The battle ended yesterday, the Elven Army was destroyed. The Kingdom was saved from eternal enslavement. Our King stood victorious, grasping the fallen Emperor’s head, severed by his mighty sword. All enchantments were broken. We were free.
That’s what our King told us. We were free, we had served our country well. ‘Go home now men’, he bellowed, ‘put your weapons away and plough your fields. Bed your women.’ And they cheered.
But not all of us. Go home? ‘Go back to your hovels.’ he should have said. Go back to our wives and families? Yes, return to the muck, to our starving children, our wives with no teeth from lack of nutrition. While our great King and his knights return to their castles. To an overfull table and a sweet smelling girl.
Not this time. We have made that mistake too often I raised my crossbow and fired. Our great King was surprised for a second before he fell down amongst the other dead on the battlefield. And we killed them all. Every last nobleman there.
They will raise another army now and come for us.
But if we have to die, we will die free. Really free.