Short chapter today, sorry ...
At this time Richard had snuck past the tiger and followed the two men into the castle …
Richard raced up the bridge as fast as he could, he could hear Raven's voice echoing from inside the castle.
"Please, stay away from me!"
Richard pushed through the door and heard the echo of crossbows. He sprinted up the staircase, and found Raven in the same room as before.
There was an arrow held mid-flight by jutting crystal near the entrance. The Queen herself had both hands raised, a dark aura surrounding them and the necks of the two men he had previously seen. They were suspended mid-air, desperately grasping at nothing, their crossbows lying uselessly beneath them.
"Raven!"
She turned to face him, a paradoxical mix of fear and fury evident in every move.
"Don't be the monster the monster they think you are!"
Raven faltered, her hands lowering and the men as well.
Richard chose his next words carefully, "I know there is dark in you, but there is also light. We all have light and dark inside of us, what matters is what we choose to act on."
At his words Raven collapsed to her knees and the men fell to the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief, but a flicker of movement in his peripheral caused his breath to catch.
One of the men was aiming his crossbow at Raven's heart.
"No!" Cried a girl's voice.
Richard turned to see Princess Terra run past him and tackle the man.
In slow motion the arrow was released, but flew upward due to the tackle, heading straight for the chandelier which was right above …
"Raven!" Not thinking he ran straight at her. He tackled her and they skidded just out of the falling chandelier's range.