All Adventure Begins with Tragedy

Chapter VII: War marches are boring

We slept in that day. We really planned to get up early, but, you know, sometimes its impossible to get up early. Rebecca woke us up when she didn't here us up. We hurriedly prepared. Realizing that today was the day that we may be marching, we strapped on our armor and weapons and headed out.

Another fifteen minutes later, we were in the thrown room awaiting the queen. We heard the sound of marching outside the giant doors, and then armed guards were bursting into the room. I quickly unsheathed my weapons, my sword in my right hand, dagger in my left. Eliza had her saber out, and Drew had an arrow knocked.

"What is going on here?" The voice of Queen Jenkins boomed at us.

"Mom?" Suddenly a girl of maybe sixteen was rushing through the doors.

"Adalayde!" Jenkins said, hugging her daughter.

"Stand down! Thank you Malkem," Adalayde commanded the soldiers.

Malkem, the leader of the soldiers motioned and the rest sheathed their blades. We lowered ours, but we didn't feel safe enough to put then away.

"Adalayde, meet Silver, Eliza, and Drew," Jenkins introduced us.

"Pleasure to meet you," Adalayde said curtsying deeply.

Eliza rolled her eyes, she wasn't big on girly- girls.

"Why don't you four go talk in the back room?" Queen Jenkins suggested then moved on, "I have some business with Malkem, as well as Drake. Speaking of which, do you know when Drake will arrive, Malkem?"

We four walked into the room where we had talked with Jenkins. We all sat down. Eliza folded her arms over her chest, obviously displeased with Adalayde. Drew and I were mostly indifferent, although we would definitely support Eliza over this Adalayde.

"Well? What's your problem?" She said, aiming it at us all, even though she was looking at Eliza.

Eliza smiled, this was going to be fun.

"Oh nothing," Eliza said mildly, "You are the one with the problem," she added.

"Oh, I see how it is, a challenge eh?" Adalayde had thrown down the gauntlet.

"You want to fight me? You? Don't make me laugh, you couldn't do squat." Eliza was poking hot sticks in Adalayde's side.

And it worked. None of us were aware that Adalayde had weapons, she looked like some one more likely to carry sugar than a blade. But she did. Within the span of a breath, she had knocked her chair over, had risen, drawn a short archers sword, and had it's point at Eliza's neck.

"I can't fight? That what you think?" Her voice had gotten squeaky with rage, and although she was attempting to be intimidating, she actually just looked really, really, pissed.

Eliza was not one to back down however, no, far from it. She kicked the table as hard as she could, sending her flying backwards. The chair splintered as it hit the ground. Eliza did a backwards summer-salt, spring to her feet and drawing her saber.

"You have messed with the wrong woman. On guard!" Eliza sprang nimbly forward, starting the dual.

Adalayde neatly parried, and launched a counter attack. Rather than blocking, Eliza bent over backwards to dodge the slice, putting her in an easy position to jab at Adalayde's stomach. Adalayde, taking a leaf from her opponents book, side stepped, and lashed out at Eliza's legs. A shallow gash now ran from knee to ankle. I jumped up to assist Eliza, but Drew pulled me back down.

"What was that for?" I asked confused.

"Saving you, when Eliza gets mad, she doesn't like anyone interfering in her fights, she'd rather kill you," Drew explained.