An Empty Palace

Our white flags raised, we surrendered.
Land was marked, he had his and I had mine.
Boundaries made.
Limits recognized.
My kingdom could grow, no fear of being run-down.
He established the picket fence.
Marking his grounds.

I watched as a flag was raised far above a hill on his side.
Mine flowed shortly afterwards.
Swaying in the wind above my humble castle.
His empire grew.
Growing further than mine ever would.

Like all rulers, he wanted more.
Order passed to ask for more.
More land to keep for himself.
I'll never forget the day it came.
His message to me.
Asking me.
No.
Forcing me to give up what I loved the most.
Guards letting me know that they were collecting what was rightfully mine.

My words were firm.
Not a chance in the world that I'd be giving up part of my district.
Surely he would give up.
No reason to argue.
Little did I know that a battle was being pitched all along.

The raging noises of cannons, blowing down his wall.
Fires set to the wood that had been shaped perfectly.
His soldiers were coming.
Determined to win.
Determined to break me down.

He set a bulky foot on my territory.
Spitting on my precious land.
They dragged the folk of my nation out of their quarters.
I stayed put and watched the terror.
Cowarding.

My undeveloped army faught to the best of their ability.
They used their words.
Unlike his troops.
They gunned my men down and threw them into my people's water supply.
Laughing at me for such a poor attempt.

Their invasion spread throughout all of my acres.
Eventually, they found my hidden castle.
Like a deserter, I tried to escape.
Once I was found, I surely would be thrown into a cell.
Never to be rescued.
Never to be released.

I scrambled down the wall of my tower.
Running into the forest.
Sprinting to safety.
Behind me I could hear the cruel snickers of my invaders.
I knew what he was finding.
An empty palace.
Free for take-over.
And that's what he would do.
Take my home establishment.
Just like how he was snatching up my terrain.
And my people.

Soon, miles from where I am at, there is protection
I can find a place to stay a while.
Not forever.
Soon, the protection wouldn't be able to keep me.
I am a liability.
Soon, he would claim my new safe place.
Just as he claimed my kingdom.
Never a place to bury my roots.
I'll always be on the move.
Fearing that he is on the way.
Greedy for land.