They would die but not surrender. Warriors of royal ambition, they were unable to resist the bloodstained crown won at the martyr-making end of a bayonet.

The stomping of botas rattled the desert mission. The Tennessean grinned, and Colonel Crockett and his boys raised their muskets, preparing for their coronation.

David Albano is a proud native son of Baron Rouge, Louisiana who now lives in Texas. He is an avid reader who also enjoys writing, LSU Sports, and being involved in his church community. David has previously been published in Frontier Tales and Dark Moments.