To Love Thy Enemy

The Start

--

Mrs Grayson had just got done tending to her flock of sheep when she had spotted her husband returning home. By the look on his face, the news he bared was not one of a joyous nature. Putting her cloth down, she walked to the fence.

"Well?"

She asked, even though she didn't wish to hear the news he'd brung with him.

"The war has grown closer, it won't be long until they ask me to go. That also means...they will search for young men to join the cause as well..."

Mary covered her mouth in a horrified gasp. 

"You cannot! Your asthma will surely act up again, you must refuse my love!"

She pleaded but he just looked at her coldly.

"Am I not a man because of my ails?! What do you suppose I do?! Send out our 13 year old boy?! Is that the life you want him to have, one of death and blood!"

He snapped at her, she shook her head.

"Of course not! But what else should we do! If you go, you'll surely die in the war! There must be another way to save you both!"

She wept into his arms. He held her up and cradled her.

"There is but only one choice. We must give Dick to the lord of the land, he is paying handsomely for a servant to hire. It is not a choice that I make with happiness. But it is our only one that I feel will work."

Mrs Grayson felt as though she was losing everything that she loved in one single day, she looked at her husband in anger.

"So what, you expect me to just..just.. WHORE out my only son!? To rich people that I don't know or trust."

She fired back but was slapped across the face, she gasped and held her cheek. Mr Grayson just turned and started to walk towards the house.

"He is my son too, and I expect you to do what is right for this family. Be it by barbaric natures or kind ones. I see no other way than this and know that, it is killing me inside. I may not show it but god damn it I love my son! I refuse to allow him to witness the blood of war like I did. I won't have it."

He said as he slammed the door shut, leaving the woman to grieve.

--

Dick sat inside of his room drawing pictures, his dog beside him asleep. Upon hearing the door open, he looked to see his father with a pained smile, though it was unseen by the naive boy.

"Son, pack your bags. You're going to stay with.. with a good friend of mines. War is arriving and, your mother and I feel.. that it is better for you to be with them...than here..."

The man lied through gritted and sorrowful teeth. He did not want this , but in his heart it was the most human thing to do for his only child. A life of blood, is not one a child should bear witness too. Not like he had.

"But, what about Anna?"

He said, holding his husky tightly. The man sighed.

"We... we can ask if she is allowed to accompany us. I will ask my friend. But.. Dick...can you promise me one thing?"

The man asked as he pulled his son into a hug, trying to hide the tears that threatened to fall.

"What is that, father?"

Dick asked confusedly.

"...Please stay safe..."

They stayed in that embrace for what had seemed like a decade before it ended and his father smiled.

"Let's go, come on Anna." 

--

From inside of his house, the man heard the voice of his daughter call to him.

"Father.."

She said as she stood in the door frame, with a polite posture.

"Yes."

He said to her as he turned with his mask on. 

"The child is here. His father has requested that he be allowed to keep his pet. I had told him-"

The man raised a hand.

"I'll allow this. No use in the boy being scared, is it? I shall deal with it. Go now."

The woman nodded as she left. Looking in the mirror, the masked male felt a smile creep on him.

"There's only room for one pet in this house....and it isn't a dog."

Sorting his clothes, he readied himself to meet the newest arrival to his home. He just had hoped...that this one was stronger than his last . A broken toy is not very fun.

--

I started something

Yay.