I suck.
My sword was out of my reach and my opponent was on top of me, pinning me down. It wasn't an easy defeat. I mean -- our swords were really going until he threw me over his shoulder and onto the dirt ground and pinned me down.
"Ugh... Get off of me!" I grunted, trying to squirm under his grip. My opponent laughed.
"Dude, you suck," He said with a grin. I frowned. He laughed again but I shut him up when I wiggled out from under him and pushed him onto the ground, my knee digging into his back.
I put him into a hold with both of my legs on either side of his body and pulled his arms into a twisted position behind his back. "Give up?" I smirked.
"No, no. I don't!" He yelled. Wrong answer. I twisted his arms tighter as he tried to get free from my grip. Finally, he let out a disappointed grunt. "Alright, I give up."
I grinned and released him. He coughed and rolled over. He stayed in that position for a moment or two before he gathered himself back up and got to his feet.
"I win," I beamed.
Nick moved his head to test a crick in his neck. "Whatever. I was going easy on you," he replied as we began to walk back inside.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh come on. Just admit your little brother kicked your behind... how many times now? I've lost count," I said.
"Three," He muttered, rolling his green eyes as he loudly cracked his finger knuckles.
I chuckled. "Kicked your butt three times. I can say that as a fact now," I said. A smile went across Nick's face. His arm went around my neck and held me into a hold.
"Nick!" I yelled, struggling to free from his grip.
"Say it," he said.
"Never!" I struggled stronger against him.
He tightened his grip and I gasped for air. "Say it," he repeated, lowering his voice and neared his mouth to my ear, his hot breath against me.
"Boys?"
His grip loosened and Nick staggered backward after he looked up at our mother. A grin crossed my face after I gained my breathing back.
"Hi, mom," Nick said softly, looking down at his leather-covered feet.
"I've got some news," she said with a smile.
Nick and I exchanged glances. I looked up at our mother and tilted my head a bit, smiling up at her. "Well, don't keep us waiting. What is it?"
She smiled. "It's your father. He's home."
Only a few moments later, Nick and I were racing to the main hall, shouting our father's name like we were five again.
Dad turned around and cracked a big smile. "Nicky! Caspian!" He greeted, arms wide open. We jumped into his arms, the force strong enough to knock us three to the ground. His hearty laugh echoed off the hall corridors and his eyes sparkled the sea green we were so fond of seeing.
Mom laughed at the sight of her boys on the floor. "It's time for dinner," she said, taking our Dads hand and helping him to his feet.
"We've missed you," Nick and I chanted all at the same time. We exchanged glances and laughed for a slight moment.
His green eyes shone in happiness. "I've missed you too, boys. All too much," he said with a sigh. "And, I've got something for you and Nick.
I lit up and Nick grinned. Dad rummaged through his heavy looking bag and pulled out, carefully, two crafted daggers. They were both decorated with a cherry wood handle and a shining silver blade. In the center of the handles were different though. In the middle of Nick's was his birthstone, an Aquamarine gem, his birthday being the thirteenth of March, crafted into the handle as three, large, seperate circles. And, in the center of mine was my birthstone, the Sapphire, my birthday being the eighth of September, crafted into two, long, parallel strips with a circle in the middle of them.
I tried to hold in my excitement, but my jaw slipped and I squealed. Nick snickered.
Dad handed Nick his dagger, and my brother showed his gratitude with a smile. "Thank you," Nick said, his face lighting up as he took in the design of the dagger.
Though Nick could handle swords, he prefered daggers more. He could throw them, move faster with them, and his favourite, hide them. Also, he was all together during battle when he had one in close range.
Dad smiled and clapped him on the back just before Nick ran off to show the dagger to our mother.
Dad walked over to me and held out the dagger in his hands. "This is for you, Caspian. Now, I know daggers aren't your most prized possession, so I picked something else out for you, something you may like more than this gift," he said, as the dagger found its place in my held out hands. I ran my hand over the blade as Dad turned and walked out of the room to the main entrance.
"What is it?" I piqued, but was only returned with the answer of a mysterious smirk.
Dad came back with a sword, easily four foot, with the blade covered in a black leather sheath. I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest as he neared me with it. He outstreched his hands and smiled at me. I turned and gently set the dagger on a side table that was nearby me. My eyes looked up and met Dad's. I took the sword in my hands and ran my hand over the scabbard. I unsheathed it and took in the design.
The handle was steel and carved out with French swirls. There was a gold line that ran straight through the center of the blade. More toward the tip of the sword, the gold line turned into Celtic knotted outlines.
My jaw nearly dropped. "Is it... Is it real gold?" I asked, shaking my head slightly as I forced my eyes to look up at Dad.
He nodded. "It was... The General's sword. I took the liberty of retrieving it," He said. A smile crossed his lips.
I took a moment to embrace my new sword --- a memento of a fallen General. "Thanks, Dad," I replied. I put the sword back into its sheath and hugged my father. At the moment I didn't care that a war was going on, or the men on the front line were dying; all I cared about was my father being home.
