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Cannons, rifles, and tanks—they were all he could hear. It was one of the most voluptuous days he had ever seen: clear, pastel skies, inflated pallid clouds, and the enticing scent of freshly bloomed blossoms in the month of May. Yet, in the midst of it all, here he was, stuck in the middle of some sort of uprising, attempting to obediently take care of the situation as the blithe world outdoors carried on its merry way. He had been on the Western Front for months, and yet, to no avail. Their soldiers were held captive, the leader of the rebellion once again in hiding, and he and his men, camping out in the middle of the day as life passed them by. Head General and Captain--it was his duty to commit himself completely to his King and his country. Yet after being on the job for several years, he longed for normality: A daily routine, some family to come home to, a blushing bride. He wanted order in his life, and instead, here he was, blessed with the sole ability to fight. He had obligations... To protect the populace and maintain the oath he had pledged to his country so many years ago. It was more than a job; it was his honor. And in spite of the numerous risks involved, he would do anything to fulfill it.
He ran a hand through his hair, focusing his cobalt eyes on the thick grey smoke overhead. His men were in their tents tending to their wounds, several preparing a sequence of strategies they may use in the next assault. He had lived in the country his entire life yet never had he imagined that anyone would find the King's reign fallacious. So much as to throw them all into a "mock war" that had been waging for over thirteen months now. He released a deep breath, taking a sip of his ice-cold water. How much longer could they carry on fighting an enemy they had yet to see, a face they could not recognize even when standing two feet away? The entire ordeal was pointless! A complete waste of strength.
But his heart was with his King, his country, and he would be damned before he let any revolutionaries take over. He was a soldier, Captain of the Royal Guard, and his life-long mission was to protect. And as long as he had the ability to breathe, that was exactly what he would do. Even if it meant dying in the process.
"General Patroni, you feeling all right?"
He managed a weak nod, not really aware of whom he was speaking to. "Just another day on the job," he finally said as he took a seat on the cold, hard ground.
His companion nodded, opening a can of cold beans as he sat down beside him. "Yeah," he agreed lazily, "just another wonderful day. But as boring as these days might be, I hear it might all end soon." A smile stretched across the young soldier's face as he uttered the incredible news. "We might actually be allowed to go home soon!"
This caught the general's attention. "What do you mean? The fight is far from over, and honestly, as great as our men are, things really aren't looking too good. It's like a wild goose chase." His brows rose. Actually, that wasn't even the half of it. From what he knew, the enemy had advanced further. Where they were actually hiding, he did not know, but wherever they were, they were gaining some extraordinary ground. Even if they decided to reveal themselves, his men were in for the fight of their lives.
"No, no, General. You don't understand. We received a message earlier today that we were to stop whatever it was that we were doing. Apparently, some strange things have been happening around the Imperial Palace. So strange that King Aurelius himself has decided to come for an urgent visit. From what I heard, he should be arriving in about… five minutes." A smile broadened on his face. "If things go well, the King may decide that there is no more need for all this fighting, and then, I and the rest of the team could finally go home and be with our family, our wives, our children."
He gave him a slight smile, admiring the optimism he and probably the rest of the neophytes in his crew still had. Even if the visit the King was evidently giving sounded much graver than the man believed. Of course, that wasn't what he said to him. Instead, he opted for, "Yes, that really is wonderful," and continued to stare at the overbearing sky.
A wife, a child… There was so much missing from his life. So much out there left for him to discover, to learn, to know… He drew a deep breath, his thoughts drifting over the seas and onto the land he had once lived upon… The only home he had ever known… King Aurelius, the Kingdom of Luceria, the Imperial Palace… He sighed as visions and images of his past floated through his mind. He would do anything to revert to that time again, that serenity, that period of prosperity… Of contentment. He drew the cold glass to his lips once more, vaguely aware of the sound of… bombs? No, that was most definitely not bombs, or guns, or even tanks. For a second, he could have sworn that he had heard an airplane fly by. Or perhaps it was… a helicopter?
Around him, pandemonium spread. Soldiers began to come out of their tents, their arms flailing in the air as they threw their heads skyward. Water spilled from their glasses into the air like a fountain, laughter and cries of "hey-ho!" emitting from their throats. He looked at them, puzzled. The man beside him stood up with the crowd, his drink spouting into the air as well. "Your Highness, Your Highness! Welcome!" Instantaneously, he arose to his feet, the glass immediately dropping from his hand. In the midst of the bedlam, the King had arrived.
Four bodyguards stepped out with him, each surrounding a side as he made his way down the makeshift aisle the military had formed. He smiled at them as he walked by, the warriors bowing in respect, and eventually, he found his way to the general and stopped.
He bowed before the King could even utter a word. "Your Highness."
King Aurelius smiled at him. "General Darien Patroni, it has been too long." He placed an arm around the general's, greeting him as if the man was his long lost son. "There is so much I have been meaning to tell you."
And suddenly, Patroni found himself being led back into the helicopter, ignoring the astonished faces of his own men as they watched him go. He sighed, running a hand threw his dark ebony hair. What was going on? Why had the King arrived so suddenly, and why hadn't he been informed?
"Darien, several things have been going on that you really need to know…"
In alarm, he stood up. "What are you talking about, Your Majesty? Did something happen?"
The doors to the aircraft shut instantly, the six men (and the captain) now beginning to soar into the sky.
King Aurelius released a weary sigh, clasping his hands together. "There's something I need you to do for me…"
And that was how Darien Patroni found himself in one of the most interesting predicaments of his life.
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This story came to me a while back, and it may sounds reminiscent of many stories you've probably read, but I have the basis for the story planned out and I'm telling you, you will not have expected it at all. Actually, it was supposed to be so random that the original title of the fic was going to be "Unexpected," but I had a change in mind. Anyway, I wanted to write this completely and then post it, but I guess it got boring without the input, so I finally posted it up. Hopefully, it isn't as vague as I think it is. It is, after all, only the prologue. I dunno; you tell me. Review, please. (This story is in the works.)
-Amethyst-Heart