• His chest rose and fell rhythmically as he looked up, blue eyes reflecting an even bluer sky whose warm spring winds ruffled his brown hair. Guard duty out on the outer walls held many such calm, peaceful moments. Alex, quite frankly, hated this. At 27, Alex was not satisfied with his job. When he had gone into the royal army he had dreams of grand battles under great kings like Saul and huge amounts of glory, not spending day after day in front of the gates as part of the infantry guard.
    Alex was not the most impressive looking man you could find. He was plain and small compared to the average soldier, which is probably why he was kept in the infantry. What really got Alex raging was the fact that he never even got a chance to prove his abilities. His small size belied his above average skills. Alex came from a long line of great swordfighters. He had learned how to hold a sword as soon as he could walk. But try telling that to any of the higher ups.
    “Hello? Alex, you still awake” said the guard next to him, waving a hand in front of Alex’s face.
    “Huh? Oh…yeah I’m awake.” said Alex.
    The soldier sighed and removed his helmet, revealing a head of blond hair. “Come on, let’s go...shift’s over. Besides, we need to get you out of here before you brood yourself to death.” said the soldier, grinning. This man was Jude, Alex’s best friend and self-proclaimed younger brother. The two had been friends since early childhood and were nearly inseparable to the point that Jude was always able to tell exactly what Alex was thinking.
    “I was not brooding!” said Alex indignantly as they walked through town.
    Jude just laughed, “Of course you were, don’t even try to tell me otherwise. Besides, it’s not like you don’t have a reason to be thinking a little darkly, what with this new king and all.” The smile disappeared from Jude’s face as he continued. “I just don’t trust this David. Everyone’s practically falling for him because he killed Goliath and won a couple of battles. Big deal! Then he gets anointed as the king chosen by God? Ridiculous.”
    Alex nodded his head in agreement. “The king is the man who’s supposed to unite and protect this country; it’s going to take a bit more proof for me to believe he’s up for the job. I wouldn’t mind getting a good look at him myself, see if he’s capable.”
    A grin appeared back on Jude’s face. “You just might, Alex. Have you heard of the new opening in the royal guard? What better way to get a look at King David than by being his body guard?”
    “Come on Jude, be realistic! Do you really think that we’d be judged fit for that?” said Alex with a frown. Four years of grunt work had made him a realist when it came to his chances at promotion.
    “Don’t be like that Alex. How will you know if you don’t at least give it a shot? Besides it’s only a try out, you won’t lose anything if you don’t get in,” said Jude.
    Alex just sighed and said, “Fine, but don’t get your hopes up. Goodnight Jude.”
    Jude smiled and said, “Thanks, Alex you won’t regret it! See you tomorrow, and tell Tabeth that I said hello!” With that, they parted ways.

    The next day the two men met in front of the palace. A line had formed along the wall of all the applicants. Jude looked over at Alex. “You ready for this?”
    “As ready as I can be!” said Alex as the two got in line. Soon enough the captain of the guard, a large man with plenty of muscle, walked out. He took a quick look around.
    “Welcome! I suppose this is our new guard?” The crowd shuffled a bit, pride evident on their faces. Then a sneer appeared on the captain’s face as he said, “Wrong! Most of you spatter brained louts aren’t worthy of guarding his majesty. The job will be hard and it will have very little reward. It will carry a high chance of death, and it will not be a glorious job. It will not pay much better than a position in the infantry,” he said with disgust in his voice. With every word that left the man’s mouth, Alex was becoming more and more enraged. “And that is only if you’re able to make it through the inspection. So, for those of you who will stay despite this, please step forward.”
    Alex considered his options for a second. If half of what he had heard about David was true, then this job was nothing short of protecting Israel’s future. But was it worth the trouble? Alex just went with his instinct and stepped forward. Along with Alex and Jude, ten others stepped forward. The rest were convinced quickly to leave. The captain came forward and began to take a look at each individual man. For some he would nod his head in approval, while those who weren’t so lucky were berated and sent home.
    Finally the captain came to Jude. He looked him over and nodded, “Tell me, what is your profession?”
    “Infantry soldier, sir. Been one for 7 years,” said Jude proudly.
    “I see... you pass. Go join the other applicants,” said the captain.
    “Thank you, sir!” said Jude as he walked to the other approved body guards.
    The captain moved on to Alex and just shook his head. “Tell me boy, do you honestly believe you have what it takes to become one of Lord David’s guards?” said the captain with his arms across his chest.
    “Yes sir.” replied Alex. The captain began to chuckle deeply. “How could you be? Look at you, you’re small, not that muscular. My boy, you’ve been weighed, measured and found severely wanting. What are you, a scribe?”
    “Infantry soldier, 9 years, sir.” said Alex, gritting his teeth.
    The captain just flat out laughed at this. “Ha ha ha, you? A soldier? The recruiters must be letting anyone in these days!”
    That’s when Alex’s patience snapped. “So you doubt my skills sir? Then how about a bet? I fight you, one on one. I win; you let me in, no questions asked. If I lose then I’ll quit the infantry.” The courtyard went quiet to the point you could have heard a pin drop.
    “You, challenge me? Fine then, it’ll be worth my while to rid the army of weaklings such as you. Draw your sword!” Everyone spread out to give them enough room. The two drew their swords and the fight began.
    The captain was the first to attack with a strong horizontal slash to Alex’s stomach, but Alex quickly ducked down below the blow and made a quick swipe at the captain. But the captain jumped back just in time to avoid the blow. Alex followed up with a quick stab forward then effortlessly blocked off a blow from the captain.
    “You’re good, but not good enough. Give up before you end up lamed,” growled the captain.
    “Not a chance,” said Alex as he parried off another of the captain’s blows. They continued to fight like this for a while, with neither landing a hit. Then the captain attempted a downward slash. Alex dodged to the left, slipped his foot behind the captain’s and made a forward slash. The captain tried to step back but his feet were swept from under him. He fell on his back, Alex’s sword pointed at the base of his throat and Alex’s foot on the captain’s chest.
    “Listen to me! My name is Alexander Ken, son of renowned swordsman Joseph Ken and his wife Sheba. To face me is to face a sure defeat! Remember that next time you even think of calling me weak.”
    The captain just went red in the face and said, “I refuse to allow you in. Th-That move was cowardly! You will not be in the guard do you hear me! I...”
    “Enough!” rang a voice through the air. Everyone turned to the source of the voice to find none other than Lord David himself.
    “Do you plan to embarrass yourself any further, Captain? You made a promise to let this man in if he won, and besides that fact, I believe he has proved himself more than competent enough to guard me.” Lord David was tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and clear, blue eyes. Jude’s face noticeably darkened as the man spoke.
    “But… but Lord, with all due respect, that move he used was clearly a cowardly move.” said the captain, bowing his head in respect to the king.
    “Cowardly? That move was ingenious. I thought you of all people would know that. Was how I defeated Goliath any different?” asked David. He turned to Alex. “Now then, I welcome you to the guard. I am proud to have the opportunity to fight by your side, Alexander. Please, all of you, go home tonight and rest, we have some busy days ahead of us. Alexander and Captain Garrison, could you please stay here a moment?” All the others left until it was just David, the captain and Alex.
    “Now then, could you both please come with me to the temple? We have much to discuss on the way.” The two nodded their heads and followed the King to the temple, already vigilant in case of any assailants. “I suppose that you would have expected as much, but there is going to be a great battle soon. My recent anointment has the Philistines out for my head. They have sent threats of invasion. It is only a matter of time until they follow up on their words. I plan to mobilize as soon as possible but first I must consult the Lord on the matter. I’m taking you two with me because you will be leading some of the brigades in the event that we do fight.” Alex just nodded along with the captain, dumbfounded at the responsibility he had just been given.
    They soon arrived at the temple. David approached the altar and offered up a prepared sacrifice of a young lamb. “Lord, please answer my question. The Philistines are advancing and will attack soon. Should I attack them - will you deliver them into my grip?”
    The air shimmered and a ghostly image of a man appeared before them. It was none other than the prophet Samuel, who served under the late King Saul. “David, the Lord has responded to your prayers. You shall attack, for the Lord will deliver the Philistines into your grip. But beware, one of those you trust is not as he seems. As for you, the small one to the left,” and Samuel pointed to Alex, “you will soon have to make a choice; be careful for whichever you choose will have a great effect. The Lord is with you all.” With that Samuel disappeared. “Go and rest, Alex, you will be tested soon enough it seems,” said David, as he and the Captain turned back to the palace. Alex slowly made his way home, questions ringing in his head as to who the traitor could be and, more importantly, what the choice would be.

    The next day David and his army began their travel to the valley of Rephaim where the enemy was reported to be heading. Within three days they were there. The valley was a large, rocky expanse with a small forest of Mastic trees. Finally the enemy was before them. David stood, tall and proud in his bronze armor as he shouted to his men “The Philistines are here, expecting a great victory, and what will we give them? Defeat! For the Lord will deliver them into our hands! He shall be the wind at our backs, our swords and our shields. It is with him that we go to Victory! Charge!”
    The army of David, in its entirety, fell upon the enemy Philistines. David fought along side Alex, Captain Garrison, and all of his men. Alex cut down Philistines one after another. He cast a sidelong glance to King David, whom he was protecting along with the rest of the royal guards, to see that David barely needed the protection at all and was defeating many a Philistine on his own. Just for a moment Alex thought that David truly was a king worth serving. Then the thought ended as he dodged a blow to his head before slicing a Philistine along the chest. Together, the group fought their way up onto a nearby hill to see the situation, only to realize that the army was getting pushed back.
    “What are we going to do?” said the captain, worry evident in his voice. David stood still for a moment thinking, his eyes scanning the battlefield until his eyes fell upon the Mastic trees.
    “That’s it! We’ll lead a brigade around the Mastic trees! We’ll hit them from the rear!” David led the brigade around the Mastic trees and when they heard the sounds of the Philistines over the tree tops, they acted decisively and attacked the Philistines from the rear. They fought long and they fought hard and in the end the Philistine were pushed back completely. The army of David had won.
    Those remaining gathered together to attend to the wounded as David watched. Alex was attending to a few minor wounds of his own. Suddenly his eye caught movement from the side; a shadowy figure was creeping up behind David! An assassin! Alex quickly snatched up his sword and ran for the king. The assassin’s arm was raised above his head, knife in hand and face obscured. The arm came down and in a split second Alex jumped in the way! The knife intended for David stabbed him instead, as he drove his sword straight through the enemy’s chest. The arm fell to reveal that the assassin was none other than Jude!
    “Wh...Why? Why would you sacrifice yourself for a man you did not even trust?” wheezed Jude. “The blade was poisoned; you will die soon and for a man that will cause this country to fall! I was about to save the nation!”
    “No, Jude, you are wrong. I’ve realized that this man is a King worth serving. He is this country’s fate, chosen by the Lord himself,” gasped Alex.
    But Jude could no longer hear Alex for his eyes clouded over. He was dead. Alex laid Jude down and closed Jude’s eyes. “I pray that you forgive me, old friend.”
    Alex fell to the ground. He saw David and the others rushing to him but he knew it was useless. The choice had been made. He had chosen between his life and the life of David, and of the entire nation of Israel. He had chosen David. He looked into the blue sky once more and felt a feeling of warmth flow through his body. Alex knew it was the Lord, as the gratitude warmed him and told him that his choice had been the right one. Alex felt truly happy as he closed his eyes and all went dark.

    End

    And that's the story people, thanks for reading. Comment and tell me what you think will ya? I want to get better. Thanks!