An infantry of one thousand strong armed soldiers marched through the narrow reeking streets of the capital, Lotus, with deafening jubilation of their safe return, echoing across the entire capital--dressed in their royal army uniforms. They marched proudly, for some, while the peasants and beggars dressed raggedly ,lined in the streets, watching in awe and some aghastly.Curious children, with the barking of hounds raining down , too lined up in the crowded street, fighting with the grown-ups for a spot, to catch a glimpse of the returning heroes.
Amongst the excited hordes of children,two young boys,of about fifteen years or less, gawked in awe, gleaming with excitement. Of the two,a black haired boy seemed, for a second, quite deep in thoughts. As for what he was pondering about, was yet to be known.
"Henryy Leffr,"called the shorter of two, donning grey shabby clothes.
"Huh... What's it,Robb stone?!"asked Henryy Leffr, staring blankly at the passing marching soldiers and shrieking at their every heaving footsteps.
"Let's promise each other, that when we grow up like them,we too shall join the royal army and serve the king!" implored Robb stone. Henryy Leffr, too taken in by breathtaking marching soldiers, unaware of Robb stone's question, ignored much to Robb stone's annoyance.
"Henryy Leffr! Are you listening or spacing out like always?!" barked Robb stone. Like a startled rabbit, cornered by a ravished predator, Henryy Leffr snapped out of his little fantasy back to the frowning face of his friend.
"Absolutely!"Henryy Leffr replied nervously. Still frowning, Robb stone knew him better than he knew himself . That he was lying by the skin of his teeth. Each of every word he had seconds ago uttered hadn't been grasped by just taking a quick glance at Henryy Leffr's nervous sweating.
"And just what did i ask you?"asked Robb stone, smirking. Clueless of what to say, Henryy Leffr begun to scratch his fluffy black haired head, seemingly desperate on whether something could come back to him faster than like a bolt of lightning.
"You don't know,do you?"retorted Robb stone. Still scratching for a clue of what Robb stone was yapping about to pop out but nothing was coming back to him. Like an idiot,he let a smile grow out of his earlier dejected face out of a sudden.
"You never change, Henryy Leffr. Always a blockhead,"muttered Robb stone, sighing at the simpleton of his friend just Infront of him. Yet he couldn't help but gladden by his never ending foolish smile. That smile seemed to possess something magical about it. Despite his near infuriating antics, that smile, somehow cloaked away that bad side of himself to Robb stone's never ending wonder.
Both of them, since the age of four, were always closest friends, like two peas in a pod. Or more like brothers than mere friends. Together,in a scorching day,they would rush over to the river to cool themselves off themselves. Or while looking after their mothers flock of sheep and goats.
These two knew of each other more than the birds of the sky knew where the land starts from and where it ended at. Or say the fish knows where the mouth of the river begins and ends at. Bonds so strong to be severed by a mere sword, stronger than blood.
"You never stop with your foolhardy, blockhead!"hissed Robb stone, knocking Henryy Leffr's head.
"Awww... I'm sorry Robb stone,"Henryy Leffr groaned, smirking sheepishly.
"This is the thousand and,"said Robb stone, counting by his fingers," twelfth time you have spaced out like that."
"I did say I'm sorry. So what were you saying?!he asked, curiously, darting a quick glance through his fingers.
"I want you to promise me, that when we have become tall and strong like those gallant soldiers,we too shall become soldiers as well. I want you to promise me, Henryy Leffr, that we shall train ourselves until everyone takes us seriously. What do you say, Henryy Leffr?"
Henryy Leffr for a few seconds gazed at him, wondering. What great conviction! What a boy he's! His eyes, Robb stone's eye's that's,glowed with a piercing determination. To see his long held dream through.
Even that dream of his was only to be just a thought of ungraspable dream without his endearing friend and brother beside him. Together, like brothers that they saw in each other,they would see that dream come to fruition. However,Henryy Leffr didn't have it in him to reject his offer. After all,he would grow bored if his only one true friend were to join the royal army, leaving him behind to wallow in abject loneliness. Two of them would tread the across the four kingdom's side by side. With each gaze they took at each other's eyes,all they saw was just themselves in them. Life would've been meaningless without a piece of each other beside them.
" Of course. I would never leave your side,Robb stone,"Henryy Leffr replied, smiling. That smile again,so glowing,he thought. And there,a promise was sealed,by heaviness of the weight by which their tongues carried .
"From tomorrow,we begin honing our sword fighting skills," said Robb stone.
"Until we join the royal army," Henryy Leffr stressed, seriously.
"Till then." Rupturing noises continued to float above the reeking street,as Robb stone and Henryy Leffr rejoined the other excited children, gazing at the now disappearing marching soldiers out of their sight.
Their charisma and dark leather uniforms amazed them to nearly shedding a few teardrops. Deep within their untainted hearts,they were now deeply more than ever yearning to one day, that coming day,when all tall and strong, carry their kingdom's banners with a sense of pride while donning the uniforms, ready and willingly to lay down their lives for king and country.
Until that day, they swore at heart to hone their sword fighting skills. For that one coming day that the whole kingdom would look at them in the same way they were looking at the gallant soldiers, with a sense of pride and joy.
For these, they had come back from a war with their neighbouring kingdom, victorious as they laid waste to their foes. In their ranks were the horse riding Calvary, formidable soldiers who courageously traded up their lives for their king:the vanguard of the royal army. They broke the enemies front defence that dared stand up against them...
Tattered banners blew roaringly,with a crest of the royal crown,a white wolf, woven on them,were always carried to the battlefields ,visible to the onlooking crowd, to inspire it's soldiers when they were just about to face the bitter taste of defeat that the crown and their homeland needed their strength in overcoming their kingdom's adversary. But the soldiers, ragged like their own banners, fluttering roaringly,were in dismay,unmoved by the deafening jubilation.
The war had changed them -desolated,they marched towards the kings palace -for they were not the same; the same soldiers who had left their kingdom hopeful of serving their king and kingdom.
Some,happiest amongst many, had gone to the war like the roaring lions but here they were ,returning to there kingdom like drowned cats. Spiteful, the foot soldiers continued marching, stomping with their leathery boots, and donning swords as mighty as their pride.
In amongst the marching soldiers, a horse drawn wagon creaked with every turn of the wheels,and on its back,a wide skin hide covered all over it,as a group of skilled archers, who carried with them quivers, with the rear end of arrows showing, on their backs and bows clenched in their sweaty hands, stomped their feet on the dusty ground with such astute pride. They were all brave soldiers. Like a pack of wolves hunting just one injured prey.
" So the rumours were true after all?" one bald old man,a shoemaker by trade, in the crowd hissed.
" I feared so!" another replied back, hiding his face from the marching soldiers.
"Yet another kingdom has grovelled down to the might of this kingdom!" a man in an apron remarked,a tavern properitor by trade
" When will this bloodshed ever end?! " an elderly woman, with an old headscarf wrapped on her head, hissed back distraught.
" Oh, how strongly they'll hate us!" they'll agreed, quietly, nodding.
" They will be cursing us to their graves! " a young man,a baker, with his daughter by his side, stressed .
" But the king! Why must he go on with these meaningless wars?! "the old man remorsed," they've brought nothing but death and misery. If only--if only the true rightful kin.."
"Shhh..Watch what you say !" the young man cautioned the old man, " you will have us killed.
You don't know who's listening ."
" My sons died in these meaningless wars ! " cried the elderly woman, wiping her sorrowful tears, "And now my grandson, my last remaining hope and joy, is all that I've left. What if they come and take him away from me... Who then will comfort me in my dying days! Who will take away my loneliness? Who will take on the family name when he comes of age and they drag him to those wars of their. What if he too doesn't come back to me like his father, my beloved departed son. I will surely die of heartbreak."
"Take heart. Only time will tell." Unfamiliar man,with a burn scar on his left cheek, remorsed with her. He wore a black hooded cloak to hid his face. Unable to put a face to the voice, they instantly kept mum,out of fear, that he could be a royal palace spy. In silence, they watched the soldiers march towards the royal palace, trembling like a soon to be killed cornered rabbit.
As they continued their marching,with chins held high,just behind the soldiers,a handful of prisoners of war marched along; they were the captured enemy's soldiers and kingdom's noblemen . From Young to old, they trod to their gallows with leathery lashes sinking into their flesh.
Among them was a child, not old than two months, swaddled in white shawls, with her forehead scarred. She was in the arms of her mother, who seemed lifeless, like the rest of the captives,but still she held her with care and affection. Some, weakened by the long journey and hunger, resorted to crawling on all of their four limbs.As they headed towards the nobles echelon,a giant tower stood mightly, housing a gigantic iron bell. Opposite to it, a magnificent storey cottage with a balcony welcoming them. The cottage belonged to a well known merchant family. They were the Eekiel merchant family. Only one of the four rich merchant families residing in the lower echelon.
"What unpleasant sight! " Eekiel, the merchant, sneered, with a gleaming bald head.
"Good riddance! They reek of destitution, don't they?" his wife , dressed in fine gowns,agreed back. "It would've been better if they had died back in their own country!" retorted the husband as he puffed his pipe.
"They turn my stomach inside out by their mere sight." He continued puffing out smokes out of his mouth like a chimney, unmoved by their plight.
"Husband, do you suppose the king will let these vermin's live? " the wife wondered, gulping her expensive wine. She wore expensive jewellery.
"Possibly not. After all, he uses these executions to show his kingly powers and might. It would be a first if he let them live."They were merchants,both prosperous in there endeavours. And with their overflowing riches, they had lost unpurchable part of themselves.
The Kingdom of Aldia,was suited between four neighbouring kingdom, surrounded from all sides. To the north was the kingdom of sand, the kingdom of Akkad, and to the east was known as the kingdom of the black,the kingdom of Negru. And to the west,a kingdom known for its never ending winters, prided itself as the kingdom of Icia. While to the south, the feared and abhorred, for being the kingdom of the witches, came to be called as the kingdom of Enfer. There,deep within that accursed kingdom,reigned the king of the witches, whose terror quivered everyone, even the mightiest and strongest witches to submission. But one thing that all of this five kingdoms shared in common was the river,ever roaringly, that coiled itself around them, sharing it's water and life ,unbothered of who was the just and who wasn't. Like it's ,all five of the kingdom's gave this monsterous river it's name. And it came to known as the Serpert river.
Lotus, the capital, slumbered itself deep in the high mountainous slopes,sitting glorious and majestic. Many mountains surrounded these hub of trade, and where the thrown, on which the king ruled from.
The kingdom was rich in abundance. Riches, those that were tangible to the touch of hand and those unseen, were for a few. The royal and the noble families, grew arrogant and greedy, passing decrees as the custodians. Anything , good before their greedy eyes, were claimed as their own for the keeping.
Lands, fertile and those harboring deep within them, precious metals, were given to the kings loyal friends: taken from subjugated subjects by use of swords and threats. With these, the desolation that always lurked from the dark shadows,quietly slithered it's way, into the hearts of the weak and powerless.
For in this kingdom, the nobles resided in the higher echelon, at the foot of the mountain while the commoners lived in the lower echelon,under the heel of the foot . The lower echelon was the roguest, the filthiest and the capital of the kingdom. Here, the poor were aimlessly murdered, tortured and stolen from, with the perpetrators, capital thieves and murderers,going unpunished.
The kingdom's capital patrolling soldiers, of the reserved squad three,tasked to the keeping of peace and order, frequently turned a blind eye to the astrosities,even to those that happened right Infront of their glaring sight. And in return,the perpetrators would share their plunder with them. It was a capital run by cats and mice. Together the capital was theirs for the ruling, like their little own kingdom, as it's king, to pillage and plunder as they pleased.
In the higher echelon, tranquillity reigned. They drunk and ate as they desired, while their subjects, staring from down below,starved to their early deaths, hungrily watching their nobles gluttonously fatten themselves up.
Aldians, the commoners, lived in their own loathsome hell. Here, below the magnificence of the castles and the king's palace, they would gather around to scavenge, looking for the scraps from the nobles tables, thrown down for them, after having had their fill. They had always looked down upon them for centuries,as they,the vermin's below their heels, were easy for the picking and ridicule.
With no shred of dignity and pride left in them,they resorted tto fighting amongst themselves just for something to quell their growling bellies, even doing the unthinkable, like killing or maiming a fellow friend and scavenger,just to their amusement and liking.
On they marched, like ants burdened by the plunder , pillaged from the kingdom of Icia,to show it off to their king, of their victory and might.The royal palace sat at the highest of the echelon, at the summit of the mountain. It sat mightily, showing of its elegance and stature. The castle was a site to see. No man, of common birth that is or rather had been allowed to set foot or even touch it with their infested hands. So they watched from a far, gazing up to the heavens where their king sat and reigned from.
"Soldiers! " shouted the lieutenant, riding on a horseback, a higher ranked than the rest of foot soldiers. They were at a touching distance to the famed great wall ,with the entrance to the nobles quarters,a huge iron clad door welcoming them, built to keep the nobles echelon safe from the wandering vermin's.
"Lieutenant! " they all shouted back unisonly ,still marching.
"We are now entering the nobles quarters, be on your best manners ,is that understood men! " shouted the lieutenant.
He was the commander's lieutenant, with the Commander,in question, riding on a horseback just ahead of him. Silently, they marched,through the iron gate,into the echelon of nobility. Inside the erected walls, there a paradise, unknown to many, flourished, as they gazed up on it with marvel and awe.
The castles were big and wide like their miseries , with nicely kept and watered gardens, where the nobles occasionally hosted their outdoor lunches,to dine and merry.Slaves had done a neat job. Their streets were well lit, with the streets clean. Noble guards, donning black leather armor vests and black cloaks,patrolled the radiant streets, armed and ready to cut down intruders in half with their swords.
"Aye, lieutenant!"thunderously they agreed.
The land they lived in was beautiful. It was worthy of it's name;the gods paradise. Their hour was nigh;for the captured nobles and soldiers. In shackles, clanking with every step against the other, like sheep,they walked to their slaughter. Glaring with hateful eyes,they couldn't help but curse everything that they saw, praying for the day doom would come raining down upon them. In tears, they felt ashamed. Death was a gladdening escape that they would accept to put an end to their unbearable fate of despair and shame, welcoming it with open arms. Desolated, something such as it, feared by everyone, now seemed like a good deal to pass down. For in their hearts,there was not a single beat of hope within them. They were utterly defeated, in spirit and body to merely put a last ditch fight before their end could be passed down without a dignified send off or a shred of remorse.
Yet despite their tribulations,the kingdom's nobles went on about with they lavish fine dining,sitting in the sideways shades, glaring gleefully at them in disgust,of the foul stench passing through their realm.
Scruffy, and wearing shabby clothes,they were simply not a sight for sore eyes. In murmurs, they broke into unsavory gossiping of what would befall on the slaves, belittling them with mocking laughter of their shame and fall from grace.
The soldiers, unimpressed by this, were already getting hungry and parched from the long journey they had taken as they grew weaker by the second, and the nobles,all stuffed and filled -arrogantly-not helping to arrest the matter, adamantly refused the soldiers to something to subdue their biting stomachs or water their drying gobs. As they left, grimacing faces rained on any single nobleman that dared looked at them.
"What a bunch of swines !" one of the soldier muttered out a bit hoarsely, gripping his lance more tightly.
"Edwath,watch what you say! We're still in the noble's quarters," another cautioned ,an infuriated comrade." Your head will be sent flying if they hear you calling them name's. "
"But -...?" he hesitated silently.
"But what Edwath? " the soldier asked quietly with a hint of anger in his voice.
"Why should we die for these pigs, they eat all day without a care in the world about our lives?"Edwath asked lividly ,"are our lives that meaningless to theirs?! Are we fated to...? "
"Shut it, Edwath! For heaven sake,you will have our heads put on pikes if you don't shut your mouth"The infuriated comrade warned him as they marched now towards the royal palace entrance gate.
"Elvyn! You didn't answer me. Are our lives so meaningless that we are unworthy of bread and water?"he asked, as sweat dripped down on him like gently rainfall.
"No we're not!" replied Elvyn with his head sunken with shame.
"But I don't understand why we allow ourselves to fight for them? Elvyn?! "Edwath asked curiously, in murmurs.
"Because we are soldiers first and foremost. We must obey our superiors ,not out of willingness but for our families, " Elvyn calmly explained to the clueless Edwath. There fellow soldiers,listening in, nodded agreeingly with him. They knew better;the price for disobedience.
" I don't follow?!"replied Edwath.
" Ignorance follows the young!."Elvyn wisely tried to open the eyes of a fool and novice. Tho' not on the wrong with his judgement, he would fall into a snare like a fool .A foolish mind but a justful heart he had.
"Now it has come to insults,huh? " an angry Edwath inquired.
"No my friend. You misunderstood me, what i'm trying to make you understand is that, a small misstep would cause dire consequences on your part," explained Elvyn as now he was out of breath.
Edwath, deeply in thoughts -actual trying to comprehend what Elvyn had just said - came to a realization what Elvyn was passing across.
"Ah, i do understand now. We're like birds in a birdcage within another birdcage! " Edwath said with a sigh. Their commander's,who had been listening in to their conversation, despite their struggling efforts to speak quietly without been heard, sighed . Yet his orders for their reprimanding against the two of them was still kept locked behind the huge head of his. For the grave crime of sullying the nobles good gracious names. Something was off about him.
"Isn't it great when two minds start to think alike, don't you think so Edwath? "Elvyn asked, with a forced smile but somehow relived that a son of Aldia had been saved from a disastrous path.
They all wondered if their was any hope left for them. In the war, they had seen and experienced hell itself. They were not told that it was going to be a living hell ,a hell that they were going to relive everyday for the rest of their miserable lives.
Like children, too naive for their own good, came to believe that the war was for a noble cause, that it was for the pride of their beloved kingdom and gullibly ,without a questioning,they followed the orders handed down to them. But alas! A war, which was supposed to be a noble just war, turned on its head into an annihilation against the people of kingdom of Icia, after year's of fighting. That very hell turned their stomachs inside out.
Back at home,in there beloved adoring kingdom, they were being cheered on,seen as the heroes of the mighty Aldia kingdom, for their valour in the face of the enemy. But who would tell them the truth? The real truth that they were the ones who had lost! Not the war of the spear or shields but the war of their very own being. They had lost the war of the hearts.
Out of the nobles quarter's, they had finally arrived at the gate of the royal palace. The royal's quarter's too had a great fortified wall that surrounded it, all round the mountain, with a bronze gate erected at it's entrance. Also at the main entrance, two royal palace soldiers stood guard,manning to the teeth. They wore black leathered shoes, trousers and leathery vests, with a red cloak on their shoulders that screamed elegance.
Up in the two towers that stood hovering with sheer intent of piercing fear into an enemies heart, housed an iron bell, while the other shielded the royal guards from the scorching sun as they kept a watchful eye, armed with bows and arrows, were also donning in red cloaks. On the walls, giant crossbows had been mounted to repel any advancing enemy.
"Halt. State your business, soldiers?! " asked one of the royal palace guards. Suddenly they stopped on their tracks. No one was allowed to pass into the royal palace without a pass.
"We seek an audience with His Highness the King," answered the lieutenant "we bring good tidings to his Highness. We are from the Icia kingdom infantry."
"His highness, the king, has been waiting for your arrival, you are hearby permitted entry into the royal courtyard." Then, forcefully, they opened the silvered gate with all their might. As soon as it had yielded,what they saw was heaven itself. The ground was marbled and the gardens greener than the any grass. It's trees were as tall as the tales of ages ago. And it's fountains were beautiful like the lips of undeflowered maiden. Also were hundreds of royal guards that patrolled inside the palace wall armed with lances and swords.
But mostly,they were marveling at the rare sight of seeing the castle that laid before their very own eyes. It was atop,at the summit of the mountain, with many stairs leading to the palace door. Stairs as many than they could count, their king slept in there waiting.
Enviously, they went in holding onto their jaws, along with the slaves,staggering, and a horse drawn wagon filled with plunder that they had brought as spoils of war for their king. As they entered the royal courtyard,a soldier with a short beard approached them, wearing a strapped belt around his waist;a sheathed sword strapped on his right thigh and a sheathed dagger on the other side. His skin was light tanned, with a burn scar on his left cheek. He wore the famed royal kings guard uniforms-a dark brown leather vest, black leather shoes and a white cape seated on his shoulders, with a huge round dark brown button, and on it the king's self-appointed guard emblem,of the white wolf. He was the closest to the king beside the queen herself. Inside the noble and royal echelon, they were known as The king's Sword .
Whenever a person held the crown and King in contempt, they would seek and weed them out. They also acted as the kings ears and eyes, but mainly their clandestine mission was to cut down witches. It was their doing that there were hardly any witches in the kingdom,for they had been hunted out from their once previous home to the damned forest. There, they lived in solitude. The war commander, together with his lieutenant,dismounted from their horses which neighed, breathing heavily out of overexertion.
"Welcome to the royal palace, " said the king's right-hand man . "I'm Vladd, nice to meet you all! " He was the captain of the king's sword,a special squad reserved only for the royal family's,for their protection and safety.
" Glad to meet you as well captain. I am commander Bramm," replied the war commander,saluting each other with a thumping fist on to their chests. "These are my soldiers and the captured enemy,unfortunately their Queen died by a stray arrow to the heart."
"Oh, i see, "said Vladd nodding." Well then,i shall inform His highness,the king,of your presence, patiently wait in the royal courtyard. "
"Much appreciated, captain," thanked Commander Bramm. Vladd was of medium built and his hair was as black as tar but what had caught commander Bramm's eye were his eyes :for you see, he had red ones -deep red eyes. They screamed of a fiery wild beast in them. He was four and a half meters tall. And Vladd, agile and flexible as a cat, climbed the mountain of stairs in less than a minutes .The royal palace door guards,on noticing the king's guard,hurriedly opened the palace door to make way for him. Patiently they waited,gawking in awe of the kings palace for it was heavenly .
"Elvyn, have you ever seen the king? " asked Edwath.
"Not really. But I have seen the queen once,"remarked elvyn.
" The queen!" Edwath asked astonishingly. " How did that happen? "
"Believe it or not, it was way back. She was pregnant,i think, but that's irrelevant, " answered Elvyn seemingly uninterested.
"Oh... Is that right? " Edwath sneered.
"Be serious for once,you whimsical! " Elvyn cautioned him.
"You boy's! Will you keep it down!" commander Bramm barked the orders." You're in the king's courtyard, behave yourselves, is that understood? "
"Yes,Ser! " both agreed in unison.
"Good. Don't embarrass the royal army with your petty antics, " said Commander Bramm,now calmly.
As they waited, the palace door , creaking, was opened wide, with the king of Aldia emerging out wearing a golden crown on his head. He was dressed in the royal gowns with a purple cloak long enough to sweep the floor clean ,he also wore a woolen shirt and a cotton trouser.
He was about three meters tall, with curly black hair and a bulging belly streaching his shirt almost to tear.Upon setting their gaze on the king,the soldiers quickly got down to one knee , saluting with their heads sunken to the ground.
"Raise your heads high, soldiers! " he commanded . He was King Hernius Wolff, from the great royal house of the white wolf.And all rose up to once again see their king. Calmly, King Hernius Wolff walked down to meet his soldiers with his guard, Vladd, right beside him."I'm told that my soldiers finally put an end to that despicable Queen and her army , is that right? " king Hernius Wolff asked as he descended.
" Aye, Your Highness! " answered back ,one of the four war commanders, Bramm. " What good tidings you bring! " exclaimed the king.
"All the glory goes to you, Your Highness, " insisted commander Bramm. Now the king was halfway through the stairs with his robe heavily tiring him.
"Ah,yes -yes," the king strongly agreed back. " You are all my subjects and all your heroic victories became bestowed upon me "
"Agreed your Highness," Vladd insisted strongly ,as he walked side by side with the king. "Absolutely your highness! " commander Bramm responded rightfully." Your royal army,after years of war with our kingdoms enemy, was successful in defeating the kingdom of Icia. We were able to plunder treasures from their royal palace, to present them as tribute before you,your highness." Bramm on note, gestured to his men to present the tribute for the king, that they had brought on a wagon. Hastily, Elvyn and a fellow soldier uncovered the wagon and on it were treasures of great worth from crowns, silver to jewelry . On seeing the large heap of treasure, the king was filled with ecstasy,as he commanded Vladd to take his treasures inside the royal
palace treasure chamber.
"Your highness, we also brought the noblemen of the kingdom of Icia, " commander Bramm reminded the king."What would you wish we do with them, sere? "
The king, uninterested with his gift of slaves, after deliberating for less than a minute , gave his orders.
"Kill them! All of them!"the king ordered,sneering. In amongst the slaves ,there was a two months old child, and her death had been decided in an instant. The king,as he ascended back to his castle, and unbothered to rewarding his soldiers for their part in the victory, forgot to even thanking them. The royal guards had already drawn out their swords, ready to fly off their heads at the royal abattoir. Edwath, unable to fathom what was happening, rushed forward prostrating down on his knees. Vladd, on high alert,had already drawn out his sword, ready to strike down the impetuous young soldier. But he paused, in his track,on seeing the young soldier pleading.
"Your Highness! Show mercy on this child, " Edwath begged, prostrating at the foot of the stairs. The king, surprised by the gall of the vermin to defying his kingly decree almost made him to call for his head out of anger
" Insolence! What's this that I hear,eh? A vermin like you asking for my mercy for that flea of a child! " the king questioned him in fury. Vladd held onto his sword, cautiously.
"A thousand pardons for my rudeness, your highness, but please, take pity on it. I humbly plead with you, " Edwath implored, begging still on his knees. The king, unsympathetic , still desired for its death. In his thoughts, he came with a reprisal for the vermin that dared defy him.
"Vermin! I will grant you your wish but i demand you of one thing ," roared king Hernius Wolff , " failure to accept this condition will see you and that flea whom you desperately wish to save die all together."
" Understood your highness. I accept your condition," Edwath answered back. Many thoughts now flooded his mind, of what the king would have him go through if he did turn down his condition and what in hell had him think he was a hero of any sort . And there he was, prostrating before a man for the sake of a child he knew nothing about.
"You must accept to part ways with one of your eye or the child dies! " the king stated .An eye of mine he says? Edwath was swimming in the turbulent waters of regretful thoughts and unanswered questions. He was in a dilemma, save the child and lose an eye or refuse the condition and both of them die. Edwath was now caught between a rock and a hard place. But even to him, the only viable choice was as clear as a blue sky.
" I choose to have my eye gouged out, your highness, " he replied unflinchingly. Every single soldier present there gazed at him in astonishment. This was unheard of in the many years that they being serving the king and kingdom. Not once did the king agree to a measly commoner to change his kingly decree,at least not any other which that they knew of.
"Good. Vladd! "the king called out.
"Your Highness?!" answered Vladd, bowing before him. "Gouge out one of his eye," ordered King Hernius Wolff.
"As you command,your highness!" Vladd replied back, bowing. Composed, he walked towards the soldier, who was still on his knees, drew out his dagger from its sheath: a miniature Sabre. It's hilt was short,but enough for a strong grip. He tightly wrapped his fingers around it, with the blade curved and edge sharp.. "You two come here and hold him down," he called out two of the royal guards. Tightly, they held him, with creases forming on his forehead,as Vladd raised his head up. Elvyn, with his fellow soldiers, were almost moved to tears, holding it back,for he or they'll saw Edwath act as more noble as it could get,a selfless deed that needn't not be wept over for but to be exalted for and the soldier he had called a fool awhile back was now more of a man than he was, he told himself, to risk his own life for the sake of a child he knew nothing of. Truly, Edwath was the embodiment of a true son of Aldia.
"Which eye do you want gouged out ? " Vladd asked, calmly. "The right eye, ser, "replied Edwath in tears.
"Left it is. " And with that, Vladd sank his dagger into his left eye as the soldier groaned and wriggling his body in absolute pain, cursing and crying,while the king chuckled, taking every ounce of pleasure in his agony. His face now was fully covered in his own blood as Vladd finally gouged out his eyeball, pulling out of it's eyesocket and dropping it down on the marble courtyard. It lay there, looking all bloody and disgustingly,as Edwath writhed on the blood smeared ground, drowning further deep into a river of unimaginable pain and despair.
"Vladd! Squash it to paste! " commanded the king furiously.
"Yes,your highness. " With one foot, Vladd stamped on it to paste. The king on watching the eye turned to nothing but a bad piece of art, ascended back to his palace laughing himself to death.
" Captain, what do we do with this child? "asked one of royal guards. Tired and his hands covered in blood, Vladd was a bit lost in thoughts.
"What's that? "Vladd inquired again.
"The child , captain. What do we do with it? " he asked.
"Oh, that! Take it to the orphanage. Ensure it arrives at the orphanage still breathing, if not you will be without a head, do you understand? " Vladd ordered.
"Understood captain,"he replied, taking the child from its mother who unsurprisingly resisted despite her weakened state. She, with her last goodbyes for it, kissed it and soon enough it begun to cry in the arms of a stranger.
"Huh,what's this?the child is freezing?Way colder than a usual coldness! "he murmured to himself,nearly dropping it down . His hands were as cold as a river's near to the break of dawn numbing water.
Edwath, holding his hand onto his severed eye, glanced at the child to whom he had traded his eye for and she, truly, was a beautiful and innocent child. And with that, any shred of regret in his heart vanished like a slithering smoke. He was proud of his little deed. Elvyn, worried, ran to check up on his injured friend. He now had an empty eye socket but still he smiled
"You are the stupidest person I've ever seen! " said Elvyn with teary eyes and a held back smile."That's was brave of you Edwath. You truly have bigger balls than mine now, partner." They both let out a laugh with Edwath spurting out some blood.
"Now you are just pulling my leg, Elvyn ," Edwath replied, breathing heavily, as Elvyn held him under his shoulders lifting him up, carrying him off to the horse drawn wagon. Commander Bramm stood there lost of words,astonished by what had just transpired before his very own eyes. Everyone stood rooted but yet marvelled by the selfishness of their fellow comrade.
As they quietly marched out of royal palace courtyard, back to their fortress camp, with a setting sun bidding them farewell,one thing that wasn't further from the truth was that the gods had lost the first of the many coming battles to nothing but a wretched common vermin.