500 Words 2024/25: read a finalist's story from the 8-11 category

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This story was chosen as a top 50 finalist for 500 Words 2024/25.

Remember, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not taken into account for a 500 Words story, therefore all the top 50 stories have been published how they were submitted.

The Battle of Battington Manor

I am Lord Chester Battington. I live a simple life mostly, loafing around the manor and such. But the time of day I most enjoy is dinnertime, when my faithful servants bring me my meals. You know, those freshly caught Pittenweem prawns and delightful roast chicken. This is how I lived until about six months ago. Until 'he' arrived. Viscount Schwarz Blitz! Little did I know but he would be my sworn enemy for the next year to come.

And so, I continued my lordly lifestyle until that fateful day, the day he dared to enter my grounds. You wouldn't believe the cheek he showed me, he flapped into the manor like he owned the place. I don't even know how he got in; I have facial recognition on that door! He had the audacity to eat from my kitchen and use my toilet! Luckily, I managed to chase him off the property before he did any real damage, but that's just how it began. (Our feud I mean).

I felt I was in real danger now so decided to step up security, I took walks around my grounds after sunset each night and even slept downstairs sometimes.

After all this work dealing with Viscount Schwarz Blitz, I called on my masseuse to give me a massage. When you're as fancy as me you always have one. It's just regular life. I do not care for many people, only my favourites who include my chefs, masseuse and entertainers.

One day, while scouting my grounds for the enemy, I spotted him. He was standing under the apple tree at the back of the manor looking smug. This was it. I knew it. The time for battle! I unleashed my power, and we began to fight.

"Let us fight for the manor, Lord Chester Battington!" hissed Viscount Schwarz blitz.

We fought for hours, neither of us landing a blow except for the occasional scratch. I didn't know how to beat him! We clashed together and both fell to the floor, still fighting we rolled down the hill and into a ditch. As we climbed out, he called a battle cry. It was loud and a bit yowly, in a word, caterwauling! Our battle continued through the night, becoming less of a battle of strength and more a battle of wits. I could see he was getting tired but so was I. I knew I had to keep fighting though because if I stopped, he would get the better of me. It was then his foot slipped, and I backed him up against the fence that divided my manor from the outside world. I had beaten him, and he knew that. He called out one last yowly battle cry before excepting he was defeated. And so, I walked back to the manor and slinked into my warm and comfortable bed.

In the morning, I got up and started this cycle again, such is the life of a cat.

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