Scout Stories: Bruised Beginnings

Feathers and Flame

"How did you get in there?" Tadgh asked in a tense, tight voice.

Faye waved her fingers at him.

"I'm magic. Come on in," she said and popped her head back in.

She walked back into the Hall and waited.

Tadgh was the first to squeeze through the gap into the Hall. He held the fake ornate sword that they had taken from Faye. All of the other men were armed as well, with daggers and clubs. He was soon followed by some, but not all, of his men. Séamus was one of them. Faye did a quick count as they looked around the empty Hall with their mouths open. Tadgh was the first to recover.

"Where are they hiding?" he asked.

"Nowhere," said Faye, "Go ahead and look around if you want."

Tadgh and his men opened the door to every other room and looked inside. Some of them looked at Faye uncertainly as they passed her, but she just stood by the injured old man and advised him to keep his mouth shut. If Faye had any power left, she could have increased the anger and confusion they felt then. It was harder, but not impossible, to do the same thing without any powers. Tadgh came back into the room and kicked a chair at one of his men. He rounded on Faye.

"Tell me where they are," he snapped. Faye shrugged.

"By the sea...I think," she said. Tadgh focused on the old, injured man.

"He didn't want to go," said Faye, "Said that their was a fierce wind on the coast that wouldn't agree with a man of his age."

Tadgh took a step towards her. A few of his men hesitatingly did the same. Faye put up a finger and some of them startled.

"Ah-ah," she said, "I sent them near the sea. I'll send you lot into it, where you can't even see the coast."

That did it for at least three of them. Forest folk rarely learnt to swim. Those that did, swam in small rivers with the shore in reach.

"You're lying," said Tadgh, "They are here somewhere."

"Are you saying that you don't trust your men to have a proper look around?" she asked. She flicked the axe over and balanced it on her forefinger. When it was about to loose balance, she tossed it up and caught the handle.

"I used to throw knives to get by," said Faye, "I wonder how I'll be at throwing axes."

"You think you are so smart, you little bitch."

"Ah-ah," said Faye, and smiled. She used to axe to rip her sleeve length-ways, exposing her tattoo, "Little Council bitch."

The other men, besides Séamus, were a little taken back by this revelation. Clearly Tadgh hadn't told any of them. The other men were transfixed by her tattoo.

"I don't want trouble with the Council."

"Life is trouble with the Council," said Tadgh.

"Awe," said Faye, "Poor baby. Come here. Let me pat your head."

Tadgh flinched, remembering the pain she had given him the night before. Faye smiled as his men turned to him. He had just shown fear, weakness, in front of men who only obeyed him because he was the biggest, baddest animal in front of them. Séamus too noticed the slight change in the air. He stepped over to Tadgh and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's just grab the ones we've already got and go," he said, "We have more than enough. This isn't worth the energy."

Tadgh nodded, as if considering what the other man said. He looked back at his men, who were watching what he did carefully. Tadgh caught Séamus by the shoulder as well, looked him in the eye, and ran the ornate sword through his loyal friend. Séamus fell without making a sound. When Tadgh swung the sword to cut off his head, Séamus's face was stuck in an expression of confusion.