Short stories

An Empire's Fall in Just One Day

"You close your eyes and the glory fades. .  ."

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Through the dim hallway being lighted only by torches placed against the wall, light footsteps of a knight could be heard pacing down the narrow hallway. The knight, tall, lean and coated in white armor with a cape matching his steel plated armor, wore a strange mask that covered his eyes and nose. Ahead of the knight, arguing voices were the cause behind the shouting echoes that could be heard through out the corridor. The Knight did not know the topic that led for the leaders of this outpost to yell, but the topic must be serious if it caused this much commotion, and the knight is going to investigate to confirm his theory.

The white knight opened the two iron and wood doors after the guards allowed him to pass, and his first instinct was to glance upon a certain woman. The lady, who had cherry red hair running down to her shoulder with sparkling eyes equal to her hair's radiating color, had her clenched fist slammed into the round able and her expression a mix of disbelief and frustration. The knight assumed that the discussion of the previous day had risen yet again, and once more the woman had to firmly state the course of action the knights shall take.

"It's absurd! We cannot cling onto hope! Our reinforcements have not arrived, and it has been nearly a week since we sent out message and our messenger has yet return with any news let alone with other knights!" One of the many veteran soldiers seated around a circular table exclaimed, shocked that his commander, a mere girl, could not see the reality of their situation . "This may be a guarded outpost, but it is not a fortress by any means! We barely survived the last wave of invaders, and lost more than enough men holding onto this pile of rocks! It may have somewhat of a strategical value, but it is not major!"

The redheaded woman snapped upon hearing the statements of one of her many subordinates. "If this outpost falls to the hand of Deremiaus, then we might as well give them the key to the castle! If we can simply hold out for one more week, just one, then we may- no- WILL get the forces we requested for! Can you not see the importance of our task at hand!?" The commander said, her voice beginning to crack at the end of her response. She demanded that her tears remained in her eyes, but her body made the tears slowly trails down her pale cheeks. The knight in white now had the answer to his theory. The outpost, stationed in front of a lake so wide one cannot see the end of it from any direction, was one of many trading posts that lead directly towards the main city. However, it was more difficult to traverse this part of the land, making its defenses scarce. Exactly what Deremiaus was hoping to exploit to no end. 

"Now. . . ," the commander stood up straight as she cleared her throat, attempting to compose herself, "I believe this meeting is adjourned. I shall dispatch messengers to retrieve you when our heads have cooled." With this statement, the six older knights exited the room, leaving the younger pair alone. The remaining knight walked over to the commander and placed one hand on the table and the other on the girl's shoulder. "You need to relax, Sylvia. They are just afraid of fighting a battle they cannot win." The man said, his tone a blend of him being calm yet worried for the commander. Sylvia sighed before she leaned herself against the knight's chest, allowing him to catch her.

"I know. . . I just hope those reinforcements arrive from the city. Coruscant, I am not sure how much longer we can bottle ourselves within these walls. They have a point, I just won't admit it." Sylvia commented to Coruscant, the knight clad in white. Coruscant, yet another red head, wrapped his arms around the woman. "I know. Just try to relax is all I am saying, nothing else."

"Coruscant. . . ," Sylvia softly spoke, her french-like accent audible only to the man centimeters away from her, "when this is over. . . I think we should go to Aurora Hill, just the two of us." A shade of pink was now visible on Sylvia's cheeks, for she felt somewhat anxious about how he may reply. Coruscant had a vague idea of what Aurora Hill was mostly known for, and if he was correct, then the two would now stay by the other's side for all of eternity, or till death splits them apart. After a brief moment of silence, a response was finally heard. "I am unsure. Your father may wish for you to marry another noble and I can do nothing about it. I don't wish to make a vow I cannot keep."