Tale 35- The Mantelpiece Wars

 The Traveler walked down the stairs toward the dining room, freshly washed and re-dressed in her same old cloak and the few bits of clothing underneath. She’d tried to wash herself as thoroughly as possible, if only to remove the sins of others from her body. Though it was futile, it at least made her feel a little better. She walked through to the sitting room, noticing the head of the home, affectionately named ‘Ma’, and two little boys in her care who were sitting by the mantlepiece, playing with some red and blue toy soldiers. They didn’t look old, and reminded her of her own family. She stared down at them as they played, ‘Ma’ giving her a smile and offering her to sit. One of the boys suddenly swore at the other, pretending to be a soldier, to which the woman immediately reprimanded them. “Hey, you little rascal, you’re not allowed to say those words!” She spoke, the two boys ceasing their game and the culprit looking up at her apologetically. “Sorry ma, I was just playin’!” he argued, the other little boy nodding. The woman sighed. “There’s a point where games go too far, you two. Swearing isn’t allowed in this house, or else I might have to wash your mouths out with soap!” She said, the boys immediately looking at each other as if they were scared of that outcome. ‘Ma’ turned back to the Traveler. “Now dearie, the constable told me you like to collect stories, yes? Well we haven’t got much for you apart from a warm bed and meal, but perhaps one of the kiddies here could tell you something useful…?” she offered, the girl already being grateful but extremely worried she was burdening the household with her presence. Nodding, ‘Ma’ looked down at the two boys. “Now you two behave, and be nice to our guest whilst I’m cooking, alright?” she commanded, the two nodding and staring at the Traveler, who almost seemed to withdraw into herself. The older boy approached her. “Hello there!” he smiled, the girl surprised he was so forward but quietly greeting him. “Ma said ya like stories? Can ya tell us a story?” he asked, the Traveler looking down at him and flipping through her book, choosing the story of ‘the Fairy’s new wings’. The two boys were entranced by the tale, enjoying the moments where the girl would turn the book round to show them her illustrations, and decided to tell her a secret in return, telling the story of ‘the Mantelpiece Wars.’

‘When night falls, the soldiers of the Red and Blue countries begin their wars under the floorboards. The Red country begins in the kitchen, the Blue in the dining hall, and they arrive in the sitting room, fighting each other valiantly. Some on horseback, others on foot with bayonets and swords, they battle, on and on until the first light of dawn. They fight for the vacant territory, the mantel, and clash swords until the first light of dawn, when the leader of each country finally duels. Depending on who dies, the soldier by the clock on the mantle changes, claiming victory until the day comes to an end.’

“Sometimes, when we’re bored, we watch the battles under the floorboards!” The eldest spoke, the Traveler staring at the boys with a slightly amused look on her face. It sounded like a story her own brothers would spin up for her, and she enjoyed it. Drawing the soldiers atop the mantel, everybody was then called to eat dinner. The Traveler found herself hardly able to eat any of the delicious food, due to the previous events of the day with Marcielle, but tried nonetheless, and cherished what little nourishment she was able to stomach. Food and water had become a luxury, much like money and clothing. The only thing she could be certain was constant was her own heartbeat, and even that fluctuated like the tide. She felt stuck, as if she’d been trapped at one point in time and was desperately trying to move forward, but to no avail. As everyone finished their meals, ‘Ma’ noticed the Traveler had eaten the least, and quietly handed her some of the food to take with her. When given food, she savoured and saved it until she was desperately hungry- the teacher’s meal had lasted a while, and these leftovers would do the same. Clambering into a soft bed for the first time in a while, she tried to fall asleep, but found her mind returning to those squeezes, those intimate touches which she so despised. As the Traveler lay in bed, she grew restless, and eventually, in the early hours of the morning, left the house, with merely a note thanking ‘Ma’ for her kindness as she disappeared into the darkness.