The Jewel of the Five Kingdoms

Anastasia Lucendent Adela

I screamed and kicked as the soldier dragged me by my arm into the panicked crowd of soldiers.

His grip was so tight that I knew I would have bruises from his tight hold after this and when he would loose the tightness of his grip on my arm he would grab chunks of my hair.

"JAMES!" I screamed, kicking the soldier to no avail.

"ANASTASIA!" He screamed back before he was dragged away from me and lost in the crowds.

"Looks like big brother prince isn't here to help you, huh?" The Waterwalker showed me a toothless grin and I screamed in outrage and fear.

I reached out to slap him but he grabbed my free hand and held me by both arms.

He kicked me in the stomach, knocking the breath out of me and causing my knees to buckle and I fell to the floor.

I coughed and tried to get air back into my lungs. My heart thumped against my chest so hard I was afraid it might give out and my head pounded from him pulling my hair.

"Well, well, it looks like the little Crown Princess of the Five Kingdoms finally found her place." He said in a gruff voice as he took in my kneeling position with a smile.

I tried in vain to kick him and when I was forced back down I spit in his face for good measure.

The Waterwalker wipes the spit off with the back of his hand. "Why you little-" he didn't get to finished his sentence.

To my surprise, a boy tackled him, causing the Waterwalker to let go of my hands.

His grip was so tight that when he released my arms he left raw fingernail scratches on my wrist and I cried out in surprise.

I watched in horror as the soldier boy wrestled with the Waterwalker. "Go Your Highness! Go!" He screamed before punching the Waterwalker as hard as he could.

Without a second thought, I turn and fled.

The crowd of men pushed me back and forth, but I continued to run in the direction James had disappeared, or at least that's the direction I thought I was going.

  On the way, I heard my name being called and everything else around me suddenly seemed to not matter.

I knew that voice.

"Anastasia!"

I turned to see Arthur trying in vain to get to me, but he was pulled back by the crowd.

His eyes were so desperate to get to me and he reached out his hand as he tried to fight through the crowd to me.

A bullet shot rang out and he fell to the floor, disappearing into the crowd.

I thought he was safe.

"Arthur!" I screamed. Suddenly my only goal was to reach him and I changed courses and pushed through the crowd of men to get to him.

I had searched for him and couldn't find him in the crowd and assumed he was taken to safety. How is he out here?

I started running towards him as fast as I could. I could see a flash of his blond hair through the crowd. He was laying on the steps leading to the thrones.

Was he moving?

  "ARTHUR!" I screamed, my voice becoming hoarse from my cries and I reached out to him, so close to touching him.