Chapter 6-1

Chapter 6-1

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The curtain made of leaves fell for a quick bathroom break as many took advantage of it; just as many had created a pile of tissue in their lap needed to run for more. The 8 girls couldn’t believe what they were being told about Lorna and Sly, that Lorna all this time was a real live princess, and not a 3rd class citizen just like their cruel guardians told them all this time and the boy they were marrying was indeed a prince and not just any prince. A prince that could rule over 12 realms along with his bride Lorna Queen of the Moon Goddess; as they rule together with the northern realms as King and Queen.

Oh, how they could kick themselves for being so mean to her, ordering her about like a little slave girl, when instead they should have been bowing at her feet, running errands for her. Yet what was worse the guardians kept her locked in her room, the coldest room of the entire castle. Where it leaked the worst and walls were so thin and drafty, yet how she got out always infuriated their keepers. Watching her play with an invisible friend called Sly; except he’s not so invisible anymore as they retake their seats wishing the boy prince was theirs and not hers.

No one noticed that set had been moved forward about 40 feet or so that chairs and benches had been reset quickly before allowing everyone a chance to move back in. This time the entire set had been redone. No one could tell how big the stage was as the house lights dimmed and the green curtain raised slowly up matching their environment, hot, sticky and green.

Up close they could see large family size hunts with a family’s inside there were several men guarding one big hut with spears in front of it was a large campfire with more men sitting around it cooking a small pig and eating small portions of it speaking in English. Asking several boys about Pogo (Sly)…Grandfather Elder says; “You say Pogo found you torn to pieces by bad war, fought for you and stitched you up like a doctor and he bandage, you say he fed you then sent you home, but you did not go back to help him. Why and where did he learn this from?”

The boys lowered their eyes to the ground said “I was too scared to go back, men were out to kill me, us because we killed their master. Beside Pogo told us to run… he good fighter, Grandfather Elder in… the war he killed 30 men at once without breaking a sweat. He killed two large bears with his bare hands when they tried to attack us during the night. We have no idea where he learned this from Grandfather Elder we assumed you taught him to do this. Please don’t be angry with us, we did our best and brought much honor to our families.”

Ruby read; “Grandfather Elder placed his hand on each of their heads tell them they had done what he had asked of them. Wishing they had done more then his own grandson had chosen to do. Yet it bothered him where he learned all of these skills, yet he has been gone for several seasons. He could have learned these skills from others; in fact, he should have learned these skills before leaving the village. Yet there was no time, or was there? He just turned 15 not more than two days before the tribal council was sending all boys 15 and older to war. Many boys like him stayed back, but he pushed the issue, forbidding him to marry until he proved himself to him, and to his chosen bride. Oh, how he hated himself for the last 6 years. More so his grandmother and the boy’s mother never gave him any peace for what he did. That they moved out of his camp altogether, even the menfolk step away when he enters their fire pit. Yes, the war has taken a toll on everyone, but more so on him and Pogo’s bride Lily (Lorna), as she waits in the same tree day after day. Him at the bottom in his own little hut waiting alone as his camp runs without him.”

Ruby changed the page and reads: “The sky darkens as the moon rises into the sky and a cool wind is felt through the forest of the trees.” Everyone looks up seeing stars and big blue moon feeling a cool refresh breeze watching the leaves blows on the walls and ceiling. The fires on stage were more brighter than before that you could feel the warmth for them but like them, they too were feeling the soft cool breeze that seemed to swirl around every few minutes then stop.

Two people shout from behind seeing Pogo (Sly) walking still wearing his army clothes. One fade green shirt covered in blood stains, the sleeves torn out. Above his shoulders were three stars on his left side was three yellow stripes and several medallions, on his right. One happened to be a medical surgeon. He wore tan pants and hard leather boots with two guns and two swords wrapped with leather on is back with his pack as well as a large bow and case full of green arrows and one army sleeping bag. In truth he was not the same boy that had left the forest, she and Lorna walked together through the camp together hand in hand.

The moment the word got out that he was up and about from his sick bed more people started to come out of the forest to greet him. Many of the boys and men gave him soldiers solute, others bowed down to worship the ground he walked on as they made their way to his Grandfathers camp finding him sitting calmly tending his own fire. His Grandmother and his mother stood in front of his Grandfather his grandmother said. “Aren’t you going even look at your grandson? He has done everything you have asked him to do, and more just like the other boys and men we sent to protect our villages.”

He stood up and yelled. “Done what I have asked? Fine, let us begin there.” His voice leveled out as he still kept his back turned to his grandson said as much love, but slight angered tongued. “Every boy at the age 15, who has no experience or skill in leadership, no experience or skill doctoring wounds on a battlefield with a surgeon skill; no experience or skill in fighting or weaponry, more or less big game hunting. Is given a high command to lead 500 soldiers, and has earned the respect of thousand men and boys young as him or older. Is not what I asked for or expected.

“No, what I expected was some wet nose brat, who I sent out to fend for himself in the jungle and come back within five days maybe six asking me to teach how to fight…instead, I welcome back a hero, a man and a leader of a tribe of his own. For if I do not. Every man, boy, and woman in my tribe and his will lynch me then drop me in a very deep hole and break bricks over my head. So yes I happy to see him, but if he remembers our terms before I welcome him in open arms son.  You must fight me in open combat, and show me and the council each of those skills and where you learned them. 

“Once you have done so the council and I will meet and discuss your future in the tribe.   So are you prepared to met me in mortal combat to test your skills as a warrior or do you plan to dishonor me and our tribes as well as your bride to be? I for one believe you are no coward according to what I have heard and have witnessed for myself, but I could be wrong. I will meet you in the middle of the camp in four hours. Prepare yourself to get sever beating my grandson, for I will know the moment you come after you with a sword if you are coward or the man that these villages say you are that knows how to fight 30 men without a sweat. Now be gone.”

Ruby Read:

“Pogo and his bride left his Grandfather in peace. She looked worried wondering if her gallant knight was cable of fighting in the ring with Grandfather. They watched as men made way for them as Lily father once again offered his tent to them. So his bride to be could feed him and tend to his needs watching some strange cat followed them. Several members of his tribe offered them gifts, like bear rugs and pillows made by hand as well as new clothing like headdress and full chest piece made of colorful beads and bamboo laced with gems and makeup for the eyes and skin and access to a tribal painter. A woven cotton cloth for the bride on her wedding day and many beads, and chest with many rings filled with jewels. The gifts were endless inside and outside the hut and they just kept coming.

“Once Pogo and his bride Lily had eaten and dressed in their new station. They left their hut noticing that everything was made ready He walked to one side south side of the ring noticing the weapons, but refused them for now choosing his own sword. Which he had spent many days over hot coals making once he had learned to fight by a master swordsman for saving his life and his families when no one but him. Sneaking him and his family out into the hills before Morgan and Hess could find him or this false Elder turned traitor.

“Pogo was only a 15-year-old scared little boy, but he knew nothing about fighting, but he knew everything about hiding in the forests. It was agreed that man would teach him everything he knows about fighting if got them out of the city alive and unharmed. Pogo was a quick learner within two years. He had mastered every weapon that contained the blade of a sword as well as how each weapon was made.Pogo slipped off the collar of beads and jewels around his neck as well the ones on ankles and his wrist handing them off to his bride leaving him only dressed in fur skin waist wrap and two holster leather belt made for his personal swords.”

Lily said. “Grandfather Elder I warning you don’t hurt him, this is not a fight to the death. Or you will find no peace in heaven or hell as I personally will be the one sending you there before you make the last striking blow.”

Grandfather Elder face went slack as he said. “I know the rules young one, this is only a test of skill, but I have no intentions of going soft either.” He turns back to Pogo. “I take it you have chosen your blade for this around, may I ask why not chosen one for the rack out of curiosity of course?”

Pogo pulled one sword from his right side as it gave out a steady ring and blazed brightly against the fight light nearly blinding villagers near him, he said. “Each of my weapons is made by my own hand. The ones on the rack I can not trust. These I trust, they have yet to fail me. Your weapons might, my weapons master taught me, if I don’t know who made them, our how they were made they can not be trusted, for I did not forge them. These I have forged, these I have fought with testing its metal many times over. Just so you know Grandfather I don’t plan to go easy on you either, and I have promised only to give you and those that wish to test my skill a very good beating. Right now my bride and my mother is taking up a collection against you, even though many of your tribe have never seen me fight.”

His Grandfather chuckled loudly as his eyes notice the two taking bets against him. He tried not to seem too worried. Instead, he bolstered a bit more. “Well then, I am in for a treat lets make this fight little more interesting let's say you survive one round, which pretty could go either way do here say. And you make it without surrendering to me, I will add another fighter two the next round, up to 5 rounds. You make it through all five rounds I have no choice but to declare you the winner, and no one can dispute that. Do we have ourselves a deal?”

They both shook on it as they took sides watching his grandfather grab one of the swords off the rack. He said as they circled the ring, “I’ll take my chances on one village’s swords considering I know who made them, how he made them, and they have yet to let me down.”

Pogo laughed. “Question is Grandfather is, is your village smith a weapons master, or just a weapons smith because I am about to show you what the difference is the second you pull your sword at me.” He gave him evil grin as he watched his grandfather finally release sword of death; finding Pong sword ready to meet his at angle cut, as they compared their two swords together. Noticing Pogo sword was thinner and razor sharp compared to his grandfather's sword seeing as it was pounded flat with bumps and uneven cuts as if was used to hack thick vines seeing all the nicks and jagged edges...

Back and forth and up and down as they slashed around in a circle, Pogo seemed un-tired by the effort, as his Grandfather was feeling hard workout his grandson was giving him. The large sword finally failed as it took its last beating when Pogo planted a well placed hit the sword fell out of grandfathers hands at the handle hit the ground bent over. His Grandfather looked at it and then again at Pogo sword, said it looks like you one this round my grandson since I don’t have a sword and looks like I will be looking for a new smithy as well. Pick your next weapon of choice. My grandson.” 

Pogo nodded went into his hut brought back his blacked spear. The wood was made of several types of bamboo and threaded so tight together, the smoothed with hard black salt. On the top and on the bottom was made of pure ivory, not only for looks but to give it extra weight added hardness. There were tiny little holes it gives the impression that the weapon was singing.

The horn sounded as his Grandfather and one additional warrior entered the ring each with a spear of their own. His Grandfather noticed Pogo spear seeing that had no blade and asked out of curiosity. He asked. “So my grandson this spear has no blade. I am curious about to where you got it, or if made it your self?”

Pogo twirled the staff with very little effort as it glistened in the firelight and sound like hundred birds whistling through the forest. “This staff was given to me by a man who I healed along the road and I took refuge in his homeland. He was Commander of 3000 men on the planet known as Gebus. For his help, he gave me this staff and became my teacher and my friend as I study under him for nearly two years. In that time I was taught to read and write and speak three languages, as I carried out missions across the realms hutting down this traitor High Elder. This staff and his teachings have served me well grandfather for you are about to receive another beating.

Pogo twirled the staff as they tried to land their spears in his direction, each time they did they found themselves on the ground and him standing over them. Again he didn’t look tired of this game. Of hit and miss until Pongo shattered both their spears in half with such a resounding force and speed they didn’t expect it. Once more they had to concede the win to him and once more Pogo was to choose his next weapon. However Pogo didn’t choose a weapon, this time he came out of his hut dressed in Chinese Gea,  but nobody had ever seen one before. 

He was dressed in black from head toe, the cloth made of silk cloth as it made no sound when he moved toward the side of the ring with his head bowed and covering over his face. He bows to the fire and stood to wait for his three opponents. His Grandfather the ring first and chuckled. “So my grandson I see no weapon, do you plan to wrestle three large warriors letting that be your downfall? If it is it will shame us both after the skills you have shown me and the village so far.”

Pogo lifted back his hood and said. “Pity the fool, that only sees the unarmed man wearing only dark cloth grandfather. Pity the fool lets fear to rule them when one man can beat them when he is looking for an army to strike him dead. Pity the fool that doesn’t learn after been beating three times rendering the weapon useless. The question you should be asking is… can man himself become the weapon when all weapons fail him?

“I found a drunken man in the streets of Vence when I was gathering some information on an informant. As I watched this man stager across the street he took out ten guards and two-century post with a jug in his hand and well place a knife in the other.  Before I realized it he had turned the corner and was waiting for me, as his knife jabbed me in the ribs. He said I understand the Commander is looking for me, tell him you lost me under the daisy. I’ll be back when you have done so and our training will begin. So, Grandfather, do you pity me as I did the drunk fool or do you learn from him. Go ahead and see who is the fool and who should be we pity.”

The moment they lunge for him, he did summersault over their backs and land safely behind them and waited. Watching their surprised looks when he said. “Number 1 rule never be where the enemy expects you to be they turn their heads seeing another figure waving back at them they looked around in full circle finding not only 1 figure but 4, not realizing they were all illusions, not until they grabbed one finding out the hard way which costed them the round when the net fell from the tree and anchored it to the ground. Pogo took the metal box of mirrors and placed it into his pocket said. “Grandfather, do you concede I have won or would you like to learn lesson number two, which leave you on your sick bed for days or months?”

Grandfather Elder groaned for mercy as Pogo released them from them nets only to be surprised finding that grandfather and his warriors lied as they chuckled and jumped into action. Pogo laughed. “I see you  think I was bluffing, in truth I was hoping for a nice browl Grandfather.”

Grandfather chuckled loudly. Talk is cheap, actions tell wither you are lying or just a jackal of two faces. Anyone can set traps my Grandson and conjures can create an illusion, but true fighters must stand on their own. So we stand and fight this around unless it's you that concede the round.”

Lily again pleads to Pogo’s Grandfather not hurt him, Pogo laughs “ My darling Lil it is that is worried about hurting my Grandfather and his four warriors, for they have yet too lay a hand upon me.”

Pogo calmly waited for his Grandfather to make his first strike instead he sent his first warrior in as to test him as he lunged for his waist Pogo step aside at the last minute and grabbed the man and picked him up with such force as if the man weighed nothing through him on the ground so hard you could hear his breath leave his body as he rolled on the ground-hugging himself. Everyone including his grandfather gasp in surprise then shook himself but it was too late by then. Pogo used the time well by taking out two more of his Grandfathers warriors leaving them with a broken arm and broken leg and several broken ribs. 

Pogo turned back to the first warrior who knocked the wind out of, who was now trying to bring Pogo down on the ground. Watching him fall back on the man as Pogo feet landed at his side and pulled up into the air then pushed into his grandfather watching grandfather duck then turn as the man flew into the tree and slid down it. Both him and his Grandfather knew that man was not getting up to soon after that.  All that was left was him and his Grandfather who said., “I am no fool when I see one, and I am the Grandson of my own flesh and blood. I concede the win to you.  For I have no wish to test your fighting skills. Now then for a little sport to test your hunting skills against me and my best warrior.

Someone shouted through the trees, “Grandfather Elder, Pogo come quick something has happened to Lily under the wedding tree.” Everyone’s eyes turned to find to where the shouting had come from, noting they had all forgotten all about the wedding tree and the part the Lily had yet to play. The stage had somehow moved without anyone knowing about as they were too wrapped up in the fight scenes of Pogo Grandfather testing his fighting skilled warrior.

Once everyone had arrived at the wedding tree many changes had taken place all the roses bushes had all been regrown and started to bud. There was a new maple tree at the edge of the rose garden that was never there before that had just started to sprout its first branches. The wedding tree itself was completely white with interacted layers of pine bows folding in between the two halves down below laying on the ground was large white egg about the size of a very large dragon egg.

Many wittiness had said, that they saw Lily growing this garden herself as the seasons passed.  That when she slept the outer layers of shell appeared, it was until today that shell covered her completely and it started to glow. Many times they have tried to crack it open, but the egg is hard as metal.

Pogo nod and said. Then all is well as it should post guards so she won’t be disturbed for I must finish my trials so we can be wed she under the moon goddess protection now.”  Pogo didn’t explain his reasoning, how could he? For if he did they would see him and his wife mad and hunt them down where ever they go. No… silence, for now, was for the best.

Pogo had one skill left to prove, well actually several more when you think about it those weren’t as much fun as proving a skill. Where he spent hours going over every detail how, when and who he learned these skills. It’s the other skills he couldn’t speak of such of like immortality and dragon blood and the use of magic he can now use as little it may be for now anyway.

For one thing, he has yet to transform into a full-fledged dragon on his own other than from the egg itself. And so far no one has noticed his the trail of flowers he grows as he walks or the trees growing as they as they groan or the plant life brighten as he walks by them. That was one of the reasons he hurried away from the wedding tree today all it would take was a step closer and total bloom would happen before him and Lily was ready.  She had already learned that she to had the dragon blood gene was inside her, and now her true Dragon form was about to be released as it had for him.

However he does remember the power, the strength it gave him. It was like he was invincible. Too invincible that he had to be careful not kill when testing someone’s skill. Which was why he let his grandfather and his four warriors off with only a small beating they could quickly recover from.