A Diamond Among Men

Chapter 17: Empty Hearts

The sky was dark and stormy when Robin and the rebels stood at there positions around the palace. Along the walls, soldiers stood to attention, their spears glinting the flash of lighting. There were many of them, but Robin knew his men could defeat them. 

They had to. 

A peal of thunder cracked over their heads. With a loud shout, the first group charged at the soldiers with Wiliam at the lead. While they fought, Robin leads his group to the wall. Gripping a coil of rope he tied it to a hook and swung it over his head. The hook soared through the air and over the wall. Robin yanked at it. Satisfied with itès firm grip, he began the climb. One by one more of his group swung their own hook and scaled up the wall. Once on top, they raced inside, cutting down any soldiers in their path. 

"Where do you think it is?" Asked Kai. Before Robin could answer, a shadowy figure jumped out from behind a nearby pillar. The figure revealed to be the queen, and in her hand was a sword. She smirked. 

"What's the matter? Feeling lonely?" Robin glared at her. 

"Smith, Daniel, Nathaniel go with Kai." 

"But what about you?" Daniel asked. Robin pulled out his sword. "I'll be fine, go!" 

Once they were alone, the queen snickered. 

"I must thank you for making my job easier, Robin. If it wasn't for your curse, Amanda won't be dead right now." Anger boiled under his skin. He lunged at her, but the queen quickly doged him 

"Don't you dare speak of her!" 

"Oh, temper, temper." Taking a deep breath, Robin slowed his rage and the angry veil that clouded his eyes disintegrated. Robin lunged again, but this time, he was prepared. He twisted his body midstep and managed to nick her cheek. Bright blood trickled down her cheek. The queen swiped at it and growled at him with a fire burning in her eyes. With a yell, the two of them lunged at each other and fell into an intense duel. 

Meanwhile. somewhere in the castle, Kai and the others wandered around think of where the queen could possibly hide such a magical flower. They checked the garden, the bedrooms, the court the inner court and everywhere they thought of but no flower. 

"Where could it be?" Smith muttered. Just then a crash startled them out of their skin. 

"What was that?" Cried, Daniel. 

"Its foming from above us," Nathaniel said. "But that is impossible, there are no stairs!" Kai pressed the bridge of his nose to think. 

"What if there is a stair but we just can't see it?" 

"Like a secret passageway?" Smith suggested. 

"Exactly! Everyone starts looking around the room, for a door or handle or something." Kai said. And so, they did. They turned the room upside down, looking for a potential lever of some kind to open the secret passageway. 

While they looked. Robin shoulder's burned. He has been duelling with the queen for almost an hour. During that time, he had been able to spill more blood, but he also received some lashes himself. 

"For years I have been waiting for the chance to end that girl's life since she ended mine." The queen spat. She tripped Robin and the man landed on his face with a loud groan. Wincing, he reached for his sword that was just in his reach, but she knocked it away and crushed his fingers with her boot. "How could she end your life," Robin struggled to say. "When you are still standing?" The queen let out a cackle of laughter. "Life comes in many forms, young man. From a hobby to a person." 

"You were in love." Robin guessed. 
"I was until that brat sent him on a journey to his death." Suddenly something in Robin's mind clicked. As evil as the queen was, she once had a heart. A heart that didn't know when to let go. Something he was now learning himself. 

"I understand, I know how it feels," Robin said. He shrieked when he felt the blade cut into his hip.

 "Don't tell me you understand!" The queen screamed at him. "No one could possibly feel my pain!" There was a look in her eyes.  A look of pitch blackness. A soul so dark it gave Robin the chills. The queen took what once love into pure hate. Hate that could not be redeemed. A soul beyond saving. It was worth a try. Wincing. He grabbed her foot and mustering all of the strength he pulled her down with a thump. Then with a quick twist of his wounded hips, he yanked out the sword and plunged it into the queen's empty heart. Shock plastered on her face. She wheezed and coughed. Blood gurgled at the back of her mouth, dripping down her chin. Suddenly the fire that burned in her eyes went out and was replaced with a stony grey. 

He did it. 

Instead of great joy, he only felt more pain, bursting from his mind and body. 

"Robin!" Cried, Kai. We found the Enchanted rose!" Robin rolled onto his back, hissing with pain, to see them rush over. They looked over to the dead queen and whistled. Robin wanted a chuckle, but he ended up coughing. blood spat out from his mouth, and he held his side. His men took one of his arms and swung it over their shoulders. 

"Come on, Snow is waiting for you."