The Perfect Sin

chapter 5

Aleksey Pov

 Chapter 5  part 1 Aleksey Pov

What awaits us is death and carnage; each  of us knows of of the fatal blows of the roaring canons. Today is our revenge, my shaska  and I hunger for the hot blood that flowes thick. Vasily,wherever you may hide know that my sword hungers for you and today I shall not withhold him, I vow in my mind. ‘Til death we part, words that  unspokenly apply to Katya are also meant for her father. The bells chiming awakens all animals and alerting humans of the impending doom. Casualties are to be on both sides, that’s war...that’s life. My men are at the ready and I lift my shaska signaling the charge; the front line men begin to rush into battle. My second in command unknowing to me reaches over and pulles my reigns causing my horse to rear in disgust.

 “No this battle is not for you, save your strength for Vasily not mere footmen,” my hooded second scolds. Then he charges, leaving me staring at the shadow of a brave man. I shall not tell false truths, the battlefield lay covered in blood, organs and death is in the air. I hold my breath so not to breathe the deathly fumes. Our cannons boome and shake my very core; an easy picking, but Vasily… oh Vasily, I desire your head on a platter.

 Finally the hours tick tick by, and it is time for our showdown. I look across the horizon and to my dismay Vasily has fled and his Lieutenant has taken his place as commander. I skirt the swelling bodies of dead men as I charg into the heart of the enemy. My own life deemed no longer important as long as Vasily no longer breathes air in and out. Katya forgive me, our game will have to wait for the afterlife.

 The horse is shot down, I leave  him to die in another’s blood as I continue my quest. No one could stop me now: I screech into the air as if I am an animal. My second in command sees me then creates a pathway for me so that I can get to Vasily without tiring myself out. The blood is slippery and some black and white Knights are still breathing. I do them a favor and shank my shashka through the rest of their dismembered armor. My reward for my good deed is a Lieutenant: Vasily could not even face me man to man.

 When I reach the Lieutenant,  I demand  the whereabouts of that traitorous perp.

 “Not here my king,” he exclaimes. 

 I seeth. How dare he call me his king? “Do you not see the soulless bodies that lay wasted, do you not know of the cracked skulls and torn organs? This is war, man, war. Get up you sniveling coward, if I am your king then give me the coordinates of Vasily.” I never recieved an answer - I am struck in between my armor. First rules of war; trust no one and never let your guard down. Now my reward is death and who knows what my punishment shall be in the afterlife. Kad Katya Kad Katya take care........

 Vaguely, I hear someone calling for the healers. I reasoned with myself, they wouldn’t make it in time, but to the outsiders it probably sounds like hissing. We are on the other side of the battle field and I shall die here alone. Dmitry will become Tsar and Katya has probably been praying for my downfall. 

 ch 5 part 2

 I  see a soldier jump from a soldiers horse and strike the unwitting Tsar. Vasily must have switched armor midway through the battle. I leap off Graystorm and run to save the falling man. Vasily, you will not win this war!

 Graystorm continues through the fighting then afterwards canteres to my aid. “On behalf of the Tsereteli house, I thus challenge you Vasily of the Ustinov house; of course I do not expect you to formally accept my challenge since I am second in command.” I  lower my voice about an octave deeper so that he would not recognize me. Vasily throws back his head and cackeles into the air, he sounds like the witches from my fairy tales. 

 “I  won since your Tsar has fallen and I  decline your formal requests, little boy.” I  lunge, parry, and duck and we clashe blades. Naturally, the remaining soldiers give us a wide berth for our duel. Vasily dons no armor which is a blessing and a curse. I  am able to ensure various cuts to the skin ,but he moves gracefully and fluidly. One problem remaines; Aleksey lay dying  on the ground. This fight shall end and end when I say. 

 “ Remove your helmet oh noble one, let us see the face of the man I am going to murder,” Vasily taunts. I wrench my helmet off and stare into the lifeless holes of my father. In his moment of distraction, I plunge my shashka into his heart precise and true. “Farewell to thee, o daemon. Return to hell.” A loud gurgle erupts from Vasily as the daemon inside him returnes home and once the man falls to the ground his body heaves in response.

 The healers   immediately  rush to dress  the Tsars wounds. “Katya what shall we do?” the  head healer questions. 

 “If he lives then so be it, if not then he dies, I  have no qualms with the realm of spirits or his soul ; heal him if you can.”

  “We shall do our job but it’s no guarantee that his soul will return.” 

 Blood flows from his armor; it gurgles and snaps at those who drew near. The horses neigh and shy away from the sight of their soon to be  dead Tsar. Even the animals know of pain and misery. Arkady, now second in command, jumpes from his  horse and rushs to Aleksey’s side. Arkady removes his  brothers helmet and toss’s it aside. The healers begin summoning herbs and chanting to the Creator on the Tsar’s behalf.

 Arkady is dismissed from my side since he could not handle the sight of Aleksey’s death. Only  the healers, soldiers, and I remain in order to witness the true damage of Aleksey’s wound. The healer comes back with a potent, “Are you sure about this, your majesty?” the healer argues.

 “Yes,” I – no, no longer only ‘I’, but the royal ‘we’ - whisper in unison.

 I  stand up and brace myself on Graystorm. “Today Vasily is dead , Aleksey is not going to live, I  Yekaterina of the Ustinov-Tsereteli House claim the throne. If any challenge my birthright, if so come forth and meet the sting of my blade. I seek your challenge and your death.” 

 Not one flinches or dare approach the Queen. All have witnessed my battle skills and not even Dmitry, one who fears no blade, did not approach me.

 The healers lift Aleksey onto a horse and whisk him away to the City of Walls for recuperation; the soldiers and I follow behind.The scavengers slink from the low and high places to eat the remnants of men, dinner was on their minds. The snow looks as if bloody excrement decorated urine and feces were decorating the Ustinov land, and the Tsereteli land fields are graced with lumps of arms and torsos.  At the City of Walls I call my  men to attention and beseach the mercies of the City of walls. “ Tomorrow, men  you shall swear your fealty to me and no one else, I quote before collapsing  onto a pallet that the priestess’  bring forth. The priestess’ admire the warrior queen as they tend her wounds, but they have no herb that can  heal the mind or the terrors she would be soon to face.