Chapter FORTY-FIVE: Leave All-DEVIN

...

Alicia paced back and forth in her chambers, glancing at the door whenever she thought she heard something strange. Although usually nothing, any noise outside made her more anxious and fearful; for everyday she had been kept here, things seemed to be getting worse.

After her fight with Devin, she had been virtually caged up due to the king's orders after she had tried to follow him out into the battlefields. He had sent her a message soon after telling her to stay put, '...that women should not be fighting, especially the Queen.' Alicia grunted loudly thinking of all those years ago when they had met, when she had been kidnapped. Devin had said nearly the same exact words to her: You're only a girl. The same words she had had a fit over, and nearly pushed him into the river for—or worse.

"…I'm only a girl?!" Alicia repeated loudly to herself, miffed. She had long proven him wrong, though she knew that this had nothing to do with her being 'a girl' or putting her in danger as queen; it was none of that. She knew how to handle herself quite well in battle and he knew it. His belittling words were for other reasons and only to provoke her. The truth was that he just wanted to keep her away from him after he had discovered what she had done to him and Talia years ago. And now he had very much succeeded in keeping her away from him by locking her up.

"Talia..." she mumbled her name, wondering if Devin was thinking of her right now.

She went to the door and pulled with all her might wanting to get out. After beating on it for a while, she fell to her knees to peak under the door, only to see the familiar sets of the guards shiny boots standing firmly against it.

"I order you to let me out at once!" Alicia shouted, but they simply remained silent as they had every time she attempted to persuade them to release her.

To make matters worse, her shouting woke the baby. The girl began to cry loudly, forcing Alicia to refrain from further attempts to catch the attention of the guards.

She went over and pulled out a nearly empty vial of blue sleeping dust. "There, there, my little one. You must be strong...No one must know that you are here," she uttered gently; but before taking a pinch to give her, the girl feel back to sleep.

She sighed with relief, glad that she wouldn't have to force her sleep again. Her crying had made her fearful that they would be found by the numerous sinister creatures that were lurking outside the castle walls at this very time torturing and killing her people.

Alicia caressed her daughter's rose cheeks and soft lilac hair, before retreating to bed herself, not bothering to change out of her clothes, just in case.

She blew out the candles, leaving the room pitch black, and felt for the dagger she had placed underneath the sham.

Before closing her eyes, suddenly, the walls began to rattle violently, making the furniture shift drastically and the floors creak and jitter. She seized the dagger and jumped up as quickly as she could to cover her sleeping daughter's crib from any falling debris.

The child, fortunately, remained safe and asleep once the shaking had ceased. Still panting from the sudden shock, Alicia became alert of any changes she could make out in the darkness. She suddenly heard the two guards outside yelling something to one another, and then the loud clanging of their armor hurriedly moving down the corridors.

"...Could it be?" she whispered to herself, hoping that they had let their guard down. At the same time, she fearfully wondered what made them leave. "What cowards…" she said softly, as she cracked the chamber door open to peak out into the black corridor. The scent of fire filled the room, but no smoke was present. Her heart began to beat wildly.

Suddenly, in the far distance of the corridor, she saw a faint light coming closer. She immediately shut the door, able to see the light get brighter through the door's lining.

The castle began to tremble again, even more violent than before, but she managed to grip the dagger tightly in her hand as the door flung open.

The shadowy figure blew out the light it carried and entered carefully, taking a few steps forward then pausing.

Without further thought, Alicia struggled with fright as she sunk her dagger at the figure, hoping that she would not miss.

She felt the blade only go an inch deep as the figure grabbed her arms.

"…A-a-a-licia?!" the voice moaned loudly.

"Devin!" Alicia screeched mortified at what she had done. She dropped the dagger from shock and raced to find a candle nearby and lit it.

"What'd you do that for?!" Devin blurted as he tugged at his wrist where she had struck, while trying to shake off the stinging. "Alicia…you were right…We have to get out of here…It has gotten worse…Much, much, worse."

"You're bleeding, Devin!" Alicia cried as she moved the light over him to see where she had cut, but quickly noticed how beaten and worn he appeared otherwise. "Devin…you are not well."

"I'll be fine," he muttered when she tried to help him. The cut fortunately did cease bleeding right away. "We have a lot to talk about…don't we?" he said as he reached for her shoulder to bring her closer, though he stopped short of embracing her.

"Devin..."Alicia whispered lovingly and kissed him softly. "I am so happy with you here…"

Devin looked deeply into her eyes, wanting to say more and apologize for being an idiot; but now, all he could think of was getting them out of Thais; out of the wretchedness that was outside the castle gates.

He swiftly turned away from her to light a torch, leaving Alicia waiting impatiently for him to say something more, unsure if he had forgiven her yet.

She frowned wanting to fight off tears or any angry outbursts from his stiffness and insensitivity.

"Get whatever you think we need to take with us," he told her as he went to pick up his soundly sleeping daughter out of her crib. He smiled happily and braced the girl tightly. "I missed you, too, princess…" he uttered happily.

"Can you explain what is going on?" she asked testily as he hurried over to open a chest where they stored gems and gold coins, "…So we really are leaving? Devin?"

"Err, yes!" he blurted again, unable to hold back his panic. "We have to get out of here!"

"I…I have been waiting for this. I already have our belongings together and some gold and jewelry aside…But…where shall we go?" she asked and pointed to a small bag, but Devin shrugged his shoulders as he handed her the bag.

"I don't know, Alicia. There is a ship waiting for us at the western edge of the land. I've ordered them to wait, but I don't know for how much longer."

"But…but everyone else?" Alicia said faintly, thinking of all who had remained in Thais, despite the battle.

"They are either dead… "Devin said the word bitterly; horrible images filled his mind as he continued, "or…or they are unwilling to leave. And there are some who are in hiding, but we cannot worry about them now."

"Oh…"Alicia said, finally succumbing to her tears. "Devin…You have done well as King…Do not blame yourself for this."

"Yeah, yeah, some king I am…All those people!" he murmured disheartened. "Alicia...I am scared of what will happen."

Alicia hastily turned to grab her sword and torch; his unsettling words making her move at a quicker speed. Now ready to leave, she felt for Devin's free hand, pulling him and their child into the corridor. But before moving any further, he kissed her gently, feeling somewhat relieved and hopeful that it would all be over soon.

"Devin…"she whispered, still uncertain of what exactly was going through his mind. But he tightly held her hand again and now they moved fast through the corridors to escape.

..

As they approached the throne room, they slowed down, Alicia being the one to suddenly stop in the stairwell. "Devin…do not forget what we discussed before, what you have said before if something happens, I mean..."

For a moment, he had nearly forgotten, but the cheerful memory came back to him. "I won't...Our only hope…I won't forget," he said suddenly feeling warm and hopeful again.

When they reached the throne room, Alicia gasped at the sight. Rubble everywhere and blood stains splattered all over the walls and ground.

"Told you it was bad," he blurted.

Both began running now towards the courtyard outside.

"I'm just happy that we can be normal after this, husband," Alicia said, feeling somewhat content that she was not going to have to be queen anymore as she had wanted.

..

Outside, castle stones and rubbish from part of the city's exterior covered much of the now barren streets. The sky, an ugly vermillion and dark grey tainted overhead. And the scent of the lost, living and non-living, decomposing in the mixed air of noxious smoke. Calamity and dreary had etched in every division of Thais, rich and poor.

Alicia gripped herself tightly, unprepared for the sight of her ruined kingdom. She swore under her breath, trying to remain strong as they sneaked warily past anything remotely dangerous, passing some dead peasants and knights along the way.

"Don't look," Devin sighed quietly, knowing that she perhaps knew who the dead were. After, he remained silent, wishing to be among them; though, he peered down at the child in his arms and her strength and warmth quickly killed the desire. His wish now was to get out of the city sooner than their already rapid pace permitted.

When they reached the shattered city gate, Alicia could see a carriage ahead. Rain began to pour, extinguishing the occasional flames that were burning city remnants, making the warm steam harder to see ahead.

Five knights pulled out their weapons as they climbed over the stony ruins in their way, an only slightly lowering them when they realized it was their king and queen.

Devin pulled out Thor holding it in one hand until Alicia took the semi-sleeping baby in hers.

"Tailor!" she cried out, relieved to see him alive. "You are well!"

"Your Majesty," Tailor greeted her, somberly. He quickly turned to them, but as soon as he did a pack of red wolves jumped out of the demolished forest, growling raucously at them.

"You have to get out of here! NOW!" Tailor snapped at them as he pulled them away from the ravenous wild dogs.

"But you cannot stay here!" Alicia shouted, with Devin pulling her inside. The rain suddenly stopped, causing everyone to look up momentarily. The baby began to cry uncontrollably.

"Everything is taken care of, Queen Alicia! Do not worry about me. Thais needs as much help as it can get!" Tailor spoke quickly as he shoved Devin inside, too, and slammed the carriage door before running off with two knights to attack the approaching pack.

"Devin! We can't just leave them!" Alicia swirled around in her seat to see the knights being surrounded by at least ten wolves. Tailor took a strike and killed a beast instantly.

The crying of the child grew louder.

"He'll be okay, Alicia…At least they aren't fighting demons…" Devin managed to say as three of the five knights left the battle to escort them.

As they hurried away, Alicia noticed Devin's dampened state as he peered out of the moving compartment, watching everything they passed with distrust. She placed her hand over his, though he did not take it, leaving her feeling unsure again; the same uncertainty she had felt in the castle.

The carriage sped west towards the end closer to what was now its own isle; though, the land remained close enough for a ship to travel between lands.

After a minute, Alicia squeezed her upset daughter firmly, helping her relax to a light cry. She stared out into the distant blazing mountains, thinking about Animalville suddenly, and wondering if Frederick and the others had survived.

"…Alicia..." Devin began after several bumpy moments of uncertainty, beginning to feel the lull of finally leaving, and desiring to make up with her. He nervously picked at the cut she had made earlier, noticing that it was now bleeding heavily. Devin grinned a little as he thought back to when he had returned after his desertion and they had fallen for each other.

Now half way to the port, suddenly, large fireballs began falling from above, plunging deep into the ground.

"DEVIN!" Alicia shrieked, horrified. She wrapped her arms close, crouching her body over her baby to protect her. Devin let go of his sword and embraced Alicia and his daughter, covering them as much as he could with his armor. Alicia rapidly casted a protection spell she knew could not protect them all, but it was the only one that came to mind.

She closed her eyes. He kept his open and watched as a bright sphere hit the front of the carriage, striking the knights and horses up front.

Everything went black...

...

Alicia gasped. Her eyes blinked open. The sharp sound of breaking wood fresh in her ears. She felt the moist ground with her hand and felt her sword a couple feet away. As soon as she came to, she turned herself over, searching for the carriage and saw it immediately on its side with flames flickering inside. Everything came back to her in one horrible interval of terror as she pulled herself up.

Panicked, she frantically stumbled upward, her head still spinning with the delirium of what had just happened. Suddenly, she heard the loud cry of her daughter coming beside the blasted carriage and rushed to it. She spotted Devin on the ground and went to him as quickly as possible. Her heart beating hysterically.

"Devin!" Alicia cried, falling beside him. He lay on his side, baby grasped in tight arms, but safe. "Devin!" she repeated again. With some difficulty, she pulled her daughter to her to make sure she was fine. Devin, still unconscious, clung to the baby's blood stained blanket. The girl was fine though, obviously, the blood belonged to Devin.

Then, in the unsettling quietness of the night, off in the burning annihilated forest somewhere, she heard a loud wicked cackling too familiar to ever forget.

"Devin! Please! Get up!" Alicia bellowed. The babe began sobbing loudly again.

Devin stirred slightly. He felt close to death, but the sound of his pleading wife and the faint cruel laugh forced his eyes open.

"Ali-cia…Run…You have to…" he was able groan, wanting to assure her that he would follow, but the lightheadedness became too strong to overcome and his head rolled back.

"Nooooo!" Alicia wailed, covering her mouth from horror. She pulled his arm trying to wake him, but Devin remained still. "I order you to get up! Now!"

The cackling grew louder and louder with every moment that passed. It echoed as if it were near and far.

With no other choice but to leave him, Alicia sprinted off into the forest, with baby in arms. The castle loomed in the horizon.

End of Part 5