Tickling One-shots

The Tickling Witch

Light was filling up his tent and his eyes opened up a few times already but Dante was still dreaming. This dream however was a memory, bittersweet, but preferable to waking up. He was ten again and in his small town. He had finished his chores early and his father let him go off to play for the day. His destination was all the way across the town. It was worth it though. The girl who lived there was the only other kid in town who would play with him. Mia was her name, fortunately for Dante, she did not care that he was a half elf. Most of society didn't either but children are cruel and anything out of the normal was met with contempt and suspicion. The other kids rarely bothered him though, which he was grateful for. Finally arriving at Mia's house he saw her getting food for the horses.

"Do you want some help?" He asked as he got closer. Mia smiled when she saw him

"I finished with all of my chores so I can help you with yours and then we can go to the river."

"No thank you I'm finishing up myself I should be ready soon. Mom made tea if you want some." Dante headed inside and greeted Mia's mother and poured himself a cup of tea.

"How's ya father doing Dante, I saw him yesterday at the market and his leg seemed to be doing much better. Not wobbling like he was last week." Dante's father was the unofficial captain of the town guard. A town as small as theirs didn't actually have a guard but seeing as he was the only one with experience in war, everyone looked to him when monsters or bandits wandered too close to town. A few weeks back three bandits tried to break into a granary. When Dante's father and a few townsmen went to drive them off, one of the bandits loosed an arrow into Dante's father's leg, though not a fatal shot, it still put him out of commission since.

"He's doing better. He even spared with me outside this morning. I tried to hit him too many times but it was too easy today." Mia's mother laughed.

"Well don't hit him too hard. We need him to get better soon." She said

"Don't worry, I could kill any goblins that try to attack us." She laughed again.

"Aye you probably could, well thank you for defending us Dante." Outside Mia yelled that she had finished. Dante quickly finished his tea, said his goodbyes to Mia's mother, and ran out. Quickly they ran to the river. As they got closer, the dream began to fade and suddenly he was twelve.

He was in a tent, one much nicer than the one he was currently sleeping in. He'd been away from home for a month. An old war buddy of his father's had dropped by to visit. He was a knight. With a horse and armor and a sword and everything. It took all of Dante's willpower not to take his sword and swing it around. It was much too big for him though. He'd grown since he was ten, but not that much. His father and his friend were sitting down eating, discussing politics and old war stories. Some Dante had heard, others he had not. The one most interesting to him was about his mother. All Dante had ever known was that she was an elf, and that his father had met her and had Dante with her. Nothing else was spoken, until now.

"So what ever happened to Relia?" The knight asked. Dante was outside by the window eavesdropping.

"You know what happened Jacob, her family never welcomed me, and she herself always regretted it, at least to some degree."

"What about Dante, you tell him anything."

"No, I figured it's best he didn't know. I don't doubt she would love him if she ever saw him again. But I don't think she would have it in her to actually take care of him."

"Aye I understand Claudius. How old is he now?" Asked Jacob.

"Twelve, thirteen in two months." Answered his father.