I stand in my knight armor, its silver metal gleaming against the moon’s light.

My sword weighs down my side; my nerves shake.

“Tomorrow, knights,” King Tiberius shouts. “You will fight against our enemies and restore our kingdom to its former glory!”

Some knights cheer, many stay silent in fear.

“We have chosen you from you homes, men and women both, to fight for our kingdom!” King Tiberius raises his chalice, filled with wine.

His lavish jewels and furs stain red from his spilling wine.

It looks so similar to blood.

I shake my head, washing the vision from my head.

Tomorrow I may very well die; be covered in blood rather than wine.

How very lucky the king is to be drunk on a night that may be the last for some of his people.

It sickens me.

“Tara, are you alright? You look pale,” Zane asks, worry swirling in his eyes.

I nod, my stomach twisting in knots.

I’ll have to be alright, if I want to live.

The next morning, we were all woken before dawn.

The cold air nips my cheeks.

I’ve been assigned a legion, the smallest one. Two women and three men. Zane is with me, thankfully.

“Your legion will not be assigned a captain. We fall short one. You’ll have to be on your own. Remember” the general recites, “blood will be spilled but ours will be filled.”

I nod as the general steps away. A laugh bubbles to a smile at my lips.

What ridiculous advice the general gave!

Dawn comes upon us, the sun peaking from the horizon.

A distant sound rings; the enemy is just yonder.

“The general said we are to stick to the right, to cover the open spots,” a red-curly haired slim man says to the legion. He introduces himself as Kenny.

“How will only five people cover all the holes?” A brunette girl, with a large snake tatted on her neck questions.

“Orders are order,” Zane answers sternly.

“And we have no say in our survival?” The girl bits back.

“Bree, hold your tongue!” A large, muscular man, with red armor scolds. He mentioned his name was Stephen. He was a part of the King’s guard before the war.

I stay silent.

“Our best shot to both survival and honor is to listen to the general,” Stephen says, his voice harsh and cold. Small wrinkles spot under his eyes. It’s clear he has experience.

“Knight! To your positions!” The general shouts.

Clanks and clinks of armor sound as knights and legions move to their positions.

Mine walks to the far right, near the forest.

We’re hidden and small.

I pray that’ll be enough to live.

A horn sounds and we begin to bang our shields with our swords.

Some scream battle cries, others cry in pure fear.

I mask my face, covering my fear.

In the distance, the midnight blue armor of the enemy glitters in the morning light.

“I should be home right now, eating breakfast with my family,” Bree whispered.

Zane stands tall, glancing over to see if I’m well.

Stephen focuses, examining the enemy.

Kenny shakes, sweat rolling down his freckled cheeks.

A prayer escapes my lips as swords strike and knights groan in fighting.

The battle has begun.

“Bree and Tara, stay right!” Stephen commands. “Kenny and Zane, block the left!”

Stephen was trying to protect us, limiting bloodshed.

Enemies push through, blue armor infiltrating the red and silver armor of the knights.

Blood splatters everywhere.

I run, following Stephen.

Bree runs beside me.

Zane and Kenny run ahead a few steps.

“My mother used to tell me I’d never see the worst of mankind,” Bree says, breathing heavily. “She lied.”

A man in blue armor floods my vision.

His sword stands above Bree.

Without thinking another thought, I block his deadly blow.

I jab and block the enemy.

I was in a dance of survival.

But suddenly the man stopped at the sight of my eyes.

He stopped in his tracks, his face almost paling at the sight of my face.

“You’re, you’re T-T” the man stuttered. “Tara.”

My brows furrowed in confusion, but Zane dragged me away, forcing me to run further into battle.

Bree thanked me, but I couldn’t stop thinking of the strange man.

“Kenny, head down!” Stephen shouts.

Kenny shakes and cries in fear.

“I want to go home!” He shouts. “I don’t want to be here!”

Stephen drags our legion to a small hidden spot, rage flashing on his bloodied face.

“Look, I didn’t ask to be picked. None of us did,” he says, pointing to us all. “We have no choice but to fight. Show your honor, Kenny. Be a knight and fight for our kingdom!”

We get back to the field, Kenny flushed in embarrassment.

Another horn sounds. The arrows horn.

“Shields!” Zane shouts.

We bend down, covering our bodies with our shields.

Arrows wiz around and above us. Knights scream in pain as arrows hit them.

I feel a few hit the top of my shield.

A hand grabs my arm, dragging me towards the edge of the battlefield.

“Zane!” I say, shakened and confused.

I can’t see who is pulling me away from the bloodshed, too scared to release my shield from my head.

But I stumble and fall. My shield escapes my hands.

I look up.

I’m in the forest, away from anyone. Away from my legion.

A man, tall and strong, with night black hair and midnight blue armor stands above me.

He smiles.

“I’ve been looking for you, Tara,” the man says, his voice deep and gentle.

“Please,” I gasp. “I-I don’t know, I’m just a—“

“You’ve been with the enemy,” the man says. “Fighting for King Tiberius? For that fool? Oh you’re way better than that, Tara.”

Confusion covers my face.

“I don’t understand?” I say, clutching my sword.

The man laughs. “King Tiberius is more of a coward than I thought, putting his part of the bargain on the battlefield.”

“What?”

“Tara Steinbroke, you are to be my bride. You are to marry me, the Prince of Winterfred,” the man smiles.

I pale. I am to marry the enemy’s Prince!

“No, no no no,” I stutter.

The prince puts his hands behind his back, pacing. “He never told you, then.”

I shake my head.

“My father, the King of Winterfred, accepted King Tiberius’ bargain to end the war. King Tiberius would gift me a bride with blood descended from the magical past. My father accepted, yet your king still started another battle, putting my bride on the field, to die.”

“Tiberius doesn’t want the war to end?” I breathe.

“It seems so, but he made a bargain, and I am here to claim it, Tara.”

The Prince helps me from the forest ground. My knees shake.

“I-I can’t,” I say, looking towards the battlefield.

“A bargain is a bargain,” the Prince says.

Then smoke of midnight blue covers my eyesight and next thing I know, I am in a throne room.