I woke up in the morning to my father pounding on my door.
"Sue meet us in the living room. We are having a talk." My father said.
I got up the sleep out of my eyes the way I had any sleep in my eyes. I do not know because I did not sleep much that night. I was a worried mess the prospects of my father and my brothers going off to war and potentially dying was horrifying, but I made a resolution last night. I would do anything in my power to stop this from happening.
I got dressed and headed to the living room. My father, mother, and brothers are already all in the room. My brother sat on the couch. My mother sat on the armchair to the left of the couch, and my father sat in the arm chair to the right of the couch. I walked over to my father to sit in his lap, like I normally do, but he Motion for me to sit in the floor so I did so.
I'm only 11 so oh it was not unusual for me to sit in his lap but given that this seemed like a rather serious situation I should've read it better. I internally scolded myself for not realizing it on my own.
Before I could sit in the floor, Ray motion for me to sit on his lap and I did so. Normally I would've done his father said, but I was so nervous I needed the reinsurance and Father didn't stop me nor did he say anything.
" I will be brief yes there is a war going on no none of us need to fight in it. There is a misunderstanding. We have an agreement with the Highest authorities so this should've never happened this Lord seems to have stepped out of line and I will leave today to address it. The rest of you stay on the mountain. Don't even go to the forest." my father said in a strict tone.
"I don't even know why you are considered of aged to fight" said my mother, "the oldest among you is 14 and the youngest is 12."
"The youngest is 11." said Mike.
"I meant the youngest that they requested to take up arms in this silly war of theirs! your sister does not count. These stupid pigheaded men don't see women, like me and her, as equals they find us nothing but hindrances when they're fighting. Unless it is to patch them up or feed them then they think we have some use."
"I don't want to patch up and feed strangers. I only want to do that for my family and I definitely don't want my family going to war." I said in a meek and quiet voice.
Ray tightened his hold on me and said, "You don't need to worry about patching up strangers or feeding them that's not going to happen. They can't make you."
Mother scoffed at that and father shot her a glare.
Ben spoke up saying, "You all Go down the mountain what is this war about?"
" a neighboring country is attacking us from the north and another is attacking us from the Sourh. In all likelihood yet another neighboring country will start attacking us from the west soon. Luckily, there's only coast to the east, so it is unlikely anyone else will start attacking us from there because there is no other country with a strong and naval forces us to do so would be suicide."
"How do you know so much about the military mother?" I asked.
Mother hesitated for a second then responded with, "This is common knowledge for people below the mountain and beyond the forest, sweetheart."
My brother's eyed her with slight skepticism, but I trusted her fully. A decision I would later come to regret.
"Why are these neighboring countries attacking us in mass? What did we do as a empire to warrant an attack?" Asked Ben.
Father responded gruffly, "We are a vast empire that holds many lands with great resources. You would be surprised how many others covered those resources and are willing to do almost anything even conspire with their own enemies to get them. It is not a matter of what we've done it is a matter of what we have."
Mikey shouted back at him, " how do you know this? You guys just go down the mountain then pass the forest and sell remedies but you're talking like you're some kind of military person! I am sure that the folks that you sell to do not know all this!"
Father glared at him and replied, "You Do not speak to us that way, young man! I will have you know that beyond the regular folks we sell too we also sell to nobles in the area and they do know this and you'd be surprised how common this knowledge we are sharing with you is beyond our mountain and forest."
This response got Mike to be quiet, but then Ray decided to talk for the first time since we all started talking.
"Personally I still feel we should help in the war effort." this got all eyes on him. We are all rather shocked at his words.
"Our home is precious. Isn't it worth fighting for? If others covered, what is ours shouldn't we tell them why It is in their best interest not to, and if the only way to do that is by fighting then so be it!"
"Son, you have no idea what you were talking about." said father rather curtley.
"And you do?" chimed in Ben, " I agree with Ray. Our home is worth protecting, even if it means leaving it."
"Watch your mouth son! You do not speak to your father like that! we have raised you and we are far more knowledgeable about the outside world than you are you have no right!" Shouted mother.
I stared, wide-eyed at Ben wondering what got into him. Had he suddenly turned into Mikey? Well I guess the answer to that was no because Mikey went a step farther.
" I don't really care about war, But why not take advantage of this dumb Lord and his demands? Why Don't we just go down and comply and if it is all nonsense like father says we can just come back afterwards besides, I want to see the world beyond the forest. This would be a great opportunity to do so and even if we have to go, we get to see more I see no downside."
"son, you don't see a downside because you don't know war!"
"And you do, father I believe you were raised on the mountain just the same same as us and the farthest you've been from this mountain in forest is the village slightly beyond. What would you know about war!" Shouted Ray.