As I stood on the wall of the castle, I knew that I might not get to see the sunshine. The sun slowly rising over the mountains in the east, just as the sky turned a light blood red. This fight could be my last.
“My King? The queen wishes to speak with you before you prepare for departure,” inquired a servant’s voice behind me.
I turned and walked down the stone steps. “Thank you. Tell General Tamra to be ready for departure,” I spoke, glancing at the moon one last time in the sky.
“Yes, my king.”
He hurried off as I walked slowly in the opposite direction into the castle, to my queen’s chambers, taking in everything that was happening around me. The candles’ wax was dripping slowly down the wicks, just as a few guards ran about, readying the castle for the battle. They were responsible for making sure that the castle was able to run while still under siege but also to make sure the others that hid while the battle raged were safe. They had never disappointed me.
As I rounded the final corner, I laid my eyes on the red door that inside held my queen. I knocked twice on her chamber door to let her know I had arrived. There was a loud clang of metal against metal.
“Come in,” her soft voice called.
I pushed the door open and had to smile at her. My wife was tying my old chest plate around her chest with ribbon, but struggling to do so.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stepping to take her hands away.
She didn’t protest my moves, but let out a soft sigh. “I can’t let you die for me. I won’t stand for it.”
I shook my head and began untying the armor. “No Katherine, we have been over this. Your father is coming for you and I will not give you over to him.” I set the metal plate down next to the rest of the old armor she had in the room. The ribbon, I held onto.
My wife sat down on her chair, pulling her feet up next to her, her face full of pain and fear. “This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t left. I should have stayed.” She sniffled a cry and covered her face.
I dropped to a knee and took her other hand, trying to get her to understand why I did this. “Please don’t say that. I don't regret a day I've spent with you. You are my wife, my queen.” I placed my hand on her stomach, “The mother of my future child. You are my everything and I will protect you to my dying breath. But you also know that I am not fooled back your acts.” I gave her a smirk and in return she removed her hand to show me her own.
“You always knew how to see right through me,” she whispered, taking the ribbon and wrapping it around my wrist. “I will stay. For our child.”
A horn blew outside of our walls, breaking our conversation and leaving us both still. I stood slowly and let go of her hands. “It is time.”
My queen stood suddenly and clung to my chest in a tight hug. I pulled her away and kissed her forehead. She didn't say a thing, letting me savor the last moments we had. She was my life. As long as she lived, a part of me would live forever on.
“I love you, Katherine,” I whispered, pulling away and leaving the room. I walked the halls, my armor clicking against itself as I drew closer to the entrance to the castle. The battle was about to begin. The air smelled of iron and dust, horses and sweat; of war. I scanned for my steed and spotted him.
“My King! The scouts have spotted a party approaching, with King Dante at the lead.” Her voice rang out as I approached my horse. I glanced up as she sat up on her own horse.
“We count eight excluding the King,” Tamra said as I took the reins from the soldier holding them.
“Let them come. We will meet them on the field.” I mounted my black horse Buck, his massive body nothing but strength and power. I readied and walked him to the gate, Tamra following my lead. I saw the approaching party, led by my wife’s father.
“Stay close and do not engage until I say so,” I said, glancing at Tamra.
She chuckled. “As you say, my King.”
I faced forward in my saddle and kicked Buck forward. He let out a whinny and we rode to meet the party. It didn’t take long before we met, our colors clashing in the dark night, both meant for war, but one meant to show the fight, the other meant to show power. King Dante rode a white horse and was the first to speak.
“You shouldn’t have taken my daughter.”
“You shouldn’t have challenged a man in love,” I replied.
King Dante pointed his sword at me. “I will have my daughter back even if I have to kill every human in that castle.”
A deep dark laugh grew within me and as I let it out, he dropped his sword, startled. I stopped my laughing abruptly and drew my hand up to point to the castle.
“This is my realm. My people will not fall to you.” I slashed my hand down, startling him again. I looked down at the red ribbon tied around my wrist. My Katherine. For her, I would win.
“I am the Dark King and you will have to kill me.” I sunk every last bit of malice into my words.
“Then you will die. Like every other Dark King before you, slain by a Good King. I, King Dante, the last Good King, will kill you.” He grinned maliciously. “And we always win.”
“My King? The queen wishes to speak with you before you prepare for departure,” inquired a servant’s voice behind me.
I turned and walked down the stone steps. “Thank you. Tell General Tamra to be ready for departure,” I spoke, glancing at the moon one last time in the sky.
“Yes, my king.”
He hurried off as I walked slowly in the opposite direction into the castle, to my queen’s chambers, taking in everything that was happening around me. The candles’ wax was dripping slowly down the wicks, just as a few guards ran about, readying the castle for the battle. They were responsible for making sure that the castle was able to run while still under siege but also to make sure the others that hid while the battle raged were safe. They had never disappointed me.
As I rounded the final corner, I laid my eyes on the red door that inside held my queen. I knocked twice on her chamber door to let her know I had arrived. There was a loud clang of metal against metal.
“Come in,” her soft voice called.
I pushed the door open and had to smile at her. My wife was tying my old chest plate around her chest with ribbon, but struggling to do so.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stepping to take her hands away.
She didn’t protest my moves, but let out a soft sigh. “I can’t let you die for me. I won’t stand for it.”
I shook my head and began untying the armor. “No Katherine, we have been over this. Your father is coming for you and I will not give you over to him.” I set the metal plate down next to the rest of the old armor she had in the room. The ribbon, I held onto.
My wife sat down on her chair, pulling her feet up next to her, her face full of pain and fear. “This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t left. I should have stayed.” She sniffled a cry and covered her face.
I dropped to a knee and took her other hand, trying to get her to understand why I did this. “Please don’t say that. I don't regret a day I've spent with you. You are my wife, my queen.” I placed my hand on her stomach, “The mother of my future child. You are my everything and I will protect you to my dying breath. But you also know that I am not fooled back your acts.” I gave her a smirk and in return she removed her hand to show me her own.
“You always knew how to see right through me,” she whispered, taking the ribbon and wrapping it around my wrist. “I will stay. For our child.”
A horn blew outside of our walls, breaking our conversation and leaving us both still. I stood slowly and let go of her hands. “It is time.”
My queen stood suddenly and clung to my chest in a tight hug. I pulled her away and kissed her forehead. She didn't say a thing, letting me savor the last moments we had. She was my life. As long as she lived, a part of me would live forever on.
“I love you, Katherine,” I whispered, pulling away and leaving the room. I walked the halls, my armor clicking against itself as I drew closer to the entrance to the castle. The battle was about to begin. The air smelled of iron and dust, horses and sweat; of war. I scanned for my steed and spotted him.
“My King! The scouts have spotted a party approaching, with King Dante at the lead.” Her voice rang out as I approached my horse. I glanced up as she sat up on her own horse.
“We count eight excluding the King,” Tamra said as I took the reins from the soldier holding them.
“Let them come. We will meet them on the field.” I mounted my black horse Buck, his massive body nothing but strength and power. I readied and walked him to the gate, Tamra following my lead. I saw the approaching party, led by my wife’s father.
“Stay close and do not engage until I say so,” I said, glancing at Tamra.
She chuckled. “As you say, my King.”
I faced forward in my saddle and kicked Buck forward. He let out a whinny and we rode to meet the party. It didn’t take long before we met, our colors clashing in the dark night, both meant for war, but one meant to show the fight, the other meant to show power. King Dante rode a white horse and was the first to speak.
“You shouldn’t have taken my daughter.”
“You shouldn’t have challenged a man in love,” I replied.
King Dante pointed his sword at me. “I will have my daughter back even if I have to kill every human in that castle.”
A deep dark laugh grew within me and as I let it out, he dropped his sword, startled. I stopped my laughing abruptly and drew my hand up to point to the castle.
“This is my realm. My people will not fall to you.” I slashed my hand down, startling him again. I looked down at the red ribbon tied around my wrist. My Katherine. For her, I would win.
“I am the Dark King and you will have to kill me.” I sunk every last bit of malice into my words.
“Then you will die. Like every other Dark King before you, slain by a Good King. I, King Dante, the last Good King, will kill you.” He grinned maliciously. “And we always win.”
Kaelin states, "I was on Pinterest and the prompt popped up for this short story. You weren't supposed to reveal who was bad and who was good. I wanted to create suspense and then at the end, show who the real villian was."
Kaelin is in 12th grade at Logan-Magnolia High School. The editors enjoyed the twist at the end of the story and the description of the fantasy setting.
*Picture provided by Pexels
Kaelin is in 12th grade at Logan-Magnolia High School. The editors enjoyed the twist at the end of the story and the description of the fantasy setting.
*Picture provided by Pexels