Mark of a Soldier

Chapter 1

When the day came it was an absolute shock. I was away to another castle, hoping to speak with an old friend. When I returned home, everything was covered in ice. Something was horribly wrong. Panic shot through me. "Mira?" Fear then started to build as I went in search of my mate. "MIRA!" In a panic as I rush throughout the castle, and prayed to whatever God would hear me. I prayed that she was still alive. I even prayed my unborn child was alive.

When I made it to our chamber, I walked into a horrific sight. There were bodies and blood all over. And there, in the center of the room, was my... my... "Mira!" I rushed to her and held her lifeless body in my arms. "No! My Mira! What monster did this!" I felt her face and kissed her forehead. My wife is gone. It hurts so much. I then felt her belly and was a shock to feel there was no child. Uh? I looked over her, and she was no longer carrying. Where is my child? If she had given birth, where is my child? I gently place her down and went in search of a baby. When I reached the bed, I found a note.

"I hold no ill will for you, King Victor. I merely followed orders. But I have granted the lady's last request. Your son will be safe, I promise you this. The lady has named him, Damon. The man you seek is my father, General Matthew. To my dying breath, I will keep your child safe. Maybe one day you two would meet."

What the hell? I have a son? I have a son! I walked back to Mira and kissed her cold lips one last time. With that, I unsheathe my sword and ran it down through her. I then left the castle, empty-handed. "I'll see you soon, my love." With that, I took off into the night, to track down that monster.

...

"Father. This just doesn't feel right."

"Boy, shut up. You're 16 now. You're officially a man. So, now you must join the army, and kill those monsters."

"But father. They haven't done anything wrong for centuries. It has been peaceful." Father then punches me in the face.

"Boy, wake up! They never truly rest." What on earth came over my father? Ever since that new king came into power, my father has been lusting over the idea of killing those people. And today is the day he gets to do so. We are soon raiding the castle when I stumble upon a chamber full of females. They all are surrounding this one female on the bed. Due to my orders, I painfully watch myself kill everyone till I reach the last female. Before I could thrust my sword in her, I hear the cries of a child. I soon notice that she is holding a baby to her chest. Could this be the reason that father wanted to raid now? Was it because the king was expecting a child?

I dropped my sword and fell to my knees. This was worse than I could ever imagine. How was I supposed to kill a defenseless child and mother? I could feel the tears sliding down my face. then only one thought came to me. "What is the child's name?" At first, she did not answer me. "Please. What is the child's name?"

"Damon. Please. Please don't kill my baby. We have done nothing wrong." That's when I stood up. Maybe father didn't know about the child. I then finally looked at the woman. Long blood red hair, violet eyes, and fair skin. She was such a beauty of a creature. I always did find nonhumans more appealing than actual humans. I then looked at the child. Unlike his mother, he had black hair. But he had her eye color, and skin. I then looked around the room for something to write on. When I found a paper and quill. Taking ahead, of one of the females, I used her blood to write a letter. There was no way my father would believe that the queen escaped. But he wouldn't be looking for an unborn child if he thinks it died in the mother's belly.

Once I wrote the note, I placed it on the bed and grabbed my sword. "Give me the boy." She looked horrified and begged I didn't kill him. "I promise you; no harm will come to the child. But I am going to kill you." She looked mortified when I said that. "You clearly beg for the child's life. So, I will spare the child. Now give me the boy." She kissed the child to the forehead and handed him to me. "Get to the center of the room. My father will be easily fooled if I killed you up and centered."