background.
I was a knight, assigned to the King’s side, betrayed by his ruling. Loyalty is my misconduct and cowardice is my sin. His last command I did not appease to; bloodied tears burgeoned in crimson on his face as I watched, making my escape. The kingdom now naught more than a memory, I can still feel the silent curse of exile he left in his final ire.
I lost the life of my betrothed that night, hunted down by our adversaries after our fleet from a place we once called home. The clanking of their armors drowned the sound of mine, and I was left forced to witness as they struck him down with a single arrow; how they did not find my person was a blessing and a curse.
My sobs were muffled as they sauntered on with their search, slow to collect him and myself while he remained on the brink of life and death - the wound more fatal than either of us were left to imagine. The moments I had left spent as mere seconds, I had not the time to express my affection to him enough and before I knew it he slipped into quietus.
The only substance of his life force that remained was the thick bloodstain on my armor, something that would not long stick and would become eroded by the elements.
To my home, I could not return as it was now territory belonging to our enemies and I was but a knight living in newfound exile. I had nothing left other than my armor and longsword, my weaponry soon became drawn in the works of a mercenary; I only gathered enough coin to survive, never did I enjoy the kill. And I only procured work when I was in need.