Once

by Alyson Serena Stone

  "Run, you damned fools!" Ryanon screamed, pushing the person closest to her forward. "Have you forgotten everything!" She rushed through the crowd before the chaos started.

  Behind her, the screams and the running grew louder. There, that was how it was supposed to be. She ducked around an old man, almost knocking him over in the process.

  The castle stood ahead of her. The walls were lined with more legions than Ryanon had ever seen in the city. Their arrows shone in the moonlight. The first people to reach the walls beat on the thick walls; their begging filled Ryanon's ears.

  The fools...Ryanon looked around. Dak was here somewhere close. The king would never let his son seek safety with the rest of the royal family. There were some things that she never thought that she would do and begging Dak to save her was not one of them.

  Frowning she stared up at the thick wall. She was just as mental as those people banging on the wall. There was no way that Dak could find her in this mass, let alone save her.

  The crowd shoved her so hard forward that she almost fell to the ground. The smell of human bodies was so overpowering that she wished that she had fallen. With each passing second, the begging grew louder. The wailing did nothing to do the guards, who stood there just as unmoving as before.

  She pushed her way up through a couple of people, earning a couple of sharp jabs to the side. "Dak, please," she whispered, like he could actually hear her.

  The howls of the wolves filled the night again. Ryanon froze. Their howl was not the gentle one of getting the Pack back together, but higher pitched, almost like a yip. She slowly turned, peering back.

  The sky was no longer a darkened unmoving mass. A dozen or so dark winged figures were making their way toward the city. Even from the distance, Ryanon could see that their wings were not lined with feathers, but iron tips.

  She jumped as loud booms sounded from the castle. A fire bolt exploded into the sky, knocking a few of the fairies over. Knocking them over was about all it did. They were upright and flying harder than ever within a few seconds. The iron tips gleamed bright red from where they had been struck.

  High, screeching laughter filled Ryanon's as the humans around her started to run again. A few of the fairies even went as far as to dip down, which sent even more people running. Ryanon shook her head. Surely, people must realize that the fairies were still actually kilometres away.

  The legions fired around round of fire. The fireballs rained on the fairies, but didn't do any damage.

  "Foolish mortals!" the fairies screeched. "Do you really think that your human weapons can take us down!" The fairies flew so close together that they looked like a black blob filled with silver dots. "We have lived longer than any mortal and will continue to exist even after you have left this world!"

  Ryanon elbowed her way forward-slowly. Trying to run through this mob would not get her anywhere.

  "We come here to give you a warning! Do not let her enter your walls!" the fairies went on. "She is the reason you are in this mess!" They froze in the sky. "Do not forget that we are still here and will destroy you just as we did Trelia! Do not fall for their trap like Trelia did!"

  "Move it," Ryanon hissed at an old man, who was staring at the fairies with an open mouth. He carefully stepped to side, his eyes never leaving the sky.

  Another boom fired from the castle, sending trembles to the ground, which was followed by another round of screaming. All of which sent another round of laughter from the fairies.

  "Oh, you mortals haven't changed since the dawn of time!"

  Ryanon winced as someone stepped on her foot. Really, it was time for these people to get it together.

  She threw elbow after elbow as she slowly made her way up front. Even if she got to the wall, there was no way that Dak would be able to pick her out, let alone get down to help her. The wall was the tallest in the city and could not be climbed. Not even the werewolves attempted to claw their way up.

  The wall stood in front of her. She could faintly made out the guards, who had their weapons trained on the fairies. Nobody seemed to move.

  Ryanon winced as she was flung forward by the mob behind her. She had to actually put her hands on the cool wall to keep herself upright. She ran her hands along the wall. Yeah, there was no way that she was going to be able to climb this. The cameras zoomed all around her as more and more people came up behind her.

  The wooden drawbridge creaked beneath her. There was so much weight that she could actually see the boards staring to buckle. It was going to be a miracle if the bridge held up.

  Behind her, the fairies still laughed at their pathetic attempts to save themselves. The guards fired a few more vain shoots at the fairies, but it was a complete waste of fire power.

  Ryanon chanced a look over her shoulder. It was hard to make out the fairies, but there were still there. They were coming closer.

  She banged her fists against the wall, joining the thousands of others. Her fists turned a dark purple with each bang.

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood up even higher as the laughter grew even louder behind her. "Come on," she muttered as she banged even harder. "Dak, please, open up. Let me!" Her entire body was shaking as someone screamed in her ear. "DAK!"

  "Dak, Dak, Dak," the voice mocked. "Do you really think you're lover is going to save you now?"

  Ryanon bit the inside of her mouth as she willed herself not to turn around face the beast. She kept on banging.

  "You really are just as stupid as the rest of them." Ryanon could feel the cold, icy breaths on her neck with each word. "You really don't know how stupid you look right now. Do you really think he can save you? Why must a female run to a man to save you?"

  Ryanon felt her eyes narrow. "I am not weak," she growled, reaching for her sword, but not drawing it.

  "Yes, you are." The voice actually had the nerve to laugh at her. "Weak."

  "No," Ryanon hissed as she beat on the wall with both fists. Out of the corner her eye, she could see a few humans turn around to face the fairies. As soon as they did so, their bodies turned stone white.

  Her eyes widened as the people turned the whitest shade of white that she had ever seen. It was far, far whiter than any of the vampires that roamed the streets. Their lips turned a light blue before changing white. Everything was so white and pale, that the blue veins looked like nothing than little, tiny snakes intersecting the body.

  What was worse than any of that was the fact that the fairies were laughing as these people fell to the ground unmoving.

  "Come on, sweetheart, turn around and face me," the fairy whispered again.

  Ryanon felt bile in the back of her throat as the man's dead, glazed eyes stared back at her. "No," she gasped as the vile came up higher.

  All around her people were turning around and falling to the ground. The banging grew quieter as each person fell. If this kept up, there would be nothing more than silence.

  She banged her fists harder on the wall as the fairies' laughter grew louder. "Dak, please!" she screamed as her knuckles cracked open and blood started running down her hands. "Dak, please, let me in!" Her sobs only grew louder as the fairies' shrieks covered it up.

  She could feel her knees giving away as darkness overcame her. Before she closed her eyes, she thought she saw a little bit of light and the shadow of a person standing in the middle of it, screaming her name.

  Chapter Nine: The King's Son

  Everything was white or not so white. The good afterlife the gods talked about was supposed to be filled with happy things, not dark and so plain.

  Groaning, Ryanon slowly lifted herself up. She was laying on a one person bed whose smell was oddly male. Other than her banging head, she felt fine, so she really didn't think anything bad had happened to her.

  She sat up even further. There was someone in here. A male was bent low over his desk, scribbling something down. She cleared her throat loudly, causing him to jump.

  "You're awake," Dak said, turning arou
nd in his chair.

  Ryanon nodded slowly, staring at him. "I thought you wouldn't come." She bit the inside of her mouth, feeling so weak for saying those words.

  Dak moved closer to her. "I really didn't think you would be out last night. I can't believe they came on a full moon."

  "Why wouldn't they?" Ryanon swung herself over the edge of the bed, wincing. "These are the creatures who put an entire nation in an eternal sleep."

  Dak ran his hand through his hair. "I guess you're right." He paused, giving her a long look. "Why did you come here?"

  She shrugged. "Why not?"

  "Because you knew how many people would be here. No one can find out you're here. There would be too many questions."

  "I know. I'll just get out of your hair then." She got shakily to her feet and started slowly toward the door, but he beat her there.

  "No."

  Ryanon paused. "What was that?"

  Dak moved slowly toward her. "I said you are not leaving."

  "Why not?"

  "You can't just walk out of here and think that everything will okay! You are in the castle!"

  She nodded. "I know. Did you really think I would walk out in plain daylight?" She shook her head. "There's plenty of other ways to get out."

  Dak moved in front of her again. "Let me make this very clear. You are not leaving until I say you are."

  Ryanon's eyes narrowed. "Who put you in charge?" She pulled out her sword, pointing it at him. "You do not get to tell me what to do."

  Dak pulled out his own sword, pointing it at her heart. "Oh, really, we both know that I am better at sword fighting than you."

  That part was actually true, but Ryanon was better at poisons, which she was regrettably lacking in right now. Still, she didn't lower the sword. "You can't keep me here forever. Someone is bound to come. What about that lady friend of yours? Lady Lina?"

  Dak's eyes narrowed. "She is not my friend."

  Ryanon smirked. "Could have fooled me. You should hear all the things she says about you in the streets. Yes, the rumours even reach my ears."

  "There's nothing going on between us, so kindly ignore them."

  Ryanon started circling him, her sword still out. "Whatever you say. I must say that she is quite the catch though."

  Dak matched her movements. His eyes never leaving hers. "You should know that not everything you hear in the streets is true."

  "Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow, her circle growing smaller. "Then, what was that attack last night about? Huh? I really do believe that rumour is true."

  Dak's eyes widened for a brief second before returning to their icy stare. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

  They were so close now that their swords were actually touching. "Oh, I think you do. I think you know more than what you are letting on," Ryanon said.

  Dak took a careful step toward her. Ryanon focused her sword right on his heart. Neither of them said or moved; their eyes remained locked on each other. She slowly counted her breaths. The metal was right on her, but did not pierce her tender skin. He really could kill her, but he wasn't. Of course, he knew that it wouldn't take much, just a thrust, but he just wasn't doing anything.

  "You can't tell anyone," Dak said, his voice low. "You have to promise me that. Not a word to anyone."

  "So, it is true? She's really coming," Ryanon breathed.

  Dak gave a short jerk of his head.

  "When?"

  "We don't know anything for sure yet, but I really do think she'll come. My father seems to think that she wants to show the world that her people aren't like the Iron Fairies."

  "They not supposed to be, are they?" Ryanon tried to think back to everything that she'd read on the Nature Fairies. They were supposed to be a peaceful lot.

  "They are, but times have changed." He looked at her with his big eyes. "Times have changed so much that I just don't know anymore."

  She stared at the dark circles under his eyes. "I know."

  He looked her over. "Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

  He frowned, drawing out the circles. "You just don't seem yourself that's all."

  "And neither do you."

  They both stared at each other for several minutes. Their eyes darted up and down each other's bodies. Ryanon tried to shiver as Dak's seemed to hover over certain parts of her body. She blinked. This was Dak; there was supposed to be nothing between them. They were just work partners, nothing more, nothing less.

  Only the sounds of quickly approaching footsteps caused them to jerk away from their fantasy.

  Dak cursed under his breath. He roughly grabbed Ryanon and began shoving her toward his small looking closet. "Stop!" Ryanon hissed as she dug her heels in. "You are not putting me in there."

  Dak paused for only a brief second. "The only other option is for you to pretend to be a whore who I've taken into my bed."

  She felt her eyes narrow again as he shoved her forward. "I am not a whore."

  He shoved her harder toward the closet as the footsteps grew louder. "You said it not me." He shoved open the doors. "Now, get in."

  The footsteps were right outside the door.

  She stared at him with narrowed slits. "I do this under complete protest and you are going to pay so dearly for this." She stepped into the closet.

  "Just remember I saved your life last night," he hissed as he shut the door, leaving her in complete darkness.

  She listened someone knocked on the door and Dak's footsteps moved away from her. The door creaked slightly as it opened.

  "What is it now, Vicar?" Dak asked, his voice lazy. "I'm busy."

  Booted feet stepped into the room. "I heard you talking to someone."

  Ryanon sucked in her breath.

  "My men come and go from here all the time," Dak's pointed out.

  Prince Vicar paused. Ryanon could feel his eyes scanning the room. She buried herself back even further into the closet, praying that nothing poked her.

  "Vicar," Dak sighed, "just tell me what you want and get out."

  "Now, is that a way to talk to the prince?" Vicar asked, his voice playful.

  "It is how I talk to my younger brother."

  " Tyon wants to go out for a hunt. He says it's too depressing to stay in and think about his most recent breakup," Vicar explained. "He asked that you come with us, because he feels the safest with you."

  Ryanon had to hold back her snort.

  "Do you think this is all I got time to do?" Dak snapped. "Run around the kingdom, babysitting?"

  "No, but Father is looking for you."

  "Is that some kind of threat?"

  "No, but it a warning."

  Dak sighed. "I'll be there in an hour. I have some work to do. Some of us do actually have jobs besides playing with the ladies."

  Prince Vicar snorted. "You just don't know how to have fun. You were way too serious last night."

  "In case you didn't catch it, the Iron Fairies were here killing people. Maybe had you taken your eyes off that whore, you would have seen it," Dak spat. "You are going to rule this nation and it is time you start acting like a ruler."

  "Careful there, brother," Prince Vicar snarled. "I could have you locked up for that tone."

  Ryanon bared her teeth. No one had the right to speak to Dak like that, besides her. Why she should just pop right out of this closest and ripe the prince's head off right now.

  Dak laughed. "We all know you could, but you won't. There wouldn't be anyone to babysit you and you would have to stay in this castle."

  "No, I wouldn't!"

  "Oh yes, you would. Father has eyes all over the place and he would know the minute you left. He knows all about what you do, but just keeps it quiet. Just think what the people would think if they knew what their precious prince was doing with their tax dollars," Dak taunted.

  Boot steps made their way toward the door. "Just make sure that you're at my chambers in an hour."

  Ryanon held her breath as
the door opened and closed. She mentally counted to a hundred before Dak opened the door. "He's gone."

  Ryanon stepped out, brushing the dust off her clothes. "You really should get someone to clean that for you."

  Dak looked her over. "You'll live."

  She stomped across the room and lowered herself to the bed. "You shouldn't let him talk to you like that. You should just kill him and be done with it."

  Dak sat down next to her. "And how would that end? The Crown Prince of Xandria just turns up dead?"

  She shrugged. "It was just a suggestion."

  "I know." He studied his hands.

  "You really shouldn't let him or anyone talk to you like that. I'm the only person who can get away with that."

  He looked up from his hands. "I don't have a choice and neither would you. He's way above our station."

  She shook her head. "Doesn't matter, people should respect each other."

  He cracked a small smile. "You know, you're pretty nice for an assassin."

  She shrugged. "One of us has to be and it's clearly not going to be you."

  He rolled his eyes as he got to his feet. "Come on, I've got to get you out of here in case he comes back."

  "I am not going through the sewers, let me make that clear." Just the thought of being in those tunnels sent chills running down her back.

  Dak smiled. "Oh, why not, have some fun?"

  Ryanon just snorted. "Not going to happen."

  She didn't end up going through the sewers. Dak took her through a series of hidden of foul smelling, but clean tunnels that let out close to the shopping market. She turned to say goodbye to Dak, but he had already disappeared into the shadows.

  Shaking her head, she made her way through the blood stained streets, tuning out the cries of despair.

  Those who couldn't help themselves were not worth her time.

  Chapter Ten: The Game of Thrones

  Amberfall stared out the carriage window, wishing for what seemed like the millionth time she could just fly to Xandria instead of using these mortal ways. She wasn't sure how the king would take to her arriving by flying and no one in her court had been able to give her answers.