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

his room, frantically trying to get a better vantage point to find out who shot Dragon.

“Zayden wait!” Lucy cried after him.

Zayden ignored her, seething with anger as he left Lucy far behind.

“When I find who did this…” Zayden roared. Risking being spotted, he climbed to the top of the castle walls peering out. “Where are you, you son of a…” he spots Giles marching out towards Dragons body, a bow tucked beneath his arm. Giles pries the note from Dragons lifeless talons and reads it.

Dragon screes and Giles places his boot on Dragons body, casually pressing down with all his weight.

Zayden hears a snap and loses control, “By all the gods, I swear I will get my revenge.” As rage swells in him, flames bursts from his hands. He points his hands at Giles. A blue fireball streaks through the air, slamming into his back and knocking him to the ground.

Giles screams as guards rush to his aid, but Zayden have no room inside him for mercy.

“For Dragon!” Zayden breathed. Still unseen, he let loose two more fireballs. The first consumes the two guards, cooking them alive as their armor flashes to red hot… the second throws Giles through the air! Giles lands hard, his clothes bathed in flames, and scrambles frantically toward a nearby garden fountain.

“Mercy! Show mercy!” Giles cried out. “Please!”

“Did you show mercy to Dragon?!” Zayden raged as he fires off one last fireball, aiming for the spot between Giles and the garden fountain. A wall of flames rises up before him, blocking his way. With no other option, he leaps through the flames. He splashes down into the fountain, a thick plume of smoke rising up around him. Zayden can hear him whimpering faintly. A gasp behind him made him turn to see Lucy standing there, horrified.

“Zayden, your hands! Wh-what’s going on?!”

“Shh! It’s dangerous to be out right now.” Zayden ran towards Lucy dragging her back to his room, “I’ll explain, just not here, okay?”

Lucy nods, her eyes still wide with fear but not objecting his grip on her arm dragging her hastily.

 “You were manipulating fire, Zayden,” Lucy stated was back in Zayden’s room. “I saw it.”

“I know it’s strange. But I swear it’s under control,” Zayden replied.

“Is it? Because that’s not how it looked. You were furious.”

“I swear to you, I’m handling it.”

“This is magic, Zayden.” Lucy spoke barely audible, “How could you keep this from me? And I’ve…I’ve been on your side. I’ve risked my life with you. I’ve felt, well…now I don’t know what to feel. Are you - are you some kind of demon, Zayden?”

“I’m not a demon, Lucy. I’m…I don’t know what I am. I’m not sure what’s been happening to me,” Zayden confessed. “But I’m not evil. That I can promise you.”

“That sounds awful lot like what a demon would say.”

“Lucy, we rescued a monk together. Does that seem like the work of evil incarnate?” Zayden said as he steps towards Lucy.

Lucy backs away, “No, I suppose not.”

“You’re still afraid of me?” Zayden questioned.

Confused Lucy replied, “H-how could I not be?”

“Lucy, I’d -” Zayden started but before he could finish his thought, she tearily flees the room leaving him alone.

“I’d never hurt you…” Zayden said softly in the empty room.

 

The next morning, as Skyelar is heading to the banquet hall in Aurelia, the orb Anlon gave her grows warm.

“Another message from Anlon!” Skyelar breathed as she spins the orb and Anlon’s image appears in it…

‘Dearest Skyelar…I was delighted to get your last message. Great has been the injustice against you and Dragonstead. And much have my people suffered as well against king Jameel and his son. I couldn’t agree more that now is the time for us to rise against the Beaumont horde. Name the hour, and you’ll see me riding in with a thousand of Ravenshire’s finest warriors at my back. Your devoted servant, Anlon.’

Perfect! Skyelar thought as she puts the orb away, before entering the banquet hall and taking a seat next to Annelyse.

Looking around Skyelar asked, “Where’s Rayden? I figured he might be here to see us this morning…”

“I wouldn’t worry about him. He has a way of arising at… unexpectant moments,” Annelyse smiled. “Anyway, I hope you had a fabulous time yesterday, Skyelar.”

“I did. You certainly know how to throw a party.”

“It was a fine affair,” Sir Luke started. “I even met a stobakai dancer, which means I can now die a happy man.”

“We were honored to be your guests, Annelyse,” Justin added.

“Liath?” Skyelar questioned her alliance.

“We got to drink for free, so I’m happy,” Liath smiled.

“Well, I’m tickled I was able to provide you all with one fun-filled day in Aurelia. I wish I could say the same for today…” Annelyse said not finishing.

Alert at once, Skyelar asked, “What do you mean?”

Annelyse exhaled with exasperation, “I’m sorry, darling. I had no choice. I had to protect my city.”

The doors to the hall are thrown open! Prince Andrew marches in, a wall of armed guards behind him, “Your little rebellion ends now.”

“Like hell it does!” Skyelar shouted. She pulls out her hidden dagger and charge at Andrew, fury boiling in her blood.

“Where did she get that?!” Andrew shouted.

“Skyelar, stop!” Sir Luke cried.

As she reaches Andrew, her rage shuts Sir Luke out. She attacks, Andrew blocking it with his sword.

“You’re supposed to be unarmed!” Andrew accused.

“You can’t beat him!” Justin yelled at Skyelar, but her rage shuts him out as well. She slash again, and Andrew barely blocks it.

“She’s insane!” Andrew declares.

Her rage shuts out everyone…everyone but Andrew. “You’re mine now!” She said attacking again, faster than Andrew can react, cutting open a wicked gash across his cheek.

“Gaaah! You…you cut me?!” Andrew squealed.

“That’s for my mother!” she attacks again but Andrew recovers, disarming her with a complex parry.

“Seize her! Before she goes on another rampage!” Andrew snarled.

Before she could react, the guards swarm her until she is immobilized. She watches helplessly as more soldiers fill the hall, surrounding her friends.

“What do you want us to do with them?” Greine asked Andrew.

“Take them away, but keep them alive. I’ll need them breathing for their public execution.”

“Please come with us,” An Aurelian guard said.

“Step aside, Aurelian.” The Beaumont soldier stated, “No need to be gentle with traitors.”

As the guard picks Skyelar up and begin dragging her off, Andrew turns his attention to Annelyse, “You’ve done well.”

“Annelyse, how could you?! You knew they were coming, and you did nothing to help us!” Skyelar cried in a horrified whisper.

“You must have known that Andrew’s been looking for you…his scouts have been following you since you met up with the mercenaries. They saw you take the hidden path here. You showed them the way right to our door. They arrived here just hours before you did,” Annelyse protested breathlessly.

“Impossible,” Skyelar replied. “How could they have gotten here before us? We would’ve seen them on the mountain pass…”

Analyses’ gaze fell to the floor, “These are Andrew’s elite scouts. They scaled the mountainside to get here before you. They said we had to detain you until Andrew arrived, or… or Andrew would take over Aurelia and burn my city to the ground!” Her eyes met Skyelar’s pleading for understanding, “What was I supposed to do? He would’ve destroyed everything!”

“I’m so sorry, Annelyse. You were trying to save your people. It’s not what I would have done, but you were doing what you thought was right,” Skyelar said.

“Skyelar…I…I wish there’d been another way…” Annelyse started but Andrew cut her off. “Oh, come now. Let’s not be so somber. Aurelia is supposed to be a place of perpetual merriment.”

“Things will go back to the way they were once you and your men leave,” Annelyse said in an icy tone.

Andrew was doubled over with laughter, “Leave? Why would we leave?”

“But…you said…once you had Skyelar…” Annelyse was dumbstruck.

“I said that I wouldn’t burn your precious city to the ground. But leave?” he chuckled, “What a foolish thing to do when instead we can add the wealth and prestige of the gilded city to our rule.”

“That was not part of our deal,” Annelyse snapped.

“It is now. Father will be most impressed that I’ve taken over the fabled city of Aurelia in his absence.”

Annelyse leveled a glare at the impudent prince, “I am the ruler of Aurelia. I will not allow you to take my city from me.”

“Well, there’s a simple solution to this problem, isn’t there? …a wedding.”

“What?!” Annelyse said icily, “I don’t want to marry you!”

Andrew shrugged, “I’m not asking. A real leader takes. Thus, I hereby declare that you and I shall be married tomorrow. Your city is now mine, and you’ll provide us with whatever we need.”

“I won’t.”

“You will. Of course, every able-bodied Aurelian will now be a part of my army! I’m certain when father returns he’ll be impressed with all I’ve acquired, including you.”

“You can’t do this!” Annelyse cried out frantically.

“Did you just say I can’t?” Andrew smirked with delight, “Tell me, does anyone know the maximum number of people that can be executed? You don’t? Well, that’s because there isn’t one.” Andrew grabs Annelyse by the face, “There’s always room for one more pretty little head in the executioners basket.”

“You’ll never get away with this,” Skyelar interrupted him, shifting his attention to her instead of Annelyse.

“I already have.”

 

 

Imprint

Publication Date: 12-15-2017

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To my boys – DAMIAN & JAYDEN: May you become the Princes I know you are to be. To my husband – JACO: Thank you for always being there for me and supporting me. To my friend – CORLENE: Thank you for your input and honesty. It is much appreciated. To PIXELBERRY: Thank you for giving me your consent. © 2017 Rochelle Pieterse