Aftermath Bandit Battle

          “Did we find at lease one Bandit?” I asked shoving my sword into the ground. I pulled my gloves off my hand, rubbing the numb feeling from having gripped so tightly for so long. We had fought for so long that I thought it would never end. So many of our men and theirs laid strewn across the ground like a tornado had ripped through. Blood filled the air, tainting the once beautiful field just outside the wall. It was once a home to a family of farmers, but in its wake was a shattered house, hopes, and dreams. Even if they where to move back in here, they lost their father, and the safe feeling they once felt living there. This would no longer be thought of as a home, but rather a reminder of what they once had. Memories of a happy life they once knew.

              “Your Majesty we sent out a few of our scouts to trail the fleeing Bandits. They tried running while we where distracted by the bear.” The General spoke quietly. He was tense from head to toe. At first glance, he looked terrible. His clothes where soaked with blood and his hair was matted with mud. But the blood on his clothes where not his. He didn’t have one scratch on him. The blood was those of the Bandits he managed to bring down before the bear came pounding in, clearly upset that we managed to trespass on its’ territory. With a heavy sight I pulled my gloves back on and pulled the sword from the ground, sheathing it in the leather holster against my hip.

              “Very good. Get a message to the King that we are tracking them once again and let him know of the casualties as well. I want a group of men helping to clear the field as well. Gather the bodies of the bandits and burn them. Send word to the morgue that we need a cart to carry our dead back home.  Since we are about a half a day from the Palace, we will just camp here until we find out where their base is at. Have the other soldiers start pitching tents.” I commanded darkly as I scanned the blood-filled field. Captain Bregus bowed before stalking off in the direction of a group of loitering soldiers. This battle was not as helpful as I was hoping for, but at least we managed to kill off a few more Bandits in the process. It was still angering that I wasn’t any closer to an answer that I had been a few days ago.

              I wondered what Nicklos was doing right now. Given that the sun was almost set, he must be sitting down having dinner with the other Royals and High officials. I wondered what the chefs had prepared tonight. It would have to be extravagant considering how many people they would have to feed now until the banquet next week. Although the number of how many they had to feed dropped immensely since we where not home. And even more so they wouldn’t have to worry about the numbers since they where dropping significantly. Even as of now I could feel the morale of my team of people dropping significantly.

              What could I do or say that would help boost there need to go on? I know that they all had loved ones back home, and they would do anything to make sure they all remained safe. But there would be a lot of heart break starting tomorrow when the cart full of dead men returned home. There are lives, hopefully not sacrificed in vain as we continued to track these Bandit bastards to their graves. My head started to throb with all the stress that kept stacking on my shoulders. If we returned to the kingdom with no progress, how where we suppose to face our people knowing that danger still lurked out here. It was already bad enough that traveling merchants where willing to trade their goods with us because of the number of people that continued to get jumped.

              “You Majesty, what you have asked as been done. Shall we gather the remaining troops to discuss what happens further?” General Bregus asked as he came back from the group of loitering men. They had dispersed and began dragging bodies to their designated areas. Each of our men would have a long cloth blanket tossed over them out of respect when they travelled back to the city. They all looked tired and exhausted from the recent battle. Their faces wary as they worked together to clear the field. I think that they had faced enough for one day, I don’t want to keep bringing down their spirits.

              “It can wait. Let’s get that bear cut up so we can eat. I think the men would appreciate having something to warm their bellies tonight. Wouldn’t you say General?” With a small grin, he nodded his head in agreement. So, while the men worked to clear the field, General Bregus and I set out to harvest away at the dead bear. It was tiring work, seeing as it was a full-grown black bear. It wasn’t until we where about a quarter of the way through harvesting the meat that we ended up stopping. The sky had completely darkened by now and it was hard to see where we were chopping at. We brought what he had over to a fire one of the soldiers had started.

              They where grim of course to start, but upon further inspection of the meat we had stack in our hands, they all cheered. One of the soldiers built a skilled spit over the fire with two large sticks in the ground and one resting between them. They piled the meat along the center stick and slowly turned it, cooking it from the heat and smoke. The grim quiet had started to turn into small chatter as we all sat around the fire and waited.

              “Did you see her Majesty come hurdling at this beast. I swear she is as fearless as they come.” One of the men chimed in.

              “Our Princess doesn’t know what fear is! I heard that her skills where a blessing from the gods!” Another spoke up. I stared at the crackling fire, silently scoffing to themselves as they showered me in their appraisal. The fact that they thought I didn’t have fear was absolutely astounding. It wasn’t because I was fearless that I killed the bear. In fact, it was quite the opposite. I feared that it would kill another innocent man. Another body would go home to a weeping widow and possibly children. I was still blessed to have my father, but I do know what it was like growing up with out a mother and that alone was difficult. I didn’t want any more casualties if I could help it.

              “Enough of your nonsense. Me killing that bear would have been no different if you had killed it. I am not blessed by the gods, more of spurred by my own fear of losing another soldier. So, stop with these false facts before you start rumors.” The group had gone quiet with my sudden temper. The fire crackled in the silence, reaching towards the sky as the flames tried to lick the sky. Sparks burst every now and then from the burning twigs and branches. Ashes fell from the sky, littering the ground around us.

              “Your Majesty, may I ask why you became a Knight?” One of the soldiers spoke up. He was quiet, maybe just 18 years old. He had golden hair braided down the sides of his head and into a thick ponytail in the back. His brown eyes stared at me through the fire. For some reason he reminded me of a sunflower, but only if it had thorns.

              “For the same reason you all do. To protect the people.” His brows furrowed together, clearly not appeased by my answer. The others listened and watched quietly as we exchanged questions and answers. The air growing tense as this young man questioned his future Queen.

              “Sure, we all want to protect our people, but you are a princess after all. You could sit cozy up in your study and handle the paperwork. So why put yourself in harms way?” He demanded once again. I couldn’t help the small smile that spread across my face. He sounded like every other man that I came across. You are such a beautiful woman? Why waste such beauty with scars and blades. Don’t you want to stay out of harms way and let the real men take care of these issues? We are supposed to protect you after all.

              “That is enough Marquise. She is your future Queen so speak, respectively.” The General spoke with a hidden warning behind his words. He wouldn’t be afraid to discipline these men if they so much as stepped out of line. But I couldn’t help but laugh at this young man. I would give him my full answer, so that he could be satisfied. At least for now. Because just like every other man, they would continue to resent my presence whether it be to my face, or behind my back.

              “It’s alright General. I am very well use to these questions. But let me ask you these questions first before I give you, my answer. Did at any point today did you feel the need to protect me, that I was getting in the way? Did you have to stop fighting at any point to come and save me from my own demise?” They all sat quietly as I spoke. I nodded at the silence, their evident in their lack of speaking. “I’ll take your silence as my answer. So why does it bother you so much that I became a Knight in the first place? I am capable of handling these myself. If my father thought that I would be any kind of hinderance he would have pulled me out a long time ago before I became a full-fledged Knight. Which if I must remind you, is a lot higher of honor then yourself. Not any one can be a Knight you know, and I graduated the top of my class. Which is also not easy to do.” They remained quiet as I continued to speak. I smiled into the fire, picking up a stick that had fallen to the ground while stabbing it into the flames. The heat scorched my skin, but I ignored it as I continued.

              “To answer your question fully and completely, I chose to be a Knight to protect my people. That much is true, but I also chose to be a Knight to change the opinion of woman. I am smart, well educated, and very skilled. Everything a woman typically isn’t. I want to prove that woman are not just objects in the eyes of men. I want younger woman to feel empowered and try to reach higher goals. I knew that once I became a Knight there would be conflict. A woman, let alone a Princess shouldn’t be putting herself in danger and out into battle no less. But sitting on the throne wouldn’t really be helping, would it? What more could I do by sitting and watching? So, I chose to help while spreading hope as well.” Hope. That word again. I wonder if this is what Nicklos meant by me being more lovely than the sun. Because just like the sun, I was filling those around me with hope. He really was a scholar.

              In that instance I really had wished Nicklos was here with me. He would have been so proud to see me stick up for myself. Knowing that in his absence I had grown a backbone and was capable of defending my self not just my metal, but by words too. I could already feel the pat on my head and his soft ‘that’s my girl’ as I told him about my experience here with these men. But my heart and chest ached as I realized I would need to try a lot harder If I were going to make it back to him in one piece.

              “Well said your Majesty. You really are an inspiration. Your father would be proud of you.” General Bregus said leaning in close to my ear. I closed my eyes and smiled, because even though it wasn’t through my own father’s mouth, I knew that he would be happy that I defended my honor. I may be his daughter, but he didn’t like weakness either.

              “I did not mean to cause offense your Majesty. But I do look at you with a different light. Thank you for your honesty.” I opened my eyes to a beaming Nathaniel. The air had shifted from tense to ease. The atmosphere relaxed, and with that brought more abrupt laughter and chatter. It felt normal, welcoming even, that I could sit next to these men and share these conversations with them. I felt like I had finally been even slightly accepted amongst them. I just hoped that their respect would continue when we finally found the Bandit hideout. I knew that the men that sit with me here today, may not be the same men that sat here tomorrow. Because war was unpredictable, and anything could happen.