Sword & Shield
By Calis Cheah
sigrd@hotmail.com

It was strange

How I never belonged.

Though eldest born,

I never saw approval

In his eyes -

A father's eyes.

Like a touch

So corporeal

I always felt

The naked envy

The other children

Watching from the streets.

Who could have understood?

The enduring sense of emptiness

That was only augmented

By the trappings of wealth

An unseen cage.

Unknown to you,

I've always watched

Glancing at you from afar.

You were so different

So open.

Even as pain exploded

As a fist connected with my face

I only knew

I had to protect you

Fight beside you.

It hurt terribly

But I was strangely happy

It felt good, alive

I took a taste of freedom

And I never want to give it back

I could still see her

Standing above the two of us

Like a lioness

Fierce yet gentle

Taking care of you and me

I guess I never told you

What it meant to me

When you let me

Into a house

That was a home

There were no ties of blood

But you were a family

You welcomed me

And let me found a place

That I could call my own.

We are a team

Through thick and thin

You are my friend,

My partner in arms,

I gladly call you brother.

Betrayed by the country

We have sworn to serve

Manipulated as pawns

On the chess board

Of one man's ambitions.

We fled for our lives

The only two survivors

In a bloody massacre

Unversed still in the ways

Of a harsh cruel world.

I marked the stone

A promise that we'll

Always find each other

No matter what happened

I'll be waiting for you here

Together we jumped the cliff

As I plunged towards the cold waters

I could not deny the fear

I wondered if my life would end here

Unaware that this was only the beginning.

Destiny wheel has started turning

Placing upon our shoulders

The responsibilities that were too heavy

We were only children forced

To grow up too soon.

Power was something

That I never thought I would want

Yet witnessing the wanton destruction,

The waste of so many lives

I realized a single truth

I had to be strong

To protect the innocent

I had to stop this senseless war

Reaching out my hand

I accepted my destiny.

By the rune granted unto me

I swore to end the suffering

Even if I had to start a war

To end all wars

That is the road I chose.

I betrayed your trust

With blood spilled by my own hands

I could not explain the reasons

Behind my treachery

But depart in silence.

I was not noble like you

With eyes that could see

Into the hearts of men

Through deception and lies

I made my way.

I had not your gentle strength

Nor generous heart

I had no honor

Borrowing your hand

To slay the fiend.

I wed a princess

And became a king.

Bit by bit I gained

Another step closer

To my dream

I never asked for things

To be this way

Me against you

Friends turned into

Inescapable enemies.

I do not want face you

As the leader of the other side

I was too selfish

Clinging to my beliefs

Expecting you to give in to me

My armies have scattered

Like wind tossed leaves

My castle crumbling

Fallen into dust

I have lost everything

And now here I stand

At the beginning

It's time for my life to end

Forgive me,

My friend...