I am awakened from my deep slumber by Branwen. I squint in the dim light of the tent. I groan-it's too early. I can already see that the sun isn't up yet. I need sleep after the last nights ordeal.
"What?" I groan-sitting up. Branwen looks concerned.
"There's a problem. I was told to tell you to go to the front lines immediately." She whispers. I'm wide awake now.
I throw off the blankets somebody put on me during the night, and stand up. A pile of fresh clothes lie beside me. I throw them on, and scrape my hair into a bun.
As I follow Branwen back through the camp, men are just stirring. Those who are already awake stare at me as I walk by. I remember my graceful dismount off of the horse yesterday, and my face burns red. As we draw closer to the edge of the camp, I can hear shouting. I frown and look at Branwen.
That can't be good.
At the edge of the camp stands two men. The older, grizzled one is yelling at a younger boy. He can't be older then I am.
"What is going on?" I glare at both of the men. The yeller turns to me.
"Stay out of it! Who do you think you are?" The man yells at me.
Instantly silence falls among the gathered crowd.
"I think the question is who you think you are?" I say. My voice has a sharp, cold edge on it that I've never heard before. I guess this war has affected me in more ways then one.
The man looks me dead in the eye. I can see recognition dawn on him. He knows who I am.
This is usually the point where people fall on their knees and beg for forgiveness.
But this man is a egotistical jerk. He won't back down because his pride stands in his way.
"All I see is a little girl trying to play in the big leagues." He sneers down at me.
I hear the crowd gasp. They can't believe that he spoke to me like that. I swallow my anger. If I yell at him, it will prove his point of how immature I am. I don't have to use my temper to put him in his place.
"Really? That's funny-I could say the same thing about you." I spit back at him. His eyes narrow at me as people around us laugh. I smirk.
And that folks, is how a pro does it.
He raises his hand to strike me, but I catch his wrist.
"Unlike you, I do know how to play in the big leagues. So I suggest you get out of my sight before I decide I should throw you in the jail for attempting to hit your Queen." I say icily. I let him go and walk away from him.
I turn to the younger man-the one who was being yelled at.
"What happened?" I asked him. I still can't mask the anger in my voice, and the man flinches.
"Sorry." I mutter.
"What's your name?" I ask apologetically.
"Ciroc." A voice from behind me. I turn and see Derrin glaring at us.
"Captain." The man answers with equal disdain in his voice. I look between the two of them. There is obviously bad blood between the two of them.
Derrin draws his sword.
"What's going on?" I interject.
Derrin doesn't break his gaze from Ciroc.
"This little rat gave away our position!" Derrin growls. I step back so I can look at Ciroc. He is sobbing on the ground.
"I had to! They have my family!" He wails. I look at him in disbelief.
"So you betrayed your country? You should have come to us for help?" I murmur in disbelief.
"You don't understand!" He yells. I wince, memories flooding through me. My mother, fair and beautiful. Family dinners together when I was little. I didn't know it at the time, but as I grew up those days with my family became sacred memories.
I stumble back. It almost feels like somebody has slapped me. Derrin steps forward.
"Tell me again who doesn't understand." He spits. I remember that Derrin is a orphan too. He understands.
"You deserve to die." Derrin says angrily. That snaps me back to reality.
I grab Derrin's arm before he skewers Ciroc.
"Derrin stop. This isn't how we deal with traitors." I say. Then I turn to Ciroc.
"Get out of here." I glare at Ciroc. He stops bawling long enough to stare at me. I motion towards the hills.
"Now!" I yell. Ciroc scrambles off of the ground. He takes off running to the roars and cheers of the gathered crowd.
Derrin turns and smiles at me. Then he turns and looks at his men.
"Men, thank you for gathering here. Let this be a lesson to you..." He drones on and on. But I stopped listening. I keep my eyes transfixed on the hillside.
"Derrin?" I interrupt. People turn to look at me. I point to the hill where the golden sunrise is just beginning to peer over the horizon.
"We've got bigger problems."
YOU ARE READING
The Final Hour
Fantasi"It's like there's a brick wall in my heart. If I let my guard down-even for just a second, then that wall will collapse, and everything I've bottled up over the years will come flooding out and drown me. If I start crying now, then I don't know if...
