The Evil Queen

Hunting the Hunters

Theo stood in the hall of the throne room pacing as she waited for Lord Cornell to finish his counsel with the ambassador from across the sea. She had watched Godrick leave with a handful of men, ordinarily she wouldn't worry but these were all skilled and lethal. As the doors opened her heart quickened and she nearly ran over the ridiculously adorned ambassador. "My Lord!" She squeaked. "My Lord I've had visions!" Once slightly hunched from the weight of his formal clothing, Lord Cornell straightened with interest. "Yes! Child close the doors and come sit with me." As she rushed to the large cushion under him she turned on the charm. "My Lord, I've seen a certain and horrible future if it's not stopped!" His expression blanched, "Horrible?" She nodded rapidly, "Yes. Godrick is starting a war against a nation that has far more numbers and skill than you are aware of. They will strike back and hard, you will lose everything Lord." Cornell leaned forward with enlarged eyes like a child waiting for the scary part of a story to pass. "How do we stop this?" She shook her head, "I fear it might be too late my Lord. Godrick has dispatched a posse and has left to lead them himself. He is hunting down men that are in lead with this other nation. Their demise will be what beings the fall of your kingdom. Godrick must be stopped!" Lord Cornell's look hardened. "Of course, do you know where he is headed? Who is he hunting?" She sat back, "I do not know the heading, but it is the Hunter Brothers, Lord they would better kept as allies." He became lost in thought for a moment, "What nation are they in lead with that could be so vast in numbers?" She shook her head, eyes widened, "I do not know my Lord, my vision didn't reveal that, only that it is immense."

It didn't take long for Lord Cornell to buy Theo's story and dispatch several men after his son. As the horsemen rode out Theo saw another vision. She saw the men intercept Godrick, and being lead back. Godrick furious, stomping through the halls of the castle. He was searching for her and he was in a murderous rage. She knew she was going to pay a severe price for what she had just done, but she didn't care. And her vision of Algar, Dax and Bergamot was still burned into her mind. Shouldn't it change? How could it still come to pass if she stopped Godrick? As her mind raced it came to her like a hard wind. "Those daft imbeciles, they are coming after me." She ran down the hall, she couldn't be found by Godrick in her chambers when he got back.

Dax watched as Algar and Bergamot waded with their horses across the rushing river. It was quick and cold enough that the horses had to be forced to comply. He was shivering hard from the iciness that had settled into his bones. "Dax, start a fire, or this is going to be the death of us!" Algar was gritting his teeth through his words. "We..." Dax started to argue but Bergamot cut him off, "We will be no good dying from exposure boy, start a fire." He threw a private fit as he prepared a small fire. The other two men came up the bank with horses wet and shivering. "This is becoming a nightmare." Algar was rubbing his hands together over the blaze. "I told you boys I didn't need your assistance, it was you who insisted." Algar raised his eyes brows, "I didn't, it's his suicide mission, I just choose to support my daft brother in his otherwise bad decisions." Bergamot narrowed his eyes, "Yes, Dax why do you insist on killing your brother, your horses and yourself in the search for my wife?" He really emphasized on the last two words, like he wanted to make sure he understood she was his. Dax opened his mouth then suddenly stopped as he peered up, something above Algar and Bergamot had caught his attention.

There perched on the lowest branch of the great tree they were under was a harpy. She stood a slight four foot, naked from the waist up. Blonde hair hung in tangles and mats from her twisted face. Red beady eyes shined like rubies from under her mangled stands. Her wings and the lower, bird half of her body had white and tawny feathers much like a doves. She sat staring at the men, an expression of disgust on her face. It wasn't so much the wings or nudity that bothered Algar but her haggish appearance. The hairs on his body rose to full attention. "Hungry." It hissed. "Hungry." Dax blinked away his bemusement. "Don't move Hunter." Bergamot urged as he held his arm out and drew his sword. The harpy's red eyes shifted to him, "Hungry!" It hissed sharply.