We Fall Like Rain

Reflections as we fade.

As Kalen neared the top of the slope, he heard worried voices from behind the corner of the Keep wall. "What do we have?" A female voice asked.

"A few remaining soldiers, ma'am. They've taken the lower city, but they're not attacking us outright." Answered a deep male voice.

"What of Brian Fitz Count?" The woman asked, her voice laced with hope.

"He won't leave Wallingford. Not after Stephens attempt at taking the Castle."
He said tightly.

Kalen rounded the corner to face the two people. The man drew his sword at the sound of footsteps, then pointed it straight at kalens chest. He put his hands up in surrender and glanced from the man to the woman.

"What's your name, boy?" The man asked. He was dirty and bloody with brown hair and brown eyes.

"Alwin, sir" Kalen said, feeling a little less numb than before. Was that fear he felt just a moment ago? He couldn't tell. The black hole inside him ate up all his emotions.

"Where did you come from? I thought I told all servants to stay inside the keep." The Lady said, her voice stern.

Kalen blinked, racking his brain for an excuse. Time for GCSE Drama to finally be of some use. "Uh, I know- ma'am. But I wanted to do one last check. See if anyone needed any help with anything, any horses or crates." He hoped they bought it, after all, he wasn't wearing his armour, just his ragged old clothes.

"Hm, awfully considerate of you." The man said in a tone Kalen could only describe as sarcasm.

"I don't recognise you. Are you new?" The woman asked. Her gaze as hard as her voice.

"Unfortunately, yes." He said, her eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. Kalen stuttered, "n-no, not 'Unfortunately' that I work here‐ I meant it like it's unfortunate that I joined you at such a time when we are being attacked..." he sighed.

The woman nodded. "Unfortunate indeed." She gave a surprisingly sad smile and turned to the dirt path that led to the double doors of the keep.

"Do you have your papers?" The man asked, staring Kalen down.

"Papers?" Kalen asked, he didn't like the sound of that. Something he should have but doesn't. It felt like finding out you had homework due, whilst you stood outside that classroom.

"Yes, your references, your Earl, money etc." The large man furrowed his brows.

"Yeah, they're in my room, in the inn, which is..." he pointed past the walls of the castle and the man sighed. He turned and followed after the woman.

Kalen took a look back towards the secret garden door, before following the man with relief, into the castle.

The Keep wasn't huge, but it would hold against attack. It would hold against a lot of things actually. Maggie would have loved to have seen this. Kalen knew she loved architecture and old things, even though this castle wasn't old by these people's standards.

Its bricks weren't crumbling yet, and it didn't smell like it had been swallowed by the black hole of time.
He ran his hand along the dusty wall of the keep. Inside, candles were flickering at the breeze that followed him through the door, casting shadows on almost everything nearby.

"If this is the keep," Kalen began. "Then what are the other towers that run along the walls?"

The woman gave him a dismissive wave of the hand and turned to the man as they talked quietly.
A young girl, a maid, tapped Kalen on his shoulder. He turned to face her. She looked about Seventeen with green eyes and blonde hair that was tied back under a dirty brown bit of cloth. He almost mistook her for Charlie and was quite disappointed to find his friends nowhere near him.