in which i was struck with inspiration so i wrote something

Soldier, Poet, King

AN: I do not own the song in this, that belongs to The Oh Hellos.

I had a love once. But I lost her. She was so dear to me. And I lost her in a matter of seconds.

I was in the woods near the village, the sky was a pale grey and the air was crisp and cold. The trees were sparse and the ground was littered with dead leaves.

I sat down against a tree. More specifically, the oak tree that me and Izzy meet at.  It's one of the oldest trees surrounding the village and the easiest to climb.

I hauled myself up onto a branch and waited for Izzy to arrive. When she did, I swung down from the tree and landed in front of her sending her stumbling backwards. Before she fell, I grabbed her hand and pulled her upright.

"Good morning."

"You really have to stop greeting me like this, Lydia." She sighed.

"Never"

Izzy sighed again, but I didn't miss the small smile that  she tried to hide.

I swung myself down from the tree to sit at the base beside her.
We spent all early morning talking and mucking about in the forest. All too soon she had to go. Her father was expecting her to do all the house chores now that her mother was heavily pregnant yet again.

"I just dont see why you need so many siblings." I whined, pointing a little.

"Its not my fault." She giggled.

I walked her back home before I went on my way. I had nothing to do, being the dissapointment of the family.

I passed my siblings and parents in the village but, as usual, they ignored me and I them. Just the way we like it.

Evening was slowly approaching and I still had not seen Izzy since that morning. Her absence was beginning to worry me until I caught a glimpse of her leaving the village square.

"Izzy! Hey! Isabelle!" I shouted across to her.

She glanced back and I saw a grin plastered on her face.

"Lydia!"

We ran to meet eachother but I stopped short when I saw the way she was walking.

"Iz. No. Not again."

"Lydia, look it's not like, I mean I, Uh-"

"No." I cut her off, "He can't keep doing this to you. Please tell me he didnt use the buckle end."

She was silent. I took that for a yes.

"That's it. We're leaving." I sighed.

"What? We- we can't just... leave."

"Sure we can."

I grabbed her hand and started to drag her away from the square but she wrenched her hand from my grasp.

"Lydia, no. I deserved it."

"No one deserves to be beaten. Especially not you. You are not putting up with this. I am not putting up with this."

Izzy reached back out for my hand. I took it and we both ran down the nearest back alley.

We ran and ran but we couldnt get far before I heard a horse. No one in the village owned a horse. Outsiders.

"Lydi-" I covered Izzy's mouth

I motioned for her to stay put while I put my head carefully round the corner.

Bandits.

I ducked back around and started to creep in the opposite direction, Izyy following. A burning smell started to fill my nostrils. Realisation hit me too late. The cottage next to us was on fire.

One glance at Izzy was all it took for both of us to sprint as fast as we could back to the square. We made it. But no one else was there. All the houses around us were burning, falling to ashy piles on the ground.

The snake was clogging up our throats, making us choke on the air and blink rapidly to try and see properly.

I suddenly felt a hand grab the collar of my dress from behind and lift me up.

"Now what are two pretty girls doing out here all alone?" A gruff voice whispered into my ear.

I kicked out behind me, hitting the stranger in the shin. He dropped me, but Izzy wasnt so lucky. I turned to try and free her too, but...

She... no...

The bandit had...her throat...

He had slit her throat. I saw the blood pouring down her chest. And I screamed.

I couldnt hear anything. My own cries were drowned out by the pounding in my ears.

The hand grabbed my collar again and threw me to the ground, clearly expecting me to cower away. Instead, I scrambled back to my feet, snatched Izzy's body away from the other, distracted, bandit and ran.

Her body was light. Too light. I knew she was skinny, but this couldnt be healthy. But it doesnt matter now. She's... gone.

I dont know how long I ran for but by the time I stopped it was dark, and I had found two other boys around my own age, maybe older, and we ran together.

The moon gave us light enough to find wood to build a rather large fire. Once it was lit, we placed Izzy on the flames. I cried as her body burned. I think I screamed. Before I knew it, it was dawn and I hadn't stopped crying.

The sunlight broke throught the trees, reflecting on a locket in the charcoal of last night's fire.

Izzy's locket. The locket I had given her for her birthday two years ago. I picked it up and opened it. Inside were two, slightly charred, pictures.

One of me. And one of Izzy.

The tears threatened to fall again, but I held them back. Instead of crying, I sang. I sang Izzy's favourite song.

"There will come a soldier,
Who carries a mighty sword,
He will tear your city down,
Oh lei-oh lai-oh lord,
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lord,
He will tear your city down,
Oh lei-oh lai-oh oh lord,

"There will come a poet
Whose weapon is His word
He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
He will slay you with His tongue, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord,"

The boys had woken up now, and were singing along. We silently agreed that we would not mourn anymore, but pay those we lost tribute with this song.

"There will come a ruler
Whose brow is laid in thorn
Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
Smeared with oil like David's boy, oh lei-oh lai-oh Lord
Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh Lord
He will tear your city down, oh lei-oh lai... oh

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh."

We sat in silence for a while.

Everything is gone. Nothing will ever be the same. But my memory of Izzy will live forever.

Izzy. Isabelle. Gone. Forever. My one love, taken from me.

The tears fell. One last cry. Then no more. I will be happy for her. I will continue for her. For Izzy.

My soldier, my poet, my queen.

1227 words.

AN: Annnd that's the first thingy done.  I dont really know what to say here other than dont use my work without changing it, or without credit.

-Blacklight 💜