Oh. How do I get myself into these things? Cordelia thought, tying her scarf around her waist. She sneaked across the corridor to a suit of armor.
Examining it from behind, she saw that the armor wasn't secured to the wall, and would be able to tip over. She looked over at Alkanos and Volsair, and gave them the ready signal. She then took a few cleansing breaths, and shoved the suit of armor.
The armor crashed to the marble flagstones, with a loud Clang! The crash may have been heard outside the mountain.
Cordelia flinched from the noise. She knew it was going to be big, but she wasn't expecting that big.
The guards turned in her direction.
Cordelia stepped out into the corridor, and declared, "Oi! You ready to move or not?" Her voice carried though out the corridor. Then for effect, she kicked a gauntlet, her sturdy boot, protecting her.
The guards ran for her, ready to take her back into custody.
"WHY DID I LET YOU TALK ME INTO THIS?!" Cordelia yelled, turning on her heel and taking off down the corridor. She ran like the Devil's Mother-in-law was after her, with a rolling pin. Cordelia ran down the corridors. She stayed just ahead of the guards to keep their interest, but running too fast be caught.
Cordelia took any turn she could, but always seemed to run back up the exact same corridor. The hallways were too similarly decorated. When it came to running up, and eventually down staircases, Cordelia took the steps two at a time. It surprised her, she hadn't slipped down once.
"Y'all just a bunch, of flightless, fireless- " Cordelia turned sharply, down a different corridor. This hall was decorated with intricately woven tapestries, and small statues on molted granite pedestals. "Hatchlings! " she said with a look of triumph, her boots pounded on the shined marble flagstones.
The guards called after her while in hot pursuit. Cordelia kept running, beginning to get a stitch in her side. Here breath was coming out in gasps. This would be much easier if I was underwater. She thought, taking another turn down another corridor.
There was a problem, a major problem, this corridor was familiar. So familiar in fact, that it seemed to be the exact same one she had started from! Cordelia didn't mean to, but she slowed her pace, without knowing it.
Before she could speed up again, the butt of a spear caught her behind the knees. She went sprawling to the floor, her boots squeaking as she went.
There she was, face on the floor everything hurting from the impact. At least, now I can catch my breath. she thought, lifting her head off the floor, just in time to see the shiny steel spearhead pointed down at her neck.
"Don't move- if you- value your life." A guard said, struggling to catch his breath.
Cordelia could safely guess the other guard's spearhead was at the back of her neck. "Didn't plan to." She sighed, drinking in the coolness of the flagstones against her flushed face.
"Cordelia!" shouted Volsair.
Cordelia mentally swore then thought, Wasn't he supposed to be with The Prince?
"I am Volsair, the Fae Champion of Eldoria, I'm only going to say this once. Please unhand my betrothed." Volsair said, striding forward, his fists on his hips.
Betrothed?! Cordelia thought. Then she saw him fighting the guards that had the spear point to the back of her neck. "Oh yeah!" Cordelia exclaimed, "The rings!"
Cordelia spun around on her stomach, fast enough to land a kick to the back of the guard. The guard yelped in surprise as Cordelia wrenched the spear from his hands. She rolled to her feet, just out of reach. Cordelia jabbed the spear at the guard.
The guard grabbed the pole of the spear with a jerk, pulling her in range with one hand. With his free hand, he swung at the back of her head.
***
Volsair saw it happen, causing him to take his eyes off his opponent. The guard Volsair was fighting saw the opening, stabbing him between the shoulder blades with his spear. All was quiet, eerily quiet that was followed by the sound of something breaking. Well, shattering would be a more appropriate term.
***
At the same time, Cordelia would have been hit in the back of her head, six inches from her head, the guard's gauntlet, and all the bones in his hand broke. It was as if the guard had fallen off the Palace of Eldoria's roof, and struck the garden paving stones. The guard screamed in agony, falling to his knees on the floor, clutching his now useless hand.
At the same time, the guard broke his hand, the spear that would have ended Volsair, shattered like a pane of glass, before it could even touch him. The guard was in shock as the shards of his broken spear fell to the flagstones with a tinkling sound.
"Are you ok?!" Volsair shouted, as the guard fell to the floor, looking in silent horror at the haft of the spear.
"I'm fine. Are you?" Cordelia said.
"Yeah. Just glad I got those rings, otherwise, our story would have a sad premature ending." he said, jogging over and picking Cordelia up in a hug.
Cordelia kissed his forehead lightly, Volsair smiled and set her back down.
"Thank you. But, weren't you supposed to-" Cordelia was cut off by the double doors banging open.
The King of the Dragons entered, flanked on both sides by four guards. The King had short red hair, and forest green eyes, his robe billowed out revealing his armor. On his head was a circlet of silver and amethyst gemstones. Around his waist was belted The Sword.
"What?" The King boomed, his voice like thunder on a close hill. "Is going on out here?"
"If we've gotta fight them, I'm gonna sing." Cordelia whispered to Volsair.
"Dragons are immune to it, we can't fight them all." Volsair whispered back.
"Your highness. I am the Bard Cordelia, and this is my...betrothed. Volsair, the Champion of Eldoria. We are Prince Alkanos's protection detail. We are here to beg you for an alliance," Cordelia motioned to Volsair. They both went to their knees. "So Prince Alkanos may assume the throne of Eldoria, and overthrow his usurping uncle."
The King studied them like a freshly caught rabbit. Then without changing his expression, he intoned, "Do you know how stupid it was of you humans to murder my ambassador? Then to come begging for an alliance? My ambassador was murdered and his family expelled from the Kingdom of Eldoria. All that remained of him, you could fit in a sewing thimble."
"That's news to us. Even to me," Volsair said, "It must have happened after we left the palace."
"King Martin should just be happy I expelled his ambassador instead of returning the favor," the King said, "Guards. Take those two back to their cells-"
"Wait, a minute, uncle!" Alkanos's voice rang out. Alkanos had originally been behind the guards when his uncle had come into the corridor. He walked into the center of the gathering, putting himself between his friends and his uncle.
"Both Aunt Imelda and I explained that I had pulled the sword. I am ready to claim the throne of Eldoria. Volsair and Cordelia both didn't know what happened to the ambassadors. They are my friends and my protectors. They are loyal to the throne itself, I wouldn't have been able to get out of the palace if it hadn't have been for them. And for that, I owe them my life." Alkanos began his Dragon transformation but still stayed in human form. "So if you're going to have them executed, then you're throwing away any chance of peace because then you've gotta execute me too."
The King of the Dragons laughed. When he got his laughter under control, he said, "Oh, nephew, I've been waiting twenty years for you to put your foot down like that. Now, you're ready for the throne. Do me a favor." The King unbelted The Sword and held it out by the sheath, the pommel towards Alkanos. "Pull the sword out and then we can begin devising a plan.
Cautiously, Alkanos took hold of the pommel with one hand, he felt a spark of energy course into him through the pommel. Then with a smirk, he unsheathed The Sword, swinging it with a dramatic flourish. "When do we begin?" he asked.
***
Volsair, Cordelia, and Alkanos were shown to the diplomatic quarters that were reserved for the Eldorian Ambassador, and their family.
The rooms were stately ornate rooms fit for royalty. Thick carpets covered the floors. Iron and gold chandeliers hung from the ceilings, adorned with teardrop shaped crystals. Each person got their own bed chamber with a four-poster bed, with two feather mattresses and and embroidered quilts. Each bedroom had a fireplace and a connecting private bath, that connected to a naturally occurring hot-spring.
On their beds was a change of clothes, that were made of silk and lined with wool. The weapons and the contents of their belt pouches were returned to their owners. With a request, for diplomacy, that weapons, other than The Sword of the King, were to remain in their owner's rooms until they were ready to leave the Dragon Kingdom.
***
"I don't understand why I have to wear a dress. But, I'll wear it." Cordelia said, holding up the dark blue dress, the hem of the sleeves, and the skirt were red. The sleeves and bodice were embroidered with silver and gold thread.
Cordelia changed into the dress. Other than it gaping slightly in the waist in the back, the dress fit. She spun around in front of her mirror, watching how the skirt flared out. The dress had an open, high neckline, that was hemmed with red.
Picking up a hairpin from the table, she set to work pulling her thick hair up into an up-do. It took a pin and two comb style hairpins, but she got her hair in place.
"Well, if I must be dressed up, I'll get dressed up all the way." Cordelia said to herself, as she turned around and saw a sewing bag sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. A sewing bag? I guess could do some embroidery. It's been a while since I last did some, I wonder if there's a pattern in there.
***
________________________________________________________________________________
AN: Yay, this chapter is finished!
Please favorite and comment, if you liked it. If you didn't please comment what you didn't like. Please, only constructive criticism.
As for it taking this long to update, I've been trying to get this book Wattys ready. This also includes writing up a synopsis of the book, even the parts I haven't published yet.
Thanks,
Laura-the-bard