Shattered Kingdoms | Book 2 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 3 - Escape From Blackrose Castle

A hideous demon stood in the doorway. Adrian stared, horror struck, at it. His father shoved him out of the way and charged at the demon. Striking down the creature, he turned back to his family.

"Why do you still stand here? Escape! I'll hold them back, but you have to live!"

"Never! Father, Sanobar needs more than you sacrificing your life! Sanobar needs your constant strength and justice. I'm not enough!" Adrian growled and grabbed his father's arm. Surprisingly, the king put up no resistance and let his eldest son lead him along. Pressing yet another hidden button, the king pushed what seemed to be solid wall like the rest of the room, but it swung easily inwards. Zaiela moved in first, grabbed a torch from one of the scones that lined the walls and struck a flame with the many stones that littered the ground. Then, holding the torch aloft, started running towards the light at the end of the tunnel. The rest of the group followed after her.

They arrived in a little stable with an exit into the woods. There were six horses, one for each member of the royal family and the mercenaries had to ride double with the princesses. Lasair rode with Elvina and Kylian rode with Zaiela. Kylian, being honorable, sat up on the horse before offering his hand to Zaiela. Lasair simply got up and left the younger princess to be boosted up on the horse by one of her brothers. Afterwards, Leyon mounted his own horse and glanced at the rest of the group. All were seated on their horses except for Adrian who had opened the gates to the stables. He mounted his horse and led the way out of the castle. In the tunnel, they heard the yelling of the demons and the princesses, riding with the mercenaries, rode after Adrian. Leyon and the king followed, with the queen riding last. Adrian turned and saw the demons burst out.

"They're escaping! Archers! Shoot 'em!" An armoured demon yelled. Immediately a dozen archers drew abck their bows and losed their arrows. One from the party of escapees cried out, but none toppled from their saddles.

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When they were certain that no one had followed them, they halted their frantic pace. Adrian dismounted and went to help his mother dismount. He gasped when he saw her dress was covered in blood.

"Father! Mother's been hit!" He cried. The king made his way to the queen and quickly, but carefully, hoisted her off the horse. An arrow was lodged in her back, and another had gone through her leg. She was as pale as her white dress and panted for breath.

"I know... I'm not going... to make it... help Eli... to get... over... me." She said. Leyon ran to his mother's side, after sending Elvina off to gather wood for a fire. The two mercenaries had also followed the youngest princess. Zaiela knelt by her mother and fumbled for something in her pouch. She withdrew a small vial.

"Here, mother. Drink this. It should ease your pain." She said, uncorking the vial and holding it to her mother's lips. The queen drank and gave a small sigh, "Thank you, darling Zaiela. It doesn't hurt anymore." She said, her breath coming easier.

"Father? Can we save her?" Leyon asked.

"No... She has lost too much blood. If we pull out the arrow, she will die quickly. As it is now, she will likely leave us soon. However, the arrow is blocking the blood flow from her back.

King Kashius drew her close, his eyes watering. Adrian saw that, and squeezed his mother's hand once before leaving. He motioned for his siblings to join him, giving their parents a moment of privacy.

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"Oh, mother." Zaiela cried. Leyon gave her a comforting hug.

"It'll be okay. She'll be in the Ether. We'll see her again, when it is our time." Adrian said.

Leyon raised his head and gave Adrian a glare, "You are clearly unable to comfort. Go and find the others. Eli and the mercenaries should be around here somewhere. Try to break it to Eli as gently as you can." He added sharply.

"Yes, brother." Adrian said mockingly before wandering out of sight.

He found Elvina hopelessly tangled in brambles with the mercenaries bickering about who was to help her out. Adrian quickly helped her out, removing the thorns that clung to her leggings and pulling her up.

"What in the name of Pelos the Good are you up to?" Adrian snapped at Lasair and Kylian. They spun to face him with guilty expressions. Adrian brushed past them, pulling Elvina along gently, "Come along, Eli. Get the mercenaries to carry the wood you gathered."

"Adrian? We didn't actually gather any wood. They were bickering the whole time. It took them five minutes to notice I got stuck and another ten to find me." Elvina sighed.

Turning to the mercenaries again, Adrian barked orders to them, "Gather some wood now. Lasair, go north and gather thirty large sticks. Kylian, go east and gather forty. Go, now."

With no resistance, they each went their separate way.

Turning back, Adrian grabbed Elvina's hand again, leading her back to camp. He swallowed, trying to get his voice working.

"Eli... there's something..." He hesitated.

"What?" She said irritated. Being near Lasair and Kylian wore people out. It wore out their patience as well as temper.

Adrian was silent a moment, unsue of how to tell his youngest sister that her mother was dead. Elvina would be heartbroken.

"Uh..." He couldn't bring himself to tell her.

"Well? Adrian! Just tell me. Did you do something wrong again?" She said, exasperated.

"N-no! It's... hard to tell you..."

They walked in silence for a little while longer while Adrian wondered how to tell her. He turned to her again, and steeled himself.

"Eli... what I wanted to tell-" He was cut off by Elvina's sharp cry.

"Oh. No... no. Not mother! No... it... can't be! Mother!"

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Above song is from my favourite TV show - I think it matches quite well with the beginning of this chapter

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06/08/19 - First Published