A/N: Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm on the last chapter. It's gratifying that something so hard for me personally to write was so well-received. Now things are about to get exciting.
Sorry this chapter is a little short but I wanted this part of the story to be self-contained.
Hold onto your hats...
Night fell over Reinhart, a blanket of dark blues and true blacks with a full moon hanging high. It was deathly quiet as the entire town slept. The only men going about their business were the castle guards, making their rounds. Every few hours, every station would change to ensure that all of the guardsmen would have proficient time to rest. Each man on duty needed to have his wits about him. And ready for anything.
Roland was patrolling the south side of the castle; walking along the tall rampart. His feet made a scraping sound with every step. Beyond that, nothing out of the ordinary. He suddenly stopped moving when an odd swish was audible in the night. Looking around him, Roland saw nothing. Looking upward, he just caught sight of an arrow half a moment before stabbing him in the eyeball, killing him.
Three rangers erect a ladder against the castle wall and begin to climb while five more split up, readying their longbows.
Once at the top, two rangers went their separate ways while the third descended down quickly with a rope. As his feet touch the ground, he is spotted by a servant but is silenced by a thrown broad-axe to the face. The ranger collects his weapon and starts running into the castle.
Servants quarters were underground, so little was heard of the commotion going on. Victoria was lying awake, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep ever since she talked with Jadelyn, despite making like she was tired. It hurt her a great deal about pushing her to Beckett but she kept telling herself that it was the right thing to do.
The echo of something smashing caught her attention and she sat up, wondering what that was. Victoria got out of bed and walked to the door leading to the steps to the ground floor. She cautiously ascended the steps, listening intently for any more noises.
Peering behind the wall overlooking the great hall, Victoria caught a glimpse of an ax-wielding rogue in the shadows. She recoiled back behind her cover, running back down to alert the older servant.
"Ma'am, I think the castle is under siege" Victoria whispered. Her eyes were wide with dread but she remained silent. "Make sure everybody stays down here. Barricade the door with something."
"Where are you going?" she asked as Victoria walked away.
The brown-haired girl looked carefully around the bend once again to see any sign of the invader. He was there and just in the middle of turning his head, facing away from Victoria. When she saw her opportunity, she took it. In a flash, she ran as fast as her legs would carry her across the hall. On the other side were stairs that led to the chambers of the king and queen. She had to alert them if they aren't awake already. They needed to get out, collect Jadelyn and go to the keep where they will be safe until the threat is contained.
Victoria quickly ran up the stairs and pounded on the double doors, leading to the royal chambers. After a few seconds, the door opened and the king emerged looking both confused and irritated.
"Victoria?" King Helmond asked. "What is the meaning of this disturbance?"
"My Lord, the castle is under attack. There is a man down there with an axe."
The king went back into his room and unfurled his curtains, seeing that indeed some of his guards were on the ground while shadowy figures ran about. He woke up the queen and the pair followed Victoria. She knew the quickest way to Jadelyn's chambers and she could look protect the three of them on their way to the keep.
The king woke up Queen Alyss and the three made their way down the stairs, listening carefully as they descended.
Victoria looked around first to see if the coast was clear and signaled for the king and queen to proceed, following her. They knew this castle as well as she did but she was much more awake and alert; they had to rely on her sense of direction. Screams from outside started to bleed inside. Forthcoming footsteps made the three hasten their gait.
"Your Majesty," Victoria huffed as they approached the one and only door leading to the keep: the castle's most fortified tower. "You take the Queen and stay here, I implore you. I can get to the princess faster on my own."
"Very well, Victoria. Please hurry and thank you."
The tan-skinned woman ran through the dark corridors, avoiding any hint of orange from the fire of a torch. She could not take the chance of running into an enemy in search of an ally. Victoria's mission was to recover Jadelyn and bring her to the keep. Her steps ceased and she turned at the sound of metal scraping a sheath.
"No, it is only me" whispered the unmistakable voice of Beckett. He was dressed in his nightwear, sword in hand. "What is happening? An attack?"
"Yes," Victoria responded. "But I cannot tell whom."
"Where is everyone?"
"The servants are hiding below the castle grounds, the king and queen are safe, and I was looking for Jadelyn."
"I doubt there are many guards left if they have made it this far."
"I cannot waste any more time; I need to get Jadelyn...I mean the princess...to the keep right away."
Beckett nodded. "There is not a moment to lose. I will cover you."
"This way," Victoria pointed as she started running with Beckett behind her looking left and right for any surprise attack.
Victoria could see the open door to Jadelyn's chambers. She could hear the sound of arrows flying outside so she proceeded with caution by the window in-between. Beckett was nearly hit with a stray arrow that made it inside, stopping in the wall. He clutched his chest, processing just how close he came to that being him. Quickly getting his bearings, he continued on behind Victoria.
He noticed the door was open too.
"Princess!" Victoria called out.
No answer.
Her and Beckett share a look and come rushing into the room. Sure enough, the bed was slept in but just as Victoria feared, was vacant.
"Where is she?" Beckett asked, fanning around the room. "Is she hiding?"
The neighing of a horse outside the window caught Victoria's attention. She looked yonder and there was a rider heaving the limp body of Jadelyn onto his horse before mounting it. The rider pulled the reigns and the horse began to run at full gallop.
"Beckett!" Victoria shouted. "There she is!"
"Look!" he pointed downward. There were almost a dozen darkly-clad marauders running out of the castle. "Cowards are fleeing."
They overtook the castle walls and in the distance several shadowy figures departed on horseback.
"They're gone" Victoria breathed. "She's gone."
Bells rang throughout the castle, alarming everyone inside. The king and queen emerged from the keep, demanding explanation for what was going on.
"Your Grace!" Victoria screamed as she ran to King Helmond. "They took her! They took the princess, sir!"
He immediately noticed Beckett beside her but barely acknowledged him.
"Are you certain?" he asked, hoping it was a mistake.
"No," she replied shaking her head. "I saw a rider take her on his horse and flee."
"They have all disbanded, My Lord" Beckett added.
"Where have they taken her?" Queen Alyss asked, hysterically.
"Your Highness!" called out one of the surviving guards. "Come quickly! We have one!"
The king, along with Victoria and Beckett close by, came to the main foyer where one of the black riders with an arrow in his chest laid in a pool of his own blood.
The guard pointed at the dying man. "This one tried to kill me. Fortunately, Phelonias shot him first."
"Looks like he is stabbed in the lung" Beckett observed, cocking his head. "You can hear it in his breathing. His lungs will fill with blood in moments."
King Helmond kneeled down and got close to the attacker's face.
"Tell me swiftly, you wretch - what was your purpose coming here? Where is my daughter?"
"He..." the man struggled to speak. "He...wanted you to...h-h-h-ave...th-th-thiiiiiis..."
The invader handed something in his fist to the king as his eyes rolled back and his body collapsed.
The king examined what he was handed. It appeared to be some kind of cloth. He unfurled it to try and see what it was; there were markings of some kind on it. Holding it up before his eyes, his heart sank.
"It cannot be," he said to no one in particular.
"What is it, My Lord?" Victoria queried.
"See for yourself," he quipped, showing it to her. "Do you know what this is?"
Victoria looked at it quizzically. "It looks...quite familiar."
"Most may not know exactly and with good reason. It has been years since anyone here has ever seen it."
"Seen what, sir?" asked Beckett.
"This, dear boy, is the royal crest for the kingdom of Rosym."
An off hush fell over the group.
"Impossible," Victoria said. "What of the treaty?"
"It would appear they have broken it," Beckett observed.
King Helmond barely held onto the cloth, which probably belonged to a flag, as he looked at his castle. Dozens of his men lay dead, fires were set in the courtyard, and his only child was taken captive.
This was no diplomatic misunderstanding.
In the king's eyes, Rosym has declared war with Reinhart.