A King, Queen, a Princess, Five Knights, and a Girl
This is a fic of my own make…I don't own anyone or anything…let me know what you think!
Chapter One
Alarea ran, and grunted as her leg smacked into the trunk of a tree. She ignored the pain and panic and kept running, pushing her legs to run faster and pump harder. She had to reach the Castle of Kells, find Cohad, and soon because she wouldn't last much longer. He was the only one she could trust now, the only one who could help her. Only problem was that she only knew him from a childhood memory, an aging man with graying hair and beard. But she knew he was a Druid and that might help her find him. She would, for Jorve, Liu save him. Trying to keep the memory out of her head the one of him falling, telling her to find Cohad, because he was her last chance. Half running, half-slipping down a slope she saw the edge of the ledge to late, and the sky beyond it and tumbled off…
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"Well I don't see why we have to pick these thorny weeds"! Complained Angus. Rohan just sighed and rolled his eyes at his best friend. Deride turned and glared at him saying, " Angus must you always complain? Honestly, You know we need these herbs and plants, they're important. To the survival of Kells." Angus's handsome face contorted as he augured, well, someone else could have gone, I mean we're mystic knights! Rohan just shook his head, if he didn't end it now they wouldn't get home till after nightfall. "Look, Angus you know the plants are important, so be quiet and let's just get home? Before Deride could look too smug, Rohan told her Just ignore it, now lets get moving". They continued on, toward a ledge next to the road on the way home…
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The soldiers searched, praying to great Liu that they would find her. The Queen wasn't someone to cross, because she was powerful and dangerous. And the Queen wasn't known for her patience. Boy they were all nervous, meanwhile they had to find the girl, and their lives could very well depend on it…
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Alarea franticly tried to grab the edge, arms flaying, but to no avail. She gave a cry of despair, and there was a sickening moment of awareness, knowing she had let Jorve down. She managed to whisper "Forgive me Jorve". Then she saw the stars and a great flash as she hit her head and fell into darkness.
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Angus had lagged behind a little, mumbling to himself about how unfair it was, not to mention how hungry he was. All of a sudden he heard a crashing noise and looked up. Someone was falling over the ledge! A cry escaped them as they tried to grab the edge unsuccessfully. Angus tried to find something for them to land on but too late, the falling person knocked him flat on his back…
Rohan wheeled around, and saw someone sprawled on Angus. Deride and Rohan raced back towards them, and were shocked by what they saw. There was a girl with long hair and a cloak slumped over a flattened Angus. They lifted her off of Angus, and he moaned as he got up. "What's going on? Asked Angus, The sky raining people now?" " I don't know said Rohan It looks like she fell off the ledge." Deride glanced up and said, "Quite a drop, I surprised she's alright." "Easy for you to say! Cried Angus, She didn't land on you!" Quiet, said Rohan; she's coming to….
Alarea slowly opened her eyes, and instead of seeing the messenger of Passing like she thought three strangers were standing over her. Two young men and a girl about her age. Her first thought was that she was captured, and she was on her feet in a second. Alarea had to pause as a wave of dizzy-ness passed over her. She clutched the arm of the young man with black hair. It was then that she saw a window between the young men and took the opportunity. Darting through she stopped just short of running into the point of the young woman's crossbow. " Just were do you think you're going off to?" the woman asked "Kells, Alarea cried and you can tell your Queen she'll never win! I will never fail!" With that said she took advantage of the woman's surprised look by grabbing her arm, tucked and rolled backwards sending the girl flying over Alarea's head, and right into her male companions. Rolling back out of her stance, Alarea ran on in the direction of Kells…
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Deride never thought the girl was a threat but she pulled the crossbow on her anyway to keep her from running away. And she certainly never thought that the girl would attack. Now she was in the middle of Angus and Rohan trying to get up. After a moment they managed to get untangled, then they all exchanged a look, and started after her…
Rohan, Angus, and Deridre had tried their best to catch the girl, but their attempts were unsuccessful. After about a mile down the beaten path they had lost all sight of her. " By Liu, that girl's fast! Exclaimed Rohan. "Yes, but were did she go?" asked a breathless Deridre. "She said something about Kells," Angus explained after a moment of breath catching. Well, what are we waiting for? Asked Rohan, maybe we can still head her off! "Right! Let's go, I'll lead the way as I 'm the Princess of Kells and she threw me into the likes of you two!" Deridre made a sharp turn on her heel and continued on her way to Kells. Angus looked at Rohan and gave a slight moan, and started after her.
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"So that wench daughter of Jorve thinks she can save herself and Kells? Whispered Queen Neumane. We shall see." Neumane stood on top of the ledge with her troop of soldiers, looking down on the retreating backs of the mystic knights. Then she turned and barked at her guards in a nasal voice, " Come! We must prepare, since you have all failed me so miserably." " But Queen, you said not to have the mystic knights see us! We were only following orders, please." Begged one of her soldiers. " Enough! It matters not. Replied Neumane coldly; I will deal with them all in good time! Away!" And with that they turned and started back to her castle.
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Alarea ran as fast as she could to Kells, she was sure that those people were following her, so she had to reach Kells and soon. She made a turn around a corner and found herself in the village next to the castle. Alarea bolted through the village and received many stares. Running up to the castle gate, she began pounding on it with all her might. "Please! Let me in I must find Cohad the Druid! It is of much importance!" " All right, all right just a moment!" Called a guard from inside the gate. A guard opened the gate and said, " You must wait until I clear you and then you may enter." " I don't have time for this! I must find Cohad now, and the King must help me!" " I don't think so Miss, so just wait here and I'll…" Before the guard could finish Angus, Deridre and Rohan came running up the path and Deridre cried " There she is!" Alarea heard them and took advantage of the guard peering at the group and shoved him out of the way and ran inside the castle. Once inside she turned to face her attackers. They ran in and she flew at them doing a front handspring and kicking one of the men down. She turned and knocked the woman over with an elbow to the stomach, but the other young man dressed in red with long curly hair grabbed her from behind. Alarea's arms were pinned but she stomped on the man's foot and gave him a head butt, ducked and flipped him over her. She was tiring quickly and knew she wouldn't last long, but if she was going down, she was going down fighting. With that she turned to the guards rushing her from either side.
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King Conard was going over all the preparations for rebuilding his kingdom after the war with Mauve. He turned to ask his advisor, Cohad for his opinion on which of the villages would need the most repairs, when a guard burst in the room. " Many apologies my King, but a young girl has attacked the mystic knights in the courtyard, and is beating many of the guards, she may be possessed." "Garrett and Ivar, go and help the rest of the mystic knights and Cohad let's see what a threat this girl represents. And try not to harm her, she may not realize what she's doing" he called as he entered the courtyard. He was slightly taken aback as a young girl was holding off his mystic knights and royal guard. She had taken a sword from one of the guards and fighting back ferociously. Ivar turned to him and said, "Us not harm her? It looks like we'll be the ones with the bruises, sir" "Indeed, the King replied and then boomed over the courtyard. I am the King of this Palace and I demand to know what's going on!"….
Alarea turned and saw the King. She kicked a guard down and used him to leap over to the king. She then shoved her sword into the ground in homage, and said " Good King," Alarea called, "I have a message to bring you and the Druid Cohad from the wise warrior wizard Jorve." And once she registered the shocked looks on their faces, she fainted.
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Cohad, King Conard and the mystic knights rushed over to where she had fallen. "Cohad, what's wrong with her"? Asked King Conard "I am not certain, but I believe that it's from over exhaustion, my King." "Then can you explain what she said? Deridre?" Rohan quickly relayed their story of meeting her. He then turned to the Druid and asked Cohad, "Who's Jorve?" " A great Druid, who was once a warrior of great strength, when he fell in battle a Unicorn gave it's life and magic to save him, he has been blessed with the gift of sight and wisdom by the unicorn. This made him a wizard, but in this he cannot fight, save to teach." " Why have I not heard of him? Asked Conard, if he was so great, where has he been in this time of great need?" " He disappeared many years ago, not long after I visited him and his adopted daughter, for reasons unknown. If he had wanted to be found, he would have, but of late I have been having a feeling that we have suffered a great loss we do not yet know of. I have wondered if he was dead, or so injured that he might have began to pass on, but this may be his daughter, and she would know for sure." " How will we know? Asked Garrett " I must check her neck, she has born a tattoo of strange origin since before she was taken under Jorve's care." Replied Cohad. Angus helped Ivar slowly and gently turn her over and Cohad lifted back her long dark hair and there on her neck it was there. A long loop of black turns that tied up unto it's self, the tattoo sat at the nape of her neck. " "It's her. I believe her name was Aleara." Was all Cohad said. Quickly, we must get her rested, for she will have traveled far."
Angus peered down at the girl, she was bruised and ragged looking, and there was dried blood on her leg, but he could see that she was beautiful. She had long, dark hair and a long, lean, slender body. Her face was very lovely with full lips and arched eyebrows. Shaking himself he picked up the sword next to her as Garrett lifted her and carried her up to Cohad's room above the main camber.
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Deridre turned to Cohad and asked, "How far do you think she traveled?" "I cannot be certain, but given the shakes she has I am guessing quite far indeed." "Cohad," questioned the King "What message could she have to bring to you and I that would cause to push her so?" " I know nothing of her message, but that Alarea, even as a young girl never failed Jorve in anything he asked.." "Alarea huh?" stated Angus, "she's strong to have taken us all on and lasted after that sort of travel. Especially after throwing Deridre into the two of us." He turned to Rohan and they shared a smirk as the princess fumed. Garrett turned to them and asked, "What, she managed to upturn our royal highness?" He to smirked. "Well I believe that she managed to relive of one of your swords, and Rohan she sent you flying too!" "Easy, easy. Said Ivar trying to calm Deridre down. It appears that we have quite a skilled warrior here, Cohad you said that this Jorve was once a great warrior, this could also prove her as his daughter.
At the puzzled looks of the many people in the camber Ivar explained. "If I were a father in a time of war, I would make sure that my children could defend themselves. I will give a guess as to when Jorve disappeared, probably around when the fighting began with Mauve." "Oh, I see said Rohan, he couldn't fight except to teach, and Alarea was to young to fully defend herself, so they went into hiding to protect her." "That is a logical theory Ivar." Replied the King; we will know the whole story when she wakes. But for now I must say we leave her in Cohad's care. Let me know when she wakes Cohad, I am interested in what she has to say."