THE CROWN AND THE FLAME by ROCHELLE PIETERSE (the little red hen read aloud .txt) 📖

to let my sword do the talking.”

Liath felt furious enough to strangle someone. He bellowed and stormed at her, axes high over his head. She dives forward, rolling past Liath’s legs right as he buries his axe in the earth where she stood.

“Hrr,” Liath groaned. Behind him, Skyelar takes the opportunity to attack. She swings her sword squarely at the vulnerable gap in his armor at his ribs and he lets out a scream. She cocks back her sword to strike once more… but Liath has already recovered, bring his second axe down on her. She felt a burning pain in her arm as he sliced her.

“AaaahHH!” Skyelar screamed. Dodging in a circle, Liath pursues her but stumbles. Off balance, he awkwardly lands on his knee, facing away from her. She closes in to strike at his back while his down.

In a flash, Sir Luke’s warning echoes in her memory about Liath fighting dirty and she brings up her arm to cover her face…Just as Liath spins and throws a handful of dust at her. Her arm keeps the dirt from blinding her.

“NO!” Liath cried.

With a clear vision, she slashes her sword at his outstretched hand, hacking off two fingers. He growls and launches to his feet, charging her. He lashes at her again, his full strength behind the blow. His massive axe knocks the sword from her hand.

“NO!” Skyelar breathed as he gets between her and the sword. The noise from the crowd building to a roar!

“You put up a good fight, Skyelar,” Greine called out.

Looking around desperately, she sees that Greine has a weapon at her waist… a massive flail with a skull at the end.

“Time to die, little girl!” Liath spat.

I can try to get past Liath to get back to my sword. Or I can grab the deadmans flail. Oh what the hell. Skyelar grabs the flail from Greine’s side.

“Hey!” Greine called out as she tries to stop Skyelar.

Being too quick for Greine she shouts back, “Sorry, but I need this more than you do right now!”

“You better not get too much blood on it,” Greine called back.

“No promises.”

“Sure you can handle that, little girl? I bet you can’t even swing it,” he said pleasantly.

She raked Liath with a searing gaze as she swings the flail at him with all her might. He’s taken by surprise, barely crossing his axes in time to deflect the blow. She spins with the deflection, bringing the flail around to his other side, and buries the spikes in Liath’s leather armor before he can knock her back.

“Whoa…” Greine exclaimed.

“Impressive,” Justin added.

“Never seen a queen fight like that!” Cian joined in.

“You’ll come to see that Skyelar isn’t like most queens,” Sir Luke said.

Many of the mercenaries began to cheer for her, chanting her name.

“Hff. So you’re stronger than you look. Still not strong enough,” Liath growled as he swings his axe at her. She ducks under it and swings the flail at Liath’s legs. The spike skull burying itself deep in his leg and he falls to one knee.

“Give up,” Skyelar said sternly.

“Just a flesh wound,” Liath bit back as he forced himself to his feet, supporting himself on one of his axes. He glared at her, bleeding heavily from the wounds she opened. “You think you’ve won, but you don’t know anything about being in a real fight. Your fairy tale ends here.”

He summons the last of his strength and unleashes a final onslaught. She weather the storm until Liath howls and slams a massive boot into her chest. She falls backwards, tumbling to the ground. The crowd grows excited, sensing the fights end drawing near.

Sir Luke calls out to her, “Make his weakness your strength!”

Liath grins with arrogance as she struggles to push herself up on all fours, “And so the little princess comes to a bloody end.”

Skyelar barely glanced at him. She doesn’t move, staying on all fours, making a show of exhaustion. Liath saunters towards her. His colossal boots comes to a stop right before her.

“This is goodbye, little girl.”

“You’re right about that,” Skyelar said as she snatches the flail and with two quick whirls, bring it crashing into his jaw. He teeters backwards, stunned.

“I…I don’t believe it,” he stammers as he drops to his knees. She stood up, brushing her hair from her face.

“Give up, Liath. You’ve lost,” she grinned.

“Skyelar, what will you do with him?” Justin called out. “His fate is in your hands.”

“Join me, Liath, and live,” Skyelar said.

“You’re not going to kill me?” Liath asked confused.

“You’re not my enemy. King Jameel Beaumont is. And if I’m going to attack the most powerful warlord in the five kingdoms, I’ll need a man like you at my side. Will you fight for me? Kill for me? Die for me?”

Liath closed his eyes, as he reopens then he looked her straight in the eyes, “I will. My queen. About time we had a real battle worth fighting for. Taking that bastard Beaumont down will be a story worth telling.”

Skyelar turns to Greine, “Thank you, by the way. This is a fine weapon.”

Greine takes the flail back from her and grins, “Now I’m really regretting that I bet against you. There’s more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there?”

Skyelar grins back, “I’m only getting started.”

“I never would’ve believed it,” Justin spoke suddenly.

Sir Luke clasps her hand, “Skyelar, I’m as proud as any father could be. You’ve won our freedom and our lives.”

“Which is obviously better than the alternative, but what we need now is an army,” she raises her hand, calling for silence from the crowd. “Mercenaries…former soldiers…heed me. I know you have a saying. The mercenary saying is the strong leads. I’ve proven my strength. Let me lead you. I know you fight for money… but now I’m asking you to fight for something greater. Fight for a ruler who fights alongside you. Put a ruler on the throne who will lead the charge. A ruler who knows what it means to bleed beside you. I am unlike any queen who has ever sat on a throne. I will win my throne in blood and battle. Former Dragonstead soldiers, regain your honor. Fulfil your promises. Defeat the enemy you’ve hidden from for so long!”

“We’re with you!” A former Dragonstead soldier called out.

“Down with Beaumont tyrants!” Answered another.

“Hear hear!” Cian called out.

“You have our swords. But the mercenaries who follow Liath won’t be as easy to convince,” Justin pointed out.

“Thank you, Justin.” She said then lift her gaze to the mercenaries, “Mercenaries… help me take the crown back from my enemies, and I promise you… land, titles and riches. When I take back my kingdom, I’ll see you all rewarded… each and every one. You will be my highest nobles, my most trusted advisors and lieutenants.”

“HA! I like the sound of that. Who’s with me?” Liath shouted and the mercenaries cheered.

“It looks like the entire mercenary force will join us!” Sir Luke said excitedly.

“Thank you to those who pledge to fight at my side. Together, we will save this kingdom. I know it,” Skyelar said with an entrancing smile that encompassed the whole camp.

The former Dragonstead soldiers applauds. Justin and Sir Luke join them.

“Taking down Liath, rallying the troops… not bad for a princess,” Justin said.

“She’s not a princess anymore, Justin. She’s our queen,” Sir Luke corrected.

 

Meanwhile back at Dragonstead, Maria and Prince Andrew were discussing Skyelar as they always seem to be doing of late.

“The scouts that spotted Skyelar are following her as we speak, Prince Andrew. They’ve confirmed that she is with a group of mercenaries in the grasslands,” Maria stated.

“Good. Very good,” Andrew said very pleased with himself.

“Should I send word for them to apprehend her?” Maria asked.

Andrew gave her a sly smile, “No. Not yet. I’ve got something special in mind for her this time…”

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7: THE GILDED CITY

 

As Skylar’s walking through the army camp with Sir Luke and Justin by her side. Leon noted, “We have just over 1000 former Dragonstead soldiers under my command. The mercenary force led by Loath is 2000 strong. I’m pleased to say that all 2000 mercenaries have pledged their loyalty to you, Skyelar.”

“That leaves us with a force of 3000 troops,” Sir Luke exclaimed.

“We’ll need more if we’re going to retake Dragonstead castle,” Justin stated as Skyelar listened closely.

“But at least it’s a promising start,” Sir Luke said.

“What about the common people of our kingdom? Do you think we can rally them to join us?” Skyelar questioned.

“Word of what you’re doing will spread. If your legend reaches them… if it inspires them…they might fight for you,” Sir Luke said as they approached where Justin’s men were camped.

Cian spots Skyelar and began walking towards her until he stops and looks at her troubled, “Queen Skyelar…somethings been troubling me. Please allow me to speak.”

Skyelar looked at him puzzled, “What is it?”

“I can’t believe I was drinking and playing flinch in front of the rightful queen of Dragonstead.

Skyelar smiled, “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about…”

Cian kneels before her pleading, “Please, your majesty, don’t let that lessen your regard for me. I want to pledge my sword to you, Queen Skyelar.”

“Your sword?” She was shocked beyond believe.

 “I’ll fight for you till my dying breath. Please say you’ll forget my poor behavior,” Cian asked.

“Cian, I have no doubt that you will serve me with honor,” She replied.

“I will. Always,” Cian said as he stood and leaves, a proud look on his face.

“That was well handled,” Sir Luke congratulated.

“Thank you, Sir Luke. I have to admit it feels odd, having someone treat me like their superior.”

“It’s the way of the military. An ant alone is nothing, an army of ants under the command of one queen, that is another thing entirely,” Sir Luke proclaimed.

“Speaking of, look around you,” Justin motioned with his hand. As she looks around, those who fell under her gaze stopped what they were doing and salutes her.

“Your victory over Liath has had an impact,” Leon exclaimed.

“Much the way a bolt of lightning ‘has an impact’ upon a tree,” Sir Luke teased.

As Skyelar passes the mercenary section of the camp, her path crossed with Liath who lightly touched her arm, “We need to talk, Queen Skyelar.”

Skyelar stops and nodded, listening attentively as Liath speaks, “My mercenaries will fight without getting paid but they won’t stand a chance against Andrew with the equipment they’ve got now. I’ll fight for you till the day I die… but I’d rather that be a long time from now. Our leather armors fine against drunken bandits, but might as well be paper against Beaumont soldiers.”

Leon nods his head in agreement, “And my men’s armor needs repairs. Badly.”

Skyelar looked at them in bafflement, “So, we need coin, and lots of it. Where can we get it?”

“Ever heard of the Legend of Aurelia?” Liath questioned.

“The gilded city, east of the Five Kingdoms?” Skyelar spoke aloud. “I’ve heard tales of fabled gardens and gold mines…a city rich beyond all imagining.”

Liath nods, “That’s the one.”

“If memory serves me, it is also a hidden city. One that would be conquered immediately if its location were known,” Skyelar enquired.

“It is hidden,” Liath gloated, “but I know the way. I’ve been there.”

“You’ve been to the gilded city? Is it true everyone owns a peacock?”

“Well,