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I slouched comfortably atop Darlin, my aptly named horse, and watched the sunlight glittering from the wind ruffled surface of the inland sea like a million shattered gems. The flickering colors filled my mind as the breeze wafted past us, stirring Darlin's mane and tail. I was half minded to remove my armor and bathe in the water but here, near the Justice shrine, ogres and ettins often roamed. It would be just my luck to be caught with my pants down, literally.

I grinned at the thought and stretched, my pack heavy with loot of numerous fell beasts that I had slain this afternoon. Was there no end to these monsters? It seemed that no matter how many I killed, more were waiting for me the next time I arrived. They must possess an incredible fecundity to repopulate so rapidly. But, I wasn't really complaining. I had two brothers to put through school. Training ones kin can be expensive!

I stretched again as a vagrant breeze tousled my hair and felt my joints snap and pop. Ach, I was getting too old for this mace swinging business. I should find a nice little cottage and a sweet woman and spend my days puttering about planting apple trees or something. I sighed and straightened up in the saddle, lifting my helm from the saddle horn. The plate helm offered great protection but restricted my hearing and vision and the day seemed too beautiful to waste. I paused and then hung it over the saddlehorn again as Darlin moved at a slow walk up a low hill. As we reached the top I spotted movement below. Both Darlin and I tensed and then I realized it was two humans, not the expected odd monster.

The double bit axe he was carrying told me he was a woodcutter and she appeared to a be a seamstress, if the sewing basket was any indication. Their horses were grazing on sweet, green grass near the edge of the forest that led to the shrine and these two were picnicing in the sunshine. I frowned as I saw the distance between them and their mounts. In the wild, it is often just the speed of your mount that keeps you alive. Darlin had saved my life innumerable times by just outrunning groups of monsters that were too much for me alone.

A low peal of laughter echoed from the two and the woman leaned forward to kiss her love. A braided hyacinth wreath adorned her brow, its blue flowerheads forming a crown about her long hair and flowers of all kinds laid in a tidy heap beside them. I smiled wistfully at the sight, it had been long years since I had allowed myself to love. People often thought me as cold, polite but unemotional. I can't count the number of barmaids who got fed up with my unresponsiveness. But the truth was that I was afraid to let a woman into my heart again. Some wounds heal rapidly, others take care and time, and then there are those that you think might remain bleeding wounds forever. My heart wasn't bleeding any longer but I wasn't about to take the chance of letting it get ripped open again.

I smiled again, with the memory of the joy the two below shared, and turned Darlin's head to moved down the hill and angle back towards Yew. The equine scream that split the shocked air came from the edge of the meadow near the Justice shrine. Two ogres and a slavering ettin lumbered out, one horse dangling from an ogres gnarled paw. The beast's squinted eyes glared with venom at the couple as they advanced. I urged Darlin into an effortless gallop down the slope as I slipped my helm on and yelled at the two to run uphill towards me but the plate helm muffled my voice and they panicked. One horse was running madly about and they dashed stumbling towards it. The young man wheeled about with his axe held high as the ettin stomped near and swung a might blow that slammed into the ettins leg. It roared with pain and staggered back, stinking ichor spurting from the wound.

An ogre had closed in on the young woman and raised its spiked club as I veered in and smashed it across the side of the head. I has succeeded in attracting its attention and held on tight as Darlin sidestepped another blow of the club. Again, and twice more I struck before the ogre finally collapsed in a heap. But, by this time, the other ogre and wounded ettin had cornered the lumberjack and his wife. I galloped into the fray again and screamed at them to run as I parried the first blow, but the man leaped in front of his woman and sank his axe full into the hairy thigh of the ogre.

Its attention switched from me to the most recent deliverer of pain and as I parried a blow from the ettin, the ogre swung joined fists downward to crush the woodcutter into the emerald grass. I struck the ettin with a critical blow that combined all my fury and skill and it toppled to the sward. After I finished off the ogre, perhaps I could carry the man to the shrine and with herbs and prayers, gain healing for him.

But, his wife threw herself upon his crushed body in despair and even as I struck the ogre again and again, it slammed its callused fists upon the two. When it fell, I was gasping with trepidation and slid off my horse. But, it was no use. I cursed and pounded my fists against the ground. If only they had run! If only I could have fought better...if only they hadn't let the horses wander so far...if iF IF! No amount of healing elixir could restore these two and even if I rode to town as fast as possible to find a high level mage or healer able to resurrect these two, it would take too long. Their bodies would be long gone by the time I arrived back with help.

Dark clouds had moved in during that time and as I dug a grave for both of them, a cold wind began to slide over the hills. I laid them together, their arms about one another and covered them, bits and pieces of the monsters armor piled about the mound of dirt. Drops of chilling rain began to fall as I led Darlin away from the meadow that reeked of death. We mounted the hill and stood there, gazing out over the gray water as the sky itself seem to burst into tears for the unlucky couple.

I don't know how long I stood there, my mind drifting through memories of days gone past, the pouring rain soaking both Darlin and I, but I finally realized that I was almost completely unaware of the environment around me, a deadly thing to do at any time. The clouds were breaking up and rays of tentative sunshine reached for the wet lands below. I shook my head, wiped my eyes and face and mounted my ever patient Darlin. We rode down the hill once again and I paused at the graveside. My eyes widened as I saw two young shoots of hyacinth growing from from the grave. The sturdy stalks entwined around one another and at the top of each blossomed a flower, one blue and one red. Perhaps the combined magic of their love with the proximity of the shrine...I sat speechless as my eyes looked inward.

Sometimes, the world seems full of death and strife, effort and despair. Good things happen but then bad thing happen as well, for no discernable reason. Regardless, there is always hope, nothing stays the same, there is always new life, new beginnings.

One must live as a warrior, aware of everything inside and outside. Find what you want and take it but be careful, what you want is not necessarily what you need. Best to just remain aware of all the possibilities of life and accept it, moving where it seems best to go. You can't force things, just accept life as it is and get the most from it, while you have it.

I felt tired although strangely uplifted at the sight of the flower covered grave. I had no more heart for hunting today, so I patted Darlin on the neck and said, "Ok, we'll take the quick way home this time, old friend." and uttered a minor spell of transport. A pop of displaced air and then it was quiet and deserted again.

The monsters bodies had faded away, sunlight pouring down once more over the emerald grasses and a gentle breeze wafting the mingled scents of hyacinth o'er the meadow.

wow that was good

People who write often do so for many reasons but there is one thing they all have in common. They wish to touch the reader with some type of emotion. Whether it be happiness, sadness, anger or compassion. From an amateur writer, I was deeply touched by your writing.

Well done Bayn.

Bravo!

I do'nt know what kind of muse is singing in your ears as you write, Bayn, but I applaud you as well.

Thank you all.

It was a quick, first draft sort of thing but when my fingers want to write, there is no stopping them!

I must be "in the mood" because another story is nearing completion.