James Draft

The Canning of Jamie
By
Susan Waterflower Bell
A One Shot

James took a deep breath as he looked up from his plate, well he had finished everything. Not even a crumb could be found within the old iron plate that he had been offered his last meal upon. Well it had been worth it, not only had he won honor for his club and praise for his mother but  they also threw in a free meal of his choice.  But then again ones last meal before the event was always a choice meal.

“There canning me for defending a women’s honor. There going to march me in front of the school, flip me skirt and reduce me to a crying lump of jelly because I dared to stand up to there little perfect squad. The lot of them needs to burn in bloody hell. Pricks they are because they where a silver coated badge.” He said peering into the air above him. His sapphire pink eyes seemed to water for a second before a quick blink seemed to ease them a little.

A sudden voice woke him out of his state of dreaming.

“Paddy you have a visitor, Father McManus is here to see you, something about wanting to speak to the ‘Brave lad that risked personal injury to save a fair lass’s honor.’” Said a student around his age. He was tall for his age a member of the schools basketball team if one trusted the dime size basketball collar pin to the high collar of his navy blue shirt.

Also pinned to the collar of his shirt was a pin the style of two crossing Bokken a sign he was a member of the elite Schools Defense Force. A group skilled swordsman in charge of defending the school from outside threats. They where ranked above the perfects and other student groups. The brass roman letters ‘S’, ‘D’ and ‘F’.

Drawing in a deep breath, James now known as Paddy to the rest of the guards lifted his head and peered toward the guard. He blinked and smirked a little in a way it was a honor giving a defense boy the chore of guarding him. It proved the school staff feared and respected enough to tie up cream of there crop to make sure he did not make a daring dash for freedom. Such a action befitted a hero did it not.

“So even the parish priest wants to see me, well please send him in. I doubt he’ll mind the mess or the cramp conditions or the lack of proper airing.” He said as he picked up the iron plate and placed it down upon the floor. Being a jackass was the only way he could fight back now. And after all there was nothing wrong with showing a little backbone now and again. They might have taken his freedom but they hath not taken his pride and honor.

“Shut your mouth paddy, they have done enough for you already. Giving you that special meal and giving you hot water and soap to shave with and showing mercy too you by letting you stay in school and not throwing you out on the cobblestones where the likes of you belong.” Sheered the guard.  It was common enough for the Schools Defense force to talk down to the ones they thought below there standers. Such ones should be cleaning the spring mud from the hill of there shoes and polishing there boots for weekly paraded day that school held as a public display of strength.