Role

Chapter 7

The days of Yule were coming to an end, and it was Bynna's first since
joining the Fortress. Snow was common for the Fortress, nestled deep
in the Redhorn, but tonight the sky roared with thunder and the
mountains shook. Most of the Fortress slept, the boisterious thunder
kept in check by the barrack's stone walls.

Bynna sat upright in her bunk, cold sweat dampening her clothing as she
breathed heavily, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her dreams were filled
with the faces of her fellow gladiators, men and women who would
never experience a free Yuletide.

She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in them. She
wept. It was all my fault she thought. A flash of light briefly filled the
room followed by a loud crack of thunder. She hated herself. She hated
that she wanted vengance so badly that her greed for it drove her to be
selfish and cost them. Cost them their chance to escape.

Would my soul ever find peace for what I have done, she questioned.
She was the only one to escape, to live. She remembered fleeing. She
remembered the smell of Hubert's blood, how it stained her skin, her
clothing, her nostrils. She was lucky. They didn't look for her. Forgotten.

Bynna looked over to her sleeping comrades. They slept peacefully.
How would they treat her if they knew what lives she cost, how she let
her greed for vengance over take her? She shook her head.

No. That was then. I'm different. Now. I'll do what I can to protect them,
to protect the people. No more should suffer. Even if my last breath is
upon the field of battle, I can't let something like that happen again.
There must be no fear, only courage. The thunder cracked sending
shudders through the stone fortress as though to affirm her thoughts.

The rain fell, the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared. No one
could hear the sadness in Bynna's tears. No one could hear the resolve
in her heartbeats. Just thunder upon the winter sky.