A/N: Hey there! I am TiS here to present my short story, "Kings across the Water," a work based off the concert band piece. The movements are titled, 'Battle', 'Lament', and 'Dancing," and the piece can be listened to here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_xBOk9Kc8U. Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy it.
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An alliance between two Kingdoms was broken by ignorance. My King-- my father, and our whole army now stand ready to fight.
The sound of thousands of footsteps; you’d imagine it to be muffled underneath the shuffling of armor, the unsheathing of blades, the cry of war, and the hard clang of steel on steel. However, purpose, poise, honor and love ring louder than any scream. In the breaking dawn of this day, we all recall our reasons for standing here before one another.
Around me, chaos reigns. Our soldiers’ confused strikes hold nothing on the newfound energy of our enemies. The colonels shout orders to their respective battalions. But at my feet lies my father, his crown stained red and dulled by the light cloud of dust surrounding us. My heart is torn, but I know what I must do to ensure the safety of my people.
Bending down, I press a light kiss to his forehead, and I lift the crown from the ground beside him. A heavy storm beats down around us, creating rivulets and puddles. As I stand with growing retribution, I spot the form of the twisted crown looking my way.
Checkmate.
The sound of hundreds of swords falling to the ground; you’d imagine it to be muffled underneath the shuffling of armor, the sheathing of blades, and the cry of victory. From our side, that is the case. The sound of their pristine flag being tossed in the calming winds is more than just that. It is music, and we shall dance to it. Our dance contains no sashays or pirouettes, but rather thousands of footsteps marching home.
