The Captain's Queen

Chapter 2: Attack on the Kingdom

After rejecting the prince's proposal, Idina was debating on locking herself in her private chambers and never coming back out.

With a gorgeous silk bedrobe with floral embroidery over her lace chemise that was delivered to her by Anna in a basket, she spent most of her evening pacing around her bedroom, contemplating how horrible she had messed up. Her mind was racing with how she thought she should have bit her tongue and nodded her head like a good princess should. She had no idea what had come over her, but what's done is done. She felt she had greatly disappointed her family, and her kingdom.

Idina sat upon her stool in front of her vanity. Gazing at her own reflection that reflected from the bright blue hue of the moonlight and the glow of candle light, she began to anxiously comb out her hair with the bristle brush. She had placed her tiara on her vanity, and her eyes kept peering to it. She didn't feel worthy of it anymore.

When her hair was fluffy and soft, she began blowing out her candles and decided to calm down by sitting at her window, allowing the moon to bathe her in his light on the cloudless night.

Her slumber was anything but peaceful. Heavenly shades of night were falling while her mind was racing about the dreaded proposal and her ill-suited reaction. Her stomach kept gathering in knots with every little thought she had. Her bed was made, and now she must lie in it.

Idina was half asleep when Anna ran into her dark room in the middle of the night. She raced to Idina's bedside and shouted, "princess, wake up! Quickly!"

Idina's shock of being awoken with a fearful force made a gasp escape her dry throat. She sat up in her bed and her eyes instantly connected with Anna's. The only light in the room came from the dim yellow glow in the hallway from the open door, and the candleholder that Anna was holding close to her face. The shadows casted from her fearful expression, which put a sense of dread into Idina's heart.

"Anna, Anna. What is the matter?" Idina asked her. She inspected Anna's face and saw that her eyes were so wide they could have popped out of her head, and the color in her face had drained. Tears rolled down her flushed cheeks with no chance to dry on her skin. Her breathing was heavy, and fear-stricken panic was set into her youthful features.

Idina reached for Anna's elbow as she slowly came to her feet. She could feel her heart beating faster and her palms got sweaty with every second she had no idea what was happening. She knew that something was terribly wrong if Anna came rushing into her chambers in the middle of the night to wake her.

In turn, Anna clutched Idina's elbow and pulled her in close. Her thumb dug into Idina's muscle, and her grip was as tight as the fear that had a grip on their hearts. Her tearful black eyes locked to Idina's and she managed to say, "it's the kingdom, your highness. We are under attack."

Idina's heart stopped at that devastating news. It was one of the last things she ever expected to hear, yet it was her biggest fear; a nightmare coming true. Her eyes widened and her jaw slacked slightly to express her shock. All she could ask was, "by whom?"

Anna gulped before she answered, "Krozar."

Idina inhaled sharply. The very man who asked for her hand in marriage, so she could spend the rest of her life with him was attacking her kingdom. She had no idea if it was out of retaliation or resentment, but she was aware that Krozar's military power was much stronger that Madya. And he knew it too.

In that moment, the dreadful sound of a cannons exploding echoed throughout the room. The two ladies jumped at the sudden noise, and after they looked at each other they rushed to the large French doors that lead out to Idina's balcony. They both stepped out into the moonless night, where the warm wind whipped around their heads and skirts.