Fight or Flight

Chapter 2

                “Bethany!” she woke to the sound of her name. “Hurry child, get dressed, quickly now.” Bethany had never heard such urgency in her father voice. As she pulled on her trousers and tunic, she wondered what was amiss. Father was normally quite reserved, and never got excited she thought as she laced her boots. As she made for the door her father appeared” hurry to the kitchen girl, pack food for a trip, and meet me in the smithy. Bethany’s father was the finest blacksmith in South Haven, and made a fine living. Bethany was his only child, and though he surely wished for a boy, this wish was not granted. Sadly, Bethany’s mother had caught fever, at the time of her birth, and never recovered. Death took her into its sweet embrace long before Bethany had a chance to now her, and father, had never loved another, instead showering his daughter with all the love he possessed. Bethany’s father was a giant of a man, and she was her fathers’ daughter. He had taught to her his trade of the smithy, and Bethany had been quite adept, a father would not been prouder of a son than the smith was of his daughter. Bethany looked through the cupboards quickly. Bread, dried meat, cheese, some melon from last nights meal, all would travel well. As she packed the food into a burlap bag, she wondered where they were going, and why. Her father appeared again. “Hurry Bethany, the city is under attack and I believe will be lost, we must hurry. Come girl”. As she followed her father to the smithy, she watched as he chose a large broad axe from the rack of weapons on display, tested it’s weight, then  looked at her. “Do you remember the fighting lessons u took last season? You will need them this night my daughter. Choose a suitable weapon, hurry girl, we must go”. Bethany looked at the rack of weapons. She had trained a season past with the guardsmen and women of the Southern Sentinals, Lady Lou’s personal guard. Though her training then was with short sword and buckler, she chose an axe, similar to her fathers, but smaller, made for 1 handed use, and a small round shield, with the image of a sunburst emblazoned on the front. She held them tightly, tested their weight, and resigned to her choices, went to join her father at the door. As she reached the doorway, she became aware of the clamor of a town under attack. Frantic cries, screams, and guttural howls chilled her spine. As they reached the street Bethany stopped dead in her tracks. The sky was filled with flaming arrows, and the whole town ablaze, people running, scrambling frantically, trying to get away. Her father grabbed her by the arm and led her down a narrow alleyway, and down another side street. The smell of smoke and soot was overpowering, and making her eyes water. As the rounded the next bend, Bethany gained first sight of their attackers. As her father bared his broad axe, ready to fight, Bethany took a good look, and could not believe what she saw with her own eyes. A beast, twice the size of her father, with grayish green skin, a snout like face protruded beneath a cap of black steel, revealing tusks, and razor sharp teeth. Protected by black steel armor, this beast was fearsome looking indeed, and Bethany shivered despite herself. Her father, without a word, charged the beast, preparing to make the first blow. Bethany pulled her axe and readied her shield, although not sure what she could do against a beast such as this. This beast carried a monstrous jagged sword, a vicious, deadly looking piece of steel, and as it swung at her father she let out a gasp. Her father ducked, rolled to one side, and swung hard at the back of the beasts legs, and it crumpled and let loose a sickening howl. With one final stroke,  It’s head  separated from its body, fathers work was done.” Hurry my daughter, we must make for the castle” father said as he wiped his blade” we will be safe there” As they made their way down the cobblestone streets, Bethany began to feel ill. She had never seen death, and now was surrounded by it. Faces of people she had seen at market, in her father’s shop, lay scattered around the streets. Bodies broken and mangled by the very beasts she had just watched her father kill. Kill, a strange word, though she knew it, she never understood the gravity of such a word. As they neared the fringe of the city, and Lady Lou’s keep, a strange horn called in the distance. The sound of it made Bethany’s skin crawl. She kept shaking her head, as if to wake from some bad dream. But she was awake, this nightmare was real. She didn’t know if it was the smoke, or the screams of the frantic town people, but tears were streaming down her face. She gripped her little axe firmly and swallowed her resolve. She would live through this. Wasn’t she the toughest girl around? Yes, of course she was. But the call of that sickening horn, and the appearance of these beasts, along with all the death around her had shaken her resolve. As she trailed closely behind her father, she was on sharp lookout for more danger. As they neared the gates to Lady Lou’s keep, Bethany heard the sound of horse hooves fast approaching on the cobblestone street. She turned and looked upon a fast approaching knight. Black, steel  studded armor, trimmed in crimson, the color of blood, and a helm that looked to be a demon, made this knight a fearsome sight. As he galloped nearer, he bared his blade, a wicked looking piece of steel , what must be 6 feet in length. Bethany froze, but her father pushed her aside.  “Run for the keep child, find the Lady Lou”. Her father readied his axe and looked at her once more. “I said run girl! He shouted at her. Bethany ran. As she reached the gate, she turned to see her father, swing his axe at the front legs of the horse. The warhorse shrieked in protest as it crashed to the ground, spilling its rider from the saddle. The rider immediately rebounded and was on her father. Bethany watched the pitted battle between her father and this ghastly knight, praying for her father’s safety, she watched as the black knight slighted him at every turn, and then suddenly, drove the black steel home. As the smith, body convulsing , taking in his last breaths, looked once more upon his daughter, she saw the look of love in his eyes, he mouthed the words, ”Run Bethany” Bethany gripped her axe tightly. She would run, but she would not forget, and she would avenge her father. As she turned towards the keep, soldiers poured out of the inner bailey. Led by a tall knight in polished steel armor, shouting orders and directing men to the wall, it seemed she had reached relative safety. As the men reached the bailey walls, bows drawn and arrows knocked, the order was given to fire. As a volley of arrows fell towards the black knight, she met the dark knight’s gaze. She heard a voice in her head. “Yes run Bethany, but It shall be no use. We are coming”. Bethany shook her head, wishing she had not heard that awful voice in her head, and it knew her name, how could this be? ”Bethany”, called a familiar voice. Lady Undefined, rushing towards her in the polished armor of Rogue, the blue Rogue Lion emblazoned on the front, and the cloak of an officer, the royal color of blue, draped about her shoulders. As the lady Undefined reached her she put her hand on Bethany’s shoulder. “I am sorry for the loss of your father , he  was a good man, and a fierce warrior. He will be missed. Are you ok? Have u been hurt?” Bethany considered the gruesome death of her father. “No, lady Undefined, I am ok”. The truth was, that she had been shaken to her very soul. She was most certainly not alright. Her father, and everything she knew in this life was gone, and not to be seen again. And with these things, Bethany feared the changes it would bring. The lady Undefined  caught her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It will be ok Bethany. Come with me, the lady Lou will wish to see you”. As Bethany followed lady Undefined in silence, she considered this woman.  The armor of Rogue, with an officer’s assignment, She must be tough, Bethany thought, to be titled as an officer of Rogue. I need to be tough like that. With a crossbow slung over her back, and gilded sword at her hip, she looked every bit the warrior princess to Bethany. She had trained with the lady Undefined and the Southern Sentinals last season. Her father had wanted her to learn how to use the weapons they made for the Sentinals. The knowing of the making, he would always say to her. Ever since she was little she had handled the steel, finished, and unfinished, and learned to appreciate the making and the process of the transformation of steel. Training with this lady had been one of the joys of Bethany’s life. It made her feel powerful, knowing how to use a blade against a foe of some sort. But other than sparring with the sentinals, she had never wielded a weapon, certainly not to kill. Bethany had a sinking feeling in her gut, and a feeling that would soon change. As they weaved a path through the personel roaming the corridoors , soldiers, making their way to their posts, servants hurridly going about whatever tasks they had been assigned, the keep was a flurry of activity. Bethany had been here on occasion and had never seen it so busy. As they entered the grand hall, Lady Lou, dressed in polished steel armor, trimmed in gold with the symbol of her house, marked in gold on each shoulder, and the Rogue Lion, on her breast, standing proudly. Gold inlay making the armor seem fit for a queen. A gold circlet on her head, with a huge blue sapphire made the lovely lady Lou seem every bit a queen of high royalty. To these people, here in South Haven, she was exactly that. Ruler, judge, warrior lady, the lady Lou was all these and more. Known as a fair and just lady the land over, lady Lou was well known throughout the lands of Rogue, and loved by all. Never had Bethany known a woman so dedicated to her people, and dedicated she was. As they entered the room, the lady Lou looked in their direction. She was conversing with two guards, nodded to them, and they made hurridly for the corridor. “Lady Undefined, and Bethany dear, what has happened?” Bethany gripped her axe tightly in her fist. “My father has been slain my lady, and his last wish for me is to seek protection with u lady Lou”. Bethany curtsied low with her eyes cast down. The lady lifted her chin and met her gaze. “It is a bad thing, about your father child, but I see you, you are strong, and you will get past this. With this scourge upon the land, it is time for all to be strong” Lou’s eyes glimpsed the axe that Bethany gripped so tightly. ”How well do you remember your lessons from season past child? U will need them and more to survive this plague that is upon us. Steel yourself girl, we make ready for Portsmouth. The Sentinals will buy us some time, perhaps enough for us to escape. The servants make ready provisions. Go with lady Undefined child, and prepare for this journey”. Bethany bowed her head before the lady Lou. “Yes my lady” she said with conviction. The road to Portsmouth, ten days journey, through the swamps of Southland, was treacherous in the best of times. As Bethany followed lady Undefined once more, through the winding corridors of South Keep, she thought once again of that voice. How had it known her and how did its voice get into her head? The ominous prediction of the black knight was ringing in her ears. We are coming. Bethany shivered, a cold chill creeping up her spine. With huge beasts, twice the size of any man, and knights who seemed demonic in nature, Bethany wondered what hope of escape they really had. She knew nothing of tactics and waging war. Best leave that to the Sentinals and the lady Lou. Bethany was sure they knew what they were about, and she could trust lady Lou. As they entered the courtyard, and made for the stables, Bethany realized she still carried the foodstuffs she had brought from home when she had fled with her father. This would most definitely come in handy. As they entered the stable, a young man of Bethany’s own age came forward. “Lady undefined, they are all fed and have been made ready to ride my lady” The young man bowed his head low. The lady Undefined dismissed this with a gesture, “choose a mare of good nature for young Bethany, and one for yourself, Paul Michael. We are leaving for Portsmouth, and you shall be coming with us. Bring what u will need to care for our horses on this journey, and whatever you feel will protect u lad. Paul Michael fingered a silver talisman that hung around his neck. “Bring what will protect me lady? I have no weapons of any kind, and no skills as well. I am but a simple stable hand my lady”. The lady undefined looked into his eyes. “The city is over run. Your people are dying in the streets, and we flee for Portsmouth. You must be ready to defend yourself young Michael. Have you no fighting skills?” The young man, glanced at Bethany, her war axe tight in her grip. “ I have some skill with a bow lady, but know nothing of swordplay”. Lady Undefined considered a moment. “Go tell Captain Wallace I’ve said give you a bow and a sabre, you and lady Bethany will be in need of training, I will be sure you get it. Fetch our horses boy”.

Author's Note

This is not chapter 2 in its entirety. only about 1/3 of what I intend to write into chapter 2....Any input or criticism greatly appreciated

Reviews

[CousinLymon]

This is an enthralling read, really down my street. As mentioned in the reviews, there are grammatical errors and I think your work would prosper from less commas. For example : 'As her father bared his broad axe, ready to fight, Bethany took a good look, and could not believe what she saw with her own eyes.'
'As her father bared his axe, ready to fight, Bethany took a good look. She could not believe what she saw with her own eyes. - this, grammatically, would improve the read of your text. I do this too, so it is not uncommon, just something we correct when someone else tells us we are injecting too many commas and creating too many complex sentences. But a great read, love your fantasy plot.

[StonyB]

thank you for reading :)

[Zeph]

When I started reading I instantly thought of Dragon Age 2 (Bethany, Hawke's sister)
It's very well written, even though there were some grammatical errors.

I'd love to read more of this! Keep up the good work

[Schyala]

A few gramatical errors:
Her father was normally reserved, he never got excited, bethany thought...
(There needs to be a comma before bethany)
Do you remember the fighting lessons u took last season?
(Replace the second u with you)
As the rounded the next
(As they rounded the next)
You use numbers like the symbol, you might want to change them into words, such as
What must be 6 feet in length
Protection with u lady lou
(replace u with you)
U will need them
(You will need them)
Bring what u will need
(Again, the u with you)

I don't know if you're writing style is like Cormic McCarthy's or if you just wanted it to all be one paragraph, but i think it would be a lot easier for readers to read it if at least all the dialogue made into new paragraphs. Unless like I said if you are trying McCarthy's writing style.

Lastly, I absolutely loved the syntax and dicition, it's perfect! The story is great it's self! I can't wait to read on! Your vocabulary is amazing, and I was into the story the whole time. Great job! 95/100

[StonyB]

Thank u for your great criticisms and comments. I've gotten lax with the text slang . u instead of you and using numbers..I'll be working on that for sure...

[Schyala]

Haha okay! i love the book so far!