Seeking A Family ✔

The Men Of The Forest

'Who are you?'
Came a dark and heavy voice. The blade was pressed slightly at Jack's throat, making his heart beat faster than ever.

A tall man, with an arch on his one hand and the blade on his other was looming above him. A quiver full of arrows was pointing out of his back and a hood was covering his face. His cloaths were all black and his muscles were visible under the moon's light.

Behind him a group of a douzen people were slowly making their way towards them. They were all wearing hoods and were carring the same kind of wapons on them.

'Please. I haven't done anything bad.'
Jack begged in a small voice that could bearly be heard. Tears came down his face. He couldn't form a single word.

The blade was removed from his throat and Jack fell on the ground patting.
'Please.'
He repeated.
'I am not a bad person. I just wanted to rest for the night.'
He said trembling.

The man removed his hood and he smiled. His features were soft and his face kind. He had short blond hair and a small blond beard. He extended his hand and offered it to Jack to help him up.

Jack was too scared to touch him. He stood up with difficulty and looked back and forth at the man and his companions, still terrified.

The man pulled the blade in it's case on his zone and said;
'I am not a bad person either. Nor are my friends.'
And pointed to the group behind him.
'Need pushed us and we have to live here in the woods in order to survive.'

His companions imitated him and removed their hoods. Jack was surprised seeing the kindness in every single face infront of him.

'Why do you have to live in such a place?'
Asked Jack unconvinced.

'You seem tired.'
Said the man avoiding his question.
'Do you need food?'

Jack wasn't expecting something like that. He had eaten before sleeping just a tost and indeed he was hungry.

'We were collecting woods to light a fire when we found you.'
He said and with a flick of his wrist, he motioned for his men to come closer.

It was at that moment when Jack realised that some of them were carring woods.

All of the group had now reached them, the woods were put into place and quick enough a fire was lightened. They had hunted a dear and now it was time to enjoy their award. Jack watched silently as the men were preparing their dinner with fast and precise moves.

'So what is your story, stranger?'
Asked their leader.

Jack was fast to introduce himself.
'My name is Jack and I am travelling with this boat to London.'
He said pointing at his sailing boat.
'I am sent for a buisness from my boss there.'
He explained.

Their food was ready and it was shared equally to all of them.

'So what about you?'
Asked Jack.
'Why do you have to live in such a way?'

Some of them laughed bitterly, some others looked down, as if regretting not being able to have a normal life.

'We come from poor lands and poor families, at least the ones who have a family.'
Said their chief after thinking a little bit.
'We haven't any education and we are considered as a burden to society. We have been chased and made fun of, we have been called outsiders who have come here to hurm them. The fact that we have been living here, made them also call as filthy and bums. They only inflict us bad and never have tried to help us. They started this war against us and we have no ethical limits restraining us.'

Jack was confused about that last one.
'What do you mean?'
He asked.

'We have to survive.'
He repeated.
'If that means stealing from those who have so much wealth, they don't even know how much they own, then no problem at that.'

'But obtaining things like that is not ethical.'
Said Jack inoscently.

The man laughed.
'Believe me, my friend, those who we steal from, haven't obtained things in an ethic way either. They have made use of others to be what the are. And that, believe me, is more violent than what we are doing here.'
He finished taking out a flask of water and drunk some of it.

Jack thought about this a little. Somehow he couldn't blame any of them. They continued eating and the rest of the men starting talking too. Jack would never have imagined how much he would enjoy their company. They told him about some of their most exciting adventures in the forest and some of them revealed him their most difficult and sad times of their lives. He learned their past and their wills, their fears and their strengths and he was most delightful to learn about their relarionship with one another too. He realised that they were acting as a family, that they would give their lives for one another and that they were feeling ultra lucky to have each other in the most defficult situations. A spacial bond was formed between them, so powerfull that it seemed as it would never break. Despite the hard circumstances they were living under, they were all in a great mood, refusing to give up.

Their leader, who Jack finally learned he was called Rogers, was the one who had started noticing each and everyone of them and invited them to follow him. He loved them as his sons, and would do anything to protect them. He never treated them as submissives and he always was kind to them, making jokes with them and asking them for advice.

The sun had raisen again and the dawn announced the beggining of a new day. Jack was dissapointed for having to leave, but there was no other way. He thanked them wholehurtedly for the food and company and started stearing his boat to the water once again.

Rogers stood before him searched for something in his pocket. He pulled out a yellow piece of parchment and handed it over to him.
'Keep this. We don't need it anymore. We have learned everything by heart, anyway.'

Jack took it confused and unfolled it. To his surprise, he realised that it was a map, showing every river, lake and mountain nearby, all the way to London and further more.

'Thank you.'
Nodded Jack in appreciation.

'Whenever you feel lost or lonely, take a look at it and let it remaind you that in this hostile land, you have friends willing to help and lead you.'

With these words Rogers offered his hand and Jack kindly shook it. He goodbyed all the men one by one and then boarded into his small and rusty boat.

He looked back, waved one last time and off he was, travelling for another land once again, with another state of mind, wiser and stronger.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! ;)