Good things happen to good people.
They have to. Because if they didn't, I'd explode like a bomb that's been ticking for 22 years. I'd kill the next person who asks me how my father is doing. Or better yet, I might tell them the truth.
My dear father is lying down in a pool of his own blood, nice of you to ask. What would follow is nothing short of the wailing and screaming of my people. There would be wrath, chaos, men with weapons twice my size asking for revenge. Their best chance at winning this war is dead, and someone has to pay for it.
My father is a warrior. Has been so ever since I laid eyes on him. When my mother had me, he was just returning from a battle north of Edson Tark River. It's a funny scene if you think about. A man who had just slain no less than a dozen babies is back home to welcome his own. But my people.. they don't see him like that. They don't see him as an example of walking hypocrisy. They see him as a leader, the reason we are still alive. I'm not going to say that's a lie. Out of all the battles my father went into, he'd lost none. He commands thousands of soldiers, many of whom he never spoken a word to, but all of them would gladly give up their life for him.
Not me. Not his own son.
He might be the reason we are winning this war, but he's the reason there is a war. He reignited people's hatred for the north villagers.
When I was a kid I once asked him why is it that we hate the northerners so much. "Imagine finding a rat at your household, son." he'd said. "A vermin, leaving dirt all over your floor. What would you do? Do you kill it? A man with some little sense would do so, but our late King, may the God Bless his soul, was a weak man. Not physically, no.. I knew better than anyone what the palm of his hand felt like on your face, no, but emotionally. He wouldn't kill the rat, saying no harm could ever come from a weak creature. Do you know what happens when you let a rat live, Thomas?"
I shook my little head.
"It breeds. Soon enough they're everywhere. In your bed, gnawing at your clothes, stealing your food. You decide to kill them, but it's too late. It was easier taking out a rat, not so much a whole fleet of them. That's what the northerners did. Instead of being the harmless guests they ought to be, they stepped out of boundaries. And now you have to kill them, or they'll keep breeding."
It made sense at the time, what my father said. I nodded ferociously and started dreaming of the day I would hold my own sword against the northerners. What I didn't realize at the time is that they were not guests. They were entitled to this land as much as we were. They weren't vermins. They were people, capable of as much hatred we threw their way.
Capable of love, too. No one in my army would know that better than me. Her name is Helena, in case you're wondering. A walking beauty, with fiery hair that was a trademark of her people. The day she decided to save an enemy soldier, down on his knees about to receive a death blow, was the day I owed her my life. Two months later, and she had my heart as well. No one knew about us; I'd travel every fortnight in secret to meet here. Lately, my journey has been taking less and less time. What once took a six day ride on a horseback, became four, then two, then a few hours. Now, we are stationed right in front the gates to her village, men readying their weapons.
When my father goes to battle, he leaves no one alive. He burns down cities, erases them from existence. I wasn't going to let him have her. Over my dead body. Or in that case, his.
A scream comes from the far end of the camp.
It's time.
The day Helena saved my life, I'd asked her why she did this. She said "I'm buying you time."
Little did she know, so am I.
In the next ten minutes, all the camp would learn about my father's death. In the next hour, someone will find the Kashkari pin I left there. By tomorrow soldiers will be making their ways to Kashkar city, demanding to find my father's killer. If they don't, they might burn down the entire city. Lives will be lost because of me, because I framed my father's murder to someone else, but it's not like that city wasn't going to face that fate anyway. Northerners always face their fate, my father said.
If I am as lucky as my mother used to tell me, no one will see me leaving camp in the middle of the night.
Good things happen to good people.
I'm not a good man, I know that. I'm a selfish one. One who'd rather risk a thousand lives for the one he loves. I'm going to face my fate one day, but atleast Helena will be at my side.
But my father, he wasn't a good man either, and he deserved his end. Even if I was the one delivering it.
A pool of blood like the thousands he made.
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Side note: Every week I'll ask you awesome people to recommend me a title or prompt to write my short story on. Last week the awesome Eve @ Paper Sanctuary suggested Blood and Gore, and here it is. Eve plans to dominate the world, so be on the lookout.
Wooowwwww. Like woooowwww. I think this is amazing! I mean, for being so short and having written it within the last couple of days?! BLOWS MY MIND! Whoever this guy is, I could just feel his struggle. It was like he was trying to justify the murder not only to us but himself, because really, it IS his father, whether he thinks he deserves to die or not. And so that would inevitably lead to some inner turmoil. I mean, maybe I'm just crazy, but I think you have some serious talent Reem! I can't wait to see your next story. (Oh, and if we're supposed to recommend new things each week... Power outage at the masquerade. That's right. That's what I came up with.)
This is like the first feedback I ever got for something I'd written, and I read your comment like 4 times now. Thank you! This comment brings all the feels :P And yeah, Eve suggested the words a couple of days and I've been thinking about it ever since, and so this came up.
And no you're not crazy, I have some mad talent *ego explodes everywhere* LOL, no seriously, thank you!!
"Power outage at the masquerade" ooooooooooh, that's awesome!.My brain is coming up with all sort of things I can I write about this!
I think I read this a total of three (or maybe even four) times already and I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove it <333 WRITE THESE EVERY WEEK. I MEAN IT.
And now I'm incredibly curious what you're writing (is it a book? or short stories? young adult or adult? i wont be getting any sleep tonight!). I love your writing <3 And I love the emotion in the story!
Thank you Jessylyn that's so sweet! Identical twins sounds awesome. There are so many scenarios I can include that involve identical twins.
I will neither confirm nor deny that I'm doing a little happy dance now, but aah goddammit, I AM! Thank you, this is like the best comment ever <3
Oh, and my book, it's pretty much the same atmosphere as this short story (although there are no northerners. I made them up.) It's a fantasy in a medieval-esque world, and yup, yup, it's YA :D
I'll make a wild guess (or a plea) that I will, someday, be the first (or 2nd or 3rd) person to get a sample? I'll even write you a motivational speech! xD
Wait... my comment wasn't the best?! BUT I WAS FIRST! Oh, and I want to be a sampler too!!
Are you guys even kidding? You're like already in the acknowledgements! :P
I love your writing! Even though it's short, the story is so powerful and I feel for the guy. I like how he's not outright justifying his own actions, but at least gives us a reason I can sympathize with. Seriously, this is amazing and I'm eager to see what you will come up with next! (Also, if I can make a request: Shenanigans involving identical twins)
WOW. I think I liked this even better than The Death Masquerade. You're a great writer, Reem, you really are, and I love how you don't shy away from the details. I agree with Eve - you must write these every week! :D
*pops in* OH MY GOSH I WANT TO BE A SAMPLER TOOOOOO.
Yaay! This was the first short story I ever published on the internet, so I was a bit worried. It turns out short stories are a lot more fun to write! I try to post a new one every Saturday :D
Ooh, and about that sample? You got it, Meg! ;) One I manage to finish the book..