Bella's POV:
My body felt like lead.
The antidote had successfully revived me, but all the damage I received from the General is not helping at all. My head is pounding, my limbs are aching, and I can hardly stand on my feet. There was blood dripping from wounds all over and I felt like each step would be my last.
I knew Layla was safe now, seeing as both the man and the General were dead. The thought of how I killed them loomed in my mind but I pushed it to the side. That wasn't my top priority right now: it was staying alive.
I've slowly been making my way away from the ships, hoping if I got closer to the town, I'd be in the area where the fighting was thinner. It's taken me a long time though.
I put Shayla's body in a secure place so I could find her after this was over. I couldn't just leave her out in the open to get trampled on. It wouldn't do her justice at all.
But moving her exhausted me even more. I was surprised I was still moving. My body was weak and I felt like I would drop dead at any given moment. But I couldn't. This war was far from over. I haven't seen anyone else in ages, and I have no idea if any of them have even met a General or the Emperor for that matter. One of five are dead, but if they're anything like Caius was, it was going to be a hard battle to win.
Especially if we're already worn out.
If this war was long, we would surely be wiped out. Our numbers are already vastly different and I have a bad feeling the number of pirates have dwindled since we arrived on shore.
A soldier begins to run at me and I grit my teeth together, forcing my sword up to block his hit, nearly being thrown to the ground by his force.
"Get...out...of my...way!" I strain, punching him in the face, knocking him off balance, before plunging my sword into his stomach. He fell to the ground and I let out heavy breaths, feeling sweat on my forehead from that one attack.
I could hardly move, but somehow my body continued forward, and I held onto my injured arm as I trudged through the sand, my body shaking with the effort. I have to get to Harry. I think to myself, gritting my teeth together and forcing myself to keep going.
Willpower was all I had left right now. I needed to rest, to have my injuries taken care of before I lost too much blood, and I needed to get my head to stop pounding. It made me hardly be able to see straight.
I sneak up behind a soldier and knock him out by jabbing the butt of my sword against his neck. He tumbles to the ground and another soldier turns towards me, raising his sword and I take in a deep breath.
When he swings his sword I fall to my knees, sending him off balance as much of his weight shifted forwards, and I swung my sword up, cutting his chest and making him fall into the sand, but not before some of his blood splattered on my face.
Slightly repulsed, I wipe my face best I could before forcing myself to stand upright again, the strain on my body making me heave. Breaths came out of my lips in short gasps and I struggled to keep my body from shaking.
I was already near the town, but I couldn't see how near. The closer I got, the more soldiers that began to appear. It was almost hopeless to think we'd be able to win this.
A soldier charges right at me and I gasp, caught off-guard as I feebly put my sword up, blocking his attack but being thrown to the sand as I did. My forehead hit the ground and I grit my teeth, spitting out sand before turning around, my eyes wide as I see the soldier giving me a grin.
"Say goodbye." he sneers and my heart pounds in my chest as I weakly watch as he raises his sword up, about to come down at me.
Before he can do so, an arrow flies through his neck, making both his and my eyes go wide. Blood begins to spew from his neck as he drops to his knees, and then falls to his side, dead.
I look up to see who saved me, and the figure I saw was the least expected person I thought I would see in the middle of battle.
"Phillipa?!" I gasp, shocked to see the Queen standing over me, a bow in her hand. She put the bow up and drew out a sword, looking around before meeting my gaze. She was not in her usual fancy dress or anything of the sort. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail and she had armor on.
"I'm glad we made it in time, Isabella." she says, glancing down at me with a small smile. We? I think, looking behind her. My eyes widen as I see the Royal Army coming down the streets, armed and ready to fight. Reinforcements...thank goodness... I think, tears coming to my eyes. We had a chance. We could win.
"Stand up, Bella," Phillipa says and I look up, seeing her holding a hand out for me. "We still have a war to fight." she says and I smile, nodding my head and taking her hand, letting her help me to my feet.
"How did you find out?" I ask and she frowns. "We didn't know until we saw smoke coming from the shores. So I sent an intelligence officer out, but he was met halfway by civilians who informed him what was going on. Once he returned we readied the troops at once and began our march. It took us a few hours, but we're finally here." she says and I nod.
"Thankfully. We're about worn out." I say and she smiles, before turning around and ordering the troops.
"Do not harm the pirates, on my command! Take out all of the other soldiers who have come and invaded our land!! Fight honorably and nobly. However, these people will not give you mercy, so I implore all of you," she pauses, giving them a fierce look before holding her sword high in the air to show her authority.
"Do not show mercy on them!"
The army gave a shout at her command, and she swung her sword downwards, signaling all the troops to move. As soon as the tip of her sword touched the sand, the entire Royal Army dispersed, joining in the fight.
"Let's go, Bella." she says and my eyes widen. "Wait, what? Phillipa, you can't be serious about fighting? You're the Queen, you can't be in harms way." I say shocked and she gives me a stern look.
"What type of Queen would I be if I couldn't even protect my own country?" she asks and I stay quiet, not knowing the type of resolve she had. A small grin came to her face as she held up her sword, looking ready to engage.
"Do not think I cannot fight, Bella. While they had six years to prepare, so have I. I do not idly sit by in the castle only organizing treaties. If I have to go to war, I am more than prepared to do so." she says and a smile comes to my face.
"There are times when women must fight as well.We cannot expect to sit back and do nothing, especially in a war. No sort of status can disregard this fact. Just because I am a Queen does not mean I'm not equally a part of this country. I will still fight, no matter what. Before I am a Queen, I am a mother, and a citizen of England. I will protect my family and my country. If it is a war I must fight in, then so be it," she says, her words shocking me but inspiring me at the same time.
A wry smile comes to Phillipa's lips as she stares straight ahead. "And I'm sure your daughter would agree with me. I doubt Layla's been completely out of this war. She's part of it to, in her own way." she says and my eyes widen. Layla did know beforehand how terrible this war could be...but she's already done her part. She told us all of the General's descriptions.
"But even so, I still need support. I'm not dumb enough to think I can fight this war alone, like some pirates I know," she says slightly amused before looking at me, a fire in her eyes and her lips set with determination. A pout comes to my face at her sly insult, but I wasn't offended by it at all, more upset she was so right.
"Do I have your support, Lady Bella?" she asks me and I stand up straight. Giving a small bow, her determination was contagious, filling my body with a new sense of strength. "Yes, my Queen." I reply, rising from my bow and she looks out at the battlefield with confidence.
"Good. Now let's go. We have a war to win." she says, dashing off, sword at the ready as she clashed with the enemy. A new determination and hope found its way into my body again, and the wounds on my body seemed to be null. A smile grew on my face as the wind gusted around me, my heart pounding in my chest as I took in a deep breath. She is right. We have to fight.
I ran after Phillipa, ignoring all the pain I felt in my body, a new fire in my heart as I did so. My sword held tightly in my hand as I prepared to fight for a war we now had the chance of winning.
"Yeah!!"
How do you like Phillipa now?! Go Queen! Haha, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. I stayed up late so you guys could read it, so I hope it is good! Let me know what you think is going to happen!