Short Stories

Red and Gold

Word count ~1,385

Death can be an ugly, hateful thing but lately I'd found myself realizing that it can also be a beautiful one.

The aesthetic of blood pooling on the floor, flowing onto golden patterned threads was one I hadn't thought to be seeing today. Especially not in the place I called home, and definitely not my own blood doing the pooling. It's contrasted nicely by a white lace mask that's fallen to the side of the hallway. I'd never thought I'd care what my death looked like, but I find myself quite enjoying the way my red blood, the gold carpet, and my white mask mingle together.

I was off duty today so I shouldn't have had to worry about being skewered at all. Perhaps my shock at being stab was what had me following the blood trailing from my stomach down to the carpet. I've never quite appreciated how lovely the crown molding is whilst laying on the floor and that seems like an odd thing to notice as you die.

This is not the first time I've died, though that is a very strange thing to say as people generally only die once. However, I seem to be much above average on that score and I'm still not quite sure whether to be pleased or worried about that little fact.

Maybe it would have been better for everyone had I died one of the numerous times my mother tried to kill me, but alas, here we are - me bleeding out on the luxurious carpet of the Lord General Quren Desai's city mansion with a flabbergasted army colonel staring down at me. Why he's surprised is beyond me, considering he's holding a blade that's still dripping my blood onto the floor.

And suddenly I realize that this probably isn't the most normal reaction to being killed, as I lay on the floor clutching my stomach but not feeling any pain. Perhaps I'm too far gone for impractical things like pain? No, that doesn't seem right.

And right then a new pair of hands replaces mine and a healing warmth suffuses me.

Ah, that's why. A brief darkness as I feel my soul slip from my body, but then a golden glow coaxes it back. Though I've served my purpose by helping to kill my mother, it is not yet my time to die.

My adopted father insisted on my being tied to a healer the first time one of his war friends almost killed me. I'd managed to drag myself into a hall where a servant had seen me and sent for help as I was too tired to contact anyone in either the physical or mental plane that first time. This time, I think I'm simply too shocked to do so. I didn't even know Desai had anyone visiting today or I never would have taken off my mask.

Generally I didn't even take off my mask unless I was in my quarters but that white mask had just been so damn itchy. I focus on that mask as I pull through the grey fugue that follows me back to the world of the living.

In short order I find my body back in one piece but my head is spinning as the exhaustion of having to heal my body from near death sets in and darkness encompasses me once more. My last sight is that of the beautiful white mask slowly soaking up my life's blood.

The now red mask on the golden carpet was really quite beautiful. Blood and death, what a pretty thing.

...

Colonel Coel Dercin continued to stare down at the woman he'd just killed and the calm healer trying to put her back together as blood gushed from her stomach.

"What are you doing?" Coel's voice sounded surprisingly calm for the storm of emotions he was feeling inside.

He'd killed before but always on the battlefield and never in a decorated hallway belonging to the man he hoped to soon be working for. The dissonance between the elegantly patterned rug and the sprawling body in her corseted green dress wasn't something he'd forget soon.

"Bringing the young Lady back to life as is my job. Sir, may I ask you to step back please? The guards are on their way." The healer didn't even look at him as she continued to pour energy into the dying woman.

"Lady?" He asked as rough hands gripped him and threw him against a wall. A short but scarred woman put pressure on his throat as a warning to stay still.

"That was Lady Alexa the Lord General's daughter." The woman holding him snarled. 

Oh, this was definitely not good. Beginning to get a sense of just what he'd done Coel peered closer at the woman's face.

Auburn hair fell haphazardly across her face from her quick descent but he could clearly see a thin scar ran from below her left cheekbone and up onto the bridge of her nose. The rest of her face however would have been unremarkable except for one fact. She was almost a perfect replica of Merin, the woman who had led an army during the battle of Sercin. The woman who had almost killed him, had killed his family, and destroyed countless King's and kingdoms. The woman who would have destroyed the world.

Light green eyes flashed at him as her eyelids fluttered occasionally.

But that wasn't right. Merin's eyes had been a deep brown and this woman's were not.

"Who is she?"

"My daughter. Release him, Sureth." A rough voice said behind him and Coel turned to find an infuriated Lord General stalking towards him. He quickly dropped into a deep bow as the scarred woman released him but was ignored as Quren dropped to his knees in the blood to help the healer press down where the wound had been.

"She is healed, Lord. Now all she can do is rest and wait for her body to recover the energy she just expended healing." The healer had summoned rags and began wiping off the worst of the blood from the Lady's skin.

"Thank the Gods." Quren sighed. "Sathhi, take her and the healer to her room and get her cleaned up and comfortable."

"Yes, sir." A man in black that Coel hadn't noticed snapped a salute and placed a gentle hand on the woman and the healer. They were gone in the blink of an eye.

Quren ran a hand over his face but it was still set in angry lines when he finished. He grit his teeth and turned, staring at the wall instead of Coel. "I should have had someone escort you to my chambers when you arrived, I apologize."

"No, sir, I apologize." Coel protested. "I just killed your daughter, or almost killed her I should say. I should have been more careful."

Quren sighed, clenching his fists before finally turning to look at Coel, fury resonating in his eyes.

"We'll talk more of your new duties later, once she wakes up."

"So, you want me to work for you even after...?" He'd only been coming to interview for the job, not accept the position.

"You know her secret so you can't leave this house unless you're blood sworn. Everyone who works for me is blood sworn to protect my family and keep our secrets and if you're going to swear that oath I might as well put you to good use. Though you may expect a significant reduction in pay. This way, Colonel." With a brushing motion of his hand the blood ran off his pants to pool on the floor once more. Without looking back, he strode down the corridor.

Coel took a bit longer, imprinting the image of red slowly spreading through the fibers of the carpet. The woman, who had lain there in her long green dress courtesy of his blade while he'd stood stunned from seeing that face again, had suffered because of him. He swore to make it up to her before following behind her father to see what was in store.

Deep red, turning brown as the blood dried, spread in a haphazard manner at his feet. The patterned carpet ruined as blood stole the intricate design from sight. Blood and death, what a destructive thing.