Valour

• Samuel Carpenter, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

When the day of reckoning came, no-one was prepared. I wasn't. I was sitting in an ivory tower playing with countless jewels while people suffered. When they came to destroy the palace, I fled. I was the one who was meant to protect my kingdom. But how could I?
Three years later...
“Oi boy, get the pigs their dinna!” barked the man. "Going to do it Mark!" I retorted. Strolling out onto the mud pavement with the pig food in my right hand, I unlocked the gate to the pigs on the other side of the property. Pigs! I hated the way they just snorted, it was so annoying! Close to slipping as the hairy swine were pushing their hairy noses to the bag, I barely made it to the trough. The only reason that Mark had pigs is that we can give them all sorts of disgusting food, and they can be killed for bacon. Not good bacon, but good enough quality to make a living. Trudging through the mud to the wooden gate, the bloody boar knocked me over! Slapping the boar was only going to make it worse, so I muddled through and strolled along. As I walked to my shabby hut, I decided to go to the lake for a swim and to clean my mud-stained, ripped clothes. Walking to the lake was treacherous with all the roots out and slippery mud, but the lake was worse, however. Apparently, there were spirits in the depths, stealing civilians. As I clamber down into the lake, a head bobs up. Panic surges through me like electricity. Sprinting out of the water, I grapple to a tree holding onto its roots like I'm holding on for dear life itself. After a minute, I slowly crane my neck to the side, afraid it is there waiting to kidnap me, or worse, to kill me! I turn around only to find a girl no older than me staring intently at me as if I was unknown. She bows, “My lord.” That is all she says.
“What?” I spouted awkwardly.
“You’re the Overlords son. Am I right?” she answered back.
“Who are you and how do you know me?”" I questioned.
“I am a mere spirit telling you an earthshattering piece of information. May I continue?” I nod my head. “Your father the Overlord, was captured last month on the equinox. You are now Overlord of the North, King of the humans, Conqueror of Dragons, Rider of the elder. The one and only Burning Lord!” She told me this information as if it were a good thing!
“No, no I can't believe you.” I spoke, “He said he would live, that he would find a way to help me, to help us all fight back!” I wailed and wept running home. I slam my door knocking it off its hinges but what can I do? No! What would Father want me to do?
Without any real choice, I walk back to the lake to find that she is still there. “Well, where are we headed?”