This Used to Be My Playground
Lyrics by Madonna
Story by Magelet
The war was finally over and Tortall had won, but the country was left in ruin. The worst part, aside from the hundreds of casualties, was what happened to
the capital. The city had been ruined. Lit aflame by an unknown arson, the city had been evacuated and left in ashes. The castle had been torn apart by the
battle that had taken place there when the Scanrans had managed to break the line and get that far south.
This used to be my playground
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Keladry's boots crunched over the rubble that had once been where the pages had trained with their swordsmaster. In one corner, she actually found half
of a wooden practice sword that had been used to teach pages how to wield the weapon. She knelt and picked up the ruined item with two-handed reverence and
held it to her chest, as a rogue tear slid down her cheek.
Why did it have to end
And why do they always say
Don't look back
Keep your head held high
Don't ask them why
Standing once more, Kel limped over to the former stables. Her war wound was acting up again. Every once in a while now she was forced to favor it and
limp. It seemed that all of a sudden, just being here, it didn't want to work properly for her. Grimacing, the lady knight remembered that her leg would be that way
for the rest of her life.
Because life is short
And before you know
You're feeling old
And your heart is breaking
Don't hold on to the past
Well that's too much to ask
Peachblossom's old stall was on of the few that resembled its old palace splendor. A few more tears rolled down her scarred cheeks. The Scanrans had
killed her horse when they had re-captured Northwatch. The two shared many special memories and a connection that she and her current horse, Hoshi,
could never have. Kel would never forget her temperamental horse that she had befriended as a page.
This used to be my playground
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Her friends. Tears flowed freely at that thought. So many had fallen. Cleon was the first, slaughtered by a Scanran ambush near Mindelan. Then Roald,
who grew up so fast to take charge as his father had in time of war, was cowardly poisoned by the enemy. Owen and Merric had gone together at the betrayal of
the Lord of Stone Mountain. Shinkokami, Lerant, Yuki, and Neal had swiftly followed to the Dark God's lair. Even the Lioness, Queen, Buri, and Raoul had fallen
before the victory had been secured.
Why did it have to end
And why do they always say
No regrets
But I wish that you
Were here with me
Not hearing soft footsteps behind her, Kel, who had fallen to her knees to mourn her deceased friends, was startled by a hand lain on her shoulder. Kel up
spun onto her good leg, drawing her sword and was in a ready stance facing the intruder all in one practiced veteran's liquid move. When she saw who it was though,
she let her sword fall and clutched her friend tightly to her, weeping into their neck.
Well then there's hope yet
I can see your face
In our secret place
You're not just a memory
Say goodbye to yesterday
Those are words I'll never say
Faleron of King's Reach wrapped his only arm around his friend, hand stroking her hair soothingly. His left arm had been claimed by an enemy sword in the
battle that had cost the life of many fellow knights. They stood there together in the ruin of memories, crying together, the only ones left in the world who felt the
burden of the war so much. Having survived was almost worse than having died would have been at this point. It had been a victory of the country, not the people.
This used to be my playground
This used to be our pride and joy
This used to be the place we ran to
That no one in the world could dare destroy
"Look at it, Faleron." Kel whispered when she had cried all the tears that she had left to shed. "I can't believe how much has changed since we were pages.
They're all gone, Faleron. We're the only ones left." He must not have trusted his voice, because all he could do was nod sadly. It was the truth, and there was
nothing that either of them could do about it. Death was horribly final, and their friends all seemed to have been booked for the one-way ticket that ended life as
they knew it.
This used to be our playground
This used to be our childhood dream
This used to be the place we ran to
I wish you were standing here with me
The two stood there together for how long neither could tell, remembering all the good and horrible things that had happened that tore them away from their
friends and families, which, both had lost in their entirety. The sun was setting as they departed the ghost city on their horses together. They both stopped
and turned, at the city gates, however, looking back at the city and castle above it.
This used to be our playground
This used to be our childhood dream
This used to be the place we ran to
The best things in life are always free
Wishing you were here with me,
Kicking their horses into a run, they fled the feelings surging within them.
Lyrics by Madonna
Story by Magelet
The war was finally over and Tortall had won, but the country was left in ruin. The worst part, aside from the hundreds of casualties, was what happened to
the capital. The city had been ruined. Lit aflame by an unknown arson, the city had been evacuated and left in ashes. The castle had been torn apart by the
battle that had taken place there when the Scanrans had managed to break the line and get that far south.
This used to be my playground
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Keladry's boots crunched over the rubble that had once been where the pages had trained with their swordsmaster. In one corner, she actually found half
of a wooden practice sword that had been used to teach pages how to wield the weapon. She knelt and picked up the ruined item with two-handed reverence and
held it to her chest, as a rogue tear slid down her cheek.
Why did it have to end
And why do they always say
Don't look back
Keep your head held high
Don't ask them why
Standing once more, Kel limped over to the former stables. Her war wound was acting up again. Every once in a while now she was forced to favor it and
limp. It seemed that all of a sudden, just being here, it didn't want to work properly for her. Grimacing, the lady knight remembered that her leg would be that way
for the rest of her life.
Because life is short
And before you know
You're feeling old
And your heart is breaking
Don't hold on to the past
Well that's too much to ask
Peachblossom's old stall was on of the few that resembled its old palace splendor. A few more tears rolled down her scarred cheeks. The Scanrans had
killed her horse when they had re-captured Northwatch. The two shared many special memories and a connection that she and her current horse, Hoshi,
could never have. Kel would never forget her temperamental horse that she had befriended as a page.
This used to be my playground
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Her friends. Tears flowed freely at that thought. So many had fallen. Cleon was the first, slaughtered by a Scanran ambush near Mindelan. Then Roald,
who grew up so fast to take charge as his father had in time of war, was cowardly poisoned by the enemy. Owen and Merric had gone together at the betrayal of
the Lord of Stone Mountain. Shinkokami, Lerant, Yuki, and Neal had swiftly followed to the Dark God's lair. Even the Lioness, Queen, Buri, and Raoul had fallen
before the victory had been secured.
Why did it have to end
And why do they always say
No regrets
But I wish that you
Were here with me
Not hearing soft footsteps behind her, Kel, who had fallen to her knees to mourn her deceased friends, was startled by a hand lain on her shoulder. Kel up
spun onto her good leg, drawing her sword and was in a ready stance facing the intruder all in one practiced veteran's liquid move. When she saw who it was though,
she let her sword fall and clutched her friend tightly to her, weeping into their neck.
Well then there's hope yet
I can see your face
In our secret place
You're not just a memory
Say goodbye to yesterday
Those are words I'll never say
Faleron of King's Reach wrapped his only arm around his friend, hand stroking her hair soothingly. His left arm had been claimed by an enemy sword in the
battle that had cost the life of many fellow knights. They stood there together in the ruin of memories, crying together, the only ones left in the world who felt the
burden of the war so much. Having survived was almost worse than having died would have been at this point. It had been a victory of the country, not the people.
This used to be my playground
This used to be our pride and joy
This used to be the place we ran to
That no one in the world could dare destroy
"Look at it, Faleron." Kel whispered when she had cried all the tears that she had left to shed. "I can't believe how much has changed since we were pages.
They're all gone, Faleron. We're the only ones left." He must not have trusted his voice, because all he could do was nod sadly. It was the truth, and there was
nothing that either of them could do about it. Death was horribly final, and their friends all seemed to have been booked for the one-way ticket that ended life as
they knew it.
This used to be our playground
This used to be our childhood dream
This used to be the place we ran to
I wish you were standing here with me
The two stood there together for how long neither could tell, remembering all the good and horrible things that had happened that tore them away from their
friends and families, which, both had lost in their entirety. The sun was setting as they departed the ghost city on their horses together. They both stopped
and turned, at the city gates, however, looking back at the city and castle above it.
This used to be our playground
This used to be our childhood dream
This used to be the place we ran to
The best things in life are always free
Wishing you were here with me,
Kicking their horses into a run, they fled the feelings surging within them.