**

[13 Years ago] 

*

[Aftermath: Battle at the Vale of Verdant - Battlefield]

-- Stay your hand, Officer!

(Blood stained the golden sword at his side.)

(The Commander, in removing his helmet, felt the passing of a stiff easterly wind upon his head. It cooled him. And once again he gave a stern order.)

Commander Rícard: Lower your sword.

(He then took further note of the enemy seated upon the bloodied ground before him.) 

(A fair haired boy; too young for a place such as this, sat with eyes squeezed shut in nervous expectation of the officer’s sharp blade.)

(Maintaining his gaze upon the child, he again commanded his officer to)

Commander Rícard: The battle is over Officer. Stay your hand.

Officer: But, Commander-

Commander Rícard: ….

(He swiped at the child in frustration and chose to instead hover menacingly over him; his focus fixed upon the silver haired boy all the while.)

(Eventually, the officer then reluctantly sheathed his blade.) 

(Commander Rícard however, surveyed his immediate surroundings, a frown upon his face; pain shooting down his back and to his sword arm from an earlier wound not yet fully healed.) 

(The battle was over. The Empire’s border won. And the remaining southerners fled. Many lay dead, strewn across the field) 

(The Empire’s black and golden yellow banners fluttered proudly in the afternoon air. But still, he lamented the losses had.)

(Though the sight of fleeing southerners gave him good heart, for now though, his focus shifted towards the strong lines of Empire men still standing; roaring excitedly in the distance and to those who survived; his men and otherwise.)

Commander Rícard: Your attention is required elsewhere.

Officer: Commander?

(The officer questioned; turning his attention over toward the Commander.)

Commander Rícard: Concern now should be for our injured..

(He sharply nodded and said)

Officer: Yes. Of course, Commander.

Commander Rícard: ..and those of the Southern Kingdom who are still alive.

Officer: And what of the b-!

(Unexpectedly, Alex sprung up. Surprising the officer.)

(At long last, he finally grasped the sword which seemed too far from his reach.)

(To his feet, he lunged forward; thrusting his blade directly at the Commander’s chest.)

-Shwing!-

(The officer immediately drew his sword; cutting off the young southerner’s progress.)

(However, the Commander stood unfazed at the sword’s pointed edge and simply stared directly into the boy’s blue eyes; his face darkened with blood.) 

(Calmly, Commander Rícard said)

Commander Rícard: So much anger in one so young..

(The child gave no reply. Instead, the Commander observed his intense glare shifted from him and off to the side.) 

(In following his gaze, the body of a southerner lay near. One of many upon the battlefield.)

(Commander Rícard then questioned)

Commander Rícard: Who was he to you?

(But the boy remained silent. And this time the Commander saw the boy’s lips quiver and the sword in his bare hands began to shake.) 

(The blue eyes returned to him and Sir Rícard sensed the child’s murderous intent within them.)

(Also of blue, a ring; worn on the unsteady hand of his young attacker was noted.)

[A few days after]

*

**NOTICE: IMMEDIATE BRIEF GRAPHIC NARRATED IMAGERY AHEAD**

[Contains mentions of blood, etc.]

(From the orange orb above,  to the earth below, the latter released the torrid heat drawn and the collective stench from the bodies splayed upon the open valley plain.) 

(Of the enemy; corpses were all piled together and burned. The stink of burning flesh carried upon the fresh morning air, tainting it.) 

(Flies buzzed and flitted about in blackened blood and faeces from exposed intestines. While the crows, fattened by the soft tissue of eyeballs and brains and long having forgotten their circling, now casually picked at the ungathered corpses.)

(Weapons of good use were gathered from the field.)

(Men and women cloaked in blue, bandaged the wounded.)

(Survivors and the dead taken into account.)

(And now, it was long after midday; Commander Rícard and a few of his well-trusted men were to make their report to the Emperor himself at the Imperial Palace. Far north; with weeks of sailing, toward the port capital of Olaris.) 

(Before departure however, Sir Rícard met with his Generals and a few officers for a current update and to relay his final instructions.)

(He did so casually. Addressing them outside of his tent, they all stood and discussed) 

Eastern Province General Roulet:  Our men are receiving treatment before we depart. It will be some time before we are able to head out, Commander.

Sir Rícard: Very well

Eastern Province General Roulét: As for the captured, we have placed most of them in the wagons and-

General: And the rats we caught aren’t talking either, Sir. When we get to the Island we’ll ensure that they do. Don’t you worry.

Sir Rícard: …

Officer: Sir if I may, what about the boy, Sir? 

(But the General instead replied, saying)

General: Boy?! 

Officer: .. 

General: Officer, he’s a grown man! Was he not on the battlefield taking our men's lives with his filthy little hands? 

Officer: … 

General: Do not pity him! He should be imprisoned and punished along with the rest. In their culture, at the age of ten they-

(Silently listening all the while was the Commander, but he interjected now before the General persisted any further. Addressing him saying) 

Sir Rícard: That may be, General. But he is no older than my own son..

Officer: …

Sir Rícard:  ..I will not order such a thing. 

General: … 

Sir Rícard: Have him kept separate from the others on the way there. And while on the Island, General, ensure that he is fed well and his holding cell warm-

(But the General scoffed loudly and remarked)

General: Is he a prisoner or our guest?!

(Rícard gave no reply or reproof but simply stood there with a stern expression.) 

General: Apologies, Commander…

Sir Rícard: After my report to the Emperor, I shall make my way there to question the child personally. He is not to have any interactions with the others. Understood?

Officer #1: Understood, Commander!

General: Understood

Sir Rícard: And relay to Commander Maynard- to have it arranged for the boy as I said..

General: Yes, Commander.

Sir Rícard: …

(Distracted, the eyes of Sir Rícard squinted as he looked past the General and into the far distance.)

(Upon the hillside overlooking the valley plain was a man,  a lone rider, or at least it appeared to be; for the distance was too great to clearly distinguish.) 

(The person appeared to be observing the activities below and listening in on their conversation; the latter being entirely impossible.)

(Following his gaze, the General asked)

General: Is it friend or foe?

General Roulét: Uncertain.

Officer: A southerner? They sent scouts already? 

General: Should we pursue him, Commander?

Sir Rícard: …

General: Commander?

**

**

[Days later]

*

 (unspecified) 

**

[Early Afternoon]

[PRISON ISLAND - C. Maynard’s Sr. Office] 

Commander Maynard: Rícard? 

General: Yes, Sir.

Commander Maynard: Screw Rícard and his orders! Listen here you! I run this circus and I alone say what goes on in this place. And I say that all of these rats deserve to be sent into the pit!

General: I agree Sir. However, the boy-

Commander Maynard: The boy? 

General: ….

Commander Maynard: The boy included, General!! 

(The pit; as it was called by those on the island, were the dungeons located below each of the four Towers.  Dark and filled with enormous black eyed rats. Floors and walls of stone were always cold and dripping wet and the air smelled heavy with mould and reeked of death.) 

(Needless to say, the nights here were frigid. Prisoners, grown men, would involuntarily huddle together like penguins in the far north.)

(Along with his countrymen, here is where the young southerner found himself for many long days and nights.)

➵