Knights of the Nine - The Unborn Seed

Chapter 12: The Art of War (Part One)

It was dark. Too dark, although Kyrus knew where he was. He was home, on the Isles of Udgard. He was safe, in the Kingdom of King Kahn the Third. Kyrus was home, in his room, in the pitch black that covered the area. The candles were glowing orange from outside his window, they flickered like the fires back in Redmire.

Kyrus sighed aloud, someone shuffled around next to him in his bed. It was his wife, Saundra Everson. Kyrus snuggled up to her and kissed the back of her neck, she was sweating as was he.

'A nightmare.' Kyrus thought to himself as he shut his eyes, kissing his wife again.

                              *

Kyrus was sitting on top of the table where he had just ate breakfast. He sat there listening to passersby walking through the halls of the castle. Kyrus listened to his wife munch on cookies and slices of bacon.

'I'm glad you're here.' Saundra said as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. 'I'm glad you're not taking up arms in the war.'

'That's what I should be doing, I should be killing every last one of those cocksucking elves!' Kyrus yelled as he slammed his fist into the birchwood table.

'Cut it out, Ky. You're hurt, you're damn well near dead! Besides, me and Audrey need you.' Saundra reached her hand out and placed it on Kyrus' fist.

Kyrus left the room, wandering around Kahn's castle. Eyeing people up and down, eyeing paintings up and down, eyeing the walls up and down. He was paranoid, schizophrenic. Kyrus was traumatized from the night where he lost the one person he swore to protect, he felt like he failed in his duty. Kyrus let King William of Scandoria die, along with the only heir to the throne. The William bloodline has been extinguished.

Kyrus was sitting alone, next to an empty chair and a plate full of goblets, cutlery, and empty vases. Kyrus was sitting alone, watching the two fires of the castle roar. Kyrus was sitting alone, yet not alone entirely; he had his thoughts. Dark thoughts. Dark thoughts of war, of killing every pale - orange eyed - elf in existence. Dark thoughts of mass genocide.

'Papa! Papa, where are you!?' A young girl, maybe three or four, ran down the stairs to the great, empty, hall of the castle.

Kyrus stood up and smiled a heartfelt grin. 'I'm here, sweet pea.'

The young girl hugged Kyrus. Kyrus hugged back and picked her up. 'Mama's taking a bath, with extra - EXTRA - hot water from the well.'

'Too hot for you, sweet pea?'

'Yes papa, waaaaay to hot for me.' The young girl patted her chest. 'It would burn me! Burn me 'til I'm red like Santa, papa!'

Kyrus smiled and set his daughter down, she wandered around before taking a seat in King Kahn's throne.

'Look papa, I'm the king of Yudgar!' Audrey said as she wiggled around in the throne.

'Sweet pea, you'd be the Queen of Ud-gard. Say it with me: Ud-gard.' Kyrus placed his hand on his daughter's knee.

'Ud-gard, Ud-gard.'

'Very good,' Kyrus picked Audrey up and swung her around within his arms. 'Why aren't you at the garden with Erin?'

'Papa!'

'What?'

'Erin doesn't like me anymore, I told you that last night!' Audrey placed her chin onto her father's shoulder.

'What? I don't remember that, why doesn't she like you anymore?'

'Because I... I killed a baby wormie.'