Atlantis 2: A Queen to Be

Chapter 7

A servant girl came running down the hall screaming urgently "PRINCESS DIABLO!" when she reached where the princess was she collapsed in the floor in a heap of tears holding a note up for her. "What's this?" She said taking the note. "It's from Alexandria. She's gone." said the servant girl. "Gone?" Diablo said as she hurried to open the note.

Diablo,

I have gone to reclaim what's mine and put a stop to the madness inside my mind. I borrowed a dagger from Lady Lorna's quarters to protect myself. Please don't be angry with me. This is just something I felt I had to do.

Sincerely

Alexandria Fetch

"Maximus, You must get to Jerl at once and tell him that Lady Alexandria has gone there and is in danger. She is to be protected at all cost." Diablo said urgently. "Ok. I guess our evening will just have to wait." He said smiling as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Oh I wish it could last forever but..." she was saying. "Then I guess I'll just have to make you my queen so that we can have every night then." he said right before he kissed her. "I have to go to work first though." he said. "Do be careful" she said. "Now where would be the fun in that?" he said smiling. He had a wild gleam in his eyes that made her smile in spite of herself. Then he took off down the hall and out the door with Grena and Tural close behind him.
As soon as they were outside Tural stopped them and said "Wait I am to old for all this running." "Oh alright." Grena said. She looked up at the moon. Rubbed her hands together then shook her head. Then she began to change. Her nose grew out, her hands and feet changed to hooves and her body grew large. Maximus jumped back away from her. He had never seen magic work like that before. Grena had changed herself into a large black mare. "How.. wha...?" he was saying. "Well are you going to get on or stand there admiring my hind quarters all night?" she said. Tural hopped up on her back and held a hand down to a still in shock Maximus. Maximus took his hand and hopped up on Grena's back. "Hold on kid." Grena said as she bolted tword the soldiers barracks.

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Jerl was leaned back sitting in the chair at his old desk in the captain's quarters of the soldiers barracks. He had his feet propped up on the desk and was whistling a tune while he whittled away at a piece of birch wood. His mind was replaying his most recent encounter with his wife. He could still smell her skin, taste her lips, and feel her hands as she gripped his back.
"Hows Alonna doing these days?" Janta said as he stood there staring at Jerl from the other side of the desk. Jerl hadn't even noticed he had come in. Jerl quickly sat up and put his feet on the floor. He looked up at Janta with a puzzled look on his face. Janta just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I've known you to long for you to think I don't know that's exactly where you went when you left my house captain. From the looks of ya she was in a friendly mood." he said smiling. Jerl smiled in spite of himself and said "That she was old friend." They both chuckled for a moment. "Did you bring them?" Jerl asked. "I captain. I did." Janta responded as he held out both of Jerl's swords to him. "Good work. Now go home and take care of my daughter." he said. "But captain you don't intend on going in there alone do ya? Your daughter would have my head if I let you go and do a fool thing such as that." said Janta. "This is not up for debate. You're in no condition to be in battles such as I'm heading in to anymore old friend. More importantly, Annastashia would never let me hear the end of it if I let anything ever happened to you. I pick my battles wisely and that's not one I care to engage in." Jerl responded. "Besides from the sound of things I'm not going alone." Jerl said suddenly. "Oh?" Janta replied. Jerl was headed for the door saying "Yeah I hear a horse with one possibly two riders headed this way in a hurry." He opened the door and stepped out just as Tural and Maximus had arrived and were climbing down. "Jerl your job just got difficult." Tural said as he straightened himself from the ride over. "How so?" He asked sternly. "Lady Alexandria has apparently gone after the workhouse master herself." Tural replied. "I see." Jerl sighed. "This is a magnificent horse Max. Where did you get her?" Jerl asked somewhat teasingly. "She's got great hind quarters." said Jerl as he smacked her on her backside. "Watch where you put those hands of yours Shipperman." Grena swung around saying. Jerl just laughed "I figured it was you Grena." he said still laughing.