9 Punishment

I don't know how to feel. Hahah, I'm fucked, I'm fucked. God damn. I walk back to my room. The maids are still cleaning, god fucking damn do these women do anything else? Don't they have hobbies? Is this the only thing they do? Fuck. Shit. I enter my room and slam the door behind me. I'm fucking panicking, I got to calm down and create a plan. I have to calm down. Calm down. Calm down.

I sit on my bed and grab my forehead. The Mistress is going to fucking murder me. It's over, I'm dead. How could I be so stupid not to realize that she'll see the changes in Sophia's behavior? What now? It seems that the only option is for me run away. Wait, calm down, the punishment may not be as drastic as I think, It could be something minor. I mean I did smooth things out between the Mistress and her family. She has to be grateful for that right? She can't forget what I did for her. Right?

Shit, I don't know. I still punched a noble. It could go both ways, I could get out of this with a minor punishment or with my head rolling down the streets of the city. What do I do? It's a gamble. Staying and waiting for the punishment or escaping, I can't leave. The magical books in the library are too valuable. The knowledge I can still gain from Mikhail is too important for me to waste it. This is my only way to move up the ranks. There is nowhere else in this country where I could learn this type of magic legally.

Fuck it. I'll take the punishment whatever it is. I'll deal with it and If I need to escape I'll find a way. I can always find a way. But, first I have to prepare my body for whatever. Until nightfall I practiced body weight exercises and worked on making my magic stronger. I want to bring my sword into the office but I can't. Mistress will see that as me getting ready to attack her. That's why I ripped one of the floorboards in one of the hallways near the office. I put a sword under the floor and put the floorboard back in its place. If I need to use a sword I can run out into the hallway and grab it. I don't know what to do about the collar. There is no way from me to rip it open. The only thing I can do now is pray.

It's time. I walk towards the Mistress's office, I knock on the door. She yells "Who is it?" "It's me Mistress" I reply. "Enter, Leo" she says. I open the door of the office to see her leaned on her desk. She's reading a book. She closes the book and puts it down next to her. I close the door behind me. I don't say anything. We just stand there looking at each other. Do I say something? I mean she knows what I'm here for. So, what now? She stands up and says "Leo, I've been thinking about what to do with you for some time now". "I can see that under Mikhail's tutelage you have been becoming stronger by the day" she continues. "Mistress, at no point did I want to hurt her. I was just trying to protect myself." I cut her off.

"Leo, don't cut me off" she says. She then sighs. "Of course Mistress, I'm sorry." I respond. "When you first told me, I was furious. Not only did you attack a noble but you also attack MY little sister" She says. "But, I couldn't stay mad. You're not stupid. I know that you wouldn't attack a noble for no reason, you're smart, you wouldn't waste these privileges that I have given you" She says. "Of course Mistress" I respond. "And I understand that me ordering you to throw off my sister of your back might have hurt her ego. So, it doesn't sound far fetched that she'd want revenge and since she can't fight me, she would fight you." She says.

"Logically" I reply. "So, I don't blame you for the way that you acted" she pauses "but, I can't let you go unpunished" she continues. I stay quiet. "Leo, tomorrow a man by the name of Joseph Hobbs is going to the west border towards Walaria, the country which our country is at war with, you will aid him in his journey, he's going to General Fyodor to help him as an assistant and a strategist." She says. "I'm supposed to guard him until he arrives at General Fyodor's camp?" I reply.

"No, he already has guards, you will be his assistant and help him first hand and I told Joseph about you're strengths so you will plenty useful on the battlefield." She says. "Wait, I'm going to a battlefield?" I reply. "Yes, that's your punishment" She replies. "Oh, ok. When will I be able to come home then?" I ask. "I don't know. It might be a month, six months, a year, two years or you might die there. However, knowing your strength I know that you won't die" She says. "Now, get ready you go tomorrow morning" She continues. "Tomorrow? I can't even say goodbye to my family?" I reply. "I'll tell them you said bye" She says. "Oh, ok" I say. I turn around and leave the office. Closing the door behind me.

I went back to my room and went to sleep. I slept like shit, I woke up every two hours, I wasn't even sleeping I was just taking two hours naps multiple times. Fuck me. I'll have to go to a fucking battlefield. Well, it's not like I'll be the one in battle, I'll just be helping at the camp or at least I hope so. This month has been shit. Fuck me! The morning arrived, and I got ready and went to the other side of town where I was supposed to meet with Joseph.

I found a person who fit the description of Joseph; he's medium height, middle aged man, clean shaven, short brown hair. He's standing next to the carriage that I'm assuming we will be riding on. The carriage is surrounded by 4 soldiers. The armor they wear is made out of metal, but they aren't knights, they look like roman soldiers. I introduced myself to Joseph, we talked for a bit, he then asked "Can you read and write". "Yeah, I also know many other subjects like geography and history" I say. "Great, great" he says with smile.

"So, how long until we reach the battlefield" I ask. "About a week and 3 nights" he replies. "Oh ok and what exactly do you do?" I ask. "Like, what are you? Like an advisor? Because I was wondering what I'll be doing there to help you as your assistant" I ask. "Oh, I'm well I'm an advisor and a strategist so I'll be helping the generals while you are going to deliver messages on horseback" he says through a smile. "To generals in other camps?" I question him. "Yeah and to generals in the midst of battle" he says. In the midst of battle? What? "So I'm going to be on a horse riding through battle to deliver messages to generals" I ask.

"Yes and different types of officers" he responds. "Is there any other job for me that don't require me risking my life?" I ask him. "No, you're strong but also small so you are like the perfect messenger" he says again smiling. This guy is starting to piss me off and he has a weird shaped, crooked nose. "Anyway, let's go. We want to get there as soon as possible" he says. "Uh, sure" I reply. He enters the carriage and then I follow him into it. The carriage is pretty nice. Its looks expensive, but not too expensive. I sit down and put my bag onto the floor. Joseph sits opposite of me. He pulls out a book out of his bag and starts reading it and then the carriage starts moving. The soldiers move alongside us, protecting the carriage from all four sides.

From that point on we traveled for about 14 hours a day for 10 days. I goofed off, read a book did nothing special. I didn't talk much to Joseph; it seemed that he was in his own little world, writing things down, talking to himself and reading books. On a couple of occasions we were intercepted by a scout who would give Joseph some kind of letters. I'm guessing the letters were from the General. I don't know how to feel about Joseph, he feels like one of the insane lunatics, a genius maybe. I don't, we shall see.

We didn't encounter any problems on the road and before long we reached our destination, the battlefield. The moment I stepped out of the carriage I could already feel the change. The air felt different, it was heavier and the smell of blood was carried through the wind. A group of soldiers greeted us when we arrived. Joseph talked to the soldiers, and then they led us to a large military tent surrounded by smaller tents. Joseph didn't wait for the soldiers to open the tent, he just stormed right in.

"Gentlemen" He yelled. I enter the tent to see 6 intimidating men standing around a table. They're wearing expensive armor, indicating that they're high-ranking military officials. There is an older man who's standing at head of the table with a large bushy mustache, and a bushy eyebrows. "Joseph" the man with the bushy eyebrows says with tiredness in his voice. "General Fyodor, thank you so much for allowing me to help you during this campaign." Joseph replies. "Well, we're in a stalemate, and my officers are stumped on what to do. So, we invited the only man we thought could help us" General Fyodor says. "Thank you again sir, well it's good you sent me a letter at the time that you did because it just happened that I had a lot of time on my hand" Joseph says. "No doubt because of the Rosenkranz battle" one of the officers heckles under his breath. The officers around the table giggle, trying to contain there laughter. The officer that heckled smirks.

Joseph stands there not saying anything. General Fyodor sighs and sits back in his chair. It looks like for some reason nobody here respects Joseph. Something about the battle of Rosenkranz? I'll have to dig deeper to find out what happened. Joseph, then he breaks the silence "Well, can anybody show where we are, and what is happening on the field?". "Yes, I will show" a younger man speaks out. In his twenties, long hair, looks like a woman. From the looks of it he's an officer in the military too.

Joseph walks up to the table and puts his hands on it, I stand next to him as the young man points his finger at a map. "You see this?" The man says. He points at a river on the map, on both sides of the river there are two differently colored pawns. "Yes" Joseph replies. "That's the problem, we need to move our troops over the river to the other side to keep conquering but we are stuck. The river is too deep for us to walk in and on the other side there are thousands of soldiers waiting too attack us, so we can't use boats. On top of that we can't walk down the river because that leads into Saint Lores, a country in which we don't have military access to move our troops through" The young man monologues. "And, we can't do it without them knowing?" Joseph asks.

"No, it's too risky, If they find out that our troops were in their land it might be enough to incite a war" General Fyodor says from across the room. "And, we can't go up the river since Walarias army will just follow us until they lead us into the sea" Joseph states. "I see" he adds. "So, we are stuck" Joseph continues. "Not, only that but If we don't act with haste Walaria's reinforcements will come and then we will have no way to break through." The young man states. "I see, I see. Give me some time to think, I also want to see the condition of the soldiers could you please guide me" Joseph says to the young officer. "Of course" The young officer replies.

The officer leaves the building with Joseph following suit, before I leave I look around the tent to view every single officer, they stare back at me and then I turn around and leave the tent. The officer and Joseph walk down a hill towards a military camp near a river, the soldiers are eating, sleeping, gambling, talking and relaxing. They were in no fighting shape, they had no spirit, it looks like this task will be near impossible to complete. I wonder what Joseph will do.

I follow Joseph and the young officer, while the officer gives the tour of the camp Joseph's looking around inspecting the camp; I walk up next to them next to them. "And that's about it any questions" The officer asks Joseph, Joseph doesn't answers he just keeps looking around. "Yeah, I have a question, you didn't say earlier but, uh, what's your name" I ask the officer. "Oh, it's Hamza" he replies. "Great, I'm Leo" I extend my hand. He shakes it and cracks a smile. Joseph looks around and then turns to me "Leo, you said you were strong right?" "I mean yeah." I reply. "Great, I need you to do me a favor" he says to me.

"Uh, sure" I say. "We're going to find you here a strong soldier and you're going to beat him to a pulp" he says with a grin on his. "Are you drunk" I confront him. "No! Listen, this is a great plan to whip these slackers into shape" He says. "I'm a 13 year old boy, are you out of your mind, and you want me to fight an adult" I say. "Mistress Fiona said you were able to, are you not? Did the Mistress lie to me?" He says.

Aww, you fucking cunt, I can't shame Mistress's name. I'm already in deep shit with her as it is. "Fine, I'll fight, as long I can use magic" I say. "Great!" He turns to Hamza and grabs him by the shoulders. "Find me a strong and respected soldier, we're going to make a show" he says. Jesus Christ, what have I gotten myself into? Hamza looks at him with a weird look and then Joseph repeats himself "Go". "Alright" Hamza replies, not questioning it. Hamza turns around walks into the heart of the camp.

"So what, your first course of action is strengthening their morale, by having me defeat one of the stronger soldiers?" I ask. "Yes!" he replies. "And, what If lose?" I ask. "Then, we're fucked" he says with a grin on his face. I notice Hamza's talking to a man, he turns to me and waves us over, to come to him. We walk over to him, in front of him there's a 6'4 (190cm) muscular man standing, unlike the butcher he's more on the lean side, he is in his early thirties, black beard, short black hair.

"What?" the man says. "I said we would like you fight this man right here" Hamza says pointing at me. "Man? That's a child." The man replies. "Don't worry he's plenty strong. He could kick your ass in no time" Joseph interjects. Joseph rubs the man's muscles and smiles. "I doubt that" the man replies. "Well, I don't" Joseph fires back. "So, are you up for the task" Joseph says. "No, I'm not fighting the kid" the man says, he knocks Josephs hand off his muscles and turns around.

"Is it because you're a pussy?" Joseph says in way that every soldier in a 20 meter range can hear him. "What?" the man turns back around. "I asked you are you a pussy, since it seems you can't even beat this kid, hell I doubt any of these useless soldiers could beat him." Joseph says. This creates a ruckus, people are talking among themselves, and soldiers are staring at me. I pump out my chest and flex my muscles, but not too hard so I doesn't seem like I'm trying to look strong. The man stares at us. Joseph turns to me "You could beat him right Leo?"

Fucking hell, what has this man brought me into, god fucking dammit. Sophia this is your fault. "Easily" I reply. This angers the man, he smiles. "Oh really kid?" he says. The gossiping among the soldiers gets stronger. The man moves Joseph and Hamza with his hand to the side and gets in front me. He looks down on me. "You think you could beat me in a one on one fight" he asks. "I don't think I can. I know I can" I say.

"OOOO the slave boy thinks he can beat Fortinbras" a man from the crowd of soldiers yells. I turn to his general direction to see a fat man, a little bit taller than me, laughing his ass of. I turn around and spring on him. Activating all three military magics I sprint to him and punch him straight into the nose. The man falls onto the ground and the soldiers erupt in OOO's. Hamza runs up behind me and grabs me by the stomach. He drags me back.

"You little shit" The fat man yells. He whips out his sword and springs back onto his feet. He goes to attack me but a lightning bolt hits his hand, making him drop the sword. He falls to his knees and squeals in pain, like a pig. I avert my eyes to the direction of the bolt, only to see Joseph with his hand in the shape of a gun.

"Ok, so then tonight, in the little valley north, the kid will be fighting Fortinbras" Joseph announces and then runs to us. Hamza carries me back towards the main tent with Joseph following us. God fucking dammit I can't catch a break can I?