The Dream Oath

Chapter 2.1

The horns rapped out three sharp blasts. Maria shot up from the pianoforte so fast she knocked the stool over.

Her maid rushed into the room as Maria righted it.

"My lady!" Gwen gasped for breath. "The city is under attack. They will be at the castle gates soon. The King has ordered you confined to your rooms. Please hurry."

Maria picked up her skirts and ran after Gwen. Guards were pouring out if every doorway and paid no attention to the two women rushing passed.

They reached her rooms as shouts began to echo through the castle. Maria made sure her two maids were both in before the three of them barred the door.

"Where are the guards?" Maria asked as they wrestled the heavy wood beam into place.

"General Draco took all the soldiers. The few left are old men or boys in training. The King said he could spare no one," Gwen informed them.

"Who is invading?" Maria pressed in desperation to get a handle on the situation.

"I heard one of the guards curse the East Kingdom on the way here," June replied.

"Do you think they brought their full force?" Maria asked.

"I don't know." June lapsed into silence as the situation sank in for the three of them.

The three women sat in Maria's sitting room, not one able to do or say much. The shouts and the clang of metal rang up through Maria's narrow window. She finally got up and shut it. Even the thick glass couldn't drown out the noise feeding their terror.

Maria was trying to rack her brain for anything she could do to help. But she'd never been trained to use a sword or a spear. Watching her brother and Draco's lessons from their childhood wouldn't be much help against trained soldiers. So she waited, holding her posture up was the best she could do at this point.

When boots started to clamor up the stairs to her rooms, Gwen and June looked to her for direction. Maria rose and picked up her quill knife. It didn't give her any comfort as she faced the door gesturing her maids to stand behind her, but she held herself a little straighter. No matter what happened to her, she might manage to cost one of them an eye.

The noise stopped just outside the door. Silence more deafening than the boots and shouting.

"Princess?" a deep voice called through the door.

"Who asks?" she shouted back.

"This is General Edgar. Your kingdom has fallen. Please unbar the door, so we may make new arrangements for you."

"Thank you, General, for not breaking down the door. I would prefer my rooms to death or the dungeon and plan to remain in them until I hear from my brother," Maria called out her shaking hands betraying the steadiness of her voice.

Silence thundered for a moment. Edgar continued,

"Princess, I'm sorry. Your brother is dead."

Maria locked down the part of her trying to break down and give in to hysterics. She took a deep breath.

"You bring nothing but sorrow and my maids nothing but fear, General. Why should I unbar my door for you?"

"My Lady, you can either let us in, or we can break down the door. Neither you nor your maids will be harmed."

"Then break it down."

Maria stood back as a metal cylinder left a hole in the center of her door followed by axes hacking a large enough hole for a gauntleted hand to lift the beam out of its brackets.

The beam clattered to the floor as a suit of armor pushed through the door. Nothing was visible of the man in the armor with a bright white plume sticking out of the top of his helmet.

Soldiers looking tired, but ready for anything filled the hallway behind the general. Maria faced him and waited as he stopped about two arms lengths away.

"My Lady," General Edgar bowed. "your lands are now under the protection of King Ralse. There is no need to be afraid. You and your servants will be treated with the utmost courtesy.

The suit of armor inclined his head to Maria and her maids standing tall behind her. He waited as if expecting a response.

"Tell me, General," Maria paused to figure out how to get a handle on the situation. "You invade my kingdom, murder my brother, and slaughter countless civilians beyond a reasonable age to carry a sword. Which part of your little speech do you expect me to believe?"

"Frankly, my lady, none of it. My brother is the diplomat. I am better at breaking heads, so this is about the limit of my patience. No one else will be harmed unless they're attempting violence. King Ralse requests your presence to work out the future of his kingdom. You may follow me or be dragged."

The detestable suit of armor turned and walked away with astonishing grace like the armor weighed nothing at all.

Maria nodded to her maids to follow and trailed after him holding her chin as high as possible.