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The night had fallen, but campfires scattered around the camp gave both light and heat. Fort Mont Valay had been conquered and the army celebrated. Henry Leobolt sat near one of the fires with a few mercenaries who had all kneeled before him and accepted him as their leader after the battle for the fort had been over. And he had to admit, he enjoyed their company.
He drank beer in a wooden mug with the skinny Snore and the big and bearded Berow, two of the mercenaries who had given him a hard time when he met them at first, but who had become loyal friends.
Despite the good company, he couldn’t keep his thoughts at the celebration. They wandered to Finis, the beautiful Finis, with who he would leave the next morning. Get away from the prince and the war. Get away from everything and built up a new life with the two of them, going to new places. Finis wanted to see flowers, he vowed to take her to every place he knew that had special flowers.
A group of prisoners was led to a tent by the soldiers of their army. Henry didn’t pay much attention to them, but Snore watched it with contempt.
“Why do prisoners get to stay in tents while we sleep outside?” he asked, not doing any effort to hide the annoyance in his voice.
“Even though they’re enemies, we should treat them well.” Henry berated him gently. War was a terrible thing, he was just glad the prisoners were shown some mercy.
“Come on, you’re too naïve, leader,” Berow said.
The sound of footsteps and metal moving against metal reached them and they all looked up. Prince Rudo, followed by an officer and two soldiers, approached the fire. Quickly they all got down on one knee, put their fist in the ground and bowing their heads.
“Stay where you are,” Rudo commented. "You have all earned honor in this war. Especially you, Henry Leobolt. You are a true hero.”
As Rudo smirked, Henry closed his eyes and lowered his head a little more. The last thing he wanted was to get on the bad side of the prince now.
“By the way,” Rudo continued, “are the prisoners over here?”
“Yes,” Berow replied, gesturing with his open hand to the tent. “In that tent there.”
“Let me have a look.,” Rudo said as he started to walk. “Leobolt, follow me.”
Henry waited for Rudo to pass him, then he got up and followed the prince and the soldiers into the tent. He could hear Berow and Snore say something to each other, but couldn’t quite make out what they said. His mind raced, why did he need to come along? What did the prince need from him?
As he entered the tent he glanced around. The first thing he noticed were the prisoners in their red uniforms, all tied up in around crates in the tent. Maybe Snore wouldn’t be so jealous anymore if he’d hear this.
The soldiers who had brought the prisoners stood guard. No-one spoke as Rudo looked down on their captives, with his arms crossed and his head held high.
“Very good,” Rudo eventually said. “Now all that is left is dealing with the traitor.”
Henry was about to ask what traitor the prince referred to when Rudo locked eyes with him. His heart sank. The haughty and determined look in the eyes of the prince didn’t bode well.
“Grab him,” Rudo ordered and the soldiers all threw themselves on Henry.
Henry tried to fight them off, but he was outnumbered and soon pinned to the ground.
“What is the meaning of this?” Henry growled.
Rudo watched him from a distance. “You are a nuisance and a thief. You steal Finis from me, you steal my soldiers from me. I heard them chant and acknowledge you as their leader.” He rose a trembling fist. “I know what you really want to do. You want to usurp this kingdom! I saw right through you, Henry Leobolt. You want to take away my future wife and my men and turn them against me.” He crouched down and grabbed a handful of Henry’s hair. “You made a fool out of me. You and Finis. I won’t let you get away with it.” He slammed Henry’s head in the ground. “Vengeance will be mine.”
When Rudo rose, he gestured to his soldiers, who grabbed Henry and tied his hands together.
“You will stay here,” Rudo said as he walked away. “I will be back soon. Make one noise, and I will have Finis killed.”
Henry’s eyes opened in horror, he couldn’t risk that, but at the same time he decided that even if he couldn’t call for help, he would most certainly escape. For Finis, he had to protect her.
As the night went on, the usual sounds of the camp died down. The victory celebration was probably over. Henry thought about Berow, Snore and the other mercenaries. Would they miss him? And Finis, would she be asleep right now? He smiled as he held on to the image of Finis a little longer, his light in the darkness.
He opened his eyes again and he glanced around, the enemy soldiers seemed to be asleep, and only a handful of guards were in the tent, but they were all awake. An oil lamp was the only source of light and two guards spoke to each other in hushed voices. Henry heard something about horses and a race. Just some small talk to get through the night. He sighed, he couldn’t sleep even if he wanted too. All he could do was think about Finis. Finis, who he loved so much. Finis, who would be waiting for him at the horses in the morning.
One of the soldiers came to him to check on him
“Rupert,” he whispered, watching the soldier tense when he heard his name. “I need your help.”
“I can’t…” the soldier whispered back.
“I don’t need much. Just paper and some ink. I need to write a letter. That is all. You owe me that much.”
Reluctantly the soldier nodded and left the tent.
Henry closed his eyes and waited. He wouldn’t ask Rupert to untie him, it was useless to try and escape now. There would be guards outside too, and patrols in the camp, and the tent of Finis was probably guarded as well. Corte had suggested the morning and Henry had seen the wisdom in the suggestion. It still was the best option to sneak away under the cover of the fog. At some point he would have to be moved and when he was outside and had a clear escape path, that’s when he would attempt to flee. But Finis had to be gone first and he needed to make sure that would happen.
When Rupert returned, Henry shifted so that he sat with his back to the other soldiers.
“I won’t untie you,” he Rupert whispered as he put a sheet of paper on the ground and a small flask of ink next to it.
“Thank you.”
“Just hurry,” the soldier muttered as he handed him the feather. “If anyone sees you…”
Henry nodded and took the feather. The flickering light was dim, but it was just enough to allow him to write.
With his hands tied together he started to write a letter.
Finis, my love,
Corte was right, Rudo is a madman. He captured me and I saw the look in his eyes. Now I truly understand what Corte meant when she said she never saw anyone look so scary.
Whatever he is up to, it will be bad.
You must go. Flee. Do not wait for me! Get away from Rudo as fast as you can.
I will try to escape and join you when I can, but you must go now. Go to the horse, ride away and don’t look back.
I will escape and find you and we will be together.
You must go to the castle of my family, tell my brother everything. You can trust him. He will be able to get you over the border.
Once you crossed the border, you will be free, my love. You will be free. There are so many flowers to see in the world. I want to show you every single one of them.
I love you, Finis. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. So kind and innocent and pure.
The feather hung above the sheet of paper as Henry thought back to all the times he had seen Finis. Naïve and clumsy, she was that too, but there was no need to add that to the letter. It was adorable though, and one of the reasons he had fallen in love with her. And her kindness and grace. Everything really, he loved everything about her.
And your songs, Finis, your wonderful singing voice. I will never ask you to sing for me, but I am beyond grateful to have listened to that one song you sang for me. I will always carry that flame with me. It will keep me warm and safe when I travel through the night to be with you again.
I love you with all my heart. Escape and be free. I will join you when I can.
Forever yours,
Henry Leobolt
The voice of the prince sounded through the fabric of the tent, Henry quickly tossed the feather aside, folded the letter and hid it in his glove. He turned around so he could face the prince when he entered.
When he had a chance, he would give the letter to Rupert, who would deliver it for him. He had saved his life once, Rupert would do this for him.
Rudo entered the tent, his smirk sends a shiver down Henry’s spine. The country was doomed if this would be their next king.
“Let’s do it,” Rudo said and the soldiers that were with him entered the tent with drawn swords. The killed the prisoners in their sleep.
Henry stared at it, not able to talk at first. “What is the meaning of this?!” he growled, attempting to rise to his feet, but a soldier grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down.
“Don’t trouble yourself with it, Leobolt,” Rudo said. He gestured to the soldier, who drew his sword and rose it high in the air.
A sharp pain raced through Henry’s head when he was hit with the pommel and darkness overtook him.
As the flames burn,
a fleeting heartbeat.
As the flames burn,
memories melt together.
Be a flame,
that swallows everything.
My dear flame.
The words floated around in the darkness. Henry vaguely noticed he was upright, but unable to move. Something enclosed his head, it felt as if he wore a helmet. His head was still pounding from the hit too. Where was he? The memories were vague. But those words, he remembered those words, Finis had sung them for him, when they were in the cave. It had been so cold, but the fire had given a pleasant warmth.
Warm. It was warm. He smiled. Hot. Hot. Too hot!
Henry screamed as the heat of flames burned his skin. Somewhere in the distance he heard a female voice say: “There’s no way…he’s still alive.”
He knew that voice, but the pain was too much to focus on it. Smoke entered his nose as his clothes started to burn away. He coughed and screamed and the hot air in his lungs hurt even more.
The deafening sound of metal against metal ringed in his ears when something hit the helmet and his head snapped back as the helmet was thrown off his face. The sudden light blinded him and the haze of fire was all around him. He screamed as he desperately tried to flee the scourging flames, he didn’t even feel the tight rope cutting in his flesh as he tried to move away. He jerked and screamed as the pain and the heat became more and more unbearable.
Then he heard a long and pained ‘No!’. Finis, that had to be Finis.
He vaguely registered the voice of the prince, saying: “Oh dear. Isn’t that Henry from the Leobolt family? How strange…” The bastard, he had put him here!
And then the sound of Finis. “Why…?” he heard her ask. “Why?!” His heart ached when he heard her desperation.
Henry looked up when she entered his vision, he saw her through the flames. He tried to ignore the pain as he focused on the face of his beloved. “Finis…” he groaned. What sick game had the prince played? Just because they loved each other? Because the soldiers favored him?
“The song of Water!” Finis quickly said. “I’ll put out the fire!” She brought a hand to her mouth when she coughed and when she lowered it her hand was tainted with blood.
“No!” Henry quickly said, “If you sing you’ll die!” The thought of her dying because of him was unbearable. He couldn’t let her do that, she had to live and be free and see the new continents and all the flowers she longed to see.
“But, Henry!” Finis said, tears running down her face.
Henry shook his head, he couldn’t let her sing. He couldn’t live with it if she would die for him. He tried to explain, but the pain rendered him mute.
It was too late anyway.
“No…” Finis sobbed. “No!” She reached out for him.
Henry smiled lovingly at her. How he longed to hold her in his arms one last time. At least he got to see her and hear her singing one final time. His vision started to blur and the darkness at the edge of his vision grew. The pain that was his world now dulled, but the fire burned with as much vigor as it had the entire time. “Finis…” he pushed the words out, putting all his remaining strength in it, as he looked at her, desperately trying to capture all the details of her beautiful face. The fire crackled all around him, but it was almost as if he could hear the song of Finis in it and hear her wonderful voice wrapping around him. “I can hear your voice…” he croaked. He closed his eyes and thought back to that serene moment in the forest, when he held her in his arms. It was all he needed, that memory. He felt his love for her, he saw her, he held her, he heard her. The flames around crackled and singed at the same time. “…singing….”
The flames engulfed him, incinerating his body.
The letter burned with him.