Username:
Emily Swallow
Name:
Cadfael; a welsh name meaning "Battle Prince"
Gender:
Male
Why does this guardian fox wear armor?
I hope it's okay that I did this as a short story :)
CLANG.
The sound of steel ringing against steel broke me out of my peaceful slumber. I bolted upright, a jolt of alarm shooting through my veins. I scurried to the window, getting up on my hind legs and putting my paws on the window ledge so I could see what was happening. Master was practicing again. I sighed in relief, plopping down on all fours once more. I had thought that surely, someone had come to take the castle; our home. I trotted down the spiral staircase, through the main hall, and into the courtyard, where Master was sparring with a wooden dummy holding a sword. "What ho!" he exclaimed when he spotted me. "Care to join the battle, good sir?"
To answer him, I sat down in front of the entrance to the main hall and prepared to watch.
"I thought not," said Master, knowing of my preference to analyze battle techniques rather than to fight. He continued sparring with the dummy; the only remaining resident of the castle, other than Master and I. There were once many knights, ladies, and servants living here with us, but alas, no more. Most of them were lost due to a mysterious disease which rampaged through the castle grounds, sparing almost no one. Those who weren't slain by this formidable opponent left, claiming the grounds were cursed. Master himself succumbed to the disease and survived, though it left him weakened and frail. Since then, he's been trying to build up to his former strength. He and I are all the castle has left to defend her, and we will do so until the day we die.
The ringing of swords brought me back to the present. Master had successfully disarmed the dummy, and stood holding the two swords with a look of brazen satisfaction across his face.
Suddenly, I heard the far-off cry of a bugle. My ears pricked up, and I took in a whiff of air, searching for a scent. Luckily, the winds seemed to be blowing toward us, so I was able to detect a faint smell. It was the odor of humans, many of them. I inferred that it was an army, come to take the castle. Master had given the dummy back his sword, intent on another sparring match. I barked once in an attempt to warn him of this looming threat. He glanced over at me, noticing my stiff posture and alarmed demeanor.
"What is it, Cadfael?" he asked me, now uncertain. I stared pointedly into the forest, hackles raised. Master gave the wilderness one hard look, then shrugged.
"It's probably nothing," he reasoned, heading back to his sparring match. I yipped once and turned in a circle, trying to tell him that he was in danger, but he didn't listen to me. I tried to catch the scent of the army again, but the winds had changed and were now blowing from behind me. If only he were sleeping! That way, I could get the message through to him in a dream. Though, on the other hand, if he were asleep, he could be taken by surprise much more easily. I continued my attempts to warn Master of the impending danger.
About half an hour later, the army arrived.
"What ho!" Master greeted them, hefting his longsword over his shoulder. The leader of the army paused for a moment, shading his eyes against the sun to get a good look at the castle. He gestured to his men, who nodded in a silent agreement.
"So..." said Master, trying to hide the evident fear in his voice. "What brings you here?"
"We'd like to do some... business with you," replied the army leader. "Say, what a glorious castle that is."
"Well, it's my home," said Master uncertainly. "I've lived here my whole life."
"Would you care to... hmm, how should I put this... surrender it to us?" said the army leader mockingly.
"Um, no, actually," replied Master.
"How about you give us the castle, or you die?" The army leader hefted his broadsword menacingly.
I bared my teeth and growled at the army leader aggressively.
"Or maybe we should kill your mutt while you watch?" he added.
"How about a duel?" Master interjected, his longsword flashing in the sunlight.
"A fight to the death," agreed the army leader, showing a calculating smirk. "If you win, you can keep your castle and my army. If you lose... well, I kill you and your little mutt here, at take the castle as my own."
"Deal," said Master.
What a foolish move that was.
The army leader charged Master, broadsword gleaming. Master parried, and attempted to strike back, but the army leader blocked it.
The battle continued for quite some time, with minimal damage. That was, until I noticed the archers in the trees. The army leader wasn't going to play fair. I yipped a warning, but Master didn't hear me over the ringing of swords. The archers all knocked an arrow, and waited for a clean shot. I glanced over at Master. I could tell that he was tiring, but the army leader was as strong as ever. An archer in a tree to the far right pulled back on the bowstring. He had found a clear shot! saw the arrow soar towards Master, and instinctively jumped in front of him at the last second. The arrow pierced my flesh instead of his, and I fell to the ground. Momentarily distracted, Master looked over at me. A fatal mistake. I blearily watched as the army leader thrust his broadsword through master's armor. I looked away as Master took his last breath.
Later in life, I donned armor of my own to remind myself of my failure that day, and so I could better protect loved ones in the future.
I will not fail to protect anyone again.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
