Chapter 4

Back thunder clouds started to swarm the kingdom and the people could feel a change in the air. The town's people worked together with the soldiers to clean up and restore the village. They carted dead bloody trolls away, and dumped them into the roaring fire that they used to dispose the wreckage. They buried the dead knights and towns people and tended to the wounded ones. Everyone was tired and weary but they worked hard and waited for their King to return.

*********

Cole started to feel the sting of the wound on his side but he ignored it. He was trying to keep Phoebe from drifting away but he was running out of time.

"Phoebe, open your eyes, we are almost there" Cole hoarsely pleaded as tears streaked his face.

Cole held her in his arms and cuddled her face under his neck while he walked down the hill. He brought her to a meadow that was surrounded with wild flowers and blooming trees. His weak knees got the best of him and they gave out. He fell to his knees but still held Phoebe tight in his arms. He got back up and walked a few more steps but his knees gave out again. His stab wound was gushing blood now and he felt light headed, but he fought against it and laid Phoebe in the grass. He gently brushed her long curls from her face and touched her soft cheek. She was cold and he tried to warm her by rubbing her hands. The rain started to come down and Cole leaned over her to shelter her. It started to pour and Cole looked into the sky. He was soaked in seconds and the blood ran with the water down his side. Water dripped from the ends of his hair and nose and ran off his muscular back down his arms, but he still tried to shield Phoebe. He loved her so much and he couldn't give up.

Phoebe blinked her eyes and she tried to look at him but she could barely open her heavy eyes.

"Cole, I love you"

"I love you too Phoebe, just hold on a little longer" He whispered.

He felt so helpless inside and he needed some help. What he needed was beyond his power. A light glowed around Phoebe's back and the markings on her neck reappeared. She was transforming back into a fairy. Cole watched as her body glowed and he remembered his mother did the same before she died. His mother had never told him that she was a fairy, but he now realized that was her secret she kept safe.

*******

"We are losing!" Levi shouted

The violent storm was raging, the rain poured back and forth, shifting with the wind.

"There are more coming up the hill Prue!" Piper shouted shielding her face from the stinging rain.

"Keep fighting Piper! Do not give up!" Prue shouted slipping and sliding in the mud.

"Krista!" Levi shouted as he saw Krista being strangled by a troll.

Levi ran over to her and slashed the troll through the heart and helped Krista to her feet.

"Are you alright? Can you still fight?" Levi softly asked

"Yes, but Levi I cannot see Grams anywhere?" Krista said picking up her sword off the ground.

"Patric! Where is Grams?" Levi shouted.

"She wandered into the woods I think?" Patric shouted fighting a troll

Prue and Piper fought together against another troll.

"Look, there!" Prue yelled

They looked at the bottom of the mountain side and there was an army of knights on white horses charging up the mountain. Seeing the force of soldiers brought a new wave of hope. The army reached them and stood with Patric and Levi to fight.

"Are you ok my lady?" The lead knight asked Prue as he jumped off his horse and ran to her.

"Yes, thank you sir" Prue said as the knight helped her fight against a troll.

He killed the troll and then took Prue by the hand leading her over to his horse. She could not see his face through his armor. The knight lifted Prue on his horse. The knight looked at Prue for a moment while his hand was still rested on her thigh and then he went back to fighting. She watched the knight for just a moment and then looked for Krista and Piper. She franticly looked about the fighting mob and spotted them with another knight.

"Here, get on my horse and he will keep you safe." The knight said as he gently took Piper's hand.

He lifted her up and then he lifted Krista up behind her. He looked up at Piper through the small holes in his helmet and touched her hand.

"You are very brave" He said as he went on to fight.

"Piper, Piper!" We must go to cover like they said" Krista nudged Piper who was in a daze at her knight in shinning armor.

"Oh, oh, get!" She nudged the horse and they galloped over to Prue and out of sight behind some trees.

"They are coming in swarms!" Patric shouted to Levi and the knights.

Prue looked around to find her knight and she spotted him with a troll choking him. She jumped off the horse and picked up a bloody sword from the blood stained earth and ran to the knight. She swiftly swung at the troll's head and it went rolling across the wet grass. She stood there with trembling hands and the knight got up and stood very close to her face. She felt her heart skip a beat and the butterflies filled her stomach.

"I will thank you later my lady" He said and the knight darted away.

Prue stood there soaked from the rain, with water dripping from her black raven hair and a half smile on her lips before she was drug to safety by Piper and Krista.

********

Cole had passed out and laid on Phoebe's lap. Suddenly the storm started to clear and the sky became bright. A bright light shined through the clouds. Phoebe woke up to Grams touching the wound on her stomach.

"Grams! it is you, I was so worried" Phoebe said hugging Grams.

"I am here to help you dear."

Phoebe nodded and looked down at Cole. She wiped the soot from his face, the rain had washed most of it away.

"He has been so alone, he needs me now more than ever." Phoebe said sadly.

"Phoebe, sometimes old traditions are meant to be broken, things are changing."

"Grams what do you mean?" Phoebe said confused.

"I once helped another fairy find her true happiness, her name was Sara and she was a lot like you." Grams smiled at Phoebe.

"I remember you talking about Sara, but why are things changing?"

"Sara was Cole's mother"

"Cole? Grams, if Sara was Cole's mother than that would make him…." Phoebe stopped and looked down at Cole lying in her lap. She brushed her hand over his forehead and looked back at Grams.

"Yes Phoebe, He has the seal of the mighty King….of both our worlds. He does not know this, but he will. Look for yourself."

Phoebe looked at his shoulder and saw the birthmark. It was the mark that Abe saw when Cole was born.

"His mother brought him to me when he was born and I have been waiting for him to find us and lead us." Grams said looking at Cole.

"Grams, is that why we found each other?"

"You have found the path you were meant to have Phoebe, embrace it" she said nodding at Phoebe.

"Does this mean we can be together?"

"That will depend on what happens next"

"What do you mean Grams?"

"There is no time to explain Phoebe, you must hurry back to the hill side. Our world is in danger."

Grams placed her hand on Cole's side and healed his wound.

"Remember, you are a Queen now and you belong to your King and his kingdoms."

Phoebe watched as the brightness in the sky faded and Grams floated away.

*******

"Retreat! Retreat!" One of the head knights shouted.

"Get the Girls and head for the castle!" The lead knight shouted.

"Patric, look!" Levi shouted looking to the sky.

"Well, it is about time!" Patric said with a smile glancing at the sky.

At the bottom of the hill was Cole on his horse with Phoebe behind him. They were running so fast and behind them were the white dragons flying in a mob while the elves and pixies guided the way.

"Charge!" Sam and Malachi where shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Phoebe!" Prue whispered in relief as she saw them coming.

Cole's horse came to a skidding halt and the stallion reared up snorting and squealing. Cole held his sword in the air and the trolls trembled in his presence. They could feel his power. Phoebe jumped off and ran to her sisters and Krista.

The dragons reached the fighting hillside too, and the Elves and Pixies leaped off the dragons looking like rain drops falling down off the dragon's backs. They had spears and bows and knifes and they fought like fierce and strong soldiers.

"Nice of you to drop in Hayes" Patric said sarcastically.

"We thought you could use a hand" Hayes returned the sarcasm.

When Cole stepped off his horse everyone stopped to look at him, even the trolls. His presence was so great that he shined.

"You will leave us! You will return to your world or I will wipe out your race and you will be finished once and for all! Listen to my words and hear me, I am the King of this land and you will come under me!" Cole shouted with a strong and mighty voice.

The trolls shook and they started to back away grumbling and hissing.

"This is not finished! You killed our leader and you will pay!" One of the trolls screamed as he led the rest of them. Cole broadly walked towards them and they turned and scurried off. Cole looked at Phoebe who was watching in admiration. He winked at her and it made her insides quiver.

He gathered his knights and talked to them for a while. Phoebe sat with her sisters and Krista tending their wounds. Phoebe turned to Patric and tended his and Levi's cuts as well.

"Phoebe, are you happy?" Patric said as she wrapped his arm.

"Yes, I am"

"I hope so Phoebe"

"What you think means a lot to me Patric" Phoebe kissed his cheek and he smiled.

"Krista you are a true friend, I love you" Phoebe said hugging Krista. "So are you Levi, all of you, I am sorry for all of this but from now on things will be different." Phoebe said looking at Patric and Krista and Levi.

Phoebe walked back to her sisters and hugged them again.

"Sisters, thank you for being so brave and helping me. I will always take care of you"

"Phoebe we love you very much, and we want our baby sister to be happy" Prue said "But there is something we have been wondering, Why does the King have so much power over the trolls?" She finished.

"Come, I will explain back at the castle" Phoebe said taking her sisters by the hand.

"You really do love him sis I can see it in your eyes" Piper said smiling.

Phoebe's face lit up and she looked at Cole across the way.

"There is just something about that man that makes me wild!" Phoebe said feeling her heart jump.

Phoebe looked across the hill and saw Grams walking in the meadow. She was bright and beautiful. She looked at Phoebe and smiled. It was like in her dream that she had before she left Cole that night, only things had been made right so Grams was at peace. Phoebe knew she would always be with her.

"When is Grams coming back?" Piper asked Phoebe.

"She is somewhere safe Piper and she will be with us always" Phoebe said

"Grams is Gone?" Prue asked

"Yes Prue, but she promised that she will be watching out for us. She healed Cole and me in the meadow and helped me to see my path. Phoebe smiled and stopped walking "There is much to explain, come, we will talk at the castle." Phoebe said and then walked over to Cole who was watching her with a smile on his face.

"What were you looking at my King?" Phoebe said as she ran and jumped into his arms.

"I was thinking about how beautiful you are and how much I love you" He said looking down at her. She pulled his face to her and kissed him passionately.

He lifted her on his horse and jumped on behind her.

"Andy, Leo! Move out and bring these people to the castle!" Cole said

"Yes my King" The lead knight said.

Cole whirled his horse around and galloped away with Phoebe.

"Come with me my lady" The lead knight said taking off his helmet and reaching his hand out for Prue.

Prue saw his eyes for the first time. They were kind and warm. She smiled and took his hand.

Prue looked back at Piper and the others.

"Don't worry, Leo will take care of your sister and your friends" He said with a smile in the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you for your kindness sir" Prue hoarsely said.

"My name is Andy" He said as he got on his horse and reached his hand for her and pulled her on behind him.

"My name is Prue" She said wrapping her arms around him

Andy smiled and kicked his horse and they headed for the castle.

"Miss, I will take you to the castle if you are ready" The knight said to Piper. He had brought three horses behind him for Levi and Patric and Krista.

"Thanks friend" Levi said to the knight taking the horses.

Piper saw the cuts on the knight's cheek and she walked closer to his face.

"You are hurt" She said putting her hand on his cheek. The knight blushed and smiled.

"It's nothing miss, let me help you on my horse." The knight said still blushing.

"My name is Piper, what is yours kind sir?" Piper said smiling at him.

"Leo, at your service" He said lifting her on the horse. "We should get moving Piper" Leo said as he got on the horse behind her.

Levi and Krista followed Leo and Piper and the elves and Pixies follow behind them with the rest of the knights.