Warning: Violence. Some imagery. Kristen Britain owns all.

He noted with satisfaction that his message to the sea serpents did not go unheeded, and that they were carrying out his instructions to the letter. The Firebrand had met with the Eletians and was moving into position. His attention then turned back to Sacor City, to the creature and his machinations. He now needed to wait . . . wait for the precise moment in which he could end this all.

Jormun glided gracefully above the low lying clouds, using the strong current to carry him over Sacor City. The tall spires of the castle poked out from the swirling gray masses, prompting him to shift his large wing span and circle the structure. Several more large shadows passed overhead, silent as they held their position over the castle. With a sigh, Jormun slightly turned his head and addressed his rider. 'How should we go about this?' Yolandhe adjusted her grip on the harness and grinned, 'I believe the idea is to just get his attention and hold it.'

'I somehow imagined this castle to be more . . . opulent,' Mornhavon said with a casual wave of his bloodied dagger. He looked about the simply appointed room with an air of disappointment but shrugged and looked down at his handiwork.

'Less is said to be more,' Karigan gritted out as she watched him brutalize her maid. This was altogether, a new sort of helplessness as she tried to rationalize in her mind, why exactly those around her would always be the ones to pay.

Sara lay almost still from where she was propped up against the wall; the only movement was the shallow rise and fall of her chest as she continued to breathe. She hid her face, but the blood from the precisely made cuts on her cheeks and forehead continued to trickle between her fingers. Karigan had been physically restrained and a blade propped up threateningly against her expanding girth when she had pleaded with Mornhavon to leave the girl alone. When the pleas fell on deaf ears, she fell on the use of colorful insults and threats.

Unfortunately, those seemed to be a source of amusement.

He would just smile indulgently and wave a finger at her. 'Dear girl, if I had known such felicity awaited me at Sacor City; I should have come sooner to experience your hospitality.'

After wiping the blade on the hanging curtains around the bed, he came at sat at Karigan's side and waved off the guard who had held her bay. Instinctively, she had the urge to recoil but kept herself rigid as he eyed her belly with curiosity. 'Do you not resent the little mongrel?'

Her eyes narrowed, 'Why would I resent my own child?'

He tilted his head to the side and leaned back into his chair, 'Well one supposes that it would not be as easy as it was for me if you were in . . . better fighting form.'

'It is hardly their fault that someone else's evil spawn walks this earth,' she said stiffly.

Mornhavon gave a chuckle and reached out to trace the curve of her cheek. Karigan hissed indignantly, but her eyes fell to Sara's shuddering form, and to the blade still at his disposal. She allowed the creature's fingers to twine a piece of hair around his fingers. She stared ahead at the wardrobe in front of her, watching the sunlight travel across the polished mahogany. 'Is there some other way for you to entertain yourself that does not involve injury or discomfort to those in this room?'

He pretended to ponder her question seriously, 'Have you any good books? I imagine I have a long wait ahead of me.'

Zachary crept slowly through the darkened corridor, several tiendan at his back. His pleas for help, to aid the Galadheon, were not ignored and thus he traveled with Prince Jametari himself. The loss of his sister had tempered the Eletian to a point of solemn melancholy, but the opportunity to destroy the being that had brought so much grief was enough to relight the fire in the prince's eyes.

There was the barest glow to the hidden entrance ahead, for although the doors were closed, the space underneath the heavy furniture afforded a sliver of slight to strike the secret door. Zachary reached behind him and tapped the prince lightly on the arm, directing his attention to the door and the faint murmur of voices on the other side. All evidence gathered from the remaining Weapons indicated that his Queen and his greatest enemy were ensconced inside.

There was little room for error and a large possibility of failure. But enough hope, tinged with desperation that might make this scheme work.

That hope gave him the courage to move forward.

Jormun's impressive talons dug into the thatched roof of the citadel tower. Bracing himself, he roared a challenge to the skies, listening as his brothers and sisters answered with a cacophony of ready bellows.

One by one, they fell out of the sky and swooped low into the city.

The cry of the dragon had sent Mornhavon striding forth to the balcony, his men showing the first hint of uneasiness as they shifted and looked outside. A blur of sea-green and sapphire blue flew past, prompting several of the men to curse wildly as they drew their weapons. Their leader only looked about the skies with a frown, his gaze taking in the multi-colored hues of the serpents as they flew between the battlements.

He walked further out onto the balcony, almost brazenly, as if he dared any one of the beasts to come forth. A few of the men anxiously sidled out with him, casting their eyes about in apprehension.

It was then that the walls began to shake violently, and pieces of lumber fell from the exposed carpentry of the ceiling. The soldiers still in the room ran outside with the rest of their companions as a low rumble accompanied the havoc that was engulfing the royal quarters.

The distraction was all Karigan needed to awkwardly get to her feet and make her way to Sara, pulling the girl to her side and cowering as well as she could under the mantel of the cold fireplace. A glance outside revealed the soldiers being rapidly plucked from the balcony and casually dropped from the air by large, unyielding claws.

Mornhavon simply grinned and watched the proceedings as if he were being vastly entertained. A few dragons had tried a pass at the creature, but would stop short at the black tendrils that would issue forth from his hands and pursue the unfortunate drakes.

Karigan held her shawl to Sara's face and tucked her head underneath her chin as she watched in horrified fascination. There were only three left of the original contingent that Mornhavon had brought with him, and still he smiled.

No one seemed to notice that the wardrobe door was now slightly open.