THE INSUPERABLE: a close betrayal

Part 2: a peaceful morning

The camp was empty and extremely quiet, birds were chirping, and the peaceful sound of the flowing river made for quite a peaceful morning. The man lay peacefully in his tent drooling from the mouth, long, silky black hair spread out beneath him, as he slumbered the day away. The sudden galloping of hooves interrupted his slumber, he groaned rather annoyed rolling to the other side of his mattress. The gallops grew louder and louder then suddenly stopped. The man smiled thinking the gallops were just a passing caravan or traveler, he happily fell back to sleep. His slumber though, was short-lived as the silence turned into excessive yelling. "Haay! Is there anyone here? Haaaaay!." The voice grew louder, more annoying. "Is there anyone here? I command you to show yourself by the king's order." "Go yell at your mother, you silly piece of horse dung I'm trying to sleep," the man's chestnut eyes opened sleepily, his long lashes fluttered as he emerged into wakefulness. "How dare you whoreson? Do you know who I am?" the soldier yelled as he ripped open the tent. "I am your superior officer and I shan't be spoken to as if I'm a lesser, now get up and... " The soldier suddenly grew quiet as the man rose from his bed.

There he stood, jaw wide open, a look of fear spread across his face...trembling profusely. The man, as tall as two grown men standing on one another's shoulders, gleaming olive skin, shoulders as wide as a chariot from wheel to wheel. His body sculpted by many years of hardened battles. "Who... who are you?". Asked the soldier. "I am Kalib of Ambracia, and you, my dear man?" the man asked politely. "I... I am...it doesn't matter now, the king has demanded your presence on the battlefield...immediately", the soldier expressed with great haste. "The king? The battlefield?" Kalib asked with a look of confusion on his face. "King Aldonas of Sparta," the soldier said.

"We are laying siege on a Persian fortress just to the north of here, the king has employed you to lead the first wave." "Isn't that tomorrow?" Kalib asked stretching his arms out. "It's today we've been fighting all morning," the soldier was rather annoyed. "Are you sure it's today my good man?" Kalib asked once more. "Look at me!" the soldier yelled, "I am covered in the blood and piss of my dead comrades, yes I'm sure!"

"How did the piss of your comrades land on you my good man? Are you sure it's not yours?" Kalib grinned humorously. "What does it matter man? We're at war, the king wants you at his side right away or he'll string you up on a cross and set it ablaze." "The king said that?" Kalib asked, a smile on his face. "Well, then I better not keep him waiting."

The warrior grabbed his weapon and marched towards his horse. "Kalib, sir wait!" concern etched into the soldier's face. "Yes? What is it? The king awaits, man!" "Sir, you're not wearing any clothes". The soldier said not knowing where to rest his eyes. "Oh silly me," Kalib laughed, "it's fine the little man needs some air every once in a while, I'm sure no one will take notice!" Kalib clapped the reins of his horse and without pause bolted towards the battlefield. The soldier still dumbfounded over what he had just witnessed stood there staring as the warrior disappeared over the horizon.