Here comes the next chapter! Please sit and enjoy this chapter and once you're finished I would really appreciate it if you review! :D forgive any spelling mistakes :P
"Zachary, what is going on?" Lauren asked but the King just shook his head and walked from the room and into his study. He sunk into a chair by the fire. He looked like he'd aged well beyond his years in a few minutes.
Zachary took the saber from Mara then dismissed her and the captain. He's eyes were troubled as he looked at the weapon.
"Fastion, could you get Henry?" The weapon walked off leaving only two to guard the monarchs.
"Zachary, what's going on? How could you leave yourself so vulnerable? That girl could have easily killed you." Lauren decided to ask about his safety before demanding what was in the letter.
"Kyden wouldn't send someone dangerous to me." Zachary muttered as he twisted the saber around.
"Who's Kyden?" Estora asked.
"He's a black arrow."
"What's a black arrow?" Lauren smiled. "Surely not the black arrows in stories?"
"Normally only the Royal family and the weapons know this, but you're basically my older sister." Zachary told Lauren. "Black arrows are very real. They're a whole other division that, to put it bluntly, are the King's spies."
"A whole other division. I've been to every corner of Sacoridia, why have I never met a single arrow barracks?" Lauren asked. She was getting worried. How could he have kept such a secret from her?
"Their barracks are inside the castle. They are below the battlements but above the fifth floor." Zachary explained. "The weapons were the only people other than me that knew about this, until now."
"How have I never run into a black arrow before?" Lauren asked. Queen Estora had accepted the idea better than Lauren and was listening intently to everything being said.
"You probably have. There are only 7, maybe 8, of them."
"Seven, there are seven in this group? How can they do anything?" Lauren was finding this very hard to comprehend. How could such things be unknown to her?
"They work best alone. They find their ways into the most impossible places. Imagine seven Beryls, and they're in even more danger than she." Zachary finished and the door opened.
A man walked in. He was young, around twenty four, with brown hair and a handsome smile. He walked in at ease but upon seeing Lauren and Estora, bowed low.
"It's alright Henry, they know." At Zachary's words the young man stood at ease once more.
"Did the girl tell you what happened to Kyden?" Henry sat down on a chair without being asked to. Lauren found his lack of manners very discomforting. Even she had to be professional but this guy wasn't.
"No, she was about to faint." Zachary told him. "I sent her to you straight away."
"We should be able to use her, but what was in the letter?"
"Evidence, evidence of Edmond's betrayal and of Gerald Tilah." Zachary sighed.
"We always knew he wasn't happy." Henry told him.
"I know but now we have proof. We should pull Lillian out of there." Henry just shook his head at Zachary's words.
"No, if they're planning something big it'll be good to have her in on it." Henry told them.
"What about Darien?"
Henry bit his lip. "What about him?"
"Annora rode up on Franji."
Henry took a deep breath. "I know, but it's just an occupational hazard. She knows the risks."
"Once Annora's rested and recovered bring her to me and we'll find out what happened." Zachary told him.
"Okay, see ya." And with that Henry left. Without bowing, without asking for permission, he just left.
"That's Henry." Zachary smiled at the horrified women.
Annora was taken up some stairs and through a wall. They came out in a dark room. There where hooks for weapons and cloaks and a nice fire in the hearth.
Two girls were playing intrigue and one guy was resting in a chair.
"I'll leave her in your care." The person holding her said then left.
The two girls jumped up and took hold of Annora before she collapsed.
The man got up. "What's your name?"
"Annora," she told him but couldn't find the strength to say anything else. Slowly her vision went black and she thought no more.
Annora woke in a bed. It was soft and warm. The room was dark but her body knew it was day time.
There wasn't a single window in the room but a lamp was on the bedside table. Annora reached out and lit it.
The room had a mirror on the wall and a wardrobe plus a desk with a chair.
The place was completely unfamiliar to her but she was too hungry to worry. She tried to remember the events of last night and managed to remember all the way up to King Zachary dismissing her.
Someone knocked on the door and it opened. In walked a girl slightly familiar.
She had brown hair and smiled at Annora. She looked to be 18 years old.
"Good morning, you probably don't remember but my name is Delia." The young woman was carrying a tray full of food.
Annora felt her mouth water.
"I brought you something to eat." Delia chuckled as Annora attacked the food and cleaned the plate easily.
"Umm, did someone want to know my story?" Annora asked as she gulped down some water.
"Well, you don't have to now because Kyden turned up an hour ago. He's completely fine. If anything he's put on weight." Delia huffed. "Can't believe he never comes home sick."
"Where is he? Can I see him?" Annora asked sending crumbs everywhere.
Delia burst into laughter. "Of course you can, but first you must have a bath. Not being rude or anything, but you stink."
Delia's laughter turned out to be contagious and Annora laughed along with her.
Lauren kept an eye out for possible Black Arrows but saw no one. Rather discouraged she walked towards the riders common room when she saw two young women who didn't look very innocent to Lauren.
She almost fainted as she recognized one of them. It was the girl from last night. She walked with her head high, no longer looked half dead or about to faint.
Annora's hair had been washed and she walked next to Delia towards the horse's paddocks.
Delia turned out to have the funniest personality ever and Annora found herself at complete ease with her.
Everyone stopped and stared as the two walked past but they hardly saw Delia. Annora's hair had been washed and brushed. Every time she walked through the sun it would sparkle. It was long and came to her hips and it was blonde. Such a gorgeous blonde that even Queen Estora would be jealous.
"Kyden!" Delia called to the guy as he patted Franji's nose.
"Annora," His face lot up with relief. "Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine." Annora laughed. She looked him over for injuries but could find none and relaxed.
"I'm sorry I've forced you into this kind of life, but you can still get out of it." Kyden told her.
"What I've heard of you guys is that you're saving your country from horrible people. Why wouldn't I want to help my country?" Annora smiled. It was true, why wouldn't she?
"The danger." Delia suggested.
"That just makes life more exciting." Annora and the two laughed.
"Well, welcome to the Black Arrows." Kyden welcomed.
"Is that all?" Annora asked. "Shouldn't there be like rituals or something?"
Kyden and Delia looked at each other.
"No not really." Delia told her.
"Oh," Annora felt slightly disappointed.
"You'll have to do something about her hair." Kyden told Delia.
"What's wrong with my hair?" Annora asked.
"It stands out too much but you can worry about it later. We have training." Kyden and Delia started to walk off.
"What do you mean training?" Annora asked.
"Think of it as a test." Kyden told her.
"You have to survive your first combat training with the weapons." Delia added.
"But_, what? I'll be killed." The other just laughed and she was forced to follow them.
Disclaimer: The only characters I own are Annora, Kyden, Delia, Henry, Edmond and well a couple of others :D but all your favourite characters are Kristen Britains :)
What did you think? Please review and I'll make my writing better :P if there is anything you want to happen, please tell me! :D REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!