The King and Queen were invited to spend a while at a neighbor's kingdom. The King could not turn down this offer, as he was trying to get these people into alliance with him. They packed up a few things, then arrived, in all their elegance, at a musty, airless-looking gray, crumbly castle. The good King and Queen did not seem to mind. The Princess also didn't seem to mind the disgusting, mold-covered place. I, as the Princess's personal guard, saw a great many dangers hiding in the long, dark shadows, but I kept my mouth shut.
The King was shown into a room with a white-plastic door cover, with the Chinese letter for "Spring" cut into it. The whole room was clean (which was surprising) whiteness to it. Beautiful, pure sunlight filtered through the window.
The gentle Queen, however, was set in a room with a yellow-tinged door cover. Her room looked identical to the King's, except with a yellow twinge to everything.
Someone traveling with us, an elderly old man with thin, whispy white hair, said ominously, as the Queen entered through the cover, identical to the King's, "Yellow will not keep the bad spirits at bay."
"Don't be silly," she said brightly over her shoulder.
The old man proved to be right, for in a matter of days, the always happy and healthy Queen took a bad turn. Bruises formed all over her body. Cuts formed on top of those. Blood and sweat matted her clothing and hair.
By the fourth day, the Queen was bed-ridden.
"Four days. Bad omen," murmered the old man.
"Shush!" cried the usually-happy Princess. I put my left arm around her comfortingly, and she turned and cried onto my shoulder. I regretted that I didnt bring my armor, but rather wore something similar to commoner wear. Though the Princess didn't mind, I felt vaguely unprepared without it. Fortunately, I had brought my sword, which now hung, glittering, on my belt in its sheath. I instinctively put my right hand on its hilt, now, as a way to try and ward off the evil.
The King demanded to switch rooms with his wife. In the White Room, the Queen began to recover, but very, very slowly.
Later on, before dinner, I followed my Princess up the old, stone, damp stairs to her own room. Earlier, the Princess had been quite happy in her room, taking the cobwebs, moldiness, and dustiness into stride. She had told me to stop being so tense, and that I was to go exploring with her later. As if I could leave her alone in this horrible place, where evil seeped from every piece of furniture. Now, the Princess lay on her bed, full of distress, and dismissed me. I left reluctantly.
Inside the castle, everything was dark. The hallways were badly lit with a few dying flames. Everything was damp, as well. In the night, on my stiff bed in the room next to the Princess's, I lay awake, listening to the night's sounds. Water dripped from somewhere. An owl hooted. Dry leaves on a dead tree whispered eeirily. The muted sound of bat's wing's flitted by, closer than the window. Depressing night sounds. I blinked at the gloom and held onto my sword's crystal hilt. I fell into a disturbed, light sleep.
I woke up in the morning to the sun's feeble rays hitting my face, as if the sun, too, had been weakened in this place where evil roamed. I didn't need the sun to nag at me any more to bolt out of my bed and stride down to eat an early breakfast of toast and water with the other personal guards.
After breakfast, I sprinted quietly up the stairs, standing guard at my Princess's door. My timepiece said 5:43. There I stood in stony silence until 8 in the morning, whereupon I knocked gently on the door. There was a brief pause, then there was a rustle of fabric as my Princess woke up, got dressed, and groggily opened the door.
"Your breakfast is ready downstairs, Highness," I told her.
She blinked at me, then chided my formality. I stood patiently, half listening to her. When she was quite finished, I glanced at my timepiece and told her, "You'll be late, Highness."
She sighed irritably, then stomped back into her room, slamming the door in my face. It didn't bother me, for I knew she was not truly mad at me. I turned and stood guard once more.
At 9, she opened the door again, dressed as a Princess should, instead of in her nightgown. I followed a step behind her as she swept through the castle to the drafty dining room.
As of yet, nothing dangerous had shown itself to us. I let my guard down. A fatal mistake on my part. I let the Princess roam about for the rest of the day, knowing that she must enjoy at least today, for tonight would be...
000
As night fell, my Princess asked me to accompany her upstairs to explore. I vaguely wondered what there WAS to explore upstairs. The upstairs was surprisingly small, for a castle. Nevertheless, I dutifully followed her, knowing that she only wanted to explore to take her mind off of her ill mother.
She told me that she would like to see my room, so lead her to it. I later thanked the lords that I had entered first.
A rat leaped at my throat. I swatted it down, and winced when it's sharp teeth met my hand. Then it was back on its feet, running at us. I reached for my sword, but the rat sent my sword clattering uselessly to the ground. I reached for my weapon, only to see the rat charging at my Princess. I kicked it, and it hit the wall. By now I had my sword again, but something seemed off. It was then that I knew that that was no ordinary rat. My arm swung the sword at my Princess, who dodged, just barely. She looked at me with a hurt expression. I tried to let go of the sword, but my arm would not listen to me: It swung again.
In an effort to not hurt the Princess anymore, I grabbed the nearest sharp item and stabbed my arm, which became very close to useless. I couldn't help but to let out a cry of agony, and heard the Princess stiffle a scream, but she knew that it had to be done. She also knew that I thought my arm was a small price to pay for her safety. The sword fell to the ground.
I kicked it away in disgust. But now I had nothing to protect my Princess with! My Princess, clever girl, drew out a box of what appeared to be markers. But I knew better. They were weapons in disguise. Weapons that I, myself, had given her before we had entered this cursed castle, should a time come where I could not defend her.
Now, she handed me one such weapon. I took it, and examined the buttons on the side. They read: Mouse, Rat, Dog, Wolf... I payed attention only to three-- Wolf, Bear, and Rat. It was unfortunate that Bear was the largest creature this weapon would destroy. My Princess gripped a marker-weapon as well. I told her to stay near me. Slowly, I crept forward, examining every inch of my room. My eyes fell on the motionless rat. Suddenly, it leaped up, and sprang at me, thinking me defenseless.
Calmly but quickly, I pressed the button labeled "Rat". A burst of what looked like fire hit it in its side, taking a hunk of its meat off. But it was not dead. My Princess uttered a cry that sounded like "Why isn't it dead?"
I hit the rat with another bolt, this time, with the button labeled Bear. I had by now reached a conclusion that this rat was undead. The bolt that came now was larger than expected, and the rat became ashes. I checked behind the door, under the bed, in every nook and cranny in the room. Nothing. I approached the closet. At first, I saw nothing, but then, as I looked closer, I saw a vague outline (and a snout) of a wolf. I blasted it with my gun.
All was still as the smoke cleared away. Then the wolf leaped at me. I quickly shot it again. This time, it did not recover.
I grabbed the Princess's arm and half lead, half dragged her out into the hall. All was still. I walked over to the Princess's room and kicked open the door. The door swung open, revealing a shaggy wolf, much like the one I had previously killed. I aimed my gun, and sent this wolf to the same world as the other. Strangely, it was the only creature in her room.
Two rooms down, one to go. My eyes landed on the door to the third and largest room upstairs. I went toward it, the Princess scurrying at my heels. When I reached the room, what I saw very nearly made me scream.
It was a wolf on two legs, but about as tall as the room. It's large, pointed ears grazed the ceiling. It's huge, yellow eyes glared down at me. It raised a paw, with claws that were longer then my arm. I shot at it, but I knew that it was hopeless, as this thing was over three times larger than an average bear.
I was right. The first shot glanced off of it, but the second and third were absorbed into its head.
Then it laughed in a high, feminine voice. "What do you think you're doing? Giving me a massage?" I grit my teeth.
Then, to my horror, three more of such beasts appeared from the gloom.
If I had been alone, I would have charged in without a thought. However, I had the Princess to think about. Hopelessly, I called for the back-up that I knew would not come.
Then, I had an idea, though I knew that this one would hurt the Princess. Not physically, of course, but mentally. Unfortunately, it was the only way...
I bowed at the beast and said, "As you wish, My Lady."
I closed my eyes, but even that did not stop me from seeing the Princess's confused and pained expression as the beast laughed cruelly.
000
Downstairs, the Queen was declared dead. She was carried to her coffin while her subjects wept. The Queen's personal guard accompanied her into her coffin. With her dead, he had no more purpose of living. His thick, iron ring was the last to be seen of him, as the priest slammed the coffin on them.
Wolfs and rats, like the first creatures I had seen, swarmed in like a deadly tide. They swept in and drowned everyone and everything. All the guards raced toward the King, lightning fast. Many shouted, "Protect the King! Protect the King!"
It was a battle of life and death, good and evil.
000
Back upstairs, the Princess had run to hiding. I knew she would not go downstairs, for she had a strong bond with myself. She was determined to free me from this trance that the beast had put me under, though my mind was quite clear.
The monsters and myself were now in the space between the three rooms. The female that I was now working under sat on a table in the middle, as I fired at her head in an effort to massage her. I knew that this was the only way that I could get close enough to finish them off. I knew that I only had one shot, and if that failed, I was done for.
The marker-gun had one last secret to it. It could definitely reach a higher level than a bear, but that shot was a one-chance deal. Once it was out, the gun was useless.
I bided my time.
Eventually, my chance came. Madam, the female leader, sent me to find the Princess and kill her. I kept my face blank and expressionless.
"Yes, My Lady." She cackled her pleasure.
I set off to my room, for that's where the Princess probably felt safest, for thats where she had last seen me as myself.
Indeed, that's where she was, cowering in the corner, sobbing quietly. She spotted me and stared, not knowing whether to be relieved or to be terrified. She knew, that if I were truly against her, I could kill her without batting an eye, much less letting her have time to bat an eye either. I gave her a tiny smile, and was rewarded with her shoulders relaxing a tiny bit.
Inside the room with us was a monster much like Madam. However, this one seemed younger, and male. I decided that it was this one or none at all. Forcing my useless arm to move, I took out my dagger, and, moving like lightning, battered it with attacks with my gun and my dagger.
I slashed and fired constantly, not pausing to take a breather. Instead, I thought of the Princess, and how, should I fail, she would be alone.
I detonated the bomb in the gun, but kept slashing at the beast with my dagger.
Unfortunately, the beast was only mildly harmed with the bomb. Eventually, it caught up with the pattern and speed of my movement. With one quick move, he swatted me to the side, sending me crashing into the stone wall. Upon impact, I felt several bones break, and spat up blood.
The beast smirked at me, then left the room. I could hear him telling Madam that her pathetic little pet had turned on them. She came storming in. She made to grab my by my shirt collar, and I didnt move. In fact, I couldn't. Still, she didn't care. She shook me back and forth, like a dog might to a toy. I felt a rib shift horribly and impale a lung. I coughed up blood.
Madam slammed me to the ground, breaking more bones break, and making the ones that were already broken stick into organs. I cried out in pain, and more blood came spilling out. My body was mangled, and I couldn't control it. But I could still feel the pain.
Two beasts stood beside the Princess, making her watch as her loyal servant was tortured to death before her very eyes. Silent tears poured out of her eyes. I had become more than a guard to this lonely child--I had become her friend. This hurt her more than anything, and she could do nothing but watch helplessly.
Madam dug her long, sharp claws into me, and was satisfied each time I screamed. She stabbed me again and again, until I felt that there must be no part of me left unmarked.
Summoning my last ounce of strength, for I felt that I would be dead not too shortly now, I smiled at the Princess, and mouthed, "Run."
And she did. Sobbing in regret, she left me, bloody and broken, but happy that I had at least saved the Princess.
The two guard-beasts made to run after her, as she sped down the stairs, but Madam bellowed, "LEAVE IT." They stopped and moved to her side.
Eventually, Madam's anger left her, and she gathered her forces and turned to leave. But before she left, she growled to me, as the life inside me faded, "Fool. You could've been very useful to me, and would've been well rewarded."
I didn't have the energy left to blink, not to mention smile, but I definately would have. For I knew that the Personal Guard of the Queen still had something quite deadly up his sleeve.
I listened, and eventually I heard a loud bang, and Madam's scream, followed by silence.
000
In the darkness of the Queen's coffin, her personal guard summoned his magic, for that he had plenty, and stuffed it all into a tiny bullet. He aimed his gun based on experience and gut feeling.
The Queen, who was in fact not dead, sat quite still. She listened, for she could not see, to her beloved guard setting his rifle. A sound that she had become quite used to. The knew that if he missed this shot, she really would be dead.
She knew that at this point, he would be aiming the gun, using his left hand to steady the gun. The rifle, of course, would be resting on or near his iron ring, as always. She closed her eyes.
He fired.
000
There was a sound of boots on stone, as what was left of our army ran upstairs, spreading out, shouting orders to find any of the enemy left.
One pair of shoes slowly walked toward me. I couldn't turn my head, but I knew who it was. The Queen's guard stood before me. He was the Commander.
He knelt down beside me. I tried to ask how the Princess was, but all that came out was a strangled gargle. Blood rushed down my throat, and I coughed weakly.
The Commander raised my head up, and the blood ran backward. I could breathe again, but just barely. His eyes filled with sorrow and regret, and he said, "The Princess is fine." He looked up at her. She stood by the Queen, watching. "You did a fine job, son." He heard me sigh quietly, and my body gave a sort of shudder. He looked back down, and noticed that I could no longer see him. My eyes watched him without actually seeing him, but my lips were perminantly set to a smile. He knew that I was happy.
A single tear rolled down his scarred face, and his giant, rough hand gently closed my eyes for the last time.
He sighed and got up, walking toward the Princess. She saw his expression, and that he did not call the medical care group to help me, and she cried. She cried 'til there was nothing left. The Queen could only hug her daughter as she wept for what would have been her future husband.
The Commander just stood there watching. He could not cry, for he had to set up a strong front. A small page came up the Commander to report, but a middle-aged man grabbed his arm and gave him a warning look. The two walked away, to give the Commander time to mourn his son.
Soon after, the King, the Queen, and their daughter and people left this castle and its bloody memory. The Commander left his son's body without a backward glance. He did, however, allow a tiny, triumphant smile.
000
Back in the castle, I sat up in a pool of my blood. The abandoned castle was silent, and I noticed that the King's consort had left without me, which was probably for the better.
I patted my chest and felt no stab wounds. Father did a good job with healing, considering that he had almost no magic left.
I wondered how he had known that I was still alive, just rather deeply unconsious. I gave it up to just father's instinct. He had been a good father, dispite outer appearances. I set off, leaving the Gray Castle in flames.
000
In her carriage, the Princess stared, dry-eyed out the window. She had no tears left to cry. She just sat and thought, consumed by happy memories of her and Alan. She didn't even notice when a hay cart, with a man dressed in what looked suspiciously like what Alan had worn to the Gray Castle and a large, straw hat rode by.
The Queen however, saw the man. She looked up to meet his eye, and found herself staring into the stormy gray eyes of someone very familiar. The man winked at the Queen, and pulled his hat lower to cover his face. His hay cart soon passed the royal parade.
The Queen smiled to herself. So there would be a marriage after all.