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Authors: Andrew Symon
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a side table where he could nurse his injuries and drown his sorrows.
The girls had a ringside view, but while Rana was spell-bound by the action, Lizzie found it disturbing – and yet unmissable. Jack, enthralled by the contests, shouted encouragement along with everyone else. Noting his enthusiasm, Cosmo stepped forward after one particularly energetic bout, and held up his hand.
“My friends,” he began. “These contests build us for our match tonight in France. I think we have time for one more bout. Ossian, come forward. And young Jack of Rangie, you shall challenge him.”
Jack’s heart almost stopped. He had been enjoying the contests, but had never considered taking part. Although Ossian was younger by a year or two than most of the Cos-Howe lads, he was bigger than several of them, and obviously much stronger than Jack.
“Come on, Jack,” encouraged Cosmo. “You’re not scared to wrestle your cousin, are you?”
Jack didn’t notice as Cosmo winked slyly at Ossian. Climbing hesitantly down from his chair, Jack made his way to the centre of the room where Ossian stood, smiling. Slowly they circled each other, then Ossian darted forward and grabbed Jack’s arms. Jack tried to wriggle, but soon found himself sprawling on the floor. While Ossian bowed grandly to the audience’s ironic cheers, Jack quickly got to his feet and ran forward, gripping Ossian’s waist. Taken by surprise, Ossian was briefly winded, and he staggered back, tripping and falling. Mocking cheers echoed around the room. Determined not to be humiliated by his smaller cousin, Ossian stood up and moving swiftly forward, twisted and threw Jack onto the floor.
Over the next five minutes, he systematically repeated this. Time after time, Jack fell with a back-crunching thump, and yet, even as his back begged him to lie there and concede, each time he got up and faced his big cousin. After what seemed the tenth time, he staggered to his feet again, but was having trouble focussing. Cosmo stepped forward and deftly parted them.
“A worthy contestant!” he shouted, to loud applause. “Determination like this is rare. We have a mascot for tonight!”
Ossian put his arm around Jack’s shoulders. “Are you all right?” he asked anxiously. “You should’ve stayed down ages ago. If you get up, I’ve got to put you down again.”
Jack tried to speak, but no sound came out. His legs were wobbling, and the pain across his back was excruciating. Rana ran forward and tried to hug him, which made him writhe in agony.
“How come you weren’t picked?” She decided to take things out on her brother. “You’re older, you should have taken Jack’s place.”
“He couldn’t,” explained Ossian. “Cosmo chose Jack, he’d no choice. And Jack made a good go o’ it. I thought he’d stay down after the first couple o’ throws. Look, I’ll get him some heather wine, that’ll pick him up.”
Ossian returned a few moments later with two goblets full of wine.
“Your health, wee cousin!” He took a deep draught of the wine, and smacked his lips.
Jack took a sip, and immediately spluttered as the wine reached his throat.
“He shouldn’t be having wine,” shouted Lizzie indignantly. “Mum’ll be furious if she finds out.”
Petros gently released Jack’s grip on the goblet and set it down. “You can have more later if you want some,” he said. “Ossian, can I have a word?”
The pair stepped away from the table for a few moments. When they returned, Ossian pushed the goblet further away from Jack.
“Mebbe it’s a bit strong. I just thought it would help you after the wrestlin’.”
Jack’s head was not ringing so much now. He looked at Rana and Lizzie, and smiled weakly.
“I’ll be all right. Back’s a bit sore, that’s all.”
Ossian sat and looked at Jack. “You sure you’re all right? Cosmo was really impressed wi’ the way you kept gettin’ back up. He thinks you’ll bring us luck tonight.”
“What
The girls had a ringside view, but while Rana was spell-bound by the action, Lizzie found it disturbing – and yet unmissable. Jack, enthralled by the contests, shouted encouragement along with everyone else. Noting his enthusiasm, Cosmo stepped forward after one particularly energetic bout, and held up his hand.
“My friends,” he began. “These contests build us for our match tonight in France. I think we have time for one more bout. Ossian, come forward. And young Jack of Rangie, you shall challenge him.”
Jack’s heart almost stopped. He had been enjoying the contests, but had never considered taking part. Although Ossian was younger by a year or two than most of the Cos-Howe lads, he was bigger than several of them, and obviously much stronger than Jack.
“Come on, Jack,” encouraged Cosmo. “You’re not scared to wrestle your cousin, are you?”
Jack didn’t notice as Cosmo winked slyly at Ossian. Climbing hesitantly down from his chair, Jack made his way to the centre of the room where Ossian stood, smiling. Slowly they circled each other, then Ossian darted forward and grabbed Jack’s arms. Jack tried to wriggle, but soon found himself sprawling on the floor. While Ossian bowed grandly to the audience’s ironic cheers, Jack quickly got to his feet and ran forward, gripping Ossian’s waist. Taken by surprise, Ossian was briefly winded, and he staggered back, tripping and falling. Mocking cheers echoed around the room. Determined not to be humiliated by his smaller cousin, Ossian stood up and moving swiftly forward, twisted and threw Jack onto the floor.
Over the next five minutes, he systematically repeated this. Time after time, Jack fell with a back-crunching thump, and yet, even as his back begged him to lie there and concede, each time he got up and faced his big cousin. After what seemed the tenth time, he staggered to his feet again, but was having trouble focussing. Cosmo stepped forward and deftly parted them.
“A worthy contestant!” he shouted, to loud applause. “Determination like this is rare. We have a mascot for tonight!”
Ossian put his arm around Jack’s shoulders. “Are you all right?” he asked anxiously. “You should’ve stayed down ages ago. If you get up, I’ve got to put you down again.”
Jack tried to speak, but no sound came out. His legs were wobbling, and the pain across his back was excruciating. Rana ran forward and tried to hug him, which made him writhe in agony.
“How come you weren’t picked?” She decided to take things out on her brother. “You’re older, you should have taken Jack’s place.”
“He couldn’t,” explained Ossian. “Cosmo chose Jack, he’d no choice. And Jack made a good go o’ it. I thought he’d stay down after the first couple o’ throws. Look, I’ll get him some heather wine, that’ll pick him up.”
Ossian returned a few moments later with two goblets full of wine.
“Your health, wee cousin!” He took a deep draught of the wine, and smacked his lips.
Jack took a sip, and immediately spluttered as the wine reached his throat.
“He shouldn’t be having wine,” shouted Lizzie indignantly. “Mum’ll be furious if she finds out.”
Petros gently released Jack’s grip on the goblet and set it down. “You can have more later if you want some,” he said. “Ossian, can I have a word?”
The pair stepped away from the table for a few moments. When they returned, Ossian pushed the goblet further away from Jack.
“Mebbe it’s a bit strong. I just thought it would help you after the wrestlin’.”
Jack’s head was not ringing so much now. He looked at Rana and Lizzie, and smiled weakly.
“I’ll be all right. Back’s a bit sore, that’s all.”
Ossian sat and looked at Jack. “You sure you’re all right? Cosmo was really impressed wi’ the way you kept gettin’ back up. He thinks you’ll bring us luck tonight.”
“What
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