Bittersweet
Thea crept down the hallway. She had to stay hidden and not fight every Dark Elf she saw. Her only chance to kill Kade and maybe get out alive was to take him by complete surprise. Her ears perked up as she froze in place. Voices, coming her way. If she fought now, it would have all been for nothing. Quickly, she looked for a place to hide. Behind the tapestry in the corner? No, too easily seen. The garderobe? She hated using it, let alone hiding in it.
The voices grew louder.
No choice now. Thea snuck through the door. As she closed the door behind her, the smell of feces and urine in the chamber pots assaulted her senses. The light . . . she needed to get rid of the light. Quietly, she moved across the room and grabbed the torch from the wall.
The elven voices were closer, nearly outside the door.
Thea doused the torch in a full chamber pot. She started moving through the darkness back towards the door. Her leg brushed against an empty brass chamber pot. It crashed to the floor.
The elven voices went silent.
Her heart stopped. She hid in the corner, just a few feet from the door.
Creaking from the door cracking open echoed through the garderobe. Torchlight from the hallway pierced the darkness.
Thea stopped breathing. Her hand grasped the hilt of her sword.
"Zen," a female Dark Elf said.
"Fo," another replied.
"Iesz sso robler zez Sezo him."
The door closed and the elven voices moved on. "Thank Odella," Thea said to herself. She put her ear to the door and listened. Once she was sure the elves were gone, she went back into the hallway.
Nearly there, Thea thought to herself. Moving like a cat hunting its prey, she quickly moved down the corridor.
The iron armory door at the end of the corridor stood between Thea and the bow she needed for her plan. Normally, the guards maintained the keys. She half-expected the Dark Elves to place a guard here to prevent the human soldiers from getting more weapons, but they hadn’t. Her plan revolved around the idea that the Dark Elves would have seized the armories first to reduce human resistance within the castle, but that required an elven guard with the keys to be standing outside the door.
She tried pulling on it, just in case. Locked, of course. What now? Thea asked herself.
Three sets of footsteps were turning the corner, coming towards the armory.
Thea drew her sword. There was no hallway to the left or right, and the door behind her was locked; she had nowhere to run.
They came closer.
I'll make my stand here, she thought.
Closer.
Thea was at the ready, poised like a lioness ready to pounce on her prey.
Three of them came around the corner and smiled at her.
"Robert!" Thea sheathed her sword and hugged her fellow knight. "I thought they killed you!"
"They nearly did. A healer took care of me before they killed her. There's nothing like magic healing," Robert replied. He looked down at his blood-soaked breastplate. "We've been busy."
"Me too. Who are they?" Thea asked, pointing at the two soldiers with him.
"Thea, meet Karl and Ivan. We sort of bumped into each other."
Thea stepped back. "Why are you here, Robert? The armory, I mean."
Robert blinked. "We needed—a few bows. Kade is somewhere in the castle and we have to take him out. Did you see what they did to the king and queen?"
Thea lowered her eyes. "Yes, I did."
"We came earlier but couldn't get in. So we captured an elf and tortured him until he told us where the keys were kept, or rather who had them. So—"
"You've got the keys?"
Robert smiled as he pulled a key ring from his pocket. "Aye." He walked over to the iron door and slipped the key into the keyhole. He opened the door, revealing the rows upon rows of swords, bows, quivers, and other tools of war.
Thea smiled as she entered the armory. "We may actually survive this yet." She picked up a bow and a full quiver.
"What's the plan?" Robert asked.
"We kill Kade and escape through one of the tunnels."
"No, Thea, we have to save the prince first. He is far more important than killing Kade."
"He's safe."
"How? Where?"
"Just trust me."
Robert looked back at his two companions, who nodded back at him. "All right, let's get some." The three men picked up bows and quivers as they headed out of the armory.
Thea grinned. "Follow me." She led them towards the Great Hall.
We may actually survive, Thea thought.
The entrance to the catwalk was next to the door behind the thrones in the Great Hall. If it were only her, the catwalk would be her best chance to kill him. The only downside was she would've been trapped, with no chance to escape. But with four of them, and the elves searching for the remaining humans, their chances greatly increased. They could kill him and escape if they did it from the floor level.
Every turn and room where there were no Dark Elves, the more nervous Thea became. Where did they go? Why are they not guarding the very room where Kade would demand to control the attack from? Would he? Of course, his lust for that stone throne was his driving force; it always has been.
At last, they arrived at the two doors. The door on the right led to the catwalk, and the other was the Great Hall entrance behind the throne. Thea looked back at Robert.
He gave her a nod.
Thea reached for the left door.
Robert and the two soldiers poised, ready to rush inside.
She threw the door open.
Robert and the two guards charged in before the door slammed the wall.
Sword drawn, Thea rushed inside. Expecting to find at least a squad of fighters, adrenaline rushed through her veins.
"What the—? Kill them!" Kade screamed.
Two human soldiers stepped in front of Kade with axes in hand.
Robert and his two companions drew their bows, aiming at the humans' hearts. "Don't even think about it."
The human guards looked at each other and dropped their axes.
"Move against the wall," Robert commanded.
They bolted for the door.
Three arrows chased the human guards. Two hit one in the back and the third sailed through the other's neck. Both dropped to the ground, dead.
The three aimed their bows at Kade.
"You deserve much worse than this for murdering your own family for the throne," Thea said.
Kade slid back down into the throne. "If you kill me, who will take the throne? You?"
"No, the rightful heir. Galin the V of Ravenward."
"It's true," Robert said. "She saved the child."
Kade laughed. "You actually believe that? Tell me, Thea, where are they then?"
"I don't know."
"How then could you know that they're still alive?"
Thea looked at Robert. "I don't know where they are right now, but I can try to get word to them. I don't know the details because I—I thought I was going to die." Her eyes focused like a laser on Kade. "Let's finish this and get out of here." Thea raised her sword.
Kade held his arms up in an attempt to block the blade.
Thea slashed her sword down towards him.
An arrow pierced her right shoulder, forcing Thea to drop her sword.
What? Thea thought. She turned her head to see Robert's other companion with his bow aimed right at her.
Another arrow embedded itself behind her left knee.
Thea toppled over, clenching her wounds. "Robert, help!"
"What's going on?" Kade demanded.
Pain shot up through Thea's leg and shoulder. Her heart raced. Sweat began to flow from her pores. Tears of pain poured out from her eyes. "Robert, please!"
Robert just smiled at her. "Robert died many years ago."
Thea's eyes widened as he began to transform. His medium-length blond hair turned into short black hair. Robert's blue eyes flashed; as the flash faded, they became a resolute brown. Worst of all, his tanned skin turned a deep blue. "No!" Robert was a Dark Elf.
He moved in closer.
"Tanyl, is that you?" Kade asked.
"Be quiet, fool! You nearly blew the whole thing," Tanyl replied.
"Tanyl? Is—is that your name?" Thea asked.
"Where's the child? How were you going to meet up with them?"
"I wasn't. I expected to die here." Thea turned her head away from Tanyl.
"I see." Tanyl drew his sword and thrust it into her leg. "Where?"
Thea squeezed her eyes shut. It hurts. I must resist, I must. "I don't know."
Tanyl twisted the blade, opening the wound even more.
The pain begged her to say something. But what? She really didn't know anything, except what side they were going to come out of the castle. She couldn't. She wouldn't. Her leg begged for the pain to stop. "Please stop. I don't know where they are."
"Your methods are crude and ineffective, Tanyl," Kade said. "Give my people a few days with her and we'll get anything we need." Kade stepped up to Tanyl. "I need this more than you."
Tanyl glared at him. In one swift motion, Tanyl backhanded Kade, sending him flying back into the throne. "This is not about you or your petty rivalry. Be careful, Kade. Your usefulness is nearing its end."
Kade's mouth dropped. "But—"
"If you want to be king, you need to do exactly what you're told, when you're told to do it. Got it? Or you'll be joining your brother."
Kade's face fell into his hands. "What have I done?"
Thea's eyes began to close.
"Oh no, not yet." Tanyl kicked the knee that had the arrow embedded in it. "Tell me!"
Pain, the pain was overtaking her. "I—so—nor—north side. The tunnel they used comes out the northern wall. We made no plans to regroup."
Tanyl yanked his sword from her leg; blood poured out of the wound. "Was that so hard?" He motioned the other two out of the room. "We’ll have them soon."
Blackness. Spots. Cold. "How'd you find me?"
"Our mages found you almost immediately, but we needed you to lead us to the child. We can't see him. He seems to have some magic ability in him."
Thea coughed. "Not...possible. Human males can't do...magic." Blood began to form a pool around her.
"The Prophecy of Axain is why we're here. Our seers, more than three centuries ago, warned us of a human king that would unite humans, dwarfs, and gnomes alike. He would be able to use magic to enhance his warrior skills. He would even convince the Vulwin Elves to turn on their brothers."
"You think that's the prince?"
"Yes, that's the only reason we helped this pathetic creature," Tanyl said, pointing at Kade. He drew his sword. "Even though we're enemies, Thea, I respect you. May you die in honor."
"The prince will kill you and retake the throne from the usurper. Even after I'm dead, I'll still win." Thea closed her eyes.
Tanyl's sword slashed towards Thea's neck, separating her head from her body. "Good-bye, Thea."
A few hours later, Tanyl was pacing in the Great Hall. "Why haven't they reported in?"
"Maybe Brock killed them," Kade said.
"Perhaps."
A Dark Elf rushed into the Great Hall and knelt in front of them. "Lord Tanyl."
Tanyl whirled around. "Find them?"
"I—I—No, my lord. There was no sign of them."
"What?!" Tanyl whipped a knife from his belt and flung it across the room.
The small throwing knife lodged itself in the elf's eye socket. His body crashed to the floor.
"Was that really necessary?" Kade demanded.
Tanyl's face tightened and his eyes narrowed. "I—we were outsmarted by a female knight."
"But—"
Tanyl held up his hand, silencing Kade. "We're going to tell the people that the prince is dead too, killed by the Vulwin Elves."
"You mean we're going to let them go?"
"No, we're going to hunt them down in secret."
"Why?"
"If more human armies arrive while we're searching the countryside for the child, our lie will be exposed and they will hang you." Tanyl started to pace around the dais. "No, we must have complete control before we tear this wretched kingdom apart looking for him."
"So, you are letting them go."
"For now."
Kade looked down at Thea. "What if he is the one?"
Tanyl smiled. "Then he'll come looking for us. Kade, with Beldroth gone, I'm your new consular." Tanyl extended his hand.
Still shaking, Kade shook Tanyl's hand. "Aye, this is just the beginning."
Brock pushed through the thick underbrush beyond the southern castle wall. They moved quickly and quietly across the pasture. Smoke from the castle burned his nostrils. Just a little further, he thought. They needed a place to hide until morning. But, where? As they moved past a cow and her calf, a three-sided structure became visible. "Over there."
Sally nodded.
Inside the structure were stacks of baled hay. Brock smiled. "Perfect." He shifted the square bales around to make a fourth wall with a peephole looking towards the castle. "Sally, in here."
Sally followed her fiancé inside the makeshift shelter. She sat down against a wall, rocking the baby back and forth.
"This is our boy now," Brock said. "Will you still marry me, Sally?"
She smiled. "Of course I will." Sally passed the prince to Brock. "What do we do now?"
Brock held the young prince close to his heart. "We go into hiding, far from here." As he stared into Galin's blue eyes, Brock smiled. "Galin the fifth of Ravenward, I promise that we're going to raise you and train you to retake your throne from the usurper and his allies. I swear that someday, you will be the ruler of Axain and avenge the death of your family." Brock looked up at Staerdale Castle in flames. "Someday . . . someday soon."