Lightning's Retribution

Chapter One

It was a chilly autumn afternoon in the little village of Sibiu, Romania. The streets were covered in yellow and orange leaves as the trees became naked for the approaching winter. The breeze was smooth and cold as it blew the leaves down the pavement. Sitting inside one of the coffee shops at the end of the street, Elora Everglass flipped through a book while taking a long sip of her hot chocolate. The sweet, rich flavor of cacao reminded her of home. Those nights she'd sneak into the kitchen of the palace to make some late-night hot cocoa and always getting caught by her mother. She knew she'd get caught and that her mother would just join her before tucking her into bed. Those memories were bitter-sweet for her because even though they were lovely they were followed by the horrific memories of how her parents were assassinated and she was forced to flee to avoid their same fate.

    You see, Elora wasn't any ordinary girl. She was the daughter of King Hans and Queen Elenor, the rulers of the white witches in the Sorcery Realm of Fairie. Her parents were the kindest rulers Fairie had ever had. They led justly and with honor. Their people thrived under their command, but not all were happy with the monarchy. Elora often found herself deep in the memory of that dreadful day. She remembered waking up to loud bagging and screaming. She got out of her soft warm bed and made her way to the window that looked to the courtyard of the palace. What she saw shook her to her very core.

    What used to be a courtyard covered with blossoming tulips, roses, and many other beautiful flowers, was now filled with hot red flames that seemed to dance as they devoured the flora and small wooden shops that circled the courtyard. People ran away from the dancing flames, but some were not fast enough. Elora couldn't look anymore and ran to the door but stopped cold as she heard voices outside.

"My Lord, my Lady, we need to get you out of the palace as well as Princess Elora. Zaro's army has breached the fortress. It's not safe," Elora heard Thalion, one of her father's guards, say with desperation dripping from his tone.

She gasped as she heard the name; Zaro. He was the general of her father's armies. A ruthless warlock whose eyes were as dark as his soul. Her father never trusted him, but he was the appointed General by Elora's dying grandfather, and Hans wanted to honor his father's last decree. He knew Zaro wanted to run things differently, he wanted to acquire more land by any means necessary, even if it meant going to war with allies. The Sorcery Realm was vast and Fairie was only a piece of the whole realm. Zaro wanted to rule all, but Hans did not, he though forming allies was the best strategy. This caused tension between him and the general, but he never thought Zaro would try to overthrow him.

"I can't leave my people while that mad man destroys everything Elenor and I have accomplished," her father stubbornly replied. "Take Elenor and Elora. Hide them in the Human Realm. Magic is so faint there Zaro won't be able to track them."

"I'm not leaving you. If you stay, I stay. Don't try to change my mind; I am your Queen, your equal and we will fight this foe together just like we have done before. Elora will be okay with Thalion. She's almost eighteen years old, she's strong and she will be alright," her mother did her best to sound determined and not let her voice break as she thought about leaving their daughter.

"But Sir, I can't leav- "

"It's an order, Thalion. Take Elora and leave now!"

    Elora was pulled from her memories by a tapping noise against the glass window beside her. She blinked the tears that threatened to spill out of her caramel-brown eyes and looked to where the sound came from. A raven flapped its wing as it steadied itself right in front of the window. It tapped the window again to which Elora rolled her eyes and murmured, "Always so impatient." She took the last sip of her hot chocolate, stretched her long legs, and made her way to the door.

    The breeze blew on Elora's dark locks as she followed the raven down the street. She rubbed her arm and pulled her cardigan tighter to try and stay warm as the cold air began to sharpen. They made their way to a lone street corner at the far end of the little plaza. The raven flew to the nearest alley, out of her sight. A tall, lean, auburn-haired man exited the shadows in the raven's place.

    "Couldn't you just join me at the coffee shop? You had to drag me all the way here in the freezing cold?" Elora asked Thalion as he walked to her.

    Thalion stood right in front of the princess, a good seven or so inches taller than her, and smirked. "It's good to go out once in a while, Princess."

    "Yeah, in the summer when there isn't any cold breeze annoying me and the sun shines brightly and warmly," Elora huffed and once again snugged her cardigan against her.

    "Noted, Princess," Thalion laughed. "The reason I brought you here will lighten your mood, I promise. I heard that some soldiers and possibly a general who are still loyal to King Hans and Queen Elenor are hiding somewhere in Belgium."

Elora stared at him and smiled "That's amazing news!" she threw her arms forward and gave Thalion a hug. The hug only lasted a few seconds, she quickly pulled away and straighten herself. "We should get going, it's a long way to Belgium."

Thalion cleared his throat and nodded.

"I still think you could have told me inside the warm coffee shop," Elora said as they walked back up the street.

"Princess, this is top secret information, someone could have heard us. Besides, fresh air is good for you." Thalion gave her a knowing glance.

"And a kick in the ass would be good for you" she huffed as she quickened her pace.

He laughed and followed her back to the coffee shop. He knew they had a long a hard road ahead of them and after five long years, they were finally making progress.