Alexandria: The Rebel Princess

Chapter 22

The dark of night consumes the streets, windows pulled shut and doors sealed till morning. The echoes of our hooves, fill the silence and the hum of crickets flows from all around in an eerie reminder of my last visit here. At the end of the road are the castle walls, open wide and awaiting my return.

The arching entrance looms around me ready to swallow me whole with the dread of capture. Castle gates rock above us, the sharp blades threatening to trap us in. The long trail towards the castle has nothing welcoming about it. Squeezing Kalen tightly from behind, I try to give myself strength to face my father for one last time.

Kalen pulls the horse to a halt at the bottom of the castle stairs. The castle windows glow above us with an orange fire from the torches warming the halls, but there was no life outside the walls. Everyone dismounts and I look up, not a glow could be seen along the walls. Kalen's outstretched arms summon me forward and I slip off into his embrace, obediently. Staring out into the darkness behind him, I see a small figure running across the fields towards the castle gates.

My feet hit the ground and his name slipped from my lips in confusion, "Tristan?"

Kalen stared into my eyes searching through my distant stare and followed my gaze before his grip tightened around my arm. Wonder crossing his features subtly.

A trail of soldiers came bailing out of the side door, Tristan had escaped from. Followed by a thundering clatter of soldiers' boots echoing from the open castle doors, just as Tristan slips into the city streets.

"Run!" A familiar voice hollers. Rowan?

"Shit," Kalen cursed. Drawing his blade, he pushes me behind him.

Soldiers in uniforms with a slight bronzy hue that I had never seen before came charging out of the castle, attacking the Alexandria soldiers. I stumble back, staring behind me towards where Tristan had gone. What had he done?

Quickly, blood filled the once pristine field before the castle entrance. Kalen grunts with each block of his glistening blade. It shines under the light of the moon like the gods are filling him with power. Hands daringly stretched passed him only to be cut down. Screams fill the air, and I stumble back, shivers racking through my body. Their hands fall before me like an offering from Kalen.

"Chloe no!" Wilfrid cries.

I hadn't realized I had slipped away from Kalen's protection till Wilfrid's cry. A hand snakes around my arm and slams my breath from my lungs as I crash against a chest. An Alexandrian soldier thrusts down his sword, and I scream. Wilfrid turns away from me with gritted teeth, diving away from the strike. Seperated from those I trust, I freeze. Forcefully, looking up I gulp, my face drains of colour and the hairs on my arms lift with alarm. Once again I face my own demons alone.

My friends would protect me, I wasn't alone, I will never be alone. They came for me time and time again, I just needed to be strong and fight alongside them like I had trained to. "Let me go," I hiss defiantly, reefing my arm out of Nicholas' grasp.

"Not so fast." Nicholas quickly snatched my waist and pulled me against him again. I screamed in distress but the clashing of swords consumed my voice.

Prying at his hold, my nails dig into his flesh. "The king will hang you for this!"

Nicholas chuckles, his hot breath tickles my ear, "On the contrary, a dead man can not hang someone, my queen."

It felt like everything had slowed down. My heart stilled and fell into my stomach, being squeezed in distress. The king is dead. I'm to be queen now. A numbness consumed my limbs and I went slack in his hold. Easily, he drags me away, deeper into his army, Alexandria's army. Why were they fighting the Mountain Blades and Caprisian soldiers if I was to be queen.