Well, we’re already a few months into 2024 and I’m only just now getting to my New Year’s resolution. Huzzah! It’s a miracle really, but no matter how late I am in beginning it’s the fact that I have begun that really matters.

Speaking of beginnings, I recently tried my hand at learning how to play chess, in the hopes that I’d improve my strategic thinking and then translate that into more in-depth battle scenarios or fight scenes in my story’s plot.

In terms of consistently winning chess games… Let’s just say that I have nowhere to go but up.

Now, I know how to play in that I know how each of the pieces are allowed to move and that the goal is to take the king, but more than that? Not all that great at it yet, but I want to get better at it. So, in the hopes of improving both my understanding of chess strategy and my ability to write battle scenes coherently (something I definitely need more practice in), I thought I’d write a little short story based on one of the chess strategies that I’m trying to get better at.

Now keep in mind, a battlefield isn’t an 8 by 8 board of little squares with little carved pieces that only move in very specific ways, so this will be a very loose interpretation of the whole thing. Be that as it may, I’ll be trying to adhere to the main chess principles that I’ve learned so far: Protect the center, get your influential pieces into position before your opponent does but don’t move too quickly and expose your king, and always consider all your options and all your pieces before you make a move.

With all that in mind, let’s see what I can come up with using the Sicilian Defense, the dragon variation as the basis for a story. (See if you can figure out all the characters chess piece counterparts! I’ll put a key at the end of the story so you can check to see if you got them right!)

Across the Board

His heart beats in time with the war drums as he runs, panting breaths ringing in time with the jangling of his hauberk as he sprints up tight spiral stairs. He rams his way through the topmost door, locking eyes with the Onyx Queen instantly. 

“Your Majesty.” He gasps, taking a knee, “The Quartz army has infiltrated the northern wall. They’re gathering their forces, but have yet to move further into the castle.” 

The Queen blinks once, before nodding with a hum. 

“Thank you Captain. Is your unit standing at the ready?” 

“Yes, your Majesty, they’re ready before the central south wall.” 

A sharp nod, as all eyes return to the castle maps splayed on table before them. 

“Excellent,” she nods sharply, returning her attention to the maps splayed on the table before her, “All infantry units will hold their positions until the Quartz army makes a move, but be ready for an immediate counterattack.” 

“Of cour-” 

“Your Majesty!” The sharp interruption silences the room briefly before the offending cavalryman continues. “You would wait for the enemy to make the first move? We need to move now before they take control of the central tower!” 

All eyes turn to the Queen. She draws herself up to her full height, obsidian plate armor gleaming in the pale morning light. The cavalryman wilts under her glare and the very air stills as all the castle’s army leaders hold their breath.

“You think I am ignorant of our disadvantage?” The Queen asks, deathly calm. “That I would willingly leave our kingdom open to attack?”

“No your- No your Majesty, I-”

“Enough. We don’t have time for this. Where is the King?”

At the mention of their missing monarch, the Captain quickly takes stock of those around the room. The Queen, both cavalry commanders, munitions masters and one of the chief bowman were there, as well as his seven fellow infantry captains. The only two missing were- 

“This way your Majesty, in here!” The final chief bowman leading the King through the door. 

Tension eased, if only slightly, at the sight of their monarchs reaching out for each other, foreheads meeting and hands clasping in quiet desperation. 

The softly murmured greetings were overshadowed by the damning beat of war drums still pounding through the walls.

The Queen abruptly turns back to the castle map, the King a steady presence at her side. 

“Now that we’re all here, let’s begin our counterattack.” Her eyes blazed but her voice was steady. “We know that the Quartz army has control of the castle’s northern wall, but our infantry squads are in position along the south side.” The Queen acknowledges the Captain with a nod, which he swiftly returns. 

“Our bowmen have control of the parapets and munitions squads are armed and ready in the rooks.” The Queen pauses, tracing a finger along the map of the castle’s inner courtyards surrounding the central tower. “We don’t have access to the horses, but the cavalry are well versed in lances and diverse maneuvering,” Looking over to confirm, the cavalrymen nod to the Queen and grip their lances tight, “So we keep them in the field. Now; as it was so helpfully pointed out earlier, the Quartz army will most likely attempt to take control of the center tower… and we are going to let them.” 

“But my Queen!”

“We can’t just-”

“The disadvantage-”

“We are already at a disadvantage!” The elder of the munitions masters snaps, silencing all other protests. “They will be enacting their plan first, and we will have to be ready to react in a way that not only keeps our control of the south side of the castle, but gains control of the north side as well.” 

“And the Quartz army knows it.” The King rumbles from his place beside the Queen, steady hand at her back. “They already consider themselves to have the upper hand, so we shall let them keep that illusion.” 

“Yes, once they make a move to take the central tower we’ll have to keep them there while we maneuver our forces into position.” The Queen continues with a nod. “Which will require a distraction.” 

Silence falls once more as the implication of such a plan settles heavily around the room. For they were all seasoned veterans, well versed in the song and dance of battle. Any who’ve fought with blood in their teeth and steel in their hands knows that the best distraction in the heat of battle is-

“Fresh blood.” The Captain felt the stares of those gathered weigh down on his spine, but he kept his head held high. “We’ll need to convince the Quartz army that we haven’t forsaken the central tower, which will keep them occupied as you maneuver our forces accordingly, Your Majesty.” The Captain nods mostly to himself as he steels his heart and steadies his hands. “I propose my unit as the fresh blood, your Majesty. My infantrymen are more familiar with the central tower than any other unit… We will have the best chance at surviving long enough to distract the Quartz from any strategy you employ, giving it a better chance of success.” 

He meets the Queen’s gaze steadily, the prominent scars woven through her skin and armor absorbing light and blending with the shadows, as clouds cover the sun. 

“This sacrifice is not to be made lightly, Captain. You’re sure you wish to volunteer?” 

A breath of hesitation, he clenches his jaw as his heart beats in time with the war drums once more. “There is not much time for much else my Queen. My unit is ready, you need only give the order.” 

She nods sharply. “Then get back to your unit, Captain. As soon as the Quartz army moves to take the central tower, you will be there to meet them, with a cavalry unit at your back. We shall make them regret underestimating the Onyx army.” 

He nods and is opening the door and descending the stairs before the Queen turns to give further instructions to the bowmen and munitions masters. He ignores the lingering gazes burning into his back and makes his way back to his men. 

When his boots hit the ground and his men are in sight at last, the drums fall silent behind him. 

~~~

One of the main reasons she became an archer, and then the Chief Bowman of the eastern towers, was the view. Stationed in the tallest towers with her squad, where she’d only need to tilt her head back to see a nothing but open sky unimpeded… it was a wonderful privilege. A blessing woven through the burn of strong arms and sunkissed skin. The easy grace her archers wield as they aim, fire, strike their targets.

Today it was a curse.

The Bowman hisses through clenched teeth as a Quartz bolt glances off the tower parapet, coming far too close to hitting one of her archers. She almost welcomed the distraction from the veritable bloodbath unfolding before them.

The central tower was awash in midmorning light, doing nothing to obscure their view of the Quartz army decimating the central infantry unit.

“Concentrate fire on the northwest! Keep the diagonal clear!” She arms another bolt and lets it fly, impaling her target and decorating star bright armor crimson.

She pulls another bolt to bear and watches as the eastern Onyx cavalry squad surrounds a Quartz infantry unit and skewers them in a matter of breathless moments.

The stone beneath her feet shakes in time with the ballista being hauled along the well oiled track atop the eastern wall. The munitions team manning the mounted and mobile beast of a projectile moves with an efficiency and single minded focus, keeping the Quartz’ stolen ballista on the western wall from pinning down the Onyx cavalry squad in the central courtyards. 

 “Chief!” One of her right hands hollers from down the tower wall, ducking and pushing forward until they were flush against the wall beside her. “Word from King’s detail! They’ve seen the Quartz Queen on the move!”

“Down the central canal?”

“Yes’m. Our eastern infantry units are taking the brunt of the attack, but the western archery squad and the King’s detail are steadily picking off the stragglers. The Quartz are right where the Queen wants them to be.”

And wasn’t that just horribly wonderful.

The sacrificial play was actually working.

She’ll never forget that captain’s courage. The fact that he’d volunteered, and his unit followed him without question, without hesitation, spoke volumes. He was right after all; no other infantry unit would’ve lasted as long as his had, of that she was certain.

“Then let’s make sure they stay there.” She nods once, and lets another bolt fly. “Back in position, be ready for when the Onyx Queen makes her move.” 

He nods and moves at once, Quartz bolts clipping the wall as he weaves back through armed bows back into his position. 

With the King safety guarded by the western munitions team and no less than three entire infantry units at the top of the southwestern tower, the Bowman knows the Queen will move soon, especially if the Quartz Queen has been seen falling right into her trap. 

The Chief Bowman takes a brief moment to look over her team, all narrowed eyes and tense shoulders as they rain steel onto the blood smeared stone below. With a shaky breath, she looks up. The endless sky fills her eyes but all she can see is red, red, RED. 

Clenching her teeth, she falls back into a too familiar rhythm. Reload, aim, fire. Reload, aim, fire. 

Reload.

Aim. 

Fire. 

~~~

Onyx bolts descend from on high, forcing him back into the wings of the courtyard they’d been stuck in long enough for the sun to beat down on them from its zenith. He grimaces as a few bolts hit their mark and eliminate the last of the infantry unit that’d accompanied their Queen past the central tower and through the castle grounds.

Not that his squad was doing much better. A skilled cavalry they may be, but without horses their lances can be unwieldy. It’d been gratifying to see the Onyx cavalry in the same situation; doubly so after he’d skewered the infantry captain guarding the central tower and watch as the dark armored cavalry, sent as backup that came too late, try and fail to stop them from taking the central tower.

”Hold position here. Keep those archer’s attention but don’t let them target you directly.” The Queen orders swiftly, and he can only nod in assent before she’s moving on.

Squinting against the glare of sunlight glinting off white armor, he watches in silence as his Queen skirts the edge of the courtyard towards the open gates leading to the southern wall of the castle. He wasn’t sure what his fellow cavalry commander was worried about, the Onyx army may be putting up a solid fight but they left so many openings to exploit. The Central tower was simple to take and now all they had to do was avoid the sights of that annoying archery team at the top of the southeastern tower, and they’d have majority control of the castle.

It would be child’s play at that point for the Queen to find the Onyx monarchs and dethrone them.

As he turns to his squad, lance held tight and at the ready, he catches just the briefest glimmer of inky black. By the time he spins around to shout out a warning, it’s far too late. The Onyx Queen has found them first. 

With a powerful swing, the arc of a black sword sparks against his Queen’s hasty defense. He moves in quickly, vision tunneling as sunlight glares off of tempered steel. He swings his lance up to redirect the Onyx Queen’s onslaught, allowing his Queen to fall back. 

“Keep pushing forward, my Queen, we’ll hold her here!” He manages to shout in between fierce blocks and parries. His squad is at his back in moments, moving to overwhelm the warrior Queen and back her into a corner. 

But she is a Queen for a reason, and she holds them all off with naught a hint of hindrance nor worry. He can’t see his Queen, and he hopes she left them. With grim resignation, he aims his lance for the Onyx Queen’s open flank, only to be swiftly blocked and swept out of the way of the oncoming retaliation by one of his men.

One by one, they fall to her blade. He tries, he tries, but knows that this is the end for him. For all of them. 

The Onyx Queen, all burnished black armor and now crimson blade, slashes through two more of his squad with sickening ease. He stands before this midnight titan, and hopes against hope that the Quartz Queen has a strategy in place to help them win in the end. 

Panting, he stands before her, weaponless and alone save for his men scattered around him who are now, and shall forever remain, breathless and still. 

“There is no such thing as a noble sacrifice, young knight.” The Onyx Queen says softly, sadly. “There is only loss, and those who must live with it.” 

Her words hang in the air between them for but a single breath, and it is the last he ever takes. 

~~~

The Onyx Queen moves on before her victim’s body has a chance to settle and paint the cobblestone red. Her goal is clear and she was never one to sit idly by as her plans unfolded exactly as she hoped they would. 

“My Queen!” A captain of one of the western infantry units runs up beside her as they enter the castle proper, delving deeper into winding halls.

“News?” 

“From the remaining cavalry squad and eastern archery team! The Quartz King is trying to move along the northern wall to the commandeered ballista on the northeastern track.”

“Trying?” She asks quickly. 

“Our munitions team on the eastern wall has been keeping the Quartz’ stolen ballista busy enough that they don’t have time to go and protect their King as well as they should, and there’s an eastern infantry unit deep in the castle proper near the north wall keeping the Quartz army distracted.” 

They round another corner, and before them stands the dark paneled doors to the largest ballroom of the castle; specifically reserved for the upper echelons of society the poshest of functions.

Now the doors hang open, one held up only by a single stubborn hinge. Just inside the doors, windows spill afternoon light in dusty beams through torn and soiled drapes that mostly lay in pieces scattered about the polished floorboards. 

There’s no sign of anyone within. No sounds, no scuffs, no clue. And yet…

The Onyx Queen straightens her spine and calms her breath. Turning to the accompanying captain, she watches as he straitens too, matching the fire in her eyes and the storm in her veins. 

“Have your unit, and another from the eastern wall, pincer the northernmost unit.” She orders lowly, not yet ready to alert her target of their impending loss. “Distract the Quartz from each other long enough for at least one infantry until to make it through all the way to the northern wall. Once there, they’re to arm themselves with weapons from the armory, take anything and everything, even a royal sword if you can find one.”

She flicks her own sword and the captain nods quickly in understanding. 

“Bracket the Quartz King into that corner he’s heading for, cut off his escape, and if the opportunity presents itself, take the crown. Don’t bother checking for intent to surrender.” She holds his gaze for a single silent moment before he nods, bows, and leaves with a fierce grin. One that rivals her own as she finally enters the long unused ballroom. 

At the other end of the expansive room, her target waits. 

The Quartz Queen stands tall and unruffled, almost serene in her moonbeam polished armor, a direct contradiction to her own eclipse dark battle wear. For a moment they simply stare at each other, swords held loosely at their sides as the sounds of ongoing battle fall away for a single shivering heartbeat. 

There is no trigger, or moment of understanding that their fight has begun, and yet they move as one, clashing in the center of the ballroom in a symphony of screaming metal and harsh breaths caught in their throats. 

They’re closely matched, Onyx slashing and Quartz dodging before sweeping at knees only to be met by a block and another counterattack. They are vicious and terrible, snarling and snapping and aiming for eyes and unprotected joints, but their weapons sing and their bodies dance to the well-known tune of a fatal fight.

“You certainly took a risk in letting us take the central tower, Onyx.” Quartz hisses as she ducks under Onyx’s guard and rams her shoulder into black plate with an almighty clang! “Feeling overconfident, are we?”

Onyx stumbles back a step, but regains her balance just in time to parry a sword thrust and move in to strike at Quartz’ hand, slicing it open and forcing her to let her sword drop with a ringing clatter.

Onyx presses her advantage and strikes again, earning herself a scream of pain and rage as Quartz is dropped to her back with a new hole through her thigh, blood already pooling beneath her.

“You say that as if you didn’t chase after every single opening I left open for you, while my army picked you all off one by one.” The Onyx Queen says, flipping her sword idly, circling ever closer to her prey. “I’d expected my plan to work, but I’ll admit I hadn’t expected it would work this well.”

The Quartz Queen snarls in offense, baring her teeth and struggling to gather enough strength to stand once more. Before she could, the Onyx Queen darts forward and pins her down. The ballroom stills as the Quartz Queen finds herself looking up at the Onyx Queen, a sword tip to her throat.

“It’s almost sad.” The Onyx Queen says softly, “You even had the advantage of the first move, and yet you still lost.”

She looks down on the Quartz Queen’s glare, defiant to the end, and finally puts an end to the fight. 

She doesn’t get the chance to clean her sword before drums sound along not just the southern wall, but the northern wall as well, which could only mean-

“Your Majesty!” Shouts and exclamations swells through the broad windows. In quick strides she makes it to the edge of the ballroom and throws a window open, leaning out into the inner gardens bathed in golden afternoon light.

And there, looking bashed and bruised and broken, the remainder of her army stands smiling at her. The infantry captain she’d sent to the north wall stands at the forefront, a royal sword strapped to his hip, and a gleaming white crown held aloft for all to see.

She allows herself a smile, and they cheer ever louder as the Onyx King emerges safe and unscathed, the remaining munitions and archery teams pouring into the gardens after him.

As she reunites with her King, their army is well on their way to rousing the dead with their cries of victory.

Tomorrow they will honor the sacrifices of those lost and mourn their passing. Tomorrow they will clear the castle and renew their forces and prepare more strategies for if and when their castle is once again attacked. Tomorrow.

But the light of today still shines, and so today they patch their wounds with a smile and celebrate until the stars join them in their revelry. Their roars of triumph shake the very foundation of the castle and drown out the victory drums beating in time with their hearts.

Characters/Pieces

–          Infantry Captains = Pawns

–          Munitions Masters = Rooks

–          Chief Bowmen = Bishops

–          Cavalry Commanders = Knights

–          Queen

–          King

Quartz = White

Onyx = Black