As bats attacked them from above…
SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK!
…the gang swam for their lives. When the two children and the old ladies had reached the end of the Underground tunnel, they dived down through the underwater passage that led out to the Thames.
GASP!
As soon as they came up for air, they could see something terrifying in the distance. Buckingham Palace was illuminated by red and gold light. The ten flaming King’s Beasts, led by the griffin, were emerging from the top of the palace, and letting off their deafening cries.
The dragon was breathing fire at those on the ground.
WHOOMPH!
The poor people were fleeing for their lives as the earth was scorched around them.
The Lord Protector’s airship descended through the clouds and began blasting the revolutionaries as they fled.
ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
“Mama! Now!” cried Alfred, even though she couldn’t hear him. “NOW!”
Just then there was an almighty blast.
KABOOM!
Buckingham Palace, the home of the royal family for hundreds of years, exploded.
Shards of the ancient sword glistened magically as they tore into the beasts.
They let out blood-curdling cries.
“AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!”
The fire caught the airship, and it burst into flames.
BOOM!
It plunged to the ground.
CRASH!
Thick black smoke billowed up into the sky.
WHOOSH!
For a moment, the shapes of the beasts could be seen within the black clouds. The griffin beat its mighty wings one last time as the Lord Protector’s face let out a silent scream. Then all ten of the King’s Beasts vanished into air.
Into
thin
air.
Mite hauled herself out of the Thames and on to the riverbank, before giving a helping hand to the five elderly ladies and the young King.
Thousands of people were now swarming all over the city, watching the clouds of smoke from Buckingham Palace snake up into the sky.
A sky where now the Queen had joined her King.
The people were dirty and dressed in rags. The young King, his face blackened, and his ripped pyjamas wet through from the river, fitted in perfectly with them. As Alfred had been kept under lock and key in Buckingham Palace for his entire life, none of the people recognised him.
“Your Majesty,” began Agatha.
“Shush,” shushed the young King. “Alfred is fine.”
“Aren’t you going to tell them all who you are?”
“Why should I?” asked Alfred.
“Because we need to rebuild this kingdom,” reasoned Agatha.
“Yes. And we all need to do it together. Everyone equal, and as one.”
“Cool!” remarked Mite.
“Come on…”
The ladies-in-waiting began tending to the sick and wounded, of which there were many. Meanwhile, Alfred took Mite’s hand, and together they clambered over the rubble that was London. They headed towards what was left of Buckingham Palace. Amongst the burning rubble of the palace, Alfred found the remains of one of the revolutionaries’ Union Jacks. The flag was blackened and burned, but still a powerful symbol of a once-great nation.
With pride, he held the flag aloft, and waved it in the air.
swOOSH! swOOSH!
The people stopped and listened to what this twelve-year-old boy had to say.
“This great nation belongs to us all!” he began. “Every single one of us. Every man, every woman and every child. Together, and only together, can we rebuild her. Brick by brick!”
“HOORAY!” cheered the crowd.
