The Ice Queen of Lessaenes (Book 5)

The War

Saralee's age: 12

Keilee's age: 15

Airel's age: 10

Armetorius's age: 17

Location: Royal warship

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"Today is the day," the words filled my brain, echoing through my head, as I pulled the silky green button-down shirt over my head. It was all anyone on the warship had been saying for hours. Today was the day we were going to bomb Earth. Today was the day we were finally going to win the Second Galactic War. 

The First Galactic War happened many years before I was even born, and it was so destructive to both Earth and the Lessaenite Empire that my parents and the President of the Human Union agreed that they never wanted anything like it to happen again. Yet, it did. 

Note from Queen Saralee: The President of the Human Union...don't even get me started about that guy. 

It started three years ago, when Lessaenite soldiers mistook the ship of a human emissary for a rebel outpost and shot it down. Things just got more complicated from there, until both planets were involved in a complex web of misunderstandings and boom! Earth bombed Kilaenas City, my parents were infuriated by the "totally uncalled for" burst of violence, and the war began. 

As I finished getting dressed and braiding my long, black hair down my back, I paused for a second in front of my mirror. With my loose shirt and thick black leggings, I hardly looked like a princess. If only I was pretty like Keilee, I would be able to wear dresses without looking like a living stick...

 "All passengers please report to the main deck for an announcement," said a loud automated voice over the speakers. It was time. 

I excitedly rushed out of my room and down the stairs, joining the stream of soldiers and other various warship personnel rushing to the main deck, where my parents waited along with Keilee and Airel on the dais. 

My mother motioned for me to join them and I did, slowly stepping out of the crowd that filled the deck's open space and walking up to stand with the rest of the royal family. 

"Today is a day we will all remember," my mother announced proudly. "Today is the day we will show those humans who was meant to rule this galaxy!" 

Cheers erupted in the crowd as everyone took their positions at various stations on deck. We royals remained on the dais, watching the proceedings. 

Soon, we were as close to Earth as we would get, just a couple of kilometers from being pulled into orbit. I walked up to the window and stared at the blue-green planet. I hated to admit it, but New America at night was beautiful. I admired the shapes of Earth's continents, so rugged and natural, carved by the forces of the planet itself instead of machines...

The soldiers on the floor began to adjust multiple levers to aim the three bomb-containing pods our ship was in charge of, and knew the other three Lessaenite warships were doing the same. Twelve high-energy blasts to New Washington. We would completely decimate the Human Union's capital city.

"Release the pods!" My father bellowed, and the soldiers yanked up the levers on the side of the ship. We watched as the metal capsules dropped from each ship simultaneously, set on a perfect course for New America. It was almost surreal, our victory was so near...

A powerful blast rocked our ship and I nearly fell over. My entire family rushed to the window to see a sleek cruising ship rush past us. It had a hook attached to its belly, which it used to knock our pods off course, sending them careening into space. Squinting, I managed to read the letters on its side. "Human Union Space Station." This was bad. This was really, really bad. 

"What's a HUSS spacecraft doing up here?" My father spat, scrunching up his forehead with fury. "Don't those things stay in orbit when they're not fighting a battle?" 

"From the signals I've detected, it appears that HUSS was alerted of our movements approximately a couple of hours ago, Your Majesty" said an elderly scientist, walking out of the control room. 

"Then they've had a couple of hours to prepare!" My mother exclaimed. 

"That they have," the scientist nodded gravely. 

"Sara, Keilee, Airel, go to your rooms and lock the door!" Mother told us frantically. 

Keilee was up the stairs and around the corner before I could even turn around, her long skirts trailing behind her. Sometimes, she was such a stereotypical helpless princess - no- most of the time.

Note from Queen Saralee: You got that right.  

Airel and I exchanged looks of inquiry before we too went up to our rooms. 

As soon as I was in my room, I pressed my cheek to the window, watching the battle outside. Our four bombers had taken down two of the smaller HUSS ships so far, but HUSS had a seemingly limitless supply of the unmanned fighters, as they continually flew at our warships, spitting out small bullets. Good thing most of them bounced off our Aural shields. 

For nearly an hour, we continued to take down the Human Union's ships, until something changed. Instead of attacking randomly like they had before, they assembled into a line, running at our first bomber. The colossal warship tried to move out of their way, but it was nowhere near as fast as the smaller ships, which rammed into it. I gasped with horror as the large ship sunk into the depths of space. 

My Aura began to bubble in my fingertips, and I took deep breaths to keep it inside. It was clear that we were losing the battle, nobody needed another one of my Aural explosions to distract them. Yet, as I watched our second bomber lose a wing and tumble to its silent demise, I stood up, electricity surging through me. My Aura wasn't going to stand by and watch our shameful defeat. 

A layer of glowing blue enveloped my eyes, and I rushed out the door, giving my Aura full control of my actions. 

Note from Queen Saralee: Yeah! Go me! Destroy them!!!

"Sara! What are you doing?" Armetorius filled the doorway before me, blocking me from going down to the main deck.

Note from Queen Saralee: Gosh, Armetorius, you know better than to disturb me while I'm killing or preparing to kill!

"Defending my Empire," I said simply, raising my hand in the air and watching as he flew backwards against the wall. Oops, I hadn't meant for that blast to be so strong. But Armetorius was like a boulder, nothing could hurt him. 

When I got to the deck, I found both my parents gone and most of the soldiers distracted. The timing was near perfect. 

Hurrying to the nearest of the thick windows, I scanned the scene outside. Two of our ships were down, and the third had taken damage. Miraculously, the royal ship was the only one left relatively untouched. Though we had taken down myriads of HUSS ships, they continued to flood in by the dozens.

That was when I realized we were doing this all wrong. For every plane we destroyed, HUSS would send in two more. We had to stop this at the source.