Ol' Flint the Crow

The Princess's Tale pt. 2

While I waited for THEIR arrival, I again practiced Kathrine's strenuous sword routine she had taught me. Using a branch of a tree, each day I mentally slew my enemies: Todd, Granny, and every townsfolk under them. My strength returned to me. The muscles that I had not used for ages speedily grew along with my thirst for justice. Sweat poured off my grim brow as I trained nonstop. I only took rests to. This gave me time to I pondered the plans whirling in my head.

Six days past, causing my hope that THEY would remember their promise to my family to turn cold. In another week the old woman would appear. At least her death would be a constellation for the blood of my people. However, I wanted Todd! Killing him would be the only thing to still my pounding heart.

As I bit into a flaky biscuit, my mind had forgotten all about the hope of THEIR aid. It would have to be only me to seek out revenge. But as if answering my own thoughts, a faint rustle of leaves brought me back to attention. My hand reached out for the crude wooden sword by my side. Long I waited for another sound signaling that danger was near, yet all remained silent. I went back to my meal, figuring I must have been mistaken.

Suddenly, the screech of bats erupted throughout the cavern. From the entrance, a cloud of bats fluttered inside and circled around the cave in search of anyone else besides me around. When the creatures finished their thorough scan of the surroundings, they grabbed at the ceiling with their pincher like feet. Suspended upside down, the animals stared down at me for quite some time. Then they let out a shriek together in unison towards the entrance.

With a triumphant grin, I watched and waited for THEM to enter. My wait had not been in vain.

Five bushes seemed to crawl along the ground into the cave on their very own. Like some large furry mammal, the bushes slithered towards me in tight formation. These strange 'creatures' didn't disturb me as I absentmindedly nibbled at the last bits of bread.

Loosing patients, I was seized with anger which caused me to yank my stick and slap it in the dirt sending a cloud of dust skyward. "Come come, Rangers! Now is not the time for caution. Your princess is in need of you. Have you forgotten your loyalty to the crown along with your courage?"

At my heated words, the group of rangers cast their disguises off themselves. They were dressed in weather-beaten traveling leathers stained with mud and bat guano.

The five bowed low to me. I only scoffed at their groveling. With a hiss, I hoisted myself up and swung my stick around in a circle. As I came up to the leader of the group, a breaded man with black hair that clumped together like the wings of a bat, my anger bubbled over. Down I swung my weapon on the crown of the ranger's head, giving him a severe welt. However, he did not flinch. Instead, he took his punishment willingly like a loyal servant.

"Where were you?!" I wailed, swatting each one of the rangers in turn. Tears ran down my cheeks; I was so enraged. "Betrayal! Cowardice! Is that what the Rangers of Dermid are known for? You knew that we were suffering in that castle, yet you did nothing! And don't lie to me and say that you didn't know." Thrusting an accusing finger at the hanging bats, I screamed at the rangers, "It's quite obvious you had enough intel!"

Unable to even lift his head to look me in the eye, the leader of the rangers answered, "Your majesty, I-I apologies! I can barely comprehend what you and your family have been through. Forgive our weakness, Princess Tabitha. But we just could not begin to formulate a way in liberating you."

"You didn't even attempt to try, Hobble!" I snarled at the man. "Kathrine could not help but sing your praises. She could not tell me enough of your great deeds. If only she could see you now. How ashamed she would have been."

There was a glint of sadness but also fondness in Hobble's eyes at the General's name. "W-we will do our best to rectify our idleness. If we succeed, I will personally throw myself at the mercy of the good General."

"She's dead, damn it!" I yelped. Unable to keep my emotions in check, I cried out, "The townsfolk killed her in cold blood! They murdered so many others. M-my parents. Your king and queen! Please tell me you knew that at least."

Hobble lowered his head in shame. "I-I did here of the deaths of the Lords. We even assumed you were dead... But the General... K-Kathy! Sh-she's really d-dead?!"

"She died while protecting the castle and all its inhabitants. Can the lot of you say the same?"

Falling face first into the ground, the rangers humbled themselves. Speaking for everyone, Hobble said, "We offer you our lives! Give us the order, and we will do whatever you wish. Even if it is to kill ourselves at the edges of our own blades!"

"No!" snapped I. "That would be the easy way out for you. You're going to help me get my people out of the hell hole they're now trapped in."

"But your majesty," gasped Hobble at the impossible idea. "Even with our skills, we could not defeat all the traitors. We are too few. They are too many. We wouldn't stand a chance."

Although, the man's words rang true, my time spent in deep contemplation had not been entirely for nothing. My mind had formed a vague yet possible plan of attack. These rangers' bats could be of some use, if exploited correctly.

"These bats," I began, "will do as you tell them, correct?

The ranger nodded his head. "We have trained them. Yes. Given the proper incentive, they will do anything for you princess... Vesper!"

Having been summoned, a single bat, with jaws that snapped together viciously, descended from the cavern ceiling and landed in between me and the rangers. With a hungry whine, it opened its wide mouth and begged for a snack.

Hobble did not disappoint it. Retrieving some dried berries, so sweet that you could have sworn that they were candy, the man plopped two in the bat's razor sharp jaws. Meanwhile, the other bats enviously glared at the treats.

The single bat gobbled them down instantly as I smiled happily at the funny way this creature's jaws went up at down.

"Vesper's the leader of these group of bats," explained Hobble. "He's quite intelligent and understands human language fluently. He can also translate it to his own animal language. We can translate it. That's how we knew that you were here princess. Give him an order, and he will do as you command, as long as it its within his ability."

Vesper cocked his head to the side and gaped at me.

"Vesper," I said with a grin that I could not hide. "I need your pack to spread a rumor throughout the lands. Inform thieves, bandits, and all manner of lowlife robbers wanting to leech off a fallen kingdom. Make it officially known that the royal family of Dermid have been overthrown and replaced by simpleminded townsfolk. But say that this new regime is unstable and weak. A group of professional warriors willing to do battle could easily take the castle as theirs and gain the vast wealth of the kingdom if they only have the courage to do so. Spread the word. The treasures of Dermid are ripe for the taking. Now Go! Don't come back until it is done!"

With a flap of his wings, Vesper circled above the ceiling shrieking to his comrades of their mission. The bat horde fled out of the cave and into the night to do my bidding.

However, Hobble was a little less enthused at my decision. "B-but princess! What good could that possibly do. The castle will be turned into rubble. There will be no hope in rebuilding your kingdom."

"The castle of Dermid is no more!" I hissed. "We will never get it back. Vengeance is all I ask. First we must cause turmoil within Todd's people. That's where the robbers come in. He'll have no time to torment my people. All his focus will be on defending his new home. Meanwhile, we will wait. Use the bats to spy. As the townsfolk fall at the hands of the bloodthirsty bandits, we shall use this distraction and your stealth abilities to save my people from the dungeons!"

Hobble shook his head, "But your royal highness, we and the bats can only do so much! It'll be too dangerous to rely on simple chance and faint hope. We have no human help on the inside of the castle."

"But we do!"

"Who?"

"An old hag!" I smiled.