Adele's Stories

The bonfire reached for the stars as the soldiers gathered round it. Conversations were everywhere but voices were quiet. The King was sure the bard would have arrived by now but he was nowhere to be seen and morale was growing low. A darkness began encroaching on the camp as murmurs and whispers of fear spread through the soldiers. The more time we spent alone around the fire the bleaker tomorrow’s battle looked, until half the camp was two seconds away from desertion.

And then. The murmurs stopped. The darkness retreated. Everyone turned to look as the bard made is way the center of our circle, lyre loose by his side, cloak swishing around his ankles. The relief was palpable even though he hadn’t done a thing yet.

It was dead silent as the camp waited with bated breath. The bard took a turn around the fire, slowly taking the time to set his eyes upon each one of us. And then without a word he lifted his lyre and began to sing.

In the quiet of a looming dawn when sleepers begin to wake when the birds begin to sing a king comes along

Life in his right hand death in the left he wanders the land

Seeking the hopeless and the weakest searching for the strongest and the highest

Providing justice for his people and bringing faith to those who’ve lost their way

The king hides his face but only to those who don’t wish to see

His righteous subjects follow the flowers growing from his path and brave the treacherous trail he leads

He forgets not those who follow behind him

Leading in his strength through the mountains and valleys

Conquering those who oppose and welcoming those who change their hearts

Now this king who was raised in poverty

Faced the most mortal of enemies

And rose to highest seat among us

Is calling you to his side

To let you rest in his house and to win the battles that have not yet begun

Come to the King for no king is like the king whom we serve

Soldiers rose to their feet, armor clanging, mixing with their roaring voices. Swords lifted high, we let out our fiercest war cries, claiming victory to our king.