Strugal of Good

People under the oak tree are me and my family. Tall fat person stand next to me with the bigger sword is my cousin. He loves me more than a woman loves me. His name is Alvero.  But I love my uncle more than anyone; he is the most handsome amongst us who is standing on the left hand side of me. He is my father’s younger brother. We call him Amado. Other three sit on the ground are husbands of my 2 cousin and their father. I am Arron it means “light bringer”.I had brought light into the lives of my clan so they name me as Arron. I was born in Portugal. We never start this age old war it was always there. My father is the first member of our family to join in to this sacred army.  Then he married my mother and all the brothers of her join in to the army. I was trained by birth to fight. My father took me to every battle he fought. At the age of 11 I was recruited by the scared army. Ezequiel says we are in the last days of this age old war. Ezequiel is a speaker, or a preacher of god. He has strong faith in god and he can perform miracles. We get instructions from him whenever we go to war. Today he told us that we will meet someone at the oak garden. This dark forest is full of mystery and it always guards our armies from enemy but sometimes it protects our enemy.  So we are waiting with many uncertainties, we may meet foes or friends today. 

 

“Be silent” when Amado signals with his hand, all stand up took their swords and gather like a circle. They always keep me in the middle. I hate this they still think I am a boy, but I love it when I feel their warm love by this action. Now we also can hear the sound of someone walking.

“It’s a sound of single person walking he is about five feet tall not large in body.” Amado said in a low tone. Time is passing slowly. We never speak words in an ambush only Amado speaks in a low tone or by hand signals. He can hear every low sound.

“It sounds like Rafael, but be ready” we put forward our swords more when Amado whisper it.

Rafael my uncle slowly walks towards us from the darkness.

“Are you coming with peace or be ready for fight” I shout my usual war cry.

“Lord Arron, I come in peace” He said and kneeled before us.  

“But you are an outlaw and you have been cast out by our elders, go away by peace or fight” I said holding our positions.

“Silent” Amado Said, “ten horses approaching they are heavy can be a band of enemy soldier” before he finish it Alvero jump and grab Rafael and put him in middle. Silvio, my uncle prepared his Bow and draw the String up to his Shoulders. Rouqe, my cousin also prepared his bow. I was in the middle, when ten horses arrive, my uncle and Rouq jump in to air and released their arrows. I saw through my shield arrow divides wind apart and hit the chest of one rider. It was lethal he falls and saw another rider fall. Their mysterious helmets and masks confirmed us that they are enemy. Third and forth arrows kill another two riders. We leap from our positions together to attack the rest. Rider come towards me try to hit my head. I stop that blow by my shield, turn back and ran towards him. He also turned his horse. Again he targets my neck I knew it by the way he hold the sword. I stop the blow with my sword and hit him with the shield. He fell over and I throw away the shield and jump on to him keeping my sword on his neck. After a long struggle I removed his mask. We took him and two others as prisoners.

“Rafael you can’t come with us, your wife and son is safe” after the fight I told my uncle.

“Lord Arron” he address me according to tradition.

“You may, speak Rafael” I sat and told him.

“I have an appeal to make, to the elders, please give me your permission” He said keeping one knee down

.

 “You don’t have to get my permission to do that, you can do it on your own, if you come with us you have

to come as prisoner, Uncle you know our tradition and you know we are bound to it.” I said turning my head down.

“I want to come with you, and I agree to act as your prisoner” uncle told me. 

 

“Don’t bound him with ropes until we see the city, let him come free and Alvero keep him on your horse back when we approach the city bound him and give him to the elders, tonight will be a busy night my boys we have to question these prisoners so let’s go” I got up into one of horses we capture from enemy and start to ride. 

 

We have taken Rafael to the elders; all of elders are old warriors. I never like Rodrigo, he was instrumental in out casting Rafael and we even couldn’t find any warrior history of him. But due to my father’s kindness, he serves in the elders circle. 

 

“Arron, why have you brought an outcast to elders circle?” Asked my father. 

 

“My father and Lord Raymundo, he has a appeal to make” I told him kneeling before him. He has kind eyes and red skin; he looks like more foreign than us because of his skin tone. But he was kind to all and many come to him for advice. Most of our clan calls me Raymundo’s son, not Arron. He is also so powerful among the elder. All respect him except Rodrigo. 

 

I ask permission of elders circle to allow me to step down from this, inquiry as Rafael is my brother in law and an outcast. 

“Permission Granted”, before any one Rodrigo said. 

My father slowly come down from the steps and sits next to Silvio my uncle. I also sat next to him. Rafael was all alone middle of the Elders circle.

“You may speak” Rodrigo said.

“My respect to elders circle and may god protect you all, I plead kindly to allow me to enter city, I know I have insulted clan by making an illicit relationship with outer world female. I promise on this day that I will never do such wrong again and I will be loyal to Elders, my clan and family. Please grant me permission” Rafael spoke.

“How do we know that your loyal to us” Rodrigo ask with a grim smile on his face.

“He has shown his repentance by his actions” I shouted

“Arron” my father stressfully said and I was silenced.

“But he has said many things against us in the public” Rodrigo Said

“He has completed his term according to our holy book he has the right to ask for amnesty.” I said again

“We can’t discuss this public; I request permission from Elders circle to discuss this matter in private” Rodrigo asked.

“Permission Granted, meeting in private” all elders agree. We stand and walk out of the chamber of Elders.