The day was finally here; my favorite day in the whole year: Reunification Day. It was 300 years ago my ancestor united a broken continent and brought peace to all the lands. It is a lineage I’m privately proud of but publicly, I hide from it. At times it is a reminder of the legacy I could give to my people, but instead, I have chosen to serve my subjects in another way. I lead by the sword instead of the scepter.
I’ve only just entered the parade grounds and I can already smell Mr. Frederick’s famous rose bread. It must take him a long time to delicately twist and fold the dough into a rose and bake it to perfection. He usually keeps the largest one off to the side and saves it for me.
The frolicking music fills my heart, adding a slight jig to my step as I follow my nose to my desired loaves.
“Izzy, my boy!” said Mr. Fredrick cheerfully, “Happy Reunification day!”
I bob my head and reply, “Same to you. Of all the smells of the festival, your bread is the strongest and easiest to follow.”
With humility at my compliment, Mr. Fredrick beckons me around to the back of his stall. Beside him sat a number of bread filled baskets, atop of one was a rose bread the size of my head. He pinched a piece off the top to reveal steam fuming from it.
Drool dripped down from my gaping mouth as the enormous rose bread was placed in my hand. I eagerly reached into my pocket and placed five copper pieces into his hand. He always sells his bread for two, but for a friend and the trouble, giving him more is worth it.
My delight dances with me down the street; food in hand, an open blue sky, and happiness all around. Most of all, I see my best friend approaching.
“Leaf!” I call out to him waving, “Happy Reunification Day!”
He is a handsome lad and a long time friend. I’ve known him since we were small children running around freely throughout the palace grounds. Our relationship mirrors our fathers’; intimate and loyal to a fault. He’s a man I’m proud to call friend and would follow him anywhere.
“And to you as well, Izzy!” he replied.
I could see his gaze fall to the bread I held in my hand and a grin grew across his mouth.
“Mr. Fredrick’s rose bread I see?” he cooed at me.
Through a full mouth of bread I nodded and replied “Yes.”
His grin turned to a smile as he proclaimed, “I have great news! My father just gave me my first assignment. I’m going to the northern part of the continent to Helingtum.”
My heart sank. Helingtum was a quiet island a few miles off the coast of the mainland, but in the past few months, rumors had been pouring out about horrors raiding the camps at night. Why there? Why for his first assignment? What kind of sick joke was this?
I held out a fist, “I’ve heard some nasty rumors about that island, Leaf. You better come home alive when your assignment is over. How soon do you leave and how long will you stay?”
Leaf bumped my fist and replied “I leave with a convoy in two weeks. I was told I’ll be gone for eight months.”
Leaf’s face dropped slightly and I could see the seed of worry sprouting in his eyes.
“My father expressed the same concern. The fact you’ve heard of these rumors too makes me worried how bad it is on the island.” said Leaf.
I cracked a smile to encourage him. He is one of the best swordsmen to graduate from the Knight’s Academy. No matter the foe, he could handle them.
We changed the topic to the festival. Leaf boosted how he was going to enter the fencing contest like he does every year knowing he’ll win it. He is the three year reigning champion. Last year he almost lost and walked away with a scar on his shoulder to prove it. Lord Hudson’s son fought Leaf in the finals and nicked his shoulder while trying to deliver a finishing blow. It was then Leaf seized victory taking home the esteemed Golden Gladius.
A chill overcame me which shook me to my bones as a strange wind swept through Helindom. The loud flapping of tarps and the scraping of food and other belongings being dragged across the ground became the new chorus around me. Dust kicked into my eyes and as I looked up to the sky, I saw a dark purple dome form over Helindom. From the gates of the city came terrified screaming and I heard the impossible.
“We’re under attack!”
Soldiers and civilians alike ran past me in every direction. Chaos flipped stalls over spilling its contents everywhere. People tripped and were trampled. Amidst it all, a piercing howl came from the front gates.
“All soldiers to the northern gates!” a familiar voice was calling out.
A man ran by us; it was Sargent Caden, the man who trained Leaf and I at the academy.
I looked over at Leaf who tilted his head toward the gates and began to run with the other soldiers so I followed. When we arrived, we were greeted with the bodies of soldiers littering the ground and those who were still alive being flung around like mice in a cat’s snare. There were soldiers in pitch black armor and a few monsters among them if that is the way to describe them. They touted sharp teeth and claws; as large as a bear and menacing as a wolf.
Sargent Caden turned to Leaf and me and commanded us to flee to the palace informing the King of the attack, if need be, to evacuate him.
Not there, anywhere but there. I would rather face our enemies than face Papa. What if someone recognized me? What if Papa recognized me? What would happen to me? What would Leaf do?
I felt a jolt as Leaf turned me around and pushed me in the direction of the palace. We whizzed past the palace guards. It was a miracle they didn’t stop us, if Leaf had not been with me, our message would be delayed due to protocol.
Nothing had changed, it was how I remembered it before I ran away. The nostalgia was like a dagger to my heart. At the top floor of the palace we came to a crossroads, in one direction, led to the bedrooms where my chambers once resided. I would be lying if I said the temptation to peek into my old room hadn’t crossed my mind. In the other direction, led to my father’s study and Lord Grizzenwald’s office.
Fate laughed at me this day for Leaf tasked me with telling the King about the ongoing attack while he warned his father. Without hesitation, Leaf darted off into his father’s office. My feet were firmly planted on the ground yet at the same time they felt like they were turning to run. How could I face my father now? Then a fear crept in: what if we all perished here? How could I not tell Papa I loved him or that I was alive?
Courage cracked the ice in my heart enough to creep towards my father’s door. I opened the door timidly to see him overlooking important documents. His emerald gaze met mine, a look of irritation for being interrupted and shock for having an uninvited guest be announced first.
“This better be important if a green knight such as yourself is barging into the study of the king.” said my father with a growl of a grizzly bear.
Frantic, I bowed. “Pardon my King, but my intrusion comes on the wind of something dire. We’re being attacked.”
Papa’s head jolted up, turning his attention out the window to see smoke stacks rising from the distance. Upon opening the windows to the balcony, he could hear the faint cries of agony in the distance. A tall black figure caught his eye standing in the courtyard below.
I joined the King’s side noticing the grim look on his face. Again I was struck by a bone chilling feeling. Something in the air froze me in terror and all I knew is that it was coming from him - a black knight.
He called out to the King trying to make a claim to the throne. Papa wouldn’t have it. I don’t understand why, but the Black Knight drew a gold key from his neck claiming it would be enough to get what he wanted. A challenge was then made, a duel to the death for the control of the throne.
I saw the determination in his eyes, the willingness to defend his kingdom. He reached for his sword and started toward the door. My heart beat like a festive drum.
“Papa?” I said in a cracked and scared voice.
My words stopped him in his tracks. Shock now filled his face; his expression resembled a blank canvas.
“Elizabeth?” said Papa as his sword plopped onto the rug with a thud.
I nodded, feeling the tears swelling in my eyes, but I had to hold back. How could I, given everything that had transpired in the past half hour?
My arms flung around him and I hugged Papa tightly. “It is!”
“Sweetheart, I don’t understand how you’re here after all this time, but there’s no time for that. You must go. Get to safety.”
From the window I could hear the Black Knight taunting my father. A despicable character I hope Papa will vanquish and everything today will just be a bad dream I wake up from.
The King pulled a bronze key from around his neck, one similar looking to the gold key the Black Knight had. He placed it around my neck and tucked it into my shirt. Without hesitation, he grabbed my hand and dragged me outside his study. Leaf and his father were waiting for us.
“Come, children.” Lord Bruno said, ushering us back to his office. “There is a secret passage for you to escape. Take the tunnels leading from the city and don’t look back.”
Lord Bruno then gave Leaf a nod as if to say I love you, take care my son.
Behind one of the bookshelves, a stairway was hidden. It was dark, cold, and peaceful. Leaf lit a torch and led me down the narrow stairwell; a few times I almost tripped and fell over him.
The echoes of our tapping feet and the pounding of my heart were a rhythmic beat of despair. They were the only things I could hear during our journey to the depths below the palace. We finally reached the tunnels which seemed darker and more cryptic than the stairwell we came down.
Above us, we could hear the haunting sound of the scene above. People shouting in agony, their cries for help going unheard. The thought of their helplessness tore what little composure I had left. My mind was raging like a storm at sea, tossing me around like I was a helpless ship.
All of a sudden, I felt someone slap my back hard. It was Leaf. He gave me a nod with the assured look on his face he would take care of us.
“Hang in there, Izzy. Don’t lose your head just yet.” he said.
“But Leaf, what about the King? What about your father? We should go back to help them.” I said.
Leaf dismissed my suggestion. We had our orders directly from the King. As knights, we couldn’t disobey our oath and orders. Leaf is not a heartless man, I know deep down he feels the same as I. We both knew we wouldn’t see our fathers again; he just knew now was not the time to grieve. The time for seeking sanctuary was now.
We reached the end of the tunnel which was covered up by a thick brush. The area was clear and quiet. Nothing but a wide open plain stood before us.
“If we head west, there’s a place we can lay low for a while.” Leaf said.
My curiosity peaked, “Where are we going, pray tell?”
I was responded to with a grin, “My father has a hunting lodge on the edge of Blackwood. There’s always a couple of day’s supplies there and plenty of game to harvest.”
I nearly forgot about the hunting camp. When Leaf was younger, his father used to take him on trips from time to time. He wasn’t handy with a bow, if I recall, but he found his love with trapping.
I couldn’t resist the temptation to look back. All that remained of Helindom was a large purple dome. It was clear I’d never return home. Papa and everyone else I know are gone.
“Leaf.” I said to break the silence.
Leaf grunted, likely lost in his own thoughts processing what had happened.
“Are we just going to remain silent about what just happened?” I said, “Your dad, my d. . . King” stumbling on my words, the surge of my emotions was coming.
His tone was dark and dreary; gone was the assuredness he displayed before. “Are gone.”
He paused for a few moments, it was clear in his eyes he was fighting the urge to cry and find better ways to express his sorrow. He took a long deep breath and slowly exhaled.
“Pops said he was going to help the King fight off that Black Knight. There was something about that guy that felt unreal. When I looked at him, it was like looking at terror itself. I’m not going to kid myself; there’s no way dad would have survived.” Leaf said.
Leaf clinched his sword hilt as he normally did when he was stressed. It was a habit I noticed during our training together.
I placed my hand on Leaf’s shoulder, “We’ll return one day. Our home will be remade.”
Leaf shook his head, “Maybe, but I doubt it. Helindom is no more. The kingdom has died with the King since the princess died years ago.”
I have no right to say more. Our home is gone and the burden lies on me but no one would know because I’m dead to the world.
“Whether our home manages to be rebuilt or not, I know one thing for sure. I want to avenge my home, my father, and my King.” Leaf said, drawing his sword and pointing it out into the distance.
My sadness was now compounded with anger. For reasons I didn’t understand, my home, my family, and my subjects were decimated. We did nothing wrong; for what sin did we commit that brought this wrath upon us?
“You can count me in, Leaf. I want to see that Black Knight dead. All of Helindom deserves to be avenged.” I said, holding out my fist.
Leaf fist bumped me in kind.
“Thanks, Izzy. I know I can count on you to be by my side.”
For reasons I’ll never know, my mind flashed to memories of the trouble we used to get into when Leaf wanted to do something glorious. I laughed, “I can’t let you have all the fun. No doubt you will get into trouble and I’d be damned if I didn’t have your back. Just like old times and all times.”
Leaf smiled, some grief lifting from his shoulders from my comment. “Like old times and all times.”
By horseback, a trip to the Blackwood would only take a couple of days. Thanks to the Black Knight and his evil, we no longer have that luxury. On foot, it will take us another two days. Along the way, we made due with what we could find for food and shelter. The only things keeping us alive right now are our basic survival training and Leaf’s trapping skills.
At night, I gaze upon the stars which dazzle like the finest jewelry from Silfur. Papa told me once when I was little that when people die, they turn into white diamonds and find their place in the sky to shimmer bright for their loved ones. He said Mama is up there, the biggest and brightest star in the north. We call it the Queen’s Diamond. If I was ever lost in the dark, I could look up and Mama would always be there in the same place to help guide me home. Papa will surely have his seat next to Mama.
We arrived at the camp and immediately began to set things up. The first priority is to gather enough firewood for the next couple of days. We split apart, wandering around the edge of the forest. Menial tasks, I found, helped me process problems I was having. Losing my home with no certain future was a problem needing processing.
“Izzy, wait, not over there!” Leaf called out to me.
I looked back in his direction as I took my next step forward. I don’t remember anything after that.
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