1. Lost everything but found her

3867 Words
(Leo’s POV—THE PRESENT) The breeze hummed a low and cheerful tune, while whirling through the forest. Leo’s spirit found peace here when out hunting. The air was humid and small beads of sweat ran down his dark tanned skin. Today he woke up yearning for something, but cannot seem to satisfy this need. It’s been going on since his eighteen birthday, but when he came out here, deep in the forest, nature briefly filled the cruel longing. Hunting was one of the many talents inherited from his father. He dropped his head from the treetops and focused on his target a few feet away. Today the wind blew in his favour, as the young doe hadn’t picked up on his scent yet. Slowly, he bent down and crept forward without making a sound. As he shifted his bow, she raised her head and gave a quick glance in his direction. O no, she must have heard him. Startled, she ran away and out of sight. He stood back up, “Damn, there goes dinner”. He murmured. Judging from the sun’s position, he had a few more hours to hunt before returning to the cave. The fresh air always helped in keeping his mind sober, that’s why he escaped the village from time to time. Here, his thoughts could wander into a numbness abyss, but today, his anxious heart couldn’t find peace. To quench his thirst, he went to a stream nearby. After a few handfuls, he spat some water on his face and neck to cool down. He also refilled the water satchel dangling around his shoulder for later. Without dinner, he made his way back to the cave as the sun faded in the distance. On the way, Leo came across a large hare that would make a tasty meal. The hare was no match for him, and before long, he entered the cave with dinner draped over his muscular shoulder. As the sun left the earth in a golden glow, he sat outside to appreciate its beauty. As the stars filled the sky, he grabbed a few pieces of wood to get the fire going inside the cave. After he devoured his well-deserved dinner, he sat quietly staring at the crackling fire. All his suppressed memories of longing and loss came drifting out of the flames as unwanted ghosts. His gaze remained fixated on the flames, as if they’ll tear loose and torment his present. Captivated, he fell asleep next to the fire and dreamt. Fire gushed smoke into the black air, causing it hard to breathe. Ear-piercing cries of death and sorrow instilled fear into all men, whether weak or brave. A young eleven-year-old boy attempted to climb out under an overturned weapons wagon. Once freed, he remained unseen by hiding behind it. The boy stared at the terrible face of battle. He defied his father to become a man and fight for his people, but regretted his disobedience. Still dumbfounded by the reality he found himself in, he reached towards a fallen warrior and took the sword from his stiff hand. The young boy’s head snapped up, hearing the familiar female scream in the distance. He watched, helplessly, as the enemy king slid his dagger across her throat. Before long, a crimson liquid dripped from the wound onto her chest. He killed her. Before the boy could comprehend the events unfolding in front of him, his beloved king, now blinded by sorrow, ran to her. With lifting his hand, the enemy king instructed his bowman to raise their weapons. One by one, the enemy unloaded their arrows in the king. Still, he continued toward her by digging his fingers in the wet soil and pulling himself forward. With his last breath, he held her lifeless hand in his. The roars of prince Rogan thundered throughout the battlefield. The young boy’s attention unwillingly moved from his deceased parents to his brother in the distance. Startled by who he observed, he couldn’t get himself to run towards him. He no longer recognised the prince, because black smoke fell from the sky and consumed him. Suddenly, a dull but crushing pain blinded him before dropping to the ground. Paralysed, he stared up at a faint outline of a man, but his eyes soon fell close. Shaken wide awake by his dream, Leo touched the side of his head as if to drive the memories away. It has been a while since his past came to remind him of what he lost, and tonight they did not spare his broken soul. After they lost their parents and the darkness took hold of Rogan’s heart, the nightmares came almost every night. As Leo grew older and the images of that day faded, only then his troubled heart healed. The painful dream uncovered all his closely guarded emotions and caused his heart to bleed as if it only happened yesterday. Leo dropped his shoulders, “I could never forget that horrible day on the battlefield...”. It was no dream, but a dreadful reminder of what he lost. Another king’s greed and jealousy ended their family in the most brutal way. He might not have lost his brother to the reaper, but rage replaced his kind soul. After experiencing battle first hand, a lot of time passed before he could trust another yet again. Early, the birds chirped their morning song to wake up the rest of the forest. Listing to the morning sounds and promises it brought with the new day, his spirit lifted. Although the warm sensation only lasted for a moment, it was a promise that better things are yet to come. He picked himself up and strolled out of the cave toward the glistening stream. His satchel needed filling, as his village was a couple of hours away. There weren’t many caves around, and he discovered this one by accident many years ago. Since then, he kept it a secret. Even though his dream unsettled and rattled around his feelings, it also revealed his mind hid something important. Something buried deep in his subconscious that took place on that faithful day. He could not shake this felling, as it nagged in the back of his head for the rest of the day. He wished to identify the shadow in the distance, veiled behind a wall of mist. Sadly, only its outlines appeared visible far in the distance. Nothing more. His fear of the truth wouldn’t let him move closer to grab a hold of the forgotten memory. Since unanswered questions weighed him down, he struggled to place one foot before another. “Why now tug and twist at my already lost soul?” He exclaimed into the brisk morning air before climbing on to his horse. Leo took a deep breath and nudged her to take them home. “Jah! Jah!” He needs to delve deeper into his subconscious to find the missing piece. Depression could become his new acquaintance if he relived all that happened, but had little choice. He let his memories of the first day it all went wrong, takeover... It started out as any other, and young Leo planned to go fishing with friends to await his mother’s return. Already lost in his memories, he smiled at the image of his eleven-year-old self. The little version of him woke up in a bed fit for a prince with no sense of longing or lost. The world was his playground, and endless opportunities awaited this young boy. Tradition called for the mother of the future king, to travel to different tribes in a search for a prospective alliance. This was necessary to reinforce both kingdoms through marriage. Prince Rogan was the eldest male offspring of the family, thus first in line to receive the crown. Unfortunately with it, came the consequential burden of the stone curse their bloodline had to bear, once you sat on the throne. After returning from the river, he searched for his mother throughout the castle. Yet, a slightly restless feeling burdened him, as she has not returned from her quest for Rogan’s wife. Uninformed about his mother’s situation, young Leo continued to the throne room. His father would have the answers he sought. But warriors rushed past him, and then the commander ordered to get ready for battle. Alarmed, he rushed down the passage towards the throne room. ‘Where is my mother? Why do the warriors prepare for battle? Has someone attacked our kingdom?’ Many questions flashed through his mind, running down the hallway. Leo lowered his head at the bitter memories and refused to remember anymore. He pulled on his horse’s braided bridle, urging her to slow down. After an hour into their journey back to the village, both needed rest for a bit. He enjoyed berries he found nearby and water from his satchel, while sitting under a shady tree. Hopefully, the truth behind the veiled shadow will reveal itself soon. ‘What happened after I found father?’ Leo thought. Reliving his past, he became the young boy once more. After reaching the throne room, he discovered a stone-cold looking king and prince listening to the commander facing them. “They will not get away with an attack on our kingdom. They s*******r’ d the royal guards, but queen Maya is unharmed for now. We suspect she is being kept in one of the enemy king’s personal quarters.” The commander informed his audience. Leo’s father struck his fists hard on the rough table, “Do we know what he wants with my queen? What resulted for the Black Wood Tribe’s king to turn on us? Was it because we turned down his daughter as Rogan’s wife? That scoundrel! He declared war on us!” In his fathers’ eyes, the young boy discovered a man seeking blood, but also a husband terrified for the love of his life. The commander replied, “My king, the informant tells me that King Sagum never planned on his daughter marrying your son. From the start, it was all ruse to get close to queen Maya. He has always desired your queen to be his and regards her as the rarest gem of all. You did however complicate his plan after rejecting his proposal, so he kidnapped her on route.” The queen was indeed a rare beauty throughout the kingdom, with her golden hair and gleaming blue eyes. The commander’s words confused the young boy. How can another king take his mother from him? He plodded closer to where the men stood, still in serious conversation. This was the first time he noticed how different Rogan looked next to his father. He was seven years Leo’s senior and ready to be king. Because of their significant age difference, the brothers weren’t close, but also never quarrelled. They respected each other more than they had love between them. “Brother, why are you creeping up like a crook in the shadows? What do you want, because we are busy? Conversation of men is no place of a youngster.” Rogan disciplined his brother. Before he could proceed with his scolding, the king’s attention turned to his beloved younger son, “My son, come here! We have some awful news”. He ran to his father’s arms and encircled his tiny limbs around his waist. Rogan rolled his eyes at the sight. He objected to his brother’s presence while they plotted their crucial next move. “My king, Leo is but only a child and knows nothing about planning an attack on…” Before Rogan could complete his sentence, the king picked up his hand to silence him. “How did you learn the ways of war and preparing for it? You sat by my side and I trained you. Let us do the same for your brother. He’s coming of age and needs to shed the skin of a boy. Then, he can become one of your trusted advisers.” Rogan dropped his head to further investigate the map in his hands, bothered by his father’s favour towards Leo. New hope for his mother’s safe return comforted the young boy as he listened to them plotting. The commander agreed to leave in the cover of darkness. “I wish to join you.” He suddenly stood up and searched his father’s eyes for a favourable answer. The king picked him up and spoke lovingly. “My son, you are ready to sit in while we plan for battle, but not to accompany us there. You will remain here, protected, until we return with your mother. If something would happen to you, she will never forgive me.” Leo couldn’t accommodate the tormenting memories anymore. As he stepped onto the first step of his grandmother’s small cottage, he first noticed his weary body. The cottage stood far from the village, almost hidden in the forest. Her herbal tinctures became her livelihood after leaving the castle, so she settled here to grow the herbs required for her medicines. The villagers understood little about her line of work, so it suited everyone if she kept to herself. He drew a deep breath and crammed all his poor memories in the back of his mind. “You have returned. Thank the heavens! Last night, you did not return home. Did something come up?” Sesa asked with a concerned look. “Of course not. Everything is as it should be. I slept at the cave because it got late. My apologies for upsetting you.” Leo expressed a reassuring grin and entered the cottage. “Quickly read this, it is an urgent note from king Rogan. He needs you and your warriors to go to the river where our border meets that of the Black Wood Tribe’s.” Sesa exclaimed almost out of breath. He took the note from his grandmother and fell onto his bed. A terrible attack was imminent and not what he planned for his day tomorrow. Valgi warriors spotted strange trespassers on the riverbank where the two most dominant kingdoms in Deliingham met. “It reads warriors from the nearby village are already on route. We will join them tomorrow.” He yelled from his room. At daybreak, he will prepare his warriors and go to the river near the border. ‘Who are these people and what do they want? Are they spies? But, if they are spies, how did they get discovered so easily? Or, did they plan on getting caught? No doubt king Sagum had something to do with it. The enemy king seized every opportunity to get his revenge on the Stone Arrow Tribe.’ Staring at the ceiling, one question after the other crossed his mind. Beat, he finally fell asleep. Before the roosters woke up, he gathered his warriors to start their long journey to the river. ‘Ten men, including myself, should be enough, after all, they are the finest warriors around.’ He thought. They travelled fast through the forest and made good time. Still, his mind couldn’t focus on the task at hand, and wandered to his inner battles. Witnessing his parents’ murder as a young boy, left an eternal bruise and distaste for battle. He was the king’s second commander, called for by blood and not by choice. “Commander, do you see those trees? We’re supposed to join the other warriors by the river just past it.” Galli informed him to what he only gave a nod. As he and his warriors advanced through the dense woods, suddenly a movement caught his attention. It came from the bush just off the trail. Abruptly, he stopped, causing Galli’s horse to jump onto his hind legs, almost throwing him off. Galli had little time to react because he followed his commander too closely. “Whoa, easy!” he calmed his horse. “Commander, why did you stop?” he exclaimed, out of breath, also stroking his horse’s mane. “Did you notice something move in those bushes?” Leo asked. “No, commander. Can it be the intruders we are looking for? We are getting close to the river.” Galli replied, alarmed. Leo shook his head but kept his gaze fixed on the bush. “No, I must be mistaken.” A few days by horseback left him drained, therefore the night played unwanted tricks on his tired mind. Unsure of what he saw and no choice but to follow king Rogan’s order, he didn’t investigate further. “Let’s ride” Leo signalled for the riders to continue toward the river. Involuntarily, he looked back and widened his eyes against the darkness. There it was again! This time, he was not mistaken and had to investigate. “Remain on course. Under my authority, take the intruders to the village for questioning.” Leo instructed his trusted champion. “Yes, commander.” Galli replied. “Don’t let anyone see them. We can’t allow panic to spread amongst the villagers before we know who they are. I will catch up.” “Yes, commander.” Galli turned around and waved for the others to follow him. Curiosity drew Leo closer, yet he hesitated to discover the origin of the disturbance. He quietly remained by his horse and studied his surroundings, however unsure of his own mind’s sanity. It might only be an animal suffering and in need of aid, but the dark night made it impossible to see from where he stood. ‘It’s better to find the animal, put it out of its misery and catch up with the others’, he thought to himself. He couldn’t allow the warriors to fall behind on his account to help a poor animal. Although it was not his decision to bear the responsibility of a commander, respect from his warriors was important. Sadly, showing compassion could risk him losing their respect. As soon as the riders disappeared in the distance, he walked closer. Although unsure of himself, his determination to solve this mystery motivated him. Quietly he stood there, waiting for whatever to create another sound. Nothing. After a while, he shook his head in disbelief and strode back to the path. He lost enough time indulging his illusions and must catch up with the others. To his surprise, his horse stood next to a dense-looking thorn bush close to where he stood. “Hey girl, what are you looking at? Have you uncovered something?” He slowly walked towards her. Lower to the ground the bush’s branches looked disturbed, as if something forced it apart and crawled in. He softly muttered, “Good girl”, while stroking her majestic snow-white mane. Leo’s horse stood high against the already tall commander, leaving anyone in awe of the magnificent creature. He carefully stepped closer to explore her find. He noticed something deep within, hiding and curled up. Because of its density, at first he couldn’t determine what animal it might be. Leo shifted to other side to get a better look. He suddenly froze as it downed on him - it is not any animal, but a human! This tiny person could crawl through the thorns yet avoided shredding its skin. Trapped, the person had nowhere to go and any sudden movements were hopeless against the unforgiving thorns. “Ouch…” he heard a low whimper, but to his dismay, it was a female voice! Taken aback, he shrieked, “What the hell were you thinking crawling in there?!” He shook his head, pulled his distracted thoughts together, and calmly said, “You will injure yourself amongst the thorns. Get out of there so I can take you home.” Terrified and shaking, the girl uttered a few words. She spoke an unusual language; therefore, he could not understand her cries. “What are you trying to say?” As he replied, her despairing eyes fell to the ground. The only way for them to communicate was by body language, so he stretched out his hand and showed her a friendly smile. Hopefully, she would see he meant her no harm. Patiently, he waited for her to accept his hand. Even if she had doubts about him, the girl couldn’t stay there for much longer. She seemed cold and hurt, so with only a brief delay, she accepted his hand. “Ouch” the girl moaned again and clutched her arm while attempting to crawl out underneath the thorns. As soon as he pulled her upright, their eyes met. Unexpectedly, he plunged into the deep abyss of her enchanting eyes. The same rare eye-colour his mother had. Mesmerised by her beauty, he kept his gaze set on hers. He studied the curious-looking girl that stood in front of him. Her pale skin and blue eyes betrayed her origins - she was clearly not from their tribe. Most probably an intruder that they’ve been searching for. All the inhabitants of the Delliingham forest had dark eyes, -hair, and -skin. Through history, Leo’s mother was the sole exception to this, until now. He saw blood tricked through the fingers clutching her slender arm. Without thinking, he reached out and covered her hand with his. By holding the wound maybe, he could help ease her pain. She couldn’t help but awkwardly stare down and touch her ankle. “Your foot? You mean to tell me you can’t walk?” He pointed to her swollen ankle. Still staring down, she just shrugged. That was the moment everything changed for him. Without doubt, Leo knew he had to protect her at all costs. Her glance called out to him - to his heart. He knew nothing about her, but wished to trace her skin with his fingers. Licking his lips, he only thought of making her his own. With his index finger under her chin, he lifted her head to stare into her eyes. ‘Witch’ he whispered with a grin. Confused, the girl glanced up at him. “I don’t know if you’re the good or bad kind, but what I’m feeling know is worth the risk. You have cast a spell on me.” He spoke again. She looked away in doubt, but it was too late… He already discovered the truth in her eyes and swooped her off her feet to take her home.
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