A Kingdom in Half Light

Chapter 15; Wreath of Flame

That night I had a strange dream; I dreamt I was standing upon a hill with a strange ice like cathedral. A man had just entered and he seemed uneasy, there was a slight breeze that brushed my face. A few minutes later he came back out filled with an anguish that quite changed him. He ran out and across the meadows upon the hillside where I was stood. And he waited.

I awoke to see that the three of Black Robes friends were standing huddled around the fire, it was a cold night and I thought it odd that they were still up.

“Shall we do it tonight?” asked one.

“No.” said another, “The day is not done, to leave the world upon such a dark deed and to wake to it ‘pon the morn is stupid. We are to do it tomorrow, when the day is unsuspecting and he will be off guard.”

“I have never known him to be off guard,” said the third, “He holds his knowledge too dear.”

“Then we are to finish him first thing,” said the second man, “His life is but a curse upon us all.”

“Black Robe,” said the first “Is to fall for the final time.”

“Quiet,” hissed the third, “No one must know.”

The three stood up and made their way to their tents, I hastily made it seem as though I was asleep and they didn’t see me.

The next morning I warned Black Robe of what I had heard, and though he hardly knew me he took what I said very seriously.

“I had thought as much,” he said in a low growl, “I have had many strange accidents since I met them, quickly whilst they are preparing breakfast, we must leave.

We escaped through the back of the tent looking back only once we had reached the cover of the trees. We walked off into the forest and soon heard cries of anger from the camp.

“They will not find us,” said Black Robe, “The forest knows it friends, and its enemies.”

“I don’t see why you trusted me,” I said.

“Its because I knew you,” muttered Black Robe, “And, with time, you shall remember as well.”

“Well,” I said, hesitating slightly, “I did have a dream, I was standing next to a cathedral like building, and it seemed to be made of ice.”

“You do remember,” said Black Robe, “That was the Crowns palace.”

We continued on in silence, the forest watched us as we passed knowing its judgement would one day be reached for. There are few trees who are trusting of mankind, those who burnt and chop, all the trees remember the dark times, and very few will ever forget.

No one calls the war cry,

No one sounds the horn,

If we live we are to die,

The world is yet forlorn.

No one lights the fires,

No one reads the rights

And the world expires,

From mans’ cruel petty fights

No one knows the secret,

No one held it true,

And those who did are numbered,

For of them there are few.

We had become like walking shadows since we left, almost no words had passed between us, and we did not know where we were going. We just walked on through our endless existence trying to regain our grip upon the world.