Freedom Isn't Free

Chapter I Part I: Introduction

~???~

"It's been a while."

"Indeed it has."

"Have you been to the kingdom already? So much has changed since you've...left."

"...No. I came here first to come and see you."

"Are you sure about that?"

. . .

"What's his name?"

"He's..."

                                                                                                    ~*~ 

~Soren~

CRASH!

Soren winced, then sighed as he heard another glass break. He could already hear the screaming and crying from his study room. He put his head on his hands, groaning. Another fragile item to be replaced.

Everything is a mess. Everyone is a mess. Who wouldn't be if they were stuck in a war they didn't want to fight in?

He continued on with his studying and planning, mapping out the next battlefield and thinking up more combat strategies. It's a bit hard to do when there's a fight happening in the other room, again might he add. It's been the umpteenth time this day. He just can't be bothered to go over there and stop it, even if he is the leader. Besides, the others should be there stopping it already. If not, then he's going to flip some tables and shelves like the people doing it now.

Soren nearly jumped out of his skin when the door burst open and slammed shut just as quickly. He looked up from his spell book to see a long-haired brunette, whose hairdo was messy might he add, drop onto the couch on the far right side of his study room. He rolled his eyes, placing a bookmark on the current page and closing his book.

"Kate. I take it that the others are handling the problem?" He asked, placing his arms on his desk. He can only assume what the others are going through right now; One co-leader is being threatened, another passed out from getting hit, someone else just got thrown into a wall and more.

He can feel a headache worming its way through his head already.

"Barely. They've been trying to stop this for an hour now, I think it's a lost cause." Kate inspected her nails. "Kenny got knocked out. Natalie hit the guy where the sun don't shine-"

Soren grimaced and subconsciously crossed his legs, tapping his fingers on the table. He felt bad for the guy, Nat does kick and hit hard.

"-and then the others are just trying to stop them." She finished, gaze moving away from her nails to Soren. "You should help them too, you know."

"Yes, I do know," he folded his hands, "but I'm focusing on the next battle. We don't know when we'll get attacked so I have to prepare things."

Kate sat properly on the couch, giving Soren a look that could kill. "You're always preparing and planning! You never do anything other than that--"

"I help train the rookies." He rebutted, the corner of his lip twitching upwards.

"--...yes, well, there's that, but still! You always stay cooped up in this tiny, bland room and write for hours!" Kate threw up her arms, nearly knocking over the globe on the coffee table.

Soren wouldn't call his study room 'tiny' or 'bland'. There was always a lingering smell of coffee and candies. Don't ask him why it's like that, he doesn't know either. The room was painted a light brown color, the floor carpeted. There were shelves lining both sides of the room filled to the brim with a random assortment of books and knick knacks. His desk was at the back of the room with stacks of paper and maps strewn about on it. The dim lighting was casted by fairy lights that were hung on the bookshelf. He'll admit he even added a few glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. For no reason. At all. His parents did say that he had a knack for decorating, even as a child.