Heart of a Warrior

A short story from my notes:

At the gates of the castle, the enemy gathers.
A warrior stand ready to lead the defense from within.
Stance wide and shoulders forward; his body is tense.
He hears the battle cry of the enemy outside.
He swallows his fear, his shaken hands grip his weapon tighter.
Armor weighs on his chest, arms, and head.
Yet he does not back down nor shy away from the battle.
The king has entrusted him with the defense of the castle.
And his princess lies within its walls; he fights for her.

In a flash, the gate shatters open, sending splinters flying.
The enemy flood into the courtyard and begin to charge.
Without any hesitation the warrior issues a bellowing roar.
He spearheads the countering charge of the king’s knights.
The warrior confronts his enemy with strength,
Heaving his mind, soul and body fully into the battle.
Waves of enemies pour in to challenge him, fierce and deadly.
Some seek only to rob him of his holdings and family.
Others desire his own personal destruction: his body broken.

But the king is with the warrior; he will send reinforcements.
The warrior does not fight alone, yet he doesn’t seek respite.
For if he rests for even a moment, the enemy could press in and conquer.
Hours he fights. Days, months, years, his sword holds back the enemy.
Then finally, the king arrives with a thunderous battle cry.
His mighty army sweeps in and relieves the warrior’s troops.
The enemy is routed, for now, and the king approaches the warrior.
“Well done, my faithful son. Your reward is granted you.”

In a busy hospital hall, a doctor hurries to a nearby bench where a man sits slumped against the wall.
The doctor extends his hand in congratulations, a smile on his face.
He guides the anxious man to a nearby room and ushers him through the door.
And we see the man, with joyful tears in his eyes, hold his daughter in his arms for the first time.