Moon Kingdom: Fair Warning

King Emyr

        "Rise, women!" The king spoke in a booming voice, and they all stood. "You stand before King Emyr, crowned ruler of Marama and defender of this fair city."
     "Thank you for seeing us." Diana said, and awkwardly curtsied.
     "What is your trouble, fine ladies?" The King grinned, his large mustache bristling with each breath.
     "We've come to warn you of an impending attack on Marama." Athena said, "Coming from the eastern forest outside of the city."
     "Who could possibly be attacking us from that direction?" King Emyr asked, "Luna is a tiny, simple village- they have no army."
     "I had been hearing noises for quite a while," Athena explained; pulling her notes out of her pocket, she handed them to the king, "Coming from the forest and I knew something was wrong. This winter is too warm."
     "Get to the point, woman!" King Emyr huffed impatiently. He glanced at the notes and then tossed them aside.
     "It's not so much a "who" attacking shortly, but a "what"." Athena struggled to make herself clear.
     "If I may," Bree interrupted, "I am from Luna, and I am one of two known survivors from my village. Not long ago- mere days- Luna was attacked by giant bears unlike anything you've seen before. They were enormous, fast, and vicious. Each was stronger than ten men. They tore the village apart and killed almost everyone."
     "Well, I'm sure Marama will be safer from bears than Luna was." King Emyr chuckled, "We do have our wall after all."
     "The thing is, they aren't normal bears." Bree pressed, "I think they may be cursed men. They share features with both bear and man. They're smart and they're bloodthirsty. The wall won't stop them."
     "Cursed bear-men you say?" King Emyr smoothed his green checked robe and rolled his eyes.
     "Your highness, I have also seen these bears," Diana interjected, "And I know they are as bad as Bree describes, and even worse. I am from the Spiritess monastery and all of us there agree something must be done to protect Marama."
     "Then, do something about it yourselves." The king said dismissively, "Gather your women to fight against the bears if you must. I doubt they'll even get into the city though. You have nothing to worry about. Please stop wasting my time with this nonsense."
     The three women were stunned. Athena was angry. She had come all this way to warn her beloved city. Now the king was dismissing them as crazed women with no sense. It just wasn't fair. Why wouldn't he listen?
     "You may leave now." King Emyr said.
     Athena and Diana turned to go. They were walking to the door but paused and turned back when they noticed Bree wasn't with them. Instead, she was glaring up at the king, her eyes wet with tears of anger. She looked as though she were about to scream. Instead she went up in a cloud of smoke.
     "What's happening?" Diana asked Athena. The king also screamed the same question as he cowered back in his throne.
     "Bree, stop!" Athena yelled as Bree, in the form of a hooded crow, swept down toward the king.
     She snatched his gold crown from his head and then flew up high. Bree dropped the crown and it clanged on the stone floor, echoing. King Emyr screamed for his guards. Instead, the man who had let them in walked back into the room.
     "Now, why didn't you tell me your friend was a witch?" He asked.
     "She isn't." Athena said.
     "She just happens to have a magical ring, and I'm assuming this is her power." Diana explained.
     Bree continued to circle around the king. She swooped low erractically but never actually touched him. Diana looked at the doorman and smiled apologetically. He smiled back at her and winked.
     "Make her stop! Make her stop!" King Emyr shrieked.
     Athena raised her arm and aimed her palm at Bree. A blast of snow shot from her hand like a soft, flurry cannonball. It connected with the crow in the air and pushed her away from the king, without harming either of them. Bree, with temper literally cooled, landed on the stone floor and, in a puff of black smoke, became human once more.
     "My apologies, your majesty," Bree blurted out as she bowed low towards the throne, "But if you will not aid this cause, we will take matters into our own hands."
     With that, and King Emyr still shuddering in his throne, Bree rejoined Athena and Diana. The three women left together the way they came in. The young man at the door followed them out.
     "Is everything you said true then?" The man asked.
     "Yes." Athena replied, "In less than two weeks we can expect the bears to arrive at Marama. The destruction they will cause will be devastating."
     "I'm Klaus, by the way," He extended a hand to Athena.
     "Athena." She replied, shaking his hand.
     "I'm Bree." Bree said, standing distant with her arms crossed.
     Klaus looked toward Diana expectantly. He smiled warmly and his blue eyes sparkled. Diana's own eyes, brown in colour, met his and she blushed.
     "I'm Diana." She said, bowing her head in polite greeting.
     "Well, may I join you on your mission to save Marama?" Klaus asked.
     The three women looked at each other. Athena's instinct was to say yes. The man seemed sincere enough and he might have access to resources that they didn't. Bree and Diana were both slightly more cautious but first impressions caused them all to nod in agreement.
     "We have to return Diana to the monastery." Bree said, "Will you meet us there?"
     "I will need an hour to collect my things." Klaus said, "Then I will rejoin you outside their courtyard."
     With a grin on his face, Klaus left them standing on the steps. Athena led the way back onto the street and towards the Spiritess monastery once more. She was disappointed that the king wouldn't support them, wouldn't do what was necessary to save the city. Then, Athena wondered, what was necessary? They had no real idea about what could stop the bears. She thought back to the disaster at Luna; even the Wateress women with their powers hadn't stood a chance against them. Then again, they had been surprised by the attack.  

Bonus song for this chapter! The character's aren't exactly teenagers and the concept of this song is entirely different than an old man being frightened by a crow-girl but something about it just fits for me.