Garfield Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Here is another short fic that I wrote in... 30 minutes between reading Milton and revising American History ---- Lisette, the young maid had come to wake her up, but she was not sleeping. Both her arms were crossed on the window ledge, and she was looking towards the park. She stood awe-struck before a scene she could see but not comprehend: there were lots of people, armed with pitchforks, pick-axes, staves and torches. They lit fires here and there, trampling the carefully tended ornamental garden. “Lisette, she asked with a sob, why are they burning the garden and shouting? -This is too complex for you child. Come with me, your father sent me. -Father? Are we going to see him? -Yes, and we will then go away with him and your mother. Somewhere safe…†This seemed to shake the little girl out of her numbness. She left the window and turned toward Lisette. Her small round face was surrounded by copper curls, and her frail body was wrapped in a gown of the latest fashion. Seeing her, Lisette realized that if her parents were never rich, she never had to live through such an ordeal as the little girl was about to. She grabbed her hand and led her into the corridor. The castle was quite huge, and while the maid and the little girl rushed through different corridors, they could hear the echoing voices of angry peasants. The little girl stopped: “They entered, eh? Now they will kill mum and dad? -Don’t be stupid. We’ll find your parents and escape.†And the maid dragged the little girl again through corridors, stairs and secret doors. She somehow knew that the predictions of the girl were right, and she even knew that they themselves were in danger. Nothing can calm down an angry mob. At last they manage to enter a huge room, richly adorned with tapestry of the brightest colours, depicting scenes of battles and court life, with maids, knights, kings and queens. “This will all be reduced to ashes.†The man sighed. He was the lord of the castle, and obviously the target of the peasants. He himself was wearing a velvet coat under which he wore leather pants and a linen shirt. He did not look very old, but his face was marked as that of an old man. Responsibilities and duties had taken his youngest years away. “Our lives seem to me more valuable than those embroideries, Milord. We have a daughter to shelter and to bring up, and this should be our priority. We have no time to defend our title.†The woman who had spoken was obviously the mother of the little girl. She looked much like her. The same small pointed nose, and the same flowing brown hair around her face. “Shall we go, then? Lisette asked. I cannot go with you. They’ll search for me first -But dad! yelled the little girl -We have no time for this honey. If everything goes well, I shall find you in a few days. But you’ll have to be nice with Mother and Lisette all the while!†He bent to kiss his daughter on the forehead when they heard a banging on the door. Without turning her head to where the sound came from, the Lady pushed her maid and her daughter towards the secret door. But the little girl did not want to leave, so Lisette had to carry her on her shoulder. She could only have a last glimpse of her father as the secret door in the stone wall closed again. The two women started rushing, while the little girl was sobbing on Lisette’s shoulder. When they left the secret corridor, they entered the library. The mob obviously had already visited it. The crystal chandeliers were smashed to the floor, many books had been burned and the ashes were still hot. They took no time to lament, and went carefully to the hall. It fortunately was empty. They suddenly heard a cry. The Lord was surely dead. The Lady’s eyes filled with tears she brushed away before her daughter could see them. The fugitives just reached the front door when the peasants appears at the top of the massive stair. “Hurry up, get them!†barked one of them. It took the women a few seconds to open the door, and then they started running in the garden’s main alley. Some bushes were still burning, the flowers had all been trampled, and the hedges were ruined. The lady thought that the complete destruction of the castle was only a matter of days. She suddenly pushed Lisette and the girl in an opposite direction, the direction of the back door: a door in the garden’s outer wall, leading directly to the forest. The Lord used it to go hunting. Lisette immediately understood and rushed to it. On her shoulder, looking backward, the little girl did not understand why her mother ran in the opposite direction. But she had no strength to cry or scream. The night and her tears darkened her sight, and she could not see her mother fall, but she certainly heard the rock hitting her head. Lisette could not stop running. Fortunately the door to the forest never was locked, so they were soon running to the forest. She ran an hour or so more, after which she stopped. She knew the peasants would kill the little girl if they found her with her parents, but they would not take the pain to look for her otherwise. She took the dozing child on her lap. She could only pity the new orphan. She might have become a powerful and rich woman. But now, what would become of her? She patted her hair: “Listen to me child. I know this forest; I have been collecting herbs here quite often. There is a druid grove a few hours from here. We’ll reach there tomorrow, and then you’ll be safe. Everything will be allright Jaheira, I promise.†---- As usual, feel free to comment on the content but also on the eventual typos and grammar/spelling mistakes. No I'm going back to the Articles of Confederation (which are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more down to earth ) Link to comment
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