Chapter One- Stolen Away
"I take a wrong turn break it but I'm too far gone
I've got a siren on my tale and that's not the fine
I'm looking for" ~Poe
Serryn Conil sat on the railing of her balcony, her feet dangling over the city below her. A breeze swept by her, whipping her hair about. She smiled slightly. 'If mother saw me she'd die of fright.'
But Serryn was not afraid of hights, or of falling. And she did not care what her mother saw her do. In fact she wished her mother would come barging in on her right now, just so she could see the priceless look on her face.
Serryn fingers clenched the stone railing in anger as she remembered the conversation she had had with the Queen of Conilia this morning.
~Flash Back~
'No, I absolutely forbid it.'
Serryn's mouth dropped in shock, 'Mother! You can't be serious!'
'I am serious. As princess of Conilia and as my first born daughter you have no business learning to fight like a man.'
Serryn clutched her wooden staff, anger swelling in her heart, and she could feel the fire burning her cheeks.
'But mother, as heir to the throne do you not think it fit that I ought to have some fighting skills? If father thought to train me himself-"
"But your father is DEAD!" the queen interrupted.
Serryn lost her words and felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She dropped her head studying the floor, damned if she'd let her mother see her cry.
The queens face softened slightly. 'I'm sorry Serryn. I...I just can't let you learn to fight in the same way your father lost his life. I just couldn't bear to lose you too!'
Her face hardened again, appearing emotionless. "Your place is behind the castle walls, where you are protected. And that is final."
Serryn opened her mouth to protest, but the queen cut her off.
"You are dismissed Princess Serryn."
The princess stared at her mother in disbelief, and ran from the thrown room, the tears falling silently from her pale green eyes. ~~
Serryn closed her eyes at the memory. She would show her mother. She would be a great fighter. She dropped from her perch on the balcony and picked up her staff which lay on the cobbled floor. She examined it, running her hand over the smooth sanded wood, up to the gnarled end.
She glimpsed into the crystal embedded there. A girl of sixteen, green eyes with pale gold hair falling past her shoulders stared back at her from the reflection. Serryn looked nothing like her Mother, the queen, or her younger sister who both had indigo blue eyes and hair the color of dark chocolate.
Perhaps she took after her father...Serryn gasped suddenly. Why could she not picture his face? She stumbled over her feet dashing to the desk in her room, flinging the drawers open and throwing papers and documents everywhere until she found what she was looking for.
It was a painting. Small with a silver frame. It pictured a man bearly in his thirties. His mouth was set in a straight line, but his eyes were smiling. Serryn smiled back at them. He had trained her, taught her how to fight, giving her his own handcrafted staff to fight with. She could recall his words to her now.
"A staff is an elegant weapon. Not as crude as a sword and easier to control. And it is also an illusion. One who has practiced a sword his entire life will not believe that he could possibly be beaten by a wooden stick." He smiled handing the staff to her, a wide eyed eight-year-old at the time.
Her mother had been furious. But her father had been the king and his word ruled.
Serryn sighed placing the painting back in the drawer, closing it with a sigh. She knew her mother loved her and her intentions on protecting her eldest daughter came from her hearts love. But sometimes it was so frustrating.
Her father had taught her the basics of handling the wooden staff, but after he was killed in battle years ago, her mother had strictly forbade any further training. And it was not enough for Serryn. She yearned to learn more. To excel in her abilities, and reach her farthest limits. For she had a long way to go before she would ever match her father's skill.
This morning's protest was just one in a series of recurring battles.
And Serryn always lost.
*****
Footsteps of the young Zaibach general echoed down the hall as he made his way to Folken's Chambers. Not bothering to knock, Dilandau sung open the door and addressed the Stratagos.
"So did you have some information you planned on sharing with me Stratagos??" He inquired.
Folken glanced up at the red-eyed general, frowning slightly. "Dilandau, I thought I told you I would call when I needed you. And just why do you think I hold any information at all.
Dilandau shrugged grinning slightly, "Word gets around."
Folken sighed, standing up. Apparently his theory about the Dragonslayers being more loyal to him then to Dilandau was misconstrued.
"I've stumbled upon a possible way we can breech Conilia's defenses."
Dilandau raised an eyebrow, taking a seat in the Stratagos's chair and pouring himself a glass of wine, "Do tell Folken."
Folken's eyes narrowed but he continued, "A few of our spies came back with information about the barrier surrounding Conilia. They're not sure how it works exactly, but they do know that it can only be deactivated by the Queen of Conilia herself. The barrier prevents enemy guymelefs and large armies from entering the city."
Dilandau snorted in disgust. "Typical of a country ruled by a woman to hide behind a barrier, never having to fight a battle. So what were your plans of getting into the city?"
"I was thinking we could perhaps persuade the Queen to open the barriers."
"And how do you suggest we do that, Stratagos, "Dilandau asked in annoyance. Folken always had to make his plans wordy, never getting to the point.
Folken pulled a painting out from his cloak and placed in on the desk in front of Dilandau. It pictured the queen, sitting on her thrown, a young girl sitting in her lap, and an older girl standing by her side, all smiling.
"Queen Janellia Conil has two daughters. My suggestion is that we kidnap one of the princesses and hold her hostage here on the Vione until the Queen consents to dropping the barrier."
Dilandau gaped at Folken, "WHAT?!? Are you saying that the Zaibach empire, one of the most powerful empires on Gaea, should stoop to kidnapping like a bunch of unruly bandits??"
"Do you have a better idea??" Folken waited for an answer, but continued when none came, "Janellia is confident now that her barrier will keep her city safe, but the more we attack the more her comfort will decrease. She will then call upon the aid of other countries. Do you want that, Dilandau?"
The silver-haired boy's face was contracted in rage at the thought, but he grunted and said, "How are we supposed to get into the City, Folken?"
"As I said before, the barrier only prevents large armies and Guymelefs from entering, you and a few slayers should have no problem sneaking into the city.
On foot that is."
*****
Dilandau scowled looking up at the castle, ignoring the rain splattering onto his face. It had all been too easy sneaking into the city. Just as Folken said. The storm had made it easy to hide them in the darkness. And muffled any noises that might cause alarm.
He kicked the dead body of a guard, venting some of his anger. And an easy task to Dilandau meant incredible boredom. He smirked slightly, an evil glint in his garnet eyes. At least he would get to scare some spoiled brat of a princess out of her little mind.
"Sir? The coast it clear, "Chesta said bringing Dilandau back from his thoughts, "Gatti's got the ropes fastened."
"Good, " Dilandau said, and followed Chesta to where Gatti had finished fastening a grappling hook to the balcony above, with some difficulty due to the rain.
"Which princess are we going after? "Gatti asked.
Dilandau looked confused for a moment, 'Oh Yeh, there's more then one,' he remembered, and pulled out the painting he'd taken from Folken, but not before rewarding Gatti's two seconds of superiority over him with a hard slap.
"We'll get the small one. She'll be easier to carry, and she would probably cause more grief to the Queen, seeing as she's 'Just a widdle girl' "Dilandau sneered sarcastically.
Gatti and Chesta nodded, and the three Zaibach soldiers began to climb the wall of the castle.
*****
Serryn was still on her balcony when the rain started. It began as a soft sprinkle, but the winds had picked up as the night spread over the city. She loved the rain and the wind. The combination always seemed to calm her soul, even when she was most troubled.
She had retreated back into her bedroom as the wind had turned to rushing gails, and the rain came down in sheets. Laying down on her bed, she watched the water run in currents down her windows and the bolts of lighting streaking across the sky every now and than.
Serryn sat up suddenly staring out of the window, her heart racing. Had she just seen someone outside her window? A black shadow had been sillouetted by a bright flash of lightning, but now it was gone. She kept staring listening for a noise, anything.
And screamed shrilly as a hand grabbed her arm. Another hand franticly cover her mouth, but Serryn realized the size of the hand and stopped.
"ARIA!" She hissed at her younger sister who had crept up behind her.
"Sorry Onii-chan! I didn't mean to scare you!" The younger girl said, looking quite ashamed of herself.
Serryn took several deep breaths trying to steady her beating heart. "It's all right, " she said, wondering absently why no guards had shown up due to her scream. She scowled.
Her mother made such a fuss about her and Aria's protection, but no one even came and checked on her when she could possibly be in danger. Serryn shrugged it off, and looked down at her sister. "What are you doing in here anyway?"
The little princess peeked over her shoulder, as if she feared someone might be listening, "I heard someone outside my window!" she whispered, her blue eyes wide, "The one with the doors."
Serryn's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure??" Normally she would have dismissed her sisters fears as just one of her harmless childish antics, but she herself had thought she saw someone, and the fear seemed real.
Aria shook her head up and down, and started pulling her sister towards the door that adjoined both their rooms together, "Come look, I think it's a monster! You can scare him away with your stick Serryn!!"
Serryn giggled slightly but let her self be dragged into the other room, not actually bothering to grab her staff. It was probably nothing after all. Some birds seeking shealter from the rain perhaps. Hearing Aria's fears of monsters had calmed her own slightly.
Aria released her sisters arm and ran over to stand ten feet from her balcony doors, "It's out their Onii-chan! The monsters out-" Aria voice was suddenly cut off as the shadows in the room seemingly came to life, and a darkened figure jumped from them grabbing Aria up into its arms.
Serryn's eyes widened and she open her mouth to shout, but gasped as a gloved hand clamped over her mouth another encircling her waist holding her back. She tried to scream but the leather of the glove only muffled her voice, and though she thrash around wildly, the pair of arms that held her were incredibly strong.
She stopped moving all together and the blood drained from her face as she suddenly felt cold steel pressed to her throat.
"Quiet princess, or I'll slit you ear to ear," a voice by her ear promised in a jeering tone. "Gatti! Chesta! Do you have the brat?"
Serryn looked up to see the shadowy figure holding her sister captive had been joined by a second. And she could see their faces now slightly. Zaibach soldiers. Or so their uniforms told her. She swore they couldn't have been much older then she was.
"Yes Lord Dilandau," They both replied in unison.
Serryn swore her heart stopped at that moment. 'Lord Dilandau???'
Fear welled up inside of her. The most feared general of the Zaibach army, The Diabolical Adonis, the Devil himself was here in her sister's bedroom. And she was at his mercy. 'Oh creator help me.' She prayed silently.
"Good, now get her back to the Alseides, I'll take care of this one, and meet up with you."
The two boys nodded, and Serryn let out a muffled cry as the one holding her sister brought his hand down on the girl's shoulder, rendering Aria unconscious. The he and his companion quickly escaped out onto the balcony and disappeared over the edge.
'NO!' Serryn silently cried, but then recalled her captors words, 'I'll take care of this one.' And she felt fear for her own life, temporarily dimissing thoughts of her sister.
Dilandau whipped her around so she was facing him, still holding the dagger against her throat. Serryn gasped. She had been expecting the face of a horrible monster but instead she faced...another boy? He stood a good head taller then her, and when lighting crashed it illuminated his face. Silver hair, and eyes the color of blood. She shivered involuntarily. His eyes, she could she the evil in them.
"So, "he spoke, his voice was low, mocking, "Picked a hell of a wrong time to be a good big sister, ne princess?"
Serryn let out a shaky breath, cursing her self repeatedly for not grabbing her staff. It lay only a few feet away in the next room, but it was useless.
"Don't kill me," she whispered, locking eyes with him and hoping he would remember the old custom that if you looked straight into the eyes of a person before killing them, their soul would haunt you forever.
But Dilandau laughed, "And why not? It would be so easy..." he assured her. A twisted grin formed on his lips sending shivers up Serryn's spine.
She groped for something, anything to say, to keep him from pressing the dagger deeper into her throat, but Dilandau spoke again. "No, I suppose I won't. First of all, there's no sport. And..." She gasped as the arm around her waist tightened pulling her much closer until his face hovered inches from her own.
"...I've got to have someone make sure her highness knows it was the Zaibach who kidnapped her innocent little girl." He laughed softly, and Serryn wish she could look away from those burning eyes.
"Tell your dear mother that she has two days to lower the barrier that surrounds this city. If she fails to perform this simple task, I assure you that you will never see your sister again."
Serryn felt tears streaming down her face, but her eyes flashed with rage, "You bastard!" she breathed.
Dilandau threw his head back laughing, and leaned in swiftly. Serryn balked as she became aware of his lips pressing forcefully against hers. She tried to pull away, but he held her close, kissing her with a fiery passion and she felt his tongue slip into her mouth.
Somehow the shock caused her mind to cloud over and she didn't notice his hand raising the dagger, hilt first behind her back. Until he drove it into the hollow between her shoulder and neck.
And then it was black.
