The King of Stars and Storms

Chapter Seven

Christopher and Alfie dismounted their horses, took off their cloaks and entered the compound. Once they stepped through the doors they were greeted by the Supreme. "How was your journey?" "Good. No problems at all." "And how was Elizabeth?" "I don't think she's doing so well. Physically she seems fine apart from the bruises but mentally not so much." "What do you mean?" "She's just found out she is royalty, that she has another family and she's having nightmares. I'm worried about her." Christopher explained. The Supreme placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you are but you know Elizabeth. She's strong. She will get through this, she always does." He nodded. "Alright. Now get to training." "Yes ma'am." They said in unison and started sprinting down the hall.

Luca just stared at his mother as she told him the truth. "You have to believe me. I had no idea he would do this. I just wanted to protect her." "I know mother." He said soothingly bringing her in for a hug. She pulled back. "But I'm not the only one you should be telling this too. You should tell Elizabeth too." She nodded. "I just don't want her to hate me." "She'll hate you a lot more if you keep this from her any longer and she finds out from someone else." Mary nodded, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "You're right." She headed towards the door when Luca followed after her. "I'm coming too." She didn't reply and just nodded.

Elizabeth laid on her bed staring at the ceiling, alone with her thoughts. She was brought back to reality when she heard a gentle knock on her door. She quickly sat up. "Come in." She stared at the door and watched as Mary and Luca walked through. They stood still for a while until the doors were closed and they were alone. "Your majesty. Your highness. What can I do for you?" "Please sweetie. You don't have to call us that. You can call me Mother or if you aren't comfortable you can just call me Mary." Elizabeth nodded. "Alright. Mary. What can I do for you?" "We need to tell you the truth." Elizabeth was confused. "The truth about what?" "Everything," Luca replied. Elizabeth perched on the edge of her bed and Mary sat next to her. "Alright." Elizabeth breathed out looking at Mary. "Before you and Luca were born your father kept going on and on about having a son and not wanting a girl. I knew and still know how his temper gets when he doesn't get what he wants." Mary let out a shaky breath. "So when you were born, I was scared for you if he found out. Your parents, Alice and Axel used to work for us and they too knew what your father was like. So when I asked them to take you and raise you as their own they were more than happy too. And I can tell that they did a great job." She paused looking before her two children. "However, your father found out from someone who overheard me talking with your parents and vowed to do whatever it took to get you back." Luca pulled up a chair and picked up where his mother left off. "He is the one who hired the faeries to find you, who killed your parents. It was because of him that they're dead." Elizabeth felt her chest start to get heavy and tears brimmed her eyes. "What?" "We've just figured it out ourselves and we thought we owed it to you to tell you the truth." Elizabeth nodded. "I can't stay here." Mary placed a hand on her shoulder. "We understand. We just want you to know that you are not alone, we will always be here for you."

Elizabeth fixed her cloak then her saddle. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Luca asked as he watched Elizabeth prepare to leave. Mary walked up behind him. "It's what is best for all of us. I know he is your father and you love him but he needs to be stopped before he hurts anyone else it falls back on all of us. He has plans to take over both the Elf and faerie kingdoms. And we all know he won't go down without a fight." Luca sighed. Up until this point he admired his father always thought that he was a good honest man but that all shattered when he found out the truth, about the hundreds of innocent people he had killed, his own people the ones he had sworn to protect. Luca knew that they were doing the right thing, but there was a voice in the back of his head telling him something was going to go horribly wrong. "Diana won't believe us if we don't have proof." Elizabeth gently smacked a hand down on his shoulder. "That is where you come in brother. You have to get him to trust you enough to tell you about his plans. Then once he does you just have to get word to me." He nodded. "Alright, and where will you be?" "Where I have been for the past five years. The Masters." Both Luca and Mary were shocked. "That's where you got your training? I've heard that it is where they train the best soldiers." Elizabeth nodded. "Alright, I better be off before the king catches on and tries to stop me." They nodded. "Why are you leaving? You just got here." Emily spoke approaching them. Elizabeth crouched down to her level. "I have to go." Elizabeth brought her hand out and placed a hairclip into her little sister's hands. "I've had this since I was your age, now I want you to have it. And don't worry I'll be back very soon." Elizabeth hugged Emily before straightening up and giving Mary and Luca a slight nod before climbing on her horse and riding away.

Mary and Luca were roaming the halls after saying goodbye to Elizabeth when they spotted King Gabriel marching over to them looking extremely angry. Luca noticed Aurora standing to the side looking confused and worried. She started to make her way over to him. Luca shook his head. She looked taken back by this then he whispered, "I'll explain later," before turning to his father. "Where is she?" "Where is who?" "Don't play games with me boy. Elizabeth. Where is she?" "She's gone. She left, said she had to clear her head." Mary cut in. "How long for?" He spat. Mary shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. She just said not to worry." "And you didn't try to stop her?" He yelled. Everyone around them stopped and stared. "No, because she's an adult. She can come and go as she pleases. It's not doing anyone any harm. Is she?" Mary spoke calmly, staring straight into his eyes. Gabriel shook his head in defeat and stormed away. Aurora took this as her cue to approach Luca. "What on earth is going on?"

Gabriel stormed into his office alone. He shoved the documents that sat neatly on his desk onto the floor, letting out a scream. The one thing he had been searching for, for the past 20 years has just got out of his grasp, out of his control once again. Gabriel tried to think, what could have possibly made her leave. There was a knock at the door. "Your majesty." "Yes, Lord Marcel." The lord, one of the king's most trusted advisors and friends, entered the room. "I just wanted to make sure that you wanted to still go ahead with the plans." Gabriel straightened up. "Yes. Send a message out to everyone involved. The meeting has moved to tomorrow at sunset." The Lord nodded, bowing, and exiting the room.

Luca dragged Aurora into his room, glancing around the hall to make sure that no one was listening in. "What the hell is going on? Why did Elizabeth leave?" Luca shut the door rushing over to her. "My mother and I told her the truth about everything, that my father was behind the village attacks and that my mother gave her away." Aurora was shocked. "Your mother gave her away?Why?" "To protect her from my father. But that isn't the worst of it." He paused to take in a breath. "He plans to attack both the faerie and elf realms sometime soon and we have a plan to stop him. So I need you to pack your things a get out of here for a while. I'll call for you when it's over." He went to leave but she grabbed his arm pulling him back. "What? No. I'm not leaving you here alone to face him. Let me stay." Luca sighed. "I don't want to see you get hurt." Aurora placed her hands on his cheeks turning his face to look at her. She looked him straight in the eyes. "I promise when the fight starts I will stay out the way. Just let me help in some way." "Fine, there is something you can do."

Elizabeth rode non stop until she reached the Masters compound. She smiled when she saw it in the distance. She was glad to finally be back home. When Elizabeth entered the courtyard it was nearly dawn. She raced through the halls and burst through the door to the Supreme's office. "Elizabeth? I thought you were at the castle." "I need to talk to you it's urgent." "Alright." She turned to the guards. "Get Alfie and Christopher. Now." The guard nodded and left them alone.

ⒸSashabarrow1999