Warlord 15

Twanria walked down to the dungeon to check up on Lady Kathryn. Katie lye towards the back of the dungeon holding her arms close. Her feet were bruised from being dragged back to the palace. Her stomach had been rapped with gauze to keep it from bleeding. The chakrum barely broke the skin, and it didn't hit any major organs. Twanria just stared at Katie with disgust. Twanria wondered why she could do that to one of her friends.

"How could you do that to us?" said Twanria, with eyes of hurt and betrayal, "You were supposed to be on our side."

Katie looked up from the darkness of her corner and replied, "I did only what I needed too. You wouldn't understand, even if I told you."

"What I don't understand is how and why you would want to do something like that?" asked Twanria

"I told you that I had too." Replied Katie, "Do you think I liked doing all of this to you."

"So are you saying you were forced to do these things?"

"She didn't have any control over me," stated Katie.

"Then why would you do it?" asked Twanria.

"Because I was forced," said Katie, "and why all of you so quick to attack. I was your friend also but you attacked with out a word of explanation."

"You were going to attack us first and we had no line of defense against your powers."

"You could of tried talking to me or getting information out of me somehow."

"I was forced to attack and you left me no choice but to attack you."

"It shows what kind of friends you really are."

Twanria walked away from the dungeon in despair and a trust broken. Katie had stolen her friendship away and while they talked and laugh at one point in time, they were all fighting the next.

The next task for Twanria was to visit the hospital wing to see how the others were doing. The hospital room was vast in size and decorated from corner to corner. Each bed was made of the finest fabric and the most soft of sheets. Twanria walked to Maria's bedside to notice that her condition was not improving. Richard was kneeling by her bedside hoping she was okay. His eyes were swollen from crying so much but it didn't look as if no one could ever move him. Twanria walked to the other side of the room to where Danielle and Justin lay. Their bodies were bandaged and kept under close surveillance.

Twanria went into the main meeting room to talk with Julian, Miano and Rachel. Twanria stepped up to the round table at which the others were already seated, "Tell me exactly what happened the night before."

Julian rose from the table and started to walk around to the large window that was posted at one side of the room, he sighed and began to speak, "It was dark and gloomy that day. The oversized giant Samuel came plowing though are troops like pieces of dominos. We we're leading and gaining the advantage when Danielle escaped but when Samuel returned with Lady Kathryn on his shoulders, he devastated us. The thing that surprised me most is when Samuel came up to us, he let Lady Kathryn down. She stood there the whole time instead of trying to escape. I don't know why she did that." Twanria looked down at her self but let Julian continue before she spoke, "We did get the upper hand on Samuel at one point but then Lady Kathryn stepped in and started to blast our troops away with a power of some sort. Once again we we're forced to fall back. Natalie came in with Miano and started to treat the wounded. Since Natalie was such a skilled healer Samuel came and took her out with full assault. Natalie was beaten and bruised and Miano was tending to her when Samuel cam for him. Miano escaped by running into the midst of the wood. Samuel took down trees and moved the earth as if it was nothing. Nothing could be said or done to help Miano and the troops we're too afraid to come in and help. I left the battle to help detour Samuel away from Miano but to no avail. Samuel attacked the both of us but in the end we we're not enough to over come him. We had to retreat and get help. We left the battle on our way back to the castle."

"How can this be?" asked Twanria, "If you we're coming to the castle around the same time we were leaving we should of saw you."

Julian walked over and sat down next to Miano, "We did see you all leave in the direction of Janelle's camp. We we're going to warn you but something came up."

Twanria got up and walked toward Julian disgustedly and stared right into his eyes, "You left us to face Lady Kathryn and Samuel and didn't warn us of anything. What kind of knight are you. What could of possibly been so important."

"Miano was hurt from the battle with Samuel and since Miano has no armor or weapons to protect himself I took him into the castle to get bandaged," answered Julian, "I thought that since Miano was with me I should accompany him until he was better. I thought that the troops would warn you of the inpending doom."

"You are part of the elite guard and you left your troops behind," claimed Twanria, "You are a disgrace to this castle."

Miano walked infront of Julian to keep Twanria from yelling at him, "It's completely my fault. See its kind of hard to explain. I wasn't hurt but I was a bit tired and weak from being chased after. I had a few cuts and bruises but nothing serious. The story goes like this, " We we're coming out of the forest after running all that way. I feel to the ground near the castle but not out of the forest. We saw you leaving the castle but instead of calling to you we we're just a bit weak from the run. Julian sad down next to me and. . .""

Twanria interrupted before Miano could finish, "You to lovers decided to be with each other instead of helping us out. I don't understand this love concept. You are the captain of the elite guard and you are a poor farmer who was lucky enough to be gifted with an education.

Miano who was feeling quite ashamed coniued his story, "It was a spur of the moment Twanira. I do know that I care for him, but at that time and at a moment of weakness I, uh, kissed him."

Twanria rolled her eyes and starred at Rachel who was listening intently, "So you we're making out the entire time we we're being beaten to death. I bet the story gets better doesn't it.

Miano rolled his eyes as Twanria did and continued, "I did kiss him and he seemed surprised by it but, when I opened my eyes he was kissing me back. I laid back and he lay next to me with lips still intertwined. Before anything went further we came back to realize that the time had passed. Nothing happened we just kissed but it was my fault that I distracted him."

"So once again, your saying during your make-out session, you didn't once realize that your friends we're going into inpending doom."

"I mean that in a moment of weakness and a time of slight passion time got away from us."

Twanria was to tired of yelling to hear the rest of their story. She turned to Rachel to hear her side, "Rachel when did you come into the story."

Rachel took her eyes off of the lovers for a minute to tell her side of the story, "I was on my way to the castle when I saw Julian and Miano walking in. I heard what had happened from both of them and we took some horses and rode back to the camp site."

"So Rachel what you are saying is that if you didn't come up that they wouldn't of even came with help," said Twanria who was still quite angry.

Julian was silent after Miano's story, he didn't want anyone to know but he knew it would come out. He looked at Twanria and gave his sincerest apology but Twanria was to disgust to look at him. Twanria was too mad to be in the same room as them so she went to go check on the patience.

Twanria walked into the medical room to find that Danielle and Richard were missing. She asked the nurse where they had gone. The nurse told Twanria that they had gone to speak with Katie. Twanria walked swiftly down to the dungeon to make sure they didn't do anything they'd regret.

When Twanria reached the dungeon there were guards everywhere. From the midst of the crowd there was sunlight shinning through a hole in the castle wall. Samuel was tearing through guards. Bodies were laying everywhere. Samuel was coming upon the cell that held Katie and Janelle. Danielle was seen in the cell near Katie but was protecting her. Richard was lying on the ground unconscious along with many guards. Samuel just moved through the bars and grabbed Janelle who was still badly injured. Instead of taking Katie Samuel left leaving the guards to chase after him.

The carnage had soon passed and Danielle was looking down upon Katie who was curled into the corner. Twanria ordered that Katie and Richard be moved to the sick bay to get her wounds and cuts taken care of. Twanria walked with Danielle chatting about what had happened.

"Why did you leave the sick bay?" said Twanria, "You should of stayed there out of harms way."

"I came down to see Katie so I could get the whole story." Answered Danielle

"What did you find out?"

"I found out that Katie was being forced to do the things she did."

"How was she being forced?"

"She said that they had something against her but, she couldn't tell me the whole story because Samuel crashed through the side wall."

"Why did Richard go with you?" asked Twanria.

"Richard said he was going to go because he wanted to make sure I was alright."

Twanria kept wondering why Katie talked to Danielle but not her.

On the way to the sick bay Julian walked up to Danielle and got down on his knee and said, "I'm so sorry for letting you go into danger with out me letting you know what happened."

"What do you mean, without letting me know?" Danielle said with her eyes shifting down to Julian's forgiving eyes.

Twanria was explained the situation to Danielle. Danielle rolled her eyes and removed Julian's hand from hers and stormed off. Miano ran after Danielle but Danielle didn't want to hear any of it. Justin was lying on a sick bed and these two went free. Danielle was disgusted beyond belief.

Richard was lying in a bed next to Maria. His eyes were open but he wasn't talking much when Danielle entered. Erin was still lying motionless, sleeping. Justin had finally come around and Danielle was trying to hold back the tears. Justin raised his hand to hers. She clutched to it. Justin was trying to say something but his words didn't make since. Danielle couldn't hold back her tears. Her tears rolled from her face down upon Justin's armor.

Richard was staring up at the bricked ceiling trying to remember what had happened to him. His eyes shifted to see Maria who was lying there next to him.

All at once the memories of the night before flew back to him. Maria had came into his room very late to apologize for the way she had treated him. He was already in bed when she came through the door. Maria had sat on his bed and they began talking about there feelings. Maria was still unsure about how she felt but she did want to know why Richard felt the way he did. Before Richard could explain a thing he grabbed Maria and kissed her upon her untouched lips. Maria was stunned and she was going to push him away but something told her it felt right. Richard moved back and basked in the glory of what he was able to do. Maria soon left the room but returned in her nightgown. She crawled into bed with him but nothing was to happen. They talked for most of the night and kissed once more before going to sleep. Maria had to be sure this was truly how she felt.

Richards face turned from discontent to a smile that was very much welcomed in the sick bay. Twanria was watching the entire goings on in the sick bay to realize that what had happened over the last week had all been the doings of Samuel. Darell came rushing into the sick bay watching all the carnage that had came over his friends. He had been running the castle while Twanria was steady checking up on her friends.

Darell brought Twanria to the circular room where Rachel, Julian and Miano were. Miano looked at Darell's size and stature and backed up when he walked past him. Darell explained that the castle and the guards were not ready for the upcoming war. Twanria walked over to the window, and looked out upon the land. This up in coming war would be devastating with all her friends being injured. It seemed as if Janelle was taking out the people who were going to do the most good for the land. Darell handed Twanria Janelle's chakrum. Darell had the chakrum cleaned and gave it to Twanria since Twanria seemed to know how to use it. Twanria held the chakrum up to her face and looked at its spectacular design and for some reason she felt as if it belonged to her.