Kaira~ Empress of the Seventh Sanctum

Chapter Two

Deep in the Dairum Mountains

   

      Kaira quietly made her way to her bed chambers, listening to the drips of the ancient walls, when she heard whispering. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop but nobody should be in this part of the Castle, as she neared one of the supposedly empty rooms she saw candlelight flickering casting evil looking shadows. She crouched down low and peered inside. She saw a tall man in a tattered beaver skin coat and a shorter round man with a very unkept beard. She had to strain to listen to what they were saying.

“Did you get it?” The tall one hissed, to which the shorter one nodded and handed him a ripped up parchment. The taller man smiled wickedly and patted the shorter man on the back, “While these fat slobs sleep tonight we’ll finally get what's ours, they’re in place old friend, these sorry people will know they made a mistake running and hiding from us. Now quickly we must prepare!” With that they blew out the candle and Kaira stifled a sob, these men were going to kill everyone, she scrambled to her feet, she had to find Zachariah.

Running as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran through the series of hallways and hidden staircases, she wasn’t sure where the new guards were going to be but, if she didn’t warn them, then they wouldn’t know that the army was no longer at the base of the mountain, they were already here.

She checked the mess hall, and the training room to no avail she couldn’t find them anywhere, she burst into a room wild eyed and Zachariah was talking to another guard when he saw her standing breathing hard and looking disheveled he ran and kneeled in front of her.

“Kaira! What’s wrong?” He looked from eye to eye, she stifled another sob as the second guard retreated from the room, “Zack! They’re already here, these two guys they were in a room and the one of them said they were going to kill us all!” He stood abruptly,

“I’ll handle this, Kaira go to your room, don’t stop for anyone ok, I’ll come get you before the night is over ok, I have to find Brother Noel.” Before she could protest her brother took off, leaving her once again alone. With a sigh she ran back the way she came almost knocking two washerwoman down, they’re yelling followed her the rest of the way to her room, once inside she slammed the door and hid under her blankets. She stared at the darkness engulfing her, praying the the Gods her brother would be ok, that he would find Brother Noel in time and everything would be ok. She must have drifted off to sleep because the next remembers is being shaken.

“Kaira wake up!”Zack's voiced sounded urgent, she looked up to see panic spread thickly across her brother face. She bolted up and looked around, the room was still dark and she couldn’t hear anything.

“What’s wrong, what’s going on?” She muddled through her groggy head, he grabbed her hand and led her out into the biting cold of the hallway.

“Keep your voice down, Brother Noel wouldn’t listen to me, said you were making up stories, I tried to tell him you wouldn’t do that but he cast me away from his chamber, as I was walking to your room, there was a loud crash, and then I heard screaming. I ran back with my sword in hand but when I got to the Gate, there were men everywhere. Kaira you were right they’re here and they aren’t taking prisoners.” As he talked he pulled her behind him, making his way through a series of rarely used tunnels. Behind them they heard laughing and growls, they ran faster their feet slapping against the puddles littering these part of the hallways. The laughing was growing louder behind them and she could see the shadows casted by a torch gaining on them. Zachariah pushed open one of the seemingly normal bricks to reveal a doorknob, he opened it and they rushed inside and shut it behind them. They were know in complete darkness and the air was a thick as mud. Zack squeezed her hand and slowly descended a flight of stairs. Zack seemed to know where he was going as he led them through the unforgiving darkness. They walked in silence for over an hour the only sound being distant dripping, it sounded like they were in a cave. Zack stopped abruptly and Kaira bumped into him, he turned around and shushed her.

“ Zack, I'm cold and scared what's going on, who are those people?” She whispered as she slid against the cave wall to sit on the damp earth. She felt Zack do the same.

He sighed, “Kaira I guess it's time I told you who you really are…” Kaira’s eyes widened in horror as Zack recited what happened the night their mother died.

“I ran the entire night holding you, telling you it'd be ok, you were so quiet I thought something was wrong with you, then I heard voices as a group of men were coming up one of the trails leading to the Far Keep, I hid in the bushes and that's when you decided to start screaming. I tried to quiet you but the men pulled me from the bushes, the men looked at us with saddened curiously. I explained what happened and begged them to not kill us, they smiled and loaded us into their wagon and brought us here, the man that pulled us from the bushes was Brother Noel.” Kaira sat in silence listening to how brave her brother had been, he was only four at the time, and he saved her life.

“But Zack… What's the Far Keep?” He had mentioned that was a place their mother wanted them to go.

“I don't know, once we were here we were safe and well cared for whatever was there wasn't worth risking all of this but now I think we should've gone there sooner, because Kaira you're …” Both their heads snapped to the sound of someone rushing towards them, they scrambled to their feet.

“STOP RIGHT THERE!” Zack yelled, he had his sword drawn ready to fight.

“Zack?” It was Brother Noel!

“Oh thank goodness where's Kaira?” He sounded out of breath.

“I'm right here.” She piped in.

“Oh thank the Gods you're both alright, those monsters they've taken over the fortress, I'm so sorry I should've listened to both of you now quickly they'll find these caves soon enough we must keep going.” He led the way and Zack and Kaira followed closely behind him