The rain fell steadily on the castle walls, while the flames of a candle flickered in the darkness of my room, occupied by chic furniture and thin curtains, blown by the wind coming from the half-open door to the balcony. On the wide, ornate bed, rested a robust man, with a few gray locks emerging from a large mane. The cold climate began to take over the room, forming a light mist under the feet of the bed and waking me up, the king of the human nation.
— … Ah… — I sighed, after a long breath — … That sound and that air… how long has it been since the last time I was able to feel them?
The brightness of the flame revealed tiredness and wrinkles on my face, with small, blurry eyes that looked around for something else that could remind me of the past, finally resting them on a long sword, next to the headboard, protected by a lightly decorated silver scabbard.
— … Ah… — followed by another heavy breath — … About twenty years… I think… That was a long night — I commented, pulling the blade out.
The room slowly changed, as memories returned, causing the walls to give way to trees. The dark ceiling, a clear and starry sky, the smooth, misty stone floor, gave the sensation of grass and dew, the sound of horses' hooves approached calmly, becoming clearer and clearer.
We were at the end of our third night outside the city walls, we left because of a selfish desire of mine, to find adventure, excitement, and freedom. Somehow, I had managed to get a total of 32 people for this "expedition", ten of us were on horses, however, everyone already looked tired. And after three moons, the city had already disappeared on the horizon, our rations were also running out and apart from some occasional howls, nothing remotely interesting seemed to happen around us, even after we entered a forest.
Some squires, carrying large bags on their backs and shields in their hands, shuffled along the path, muttering in whispers. When the captain of the guard approached me on his spotted horse and said — Your Highness, perhaps we'd better go back, our provisions are running low… and the pages are exhausted, and… Even if we go back now, we might have to resupply in some village along the way, if we encounter danger, then… — I stopped my horse, with a light pull on the reins, I looked around, with the captain still reporting the situation, although I was no longer paying due attention. The gentle and constant forest breeze barely moved the leaves of the trees and bushes, except for the constant annoyance of my friend's voice, the forest was in a silence that made it seem like there wasn't even a single animal nearby.
— Haaaaa… Very well… — I interrupted Captain Brayan — let's go back.
Relieved, my entourage seemed to smile, when in the middle of pulling my horse's reins to turn, a faint voice cut through the silence of the forest, grabbing my attention and making me turn my head repeatedly, looking for its direction. After a few seconds, the voice cried out again, this time, more audible, but still weak, it sounded like a female voice, a little hoarse, but young, perhaps a child's, the third time, the cry was already clearer.
— Help… Help me… Someone… please…!
— Your Highness…
— Yeaah!! — I roared, hitting the reins on the horse's neck, which ran towards the voice. Jumping over fallen bushes and trunks, skirting trees and thick branches, Orion, my steed, trotted as fast as he could, through that green and gloomy labyrinth, dimly lit by the full moons, which crossed, in increasingly smaller beams, the leaves of the forest, becoming increasingly dense.
— … It could be a trap… so be prepared — I heard my friend shout, just behind me, as the sound of footsteps and gallops began to echo.
My heart beating and the autumn wind on my face, I could finally feel the emotion I was looking for. A broad smile on my face and the growing feeling that I had found my duty, as I approached the languid youthful voice calling for help, guided me without excitement.
— Help, help me, someone… please, my parents… my village — the plea continued.
Until, in a fright, jumping over the bushes, my horse appeared, next to a young and small girl, wearing a simple beige dress, well-worn at the ends, messy hair, weak appearance and dry lips. She was startled and fell back, barely holding herself up with her thin arms, she was shaking with fear, but barely crying, even with her irritated eyelids and red cheeks.
— Na… No… please… ma… mom… Sniff… daddy, I… I'm so tired… where are you?
I was surprised, that child looked like she had been running, looking for help, for more than a night, barefoot, without stopping, dirty with dirt and soot, the little girl trembled with every sniffle. Furthermore, I was already getting ready to get off my horse, when Brayan caught up with me, arriving less abruptly than me, he stopped next to me, holding my shoulder.
—Wait Your Highness, leave this to Officer Maeve, it will be easier for the girl to calm down.
— … Well, so be it — I replied, after a brief moment, in the calmest and most friendly way I could.
A fog that I didn't remember began to take over the forest and in a few moments it fell lightly over my feet, showing me the stone walls of my room, and an unlit candle, almost completely melted, on top of the nightstand next to me. Side of my bed.
— … Haha … I must be getting old … even my memories weigh on my shoulders now — I thought to myself, as I looked for the jug of water, which a servant had left next to the bed earlier. Feeling hastily in the dark, every second more anxious, until I bump into something and hear a clink followed by a wet sensation — Damn! — I scolded, getting up, trying to avoid the water, and find the bell to call the maid. I touched it, and a sharp, soft metal sound echoed from the room to the castle, I then looked towards the door, expecting to see the young girl in a black and white dress, with ruffles, who always responded to my call in such a way. Quickly and cautiously. But not a single sound of footsteps approached and after about 3 minutes she shook the bell once more, and twice more after that, still no response.
— But what is happening, where is this girl — I asked myself out loud, as I got up and opened the door to the hallway, leaving behind the curtain of my room, swinging in the cold wind of a rainy night.
The dimly lit corridor stretched from one side to the other, and with the fog from the room spreading over the floor, the atmosphere took on a dark and sinister tone with each step I took, my instincts screamed as I approached the servant's room. . I pushed open the dark oak door without thinking much, and a strong smell of metal invaded my nose, making my head spin and throwing me back into memories. However, now, I held the firm hilt of a long sword in the shape of a cross, with the metal reflecting a pale blue light, coming from the only moon, that night, Morgana, a viscous and red liquid, began to flow down the blade.
— Argh!!… Cough, pfft!
The spat of blood hit my young self's face, while the body of a burly, menacing-looking man began to weigh down on me, now it was the smell of burning that took over my sense of smell. I threw the corpse forward, and pulling the sword from its chest I could finally notice the surrounding environment, simple stone and wooden constructions, spread out in disarray, around a small square with a well. The thatched roofs burned rapidly as my escort fought off a band of marauders, protected in dark leather armor, and armed with torches and metal tools. "Maybe they were peasants from another village?" I thought.
— … Your Majesty?! … Your Majesty!!
— Ha, ha… And… I'm here, captain… Ha, ha… — I replied, panting.
— We need to get him out of here… It's very dangerous! — shouted the escort leader, as he approached with a raised shield.
— About… What are you talking about — I shouted, young, foolish and inexperienced, as I stood up and steady my body, with a wide smile on my face — the battle has barely begun… and we still have to find the girl's parents…
An arrow whizzed past my face, stopping me with a fright and putting me on guard, but without altering my excitement for the fight. Seeing the situation, the captain of the guard raised his sword with his right hand and swung it in circles in the air, while throwing his left arm, with the shield over my shoulder, covering us and pulling us closer to the forest.
— Ah!… Hey, wait a minute… Argh, stop, I said… What, are you doing Brayan, we have to fight… the villagers…
— Enough, Prince Art! — shouted the knight with an impassive face.
—But… — I replied, now with a slightly smaller smile.
— This is not an adventure… We are not in a fairy tale…
A heavy bang hit the shield, while sparks jumped over the metal, darkened by shadows, the captain, who hesitated for a moment, with a look of pain, pushed me again, the prince, while the other knights formed a defense behind him. Around us, trying to retreat into the forest. The sound of arrows flying was clearer this time, there were several, in one second, buzzing sounds cut through the air, and in another, shrill thumps sounded from shields and armor, then screams and the sounds of footsteps on the mud approached.
— Don't let them get away — shouted a hoarse, guttural voice.
Sparks flew, while a light, hot, red and yellow, spread from the corners, increasing by the second and moving fiercely.
Surprised, I stopped fighting the recoil, and began to focus and count, the smile on my face gave way to an expression of anger and disgust.
— …Eight — I whispered.
— … Ha… Hagh… What? — asked the captain, already starting to get tired.
— Eighteen, we are eighteen… — another arrow flew, but this time without a click — … of… seventeen… we were 23 when we left the forest.
- Yes…
—Then why are we only coming back in sixteen!
The defense crumbled more and more, decreasing in size with each arrow or cut without a sound answered, the knights grunted and groaned step by step retreating, shouted in question.
— We can't hold them any longer!
—Captain!?
- What will we do?!
The voices, thick from men and fierce from women or trembling from young people, echoed in my head, while the smell of iron rose through my nostrils, almost making me vomit, the captain began to tear up, his back to his soldiers.
— I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, but the king ordered me... the king ordered me to... to protect him.
— … It's okay, Brayan … it's not your fault — said the young man, raising his hand and in a hoarse voice — … Beran fulminis hryre, Iragewed!
Fifteen rays of light descended from a clear sky, as if cutting through the night in vain, again and again, exploding onto the ground in flashes of blinding white light. In a few seconds, what was the vision of a bloody and misty battlefield, turned into a dark, stone room surrounded by the sound of rain. The floor was painted red, with the body of a young woman, stretched out on it, dressed in a black and reddish uniform full of frills. Her hair, long and tossed, her skin pale as chalk and her eyes, dull green, lifeless, dry tears running down her face.
I, the king, retreated, excited and terrified, I thought about shouting for help, but I didn't, I remained silent, extinguished with my hand, I slowly looked around, looking for something that was missing, something that should be in the body, but it wasn't. A blade, which from the tear in the dress, must have been from a broadsword, used to pierce the heart of the poor girl, whose name I didn't even remember.
— The blood... It seems dry, so it has been going on for some time... How many hours — I asked myself, murmuring — did I see it before I went to sleep... next to... my son...
A terrible thought crossed his mind.
— Arthur, Morgana and Melissandra — I exclaimed somewhat muffled — my children and wife, are they okay, no, there's no way the guards didn't notice the disappearance of a servant, and the presence of someone so vile, they have to be okay …
A sharp sound interrupts me, followed by a piercing cold breeze, chilling my blood and momentarily paralyzing me. A flash surrounds me, without sound, the light fades, and once again the environment changes. The forest and the soldiers returned, my young self, heir to a throne, follows with my hand raised to the heavens, and quickly lowers it, with my palm open and my arm pointing in front of me, a gap between the soldiers who held shields. The voice doesn't seem to come out, as beams explode white, blinding everyone and leaving only a deafening noise of explosion and electricity. As soon as the vision returns, the escort notices, with relief, that the bandits who surrounded us now fall to the ground one by one, with the exception of two or three who look like charcoal statues, with their feet planted on the ground.
The noise, still in the ears of the survivors of the battle, slowly reduces and becomes just a hum, while the remaining knights, Amazons, squires and shieldmaidens begin to jump, celebrate and apparently scream with happiness, with tears running down their faces. , and an expression that mixes relief and sadness. Some time passes, until the captain composes himself, puts away his sword and attracts the attention of the entourage, who quickly gathers together. Organized, in a semi-circle in that scenery that mixes, field, forest, ruins and smoking bodies, all on a night bathed in the blue light of the moon in a clear sky. It is still possible to distinguish men and women from the burned bodies, but whether they were young or old, I will never know, because they attacked us, I never found out either.
Clearing his throat, the captain begins — well done guys, we survived the battle, but we can't relax yet — he said, still with a ringing in his ears.
— Our mission is not over yet — I shouted firmly, leaving my trance.
—Exactly, we still have to return to the castle…
— But first, let's put out the rest of the fires and look for survivors, and... — his voice trembled — bury our allies and the villagers... who haven't been... cremated.
— Yes, Your Highness — they responded in a shout.
— Captain, send a squire to the forest to call Maeve and the rest of our group as well.
— Yes, sir — he replied, a little hesitant, but relieved.
I looked up, the blue moon, Morgana, shone opaquely, almost full, while Merlin, the red and smaller one, slowly disappeared in a thin waning phase, almost at its end. The month of winds was approaching its end, two more nights and we would begin to face a complicated period, of strong magic and low temperatures. But the memory ended there, and I found myself back in my room, holding the bag tightly.
I looked up, the blue moon, Morgana, shone opaquely, almost full, while Merlin, the red and smaller one, slowly disappeared in a thin waning phase, almost at its end. The month of winds was approaching its end, two more nights and we would begin to face a complicated period, of strong magic and low temperatures. But the memory ended there, and I found myself back in my room, holding tightly to the scabbard of my sword and a stained white ribbon.
— I need to find my family — I thought, drawing my sword and leaving my quarters, I threw my sheet over the body of the maid, whose name I didn't remember, I chanted a prayer that my father had taught me as a child and walked through the stone corridors, barely illuminated by light. My castle, in search of an ally. The wind seemed to blow wherever I was, my mind began to waver, reminding me that I hadn't been at my best, perhaps for many years. The rain from before seemed to move away, when I started to hear a commotion. They looked like knights running, and I was already in the entrance hall, surrounded by darkness, with only a reflection of moonlight coming through the windows, along with a cold, icy wind, which was followed by some screams.
I ran to the dark oak door, and heard, calm and lifeless, my son's voice say — Not yet my king, the stage may have become a little messy, but your appearance must still wait.
I turned around wanting to hug him and, without caring, a glow advanced towards me, and then a feeling of cold inside me, followed by a damp heat in my clothes and the sight of a firm, cold and vengeful gaze.
— Ah… — I sighed — … I failed, didn't I?
—…
The sounds began to disappear.
— … I'm sorry … my son … cough, cough — I coughed up blood when Merlin appeared from behind a cloud, lighting up the room and hiding my blood.
— ,,, — the young prince remained silent, looking at the gate, as if waiting for something.
"I'm sorry… Morgana… but it seems like not everything went… as he planned…" I coughed once again, interrupting my thoughts, I felt my eyelids get heavy.
"… I hope you are well… my girl, my mistakes were big and now… they will torment you…"
I went back into the darkness, felt my feet being dragged and heard some unintelligible murmurs, and one last memory came to mind, the face, dirty with soot, of a beautiful woman, with thin, dark eyes, shining in the flames, and brown. hair. Short and messy.
- … Mai.