roads. Joseph had been terrified of the city. There were so many people, and the noise was so loud. The streets were small and narrow, and the buildings were all big. He had felt trapped, and he cried a good deal. Then, the horrible attacks had begun. That was when the nightmares first came. Joseph would scream for hours, and his father knew of no way to cure him. it finally became so bad, that the still farmer had caved in and decided to take his son to see the Vendailian stranger.
After that day, nothing in Joseph’s life was ever the same. For a time, the nightmares abated, and when they did come, it was easier for him to wake from them. Joseph had never known such peace as the day God reached out and touched his life.
Joseph picked up the hunting knife and drew it from its sheath. The blade glinted, reflecting the waning light that came through the window. Joseph closed his eyes. He could see that last day so clearly. It was the day Ardenta fell.
His father had taken him to Sabina and asked her to care for him. The strong, Ardentan farmer had gotten down on one knee and given Joseph the knife, telling him that they would meet again. Then he hugged his son. At last, Joseph’s father had gotten to his feet. He waved once, and then turned and walked away.
He never came back.
Joseph’s eyes filled with tears. He gently closed the rough wooden lid of the box and rested his head on the lid.
Downstairs the door opened, and Joseph heard Darrien and Noah’s voices. They had just gotten home from work, and Noah was laughing about something. Running feet sounded, and he heard Asher and Eric’s joyful shouts. After that there was shrieking and giggling. Joseph was sure Noah must be chasing them around the house. He almost went down to play with them, but there was something peaceful about being here. Perhaps he would go in a moment.
Downstairs, there was a loud knock on the door.
Joseph started and jerked upright. The house had gone completely silent.
Another loud knock.
Joseph scrambled to his feet and ran into the hall. If something was going to happen, he didn’t want to be alone.
Joseph thundered down the stairs and raced into the kitchen. Noah and Darrien were moving toward the door. Alicia had an arm around Asher and Eric, the three of them frozen. Joseph ran to Sabina and threw his arms about her from behind. Sabina moved into the hall, nearly tripping over Joseph.
Noah opened the door and jumped back in alarm. There were five imperial guards standing outside, and one of them was an officer.
“Noah, it’s alright,” said a familiar voice.
Joseph leaned out from behind Sabina and saw Julian among them. The young man stepped forward. “No one will be harmed; I give you my word.”
Noah slowly stepped aside. Joseph wasn’t sure if he trusted Julian, or just didn’t want to anger the armed men.
As the soldiers stepped in, they respectfully took off their helmets, and one quietly closed the door behind them. The officer held out a hand to Noah. “I am Lieutenant Leon Fischer.”
Noah hesitantly shook his hand, his shoulders tense.
Leon looked toward Sabina and made a slight bow. “I was here the day we searched for Adrian. Do you remember?”
Sabina nodded, unable to speak.
Leon turned back to Noah. “The five of us here were friends of Adrian and we knew him well. What happened was… was unexplainable. I have never seen anyone die with so much courage… save one other. The young man who died in that very place not long ago; Aaron, I believe.”
He looked from one to another, and they nodded.
Leon continued. “There was a peace about Aaron that I could not understand. He had such confidence, and I felt he knew something I didn’t. Something that changed everything. Then Adrian ran. I looked everywhere for him, hoping to reach him first and talk reason into him. I was sure it was a mistake. I did not make it in time to save him, but now I don’t believe anything I could have said would have swayed him. Adrian was not the same boy I have known for so many years. Years ago, I gave up believing in my gods. I went through the rites customary to a soldier, and I offered the prayers and libations that were necessary, but my heart was not in it. Not after what they did to me. However, that night I begged the gods to spare Adrian. I prayed as I have only ever prayed one other time. But Adrian still died.”
Leon slowly shook his head, fingering the helmet he held tucked under one arm. “The gods have let so many men and boys I loved as brothers die. And… and they took the only girl I ever loved. I had no hope of them saving Adrian, and they didn’t. I have only ever had hope in them one time, and they let her die too.”
Leon sighed and shifted his helmet from one hand to the other. “Julian told me this morning that might have the answer to everything.” He looked up at Noah. “We brought with us these three. They were dear friends of Adrian’s. We saw the remarkable change, and we five have begun to doubt the gods.” The Lieutenant looked toward Darrien, and then back to Noah. “Please— if you are willing— tell us what Adrian believed.”
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Yayyyy!!!! Julian!!! And more people!! 😆
It looks good! I liked the flashbacks into Joseph’s backstory. The only thing was I caught a sentence or two that didn’t flow well— “It was evening of the next day.” for example. Maybe you could change it to, “it was the next evening?” Idk. I’m sure it’s fine if you leave it.
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
OH!!! This is the Leon from the RP!!!!
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
I’m glad you like it!!!! You get bits and pieces of Joseph’s backstory in LTBL, (Aaron is there for a good part of it) but you don’t get this much. So yeah, glad you liked it.
Okay, yeah. i’ll take a look at that sentence!
Yes! that’s my boy!!!!! Poor guy, he’s been through some tough stuff, as is evidenced by some of what he said just now.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Yess! 😁 Gotcha. I remembered seeing him in it, but not much. (I still gotta finish that. Did you post the whole thing on there, even the ending?)
*putting all the pieces together lol* Yeah, I could tell 😢😢.
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
So, because I’m board and want to bother you (just kidding, lol)
You are one of my first readers who knows nothing about any of the characters and are meeting them all as you read. Sooooo, what do you think happened in Leon’s past that made him abandon faith on his gods? (a crazy step for a soldier as I have explained above)
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
Lol. Ok, I do know SOME things about the characters since I started reading the first book. But, if you’d prefer me to stop so I can continue to be your guinea pig, I will. 😊 Lol. (I don’t know anything about Leon though, yet, I think…)
From what I got from it, he was in love with a girl a while ago, but then something happened (she got sick, there was an accident, something like that…). He prayed to the gods to save her, but she died. And then his faith was shaken.
Over and over again, people he loved were hurt or died, and none of his prayers did anything. Eventually, he stopped praying altogether–he continued to offer sacrifices and whatever–but it was all just an outward show. Then, Adrian was captured, and he prayed for Adrian to live.
But his prayers were ignored once again, and now he’s done with the fake gods.
Was that pretty close?
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
Oh go ahead and keep reading. I was meaning you aren’t someone who has gotten backstory detail because you asked too many questions and I gave in and answered. lolololol.
Yes! You are completely correct. Except they were betrothed. They were supposed to be married the month after she died. So, yeah, that was the initial blow, and then from there things spiraled. The thing with her, was that he never believed any girl would marry him because of who he is. (I can give more back story if you want. or you can wait. Either way)
So yeah, it was quiet a blow for him.
Man is born for the fight, to be forged and molded into a sharper, finer, stronger image of God
LOL. Okay, good. xD
Oooooff, okay. Gotcha. That’s pretty rough.
It’s okay, I’ll try to puzzle the rest out like a normal reader. Lol.
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C.S. Lewis
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