story – Vostak

The Valley – Part 3

The valley was so large that Sevir, while looking at it from the south end, could only see an outline of the mountains in the north. There was also, in fact, a large portion of the valley that Sevir could not see. It was hidden behind the mountains as a result of the valley’s bean-like shape. What Sevir did see, however, was enough to amaze him.

In the west, the land was hidden beneath a lush green blanket. A large forest lay at the base of the mountain range on the west, as though a sea. Its emerald waves rolled over into the center of the valley in between the high places and hills, which stood as an island amongst the trees. These highlands at the center of the valley divided it in two, as though a painter decided to put in a swath of brown, gray and yellow in the middle of his painting. The woods swept under these hills in the south, and came around to the east. What was left of the land was endless green fields in the north and northeast, nestled against the looming mountains. The orange hues of eventide covered a portion of the sky, whilst beams of gold danced across the mountains’ white peaks.

The valley was full of life. More so than Sevir would have expected. Across the fields in the north, and among the hills in the middle of the valley, several columns of smoke had sprung up from the ground and trailed off into the sky. Sevir stood dumbfounded for a moment. His heart almost stopped, and then began to beat so fast that he felt dizzy and lightheaded. He felt a rush and a whirlwind of emotions, filled with an almost childlike bewilderment and curiosity. He got carried away with excitement and almost slipped off the edge of the cliff he was standing on. The precarious moment which could have quickly proven perilous was like a slap in the face. While letting out his breath and clearing his mind, Sevir took a step back and rooted his feet in the ground.

Though he had reached the valley, he was not yet completely over the pass. He stood on the cliff with the gorge he was in before on his left, opening out into the valley before him. It was a fifty-foot drop down to the ground, and there wasn’t really any other way to come down. Once again, Sevir found himself stuck between a rock and an abyss.

He needed to survey the face of the cliff to see if he could climb down it. Once again, he approached the edge, only this time he did it right – on his knees. The cliff was a mixture of smooth and ragged stone. It would be difficult to climb down, with there being few crevices in the rock. It wasn’t impossible, however, and Sevir was determined to make it down. Led on by his curiosity and excitement, he was consumed by a sense of urgency and a need to make haste. Abandoning his reason and sense of time, he failed to notice the darkness which loomed over the valley. Sevir began climbing down the side of the cliff just as the sun was hiding behind the mountains.

A Battle in Open Space

This is a story I wrote long ago, when I was thirteen or so. I’ve rewritten it and changed some things around…

The alarm was blaring throughout the halls and chambers. Red lights blinked on and off everywhere. The crew were scurrying to and fro, each man trying to reach his station. Nikita Termock made his way toward the bridge with a calm yet determined stride. As crewmen ran past him, they raised their hands to their heads in salute. He turned a few corners and approached the entrance. A series of lasers passed over his face as he stood near the security panel. After the scan was complete, he pushed a button and the hatch opened. As he stepped through it, a robotic voice sounded off on the announcement system – “Commander on the bridge.”

The officers and crewmen halted for a moment to salute their commander, then returned to their duties. The First Lieutenant walked over to Nikita. “Sir, we are under attack. It appears to be the pirates we’ve been hunting.” He proceeded to give a detailed report of the situation. While he listened, Nikita looked at different panels and screens on the central command console.

Nikita had been promoted to the rank of Commander one month ago. He was granted a small fleet and assigned to the fourth quadrant of Sector Eight. As soon as he assumed command, he began hunting down and arresting pirate crews, which had been running rampant in the quadrant. He never expected, however, that the problem was this severe. He thought that he would only have to deal with a few isolated pirate bands. Instead, he found himself dealing with an entire fleet.

The pirates’ corvettes surrounded Nikita’s fleet and threw a barrage of artillery fire at all the ships, while a swarm of their fighter craft moved in on the center. They focused on Nikita’s flagship. Before the fleet could scramble their own fighters to intercept, the swarm reached The Nebula and put heavy pressure on the bridge. The shields were holding, but they wouldn’t be able to hold much longer. The ship’s automatic defense system fired a storm of lasers and missiles, but there were simply too many enemy fighters for it to fend off.

Nikita looked out the windows at a blaze of lasers. A number of flame-less explosions rocked the ship. What remained of destroyed enemy fighters floated about the battle-zone. Some fighters ended up crashing into them and adding to the wreckage. From the windows of the bridge, one couldn’t see the bodies, but felt an acute sense of carnage. When the fleet finally deployed their fighters, some of the heat on the flagship abated. Nikita was able to redirect his focus from survival to retaliation.

Nikita knew that they would be able to repel the attack. But he also knew that regardless of the outcome, many of his men would give their lives this day. A cold bead of sweat ran down his neck. His fists were clenched, and so was his jaw when he wasn’t giving orders. He barely blinked, and barely moved.

The battle raged on in open space as a silent symphony of death and destruction. Laser beams danced across the ships in a flurry of colors. Flames erupted inside ships and then instantly dissolved as the hulls burst open and all the pressurized air dissipated. Inside the ships, it was loud and chaotic. The radio waves were filled with constant communications. Alarms screamed and men shouted. In the midst of this all, Nikita Termock stood on the command deck of The Nebula with strict determination.

As the fight turned in his favor, Nikita wiped the sweat from his neck and turned to his officers. “Alright boys. It’s time to take the fight to them!” A cheer went up from among the officers and crewmen. Then, suddenly, it all dissolved before Nikita’s eyes.

“Still daydreaming about being an astronaut?” His brother jeered at him with a mocking tone.

The bridge of The Nebula, the battle raging out in space, the ringing of the alarm and the voices of his crew all faded away. Nikita found himself in the living room, sitting on the couch with a blank stare. He didn’t bother to look up at his brother standing over him. “Something like that,” he responded coolly. Then he stood up and walked away, returning once again to his battle in open space…

The Valley – Part 2

The sky was like a canvas for the sunrise. Tendrils of orange spread across the clouds whilst rays of gold pierced through them and bathed the white mountain peaks with light. The morning mist lay over the earth and a slight breeze tugged at the trees. The sun looked over the mountains in the east as dawn made its way west. Birds chirped, chattered, and trilled. Below the cliff, a mother deer and her fawns came to the stream for water.

Sevir was surrounded by otherworldly sights and sounds, but he didn’t get to enjoy the setting for long. He had to pack up and keep moving while the sun was up. A thought to kill the deer for food crossed his mind, but he decided against it. He still had a quail wrapped up in his pack, and the deer was far more meat than he could eat or carry with him.

It took some time for Sevir to solve his dilemma. He didn’t have many options for how to keep moving forward. He could double back the way he came along the ledge, which would take him half of the day. The nearest treetop was about ten feet below the edge of the terrace. He could try jumping down to it and then climbing down the tree, which would surely be suicide. His one remaining option was to climb up to the top of the cliff and continue from there. It looked to be a thirty or forty foot straight upward climb. The cliff face was jagged enough that it could be possible. But if Sevir got stuck halfway up with no proper footrest, he could be stranded up there.

After several minutes of consideration, Sevir resolved to take the risk and scale the cliff. Long story short – he survived. Though the climb was perilous and there was many a moment when he thought that he was surely doomed. When he reached the top, he marveled at the sights. To the south was familiar territory – the mountain-side he trekked before reaching this canyon. To the west, he saw the other side of the canyon, and the side of the mountain which it carved through. In the east, Sevir couldn’t see much save for the woods right before him, and the mountain up above. But when he turned north, Sevir couldn’t believe his eyes. The canyon continued on northward, and the stream at its base. A few miles ahead, however, they passed inbetween two mountains. Beyond these two mountainsides Sevir saw a glimpse of what lay beyond.

Unknown to the villagers living just fifteen miles south of it, hidden in the mountains was a large bountiful valley. Sevir was stunned. All his life he had been told that the North Mountains completely covered the land north of their village for a hundred miles or more. But now he saw, with his own eyes, that there was yet much to be found and explored. So, his eyes full of wonder, his heart filled with excitement, and his belly full of game, he continued his journey towards the valley.

The Valley – Part 1

The sun was beating down upon the mountaintops. The snow capped peaks gleamed and shimmered above a sea of fog. Or was it clouds? One would not be able to tell. This was not so much a mountain range, as simply a land of mountains. From a bird’s eye view, it was all mountains to the east, north, and west, save for a large valley to the north. Of course, Sevir saw none of this. He was making his way through the mountains along a narrow cliff. All he saw was the stream far down at the bottom, his feet on the narrow ledge, the cliff face before him, and the crevices in which he placed his hands.

Sevir felt his pulse in his head and his heart pounding in his chest. He constantly had to adjust his grip because his hands were sweaty. His arms and feet felt heavy. His breath was weak and unsteady. He felt as though he could fall already. Though just moments ago, he thought that he was ready to scale the cliff. As he crept along the ledge, Sevir tried his best to occupy his mind. His thoughts carried him off of the cliff, out of the mountains, and back to the village he once called home.

Many called Sevir a fool for leaving his village, which was nestled under the Great Mountains. It had been common wisdom for centuries that there was nothing beyond the mountains but more mountains. Sevir, however, figured that he had no choice. Though there was much space to build new homes, there was no room for Sevir in the village. Not anymore.

Over the span of a few years, Sevir observed the Head Council become skewed and misguided in their thinking. Faithful laborers were ignored and cast aside in favor of agreeable yes-men. Decisions were made not to benefit the village’s families but for the ego and pride of those in charge. Though the Head Council claimed otherwise, it was clear that everything they did served no purpose other than gaining more resources and growing in their status. Perhaps, on the surface, it appeared that the village was prospering. Growing more into a town than a village. But in Sevir’s eyes, even if the village really was growing, it was all for the wrong reasons.

It came to a point that Sevir decided he had had enough. He figured that he would rather risk his life in search of a different home for his family than continue serving those that had abused him and others in their bid for glory. And so, Sevir found himself in the mountains. He was cold, he was hungry, and he was afraid. Yet he pressed on.

He slowly shimmied along until he reached a point where the ledge came to a natural rocky terrace. It overlooked the stream and greenery below. Though far safer than what came before it, it was a small opening and didn’t lead anywhere. How he would continue, Sevir had no idea. He decided to rest and spend the night at this spot as he figured that a solution might come to him in the morning. In the meantime, he was content to eat a morsel of bread and enjoy the view.

The Prey

Dalibor bent over to catch his breath. His throat felt ragged, as though the air was scratching it. His heart was pounding in his chest, his head was spinning, and his calves were burning. He let his bag drop off of his shoulder and sat down next to it on the ground, which was all a coarse black rock. It came out of the mouth of the cave and extended down the slope. There were no trees, no brush, no grass near the cave. Only the black rock and a dry red soil. The rest of the mountain below was all dirt, rock, ash, and withered trees. Far down the slope, at the foot of the mountain, there was a dense forest. It could not be seen from where Dalibor was, however, as there was a thick fog over the mountain.

As Dalibor’s breath evened out and his mind cleared, he began to scan his surroundings. The mouth of the cave at which he sat was a little shy of ten meters in height. It was so dark inside that he only saw a bit of the entrance. The surrounding stone was charred. Higher up the mountain, the stone was smooth and almost aglow. The peak stood out amongst the rest of the mountain range as the other mountains were all snow-capped. It was unusual, but not surprising to Dalibor. He felt the heat coming from within the mountain as he sat on the ground. As he moved his hand along the rock, he felt tremors, as though a mighty beast stirred within the mountain.

Though the rock was warm, Dalibor felt a chill come over him. His eye twitched, his knees felt weak, his neck stiffened, and his breath got caught in his throat. His heart was gripped with a terror he had never felt before. It was clear now that his quarry was far mightier than he expected. In all his years of hunting, he had never had a thought such as the one he did now: “Perhaps I might become the prey today.”

He stood up shakily and gripped his bow. With the other hand, he grabbed an arrow from the quiver at his hip and nocked it. As he did so, a rumble started to rise from within the cave, as though a growl. It was clear: the beast was aware of Dalibor’s presence. He figured that if he tried to run, it would pursue and kill him. He had only one choice – to fight the terror and slay it.

A foul smell met him as he entered the cave. He moved quickly, as though trying to escape his fear with speed. He realized that he had forgotten his bag, but it was too late now. He pressed on. Dalibor had to meet the beast where it didn’t expect it and take his shot before it made its move.

It was pitch black in the cave, but Dalibor had hit his mark in such conditions before. As he shuffled through the labyrinth, he listened closely for any sounds the beast could make. It was hot and moist in the tunnels. The trickle of water could be heard almost as clearly as the gnashing of teeth and scraping of claws. As the sounds became louder, Dalibor took his stance and drew a deep breath. The beast approached him from behind a row of stalagmites. He exhaled, took a half breath, turned towards the sound of slithering and snarling, and took his shot.

Dalibor could not see what happened, but he heard it. First, the twang of his bowstring releasing. Next, the sound of metal striking metal. Then a knock, as of wood hitting a rock. Finally, a rustling and a feint rumble. After all of this, he saw a bright orange light coming from behind a row of big black teeth. For one moment, Dalibor saw his foe. Then he was covered in flame.

The Bench

I wrote this poem in March of 2020. Some time has passed since then, and I have grown a lot. Both in skill and in character. There are some things that I would change about the poem to make it better, but I’ve decided to share it unaltered. Let it serve as something to compare my more current poems to.

The point is quite simple – it is a reminder that sometimes you need to slow down and live the moment. Be present where you are, and see the beauty in the world around you.

I walked along a winding path

In tense anticipation

I saw a bench, and moved on past

No time for static contemplation

“I needs must know what lies ahead”

My rationale dictated

It rang so loud within my head

All other thoughts were faded

I felt uneasy and perplexed

And both my hands were shaking

At every turn I was so vexed

My will and body almost breaking

The trees were rushing past me

Like walls on left and right

My breath was ragged – ghastly

Each step became a vicious fight

At last, there came a breaking point

I could not carry on

I felt a flame in every joint

All of my strength was gone

And then I fell, in agony

Submitting to the wind

It seemed a dire tragedy

With rage, my heart was filled

I lay there, empty, flaccid

Ready to despair

The dirt, it felt like acid

None of this felt fair

Then I let myself release

And simply lay in waiting

And out of nowhere, I felt peace

My pain and wrath abating

I saw a world of beauty

Around me, everywhere

Remembering my duty

I breathed the fresh, clean, air

It filled my lungs with fire

It gave me strength and life

I stood again, but higher

Forgetting all my strife

I turned around and shuffled

Looking all around

I was completely baffled

By what I had just found

I realized the green and blue

The branches and the stems

I saw the world completely new

As filled with precious gems

And then I found the bench again

And entered its’ embrace

It was to me a good old friend

Reminding me of grace

-Nikolay Terekhin

An Unexpected Gift

I pulled my elbows in closer to my belly, trying to steady my hands. As I exhaled, I got ready and put the camera in focus. Then, I took the shot. The shutter clicked as fast as lightning and I sat back to take a look at the result. It was perfect. Nadia’s face and her cup were out of focus in the background, while strands of her hair and part of her hand were in perfect detail, with the sunlight reflecting off of them. It took me a few shots, but I finally found just the right balance between the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. As I looked at the photo, I felt such a rush. I had achieved the intended effect.

Less than twenty-four hours earlier, I had no idea of what all these settings did. I didn’t know how anything on a camera works, other than pressing the button on auto mode. To be frank, I could never understand the allure of photography. Perhaps it was because so many people my age seem to be into it simply because it’s popular, so I considered it a cliche. Or maybe it was because I felt intimidated. It seemed so complicated – all the different settings and techniques that you need to know. Hearing someone talk about photography always made me feel overwhelmed because I didn’t understand any of the jargon. This Christmas, however, all of that changed.

It started with an unexpected gift. We were seated in the living room. Nadia was right next to me and her family was gathered all around. As I unwrapped my gift, I closed my eyes, so as to not see what it was until I fully unwrapped it. Once I was ready, I opened my eyes and threw off the wrapping paper. I couldn’t help but let out an “Ooo.” It was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one – a Nikon D3200 camera. It came with two different lenses and a bag.

Since I’ve never been particularly interested in photography, I can’t say that I was overjoyed with my gift. But, I was happy to receive it and excited to try it out. Being a complete novice, I had Nadia and her father show me the basics. They taught me how to switch out lenses, and what the various buttons and dials on the body are for.

At first, I took a few shots in ‘auto mode.’ Then, Nadia showed me a few of the other settings and I made shots in ‘portrait mode’ and ‘macro mode.’ My interest began to build as I played with the different settings and learned more of how the camera works. After taking about fifty shots, I decided that I needed to learn more. I watched a YouTube video that explained the basics – all of the different modes, as well as ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. After this, I began to take shots with ‘program mode.’ The next morning, I was already taking all of my shots in ‘manual mode.’ I quickly came to realize that photography is not complicated at all. It is just complex. And it just so happens that I love complexity. So, after one evening and several hundred shots, I was hooked.

So, this is the story of how I have recently picked up a new hobby. I am excited to learn more and grow in my skills; and, I am excited to share my progress with you! Here are a few shots that I have made over the past couple of days:

**The Photograph described in my story.**

**My first successful macro shot in manual mode**.

**Catching drops of water as they fall from the lid**.

**Shot at night-time. The only light sources were very faint – the TV and the Christmas tree. No flash.**

**Water vapor in the shape of a heart**.

We Came, We Saw, We Loved – Part 3

I carefully brushed the comb through my hair, trying to get it just right. I had been going in and out of the washroom to check my hair and attire. My friend was sitting in the kitchen, eating lunch. I walked back down there and asked him how I looked, and how my hair was. He remarked, with a laugh “Dude, you’re so jittery.”

“I wonder why.” I was joking. We both knew exactly why. I was about to go on my first date with his cousin.

“Relax man, you look great.”

“Thanks.” I wasn’t satisfied. I wore blue jeans and a burgundy dress shirt with a crimson sweater over it, a brown belt, brown dress shoes, and a wristwatch with a brown band. I had gotten a haircut a couple days earlier, and I wore my favorite cologne. Looking back, I would probably say that I looked rather dashing. But at the time I was anxious about every aspect of my appearance. In fact, I was anxious about every aspect of the entire evening.

I was going to pick her up from her home in Bellingham, and the plan was to go to a sushi restaurant in the city center. I needed to be in Bellingham by four, and I also needed to stop by the store to pick up flowers. I had some coffee, chatted a little more with my friend, and headed out. I stopped at a Safeway on the way and picked up some flowers. Two dozen white Roses for Nadia, and some smaller flowers for her mother. I was nervous about being on time, so I was in quite a rush. The drive up north seemed to fly by as though it was just around the corner. Soon I was exiting the freeway through exit 254 to Bellingham. That’s when my anxiety peaked.

I was wondering what she was going to be like and how she was going to act and behave. Would she wait for me to open the door for her or barge through herself? Would she let me take her jacket off or do it herself? Would she be courteous and gentle, or rude and coarse? Would our conversations be as easy flowing in person as they were when we were texting? I wondered all of this and more, and I also wondered and was worried about what her parents were going to be like. Were they going to be strict, formal and cold? Were they going to be awkward and anti-social? Was I even going to meet them when I pick her up? I was terrified…

When I drove up to their house, I turned my car around (so as to not do that with Nadia in the car), spit out my gum in the trash, grabbed the flowers for Nadia’s mom, said a quick prayer and walked up to the door. After I knocked, I heard some commotion and then one of Nadia’s younger sisters opened the door. We exchanged greetings and Nadia walked over from the kitchen.

She was beautiful. She wore a black and blue turtleneck sweater and a pair of jeans. As she came closer, I smelled her sweet perfume. I was absolutely enamored with her, and it was hard not to stare. Somehow, I managed to mumble a few words of greeting and mention that the bouquet in my hands was for her mother, who just so happened to be walking up to us. I presented the flowers to her with a smile, and she received them gladly. After that I saw a large shape moving across the hall from the kitchen, and a booming voice ringing out. This was the moment that I had dreaded the most – meeting Nadia’s father. I did not know much about him, and didn’t really interact with him the week before, when I met their family. All I knew was that he was big and strong, and loved his daughter very much.

I was afraid that he might not like something about me, be extra critical or even unaccepting. But all of my fears faded away as soon as I heard his voice. He bellowed with excitement and appeared genuinely happy to see me. I was preparing for a formal handshake when I saw his right hand go up in the air. We clasped hands and he pulled me in for a one-armed hug. He had a big smile on his face and welcomed me into his home.

After I had met everyone for a second time, we all gathered in a circle as Nadia’s father prayed over us and blessed us for the evening. He invited me to come in for tea with their family after our date, and then they sent us off on our way. I opened the door for Nadia, led her down the stairs of their front porch, took her to my car, opened the passenger side door and brought out a bouquet of white roses for her. My plan had worked. Bringing in flowers for her mother made Nadia think that I hadn’t brought any for her. When she saw these roses she was caught off guard and looked pleasantly surprised. Seeing the smile on her face made me feel a joy that, perhaps, I had never felt before. I helped her take her seat, walked back around the car and took my place in the driver’s seat. We prayed and then, with my heart full of excitement, my stomach churning, and my head spinning, our first date began…

We Came, We Saw, We Loved – Part 1

I haven’t been active on this blog for upwards of five months. Life found a way to rip me away from this endeavor and engross me in an extraordinary adventure. I found myself in the center of an event which carried implications for the future of my life, and the lives of future generations. An event of epic proportions, with irrevocable consequences that will echo throughout the lives of my children and grandchildren. One of the greatest adventures of history. A most noteworthy and prominent occurrence. In short… I met a woman.

What followed was a series of events I’ve decided I cannot leave undocumented. Firstly, because it will be a good way to rebuild consistency on this blog and get things going again. Secondly, because it is an opportunity for me to relive those events and to pass on the memory to whoever may someday care to know. Thirdly, and I suppose most importantly, it’s just a damn good story.

It all started on September 27th, 2020. I was at one of my closest friends’ wedding anniversary. He and his wife had been married for two years and his mother decided to put together a surprise party for them. She invited his friends over and prepared dinner. We all arrived a little early and parked across the street, so as to not spoil the surprise. It was great to see the joy on their faces when they walked in to the sound of us all yelling “Surprise!” We had a great time, and the party was a success. But that is all besides the point. The point is – I was there.

A few hours into the evening, my friend’s mother casually mentioned something about their relatives from a city two hours away stopping by soon. They were in town for the day, so they wanted to at least drop in and say “hello.” Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Somebody opened the door, and in poured a big family of seven people. Three of them were young girls, and one of them looked to be about my age. I only saw her out of the corner of my eye, so I didn’t really get a good look.

A couple moments later, I finished my conversation and stood up to go talk with another person. As I began chatting with one of my buddies, she walked up to us. That was when I really saw her for the first time; and, the first thought that ran across my mind was “if she’s that beautiful, there’s got to be something wrong with her.” My second thought was “She lives in Bellingham (the city two hours away), it’s too far.” The third thought was “I don’t need this right now, I’ve got other things to focus on…” You get the picture.

I was telling myself “no” the entire evening and trying to convince myself that I wasn’t attracted to her more than anyone in my entire life. All the while playing party games and casually flirting with her despite myself. Several hours passed like seconds, and we were saying goodbye. I shook her hand whilst internally reminding myself of all the reasons not to let this go any further. And that was that. I walked to my car, turned on the engine, waited a few minutes for it to heat up and drove off.

This could easily be the end of the story. Just another evening. A standard party, one of thousands, nothing special about it. But it wasn’t over… I can’t quite explain what happened. As I drove home, my thoughts kept circling around her and the evening until something just clicked inside me. I picked up my phone and texted my friend, asking him whether he would be comfortable with me texting his cousin. He was thrilled with the idea. When I got home, I found her on Instagram and followed her. “Well,” I thought, “that’s probably about as far as this will go,” and went to sleep…

The Ringing of the Bells – Part 3

“By the time the rider reached Bordil, it was too late.” Captain Smoll spoke with an expression of grim formality. For all his experience, the man was clearly uneasy. He did not wake up in the morning expecting to stand before the king. Though he was of higher rank than Andre, he was unaccustomed to anything other than his daily routine. He had been stationed in Bordil, a small village on the north end of The Lake, for thirty years. Andre, on the other hand, was a member of the Capitol Guard. Every week was full of new challenges. And he had been around the king before. Besides, he had more on his mind than the king.

“We never should have sent the navy away up there.” The Grand Financier, Lord Rotheford, looked annoyed, and frustrated.

“We needed to deal with the smugglers.” The king was calm and collected.

“Your majesty, with all due respect, I am certain that Captain Smoll and his men could have handled that situation themselves. The coastal villages deal with smugglers rings all the time.”

“Sir,” the captain chimed in, “I. We. They were.” He was clearly trying his hardest to speak with respect to a man he detested. And the stress did not help. The king stepped in to calm the man.

“Speak freely.”

Captain Smoll turned to the king and spoke directly to him, ignoring Lord Rotheford.

“I only have a handful of recruits stationed with me. And some of the villagers were in on the scam. I needed help. I included everything in my report, I am sure you’ve read it and are aware of the situation, your majesty. Since you sent the help.”

“You were right to ask for help, and we were right to send it. But regardless of all that, the past does not matter. What matters is what we need to do right now. It is good that the admiral is in pursuit of the traitor’s vessel. But you say he will not be able to catch them?”

“Those are the admiral’s words, your majesty. He recommended sending a rider to the Midlands. It is possible that the local knights can overtake the ship on its’ way north. But..” He trailed off.

“Yes?” The king asked quietly. Andre was baffled by his patience. His chest was hot, his heart was still pounding, and his head was spinning. He felt as though a cloud was over his head. The image of Bart lying in a pool of blood on the street kept creeping into Andre’s mind. His head was full of questions. Why did Lord Devoue run? What had he done? Where was he going? Nobody deemed it necessary to inform a rank and file guardsman of all the details. But he wanted to know. He wanted to get to the bottom of this. He wanted to know exactly what it was that his friend gave his life for. The thought of that reminded him of the reasons he was where he was.. Aside from reporting to the king, he wanted to request a release from duty. Then he remembered that there was a conversation going on. The dim voices in the background faded back in. And Andre shook his head slightly to focus.

The king was speaking. “We need to try everything we can. If he reaches the wilds in the north, we are likely to never find him again.”

“I will send a man right away, your majesty” said Commander Reik. The Commander of the Capitol Guard.

“Why don’t you send Andre? Who better for the job than him?”

“Yes, you’re right-“

“I’m sorry,” Andre cut in. “Your Majesty, Commander, I wanted to request a release from duty for some time. I want to go after Lord Devoue. This is personal for me.” The King and the Commander both shared a look. They looked confused.

“I don’t see why you can’t do both in an official capacity” said the commander. Then Andre realized his mistake. ‘Oh. They were talking about sending a rider to the Midlands. To cut off Devoue’s escape.’

“I’m sorry, I..” He didn’t want to admit that he was not paying attention. “I must have confused myself a little. Yes sir, I will take the assignment. Please disregard my request.”

“Good man. I will issue an official pass for you. I know you and Bart were close. But if you, by some miracle do manage to capture that bastard, I want him alive. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir.”

“Not a scratch. Understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright.” The Commander held his stern gaze for a moment, then turned to the king. “We will get to it right away, your majesty.”

“Good. In the meantime, Captain Smoll, you may return to your station. Thank you for your report. And guardsman,” he turned to Andre, and Andre straightened himself, standing at attention.

“Yes your majesty?”

“Don’t blame yourself for what happened. You did not know that Bartholomew hit his head, and you were in pursuit of a criminal. You both knew what you signed up for when you joined the Guard. He gave his life in service to the kingdom. A noble death for a man who lived a noble life.”

“Thank you, your majesty.” Andre spoke as sincerely as he could. But the truth was that he never blamed himself. When he came back to find Bart dead in the street and realized what had happened, all he could think was ‘you stupid idiot. Why did you grab that cape?’ Later, after all the commotion died down and he was on his way to the royal keep, he was filled with rage. Lord Devoue was one of his favorite people to work with. He had once been stationed in the Second Court, where criminals were put on trial, as a guard. He always thought that Lord Devoue conducted himself with more courtesy and grace than any other nobleman. They spoke a few times, and the man treated Andre as an equal, rather than a subservient underling. Andre respected Lord Devoue. He respected him, and then he went and killed his friend. Now all that Andre could feel was anger and a sour taste in the mouth.

When they left the king’s chancery, Commander Reik took Andre aside. He looked serious. More serious than his usual self. It was clear that he was not fully comfortable with what he was about to say. It was unusual for Andre to see the man in such a light. The Commander had always been an epitome of confidence and rigidness. But now, he spoke softly and carefully. At the edge of hearing.

“The Midland Knights cannot be trusted. Some of them would rather take the traitor north than south, if he is captured. And we don’t know if any of them might even be in on his treachery. Perhaps even Lord Casper is involved.”

‘Of course, he’s involved!’ Andre, thought. Everyone knew that the lord of South Ghrod was greedy and corrupt. There were suspicions amongst the king’s court that he was preparing a rebellion against King Eustace. Grain dues had been withheld by his lands, and he ignored the king’s requests to deal with a land dispute in the Midlands. Left unchecked, the dispute grew into a devastating conflict. The Midlands turned into a frenzied free-for-all between petty lords and free villages. Bandits were able to flourish, and now the Midlands were up in flames. Someone had to be stoking that fire.

“Don’t trust anyone you meet in the Midlands. Take Lord Devoue back here; and, at any cost, you must not allow him to be taken north.” The Commander tilted his head forward and raised his eyebrows. “You understand?”

“Yes sir. I will bring him back to the capitol.”

“Good man.” The Commander slapped his hand on Andre’s shoulder. “I will organize a party of three or four for you to lead. It would be more, but with refugees pouring in, we’re already stretched thin as it is. You know this yourself. But, if there is any man you believe would be useful on this journey, tell me.”

“No sir. The man I would pick is being buried this evening.”

The Commander nodded solemnly. “Be prepared after the burial. You leave tonight.”

“Yes sir.”

With that, the Commander turned and walked away, his blue cape fluttering behind him.