With a heavy sigh, I opened my eyes and sat up in my bed. A light knock sounded on my bedroom door, I alrighty knew who it was. Only one guy would dare come to my room at this hour, I'm only happy he knocked this time. Before I could call out an answer or get out of bed, the door swung open. Jasper, my best friend and head commander of my army, strolled into the room.
"Didn't sleep again?" He asked, he already knew the answer. It's been the same for over twenty years.
"No," I replied.
"Same dream still haunting you?" He pawed through my work papers that I left sitting out on my maple wood desk.
"It was different this time," I said, throwing my legs over the side of the bed.
"Oh," he froze as he looked up, meeting my eyes for a split second.
I stared back at him before sliding my hand over my face and gazed up to the ceiling. Letting the cold air from the open window wash over my face and neck.
"It was bright, like every other dream before. The dirt path was gone along with that small wooden house. I saw... dainty, calloused hands picking a strange plant I'd never seen before. I thought... I could see the border where the light turned into dark. Only for a brief moment." I said before looking back at him.
"It's been what? 23 years since you started getting those dreams. Any idea what they mean?" He asked while crossing his arms over his chest.
But they're not just dreams. They have never just been dreams. The part of these dreams that I never told anyone, not even Jasper; is that I see the images when I close my eyes. But I can also smell the grass amongst the trees. I can feel the stems of the flowers as if I was the one who picked them. I can feel the boredom from having to walk for hours and the joy after finding the plant. I can feel the weight of something heavy on my back and the exhaustion in my feet at the end of the work day.
"I don't believe they are dreams," I said, standing from my bed.
He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly wanting me to tell him more. I only stood from where I was sitting and walked toward the door. I saw him stand from my desk in the corner of my eye before I walked out the door and stalked straight to the war room on the other side of the long hallway. A room I designed when I took the throne from my uncle nearly 100 years ago. The hallways were empty of the cleaners and guards who usually would have strolled past me. They all must be hidden away in their rooms sleeping, like I should be doing. I pushed the two large black double doors with both hands and watched them swing open. Light footsteps trailed behind me as I entered the room. The clank of the buckles on Jaspers's boots rang throughout the large room, echoing off the walls. The room itself was empty except for a large round table with a slightly smaller piece of parchment laying a top it. The walls were painted a dark midnight blue with dragons carved into the paint, making them look as if they were jumping out of the walls. I glanced at the large oval-shaped windows on the roof. I circled the table and stared down at the piece of parchment. The light from the candle sticks danced across the lines drawn into the parchment.
Jasper had stopped on the opposite side of the table, but his eyes were only on me. No words were spoken between us as I examined the map laid out in front of me. The forest on the other side of the border has been almost completely mapped out.
"Why don't we have anything on the human village?" I asked, continuing to contemplate the map.
"None of the spies we sent to map the village has returned, we suspect that they have been either captured or killed," Jasper said in a neutral tone.
"I see... rally any troops that are willing to pass over the border, It's time we good see for ourselves if they still live," I said, my eyes never leaving the map.
"I will need time, but I will gather as many as I can get." He turned on his heel and marched out.
I couldn't help but stare at the map for longer than I should. I slid my finger over the tree line and then down to the river. The blank spot in the middle of the left side of the map is where the human village would be. We were able to map the forest around the village along with the smaller tribes closest to the border. There is a straight line from the border to the village, but surely the humans aren't stupid enough not to patrol that stretch of land. If I had a dozen or more men, we could make it work. But following the river to the right of the village would allow us to approach more quietly and could get us in front of the village unseen. A smaller team could do that with ease, but that's only if they don't have any hunters active around that time.
"The hunt," I whispered into the open air as a memory came flooding back to me.
I marched out of the room and stopped in front of a large window in the hallway overlooking the barracks. I spotted Jasper just starting to walk along stone the path. He looked as if he was an insect from way up here. Popping open the window, I placed my hands on the edge of the metal frame and leaned over. I couldn't stop the grin forming on my face as I tipped forward, effectively throwing myself head-first out the window. Closing my eyes I allowed the cool air to graze the top of my skin and ruffle my loose clothing. Seconds before hitting the ground, I flipped my body and bent my knees as I struck the soft grass. Dirt and dust filled the air around me like a cloud before the wind blew it away. I stood to my full height shortly after and dusted the particles off my no longer white shirt as I strolled toward Jasper.
"FUCKING HELL, ZANE!" Jasper screamed from halfway up the path. His hand grasping the hilt of his sword that he keeps strapped to his weists.
One by one, men and women stumbled out of the double doors to the barracks. Some carried small daggers while others had their fists raised in the air. Over half of them looked sleep-deprived as they scanned the area for the source of the noise.
"You are acting like you have never jumped out of a window before," I said, crossing my arms.
He looked over at the soldiers and raised his hand in the air. All at once the soldiers stood at attention, waiting for orders from their commander.
"At ease, it was just your king." He said to his soldiers.
"Tell me about the hunt," I said in a stern voice.
"The hunt?" He asked.
"That kid that passed over the border a few weeks ago with his friend, only one of them came back. He was ranting about the humans and something about a hunt... ring any bells." I said, crossing my arms.
"Yeah, that kid lives out in the countryside with his mom now... He was ranting about something he heard the humans talking about. But he wasn't making much sense." He said while rubbing his chin.
"But what was he saying about the hunt?" I asked.
"I believe he was saying. They are going to kill them... They will hunt them... They hunt them every year. Or something like that." He said.
"I think it wasn't nonsense coming out of that boy's mouth," I said, looking over at the soldiers. "How many of you are willing to raid the human village in one day!?" I said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mumbles carried throughout the crowd as they all looked toward Jasper for more information. I lifted my chin and raised my hand before Jasper could say anything.
"I am your king, you will listen to me... I am not going to order anyone to participate in this mission. But any help from those who want to join would be appreciated... There is a chance that the kids that went missing across the border are still alive. However, I believe that they will be killed a day or two from now. I am going to the village within the next couple of hours to get them out." I said. My voice was void of emotion.
The crowd was silent for a long moment. Not even Jasper made a sound as he watched the crowd. A young woman stepped out from the crowd and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"You are certain they are still alive?" She asked.
"I can't be sure of anything. It's a chance, and I'm taking it." I said firmly.
"I am going with him; if any of you wish to join us, raise your hand," Jasper said.
Only a small group of men along with the young women raised their hands. I nodded to Jasper before walking straight up to the spot where I landed from the window only moments ago. I peered up at the window with a realization emerging from my brain.
"I suppose I should close that window," I said while looking over my shoulder at Jasper with a grin.
He rolled his eyes at me, already knowing what I was going to do. I rolled and stretched the muscles in my shoulders. A burn like a wildfire lifted from the skin on my shoulder blades and spread through the nerves along my back. Inch by inch, large leathery wings, the colour of the night sky, emerged from my back, leaving trickles of blood in their wake. Stringy shadows covered and dangled over my wings like a curtain blowing in the wind. With a strong flap of my wings, my feet no longer touched the ground. I cycled the courtyard far above the buildings and the soldiers before heading straight for the open window. I slid inside with a grace I didn't know I had and turned to look down at those below. Every soldier except for Jasper was kneeling with their heads bowed as I closed the window and walked away.