The centre and left flank were to be commanded by the Crown Prince and the Southern King. To the charge of the second Prince - Damian, the right flank, and he had the responsibility of leading the troops to attack from the east, when the signal to do so was given. He also had the responsibility of having his younger brother, Prince Alexander, under his command.
Encamped north of the southern border, upon lands of the Empire, hidden somewhere in the Petite Hills, were some of the troops of the Southern Kingdom. A small valley lay between them and where the Empire's men would soon march.
**
**
[Mid-Morning]
[Hidden on Petite Hills]
Damian and his generals were perusing over a map; along with having long and loud discussions, in the middle of the tent. Alex, meanwhile, waited quietly and impatiently outside his brother’s tent; he was not feeling well - his stomach pained him.
**
**
Damian: You’re simply nervous is all. That’s normal. Here..have some
His brother handed him a cup of hot tea. Alex gratefully accepted it and questioned
Alex: I can’t seem to relax. Aren’t you nervous as well?
Damian: Me? I suppose..a little. But you’re with me, there’s no need to be afraid
Alex smiled.
In picking up a chair, he placed it down in front of where his brother sat and seated himself; leaning forward with both arms resting heavily upon his thighs. Closely, he then concernedly observed his little brother.
Alex, who had not even sipped the tea, held the cup in his hands as he shook his legs and further questioned
Alex: Do you think Father and brother will be okay?
Damian: You’re worried about them as well?
Alex: I am
Leaning back into his seat, he responded
Damian: They’ll be fine. Besides, father has his beloved Roman at his side. What could happen?
Alex: {Many things}
But he did not wish to become distracted by his thoughts and the many glaring possibilities, especially not now. His father’s stipulations already brought him much anxiety and self-doubt, instead he pondered
{All that matters is that I return to mother safely. To have left her so…She worries for all of us..Damian and brother. Damian isn’t worried…and brother, he is more than capable. He always appears unfazed by everything. But...brother is also..he’s always so cold to everyone. I wonder-}
Alex: Uhm, Damian?
Damian: Yeah?
Alex: What exactly happened between you and brother?
Damian: I told you to never mind that
Alex: But, Damian-
Damian: It doesn’t concern you. And, besides, what happened does not exactly make for a motivating pre-battle tale Alex
Alex: -sigh- Fine. If you say so..
Damian glanced at his brother and realised that he had yet to take a single sip of the tea he handed him; and he sat as one already defeated
Damian: You still seem nervous…
Leaning forward again, he attempted to catch his brother’s eyes by staring intently at him as he said
Damian: -sigh- I guess- maybe if I told you…it could perhaps serve as a lesson for you.
Upon seeing Alex’s expectant expression, Damian smiled and began his tale.
***
Damian: Well, the incident between brother and I took place during the raid of a southern village of the Empire.
This was after my first hunt, and father had already given me my sword at the ‘Crowning ceremony’ weeks earlier and I clearly remember…you had taken ill shortly after then and had a high fever and mother was quite distraught - while I felt uneasy and worried that I had to leave you both that way.
But yes, during that raid, I was under brother’s command. Father had placed him to be in charge of the entire raid and over all the troops. That late afternoon, I remember when we were taking our positions around the village - I suddenly felt nervous - though I had been on smaller raids since I was eight, but something changed after mother gave me my ring.
Damian, looking at his hand, began to absent-mindedly spin the ruby and onyx ring which he wore on his finger with his thumb.
Damian: When I met with mother that evening, we talked a lot but it was when she told me that my ring stood for ‘Strength’ - I took it for what the word meant literally, however, mother further explained…
-----------
[4 years ago]
*
Queen Marie: Strength does not always have to be physical. It can be based on your actions as well, my love.
Damian: I don’t understand
(The Queen quietly pondered for brief moment before saying)
Queen Marie: Damian? Your father has a rule set for you boys when it comes to being in the hallways- What is it?
Damian: No running at any time
Queen Marie: Correct. And, let’s say you disobeyed that rule and you were caught doing so. What would happen?
Damian: Father would have me punished
Queen Marie: And you wouldn’t want that, now would you?…
Damian: no
Queen Marie: So, instead you are mindful to walk - But, let’s say one day - that there is a fire within one of the rooms, down one of the hallways and your baby brother was trapped inside that very room.
Now, only you alone know of this, and so, you get a pail of water. What would you do? Would you walk or run down the hallway?
Damian: I would run. I would run with the water to save Alex
Queen Marie: You would run down the hallway, even though you would be punished?
Damian: But, there’s a fire and I need to save him
Queen Marie: So, you would go against your father’s rules to do a good deed? To save someone?
Damian: Yes, I would
Queen Marie: You see Damian, that is what strength is as well- It’s a form of courage. Through your fearless actions to do what is right, in spite of knowing that you would be punished or disciplined - to do that requires strength. Strength of heart…
(The Queen placed her hand over his heart)
Queen Marie: ..And of mind
(Then rested her hand on her son’s head. Patting flat his rowdy ash grey hair)
Queen Marie: Do you understand now my son?
(Damian nodded and answered)
Damian: I do, mother
----------
***
Damian: Months after that, I had so many questions and I doubted whether I could truly live up to what the ring on my hand meant.
Then came the raid and when we attacked, all thoughts and questions and doubts went out of my mind, and I did what I was accustomed to in situations such as those.
I sliced and I hacked my way through many villagers. I killed them without any thought as to why I was doing it. Their blood was on me, my horse, my sword, on everything. Then unexpectedly, everything seemed extremely loud and I felt as though the chaos, the screaming and the fire and the stifling smoke, everything all around was swallowing me.
I couldn’t breathe but somehow I heard the sound of my hurried breaths and felt the sweat running down my back and my face, and the weight of the sword in my hand.
Below me, sitting on the dirt ground, muddied, was a red haired boy - he could’ve been around the same age as you were- he looked up at me with fear in his eyes. I shall never forget his piercing golden eyes,...staring at me.
I remember, lowering my sword arm and just then, an older boy rushed in- out of nowhere- and began pulling and yelling for the younger one to get up - to run. And I simply watched them. A voice behind me screamed
----------
-- DAMIAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!
I looked and saw that it was brother but I gave no reply. He continued to scream at me. Ordering me to
Roman: KILL THEM! What are you waiting for?!!
When I turned back- the two boys were already running away hand in hand. But all of a sudden, the older one slumped to the ground - an arrow had pierced his back- a black one. Brother now had his bow in hand; and though he wore his hooded cloak, I could’ve felt that his eyes were locked onto mine. He said nothing. He simply watched me, turned around and rode off.
–--------
***
Alex: So, what did you do next?
Damian: Even though I continued the raid that evening- I couldn't bring myself to kill any more of the villagers. So,... instead I slashed high at them, deliberately missing, to give them a chance to escape. I did it, though I knew that somehow, somewhere, brother was observing me.
And when it was all over, and dawn was close, brother summoned me to his tent. I wasn't surprised, I expected that he would.
-----------
➵
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