The final piece of the Princess of Thieves and Queen of the Ice trilogy! If you haven't read the first two, do so! It will, and I mean will, be confusing if you don't, though I suppose it could be read without it (it sort of continues off the previous two and sort of doesn't) since I tend to read trilogies out of order often enough. So, onto the short prologue.
Enjoy!
The once great Queen lay on the floor, red blood mixing with her light hair. Her eyes fluttered as her soul slowly left her body. She had never viewed her spacious room from this angle before, the shadows from the furniture sharp and deadly. Her black clothes sprawled across the floor, elegant even in death. She had been mourning for her daughter, brutally killed just three days ago. Her son-in-law with her as well. She hoped her husband still lived. He needed to get the news out as quickly as possible. Perhaps…perhaps that boy could help.
"Yusuke," she whispered into the bloody floor as her soul finally departed. "Yusuke Uramehsi."
His legs strived to stop, his feet pounding against the dirt, but his eyes, tear stained and red, kept looking forward. His hands clenched as did his teeth. He had heard her final words. He had been intent on hearing them. Now that he had, he needed to tell them. No, him. He needed to find him and the boy. He needed everyone's help. Curse that man! He hadn't meant it to get this far this quick. He hadn't meant for her to die. The old hag, he didn't care for, but he had been betrayed by the first death. The dead didn't talk, so he needed to hear the only living relative to know what to do. He had never been so clueless. His own plan had backfired and he had to fix it. He knew he was next. It couldn't be helped. To live, the assassin had to kill him. Law of the Jungle.
He stopped suddenly, sensing the young girl, no older than ten, behind the large oak tree. The girl shook, her hands clasped over her heart. She smelt the fear from him and it frightened her. She felt the death and the turning tides. If this simple girl could feel it, then everyone would feel it too. And soon.
He needed to move.
He smelt it, but he couldn't move in time. The blade sliced clean through his throat, the killer's shadow above him. He fell back with a heavy thud to the ground, blood spilling down his chest.
"Damn," he breathed, "you."
The killer stopped next to his victim's boy. "Sorry, my friend."
"Are you positive?"
The guard nodded once. "Yes sir. It seems the entire royal family is dead. Based on these trends…"
The elder of the guards nodded. "It seems that she will be next. Give word to Lord Koenma. You there, rally the troops. If we must, we will invade the Human World to find her. She must be kept safe until the assassin can be found and killed."
The younger guards darted off, leaving the old warrior to think alone. Oh, how he had guarded the Queens well in his prime, but his age had prevented him from saving them when they had needed him most. And now, now the only living heir, the discarded and disgraced half human heir, needed to be found and saved. The assassin, whoever he was, would go after the human next. First, his love and then her daughter, along with the children and mates. It all happened so quickly, no guard could defend their charges.
"Hopefully," he whispered, but declined to speak further in case the killer still stalked the castle.
"Hopefully, you'll be able to save her." The voice came from the right of the window and the old guard gasped just as the blade pierced his mouth ad went up, slicing his head in two perfectly. He fell forward, falling through the window and splattering on the ground.
The killer grinned. "Now, the last of the line." A pink tongue reached out and licked the blood on the blade. "Delicious."
Just a quick, albeit fast paced,prologue to set up the rest of the story. Reviews!!! Please!! I hope to explain the first two stories and just roll it all together in a final piece, so please, review and check back often!