Playing Ball

From the second-story window of the inn, I watched Eon’s grand entrance into town while Zac played with his wooden blocks on the other end of our room. Eon’s chariot stopped on the edge of the dirt roads, just before the streets became cobblestone. He waved his hand at the reins and then at a tree branch nearby. One of his rings glowed with golden light and the reins wrapped themselves around the branch. With his other hand, Eon opened the door of his chariot. There was a brief, yellow flash from within the chariot, and out he rolled in a chair on wheels.

I caught my breath at the sight. It had never occurred to me that the commander of such an army would be paralyzed. But as he rolled along and I thought about it, I realized how silly my surprise was. One did not need the use of both legs to be charismatic or brilliant. And I was sure all the magical relics on his person were helpful for making up the difference too.

Eon rolled up to the town square, with the people of Oakbridge clearing the way and several of his soldiers trailing behind him. The one following him the closest wore a dark gray version of the uniform the rest of the soldiers wore, but hers had a hood she’d raised around her temples.

I caught a brief glimpse of the woman in gray’s face. Stern, silently angry, this was not a woman to be approached for any reason. Her skin was pale, her eyes razor-sharp, and her hair resembled long straws of hay. She marched with a spear in hand, one which had an iron handle and a golden head, both of which glowed.

Eon halted his wheelchair at the center of the town square and rotated it so he could face the crowd of Oakbridge citizens.

He smiled widely and held out both his arms at his sides, palms extended outward. “People of Oakbridge! I want to take this opportunity to thank you all from the bottom of my heart…” he beat a fist against his chest, “for allowing us to live among you until our business is concluded.” He gestured to Jayden Wood in front of the sheriff’s office. “I have already discussed the details with your sheriff, who assured me that he would explain the situation to you. I just want you all to know that you are doing a great thing this day, which will further the cause of freedom throughout the world.”

Eon gestured one hand toward the east, across the river. “There are countless people out there who live in slavery and do not know it. They are prisoners who cannot see their cages. We, the Republic of Tagros, shall bring light and liberty to these poor people. Once their eyes are opened, they will tear down their tyrants and raise a new flag of a new age. For too long has the dead hand of the past governed over us. Let us take one good look at the past, snatch up for ourselves all that is good--” he held up both of his hands, showing the lac stones on his rings, “--and discard all that we do not need for the sake of a newer, better world. People of Oakbridge, simply by remaining as peaceful as you have been for the past several years, you will help usher in that world. Continue to cooperate with us, and there shall be no reason for unpleasantries. I thank you, from the depths of my heart.” His right hand returned to his chest.

“Raaa!”

Behind me, Zac roared and knocked over the tall towers he’d built out of wooden blocks. I turned to watch him as he stomped around and kicked the remaining blocks over, making sounds from his mouth like he was some kind of monster. There was a time when watching him play so destructively made me nervous, given his true identity, but Keren reassured me that this was fairly typical behavior for little boys.

He looked up at me, his lower jaw jutted forward so his teeth extended past his upper lip. His eyes were wide and wild, and his nostrils flared as if smoke were about to billow from them.

I knew that look. Keeping him inside when he was in such a destructive mood ensured that it was only a matter of time before he broke something he wasn’t supposed to. Did I dare take him outside, though, where the Tagrosi soldiers were milling about? Considering how long they intended to stay, it was either take him outside while the intruders were there or keep him cooped up inside for the next couple of months.

So, I brought him outside. There was no school that day, due to the soldiers’ arrival. Like me, all parents in town wanted to spend time with their children rather than send them off to learn to read, write, or do arithmetic. What use is any of that in the face of a foreign invasion?

The clouds had parted, allowing hints of blue skies and sunlight through. Zac walked beside me, his little hand held loosely in my rough fingers. Under my arm, I carried a bright red, rubber ball. His favorite thing to play with outside. Well, except for his wooden sword, but I’d had enough of that deadly weapon for one day.

Behind the Chalice Inn there was a yard where folk would sometimes gather to play horseshoes. At the moment, the yard was empty, so Zac and I took our spots there and began our game of catch. I always started off with a soft, under-armed toss into his hands, and he would raise both arms over his head and throw the ball as hard as he could to me. Well, maybe not to me. Somewhere in my general direction. I found myself spending most of our time running to go get the ball before we lost it.

As the game progressed, I’d toss the ball higher and higher, making Zac run around and guess where it was going to land. Though, if he’d just remained in his original spot, it would have landed safely in his palms every time.

When Zac went to chase after the ball for the fourth time, I looked up at the streets surrounding the Chalice Inn’s yard and saw a gathering of Tagrosi soldiers along the edge of the green, watching us. At first, I was nervous at the sight, and reminded myself of the silver-edge still strapped to my back. But upon a better look, I saw nostalgic smiles on their faces. Some of them looked at Zac with adoration in their eyes, as if they thought he was the cutest child in all the world.

Which, of course, he was.

One of the soldiers, a soft-faced, thin young elf lad with short hair as white as his uniform and bulbous, purple eyes, handed his coat to one of the other soldiers and approached us just after I scooped up the ball from one of Zac’s throws.

“Good day,” the young elf said with a bow and a gentle smile. One far more genuine than the ones Eon Maganti gave. “I’m Private Piers Vinter. May I join in your game?”

I wanted to refuse. Piers looked friendly and sincere enough, but he was still part of the army which occupied our town. As far as I was concerned, he was the enemy. An enemy who hadn’t even removed the sword from his belt before coming to us and asking to play.

But before I could breathe a word, Zac snatched the red ball from my hands and said, “Yeah!” just before throwing it at Piers.

Piers raised his hands and caught the ball just a hair away from a collision with his nose. By the look in his eyes, he’d been surprised by the strength of the throw, but his surprise soon turned to playfulness again and he chucked the red ball at Zac.

The rubber ball smacked Zac in the chest, bounced, and sent him sprawling onto the grass behind him. Piers caught the ball when it sailed back into his fingers. My blood boiled at the apparent assault on my boy, until I heard Zac laughing and saw him climb to his feet. “Again!” he shouted.

Piers raised his hand high and launched the ball at him again.

This time, Zac was ready for the elf’s more aggressive way of playing, and he caught the ball with both arms when it hit his chest.

“Good!” Piers clapped. “That was a great catch!”

Zac turned to me, a wild look of excitement in his eyes, raised both hands over his head, and lobbed the ball at me. I raised my hands and caught it, finding immediately that he’d thrown it far harder than I thought he could.

Piers had effectively changed the game, but it was still just a game, and one Zac enjoyed, nonetheless.