The sky was red.
It was a warm evening as Colden the young Lord of Sea-Guard played cheerfully with the common children in the city square. His mother had warned him off but every day he would find a way to climb down the high windows in the castle. He was a boy of high nobility who adamantly surrounded himself with the common people.
This was the influence of his father, someone who he looked up to. His father the Fief-lord of the East, Bael Brande was a brave man known for both his kindness and unpredictability.
Colden played with the children till sundown chasing each other throughout the Town square. He stopped by the fountain in the square to catch his breath. Sweat dripped from his chin as he smiled up at the sky. A night sky was quickly approaching a red sun. It's red brightness reminded Colden of his mother, the intensity and warmth close to that of hers.
Colden's admiration was cut short when he noticed that he was looking at the East and the sun was on the opposite horizon. He squinted his eyes to look at it trying to see what it was, the smell confirmed it. Fear overtook his body as faint screams came from that direction.
"Everybody run!" shouted a man covered in burns. Colden pulled himself from the fear and immediately ran toward the castle, deeper into the flames.
The hot wind pushed against Colden as if to warn him away. He saw the place where his mother bought grain with him every week burn. Soldiers clashed in the flames with rugged men wearing animal pelts swinging broad axes. "Die Draug scum" screamed one of the soldiers.
Colden ran through the storm of sword and flame. Finally reaching the castle door as the structure was all in flames. It was hot to the touch. He steeled himself as he thought of his family trapped in there. A young boy of fourteen showing more courage than a grown man.
He pushed with all his might. A gust of wind pushed the door open throwing him down. He got up and ran up the stairs dodging the flames, running into his parents' rooms. His father's large bed burned as his mothers perfumes breathed life into the raging fire. His sister's room was also empty just stuffed toys burning on the bed. Colden was on the verge of tears. His whole family was gone.
"Kill me already you cravens".
His breakdown was interrupted by shouting coming from down the stairs. A small conversation could be heard between the crackling flame. Colden jumped down the stairs following the voices toward the great hall. The long table that stretched the hall was shattered in two. Standing at the far end by the throne was his father and three other people.
Colden watched his father fall to his knees in front of these other people draped in green cloaks. He quickly ran to his father screaming, "Don't you touch him". Colden's father Bael looked over at his son yelling at him to stop.
"Don't hurt my son, it's me you want". The men paid him no mind keeping their hoods up to hide their faces.
"Take care of the boy Stormlight he is disturbing us right now" said the man leading the group. " Of course, sir let me take care of the young lord" answered a short, hunched man. He waved his hand toward Colden and in a flash stopped him in his tracks. Colden could not feel his body, the only sensation he felt was an ice-cold tingling radiating from his fingertips.
He couldn't move.
"Now let's continue Bael, if you try anything your son dies". The room flooded with thick black smoke.
" This is the end Bael, so what has your life been worth?" said the leader looking down, " the choices you have made have led you here, to this moment".
"My life has been full of death and duty if this my end let it be as a knight of Sea-Guard", coughed Bael as his lungs filled with smoke.
"A knight of Sea-Guard...."asked the Green Cloak, " is that all you are?"
"..."
Beal pondered the question thinking of his whole life. He thought of the first life he took. A young squire who had insulted the knight he clung too, Bael in his furry struck the boy no older than himself with a rock. That was the moment that showed him the power he held. The power that led him down a path to becoming a knight with all the pain, tears and sorrow it brought.
" I am not only that" he proclaimed.
"Then what else are you?" asked the Green Cloak as he held a sword to his throat. Bael looked over at his son standing there frozen. His eyes filled with smoke but he managed to flash a reassuring smile to his only son. Bael then steeled himself facing the leader again. "Promise me you will stop this assault on my people and let my son live, I will give you what you want".
For a moment the Green Cloak looked a taken aback by that response. "Why would you give it to us, is that not against your honor".
"Do you want to know or not?" interjected Bael. The leader nodded.
" Go to the far left of the gate in the watchtower if your fast enough you can get there in time"
"Thank you for your help but you know we cannot let you live "
Bael had already excepted his fate, he was ready for death.
"You think you have won but my honor has been given to another. My son will do what I couldn't, he will find....". A cold swift movement rushed through.
"I hope he does" said the leader slowly
moving away from Bael. Colden stood there mortified as he watched his father's head slide off his body. His heart sank to his stomach before resurfacing and beating like a drum. The leader then gestured and calling up one of his people. A tall muscular man walked up to Colden, his cloak clung to his skin exposing a dark complexion.
Before Colden could think the man lifted Colden up by the scruff of his shirt. He then struck his stomach leaving him breathless and unconscious.
***
Colden awoke to the mocking of crows.
He stumbled to his feet and wiped the soot from his face. His bright orange hair was lackluster and dirty. "Hello is anybody there" he shouted. No one answered.
He then looked back at the castle which burned to the ground.
The streets were littered with bodies some burned some stabbed. People were in shock walking around aimlessly shouting for their loved ones. Colden stopped at the fountain to rest his bare feet. His shoes had burned in the fire along with all his memories.
The fountain was red with blood as bodies of armored soldiers sank to the bottom and the bodies of the invaders bobbed on the surface. Colden looked into the fountains water seeing himself disheveled, he had not managed to make it out of the fire unscathed. His clothes slightly burned and dark. "Mother is going to kill me" Colden thought.
The shock began to fade as he remembered his mother and little sister were missing. He quickly ran to all his sisters hiding places hoping to find her there. Outside the treehouse their father built them hanging on a tree branch was a small swing. Colden though of how his mother would push him on the swing as a young child. The realization that he would never see his family again brought tears his eyes. Having lost all hope Colden dropped to his knees about to completely break.
A man on horseback came riding on a pale white horse. The glint from his armor blinded Colden forcing him up to his feet.
" What happened here boy where is the lord Bael Brande and the rest of the noble household?" asked the soldier. The soldier did not recognize the young lord in his tatter clothing even his brilliant orange hair was stifled in soot. Colden could here horses galloping in the distance. They were the men sent in from the surrounding lands, there to do their duties for their Fief- lord.
" Your too late" Colden muttered to himself.
" What did you say there boy I couldn't hear you"
He knew that from that moment he wouldn't just be an ordinary fourteen-year-old boy. He thought of his father. His smile. He wiped the tears from his face and looked into his eyes intensely.
" The lord is dead..." he said, "His family is in the wind, probably dead".
The soldier sighed, " Thank you boy" and rode off on his horse.
Colden shed a single tear as the man's back was turned to him. He promised himself that he would never lose someone he cared about again.