Written by Harry Croose
‘THE SUN HAS RISEN’
‘Darkness clouds the truth.’ That is what her father had said, well the last thing he had said, and yet as Sarah gazed up to the sky, clouds still remained supreme. Sarah could not deny that the clouds were majestic and in a way beautiful, but her taste for the sunlight had only grown after every passing night after night after night. Young Sarah was only 15 years old, in the tucked-away village of Dawnbrook, of the Southern Isles, named after the setting sun, yet she still believed that one day light would return, her father, he had promised her. Sarah’s blonde hair, reflected off the water, bogged in the streets, it was so shiny that even passing peasants gazed longingly at the long shadow she left behind, her Uncle even said that ‘she could light up a room – literally.’ She was, so they say, the last of her Noble House, the House Sigil of the Sun woven on her robes. The only good thing about the darkness was that if the peasants knew who she was, they would extinguish the last of their honour for just a mouldy bit of bread.
Because, of the darkness, there was anarchy in the province. All of the food shelters have been raided, and a large famine swept over the land. She couldn’t help the peasants even if she wanted to, because the moment they found out who she was… she would be blamed for the disaster; she only trusted her Councillors that were put in place guarding what was left of the Order. Lifting her Oil Lantern, to the Castle Gates, the guards let her in reluctantly, but told her that ‘if her Ladyship tried to help the poor again, she will become a Peasant.’ Sarah did not know why she tolerated their behaviour, but then she remembered the world is not safe anymore.
‘Good evening, my Lady. The City Guards, kept a close eye on you at any rate.’
Lord Arthur Blaze was a gentle kindly man, tall nearly 6ft 5, one of the few men she remotely trusted. ‘Forgive me for the interference, Lady Sarah, but my father entrusted that I keep you safe, ideally on this side of the Castle Gate.’
Lady Sarah gained her breath back, from the long walk to the nearby village, and put on the ‘Lady’ Voice. ‘I appreciate you looking out for me Lord Blaze, I was just making a personal assessment of the damages caused by the famine.’ She sighed deeply, ‘the darkness has taken more then what my fellow councillors has informed me. I may be a child, but while I am the standing Lady of the House Sunstall, I do not expect my councillors to lie to me – in future.’
She thought to herself darkly, ‘if there is a future’.
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With her robes, bellowing outside in the harsh winds, she walked tiredly to the Castle’s entrance. The Castle was a magnificent sight, the stone sparkled like stars from a sky long ago, and the cement was a pulsing crimson lighting up the valley, the only beacon of hope, Dawnbrook and the surrounding towns, and villages appeared to have. Sarah caressed the old oak door, it felt warm to the touch, she pushed open the door, as she entered.
The Great Hall was still by all accounts great, but it was bare and desolate now, all of the Gold, and Jewel encrusted decoration had been taken and smelted down for defence against either the oncoming darkness or to feed those who need it. The cobwebs hidden behind mantelpieces and glorious tapestries revealed that even the cleanest of places still had something to hide. ‘Good evening, Bethany, could you run me a bath upstairs, I will be retiring shortly.’ Bethany, a serving girl bowed her head smiling. ‘As you command Lady Sarah.’ Bethany turned away blushing slightly and went up the long flight of steps, each step had a message engraved on it, a message of hope such as ‘LIGHT THE WAY.’ or ‘BE A BEACON IN THE DARKNESS.’ Sarah clutched her fur overcoat agitated and tossed it aside. She strolled down the Great Hall and gazed at the nearby paintings. She gazed at the nearest one, a beautiful woman, with Blonde Hair and a White Gown sitting happily by the fireplace, by her daughter. Sarah let loose a few tears, she remembered why she always walked past this painting, it always made her cry, and yet there was a glint of hope there, somewhere. Her Mother and her Father after all were not truly gone, just lost. Then she felt a touch on her hand.
‘My Lady, I should have never lied to you, truly. I apologise. You can understand why I did though, you are not stupid, I just didn’t want you get upset.’ Lord Arthur Blaze was a man of words for sure, but not only that Sarah could trust on his loyalty to her house and this small Kingdom. Sarah turned trying to hide her tears. ‘I understand, why you did it, it is unfortunate that you have to lie about something so grave in the first place. How could my father, my uncle, my mother…’
Lord Arthur smiled, ‘I hear you, child, forgive me Lady Sarah, you haven’t an ounce of patience, we must wait here in exile, for this to stop. Your Father told me that I must protect you at all costs, all costs, even if it costs us towns, villages, perhaps even your very House and Name.’
Lord Arthur brandished a longsword onto the ground.
‘Your father embedded this seal onto this weapon, because he knew that one day you would wield it. You have potential in fighting, I would have thought that you would keep it on you, if you were going to every village to liberate them.’ He grimaced. ‘I am not saying you couldn’t in the reigns of your Grandfather or even the early years of your Father, but times our different. Sometime the greatest heroes know when to fight and when to stay indoors.’
Sarah perked up at that, ‘Speaking of indoors, when will day come.’
‘This night has been awfully long-winded.’
‘Soon’ grinned Lord Arthur, then we can finally do some justice to those in the nearby villages and towns, and finally we can go looking for your family.’ His cloak and his posh attire reminded her of his eternal optimism, and how many times he had been right. ‘Okay, well, good night, Lord Arthur, I will be retiring upstairs shortly.’
Arthur turned to her slowly, ‘For the last time Lady Sarah, please call me Arthur, I will inform you of our action plan in the morning, the councillors and I, are having a late night meeting tonight, Lady Elena from the Far West, will be arriving soon with a reinforced guard and extra provisions in preparation for the sunlight we have. All will be alright.’ He gave her the Sword. Sarah smiled at her Father’s Sword and turned to look at Arthur valiantly striding away into the council chamber, he hoped his light would never run out, but then she remembered she said that about her father.
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She went upstairs, to the fourth floor, to her bedroom, where a hot bath awaited her, she unrobed, plunged herself into the relaxing water, and contemplate the words of wisdom from Arthur and the discovery of the darkness in the nearby villages. If only there was a way to save them now, but she knew that she must wait for the day, that was when her power and her magic was greatest. She dressed in her night robes and got into her bed to do her nightly journaling and meditation, when she heard a distinct voice. A voice that carried out her name. ‘Sarah, Sarah, Where is Sarah.’
This voice did not appear overly friendly come to think of it, it sounded quite threatening. Poising a gaze to her sword, she dressed in her Robes, ready to fight. She smiled solemnly to herself, and with her sword equipped, she opened the door. Only the sound of swords slashing, and gales of screams greeted her, which pierce the cold air on this never-ending night. ‘But while the heir of the Sun still lives, Morning will reign.’ She said to herself in a whisper, as though the wind could here her. Her words warmed her and dissolved her fear. Her blonde hair rippled with an energy of pride, her sword turned scarlet in the air, as she spun around to see her foe. No foes were there, but she could hear them still, on their way up. She had no choice but to flee. There were too many of them, even with the powers she had, she was not strong enough, not without the sun. She climbed higher and higher until she reached the top of the castle. It was a peaceful view… once, and she vowed then when she returned to Sunstall Castle, the morning Sun would reign forever. She knew and just knew that the councillors were dead, perhaps that guard at the gate betrayed then all, they were few in number and he knew that. Then she before she knew it she was surrounded.
Guards streamed in like the plague, armoured in Darkness, their very shadows could be seen, even in the pitch black.
‘Give up now, little one. Join the darkness and meet the same fate as your Father.’
The clouds moved slightly in the sky, and a rumbling not from the sky, but from Lady Sarah began to erupt, her anger was evident, even to the blind. ‘Your pitiful darkness will end- shortly, as quickly as it begun. You are nothing more than illusions, to me. Be Gone.’
The Darkness laughed at her, but all of a sudden her words came true. The clouds parted and the dark greys that dwelled and leached on this land vanished, and the sun smiled down at her. Before she knew it she was levitating up in the air, her blonde hair glowing a bright gold.
The darkness retreated, and the morning sun finally rose, the land flooded with colour and joy. Sarah could sense it, feel it in her very core and soul. This mystical land had been renewed, at least in part, but there is so much to do, she must her find her family, in order to retain order and peace.
Sarah’s power grew, and so she rose again.
‘The Sun has Risen.’
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