3. Troubled Mind

Troubled Mind


  • ((Ronan's background. Events leading up to his arrival in Narfell. Might be a tad sensitive to some, just a warning. Complitments and critisizm are welcomed, but just be nice if you're going to critisize. Thank you 🙂 ))

    Prelude

    I was raised in a rich life. Full of luxury and nobility. A life most people could only dream about. Though, at the time I thought it was normal, being only a child. My father made his riches after some war I don't even know about. How? Let me just say my father was not a very merciful man. He pillaged, stole, and even forced himself on women. I was a result of one of his crimes.

    My "mother" was an elf maiden, who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Nine months after my father's crime on her, I was born. A year later he some how found out that he had a son. He took me away from her, being the greedy man that he was. What he did with her? I don't know… my source was a little vague.

    Though in later years my father felt guilty. He actually raised me like a normal father. When I was ten, he saw my slightly pointed ears start to grow a little pointer, reminding him of what he did. Thus, the guilt got to him, and so he drank and gambled. Yes, he was a human man. I am a mix of elven and human blood. A result of the cruelty that can happen in this world. More and more drinking, more and more debt. Slowly we lost our riches, until my father could no longer pay his debts. Apparently, he gambled with some bad folks and owed them a lot of money. When he couldn't pay, they murdered him. I watched as they did, hidden behind a door in a dark room. When they started to ransack the house, I hid under my bed. Coward child. I let them kill him and did nothing. Though I managed to catch the name of my father's murderer, the one who slit his throat and delivered the final blow.

    "Hey, Lares, yah gunna take the chest there? 'Prolly a shite load of gold he hid from us in there, eh?" Said one of Lares' companions. The rest of that conversation is unimportant, though I now had the name of the killer. I immediately thought of telling the guard, but I didn't. Scared again. Scared to approach anyone I did not know. But I knew, I knew the name and what he looked like. The image would stick to my mind for the rest of my days.

    What did I do after that? There was nothing I could do. My father's former friends had deserted him. Family? None that I knew of. Father was very vague and never told me much of his relatives. So, I wandered the streets. Stealing a piece of bread here and there, just enough to survive. I was sometimes caught, then the owner of whatever it is I stole gave me a proper beating. This went on for several weeks. No one really concerned themselves with a dirty child wandering the streets, hiding in alley ways and smelling of garbage.

    But one day, someone found me…

  • R

    ((bump))


  • An Unexpected Twist

    "Sam? Could you come up here a moment?" I called from the top of the stairs.

    "Sure! Be right there Ronny!" She responded as I headed back toward my room. I reached under my bed and pulled out a little box, inside was a ring. Now, it was no fancy ring: Just a flower stem bent into a circle, the bud at the top to signify a diamond or some such of a normal ring. I thought about this question for the past month and decided it was time to ask her.

    I heard footsteps running up the stairs. I smiled, knowing it was hers and then I took a deep breath as she entered the room. "What is it darling?" She asked.

    "Well I- uh.. just.. sit here." I patted the spot next to me on the bed and she did as I asked. "Sam, we've known each other for several years, but only have really been together for a few months. I want to make it longer, so.." I roze from the bed and then kneeled before her, her eyes wide suddenly as she knew. "Will yo-.."

    "Yeah! I mean… yes!" She suddenly threw her arms around me and dragged me onto the bed, giggling and hugging me. "You're so sweaty, stinky… nervous?" She giggled more and I nodded, chuckling a bit. "Just one thing you gotta do first though, but it ain't no big deal."

    "Sure, what is it?" I asked.

    "You gotta come to my house tonight, ask my dad if its all right and all for you to court me and stuff." She smiled. "Don't you worry, he knows all about yah. He's been wonderin' why yeh haven't asked yet."

    "All right, I'll ask him. Once we are done with our chores here, you can walk me to your house."

    She noddled in response, grinning and planting a huge kiss on my lips.

    Now, I never met Samantha's father at this point, since he always seemed to be busy. But that night, he was home from a recent trip, so it was actually perfect timing on my part.

    So we ran to Sam's house, very excited and nervous. Her father's house was two stories and it looked a tad shabby. But I didn't care at the time, I was too excited. We entered and then Sam started to shout, "Pa? Pa?! Ronny's here! Pa??"

    I heard a commotion up the stairs to the house and I looked up, waiting for the man to appear so I can ask him if I could marry his daughter. Eventually, he appeared.

    I froze in place as I saw the man. I suddenly felt as if I've seen him before. Sweat drops started to slide down my temple, as I stood wide eyed. I thought, 'no, it isnt him. Just a man who looks like him.'

    "So this is the famous Ronny, eh?" The older man smiled and held out his hand to shake. "Lares Redralen, though most folks call me Larry nowadays."

    It was him, but I was confused. Had he not recognized me? Did he even know that I was a son to a man he murdered? I slowly extended my hand, trying to keep my composure as I shook the hand of my father's killer. "P-pleasure to meet you, sir," I said through my teeth.

    The fat old man chuckled, "Bit shy isn't he? Ah well, ye must be here on official business." He glanced at Sam and winked. "Ye come intah mah study and we'll get tah talkin."

    Sam giggled, "I'll leave yeh two boys to talk and stuff. I gotta go get some more fruits at the market really quick." She nudged me forward, toward Lares, and then turned to walk out the door. "I'll be back soon!" She waved and then left.

    "Wild one, ain't she? Heh, yeh know she talks about yah non-stop…" Lares started to talk as we went to his study upstairs. I suddenly started to get very angry, very annoyed, very upset… any bad emotion you can think of, I had it at that point. But I did not show it on my face. I smiled a fake smile to the killer as he talked.

    We eventually went into his study and he sat me down in a large chair. He then sat down himself, in another large chair across from it. "Yeh now in the hot seat," He chuckled. All I wanted to do was strangle him. I looked around as we talked about Sam and the marriage. The conversation was not very important, so I won't tell it. But while we were talking, I looked around the room and noticed an antique dagger hanging from the wall. I thought it over through my mind, or I tried. It was hard to think through all the emotion, the anger.

    But eventually I asked, "That's a nice weapon there. Mind if I hold it? I've thought of joining the guard someday." I pointed at the dagger on the wall.

    "Oh? Sure thing lad, lemme get it fer yeh. Yeh know, this dagger was used teh slay a dragon. No joke! Heh, but ye believe whatcha want, I know it slayed a dragon," He said as he reached up to get the dagger.

    He then handed it to me hilt first…


  • New Discovery

    Seven years had passed since Sam found me. I was now seventeen years old and still not adopted.

    The house Sam took me to was an orphanage. There weren't many children staying, since I guess none were really lost around that part of the city. A child was adopted almost every day as well, which steadily decreased the population of the large home. The women working there, and they were all women, took very good care of us. Rarely did one of them try to decipline us, because they didn't need to. Not because they were strict, but because you just wanted them to be happy and not dissapoint them. They always played with the children, read them stories, and gave them sweets everyday. But enough about them, though I thought they should be mentioned.

    So, the fact I was not adopted is not because none of the adults liked me. It is because I hid whenever a potential couple came to adopt. I loved it there, and I didn't want to leave a place I was familiar with. Eventually, one of the women told me I was becoming too old to stay, I begged her to let me, offering my services in doing chores and such around the house as long as I was allowed to stay. They would have said no if Sam hadn't helped me out, which I'm greatful that she did.

    Sam was now nineteen and her more mature form was noticeably developing. Her brown hair was still long and went down to the middle of her back. Her slender form had many modest curves and all the boys her age hovered around her daily. But she shooed them off and would come to me, jokingly saying she needed protection from them. I always would stay near her, never making any other real friends as I always kept to myself. Sam was not like me though, she only stayed at the home to help around. She had a father who was usually busy with his profession, so he had her stay at the orphanage whenever he became really busy.

    Anyway, that is the general idea of how my life style was during my teenage years. But one particular month I must mention..

    "Ronny! Goin' to the market to get some eggs for the cookie mixture, can ya tell the ladies where I'm goin?" Sam yelled as she started skipping down the sidewalk.

    "Can't I come with you?" I asked.

    She giggled, "No no, I'll only take a minute. I need you tah tell them where I'm at. Can you do that little bro?"

    I sighed and just nodded, watching her run down the street as she always liked to do. 'Run, dont walk' was practically her motto. So I ran into the house quickly and told the women where she was going, then, I followed Sam, without her knowing I was.

    I always liked to watch her run down the streets. She greeted everyone with enthusiasm and always wore a huge smile. But this particular day, someone decided to show their own enthusiasm of her in a different way.

    "Hey, missy, mah cat is down here.." said some random stranger, "could yah help me look for her? It'd be hard tah find her all the way down there alone."

    Sam smiled at the opportunity to help someone. What a foolish girl. "Sure! I'll help yah look mister." So together they went into an alley way and of course, I followed. What I heard next was a muffled scream.

    "Quiet.. shh shh… best not struggle eh? 'Ey boys, looked what I hooked in. Heh heh." Four other men, that were hiding in the garbage, came and approached the stranger and Sam, chuckling to themselves.

    "Lookey lookey… oh, she's ripe for the pickin'"

    "Oh, this is gunna feel sooo nice."

    They started tearing off her dress and she started to scream more. As she struggled, one of the men hit her. "Quiet, or it'll be worse then it needs to be fer yeh!" She went silent suddenly and stopped her struggle as they ripped off more of her clothing.

    I found a piece of wood by the entrance to the valley and picked it up, not even thinking of going to a guard. I ran down the alley way yelling, "Get off of her!" And hit one of the men in the back of the head. One of the others grabbed me under the arms, getting me in a hold. Another came forward and started to punch my abodomen repeatedly.

    "Little farker!" The man I hit rose up and then hit me across the face. "Now ye get tah watch us have our way with yer little friend!" They dropped me onto the floor, not even bothering to hold me, since I was so outnumbered and injured. I looked up to see them continuing to prepare their crime on her.

    I reached out my hand to try and reach for one of Sam's ankles, to maybe drag her away in some meraculous burst of energy and strength. I remember being so incredibly angry that I couldn't do anything, and I clenched my eyes shut. I growled in my throat, clenching my other fist so hard, that it hurt. So weak, so stupid. I knew there was nothing I could do to save her from this, which made me angrier. The more angry I became, the more I started to feel something surge inside of me.

    Suddenly, I yelled at the top of my lungs and then felt something burst from my palm. A dazzling array of colors sprayed forth from my hand, hitting the men. When I stopped yelling, all the men were limp on the ground, snoring. I staggered up, not caring what the hell just happened and went to Sam, making sure she was all right. "Come on.." I put her arm over my shoulder and lead her out of the alley.

    That night I lay wide awake in my bed, wondering what had happened. We arrived back at the house battered and bruised. The women there tended to us and tried to contact Sam's father to tell him what had happened. Though, he was out of the city that day, so they told Sam to stay at the orphanage that night.

    Sam and I did not say a word to each other for the rest of that day. I felt sorry for her, and couldn't bare to see her in that condition…

    As I lay awake thinking about the day's events, I hear a creak as the door to my room opens. Tiny footsteps are heard and they stop at the side of my bed. I stayed completely still, pretending I was asleep, thinking it was one of the women coming to try and make me "feel better." But no, I felt the covers lift up and then someone lay in the bed next to me. I then felt warm arms wrap around me, hugging me close. "Sam?" I whispered.

    "Hi Ronny…" she said softly, hugging me tighter when I spoke.

    "Is something wrong? Are you all right?"

    "I couldn't sleep alone… was.. scared. It all right if I stay here tonight?"

    "Sure Sam.." I tensed a moment.

    "Ronny, thank yah. Yah saved me from… I dont know how yo-.. just thank yah." She nuzzled the back of my neck. "You all right Ronny? Yah took a beating.."

    "I'm fine. Just glad they didn't get to do what they wanted, and that you are safe." I lightly put my hand on hers. I then felt a kiss on the back of my neck, making my small hairs rise. There were moments of silence as we lie there, until she finally blurted out in a whisper:

    "I dont wanna be yer sister anymore, I wanna be somethin' else.." She said as if she had confessed some crime and needed to get it off her chest.

    "Sam?" I said with a whisper that was barely heard.

    "Ronny, lets be together. Like… couple. All the other boys are annoying, I wanna be a couple with you." She was obviously inexperienced with such things, as was I at the time. Never had a girl touched me the way she did that night.

    "Yes Sam.. lets be a couple," I said shakily. I always loved her, but was unsure what those types of feelings ment. I was glad she came to me first, or nothing might've happened between us. After I agreed to become a "couple" she started kissing the back of my neck more…

    ...what happened next is best left to the imagination, but the next day we woke up in the early afternoon, having slept in after our night together.

    So the days went on. We always found any opportunity we could to be together. Those days were probably the best of my life, full of giggles, secret smiles and such. Until one day, perhaps two months later, I asked her into my room, sweating waterfalls...


  • A Big Sister

    "Ey! Get outta me apples you thievin shite!" The shop owner swung his broom at me. "Don't yeh come back 'ere without a lil' coin eh?" He walked off mumbling some uninmportant things. I silently wandered off, my stomach rumbling painfully from the hunger. The streets were crowded today, easier to get caught. At the time I didn't care, I was too hungry to care.

    Today would be the third week I've been wandering the streets alone, barely managing to survive. I'll remind you that I was only the age of ten. Why was I on the street for that long? Well, it was because I kept myself hidden. I trusted no one to take me in. Or maybe I only thought I was hidden, and no one cared to give a child a place to stay. Either way, everyday was a battle to fight off hunger.

    I spotted another cart full of baskets which contained vast amounts of fruit. It was being pulled by two horses and some fat drunken man who shouted "compliments" to each lady that passed by. Perfect chance to settle my hunger for just a little bit. So I snuck up behind the cart and grabbed some apples, carrots, and other such things. When my arms were completely full, I darted to a dark alley. Easy, no one had caught me, save for one.

    "Hey, little mister.." came a small female voice from the entrance to the alley. "I saw you take that man's stuff! You come out or I'll tell them you're down here mister!"

    I froze for a moment and then looked around for an escape. None. I continued to look frantically as I heard the footsteps come. "Whoah, slow down there little sir," said the figure blocking me as I tried to run around her. "I ain't gunna hurt you. Just wanted to see ya is all." I stared at the ground, unable to look up and meet the figure's gaze. I then felt a soft hand under my chin, which forced my eyes to look up at the figure.

    She was a young girl, about twelve, who had long brown hair and a few freckles on her face. Her brown eyes looked me over, seeming to pity me. She wore a little white dress, as typical for most girls at that age. On her lips was a reassuring smile. "Well, whats your name?" She asked.

    I didn't answer.

    "Cmon, dont be shy now. My name's Samantha! But most at home just call me 'Sam.' I dunna know why, but they just do. Prolly cause they're lazy and stuff and don't wanna say the whole name. Grown ups, always so lazy. Fat too, most of em are fat…" She continued to talk about grownups. Mostly saying they smelled and that they were hairy. I just looked at her with slightly widened eyes, listening to her talk about random things. Her voice was soothing, maybe because she was the only one I talked to in three weeks. "Anyway, sorry, I like tah talk," she giggled, "So what's yer name?"

    I mumbled something.

    "Wha? Ya gotta speak up!" She leaned an ear closer.

    "Ronan."

    "Ronan huh? Thats a dumb name… I'll call ya Ronny! Now thats a fun name!" She giggled again. "Well, ya don't look so good. Where's your home Ronny?"

    "I dont have one…"

    "Well everyone should have a home! Why don't ya have one?"

    "I dont know, I just dont.."

    She tilted her head slightly, "Where's your mommy?"

    "I dont know, I dont have one."

    "Uh, alright, where's your daddy?"

    "He's… gone. I'm alone."

    "Thats no good!" She sighed and then looked up with a thoughtful look. "Ronny, you best come to the big home with me. It's where kids go that gots no mommy or daddy. You can make tons of friends and uh… eat lots of stuff!" As soon as she said 'eat' I eagerly nodded my head. At my noddle, she smiled widely and took my hand, tugging me out of the alley. I dropped the food in my arms, looking back longingly. "Dont you worry, you'll get some stuff at the big house. 'Sides, ya shouldn't be stealin' anyway."

    We ran through the streets. Actually, she ran while dragging me along. For whatever reason, she seemed excited that she found me. Her long brown hair tickling my nose as I was dragged along. Occasionally she would shout, "There's the market! Oh! And there's the temple.. fancy place that." She pointed out almost every single thing we passed.

    Eventually we arrived at a large wooden house, which sat alone in a large patch of grass. It was near the park, which was the only green portion of the city. Outside the house was a rows of flowers, used for mostly decoration. Children's voices were heard clearly from within. Other details are not important, since it has nothing to do with my story. So forgive me for being a tad vague in my telling.

    Sam and I ran up to the entrance, stopping at the door. She turned to me, "You'll be my new little brother. Always wanted one.. didn't know where to get one either. But since yah have no mommy and daddy and is all alone, yah can have me as your big sister! How's that sound? Just until we find yah a new mommy and daddy."

    I just nodded in response. She smiled wide and then dragged me into the house…