“We found out a few day's ago...why?”
“You've known for day's that you were going to be attacked and you never said anything?!”
Pain and anger battled for dominance behind his eye's. I'd no idea he would be so upset with me. But then again, it was my life at stake and I made a decision that I thought was best at the time.
“I wasn't sure what to say or who I could trust at that point, you have to understand EVERYONE at that point was a suspect!”
I could feel my face turning red and heating up suddenly. I was so angry at the thought that he was upset with me because I didn't tell him what was going on. I'm the queen, I answer to no one! Least of all him! Just as I was about to unleash my storm of fire upon him, his expression changed to one of genuine hurt and sorrow.
I felt myself begin to shrink under his gaze. I'd known Barron over half my life, we were the best of friend's. Now here I was about to tear into him when I should just be happy he still cared. I sighed, feeling exasperated, I conceited. I was about to apologize when he spoke.
“You honestly suspected me? After everything.....”
He straightened as he wiped his eye's and looked away, balling his fists at his side's.
“Serra you are my queen and as such I shall protect you with my life. I will be ready and so will my men. I can hide them in the bushes along the inner circle of the maze. Once you have the culprit's inside, make sure there is plenty of room between them and you. No sense in you getting hurt. When should I expect you in the maze?”
His tone was that of a Captain of the Guard, not my friend, not my ex-lover. He was deadly serious and all business.
“It will be after the initial dance's and ceremony. When everything calms down and people start to mingle. I'll make my exit then.”
He nodded, then turned and made his way out of the maze. I couldn't help the feeling of sorrow and a twinge of regret as I watched him leave. But I didn't have time for all that, I needed to get to my room and change the ball was in less than 4 hour's now. I climbed on Zephyrs back and up we went.
It was always so freeing to ride on his back, sailing through the cloud's, not a care in the world. Sadly tonight's ride was a short one, straight to my balcony. It was swift and to the point. I climbed down and went inside to change. Zephyr called after me to say he would meet me at the ball. He had some business to finish in the village. I waved him off and continued into my chamber's, an hour and a half later I was dressed and ready for the ball.
I'd had my hair done up so as to keep it from getting in my way during the fight I knew was going to be inevitable.
I took great care in picking out a corset I could easily hide my blades under, should I become unable to use my magic, these would be my ace in the hole. I'd practiced throwing my knives everyday for hours on end, over the year's I'd become a master.
Finally I took one last look in the mirror and decided I was ready. I donned my mask and off I went to the grand ballroom. Though on the outside I looked as if made of ice, on the inside I was trembling. I always became nervous before a big fight. As I entered the enormous room, everyone stopped chatting to turn and gawk at my choice of dress. I didn't care, let them look, let them talk! I loved this gown and nothing and no one was going to stop me from wearing it.
Besides, it did the job I had in mind for it perfectly, it concealed my blade's and offered a little padding. I sashayed to my throne thoroughly enjoying all the whisper's I received as I ascended it. Dimitri was standing tall and proud beside it waiting on me. As I approached, he took my outstretched hand.
“Giving them something to talk about aren't we dear?”
“Let them talk, let them whisper.” I laughed
“Jealousy is such an ugly thing, is it not?”
We knew we were being coarse, but we didn't care. After I made all the necessary announcement's, did my queenly duties, danced with other lord's and duke's and held conversation's that would otherwise bore me to a horribly slow death I once again took my seat at my throne. Geraldo had graciously placed a seat next to me for my future husband.
He sat with me, drink in hand and a smile on his face. God's, he was beautiful, the way he laughed could make me feel as if all my troubles had simply melted away! I took in his beautiful costume, gray and black with hint's of rusty red and tan. He was a wolf tonight. So it was to be a wolf and a raven who sat on the throne of Nevermore tonight.
I laughed inwardly, but it soon faded at the thought of what was to come in only a few more moment's, I readied myself to head for the garden's but before I could even begin to make my excuses to Dimitri he leaned in close to my ear. His breath on my skin was like silk sheet's flowing across my face. There was a hint of wine clinging to him, it smelled so sweet and tantalizing I found myself wanting to do nothing more than kiss him in that moment.
“Serra, your unhappy love.”
“W....What?” I snapped out of my daydream.
“Are you alright, my sweet? You seem...distracted.”
I had to think of something quick and I had to keep my mind closed to him or else he would read me and all would be lost. I quickly closed off my mind and explained.
“I'm just so tired today and I wish to visit mother and father. So much is changing and I just...I just want to go to the garden's and sit by their stone's and visit them for a while. Would you be terribly upset with me if I went?”
He seemed to consider me a moment and for a second I thought for sure he knew the truth, that I was possibly going straight into my own doom. But he smiled and kissed me warmly.
“My love, take all the time you need. I'll be here when you return.”
“Thank you Dimitri, I won't be long.” I lied.
My heart thumped behind my rib's as I felt the full weight of lying to the man I loved. But I couldn't feel bad I told myself. I was protecting him! I got up and began my walk across the ballroom eyeing every suspicious character in my peripheral vision. I felt eye's watching me the whole way. Once at the door, I turned back for only a moment and saw my attacker's.
They were following just like the good little rat's they are, I also saw Dimitri on my throne...staring at me. I flushed, then gave him a weak smile as I turned back to the door that offered me freedom from this place, I took that freedom. As I made my way out to the garden's I sent up a silent prayer that Dimitri would remain safe and that Barron would be in position.
Inside the maze, I was almost to the center when I reached out with my mind and tried to find Zephyr. When I couldn't reach him I faltered in my step, but quickly recovered. I was inside the middle of the maze now, exactly where Barron told me to stand. I turned on my would be assassin's and waited. A few second's, that felt like a lifetime ticked by, when I spotted the first big rat.
Then right on his heel's came the second one. Butch and Lars, who was who? It didn't matter much to me which was which all that mattered was that they were here. I squared my shoulder's as they stood side by side blade's drawn on me. The bigger of the two had a smile so vile I wanted to throw up. The skinnier one was considerably smaller. He was almost bone thin with a mop of orange hair on his oblong head and beady little eye's the color of copper. His nose was way too big for his face and his lip was swelled and split.
For a moment I wondered why, but discontinued the thought when the bigger of the two took a step forward. He was taller by about five inches. I'd probably peg him at about 6'3 and possibly 280 pounds, his face was way to small for his head, and on top of said head was a greasy mound of shaggy brown hair. His eye's were close set and so dark they looked almost black. I didn't dare take a step back for fear they might think I was scared and thus take advantage and jump me.
I held fast and awaited Barron and the other guard's. I didn't know why they hadn't sprung out and captured these two bumbling fool's yet, but I can only speculate it's because they also wanted the ring leader's whereabouts. I was about to signal Barron when the big guy spoke.
“So your the big bad Serra N
oir huh? You don't look so tough to me! See Lars I told you she weren't no big, bad threat!” He laughed. Lars didn't seem to get the joke.
“Oi chut up ya blinkin toad! Tha mah-stah will be 'ere soon, e'll decide wha ta do wit 'er. You don'a get ta touch 'er! Mah-stah will 'ave your 'ead if'in ya go nea' er!”
“Awww, he wont even know, who's gonna tell him huh? She's so pretty...just one little taste...”
He started forward, I quickly threw up my hand's and called upon my power. My body began to warm starting at my toes and rushing up and through my hand's. I could feel the current of power washing over me like a tidal wave, it was so strong and it called to me and begged me to finally release it. To release the side of me I had kept hidden for so many year's. I obeyed it's plea's and hurled a ball of electric blue fury at Butch's ugly, too small face.
He lurched backwards as the magic hit him square in the chest. I stood amazed at what I'd done, I was so proud, but it was short lived. I watched in horror as Butch stood then dusted himself off. Then he smiled that vile smile at me again as he took something from around his neck and held it out to me.
“Nice try queenie but we came prepared. This here is the last of the Dragonite crystal. Master gave me a piece and Lars got a piece too. No one else in the world had Dragonite now. It repels any magic. So....look's like your goose is cooked! Now....come here and sit on Butch's big ol lap!”
I backed away, then, holding my hand's in front of me again I called up the magic and fired shot after shot until I was so tired I fell to my knee's. How could none of this effect him? What was Dragonite? I had no time to think because in an instant Butch was on top of me pinning me to the grass. His right leg was pinning my left arm to my side while his left knee was firmly planted in my right forearm.
He looked down on me and chuckled as he undid the front of his breeches and began to fondle himself. I screamed, but was met with a big meaty fist to my cheek, cutting me off. For a moment I saw star's while he tried in vain to maneuver himself into a good position to put his extremity in my mouth. I clamped my jaw shut like a vice and refused to open it.
He hit me again and again I almost blacked out. But still I wouldn't open. After a few more hit's he decided to try a different approach. I thrashed wildly trying my best to scream and fight, I threw more magic bolts and even tried burning him, but the Dragonite prevented any and all my efforts from harming him.
Lars was above me now holding my arm's over my head while Butch lowered his fat frame down my body and tried feverishly to force himself into a position where he could gain access to my womanhood. I could feel him rubbing against me and trying to free me of my gown.
Thank goodness I opted for the fluffy dress tonight. He became extremely agitated while trying to find his way through all the ruffles. I took this opportunity to buck wildly, Lars was taken back for a second and I used that second to my advantage. I pulled my hand free from Lars' grasp and fired a blue flaming bolt right at his face launching him several feet in the air.
Butch, who had given up trying to navigate the ruffles looked up and saw his cohort. I immediately fired off another blue flame bolt in his face and he too launched several feet into the air. I scrambled to my feet and began to back myself into a side wall of the maze's center.
I grabbed the secret cord I had sewn into my dress to release the fluffy bottom half and quickly pulled it loose, the fluff fell away to reveal my black breeches I was wearing underneath. I crouched down, grabbed my dagger's from their resting places inside my bodice and prepared to attack which ever came at me first. I felt my skin tingle with the anticipation!
Lars was the first one up, he didn't attack, but rather stood his ground mumbling under his breath all the while staring a hole through me. Butch was soon back on his feet as well and if look's could kill I'd be 12 feet under. He stood there inhaling and exhaling like a raging bull for a few moment's then when he had built up enough steam, he charged.
I however was ready for him, I sprang into the air just as he threw his fist out to punch me. I landed upside down, bracing my hand's on his shoulder's like a cat would land on the floor after falling from the table. Then I grasped two handfuls of his shirt and flipped myself to the ground, he however became airborne yet again. This time I didn't wait for him to stand, the moment his body made contact with the earth my boot made contact with his gut.
I dropped my dagger's and began beating the man till he was within an inch of his life, all the hatred I had for everyone who ever tried to take advantage of me or hurt me all just came flooding out.
I hit him harder and harder until I felt I had nothing left in me, then I held my hand out beside me and willed a dagger to come to it, it did. I took a deep breath the plunged the dagger into the Butch's heart.
“Look's like your precious Dragonite didn't protect you from THAT, now did it!” I spat.
I stood and stepped back, what lay before me was no longer a man, but a mound of human flesh, blood, and broken bone's. Suddenly remembering Lars I spun around like lightning only to see him standing a few feet away staring at me in pure horror.
I started to make my way towards him, but was stopped by a sudden force field blocking my path. I looked around, but saw no one using magic. I stepped back, called up my magic and watched as the electric blue flames began to engulf me. I closed my eye's to revel in the feeling and when I opened them again, I knew they were aglow just like my hand's were. I hurled shot after shot of energy, fire, electric bolts but nothing worked.
Just as I was beginning to see no way around the invisible force field I heard a low chuckle behind me. I spun on my heel's to see a shadowed figure standing tall against the moonlight. I called to Zephyr again, begging him to come to my aid, but I received no reply.
Barron had yet to make an appearance either, it dawned on me that this man may have gotten here before Barron and Zephyr. He may have hurt them or incapacitated them.
Anger boiled inside me, I began to glow all over, my hair turned an even deeper blood red than it already was, my eye's glowed bright electric blue, my hand's began to glow as well. I faced the figure with seething hatred.
He seemed to smile at me as he circled until he was standing beside Lars. Then a voice rang out, it cut through the night and filled me with dread.
“I see you've met my companion's. I also see one did not make the cut.” he pointed a casual finger towards Butch's now lifeless body. I began to regret, but pushed the feeling away, there was no time for it right now.
“I met him yes. He tried to rape me. So.....well....you see what happened.”
“Poor Butch was always a bit unstable. I knew his.........indiscretions would come back to haunt him one day. Oh well. I don't care, I have YOU now.”
“What do you mean you have me now? No one has me! Least of all a cowardly rat who won't even show his face to the very person he claim's he want's to kill!!”
“Oh Serra, Serra, Serra you poor thing. If you want to know who I am all you have to do is simply........ask.”
“Fine! Who are you?!” I screamed.
The shadow man moved with the grace of a cat prowling the night for its next meal. In a flash he was directly in front of me, face to face though his hood still hid most of his face, there was definitely something familiar about the way he smelled. I couldn't quite put my finger on it though, it seemed so foreign yet so familiar.
I craned my neck so as to get a better look at what lay beyond the hood, but he whirled around and stepped away from me chuckling as he did so. Then I saw his hand come up and cross his face to latch onto the cloak he wore, in one swift movement he tore it from his body. For a moment I saw nothing but the fabric flowing and twisting on the wind as it flew in front of my eye's.
When I looked up again the figure I saw standing before me made my stomach want to turn. I could try, but knew I would fail if I attempted to hide my shocked expression as I gazed upon the face of my would be assassin leader. Anger and rage rolled inside me as I lashed out
against my makeshift prison. I didn't know when the force field had encircled me, but at some point it did and was now my own little prison.
I could feel my power growing weaker as all my strength was starting to dissipate, leaving me defenseless, at least that's what they thought. I still had some of my dagger's and if need be, I would use them to kill the lying, plotting, bastard that was Emery Waraxe.
“You!...How could you?! I took you in, I clothed you, I healed you! I could have turned you away! I could have killed you myself just for trespassing on my marshes.....Why?!...How?!”
“Oh my dear Serra please do allow me to regale you with the tale of how this came to be, I think I'll call my story, “How I brought down the great Raven Queen.” People from all over will know my name and learn to fear it! Now where to begin...ah, I know, lets start with the how, shall we? Well, my dear infiltrating your kingdom turned out to be a bit harder than I had originally anticipated. You see, my grand master plan was to break into the kingdom and your castle during the ball when I knew your defenses would be at their lowest then I would simply poison your wine, but oh no, I had forgotten for a moment you rarely drink so on to “Plan B” this time I got it right, straight to the point I knew you would be in the garden's to pay tribute to your mother and father just as you did every Raven's Ball night. So all I had to do was lie in wait for you, I did not, however, anticipate the deadly marshes to be such a challenge. I didn't know until I spoke to my spy that I could not enter the kingdom without permission from either you or the royal guardsmen, lucky for me I had just the right man for that little job. Next I would pretend to be a weary traveler who had been wounded and left for dead. Just like I knew you would, you took me in, pathetic bleeding heart if you ask me! So after I was in I cast a spell to lead my cohort's right to me and to allow them access through the marshes as well. All that was left to do was to get you alone and what do you know, everything worked out perfectly! Tonight under the harvest moon I'll drain you dry of your power's and in turn make myself the most powerful sorcerer this world has ever seen! I'll be a GOD!”
The Nevermore Chronicles: Silencing the Queen Page 7