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Kael rode his horse to the frontline, like he had during the Battle of Bloodfield Bay two years ago, and breathed in the air of the newly arrived summer. An army of thousands of Northern soldiers were behind him, their faces stoic and their arms close to their sides, staring ahead. They were being paid to fight, and it secretly pleased Kael that they had agreed to do so. A few lords had downright refused to give him men, but a few threats from Ethelind had made some of them change their minds.

The Northern army had marched straight through the Southern border and raised their shields against the rocks and arrows fired from the Southern walls. A few well-aimed arrows from some of the Northern archers had made them stop.

This time, Kael wouldn't fail. He couldn't. Not when there was so much to lose. He had to prove to the Northerners that he was a worthy leader. He had to prove to the South that he was a genuine threat.

Kael turned away from the soldiers to the other people by him. Jax was to his right, his purple eyes emotionless, and Aldric was to his left, fidgeting. The vast field in front of them was empty, the birds calling to each other over the neighing of the horses, unaware that the field would soon be littered with corpses and the grass would weep red at witnessing such a destruction of human life. He had an unobstructed view of it from the hill giving them a height advantage, but the woods ahead gave Ulysses good cover.

"Ulysses has come, Your Grace," a scout confirmed, riding over and saluting. "He's in the woods and planning to launch a surprise attack from the east."

Kael nodded, turning to his son. "Aldric, what do you say we do?"

Kael noticed the way Aldric sat stiffly and the way he bit his lip. He looked to Kael as if seeking reassurance, and he nodded back encouragingly.

"Two can play at that game," he said slowly. "If we take half our army and attack them from behind while they are attacking our other half, we could take them by surprise and cage them in, making them keep up a battle on two fronts."

The scout blinked.

"You heard what he said. Go tell the commanders to do as he bid you," Kael said.

The scout nodded and hurried off.

"Was... that a bad idea?" Aldric asked, looking to his father for approval.

Kael shrugged. "I guess we will have to see."

They sat in silence, waiting. Kael could feel his heart pounding in anticipation. His legs ached to push forwards and charge, sick of waiting, but he made himself stay still.

"I've never fought on a battlefield before," Aldric muttered after some time.

"Don't be afraid," he replied, watching the army split in half. Slowly, not at an alarming rate. If Ulysses had any spies out, they would probably suspect that they were just rearranging their position.

"What happens when you die?" Aldric blurted.

Kael frowned, turning to look at his son. It was a question children asked, not nineteen-year-old soldiers. "No one knows. Who cares? If you're dead, you are too far away to care much about what happens next."

"What do you think?" His grey eyes were filled with fear.

"I don't know. Blackness. A feeling of nothingness," Kael said bluntly.

"Don't you believe in Heaven?"

"If Heaven exists, I won't be allowed in. There is no good in hoping."

Aldric nodded. "Well, I... I do. I believe there is a Heaven."

Kael didn't know how to reply, so he changed the subject. "Aldric, what did you do with that fox?"

"I gave it to Audrey so she could keep care of it until I came back."

"Until? Not if?" Kael asked.

Aldric turned red and didn't reply.

"We should probably get our part of the army moving to keep the illusion we don't know what they're planning," Kael muttered, spurring his horse into action, and riding ahead.

Aldric and Jax followed, the army moving to lock into defensive positions, making a shield wall while schiltrons and archers moved to guard the back. The cavalry stood in front, Kael and Aldric with them.

The sound of horses charging announced that Ulysses had arrived.

Kael spurred his horse forward, seeing his people falling from left and right as the Southern cavalry charged straight at the shield wall. Horses screamed and people yelled, the clash of metal ringing loudly. Kael raised his sword as Aldric was pulled off his horse then charged and cut open the head of the man who had dared attack his son. Aldric glanced at his father before he unsheathed his sword and parried an attack from a knight, swinging his sword around and stabbing them. Jax was soon in action too, cutting through people with ease as he rode into the Southerners with skill. Beneath him, Kael heard his horse shriek as an infantryman cut his horse's flank, and he stabbed the assailant before jumping off and meeting swords with another man, dancing with him until Kael ended it with a jab to the man's neck. He looked around for Ulysses, his grey eyes narrowing.

He spun around in time to defend himself against a person charging at him. He fought well, anticipating Kael's attacks, and blocking them. Kael was fast, though, and stabbed the man in the shoulder before twisting it, ignoring the man's screams as he hurried deeper into the battle.

A few yells announced the rest of Kael's army attacking Ulysses' from behind, pushing them in.

Kael instinctively glanced around for Aldric and saw him holding his ground, battered and bruised, but alive. His dark hair was matted with blood and a crazed look glazed his eyes as adrenaline pushed in.

And behind Aldric, Kael spotted Ulysses. His green eyes were determined, and his sword was bloody. Their eyes connected, but instead of charging, Ulysses sheathed his sword, threw his hands in the air, and walked towards him.

"Let's talk under peace," he called.

Kael looked around. Neither side seemed to be winning. While Kael was a seasoned warrior, experienced in war strategy, Ulysses had the numbers. He hated to admit it, but he had seen a few Northerners defecting to the Southern side, and was worried the situation would only get worse.

"Very well, boy," Kael called back, walking forwards and sheathing his sword.

Chivalry made some soldiers walk forward, making a circle around Kael and Ulysses and pointing their weapon at the leader of the opposition while the battle raged on outside the ring. It was something that Henrik Everwood had introduced... while both key leaders sheathed their swords, they must not be killed and left to speak until one unsheathed their sword, where the circle would pull away and the battle would resume. Kael could feel his heart thumping but ignored it. From the side, Aldric kept his sword unsheathed, watching in silence. The mad look in his eyes had faded and was replaced with a softer expression, although tainted with a touch of darkness.

"Kael," Ulysses greeted.

"King," Kael corrected, a hand wavering by his sword. One small tug and he could get back to slaughter. "I am a king, so I should be addressed better than that."

Kael could see Ulysses' hands clenching. He was likely in his early twenties, still handsome and unbruised. Naive, too, to be calling a truce when Kael had broken the last one.

"Your Majesty, then," he spat. "I'm a king as well."

"So you are." Kael gave him a smile to frustrate him further. Gods, he is a boy. Hopefully the Southerners were able to see it. "So, Your Majesty, why did you come to speak to me? To surrender, perhaps?"

"I want to see your face as I do what you did to my mother," Ulysses spat. "While we are in this ring, I cannot kill you. Yet..."

Kael froze, processing his words. It took him a split second to work it out and in that time a Southerner grabbed Aldric, pinning his arms behind his back. Aldric's eyes widened as he looked at Kael. His guard had dropped from his expression and there was just fear in his expression.

What happens when you die?

"No!" Kael screamed as Ulysses walked forwards, unsheathing his sword.

But it was too late.

Ulysses had unsheathed his sword and embedded it in Aldric's stomach.

Aldric's grey eyes glazed over as he choked, collapsing as Ulysses twisted it.

"A life for a life," Ulysses said, his face devoid of emotion.

Kael heard someone scream from far away, but all he could look at was Aldric, his lifeless body on the ground.

So that's what it felt like to lose a child. Once again, he understood Lucian Everwood.

There was a split second when neither side did anything. Even some Northern soldiers seemed mortified at the subterfuge used, their stoic expressions dropping to show horror.

Kael unsheathed his sword and raised it, his eyes blazing, his body burning with vengeance. His heart was pounding, his vision blurring and sharpening in his anger.

Fuck truces. They were all false, anyway, and the time for negotiating was over.

He would kill this damned boy, and he would laugh.

Ulysses' army reacted first, charging.

Kael's army scattered before regaining their ground and fighting back. Kael turned to find himself in front of Asher Swan, an esteemed infantry commander. "I want prisoners of war."

He was so angry. Ruthless. He wanted to kill them all slowly, one by one. Asher nodded before running off.

Kael moved forwards so that he was face to face with Ulysses and swung his sword angrily. Red. Red was all he could see. A deep, boiling fury. Ulysses ducked and lashed out, Kael swinging his sword to block. He pulled his sword away and slashed at Ulysses, but Ulysses danced away. Kael slashed and parried and dodged and hacked tirelessly, watching Ulysses slow as his stamina faded. Kael fought fiercely and harshly whilst Ulysses was nimbler and quicker. Together they wheeled around, stepping and moving like it was a choreographed dance.

"I will kill you," Kael snarled through gritted teeth, blocking a blow with his sword.

"I don't intend on dying today." Ulysses swung his sword in an arc at Kael, who ducked and jabbed at Ulysses' legs as he did so. Ulysses dodged and they both backed away at the same time. Then Aldric flashed before his vision and Kael threw himself forward with an angry roar, sending Ulysses leaping back. Kael's sword flashed again and again, scraping Ulysses' armour as he moved backwards. He had Ulysses. Right there. And soon his sword would be...

Jax was on Ulysses from the other side, attacking swiftly. Ulysses turned and blocked.

A Northerner had slung Aldric's body over his shoulder and was retreating. Kael couldn't help staring for a moment before he turned back to Ulysses, Jax still pressing down on him. Ulysses was about to crack, and Kael could see it. He was about to run in and strike the lethal blow when there was a pounding of hooves in the distance, a long shadow of movement.

He was distracted by the sudden appearance of soldiers charging forwards, appearing from the trees. Someone in front hefted the banner of the East, and the Easterners behind raised their swords.

"We fight to the death!" someone roared, and the other men echoed his call.

"The East?" Kael muttered to himself, confused.

His army was screwed. If the East joined the South, they would all die.

Yet the East charged right past, some saluting him, heading straight for the stunned Southern forces. Kael's men, although stunned, soon turned and joined forces with the East. If it wasn't such a bloodbath, Kael would have found it entrancing to watch, the East and North cutting through the South as if they were little more than wooden dolls.

The East has decided to join us, Kael thought.

Everything became dark, and he began to laugh.

Well done, Ethelind.

When he turned, Ulysses was gone, and Jax was single-handedly fending off two Southerners. But it didn't matter. Ulysses stood no chance against the combined East and North.

Kael raised his sword with a triumphant roar, letting the anger act as a fuel, and charged back into battle.

Let this field run red.

RIP Aldric :(

pLoT tWiSt

But I swear I kill characters with reason and to develop the plot and not just for fun lmao

I love you all,

shelly x