House Fyshe

Early morning embraced Jossen as he walked through the dew covered grass. The plumes of smoke from the direction of Horsted castle could be seen in the sky. He wore a leather doublet, his house sigil a wheel of cheese stitched on his breast. It was here looking on the smoke in the distance that Jossen could reflect. Why now? after a near century of peace how had things gotten so out of hand. As Bannerman to the Wainwright’s he was honor bound to defend them. No one had seen this coming. When the new Lord Brisen had requested aid to defend Horsted Castle, Jossen had sent a small envoy to their fair-weather friend. They, like house Fyshe, were bannermen to the the wainwrights. Jossen had a duty to assist its closest neighbor despite their less than spotless past. When Jossen was a boy his father would tell the story of the first Lord Fyshe, House brisen a centerpiece to that story.

“That Lord Hoten was a monster of a man… near 400 lbs Lord Pork Chop they called him. He and Lord Wainwright were fighting over the cows that grazed on both sides of the river. Each decided they'd send their armies out to settle whose cattle they were once and for all.” His father had said. Jossen always had trouble imagining a man that large sitting atop a horse. He thought it would be much like an ant carrying a beetle atop its back. He had seen ants carrying large objects atop their backs before and thought that if an ant could carry that much then surely so could a horse.

“ It was your great Grandfather that had won the day. You see while all the men were fightin and arguing over the cattle; your great grandfather quietly herded them cows across the river. When daylight finally come and pork chop and his men had realized that the cows were gone; They were furious. Lord Wainwright sent an envoy and with the herded cattle in his possession was able to negotiate a peace. In return for peace Lord Pork Chop would get an offering of milk and cheese from the captured cows each spring. Lord Wainwright in his wisdom gave the cattle, lands, lordship and responsibility of making cheese to your great grandfather. You see Jossen it will one day be your responsibility to make cheese. Just like me and your grandfather before me, and his father before him.”

After the story his Father would always joke that house Fyshe owed its fortune to a 400lb pork chop and its glutinous obsession with milk and cheese. Jossen thought however that house fyshe owed its luck to his great grandfather; who in a moment of chaos had the courage to take action. “The bold man either loses a head or wins his destiny.” Jossen thought. He intended to be bold he need not be a cheesemonger forever.

As Jossen stood looking at the plumes of smoke Gerwin Tryte; a bald man who with a taste for beer and barley had acquired a stomach that bulged from underneath his golden surcoat. It was however the man's eyes that defined him. They were a beautiful light blue color, if you dared to look at them long enough you might get trapped by them and be caught staring. The man seldom blinked and with his usual blank face he showed little emotion. If you were caught staring he made little or no effort to show that he noticed you.

Gerwin had served house Fyshe since Jossen was a boy. Jossen had always been a bookish boy spending his days reading in his father's library. It was amazing to him how he could travel the world all within his own mind. His tendency for solitude however did not sit well with his mother and Gerwin was brought to serve and distract him from his books. They spent their days playing knights, fighting with sticks and climbing the walls and trees that surrounded his boyhood home. Over the passing years Gerwin was a constant fixture in House Fyshe. In Jossens eyes Gerwin was like the brother he never had.

“It looks like the New Lord Brisen got more than he had bargained for.” Gerwin said as he approached.

“I suppose they will be coming after us next.” said Jossen with a matter of fact tone. If Lord Stouten was bold enough to attack Horsted castle. Then Jossen meager estate would hardly stand against him.

“I don’t know about all that. We could still seek an audience with Lord Stouten. There is still time for us to change sides.” Gerwin said realistically.

“You know we cannot abandon House Wainwright. We have been bannermen to them for near a century. We cannot break faith now.” Jossens voice rose. It Irritated Jossen that Gerwin couldn’t understand that his family’s future; His future had been and would always be tied to the Wainwrights. Jossen must be bold if he was to claim his destiny.

“You know my lord I swore to serve you and your house. Your but a cheesemonger Milord not a warrior. You need not die for honor. You must re-consider.” Gerwin said placing an arm on Jossens shoulder.

Jossen stood there looking into his friend's eyes. He thought he could see something there. Was it worry for his new wife and child? Whatever it was the blank expression on gerwins face was different.

“I’m sorry friend, we cannot break faith.” Sadness resonating in Jossens voice. If they survived this Gerwin would understand. To break faith with House Wainwright would be to invite dishonor if not death.

Jossen felt Gerwin's grip tighten on his shoulder. His blue eyes changing opening like windows. “Why is he looking at me like that?” Jossen thought as Gerwin took another step towards him.

“I'm sorry too my friend…” Gerwin said as he pulled Jossen in towards him hard. Reaching for his knife Gerwin jammed it through Jossens throat. Blood gushing through the hole the knife had made; its red color staining everything it touched.

Confused Jossen started to reach for his neck but his arm went slack and fell to his waist. “Those eyes...” Jossen thought as his body started to go limp.

“Shhhh….shhh… its ok Jossen… It will all be ok.” Gerwin whispered into Jossens ear as he bled out in his arms. The blood filling the space between them; the cheese wheel sigil on Jossens chest drowning in his blood.

“Don’t worry dear friend. I will save your family. I will protect House Fyshe… even if I need protect it from you.”

Reviews

[Paul]

Documentation
11/29/17
7:07 PM U.S. CST
My Review of "House Fyshe"
For: mihastr, a fellow member of "Review 4 Review Group"
by PB Jacobs (www.writerscafe.org)

Your Story Review:
Hey, this is cool! I like the ethical slur's you put into this, and your story has a kind of jovial thing going on that put's a dull brightness in it. It's kind of like a cross between Sherlock Holmes and a Scottish Barkeep, as in neat! You took your author's brush out, and slushed it around a bit. I like this!

I'm not really paying attention to punctuation, and the mechanical elements of your story, as I like the feel of it and the little sprinkle's you put on your dialogue. Your work here is different, yet uplifting, in a foreign awareness (multicultural), sort of way.

You even throw barbarian action in to sweeten the pot, a bit. Neat!

Great effort, even though, I feel like a dog at a fire hydrant, awareness-wise! Such is my reading life...

PB Jacobs

[DTH3602]

Interesting change in mood. I like where you're going with this. My only note is that it was a little choppy, but that is an easy fix.

[Srchaud]

It is different. It goes from comedy to gory, not sure of the tone. I agree with the other review it is a bit choppy. Now with that being said go in the humurous direction I enjoyed the beginning much more then 2nd part.
Porkchop. the stealing of the cows in the night, all that stuff made me smile. I feel like you enjoy random so go with what you enjoy but make sure the tone stays the same.

[miahstr]

Hey Srchaud,
Yea there are things that I am trying to tune up about this piece. However, my goal was to introduce house fyshe, create a connection between the reader and Jossen, then use his sudden death as a hook. There are more stories I want to tell and Gerwin becomes more relevant to the story later. The second chapter frog is up which may reveal some of the threads but I have a bigger story to tell than Jossen alone. Overall I want to make hard choices with my characters and tell a fun but serious story. You bring up a good point about tone. I think the change in tone from the beginning to the end here serves to surprise the reader. If it made it sound choppy or interrupt the flow then I will need to address it. Rewrites are in the future... but for now I hope you at least enjoyed it.

[Srchaud]

hmmmm, you know it could work. i think if it was commical right before the stab it would work better.

[fwvalidus]

Interesting idea you have here. The writing however is choppy choppy. I don't understand the paragraph about cheese and porkchops.. I expected this to become a comedy but it didn't materialize. The background information distracts from what is currently happening in your storyline. Save the background for later and concentrate on describing the action that you have created.

[miahstr]

Hey Validus,
Thank you for the read and the input. Much of this is just coming into shape and is my first draft. I agree that too much information can distract and I see your point with "pork chop" not being realized in any comedic way. However I do think that it is good practice to set the scene and the information about house fyshe was relevant to the sigil and providing am opportunity for readers to connect with the house being that it is the driver between both gerwin and jossens relationship. Again thanks for the read.
Cheers Miahstr