Peace At Last

[verfumbo 47]

 

A thick fog arose all around... Sarus looked upon the snowy plains that loomed around the Mallister keep, patiently waiting for his brothers to arrive. Through the countless years this war had taken up, Sarus had gained peace, for he knew that he would never see the end of it, only through the release of death would he be returned to his family and brothers that had fallen before him. Sarus knew as much as the men he waited for, that he and his brothers would be dead by the end of the week, but this did not bother him, he could surrender, subdue to the crown and have his own life spared, but he would never forgive himself for giving up on the country he loved so much, and the people he lived to protect.

The Golden Crow had finally arrived, Sarus stood at the gate to greet his brothers, he saw no fear in their eyes, only the peace in their hearts that he too contained. Many of his brothers had not made it to his home, and the once mighty force of crows had been dwindled down to a small party of rugged, tired men... In the small hall, he looked over the last of his brothers, men he had known of twenty years almost, every man in the room had become a dear friend of his, and every one of them was destined to die in these very walls.

Night had fallen, and only a few men stood guard at the gates... the Mallisters and crows lay asleep in their straw beds preparing for what was to come... The bell began ringing, and shouting had erupted throughout the castle, one of the men had spotted what looked to be cavalry approaching the keep, as Sarus came from his chamber the men arose and stood in the hall all around as he entered.

"Men... Brothers. The time has come, and our enemy is here, the actions you take in these final hours may never be sung by bards, may never be written in history, for that glory goes to the victor... and as you can see i don't think that will be us...." 

A few of the men laugh, others simply stand silently...

"But when i see what we are fighting for, when i see what is at stake, i don't care... For i would rather die than have our lands taken from beneath our feet. This is our time... So let us fight for all those who have died, and let us fight for the land we hold so dear to us, For the crow! For the north!"

A great thunder of northern voices erupted from the hall, cheers and shouting could be heard from a mile away, the north men said their goodbyes and awaited for what was to come... Unexpectedly, the gates of the keep had been opened, hordes of cavalry swept into the keep, the sounds of a slaughter could be heard coming from outside... Sarus grabbed his sword, raising it into the air, others doing the same... 

The men charged through the doors of the keep and out onto the courtyard, every man charged without a second thought, and every man died...

Sarus had been defeated, he fell to his knees, all around him carnage had taken hold, but as sarus looked up at the sky, he let out a smile, and a sigh of relief as a passing horseman ended his journey at last.

Edited September 15, 2015 by verfumbo

[Birdnerdy 1539]

Many years later, a young man of Alamani blood kneels in the small church of Kvaz, hands clasped in prayer. His head is bent in reverence, thoughts of honor, glory, and sacrifice racing through his young mind. After many minutes have passed, he rises, his hand raising a salute to those heroes who had died rather than surrender their homes. Exiting the church, he ambles down Valwyk's lone avenue, boots crunching the snow beneath him. A cold breeze whisks down the street beside him from the direction of the old Mallister fort, nipping the back of his neck. As he pauses, he might just hear the faint sound of merrymaking carried over the wind, as if Sarus himself were laughing heartily in the Seven Skies.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Birdnerdy