Chapter 10 Here we go aagain
"What of the princess's? We can't just leave them here unprotected." The king said frowning as he shook off his men. He had to go, this was his fight and he'd be there to destroy the infidel's who'd dared attack his kingdom and those of his friends.
"'There are knights." Prince Leo said and King Benjamin shook his head.
"Were knights enough to protect the palace?" Prince Coleridge spoke up and Prince Leo looked to him. The younger male looked both angry and determined. He knew too he was right.
"We shall be here." Princess Piper said with a little smile on her face.
"Aye and Prince Coleridge Yee should stay as well." His father told him.
"Nay they killed my mother." The young man shook his head wildly.
"Yee shall stay, Yee know not what we now face." King Benjamin told his son adding. "In addition Yee should keep watch for an attack here. If they know that we are all allied then they may come here as well."
"Fine." Prince Coleridge knew that was true and if his father had to watch out for him he might become a true orphan this morrow.
"Princess Piper listen I think it best to put a protection on the keep." Prince Leo said and she shook her head.
"Prince Leo, I am not as strong as Prudence." The second eldest princess told the prince.
"Nay, but I am, with your power and that of your two sisters we should be able to work the spell." Prince Leo told her and Princess Piper nodded. She went to get Princess Paige and Pheona but the seven year old was still not responding. With new clarity Princess Piper remembered her silence the prior night. She'd not been speaking when they had chanted down Sedric or using her gifts.
"She tis not able to do this." Princess Piper told Prince Leo who nodded, in understanding.
"Right then let us go behind yonder tapestry." He said and she gathered up Paige and they went.
"Ancient power we call to thee, here the voices of the three." Prince Leo began.
"Lives hath been taken, homes hath been destroyed." Princess Piper pitched up the chant.
"We ask for your power to guard and protect all left behind. The three remaining keeps and their people." Prince Leo continued.
"Give us this power and lend to those from each holding, keep them from darkness and harms way." They finished.
***
"What hath happened to her?" Prince Coleridge asked the servant when he noticed that the three left the immediate area leaving the little girl with the old woman.
"The princess hath had a bit of a shock." The old woman told him.
"She saw her mother dispatched." King Benjamin told his son.
"Oh," Prince Coleridge didn't know what to say. He knew it had to have scared her; it had scared him to see his mother struck down. Yet he was a man so he could handle it.
"That tis one more reason why Yee must stay Prince Coleridge, she needs someone here with her." The king said.
"Aye, she is not well." The old woman said adding. 'To truth most likely she tis daft." The old servant agreed.
"Go then," Prince Coleridge said feeling the sudden urge to strike her for her insolence. The girl was just in chock. He also felt a pang, seeing her there like that with the hag speaking so of the child. There was just something about those brown eyes that had him moving forward.
"Highness…"
"Leave us; you are not needed here in this now." He told the old woman.
"Nay my prince she needs…'
"I shall see to her wants." He told her and gave her a glare that would one day fell hoards. The woman got to her feet and bowed scuttling off. He didn't not pay attention simply moving to the princess's side and sitting.
***
Princess Piper kept Princess Paige by her side as she watched the men readying to leave. She'd met many a male living in the palace but none as unusual as the prince. She watched Prince Leo speaking low to his horse and thought they were rather alike. Both man and charger were proud and both had something dark about them. Yet she knew neither were for her to fear.
"Highness?" Princess Piper called to him before he could mount.
"Princess?" The prince asked a brow raised in question.
"May the Goddess protect you?" She said and he nodded.
"And you." He returned with the flash of a brilliant and slightly dangerous smile. Then he was leaving the area to join the other men.
Watching until they rode out she turned to go back inside. Then a thought struck her. She should fill her sister n. Prudence would be in danger until she knew the situation and then too she'd have to watch.
***
"Any luck?" Lord Andrew asked Prudence and she shook her head.
"Nay my lord, I hath found only base herbs, nothing to help my sister." There was fatigue edging into her voice and he wondered just how much more she could truly take.
"Fear not lady we shall find some way to…" He bean somberly but her eyes snapped open wide.
"Prudence!" The shout went through her mind like an archer's arrow.
"Princess Piper?" She asked using her mental voice, fear gripping her all the time.
"Yes, listen the king's keep hath been breached." By the urgency in her tone Prudence knew this twas very bad.
"Nay… Injuries?" She asked and waited breath bated.
"The queen." Princess Piper sent calming slightly.
"Alright, keep the others safe if Yee can and…' Prudence began torn between going to protect her sisters and finding an aide for Liz.
"The prince and I hath spread a protection spell encompassing all of us. If the attacker is as Sedric we shall be alright." Princess Piper told her sounding normal once more.
"Very good, we shall return as soon as possible."
"Prudence?" Lord Andrew was asking and she looked to him.
"Lord Andrew, the king's keep was taken, the queen died."
"We ought return."
"Nay, they hath cast a protection over all keeps involved. We have to find a way to save Pheona." Prudence told him and went back to her work.
"Alright, we shall keep looking." He said after a minute of watching her work.
"That tis what yee think infidels." Came a snarl and both Prudence and Lord Andrew whirled to find a form the princess knew well standing in the doorway.
"Matilda, I thought yee would have been killed." Prudence said in surprise and would have gone to her mother's hand maiden but she saw the glowing red look in her old eyes.
"Nay highness, the three protect their agents." Matilda said easily.
"The three?" Prudence asked frowning, were there three? If there then two were dead.
"That, yee shall never know lady, for yee shall never leave this place." the old woman smiled and with a wave of her hand the door was sealed. Then the walls were aflame.
"Prudence!" Lord Andrew shouted and Prudence knew she had to get him out first, before she found out the truth of this whole matter.
"I have to destroy her!" She shouted knowing the demonic creature could not herself harm them but those flames could. Still she had to destroy this monster.
"No! She'll kill you!" Lord Andrew shouted even as he saw the white light in her blue eyes.
"Nay, I shall be the killer!" Prudence said and raised a hand towards Lord Andrew. "Powers of goodness, powers of light here my voice now as I fight. The darkness hath trapped us here in this place; remove my mate to his own space!"
"Prudence no!" Was all she heard as he dematerialized.
"Ahhh the little witch hath feelings for the mortal, how sweet." The old hag snickered and Prudence snarled.
"Enough Matilda yee were the insider for the attack!" Prudence shouted knowing she had little time. Soon, the room would fall in on them and there would never be hope for Liz.
"Aye Lady, twas me." The traitor smiled sweetly. "Twas easy too, all I had do was look as your mother's woman and…" With that the form shifted into a skeletal image much like Sedric.
"Good, tis time to finish this." Prudence said and closed her mind to all but the demonic one as she felt her lips moving in a soundless chant.
"Foolish witch yee have not the power to defeat the likes of me. I am the…"
Prudence knew that she needed answers but could she get them before the being killed her?
TBC
***
Yay cole finally makes an appearance. not htat I odn't like Pru and Andy but Pi/L and Ph/C are my faves. In any event let me know what you think.