The Kingdom of Dawn

Chapter 20: Sharp Swords and Black Sails

As most of the guards moved to hold back the Reptadrakes, the rest of them began hurriedly moving the people in the cathedral to safety. I barely had a chance to see what was going on before Reuben grabbed my arm. Kicking aside the curtain covering the altar with his foot, he reached down and pulled up a metal ring in the floor. A large wooden panel swung upwards, revealing a set of stone stairs descending into darkness. "Down here, your highness, we don't have much time."

I hurried down the stairs, hearing the trapdoor shut behind me. I was alone in the darkness. Or was I? There was a grinding noise, and something thudded out of the ceiling, shaking the floor. I heard footsteps behind me. whipping out my daggers, I turned around to see Reuben standing behind me, lit torch in hand.

"You almost scared me to death. I thought you were going to attack me. Don't do that again."

"I'm sorry your highness. We came down here for your own protection. Now follow me."

I hesitantly did what he said. We walked through a maze of catacombs, going up and down stairs until he suddenly grabbed my hand and pressed it against the wall. A ray of light shot out from between the stones, and a boulder rolled back, revealing a long stone stairway. We hurried up the stairs, barely stopping to catch our breath before Reuben rolled back a boulder. I had never been on the castle grounds before, but they exceeded my every expectation. As Reuben pushed the boulder back into its proper place in the castle wall, my eyes flicked in all directions, taking in the rich green grass, the well-tended garden, and the strong yet elegant building in the middle of the courtyard. Reuben tugged on my arm, pulling me towards the entrance to said the building, which I later learned was called the keep. "It's getting late. You should get some sleep tonight." He handed me off to a servant. "Take your new queen to the East tower room."

I was led through more corridors and up a stairway, finally emerging in a large, well-furnished room. "I trust this will be suitable, your majesty?"

It was not suitable. The last thing I wanted to do right now spent a night in the room where my parents had died. But, the assassinations had led to it becoming the most secure room in the palace. With the giant dragons running around, I didn't really have another choice. "It will be acceptable. Now leave me alone." As soon as the servants left, I collapsed onto my bed, too tired to even worry about undressing. My eyes closed and I drifted off into a deep sleep.

"Sink them all!" Deathorn's voice carried through the water to his warriors, who cheered as they rammed again and again into the hulls of the ships of Dawn.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Ship after the ship went down with holes in the hull. Sailor after sailor jumped ship and swam furiously towards shore, propelled on by the fear of snapping teeth and strong jaws. Eventually, all one hundred of Dawn's warships lay at the bottom of the bay. Standing at the prow of his flagship, Edmund smiled as they sailed into the harbor. "The new queen will have quite a surprise waiting for her in the morning."

"Your majesty. We are under attack. You must come with me." I groggily sit up, frowning at Lord Marten.

"I can't run or fight in this." I motion at my dress. "Leave, so I can change into something more suitable."

He sighed and left the room. Less than five minutes later, I was following him to the courtyard wearing a tunic and trousers. "I want an explanation of what is going on. Now."

Marten didn't respond. He simply picked me up and set me on a nearby Wyvern. He swung up onto the back of another Wyvern. "I'll explain when we're safe. For now, follow me." A running start took us over the castle wall, and we charged off towards the East, and the forbidden forest.

While Estrella and Marten are riding Wyverns towards safety, the army of Dawn is fighting desperately for their lives against 500 thousand foot soldiers and losing.

"We completely overran them, your majesty. Dawn is yours."

"Thank you general Blackthorn. I am most pleased with this accomplishment. You will be well rewarded." Edmund finished speaking and went down the gangplank to accept Dawn's surrender. Tarvill stood there.

"As the general of Dawn, I surrender my country to you." The rest of the royal council, minus Marten and Estrella sadly nodded their ascent.

"As the new ruler of Dawn, I accept your surrender. Your lives will be spared, but you will lose your titles. Now go!"

The council shot off before he could change his mind.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I stared at the mages surrounding us. I didn't know how they got there, or how they knew where we were, just that they were here, and that they were a threat.

"I don't know where we're going. But you're in our way. By my power as the queen of Dawn, I order you to move."

"Silly girl, your council surrendered nigh on half an hour ago. You are no longer the queen, and I will kill you for your insolence."

My fingers clenched around my dagger handles. If I was going to die, at least I would die fighting.

But I didn't have to fight. A purple shape streaked across the sky, and a lightning bolt slammed into the ground next to one of the mages. He went down and our Wyverns ran. They bolted like lightning through the kingdom, stopping only every 2 hrs to catch their breath. By the end of the day, we had reached the forbidden forest. No human was allowed to enter without the elves permission, but we just ignored that rule and plunged in. We were safe here, out of Edmund's reach.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" It was Glendil Warwind, head of the elven armies.