Desires of the Crown

4 - Glowing Flames that Flicker

         Alliar

I woke suddenly hearing the screams echoing through the castle walls like the wind. With my eyes wide and my heart beating in a panic I turned my head from side to side as if searching for the threat right in front of me but there was no one here, just me. Pushing the soft covers off of me and letting my feet find the floor as I wondered over to the window feeling my heart stop and my breathing catch at the sight. The castle was burning, people were rushing everywhere and the sounds of metal on metal echoed almost as loud as the screams.

My door burst open making me jump and stumble back until my back was pressed against the cold stone and I was facing the door. Out of the shadows Jenifer entered my room, her face in a panic as her eyes were wide with worry.

"Princess, we must leave, there are men in the castle." She said urgently to me as she grabbed a hold of my hand and started pulling me out of the room with nothing but my night gown on - which meant this was a lot more serious than any previous raids I have lived through.

"What's happening?" I asked as we rushed down the hallway to Kya's room.

"I don't know, I only know that we have to get out now. You don't want to find out what they do to little girls during a raid." She told me, her voice full of wisdoms as we pushed into Kya's room just as she was waking up.

"Kya, quickly get up." I said to her pulling her up and out of bed and dragging her over towards the door while she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

Kya kept quiet while we ran down the hall following Jenifer as she led us through to the tunnels that were said to get us to safety. Turning a corner Jenifer went to open the secret door hidden behind one of the tapestries in the main hall but fell after trying to open it with all her force. She shook her head and frowned her brow, confused. "I don't understand, they were open only yesterday." She sounded befuddled.

"Are you sure you have the right one?"

"Yes, I was made to refill the oils to the candles only yesterday, they were..." She trailed off.

The loud sounds of yelling and swords clinging together had me clutching on to Kya, I wanted nothing more than to tell her everything was going to be okay and she was going to be alive and well by the end of this but I honestly couldn't, because I didn't know how much longer we were going to live for. Looking around the room I suddenly remembered when I was a child and doing one of my mother's treasure hunts, she had laid down the challenge to meet her at the side gate without using a door or a window. While Tristan had so elegantly climbed down off the roof I had lifted a loose stone in the floor and found one of the hidden tunnels that ran under the castle.

"Over here!" I whispered to Jenifer as I was wondered over to the corner of the room and dropped down on my knees to begin feeling at the stones. Catching on to what I was doing, Jenifer started to help, searching for the loose stone that I hoped they hadn't filled it in just yet. Feeling a paver jolt as I pressed on it I finally found my breath, curling my fingers in the sides I realised that this was a lot easier when I had smaller fingers and pushed the stone up and over to the side.

"Kya, you go down first." I told her as I grabbed onto her hands and went to slip her into the dark hole.

"No I don't want to go without you." She gripped onto me with deathly strength that surprised me.

"I'll be right behind you, I promise." I said giving her a quick nod and placing her down the hole gently. "Jenifer, your turn."

"No Princess you have to go, your life is far more important than mine."

"You know the best way out of the kingdom and where to go, I don't so you have to go and help my sister. I'll be right behind you." I assured her but my tone gave away my uncertainty. I had no idea if I was going to be right behind them because I didn't know how much time we had, the sounds of fighting sounded so near that I feared that they were right outside the door.