Saving Our Kingdom (EDITING)

Saving Our Kingdom

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                                                                  Dustin

"Aithne, my little fire," I began. "If anything were to happen to me, you must keep our child safe and healthy." She looked up, frightened. Her topaz eyes bore into mine, as if to say nothing would happen to me. Her golden hair fell around the both of us in loose ringlets. I hate to make her worry, but she needs to know that I won't always be here. Our child must become the greatest ruler of Grendrellah; a place for all mythical creatures.

"My Dustin, no harm will come to you." Her sing-song voice rang quietly in the room. She took her hand from my chest and stroked my cheek. "I love you; and if a Shadow Person loves you, you can never be harmed." She stretched her neck to kiss me. I put my finger to her lips. "Little fire, it is hard for us to love in bed." She leaned back and pouted. I looked to her stomach that made the sheets lift a little and rested my hand on the small bump.

"He will be a strong leader. Born of the Wolf and Shadow People." Aithne's people can leave thier bodies and travel as shadows, leaving their self hidden so they cannot be found until they return. Wolf People are like the werewolves on Earth. Creatures from Grendrellah have the ability to transport from here to Earth and mingle but that is a rare gift. Only few can get the full power and go to Earth in  their true form.

"Yes. I cannot wait for that day and yet I can." She placed her hand on top of mine. "Sleep well, my prince." She looked from our growing son back to me. "Will it be done after he is born?"

I sighed in frustration. Ever since she found out she was going to have our child, she has wanted me to do this one thing: Change her to a wolf. "Aithne, I cannot do that to you! The pain is hard for someone not born of Wolf. It was hard for me when I first changed. I will not and can not put you through that pain." I cupped her cheek. "You mean more to me than this world." She sighed then nodded. "One of these days."

I went to argue with her but was cut off by a loud crash outside. I leaped to my feet and donned my robe and rushed to the window. I peered out and growled.

"Darling, what is the matter?" Aithne was beside me in an instant. Once she peeked out the window, she hissed at the sight. "Vampires!" Vampires were running around the lawn breaking and smashing everything in sight. The Vampires have been trying to take the throne from the wolves for centuries. Now they are going to try again.

I glanced at my growing son. "You two must get out of here before it is too late." Aithne went to object but I cut her off. "If you don't survive neither will our son; our only chance to rule for another decade."

She searched my eyes then nodded. She rushed to her nightstand and opened the bottom drawer where the secret button was for the escape route. Once the button was pushed, the bed lifted up to reveal a hidden staircase that would lead to the garden maze. From there, it leads to the village and beyond.

"Hurry, my love." I sprinted to her side and kissed her quick then sent her down the stairs. Once she was out of sight, I put the bed down just in time. The Vampires burst through the door. They searched and tipped everything. The leader spotted me. He had dark hair and pulsing black, bottomless eyes. He was infront of me in less than a second.

"Where is she?!" He bellowed. I didn't answer and looked away from his gaze. He snarled and grabbed my chin so I would look in his eyes. While pinching my chin between his iron grasp, he asked, "Where is she? Where did you put her?! Tell me!" I stared him down. He released me and backhanded me.

I fell and cracked my head on the marble floor. With a blurred gaze, I repositioned my jaw so it would set right as the healing process began. "She is not here. You won't find her. Long live the Wolf People!" That earned me a kick to the ribs.

I slid across the floor into the drawer where just a few minutes ago helped Aithne escape. It took all of my willpower not to look under the bed where the staircase was. Blood trickled out of the corner of my mouth. The Vampire sniffed and scrunched up his nose. "Disgusting. Horrid blood of an enemy."

He started to pace. After a few steps, he sniffed then started pacing again. He did this a couple more times before he howled in anger. "Why can't I get her scent?! It's as if she doesn't exist." I smirked. Shadow People don't have scents. As their names state, they are shadows.

I quickly glanced at the bed then looked away before any one of the Vampires saw. I hope she made it out okay. She must have made it to the village by now. Away from the Vampires, away from harm. A place that will let our son grow and prosper.

I glanced back at the bed. The lead Vampire saw me as I looked back to him. He smiled wickedly. He walked to the right leg of the bed and gripped it hard. With a grinding sound, the bed was ripped from the wall and thrown across the room where it shattered into a million splinters. He laughed in triumph.

"Search the hidden passage! She's got to be down there. Whoever finds her, bring her to me and you will be rewarded with as much blood as you want from the village!" There were eager and pushy snarls that came from the other Vampires as they disappeared down the stairs.

"No." I stared down the passage in horror. The lead Vampire stood over me. "You monster!" I cried. I stood only to be knocked off my feet and thrown accross the room into the wood shards. As my vision faded, I saw the Vampire throw the gas lamp onto the floor next to the sheets. They instantly caught and set the room ablaze. The fire traveled on the sheets to the wood pile where I was lying.

"So long, King of Grendrellah. May you find your ancestors in the Next World." With that he broke though the window to the ground below and left me to burn.

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Aithne

I made it just outside the village in time to see smoke coming from the castle. I gasped in horror. "Dustin! May the love of a Shadow Person fill you and keep you from harm and pain!" Afterwards, I released my love to fill Dustin, keeping just a tiny part of that love in my heart. I was drained of energy and became exausted.

"Hello, my queen." A sinister voice came from behind me. I turned to see a Vampire girl. She looked like she was turned as a teen. Her rich black hair was cropped to a pixie bob at her shoulders. Her eyes were glowing a dark brick red. She might have been an elf before she became a Vampire but her ears were slowly loosing their elfish point.

"My name is Bellanis. You won't need to remember it though, since you will be dead soon." She reached for me. I let out a glass breaking screech. Gas lamps filled rooms and people came out of their houses to see what the noise was. Then, more Vampires came to take me away.

"Help me, loyal subjects!" I cried. The villagers- Elves, Dwarfs, Nymphs, Shadow People, Dryads, and Fairies- rushed from their houses to me. "Save the queen! Protect the queen!" A small battle broke out. I was able to get myself out of the middle and away from harm. Just before I made it out, I got shoved and I landed on my stomach. I hurried back onto my feet and into the arms of the Elves who were standing in the back, shooting arrows at the retreating Vampires.

"Are you alright, your Highness?" He asked. He stood about seven feet tall with light green skin and emerald eyes. I nodded. "Yes. I think so." I rested my hand on my unborn son. I looked back to the burning castle. I will never love another soul for as long as I live. And I blacked out.