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Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Lucas nodded wordlessly. Martin knew what he was doing, all right, Lucas did*’t. Martin had died saving his life. His worthless, useless life. Why should he live when Martin was dead? Why should he go on? He’d never be anything other than a failed soldier. Martin had a life; he had friends, probably a wife and some kids somewhere, and he was a man who could have served his country in the army. Lucas did*’t know how to serve, he did*’t know how to fight…he was useless.
“I – I have to go,” he mumbled, unable to meet Gavin’s eyes. *I think I should get these wounds checked out before the ships arrive…the medics are up there, right?”
Gavin looked to where Lucas was pointing.. “Yeah, kid. Good luck, all right?”
“You too.” Lucas turned and jogged wearily up the beach. Turning his head to the sky, feeling the raindrops pour across his face, he wondered if they could ever wash away his guilt.
***
Justine lay on the bed with her eyes squeezed shut. She wanted to block out the bright summer sunlight, as if she made the world dark, then it would be night, and another endless day would be behind her. And then, only a few hundred more before Lucas would return. No luck – red spots danced behind her eyelids, sleep twirling just out of her grasp. Frustrated, she rolled onto her side, flinging an arm over her face. Her father’s words from the night before wouldn’t cease their echoing in her head. ‘Lucas was a coward,’ his voice taunted. ‘Running away to war because he wasn’t man enough to face me!* No, it was all backwards, it was the other way around. He went to war to prove he wasn’t a coward! He was brave, eager to serve his country, to prove himself. But it was foolish nonetheless. A useless risk; it did*’t matter what her father thought. He was a scholar, an educated man, who could have earned a high position in the government – not that any of that mattered to her.

30-Aug-2008 21:37:12 - Last edited on 30-Oct-2009 00:51:19 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
She did**t care about how smart he was, how far he could have risen, where he was born or which class he was born into. Justine cared about the way he watched her sleep, or sang with her, or read her favorite books to her late at night. She cared about how he would sneak hand-in-hand with her through the castle before dawn in search of snacks, how he would leave love poems on her bed, how he was content to just sit with her in his arms, not saying anything, just happy to share in her company. The way he would risk his life to prove he was good enough for her, because he would do anything to be with her. That was what truly made him good enough for her. But her father did*’t see any of that.
Her mind drifted back, the years rewound, and she found herself looking out of her twelve-year-old eyes at a gangly, curly-haired boy with a flushed face. “Give it back!” he whined, lunging for her hand, but she sidestepped. He wasn’t angry, though, she could see that. His eyes were glowing, his lips were parted in a playful smile.
“No,* she teased, waving the delicious pastry just out of reach. “It’s mine now!*
*I stole it!” Lucas complained, diving again, stumbling as she twirled away.
“And I stole it from you!” she crowed, laughing. “You should have got me one too, Lucas.”
He reached into his pocket, grinning mischievously, withdrawing a small packet of wax paper. “How do you know I di—“
“Well, well, well.” Lucas plunged his hand back into his pocket, releasing the second pastry, then clasped both hands behind his back. Justine hid the one she was holding behind her back as well while spinning to face the towering figure of her father. He stood over them where they played in the yard, blotting out the sun, casting his craggy features in shadow. “Lucas, were you trying to take something from my daughter?” The man’s voice was like steel, his eyes like ice.

30-Aug-2008 21:37:39 - Last edited on 30-Oct-2009 00:54:42 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Nossir,” he said breathlessly, pasting a small smile on his face, revealing gaps where baby teeth had not yet grown back. Justine could see him shiver slightly, even though it was a warm summer day.
“Justine, shouldn’t you be in your room, studying?”
“I just wanted to play, Fat*—“
“Go study,” he suggested, less gently this time.
“It was a gift, Father!” she blurted out. “He gave it to me. He did*’t do anything wrong!”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” the merchant said coolly. Justine took the hint, and bolted from the courtyard, the furls of her scarlet dress trailing out behind her. When she looked over her shoulder, pausing at the walls, Lucas was wistfully looking after her, before her father snapped, “Look at me, boy. Don’t you dare look at her!” Lucas quaked in his small boots and forced himself to meet the tall man’s gaze. Justine wiped the tears from her eyes and disappeared through the gate that would lead her to her own house, next to the royal castle.
Then she was staring at the hangings of her bed once more. She sat up as the memory released her and blinked a few times, then scrubbed a stray tear from her eyes. She’d find no rest here, she knew sadly, so she quickly left the room. Her feet carried her mindlessly, taking her down the stairs and out into the dazzling sunlight, then down the road, through a gate. Justine paused to get her bearings, and realized she had entered the castle near the rose gardens, a maze of gravel pathways around clumps of colorful flowers.

30-Aug-2008 21:38:16

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Instinctively she turned her head, scanning the grounds, eyes alighting on a tree. In the shade of that tree, that is where they had been standing. She could almost see herself, the small girl teasing him, the little boy trembling as he was confronted by her father. They’d never been able to escape his shadow.
She wandered down the path, letting her fingers trail over the crimson flowers, feeling the smoothness of the petals and enjoying their sweet fragrance. Suddenly aware of eyes on her skin, she turned, finding herself the object of the gaze of a young man standing almost directly behind her. Her eyes searched his face, seeing clear blue eyes and long sand-colored hair. It was a face all of Varrock knew. With a sharp intake of breath, she dropped to one knee. She had been to the palace often and had seen the Prince before, but by her father’s instructions had taken great pains to stay far away. He was a royal figure, she was not, and despite her father’s standings with the King, she was beneath the Prince, and should leave him alone. “My Lord Prince,” she murmured. He held out a hand, guiding her back to her feet, smiling charmingly.
She backed away, understanding that he probably wished peace in his gardens, but he reached out and placed a warm hand on her arm. “Please,” he said softly, with that same smile, “don’t go yet.”

30-Aug-2008 21:38:36 - Last edited on 30-Oct-2009 00:58:40 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Lucas sunk into the sand and laid back, too exhausted to care that it was crimson-stained. His freshly-bandaged wounds ached, but the physical pain was far away in the back of his mind. Martin’s death, however, was a fresh-gaping wound in his heart, and it was this that he couldn’t shut out. He closed his eyes and let the rain patter across his face. Part of him still shook with vibrant rage, burned with a desire to kill as many of the Kandarins as he could and avenge Martin. But they hadn’t killed him; Lucas had. That shame would never go away.
“Stop it,” he muttered, snuggling his head deeper into the sand and throwing an arm across his eyes. The beach was quiet finally; it had since the last of the raiding party had thrown down their weapons and surrendered. Now they rested, ate and drank, bandaged their wounds, and waited for the fearsome fleet to come. The commanders of the army had called their companies together and briefed them on the next stage of the battle. The ships were expected to arrive in roughly four hours, he had said, and the preparations began.
For the past hour Lucas had dug trenches, sharpened stakes, and listened to various strategies. The archers were the first line of defense, now lining up by company and filling the first row of trenches. Lucas knew he would be next to go crouch in the deep hole, where he would wait for the archers to be mowed down before springing up and begin to fight again. His heart pounded and his skin felt clammy; in the lull between battles, he had calmed slightly, and as the adrenaline faded the familiar fear returned and settled back in the pit of his stomach.
“Lucas.”

13-Sep-2008 20:09:59

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Lucas opened his eyes, rubbed the rainwater from his face, and sat up, squinting upwards at Gavin’s tall figure. His heart sank. Then he noticed Shem, Reynolds, and Cor all standing behind him with their arms crossed. He scrambled to his feet, taking in the older man’s sad, lined face. It was unreadable, which wasn’t a good sign. He was used to the man’s easy smile and merry eyes. “Come,” was all Gavin said, and grabbed Lucas’ arm, wrenching him forward.
“Where are we--?”
“Look.” Gavin threw him forward, his voice breaking. Lucas stumbled across something that gave way under his feet, regained his feet, and turned to look at what it was. His gasp was loud as he stared at Martin’s wet, bloody body next to the two Kandarins they had killed. He hadn’t ever wanted to see this again. He staggered backwards, retching as he fell to his knees.
“Did you – did you know about this, kid?” snarled Reynlods. In the pouring rain, his long hair was matted and tangled about his face, giving him a wild and feral appearance as he advanced on the cowering soldier.
Lucas couldn’t answer. He couldn’t lie this time. He wanted to more than anything. He did*’* want to tell the only man who had befriended him in this desolate place that he had let his friend die. A thousand possibilities ran through his mind. No, I had no idea, why are you showing me this? Yes, I knew, I saw him after I talked to you. But no words found their way out of his mouth. His jaw worked soundlessly. The guilt in him took control, unable to lie, almost wanting to be the object of Gavin’s anger. If this man hated him, everything was right, it was as it should be. He deserved to be punished for his failure. Lucas wished he could say something at all, even to admit the truth, but he lacked the strength and confidence to assert himself under the men’s knowing glares.

13-Sep-2008 20:10:41

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“I couldn’t – I did*’t –“ he stammered pitifully. Gavin wrenched him to his feet, chest heaving, holding Lucas up by the scruff of his soaking uniform.
“Why did you lie to me, kid?” the man hissed. *You knew all along, did*’t you? Did you see it?”
Again, his silence betrayed him. Gavin shook him forcefully, and the wet fabric of his tunic tore, sending him crashing to the ground.
“I couldn’t tell you,” Lucas whispered, terrified.
Reynolds squatted down next to him as the other three looked on. He grabbed Lucas chin and forced him to meet his angry eyes. “Let me tell you something, kid. You may be new and maybe you don’t know all the rules, but that sure as hell don’t excuse you,” he spat. “You need to learn faster. Martin was our friend. Now he’s dead. We told him to look out for you, and now he’s dead.” What? “And look at you,” he hissed venomously. “You’re pitiful. You’re not worth saving.” He released Lucas’ jaw, pushing his face back into the damp sand.
“When a man dies,” Cor said solemnly, “and you know he’s got friends, you tell them. You don’t try to protect us or nothing. We have a right to know!”
“I’m – I’m sorry,” he gasped.
*Don’t,” growled Gavin with all the contempt he could muster. “Don’t try to justify it. Don’t try to pretend you cared about him, or you wouldn’t have let this happen to him. Don’t come near us again.” His craggy face suddenly contorted in rage, and before Lucas could register what was happening, the soldier’s boot collided with his stomach. The breath shot from his lungs and his body convulsed. Reynolds spit in the sand next to him, and then the four disappeared into the rain. Lucas let his head rest in the sand, grateful for the rain that disguised his tears.

13-Sep-2008 20:11:18 - Last edited on 13-Sep-2008 20:12:39 by Crystal Smee

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