Guardian's Duty

I felt the cool and salty ocean breeze in my face, I was almost able to see it.
The sand writhed through my toes causing an arousal sensation.
My hands were extended high next to me, I could easily balance my self.
I was able to feel mitigation set in from the nostalgic sight of the cerulean heavens.

Ancient memories ambled from within my imagination of the days of running in tides on the beach, the intensely cerulean heavens consistent. Bright light was cast down on me, playing in the waves as they crashed into me. My parents stood at the edge of the sand dune watching my every move, they held each other with such passion. Their support fell on my shoulders.

Fog migrated athwart the dunes nearby forcing a long suppressed yawn.
Deeper and deeper my feet seeped into the fog, over my head.
The sight of grey clouded my mind, this mystical feeling, this chilling sensation rose through my spine causing a shiver.
My cold and beaten hands held myself to keep warm. "Mother..." A tear gently fell from my eye, the reminiscent thought left me. My mind was stagnant, I felt someone coming.

"Mistress, aren't thou ready yet, the ship will leave soon and they won't wait any longer." The voice echoed through the fog behind me, a man's deep voice.
"Just a few minutes, this is the last time I'll see my family's grounds."
"I'll wait at the ship."
"Be well Berlough, kind Berlough. The guardian... the forever guardian, I would not be here without the strong fist. Thou has been a follower and a leader for quite some time. Now, thou must retire to rest, do not mind me, I will be there."
"I will be here as long as I have a breath in my body; even after I die I will protect thou. I will never fail thou life, such utterance of these words seems to be blasphemous. I heard from a wise man, 'A strong woman is such of her nature,' I do not know what the meaning is but maybe thou... do," I heard his beard muffle his voice slightly. As he walked off his armor jingled and screeched."
"The self is so lonely, the intense dreams are almost too much to bear, I am losing hope Berlough"
"I am here, what does thou need?" Berlough looked around frantically.

While I turned to leave I felt the sand leave my feet, the emotions left.
Reality seeped in, the fog dissipated.

It has been years since I have smiled, I tried to break it.

Berlough smiled, "I remember thy father, earnest man, may he rest in peace. He always had a hard time smiling, his stern nature triggered leadership. He is a great man. let us take leave Mistress."
"Yes Berlough, take me away from here."

Corpses of soldiers from a recent battle dressed the ground.

I could feel tears falling from my eyes, a part of me leaving.

"I am sorry brave ones; fore I give my blessing. Please accept it, that it is all I have left."

Feeling the dirt and blood collecting on my thin white robe showed me the portal into my soul.

My soul was tainted with loss and broken with distrust.

"This war is over...yet, I am sorry you cannot be here my friends. Thadius, Raymus, Monoclides and your brother diclides, mother Alilina, cousin Filinidis, uncle Dodecylides, grandmother Terraliina..."

The walk through the wasteland of death forced misery into me, the wretched feeling.

Cerulean skies of the beach were being entangled by the crimson dye, as we were engaged in war.

The lights from the ship slowly appeared like ghosts, Berlough stood at the dock with his spear in his hand.The corpses were scattered across the ground, even on the dock. Next to the dock was a ship large enough to carry a few hundred people. Berlough led me up the narrow plank to the boat. Wounded army men lined the edge of the ship, many still in their blood stained leather armor.

"Captain, she's on the ship, move out!"

I fell to the floor and broke into tears, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."
Tears coursed down my throat, I felt like I was going to die. My hands were pressed against my face; I knelt there next to Berlough's feet.
"Why must so many innocent people die for me, why have I been given this burden of misery?!"

"What compassion for thy people, I've known since thou was born, compassion for everyone. Even after given everything thou still feel that it is necessary that more is needed?"

Berlough kneeled and felt her, she was cold. He quickly took her to her room.

"Thou mustn't strain thy self. Rest do not wake until the smell food arises in the morning."

I tried to tell him I was okay but, I was incoherant.

***

I awoke to find myself on the floor next to my bed, "argg grugg hngg," My speech was a failure, I couldn't speak. My body was numb, the smell of freshly cooked eggs and bacon weaved its way through the cracks in the wall to me, I started to drool. The last meal I had was months ago, and even then it was very little.

"Mistress! It's almost done, I'll bring it to you, don't bother getting up."

Little did he know I was on the ground and not on the bed.

I had enough energy to roll my head over to its side, I saw a full body mirror. I could see my self, same blood stained dirty sheet covered my body. My face, as pale as it is was not noticeable by the presence of dirt. My hair down to my neck was stained red from the blood, I had forgotten what color it was supposed to be. The deep ocean blue eyes glistened at me as though they were the eyes of the ocean its self.

"Mistress! what happened!?" Berlough quickly set a pristine silver platter on the table at the end of the bed, picked me up like a child and set me back on the bed. He took out a cloth and soaked it in warm water, as he gently pressed it on my forehead and down to my neck the crisp warm feeling suppressed the numbness. I closed my eyes, the water trickled from my forehead and caught in my eyelids, it was immensely soothing.

I felt something cold touch my lips, "drink, it's cool water." As I drank I could feel it diffuse throughout my body, the cold sensation.
A warm squishy substance touched my lips, "Scrambled eggs, please eat." The taste of eggs brought back memories of my mother making it for me in the morning, my father sitting next to me eating the same. The bright sunlight broke though the window and hit my face, I thought I was there.

Berlough fed me, kind and loving Berlough helped me in my time of forever need.