Innocent Souls

Chapter 9

3 Months after the announcement and after the second soul that was stolen Anna saw the kingdom grow dark. There was more fights, families fighting each other for power of the others. Anna was walking back to the castle with her newly picked herbs and flowers, when she was surrounded by 6 men. "Look what we have here it's the witch" one cooed. Anna glared at the men "what do you want?" she hissed.  The men giggled at her anger "it's your fault this kingdom gone to hell you wench" one of the men growled. She looked at the men they all had a dark look in them, then one looked at her with a dark lust licking his lips. Anna felt a chill run down her spin, she never been in this situation and she didn't like it. Anna could she there was darkness in there soul something she never seen before, corrupted souls.Anna anger started to show her eyes started to glow violet "How dare you talk to me like that you have no idea who you are talking to" Anna's voice growled. The men froze and began to sweat Anna could see the fear in there eyes. There where knights on patrol notices what was going on and started to head towards the group. "Samuel what are you doing here?" one of the knights said stepping forward. Samuel looked to be the youngest of the men with light brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. He started to look worried when he turned to the knight "brother I.." he started. The knight looked like Samuel but older and with short beard. Anna looked to them both still with anger running through her "Fredrick you know this young man?" Fredrick looked and Anna and did a little bow with his right hand over his heart "Lady Anna, this is my younger brother Samuel." Anna looked back at the men and saw the one with the dark lustful look took out a dagger and walked up to Samuel. Samuel turned to the movement behind him, in just a few seconds Samuel grunted and bent down in pain. In a blink of an eye Fredrick was holding Samuel in his arms on the ground where the other knights fighting the other 5 men, there where screams from both side. Anna ran to Fredrick side "Please help him, h-he is all I have" Fredrick said with tears in his eyes. Anna just nodded looking at the dagger in Samuel's she grabbed Fredrick's arm, she then looked at 3 men dead on the ground and two got away "once you are done here come back to the castle" Anna said then vanished with Fredrick and Samuel. The knights stood there with there mouths open with shock on what happened. 

They appeared in Anna's room at the castle, she got up and went to get her medical supplies. Fredrick was shocked and looked around then became sick, while Samuel was in too much pain  all he did was grunt. "Put him on the table" Anna ordered. Fredrick picked up Samuel and placed him on the table. Anna started to grind up different herbs to make a paste and then she grabbed a leather book and placed it into Samuel's mouth. "This is going to hurt so bite this" Anna said grabbing her homemade spirits from her cupboard. When Anna stood next to Samuel on the table with jug in hand with spirits she slowly placed her other hand on the dagger. Samuel winced and the slight motion and touch "ready?" Anna said looking at him with concern. Samuel gave a quick nodded and Anna pulled out the dagger, once the dagger was out Anna poured the spirits on the wound. Samuel screams where muffled by the book in is mouth, then the door burst open. Both Anna and Fredrick looked towards the door where Queen Theresa with a visible baby bump. "What is going on?" Theresa said with concern in her voice. "Sorry did we wake you" Anna said while still pouring spirits on Samuel. Fredrick did a slight bow still concerned for his younger brother. Theresa walked over "what do you need help with?" Fredrick looked at her with shocked "please pass me the green paste be careful not to touch the paste it self" Anna said pointing to the freshly made paste on the cupboard. Theresa just nodded and walked to the paste and carefully grabbed it by the bottom and walked over to Anna. Anna then grabbed a little on her forefinger and middle finger "This is a numbing paste it will help ease the pain" Anna said wiping the pasted on Samuel's wound. He cringed and the pain of the paste around his wounds then he started to relax when the pain started to fade. "Fredrick you may need to hold him down just in case, Queen Theresa would you mind getting out the needle and thread?" Anna asked still applying the paste. Theresa nodded and went to get the needle and thread while Fredrick moved to Samuel's head and placed his hands on Samuel's shoulders. Once Theresa came back with the needle and thread Anna wiped her hands on a cloth that was near her. "Thank you can also get some bandages too please?" Anna asked Theresa when she dipped the needle in the last of the spirits. Theresa nodded and walked out the room to get bandages. "Okay this may still hurt a little Samuel please stay still as much as possible" Anna said finishing sterilizing the thread on the needle. Anna started to thread the needle through his skin to close the wound blood still boring out, Anna using the cloth near her to clean the wound so she could see. When Theresa walked into the room again with bandages in her hands she had open eyes in shock form the sight of a needle going through skin she became pale. "Fredrick please help her majesty to a seat she is starting to look green" Anna said looking up from her work. Fredrick jumped up and hurried to Theresa's side and help her sit down on the bed looking away from the bloody mess on the table. "Sorry my hands are a mess your majesty" Fredrick bowed and grabbing the bandages from her hands. "That's okay" Theresa said weakly. Anna smiled towards Theresa 'she is being brave' she thought. Once Anna finished closing the wound she broke the thread "lift him up so I can bandage him" Anna said to Fredrick. Samuel moaned to the movement. "Thank you for helping him Lady Anna" Fredrick said with a sad smile. "You are one of the new knights in training?" Anna asked. "Yes I wanted to help protect the people and my mostly my brother" Fredrick said proudly. He then sighed "we lost our parents to the cold when we where young I had to raise him by myself and work to keep us fed." Anna nodded and looked at him with kind eyes "he is lucky to have a brother like you." Anna finished rapping the bandage and tied it off. "Earlier how did you I mean.." Fredrick started. He was interrupted by Claude walking in with the other knights that where with Fredrick earlier. Claude walked in with anger in his eyes "the men told me what happened." "Oh good Claude your here" Anna said rolling her eyes. "You can take Samuel to rest" Anna said to Fredrick avoiding Claude's angry glare. Fredrick nodded and went to help his brother to his feet another knight walked over to help. Once they left the room Claude stomped up to Anna and grabbed her arm "I heard you used your magic, did you use you magic to save him" he whispered into her ear.  Anna looked at him with anger "no his wound was not bad all I did was clean and closed his wounded" she spat. Theresa cleared her throat and they both turned to her, Claude mouth clenched "sorry you majesty I did not see you there" he said bowing. He then turned towards the door walked walked out. Anna just let out a sigh when he left.

"Now that the rush is over what was all this about" Theresa asked crossing her arms. Anna sighed and walked over to the bed looking at herself in a mess "it has all gone to hell out there" Anna said with sad eyes. Theresa looked over her studying her face "what do you mean?" Anna pounded on what to say and then sighed again "the night of your party out was told that someone killed and stolen a soul, and today.. well.. 6 men including Samuel tried to attacked me." Anna sighed again "there souls where corrupted, I never could imagine to see this happen." Anna placed her head in her hands and shaking her head. "Sister this is not your fault" Life said appearing in front of her. Theresa looked at her with sad eyes and then jumped with a yelp, Anna and Life looked at her concerned. With a smile Theresa grabbed Anna's hand and placed it on her belly "The baby is kicking I am not use to it." Anna could feel the baby move and tears started to feel tears in her eyes, she never felt this before and it made her feel happy. Life saw her eyes and went to have a feel "this child will save us all." Anna nodded the emotions welled up in her heart "she will be our miracle." Theresa and Life both looked at her "its a girl?"The both said in sink. Anna looked at them both and nodded with tears rolling down her eyes and a big warm smile. Theresa smiled and started to rub her belly "hello my baby girl when you come to this world please take care of my friend Anna she needs you. Both Life and Anna looked at her, Anna never had a friend before and she gave Theresa a hug. "Thank you" was all she could say. Anna left her realm she came here for solitude after meeting Theresa she never knew how alone she was. Anna felt so blessed to have met Theresa and she knew this friendship will not last.