Song Of The Peasant Queen

Chapter 2: Garret McLoughlin

I was driving my cart home from a week's worth of hunting when I heard a scream within the distance. I wanted to keep away from what was happening since it did not involve me, and Dagda forbid it to be some kind of malevolent spirit. I do not have a sufficient stock of protection spells on me right now. But my wolf pup, Arawn, ran towards the scream, so reluctantly, I followed. It took us almost thirty minutes for us to reach the back alleys. Arawn was constantly sniffing the air, I was starting to regret following this crazy pup, but she seemed confident. After more walking, I noticed a group of people. I hid around a corner behind some barrels holding Arawn so she would not escape from me. But then she slipped out of my hands and ran towards them barking. That is when I witnessed a group of boys violating a small girl. I untied my weapon from my waist and slowly crept toward the crying woman. I took my ax and rammed into the head of the first fool violating her. I watched as his soulless body fell to the ground. One of the boys, whom I could tell was the leader by his wealthy attire, tried to attack me. I dodged him too late to get cut by his gladius. I got pissed and did my battle cry as I slashed his head off his shoulders. When I thought it was over, I heard a small whimper, not from the girl but from the smallest boy of the vandals. He was shaking in his armor and was begging for mercy. I stared down at his shame as I looked into his eyes saying, "Sruthán in infant" (Burn in hell = Irish) and bashed his head in with the butt of my ax.

After my small quarrel with the violators, I walked back to the girl who was barely clinging to life. I watched as she lay there halfway exposed barely clinging to life. I felt sad and disappointed for an innocent creature to be treated like this, mainly women. Hell, if Mom was here, she would've done way worse, at least I gave them a swift death. I never liked seeing women harmed. She was lucky that my home was not too far from here. The sudden coldness of her body made me nervous. I was not planning on burying someone today, so I quickly rushed home without hurting her. As I entered my home with Arawn, I placed the hurt girl on my couch. I had her covered so she could feel safe, that is if she wasn't already dead. I softly checked her body from top to bottom, and I noticed that she had a few broken bones, cuts, and sores. I grabbed a bowl of warm water, bandages, and a rag to clean her off. I wrapped her up to cover her cuts and keep her bones in place so they could heal properly. Arawn was whining right next to me smelling the girl. I patted her on her small fluffy head and carried her to the second room I had. There was nothing for her to wear since those bastards destroyed them. But good thing I had some clean clothes to spare from my late mother. I ran to my room grabbing some attire for her, luckily, she was around the same size as my mother. That was when I realized my reflection in my mirror was leaning against my wall. I noticed how not only was my axe still slung over my shoulder, but I was covered in blood from both the game and the people I murdered. I could see the horror on my face as I looked no different from before everything was okay. That was when my other half started talking to me.

"You should know better than to help this girl." The voice said to me. I looked back at my mirror and realized it was my reflection.

"Why would you say that?" I asked irritated.

"Because what benefit is she going to give you of all people?" he questioned.

"The benefit of the fact that I am doing something right," I answered, showing them no sign of affection.

"Please, who is going to believe that an abomination like you would do something right?" my reflection belittled.

"Fuck off you rat bastard, you don't know what you are talking about," I growled at him, gripping his shirt tightly through the mirror.

"Yeah," he scoffs, "like I don't know that everyone looks down at you and sees you as nothing more than the grime on the bottom of someone's foot."