A Court of Games and Fate

Snapped

          The throne room erupted into chaos as Amarantha continued her assault on Feyre, the sound of shattering bones and screaming echoing throughout the chamber. Andromeda couldn't focus on that though. Not as her father was downed across the room. Not as six members of the royal guard were charging for her with murderous intent. Not as Lucien- Lucien- was snarling at the threat, brandishing an already bloody ash dagger toward the armored guards. Lucien was unarmored, but he was a monstrosity of pure rage and instinctual defense. Andromeda's heart swelled in response, even as terror and adrenaline filled her.

          There was a chorus of shouts and outrage amongst the court as the two Vanserra males took up defense on behalf of the princess. Andromeda gripped the dagger in her hand tightly, not even knowing how to properly brandish the damn thing. If her mind wasn't so fried from attempting to take on her mother, maybe she would have been able to do more with her magic, but for now, all she had was the blade.

          The first two guards made it to Lucien within only a moment, both males trying to bypass him to get to their actual target. Andromeda could barely keep track of her mate's movements as he easily maneuvered the dagger between them. The dagger met one of the male's throats, while at the same time, Lucien reached with his other hand to pull the breastplate of the second guard. Using the momentum of ripping the dagger out of the first male's throat, he yanked the second one to his chest before going for his throat as well. The guard managed to shift his weight at the last second. Lucien grunted and shouted at the guard as the two collapsed onto the ground in the struggle.

          Andromeda's eyes were forced away from her mate as three more guards flanked from her opposite side. Eris was already trained on them as he prowled around her to meet the guards with a flourish of his blade. The three of them were too much for him alone though. Andromeda crouched, preparing to find an opening where she could lunge either away or onto one of the guards. As she and Eris zeroed in on the three guards though, neither noticed the final guard having rounded the dais.

          "Behind you!" A semi-familiar voice screamed out. One of the High Lords?

          The princess swiveled to face the guard just as he lifted his blade high above her. Releasing a surprised shout, she instinctively brought her own blade up in defense. Dagger met shortsword in an unevenly matched battle as the guard used the connection to push the princess down onto the floor of the dais, her dagger scattering away from her. Behind her, Eris was still attempting to hold off the three guards. She couldn't even risk trying to see how Lucien was holding up. In front of her, the final guard began prowling closer and closer, raising his blade high once more.

          Andromeda at first tried to crawl away, but he was gaining on her too quickly. Surrounded by the sounds of fighting and screaming, the princess's head was throbbing in agony. Hearing the two males fighting on her behalf, the screams of Feyre, the shouts of her father. It was all too much. All too much and she was going to die if she didn't-

          Instinct took over. Pure, primal instinct.

          Her hands flung out in front of her as she bellowed in rage. From her pale hands, darkness and shadow just like her father's lashed out toward the attacking guard. The tendrils of night burst forward and circled the male, weaving through the kinks in his armor and entering into his mouth, eyes, and ears. Muted screams of terror broke free from the male as he dropped his blade, the clattering metal barely audible in the fray. Slowly lifting herself up in stunned determination, Andromeda envisioned herself gripping onto the ribbons of pure darkness and pulling tight. The screams stopped instantaneously as the resounding crack of multiple bones sounded. Blood burst from the male, splattering the surprised princess.