The Arena

Finale

Wind blew through trees softly rustling the summer leaves carrying with it the scent of fresh air and refreshed nature. The wind blew along the streets while townsfolk started to walk along the pebble ground, new summer dresses swayed with the wind around soft pale legs and hair struggled to sit behind pins and ribbons. Soft summer winds had arrived in the capital of Milshar. Children ran between horse legs and jumped over crates while playing 'fighter'. Girls joined the boys, swinging their own makeshift swords and demanding the boys give in. The children ran past store fronts as they opened for business to allow the waiting, paying customers to enter their establishments. One business opened their gate wide and hooked it to the wall so the wind would not pull the gate closed. The dark smoked wooden walls slowly came to life as the bellows were worked by the blacksmith's daughter, Isabella brightened the shop with each puff. Embers glowing brighter and spitting sparks into the air as the work shop gradually grew warmer than the summer heat outside. The tin roof rattled above the open gate as the wind threatened to enter their shop and throw dirt into eyes. Blacksmith Edmund looked up and down the street before starting his morning routine. It would not be long until guards filled the streets to keep order and collect produce and other items for the castle that gleamed on top the hill. Embers only glowed a bright orange to illuminate one side of the smith shop as Isabella moved around the shop to light the lanterns. With each new spark of light cast on the family, Edmund could see his daughter more clearly, her black hair shone a dark red in the sunlight and candle light. Pale skin slowly got darker each season from the smoke of the shop and moved perfectly wrapped under tailor made dark dresses and ankle leather boots. Thin hairline scars covered her pale skin. Each afternoon she washed her skin to lessen the darkening from the smoke while Edmund just let the smoke stain his skin. His brown eyes followed her as she lit the lanterns to light his work space, when she turned to him her pale blue eyes met his and smiled before she looked past him to her husband.

Warden Markus signed Lukas' release papers after Isabella convinced him he was not harmful to anyone. The arena scored a few new fighters, John being one of them. Each fighter wanted to get their hands on the former guard. Lukas moved in to the blacksmith family home, soon after marrying Isabella. He helped Edmund in the shop, getting requests done faster and being able to take on more requests. Edmunds debt was paid off and he never took another. Isabella smiled to the men in her life as she struggled to step down from the ladder she had used to light the lanterns.

"Do not strain yourself." Edmund said to Isabella.

"I am sure I can handle this." She replied. Isabella had been careful not to bump her stomach as she moved from the ladder before putting it away. The large round swell of her stomach was only proof of her own kin growing inside of her. After their wedding Lukas had agreed not to try for children for a while but accidents happen. Lukas looked at her stomach, the tailor made dress falling around her bump, flat boots and hands slowly rubbing in circles.

"Could you please tell him, Lu?" She asked, looking to him.

"He is right, you should take it easy." Concern was in Lukas voice as he looked to her eyes.

"Easy?" Isabella shook her head. Michael knocked on the gate, his daughter in his arms, babbling baby nonsense.

"Are we interrupting?" Michael asked, his wife beside him.

"Michael, could you please tell Isabella to take it easy?" Edmund asked. Michael sighed.

"Why should she?" His wife asked, throwing a wink to Isabella. The moment word got out about Isabella being pregnant many of the women in the village demanded another child from their husbands. She was one of them.

"I would laugh if you have another daughter." Lukas said as he chuckled at the pained look on Michael's face.

"It is a boy this time, I can feel it." The wife said with a large smile.

"Lukas does not mind what we have." Isabella smiled and looked over her shoulder to her husband. She still felt strange calling him that and seeing him outside the arena.

Their wedding was small, the celebration short and holiday long. Despite having spoken about getting a home of their own before trying for a baby, Isabella came home with her mind racing. She had known she was pregnant before the first sign. When her doctor confirmed it, the blacksmith had told his daughter and son in law that they would not be moving into their own home. Isabella had been overjoyed to have her baby grow up in the home she had. Lukas on the other hand wanted his child to grow up in a home with more space. Isabella had said she wanted to name her baby after the man who brought them together but Lukas wanted to name his baby something else. They seemed to be on different terms with every choice they faced with this child. What room would be the nursery, what colour would they paint the room, what toy to buy first and who to tell first. They had agreed on one thing however, their child would never end up in the arena. Isabella and Lukas had agreed to raise their child to be on the right side of the laws. They would tell their baby, when old enough, how they ended up in the arena, what they went through and the agony they felt. Lukas would tell stories to Isabella's tummy, telling both his wife and unborn baby, how he would always look into the crowd to find the angel who caught his eye. Then Isabella would fill in her part of the story. It was a story they told almost every night.

The End

This is the end of my  short story. First published.

Edited from the Deviant Art version.

Please comment to let me know what you think.