The Coalition

Chapter 2: Yala

I watched the Fierete army retreat but their Commander and leader stayed. He watched standing over me. Our men held up their swords waiting for movement. I continued glaring at the commander with venomous hatred. "Wafarie," the leader said. Not understanding their language I look back to my father.

The Commander got on his horse and left. Holding my father's head close to my chest I screamed in agony. The tears wouldn't stop and my people watched. Time went by and the sun had set. My mother laid her hand on my shoulder. Once seeing my father she fell to her knees beside me. She laid her head on his chest sobbing. I watched feeling hollow.

My mother looked at me and eyes averted behind me. Two guards with solemn expressions grabbed both ends of my father. I stood up and my mother pulled me into her. "Where are they taking him"? I cried out. My mother pushed my head into her chest shooshing me.

I cried at losing my father. For our people who were hurt. That our enemies just left the damage they made. Lives were ruined. My life was ruined. My mother slowly walked us inside. She bathed me as I stared at the blood that mixed with the water. Some of this blood was my father's. I couldn't move properly. Like the air had been knocked out of me.

She dressed me and took me to bed. In the dark, my mother held me. I had always been close to my father. I thought the world of him. "How am I supposed to move on"?
"His spirit is with us, Yala" my mother whispered. I stayed silent exhausted from losing my father and the battle.

A day later we held my father's funeral and the rest of our men. Their bodies were wrapped up in their own sheets on a raft. We pushed them into the river watching them float away. We sang our farewell song. "May we join you once again, our loved ones and our friends. Hope the journey will take you safely and your spirits rightfully rest".

When the funeral was over my mother sat on the throne as our subjects waited for a response. She looked regal and sprouted. Although I knew she was devastated about my father she was focused on leading our people. "We took a loss yesterday. However, we must come together. We will be stronger because we have to" she paused. "Warriors will train. We will learn from what we saw on the battlefield. We will become anew" she stated.

The people dispersed and I held my mother's hand. I watched her body deflate and her breath shook. "Father would be proud" I smiled sadly. She nodded and got up from her seat. "I'm going to go rest" she croaked. I could see her eyes start to water and I nodded. Maids followed quietly behind her and I frowned.

I clenched my jaw huffing. My father had been killed and my mother was in pieces. I needed to be strong and become even stronger. I high-tailed to my bedroom strapping on some black training material. I grabbed my sword taking to the field. The place where everyone practiced. Upon noticing me they all bowed and I gave a nod to continue.

I went to the back where no one was and spared with a wooden mannequin. The builders made the mannequin spin and pop out spikes. I spared moving quickly slicing the wood. The mannequin swung its wooden swords and I got back to the ground.

A friendly face stuck out his hand. "Your majesty," he said as he pulled me up. I pushed him playfully and glared. Once I was on my feet he took a step closer. "How are you doing"? I looked at him biting my lip. He pulled me in rubbing my back. "I watch him die. He died in my arms, Smithers".

"I know" he repeated. He took a step back and I tilted my head up. Smithers was a ginger with freckles. His eyes always reminded me of the watering clove. Green with slips of blue. His body was lean and toned. Smithers was a close friend. I've known him since we were ten. We were sparing partners. My dad was training him to be the next Army Commander. "Is that why you're training right now?" he asked.

"I want to get faster, stronger. Be better. I never want to have to go through the pain I'm going through ever again. No one should have to loose their father or mother. So, if training day in and day out will stop that. I will do it" I said with a shaky breathe. Smithers held my cheeks kissing my temple and took a step back.

"If that is what you want I will be with you. Help you become an even stronger warrior" he commented. He pulled out his matching swords and stood in a defensive stance. I took a deep breath and slashed my sword around. I yelled attacking Smithers with all I had.

The next time I see that daring man I will be different and I will kill him.