The Kingdom of Dawn

Chapter 9: Estrella's Choice, or Edmund's Plan

Dedicated to my sister and one of my greatest friends, JoyFay124.I've been waiting for you to get a Wattpad account for quite a while, because I really wanted to dedicate a chapter to you. Thank you for all the help you've given me, from not minding me bouncing endless plot ideas off you, to agreeing to proofread my chapters until I found myself an editor. You are awesome, and I love you soooooo much.

The moment after Tarvill left to find a doctor, Sir Wilbur entered the dragons lair, his sword in hand. He intended to kill the princess, but just as he brought his sword down for the final blow, Estrella awoke. Rolling out of the way of his stab, she stood, drawing her daggers in the same fluid motion. She parried an over hand swing of Wilbur's sword, and the two warriors began to duel. Side cut, over hand, underhand, thrust, Estrella parried them all with the ease of a practiced fighter, even throwing in some attacks of her own. Four years of practice had turned Estrella into a very skilled knife fighter, as she had been training for battle since she could hold a weapon, and she easily held her own against this very easily distracted knight.

Seeing that continuing the fight with a sword would be futile, Sir Wilbur changed tactics. Throwing down his sword, he grabbed two of the spears sitting up against the cave wall, and redoubled his attacks at Estrella, using the spears both for attacking and defense. He would thrust with one spear at a time, while spinning the other one in front of him like a makeshift shield to deflect Estrella's attacks. Side cut, backhand cut, thrust, all of these he easily blocked, even when Estrella doubled her attacks. She was fighting desperately now, forced back to the edge of the volcano crater itself. The heat was barely bearable, for it was a 200 foot fall from the cliff edge to the lava, and Estrella was nearly drained of energy. She had to end this quickly, or her would force her off the cliff edge, with no energy left to fly out. Flicking open her wings, she attempted to soar over sir Wilbur's head and land behind him. Sir Wilbur was prepared for this however, and he leapt up, grabbing her wings and forcing her down on top of them. A searing pain ran through her wings, and the world went black. Just then, Tarvill re-entered the cave.

When Estrella woke again, she was lying in the medics cave, completely in able to move either wing. "Where am I? What happened? Why can't I move my wings? Where is the guy who attacked me? Why were we attacked?" Estrella blinked at Mildred, who was standing over her and smiling lovingly down at her. "Will you please tell me what is going on?".

"Hush my dear. You need rest. Your wings are broken, and you won't be able to fly for about six weeks. Tarvill made sure that your attacker was gone, but not before he managed to seriously wound you. Tarvill will be in soon. He is currently talking to the king's delegation. Now get some rest. We will talk more later." Estrella feel asleep, and slept deeply and soundly for 3 hours until Tarvill showed up.

"Lord Reuben has declared you unfit to rule. He says that your father had an affair with an enchantress, and that you were the result of this affair. This would make you only half royal, with magic in your blood, making you unfit to rule. Lord Reuben is attempting to use this claim to declare himself the rightful king, since your parents are dead. No doubt he had a hand in their death. I have heard tell of messages going back and forth between Dawn and Emperor Edmund. We have not been able to intercept any of them, but considering the fact that Lord Reuben has invited Emperor Edmund to send a delegation to discuss the terms of a peace treaty, something must be up between them.

The attack two days ago was intended to force us into handing you over. He wants to try and execute you for high treason, because he claims that your very existence violates the laws of the land. The delegation today was sent to inform us me of those facts, and they are giving us a fortnight to hand you over. "

Energized by a rush of anger, Estrella jumped out of bed. "That fraud! He ought to hang for high treason! He is conspiring against the rightful heir, and the safety of the kingdom. He also has conspired against the royal family. Three charges of high treason, and he wants to execute me!?!?! Something must be done about this!" Weakened by her wounds and the fact that she had not eaten anything yet, she collapsed into a chair. After a meal, Tarvill and Mildred left, but Estrella could not sleep. What Tarvill had told her kept running through her mind, keeping her awake. Edmund must be stopped. She didn't need Tarvill's help to do it, she would do it herself. If she stopped Lord Reuben and Emperor Edmund, the people would have to accept her as there queen. She had to avoid being found, and had to find an army. Where could she go?

The answer flashed through her head. She would go to Tiberius. She would help the army quell the rebellion, and then she would bring them back here, and she would take down Lord Reuben and become the queen. Scribbling out a quick note to Tarvill, she left it on her pillow and went to gather supplies. The note read, Tarvill and Mildred, I am going to Tiberius to get their army and defeat Lord Reuben with it. You will know when I have succeeded. Estrella.

Estrella collected three bags of bread, cheese, and vegetables, along with her weapons, two spare changes of clothing, and several lengths of bandage. She slipped out of the fortress through the small side canyon the attackers had entered through, then loading her horse's saddlebags, she rode off into the sunset.