Life is like a labyrinth. The fact that you don't have a single path already mapped out is exhausting. It's fun at first, but exhausting as the years go by. Giving up is easy, saying not to do it is too, yet when we silently cry out the cries of sadness that emanate from our hearts, it's hard not to take the easy way out in order to rest our tortured minds. Sometimes it can feel like we're fighting in a vacuum, like nothing is coming, nothing is happening, and yet...
And yet...
The smell of manure now gives way to that of blood and decomposing corpses. Only the sound of shovels and earth being dug up can be heard. The bodies, freshly stripped of life, pile limply in the mass grave. The sun feverishly pierces the clouds and blesses them with its light. The victorious soldiers continue their work, reuniting friends and enemies in this gaping hole. Why does victory have the same flavour as failure?
Livid brown eyes meet the bright blue eyes of the victorious commander. His heart doesn't know how to react, his complexion as pale as the corpse of his dead opponent. The mud covering his face and the rest of his body gave him colour. They resembled each other physically and mentally too... At least that's what he thought before this conflict began. On the top of his golden hair, now grey from the previous battle, he felt the first drops of rain. He doesn't even lift his head to look up at the sky for fear that the gods will laugh at him. He feels empty but sad, angry but relieved, tired but still with a little strength to finish the job.
Yesterday's allies become tomorrow's constraints. This woman saw him grow up, she was his mother's close friend and ally, unfortunately, and he knows he'll have to face her again in the fight that brings this sad event to a close. They weren't so different, even in friendship, you can meet the right person at the wrong time.
"Commander ?"
He turns to his subordinate, who is in the same state as he is.
"The mass grave is full, there are more dead than expected, should we dig another one ?"
"The autumn crops won't grow on corpses. Prepare the wagons and take what's left to the crematorium in the next town."
The young woman and the other soldiers nod and everyone gets to work. The soldier leans over the corpse of the deceased to take it to the designated place.
"Leave it,' he says softly. I'll look after her."
She nods and leaves. He puts one kneeon the ground and places his hands over her eyes to close them.
"If you left with your eyes open, you must have regrets. Ask the gods for mercy if your soul still believes in them and let us meet again in this life or another, my old friend."
YOU ARE READING
GOLDEN POISON - BOOK 1 DOMINA - {MXM}
FantasyAleksander Halvorsen is an outstanding commander who excels at his job and has made a name for himself despite being the illegitimate son of the duchess of the same name. In a world ruled by women, and more commonly by Alphas, he mistakenly believes...
