Kingdom of Ash and Flame

chapter 3

I am on a battlefield, people are screaming, calling for help, some repeating the holy script. There is so much blood, so much despair. There are two colors of blood red and purple the colors of two races. My knees buckle and I cover my ears shaking my head. I feel two small hands wrap around my wrists pulling my hands from my ears. "Listen, listen to the despair. listen to what your king did." I look up to see Pomeline and I scream and crawl backwards. "What? What is happening to me?" I beg. Pomeline just shakes her head, stray strands of her inky black hair falling from her braid. "Join me, blood joined, fight for peace. Fight against him. Take him down with me." Pomeline starts. "Or die with him, die fighting for your mad king who did all of this." Pomelime's hand spread toward the battlefield. I look and see men, soldiers crying and dying. I remember my father, how he was taken to the palace, killed for helping a gifted soldier. I can still remember the sound of silence after his head stopped rolling. I look at Pomeline and I stand on shaking knees. "Curse you!" I shout at her as I jump on her knocking her to the blood soaked grass. I pull on her hair, scratch her face. Hold her wrists as I scream obscenities at her. "I never wanted any of this you know." She says through my screaming. I fall slack. "I know the hatred you feel." Pomeline says. I don't want to believe her, I shake my head. Her small hands take my shoulders. "We take him." Him, the word slices straight through me. I burn with icy rage, him. Pomeline fades into the mist as I look to the painted sky and see a dragon fall from the sky, hit by a cannonball.

I jerk awake, my sweat drenched hair plastered to my forehead. Soft light seeps through the window. Dawn. I swing my feet to the ground and I roll my stiff neck. As usual Akal is already gone from her bead, likely training or wrapped around Mikal. I sigh. I splash water on my face and neck and dress in leathers. I walk downstairs, noticing Handrell gulping down water and I can't help but study his sweat lean frame, he is shirtless, probably went running. Blood rushes to my cheeks and I order it away. "Thirsty." I say sarcastically. He turns, the water sloshing from the wooden cup. "Oh, Freya." He smiles I walk into the kitchen and bite into an apple savoring the hearty crunch it makes as my incisors cut into the skin. 

I swing my blade down on Handrell's and grit my teeth. I pull back a swing again, my long sword slides off his and he stumbles as my foot connects with his ribs. I use his tumble to my advantage and swing again with great force. He falls and I laugh. My mind travels to my vision last night and I gasp as Handrell's foot connects with the back of my knees and I fall ,my face scraping against the gravel. "Damn you!" He laughs and I stand, wiping blood and dirt from my face. "Pay attention, first advice you gave me." He says and I sneer. Join me. I turn abruptly as I hear the whisper of Pomeline's voice. I don't see Pomeline only Mikal and Akal waking towards us. "Late risers." I hear Handrell's velvety voice behind me. Akal races to me as she pulls me off into the woods. "Lets go to the lake, I want to talk. " I notice how her eyes shine with a glint I have never seen before and I roll my gray eyes.

We step onto the rocky shore and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. The lake's water is so blue, a person with poor eyesight would think it was filled with the blood of the gifted. I look over to Akal who has stripped to her under clothes and is starting towards the water. "Akal, wait, we have duties." I say to her has the water wraps around her feet. "Come on! Be young. " Akal says.  "As long as you don't rave about your romance with Mikal. " I say as I pull my shirt over my head. The water is smooth and inviting. I squat and submerge fully under the water. I come up, keeping my eyes closed as I enjoy the feeling of the lukewarm water as it runs down my body. I feel utterly refreshed. I open my eyes and see Akal staring, her eyes blank. "Akal, is there something wrong?" I ask wading over to her.  She starts to shake violently, mumbling words I cannot understand. I take her by the shoulders and drag her to the shore. "Akal, listen to me, I am your best friend and you will answer. Blood pools around her body, purple and red. "No! Akal?" I shout, the crippling fear that this is out of my hands now wraps around me. "Somebody help! Please! Handrell, Melisandre! Help!" I get to my feet. "Help! I need help!" "Remember. Take him down." I look to where Akal is shaking. "What? Akal, what did you say?" I back away. Pomleline. I bend down and pick up Akal, racing through the woods. I reach the meadow and drop to my knees. "Help!" I shriek. Handrell and Mikal look my way and start running. They drop on there knees beside me. "She is having a vision." I say, warily. I stand. "What?" Mikal says, urgently. "I said she is having a goddamned vision!" I shout wrapping my arms around my chest, which is only covered by a thin strip of fabric. They carry her to the house and I dress, plotting out ways on how to tell them. By now we have bathed Akal, who now lays mumbling in her bed. Handrell drops to his knees beside me, looking at Akal's cot. "You don't have to tell me or anyone. She is going to be okay." I tear my gaze away from Akal and tear into his eyes. "No it is not going be okay, nothing is okay! Don't you understand!" He stands backing away. "What do you mean?" He asks raising his right brow. "The war isn't over. It has has just begun." I walk away knowing the cost of my words and relishing in my fear.