A New Beginning

The Honest Truth

D.E. 171

Lieutenant Debra Zayne headed to a rock to sharpen a blade when a soldier yelled out, "A royal messenger is here! ATTENTION!" Debra quickly kept her miserly blade in its scabbard and ran towards the vast and empty field to line up. All the soldiers saluted and the messenger broadcasted, "General Simon Douglas, Colonel Ethan Keith and Lieutenant Dale Zayne, proceed to the castle. You are appointed to meet and greet the Holy, Most Majestic King, King Richards! Please proceed. Debra caught a stray glance from Colonel Emma Keith before Emma went to look at her brother leave. Debra also worriedly look at Dale, afraid that something bad would happen to him. He gave her an assuring look, one he would always give when he would illegally go out to bars with his friends when he was younger and their mother was not at home.

Later in the evening, the same royal messenger came back but this time he went to announce that the three who went would not be coming back to their pasture anymore. Instead, they would now work for the king solely at the castle. Debra paced up and down but quickly saluted when she saw Colonel Emma Keith walk towards her. Everyone always had a laugh when saying the Douglas and Keith names because they had the same position and were thus called the same thing. Now there would be no more similarity. Even Dale was gone to have the same effect with Debra.

"Hey Lieutenant. How are you doing?" Emma said gently.

"Fine Colonel. I am doing fine Colonel," Debra said in the only answer they were allowed to give to superiors. She also quickly saluted. Emma laughed, "You can be honest Debra. No sane thirteen year old girl would be fine when her only family is separated from her." Debra blushed before bowing her head down again, "No, I'm not fine. I really wished he were here. I really do."

"So do I. So do I." The next month, Emma and Debra had a cold surprise when they saw General Douglas walked towards them with a royal messenger in the night, both of them wearing solemn looks on their faces. That was bad news. The fact that General Shayne Douglas looked solemn was bad enough. Her face was usually stoic, void of all emotions. Emma and Debra quickly saluted with their faces quickly changed into their 'poker faces'.

"I am sorry to tell you this Colonel Keith for your brother, Colonel Keith, has died. Even worse was that he died a coward, unwilling to tell our Majestic, Most Superior King Richard anything," the messenger said before turning to Debra, "your brother was even more a coward. He disappeared without a second thought. A coward. A fucking coward! There is nothing to hide from King Richard! He knows everything!" Suddenly a yellow arc filled the sky, plunging once into the messenger's stomach before it quickly disappeared back into its scabbard.

"You can take your fucking 'cowards' and shove it up your ass. He isn't a coward. That is what I call bravery," Emma hissed. Shayne joined in but her hand did not move, "You said my brother was brave and loyal? He is not. He is the fucking coward. The fucking traitor in our family. He told the truth didn't he? That is called fear. No? Are you feeling fearful now messenger? That is what my fucking 'brave' brother felt when he spilled all those words. Coward. Leave tell your most 'majestic' fucker of a king that. Tell that magic sucking leech that. Straight to his face. I dare you. Fear not you will die from your king. If you do not tell you can kiss your 'beautiful' life goodbye first. Now which do you choose?" Debra just stared but then when she closed her eyes it could be seen that there were eyes as cold and as blue as ice staring straight at the messenger. Then her eyes turned back to its dark brown shade.

As the messenger left, Emma and Debra could see that there was a deep wound at the small of his back. Then they noticed Shayne holding a dagger as long as her hand that was covered in blood from the tip of the blade to the dagger's hilt. Only when the three of them were truly alone did Emma fall to her knees and collapsed crying.

"Debra you're not from here too right?" Shayne asked. At Debra's puzzled look, Shayne explained, "the cuts on your arms and legs tell everything." Debra nodded. Emma whispered, "Hey, do you guys want to leave this hell? Like go downhill. The one which we all go when we come first come here? The area is even bigger than that fucker's castle... We can also save your brothers if we do not work for Richard anymore."

"I just remembered Dale has children. They're four this year. They live in the countryside. Maybe we can save them if we kill Richard?" Debra asked, almost as though she was pleading. Shayne finally answered, "I'll go for one reason. One reason only. You both are going. We aren't friends but I feel a responsibility to take care of you guys."

"But we are going for our brothers. Debra is trying to see if she can save him and his family. In my case, it is to avenge Ethan. So..." Emma replied.

"Then I'll go for you and your brothers. Remind me the next time we storm the palace for me to kill Simon. Thank you. That bastard is a fucking crowned general now. Maybe I will go for another reason. To kill him and not have to listen to him any longer. That fucking traitor," Shayne growled, "we can go and see who will join us tomorrow. We shall leave the day after tomorrow. It is final. No changes?"

"General Shayne Douglas, ever the planner. Ha. Now I know why we make a good soldier squad. What does Richard need to have an army for anyway?"

"To storm houses. That's what. Hey, you know Richard has a daughter? It is Alessa Espalia, Dale's wife. Debra's sister-in-law."

"Does she know that? Alessa I mean."

"No. Espalia is the family name of Alessa's mother. The mother was a servant of Richard before he raped her. She went to follow her family's heritage to become a farmer."

"Explains why Samantha and Briar Espalia are going to be raised farmers in the countryside. It is technically the main thing Alessa can teach. Wait... why are saying these in front of Debra?"

"Coz' I noticed she was asleep before I brought up this topic?" Shayne grinned.

"Wait till I tell everyone that I saw General Shayne Douglas smile and laughed with me. Not to forget that we suddenly became besties!" Hearing that, Shayne gave a playful smirk and gave Emma a hearty slap on the back. Emma grimaced, "Could you hit softer?"

"No, hell no soldier. I have a reputation to make. And that already was ruined by having to carry Lieutenant Zayne on my shoulder. Humph. At least she is way lighter than you. I'll drop you both at the dormitories. Then I'll go to the 'special' one for generals," Shayne said, back to her stoic self. Emma gave herself a grin before the night finally ended for them.

In the morning, they quickly spread around a message to those that they trusted and knew who hated Richard. They spread the news like wildfire about going to the field beyond Peasant's Field. Everyone who was trusted knew and would go. For the sake of freedom from 'King Richard'. Shayne had also taken out several dozens of tents that were in compact sizes or cubes, thanks to the people who decided to freeze the tents for easy travel.

At nightfall, all of them, from soldier to General, dressed up in their armour, wore their helmets, and took their suits – their only belongings. They then walked over to the meeting arena, the gate in front of Peasant's Field and threaten the soldier in front whether he wanted in or not. The look of joy that crossed his face was pure bliss. He quickly went back to get the suit, with Colonel Jackson Lisse and they left. Everyone guarding the perimeters were unconscious or joining the team. For once, the empire would finally fall.