Heroes and Thieves

Prologue

Prologue. The Storm.

“When faced with the choice to love or deceive, therein lies the path to Heroes and Thieves” ~Vanessa Carlton

“Oh, God,” a woman’s strained voice pierced through the unholy silence. “Ohhh!” Her cries became weaker and weaker the longer she lay there alone in the darkness.  

The night was foggy and damp, and not much could be heard above the wind as it violently thrashed against the large window sills, yet her cries for help were infallibly persistent.

“This way.” An assemblage of armour clad men ran down the narrow halls, their footfalls echoing loudly off the walls over the ravenous mixture of blood curdling screams and the clash of thunder. “We don’t have much time!” The storm outside persisted mercilessly.

The commotion was enough to wake Margaret and James, who were sleeping soundly in their comfortably sized bed. Margaret lifted herself and swung her legs over the edge of the bed groggily to better hear what was happening, her hands drifting protectively over her swollen belly as she did so. As the young woman regained complete consciousness, she reached over and shook her husband, who’d almost immediately returned to his deep slumber.

“James.”

The man didn’t budge. Her eyebrows knitted together with worry. “James, please. Something is happening. James.” She called his name louder, rapidly shaking his shoulder until his dark eyes flew open and he quickly jumped up, almost falling off the bed.

“Margaret... I,” she didn’t allow him time to finish his sentence. She began pulling on her long silk robe and made her way fretfully to the chamber doors, her husband slowly following suit.

“Darling, I’m afraid that something is very, very wrong. What if...” Her words faded into the darkness. Everything was quiet now. Margaret’s eyes filled with hot, heavy tears as she caressed her belly again. James wrapped her up in his arms and whispered to her soothingly.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, my Dear. Please, do not get yourself worked up. If we were in any danger, we’d know by now. I would never risk endangering our family, Margaret.” She swiped at the tears under her lids, composing herself with deep breaths.

“Now, let’s get back to bed, I’m sure whatever all that commotion is, it’ll be dealt with in good time,” James spoke, stifling a yawn. “Let’s return to bed.”

Margaret wriggled free of his hold, looking her husband in the eye with a look of pure defiance. “No.”

“Excuse me?” At this point he began to sober up.

“You heard me, James. I will not.”

With every word that followed, her tone became stronger and more determined. Eloquently, his wife continued her speech. “I will not just sit here in blissful ignorance whilst there could be potential life-threatening danger lurking throughout our halls. You are supposed to look out for us, our family,” Margaret’s hands gestured towards her belly. “You are a leader, whether you like it or not, and this is the time that you prove it. James,” she reached one hand out and secured it onto the door handle. “I am going whether you come with me or not.”

She proudly held her head high, and James knew all too well that she wasn’t about to back down; it was the reason he loved her, the reason everyone knew she’d be a great Queen. Begrudgingly he took the lead as his wife opened the chamber doors, walking out into the pitch black halls. There was nothing to be heard, save for the loud roar of thunder and occasional cracks of lightning. Margaret’s hold on her husband's arm tightened.

“Where…” Margaret didn’t have to finish her sentence; James knew what she was thinking. Where was everyone? As they walked out of the large bedroom, there wasn’t a single soul standing at their door or waiting down the halls. There was just emptiness surrounding James and Margaret, something neither of the two were used to. There entire lives there was always a heard of people waiting on them or invading their privacy, an awful disadvantage that the young couple had always had to live with for most of their lives together, and now that there was no one to watch them; no one to hover or guard the two, they each felt terribly lost and out of place.