The Royal Engagement

Chapter 15

She was aware that the next action she decided upon within the brief second she had, would determine where everything would end. The light dressing of tears that glazed her eyes, reflected the barrage of arrows that were launched her way.

She couldn't die now...

She only just managed to prepare herself for what was to come...

If she died here, the regrets would weigh her too much to make it to the afterlife. She had to do something. She had to do something live. She wasn't going to die.

The arrows were but a few meters away, propelling towards her. She had been in frozen state of mind, realizing something had to be done to avoid the danger yet never following through.

"Your Highness!"

Only then, when the concerned scream of the guard running towards her reached her ears, was she able finally act. Buckling her knees, she came crashing to the floor before crawling over into the cover of the table's legs. Flipping her head to back, she saw the final countenance of fear and shock etched unnervingly upon the guard's face as he stumbled upon the larger threat. The look in his eyes confirmed to both himself and Amy what was to soon become of him.

There was no time...

The army of arrows came down on them like the fist of god. Littering the sky before first touching right through the guard's armour to his stomach. Of course, he still had a fighting chance to live – it was only the stomach. But the sea of arrows left no mercy. Following the first's lead, several pierced through to his heart, arms, legs and finally the deathly blow to the head.

Amy squealed in fright and huddled low under the table's cover as the attack continued to strike around her even after the death of the guard.

Her eyes squeezed shut and her hands securing her head as she scrunched into a tight ball and tumbled out tears – wishing and praying that it would soon end; hoping that this was a dream...all of this...

The sounds of the arrows hitting the balcony around her began to quieten. Her heartbeat slowed from the abnormal irregular beats to its normal pattern – she could hear it in her ears. That was all she could hear...

Had it stopped?

Slowly, she peeked through her hesitantly opening eyelids. She was expecting to view the destruction brought upon by the graveyard of arrows, but instead her vision had been covered in a sheet of white.

Where was she?

She let out the constricted breath inside her at last; surprised to see it turn to a puff of smoke in front of her. That would mean...

She looked up to the familiar environment around her. Thin, sickly trees emerged from the thick but soft blankets of snow to bear thousands of snowflakes in the absence of its leaves. The sky was turning a dark hue of blue as it rained down these small, white petals of snow.

This, without a doubt, had to be the Laphitian Kingdom...

A warm smile drew onto her face. Home...

She missed it more than ever... This cold air, this mystical wonderland of white.

But, what was doing here?

Wasn't she in the Sirium Empire just a moment ago? Or was that all an absurd dream she was having?

Confused, she assessed the world around once more before noticing something odd. Looking over her physic, she realized that her body had unusually become smaller in height and weight. She felt less capable than she normally did as well. A ridiculous thought came to her head in the peak of attempting to find an immediate answer to her bemusement.. Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, she anxiously lifted back the ruffled sleeves of her dress.