Tales Beneath a Tree

To War

It was dark outside and I sat beneath the pale light of the moon. It reminded me of him, a light surrounded by darkness. That's what he was before he took him away from me. He would pay for the blood he spilt.

I turned away from the beautiful light, I couldn't think of him now. He was what calmed the storm in me and right now I needed to let the storm rage. I walked into the dark forest that surrounded the clearing I had stood in. The long labyrinth of branches seized the light of the moon and swallowed it up making it almost impossible to see, but I knew this darkness. I had become accustomed to this light and my eyes adjusted quickly taking in the path. Soon the darkness will end; soon this will all be over.

The cave appeared quickly and with it came new hope. I grabbed the lantern from the front of the cave and held it high illuminating my way. I walked deeper into the cave and the darkness nipped at the flaming light threatening to destroy it but I held the light alive. The cave walls began to open up and what I had been searching for appeared. The large room was filled with chests and weapons. It had been so long since I had last seen this place. The life I had left behind in hopes of sparing him from my fate. I was horribly wrong.

I could have protected him from that monster. How naïve of me to believe that thing would not come for him, would not destroy him. I walked alone my whole life and I let myself believe I could be happy with a simple life, with a family, but it was all ripped away as swift as the arrow. That arrow obliterated my world; it had killed him and in doing so destroyed me as well.

I traveled back to the furthest wall where a large chestnut wardrobe stood. The doors creaked and moaned as they opened for the first time in many years. As the lantern light flew in destroying the darkness it reflected back off the shinny medal that lay inside. The armor was made of the finest steel and was embroidered with a family crest and of course the crest of the king. I took a moment to marvel at its beauty. I carefully removed the armor from the hook and slid it over my simple and slightly ragged clothes. I tightened the straps pulling the cool metal in close. I closed the clasps and reveled in their familiar snap. The metal hugged close me, still a perfect fit. I opened up the drawer on the bottom of the wardrobe and pulled out the cuisse and greave. I slid it on my legs and secured them in place. After securing all my armor I moved to one of the chests to my left. The chest groaned as its heavy lid was pried opened. Inside ran a shinny river of red. I grabbed hold of the silky fabric and it flowed perfectly as I twirled it from its tomb. I kept with the motion till the cape fell into place around my back. I clasped the silver seals into my armor securing the fabric to my outfit, an outfit suited for war.

One more piece and I would be ready. I opened all the other chests in the room, then went around slowly inspecting each one. I ran my fingers over a diamond blade, how fitting for him to choke on the wealth. I glanced at my bronze sword but that would not suite him well. My steels were too ordinary for this kill and then I came to the last chest. Every weapon I knew well but this chest I knew all too well. Each piece I knew made with my own hands before I had received the others. Each one had been made with care and precision. They had done the job effectively but were far from excellent. These would be a good choice especially for him. I hand crafted each one myself, it would be quite suiting for me to end him with the fruits of my labor; however, I didn't have any room for error. I had one shot and I couldn't fail. I closed the lid to my treasured creations.

I still needed to choose, which was no easy task. I trailed back to the first chest. I had gotten these weapons when I traveling overseas, nothing cut quite like diamonds. I had spent months learning how to use it. I only left after defeating my teacher in battle. Not only did I learn the art of the diamonds, but also the use of glass knives. Each blade was hand crafted by master artisans. I took out the long sword and inspected the fine blade. It sparkled brightly in the glowing lantern light. I sheathed the sword and fastened it to my waist. I took the daggers and hid them beneath my armor. I closed all the chests as I turned my back on the room, leaving the rest behind.

I stepped out into the cool night air as I simultaneously lifted the hood to the silk cape that trailed behind me. As I walked in the darkened woods I heard the cry of wolves in the distance. I thought back to my own cries. When the soldiers came riding up to the door waving that monster's dreaded flag. They snatched my son right out of my arms. He cried and cried out to me and I fought as best I could, but without my weapons I was useless against their armor. The men quickly rode off, my son locked their arms. This shouldn't have happened to us. All boys over the age of nine were required to fight in the army, but they shouldn't have found my boy. We lived too far from the towns, we lived on our own.

Without a horse it would take me days to get to my son, but I had no other choice. I packed everything I needed and set out moving as fast as humanly possible, but I was too late. By the time I got there the new recruits had left to fight, my boy of only ten with them. Only one person had known where they had gone, the one person I thought I would never see again. I snuck into the castle gardens and climbed up the viney walls till I had reached his window. He wasn't in, but when I looked at his desk and saw a list I no longer needed him. I read through the names searching for my little boy. When I finally found it I realized his name was not something I wanted to see, the list was the names of the men who fell in battle. I fell to the floor clutching the paper to my chest as I screamed out in sorrow, my baby boy was dead. He had taken an arrow in the back piercing his little heart.

A tear stained my face and quickly wiped it away. I shook my head, clearing my mind. I couldn't think about that now, I needed to focus. The trees started to thin and the castle came into view, its windows flickering with light from the lanterns that lay behind them. I looked to one window in particular and saw its warm glow, he was exactly where I wanted him. I walked right past the castle guard and no one breathed a word, after all I did wear the seal of the king on my armor, well someone's armor. How foolish of the guards to not ask to see my face, for this armor was not mine. Soon they would get a fitting punishment for their critical error, for they just let a notorious assassin into the castle and I was about to kill the most beloved king in all the lands for killing our son.

A/N:

Hey guys hope you like my one shot. If you wish for more on this story remember you can have it if you reach the goal.

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