Stalemate | A Rise To Power

𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅ ◈ ⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

Lucian unsheathed his sword to parry a blow from one of Kael's knights, his horse boldly charging the assailant's before getting a crossbow bolt in its neck. His horse shrieked and reared backwards, its eyes rolling, and Lucian pulled his feet from the stirrups and jumped off as the horse fell, collapsing to the floor heavily with its muscular bulk. He cursed and ran for the castle, his body tensed for an arrow to pierce his skin at any second. If he could get in, shut the portcullis, and end the stream of Shadowhart men emerging from their hiding spots and rushing across the moat, he would be in a better position. The archers would easily cut the enemy down and oil would burn them all in their armour, dropped from the battlements or murder holes.

How had no one seen the soldiers hiding in the woods? They poured out from the trees and emerged from paths leading up the cliff, swords gleaming.

"Shut the portcullis!" Lucian called to a guard running to the gatehouse before a spear went through him and he fell to his knees, coughing blood.

Lucian sighed. Luckily, if he got the portcullis down, the walls were practically impossible to scale, and the ground was full of tunnels ready to make invaders fall to their death if anyone tried to dig under. The secret passageways gave options for escape, but none of entry. He could see his people loading crossbows on the battlements and longbowmen firing arrow after arrow over the side as a knight raised a red flag, declaring a false truce. Even the Southerners had run in to help, charging into battle to aid their king. Lachlan had followed Lucian inside the castle and was fighting one of Kael's knights, gaining the upper hand. Adina was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Audrey. He prayed they were together and getting to a hidden exit; he would be no help to them until he shut the portcullis and raised the drawbridge.

But the Shadowharts probably have control over the portcullis already if one of ours has not put it down yet.

"Lucian!" someone called as he entered the courtyard.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Kael holding Adina, yanking her head back by her auburn hair, and holding a sword to her exposed throat. Lucian searched for Audrey to find she wasn't there. He prayed she had fled through one of the secret passageways and that Giulio would find his bastard like Lucian had asked him to. He had two living children. Even if he died, he was determined that the Shadowhart succession would never prevail in his territory.

I can marry Audrey off after this. Our family line is stable.

He thought of Ethelind, down in the dungeons, and regretted not executing her earlier. It had taken all his self-control to keep her alive in a cell, knowing that being restrained and helpless was the worst torture for a woman like her. He had planned her death as a show of power; the execution had been planned for that day, but Kael would spare her if he secured the castle. Lucian wouldn't get his retribution, and Kael would gain a formidable ally. He made a note to drag out her death when he defeated Kael.

"Are you really as cold-hearted as they say? If I kill her, will you care?" Kael tilted his head to the side. "Surrender your castle and it will save us a lot of pain, don't you think? You know my birthright is to the South. If you surrender, I will spare your wife and daughter, and just use Northstone as a checkpoint while I gather armies to kick out the usurper's son from Teravardi. We'll let you live in peace after, Shadowharts in the South and Everwoods in the North like it has been since the Development Years ended. We killed your son; you killed my brother. I think we can call it even. Would you even care if I killed Lachlan? He's an annoying prick." He laughed.

Adina watched Lucian, her expression pained, although she gave a subtle shake of her head. Lucian knew what she was trying to say.

I love you, Lucian thought, but didn't say it, letting his expression betray his feelings to her. She seemed to understand and forced a small smile. He loved his wife with all he had and was, but could never willingly capitulate to a Shadowhart, and Adina understood that.

They would call me King Lucian the Laid-back. It wasn't just for his own reputation and honour. It was for his duty as a king. Letting an enemy in to remove the Silverlings from the throne was cruel and selfish. Magnar Everwood had always told Lucian to protect the Everwood line.

Never give in to those Shadowharts, son. They are all greedy, conniving bastards. There is a reason that peace treaties never work with them. They always want more. To have peace, we must not have Shadowharts in the South at all.

Lucian could still see his sister falling off her horse, her blood spraying across the grass, her limp body falling to the ground. Emelyn Everwood, his mischievous but sincere sister, felled with one blow.

"I will never kneel to a Shadowhart. My duty is to the North," Lucian said, wanting to flinch as he said the words, but keeping his calm demeanour.

Hide that weakness of yours. You are a Northerner, son, his father had always told him.

"Until the morrow, then," Adina whispered, unwavering even in the face of death.

Kael sighed and, with a flick of his wrist, drew a red line across her throat, and left her to choke to death on her own blood. Lucian didn't waste time trying to fight him. Instead, he turned and hurried away. He needed to shut the gate and kill all the Shadowhart men already inside, including Kael. He wouldn't let his wife's death deter him, and the pain would come later. For then, he was untouchable by the cruelty of humankind.

"Close the gate," he ordered a Southern guard who shrieked and ran out of the castle with his hands in the air.

Craven, Lucian thought to himself as he ran, his men-at-arms engaging in battles to make sure no one got to him while he hurried to the nearest Northern guard.

"Focus all efforts on raising the drawbridge. Shut the gate," he ordered.

The guard nodded and barked the order to someone else before rushing after them.

Lucian turned with his sword out as he saw Kael had followed him.

A surge of hatred coursed through him upon seeing the man who had killed his wife and sister, and he threw his sword up to meet Kael's. Together they sparred, and Lucian fought with such ferocity he was certain he was going to win. It was the same rage he had felt while fighting Ethelind. Steel kissed steel, clanging against each other as they moved back and forth, Lucian slowly gaining the upper hand. He never lost fights anymore, and Kael would not be the death of him. He would win, and it would all end.

Then he heard someone behind him and felt a sharp point drive through his back. Somewhere in the distance, a bell started ringing.

His mouth opened in realisation, as if to call out a plea. No words would ever come out.

Where's my daughter? He needed to know. But the blade left his back and blood rushed out, a waterfall of his lifespan.

His vision faded as he collapsed to his knees, dropping his sword as he fell. Kael's haunting grey eyes bore into his from where he towered above the fallen king, something resembling pity on his face. Then Kael turned and strode off, leaving Lucian to crumple in a pool of his own blood.

His last thoughts were of Adina, and of gates left open.

RIP King Lucian of the North 😔✌️

Love you all,
Shelly x