The Bleeding Heart

The Bleeding Heart 

Prologue

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Thirteen shall rise and lead the fight

Be Orion’s defense and guiding light

One shall be lost to save the land

The other’s betrayal the rest must withstand

A single choice one must make

A solemn oath one mustn’t break

For the sake of love, they answered the call

Though many will not recover from the fall

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Everything was a blur; or at least everything I laid eyes on was enveloped in flames.  Red, yellow and orange clashed together.  Sparks flew and from afar, it could be sold off as fireworks.  But this was no firework.  This was no sight to see.  If possible, this sight should never be seen.  Ever.  This was no celebration or party.

No, this was war.

I ran and ran and ran.

I ducked beneath horses and carriages, often missing death by just an inch.  Swords clashed with a ‘clang’.  Spears pierced through everything in its sight.  Arrows from nowhere flew into the sky with no particular direction but always, always, they will find a bulls eye.

I didn’t know where to go.  If this was a week ago, I would’ve found my destination blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back.  But this was no time for games.  My younger sister was missing and I had to find her before the ship left port.

Mom and Dad were probably in a shelter by now.  Brianna and me too if she hadn’t ran away.  She forgot her doll.

But no matter how pathetic her reason was, I couldn’t just leave her behind.  She’s my little sister.

I could feel the heat and tension, not just from my surroundings but from my own body as well.

Bree, where are you?

She was only eight and her legs could only go so far.  I tried my own home – our family home in the fields but nothing.  Instead, I found the house torn to bits with fires destroying the fields.

Where in the world – wait.

The shed!

I ran breathlessly towards the shack that hasn’t been destroyed.  Yet.

Bree always said she liked it there, warm and cozy.  My eyes stung.  Hang on, Bree, hang on.

I reached the wooden door to find it locked.  “Bree!  Bree!” I shouted.

No answer.

With all my strength mustered up, I was able to break it down.  Not bad for an aristocrat like me.

I saw Bree all cuddled up with a wooden doll in hand in a corner.  I heard footsteps.  No, galloping!

The knights were coming!

And that wasn’t really a good thing.

“Let’s go, Bree!” I took my sister’s hand and made a run for it.  The shed had already caught on fire and the wood that was supposed to support the roof gave in.  It hit the floor just as Bree and I got out.

I may just be fifteen but I had the strength to carry an eight year old at least till the port.  Soon, we reached the main city where the castle could be seen.  Bits and parts of the wall crumbled and I could see the towers in flames.  But what was happening there wasn’t my concern right now.  Besides, the royal family must’ve already escaped.

We had to get to port.

Then suddenly, I felt a stinging pain in my legs and from waist down, I couldn’t move.  My whole body was numb.  I tripped on bricks and fell down on my back.  Bree rolled on the ground and when she came to, she crawled towards me.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer.

“Lis!” Bree screamed.  “Get up!  Get up!”

“Run,” I ordered her.  “Go to port. Now!  Don’t look back!”

“No!” she tried to pull me up but to no avail.  “I’m not leaving you!”

And then, a man on a horse loomed above us and I didn’t like the glint in his eyes. 

Everything was in slow motion.

“Run!” I yelled and took all my strength to cover Bree.  I knew what was coming.

The man, a knight of Aria, drew his sword and I waited for my death.  My eyes closed but I felt no pain.  My eyes opened and they widened at the sight.

No.

No!

Bree had jumped in front of me at the last minute and took the fall.  She screamed and my attention was focused all on her that I didn’t realize a knight of Orion – our ally, had sliced the man’s head off already.

Tears dropped as I tried to kneel in front of my sister.

“Lis…”

“Why, Bree, why?” I choked out, moving slowly to a nook.  “Bree…”

“I had to save Lis…Lis can’t die,” she tried to smile as a trickle of blood came from her lips.  She held her doll and pushed it weakly into my hand.  “Yours…”

“No, Bree, don’t,” I pleaded, knowing it was useless.

“Promise,” She softly said.  “Promise Bree…not to…not to die…Mama…Papa…”

My grip tightened.  “I-I promise.”

She smiled faintly and I felt her hand limp in mine.  Another trickle of blood came out as she closed her eyes.

I knew it.  She was gone.

I clung to her body tightly and I cried, my tears dripping from my cheeks to her cold ones.  I didn’t care anymore what’s going to happen.

My sister was dead.

She’s gone and she’s never coming back.

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I really hope you guys find it interesting.  Even though this is a first-person point of view, the following chapters will be following a third person's.

Please vote, like, comment or whatever...I'm new at this.  Please bear with me. =" )