The Dark Ones
Chapter 1
"Wake up, sleepy-head!" Milo's voice cut through Kida's misty blue slumber the next morning.
"Hmm?" Kida's eyes snapped open. Daylight streamed in through the window. Milo was sitting next to her, already dressed. She smiled at him. "Hello, Handsome."
"You're lying," Milo said, tweaking her nose.
"No, I'm not." Kida sat up yawning and stretching. She glanced at the water-clock on the wall. "Yädlug! Why did you let me sleep so late?"
"You needed the extra shuteye. You simply have not been getting enough sleep the past few nights," Milo chided.
"I know. I just have this nagging feeling..."
"You and your nagging feelings," Milo said, affectionately pulling her hair.
"Really, Milo!" she sighed. "I just can't help but feel that something terribly bad is about to happen." Milo half-heartedly smiled at her, and leaned over to kiss her...
BANG! BANG! Just then, someone started pounding on the door. "Your Majesty, are you awake?" a voice called.
"Enter!" Kida called back. A servant woman rushed in with a panicked look on her face. It was Nakia. She had lived and worked in the palace most of her life, and she and Kida were close friends.
"Nakia, what's wrong?" Milo asked her.
"It's another riot!" Nakia gasped.
"Another one?" Kida asked. Over the past several months there had been more and more rebellious outbursts.
"This one's the worst yet," Nakia said. "The leader of the rebels insists that you meet with him now to discuss his demands. Kida, I'm worried!"
"Very well," Kida said regally. She called to a nearby servant. "Gather together all the royal guards. Have them report to my throne room." The servant hurried to obey, and Kida turned back to Nakia. "Who is the leader of the rebels?"
"It's Throck," Nakia replied.
Kida's face went pale. "Nakia, go find Meera and the two of you meet me in my throne room." Meeranakash was Kida's lifelong friend and royal advisor. Nakia nodded and rushed off.
Milo picked up his spear and started to follow her out. He turned back to face Kida. She was sitting on the edge of the bed staring blankly in front of herself. "Coming, dear?" Milo inquired.
Kida's head was spinning. It was all so confusing. First the rebellious outbreaks. Then her nightmares about Throck. Now this. They had to be connected, and they had to mean something bad. Milo's voice pulled her out of her reverie. "Hmm?" she mumbled.
"Kida, are you okay?" Milo asked softly.
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I am fine. You go to the throne room. I'll meet everyone there once I get dressed," Kida said.
Milo nodded and squeezed her hand. "It's going to be okay, Kida," he said, then walked out of the room.
"I certainly hope so," Kida whispered.
It was dark in Throck's small cottage when Orion entered. It was always dark in this place, it seemed. Throck consistently covered his windows with reed shades, blocking the sun-like light that was cast by the Mother Crystal. It was disconcerting.
"Report, Orion?" the tall Atlantean man intoned from an especially dark corner of the room, his eyes fixed on his right-hand man.
"Oh–erm–yes," Orion stuttered, embarrassed that he had not noticed Throck's presence sooner. "The Queen is coming."
"And Milo Thatch as well?" Throck asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Perfect. Everything's going exactly the way I planned it," Throck snickered.