War Has Come While Night Hath Fallen over Our Faire Kingdom –

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Night as in….Dark Knight? Nope! Find out! Almost to the end! Epilogue to come.

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Chapter 16: King's Claim

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The cat woman swished her tail in intrigue as the jester twins both looked to their new candidate. Grant sat still; the witch's blade was growing cold. Whose side had she chosen; for if she were a spy to Wayne, she acted none the part.

"Unhand. Me."

"King, are ye?" She chided the boy in her sire's seat. "I find you too easily drawn to the riff raff outside of these walls. It makes me sorry to see you lose those whom all helped you to get this far, little marauder." With a snap of her cat's claws, the jesters, guards and even the servants all were to each other's necks. Their blades or staves up to disassemble the other as toy dolls.

Richard got to his hands and knees and off the floor, Bruce coming there with Barbenthal and….he saw Alf and a friendlier face. "You must come away. This fight –

"Nay, do wait." Selene waited and left them all to do the same by her magic, as the victors also collapsed by her ability to drain their life force. "You see, I allowed this candidate to enter the walls of the keep no less than the boy you see and his….helpers did to allow that rule another chance on his head." She grinned. "I however stole what energies he had, as the great Fowl tells of a king who will take the place of another. Every generation, we Birds of the God of Night dwell and find a king to place at the pedestal. Your father, the queen of Defencia. All of these are predetermined by the sect of the one true god to all king – makers. WE." Selene pointed to Wayne, then to Slade, as if expecting them to know what to do. "The king slayer is a powerful relic. You in fact injured the real king with it, did you not?"

Slade was scowled at by many, even if his bride did look on in disbelief. "You, King Wayne. Ye hath a sacred pact with the brother of our god. You must know. It is, the Great Bat's blessing. The curse of the king of the bat's country." She told the rest.

"That was why, why you set up our lives to one day come to this." Slade was granted the king – killer blade by Dora as she bowed and returned to the side of the true prize. All while none objected did Bruce begin to growl large with fur and curved wings.

"If he be the king, then the bride is proof. Or the world in which they should face the other." Nora pointed out. "They will determine the outcome, sister."

"Nay, only one." Selene turned to see Alf holding his all and not far below them, Jason was taking to keeping the damage minimal outside.

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Kor'anna used her ability to seek a path for the rebels. Cassandra and Stefania followed Tim and freed those who had been wrongfully taken away to rot in the dungeons. "Look, there is –

"Sir Wallace!" Tim cried out and ran to unlock the man's binds. "Where is –

"A battle…. I sense there is no time… cough!" Grimy faced and tired, Cass helped the red headed knight down from the rafters in chains, with Stefania and Royland doing as much as they could to free the wrongfully accused. Like any tyrant, the king had kept his word. He was not to be trusted.

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Slade hugged the sword in his iron grip while the bat that was Bruce turned out to be quite a formidable beast to stare upon. "You will no sooner face your son with that scowl, puppet?"

~Are you not the same, Wirlon. You wounded my body, yet I was set free. I have reason to see you crushed. To do as you hath to my capital with no mercy…yet, we shall have you be banished or disposed of. ~ the bat telepathically said in screeches.

"Then you are willing to die, good. He's best at the might of a warrior. The son he was shan't return as yea might see it…give in!"

They fight ran longer, strange sigils about the hilt as the bat took flight. The old king did not become discouraged. He leaped to the throne and let his body move quick and strong to catch the bat and ride its head, the echo of sound from the beast was inhuman as Alf put up a barrier by his fae abilities. "This battle will prove nothing! Richard must choose for himself! He is no one's consort –

~ He was never any of that! Neither was nearly killing our allies, imprisoning your foes…. you shall pay without rest! I shall end it; take back my kingdom with you sent far from my children!! Killer! Demon among us…I am, a GOD here!!~

"My lord! Don't let it tempt you!" Prince Duke cried to the bat as it did a twirl to rid the insect from its powerful back. The wings knocked the killer to the ground, yet the enemy used the sword to redirect his landing. "I'm not so easily swayed by wayward gods. Yours should be buried in time. Only the Goddess of war holds sway over my heart and loyalty! I shan't bow to a coward!! ~

"Bruce…. Sire, please…. you'll be hurt!!" Richard called out, his tummy aching as he grabbed it and cried out. Dora and Nora both were there as Barbenthal tried to find her way over. However, the gusts from the bat, the space they had remaining….all of it, all….

Selene moved quickly as Barbenthal dragged out a dagger to kill the snake it was she had changed into. the snake then lifted its hood to spook the teen red head. She yelped and dropped the blade, the snake changing into a great wolf as it found its way to the boy with a child kicking too soon. ~ The babe mustn't come. You must not stay. This place… ~

"What…. why are…I will! I have to –

~If you wish upon ye, death." Selene changed back and caressed the boy's frame into her cloaks. "The king needs to be near, or should death take both hearts as one…. there is no leaving the curse. not until it is time." Richard looked at her, breathless, before cradling his stomach again. He had to go with the barbarian king, or his life. His legacy, his father…

" Stop the match!"

The two did not, only the outcome was heard as Slade let the bat knock him over; his body beaten, but the words were clear. He still had won the consolation prize.

" Father." Richard groaned out. "You, you have it, you have your kingdom back…." He nearly hobbled without anyone to the king's side. To the wrong king, as Slade looked at Selene's crooked grin and saw only a line across her lips. "I choose, to leave the city behind…and, to birth this child, in Defencia."

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"This was her plan, her wicked and cruel ploy…" Bruce returned to his human guys while his eyes remained enraged as he was. "I'll undo the curse! It is my right, is it not? That marriage is ye sayth, it shall not happen –

"I am sorry to inform his highness, though yea, it will." Selene told the other; her eyes sure that there would be no hide away left to take back what she was about to say. "He chose, and by decree, if this kingdom is his chamber to remain, your son would die a thousand deaths – he must remain with the king he hath chosen to follow. Whence the child is born, yet only THEN might the curse be lifted. Should he not desire to remain."

"Richard." Slade looked to Wayne, who threw no good tidings the barbarian's way. "Howe long. For a season, a year?"

"I cannot tell thee, Wirlon." Shrugged the witch with a shake of her head. "The babe may be different due to the belly and body he portrays. But perhaps the mountain air –

"I CARE ONLY THAT MY SON RETURNS TO HIS COUNTRY, THAT HE NOT BE IN CHAINS BYCTHE DARK ARTS!!"

Bruce shouted at Selene. "Where doth the miss, then…does she fit into this agreement, lordship?" Alf had the timing to ask as Bruce's shoulders unknot themselves. "Where will you side, Selene. It is your ploy, our prince. Tell me."

"I shall go to his side, wherever he hath made me to follow." Selene bowed to King Wirlon as Richard felt cheated once more. "Nora, Sister Dora? You two shall report to the Fowl father and mother that the king of this capital is right. Yet, the fade was one son, one heir."

Richard looked at Selene, then at his father. "Witch…" Bruce growled. "Conspire all you wish it. This in not through."

"For here, it might be." Countered the witch as she slunk away with guards doing her dirty work. Grandl fighting tooth and nail in his stupor. She'd leashed and leached everyone. Now, she wanted to play caregiver?

Tim was safe. Everyone and all. They all…

And here the boy was, turning his back on a child he' never call his flesh and bone replica. "Come, my king. Prince Richard." She ushered the two on as Bruce stopped the two, rather another son from the catacombs. "I'll go too." Tim was not grown, but dear gods if he even thought to leave his brother where none might ever see him again. "Nay." Slade rejected the proposal. "In the spring, when the buds have but opened and the oak leaves peek. That is when he shall return to the kingdom by chance…I will not let him go far."

"OR, we could bring war with us." Tim sneered. "Tear your walls as you did to ours."

"Perhaps, after the spring." Duke agreed. "War, if there should come any such harm to the prince or the unborn babe."

"You have your own Todd to ween." Sniffed the warlord. Selene, see us out of this country. My eyes need rest among the mountains' grace.."

Selene nodded to King Bruce as he did not stop them. Richard didn't look back long as he was shoved to the exit. His eyes too bright to be happy to any of this. Bruce put his head to his hand as soon as they were gone. Grandl had left the seat warm, yet the cold was there. A curse upon his throne. A curse, for the great bat could rise to punish. So tell it, the great bat's story of loss.

"Father, he will return. He…he must…"

"Will he keep his word, brother?" Duke bit his lip. "Shall I soon fetch the babe, your son."

"Is Damian –

"He is brilliant, sire." Alf let a small smile peek out from beneath his grey mustache. "Your son was not a trouble to any of us. Find great pride today, sire. Your kingdom is yours. No Wirlon or monsters and fae to remedy. The battle –

" Never, Alf." Bruce grunted into his palms. "Richard is my son. He never held half my blood, yet he held that courage to sacrifice. The only humility I could have…was to let him go…this is my fault…. Selene…" Wept the miserable, woeful king. "She, once claimed me, just as she now has Wirlon…she eats kings. She feasts upon their demise –

"SIRE!"

Stopping, Bruce growled and pounded the throne with his fists in a wild tantrum. Bones upon this seat. Nay, it was not his. Getting up, he looked to the floor and found a flail from one of the king's enemies. Raising it up, the weight was somehow gone.

Richard. Bending before the king of barbarians.

RICHARD . Treated fondly without consent.

Richard …. stolen, sullied….

The king had thoroughly ruined the seat that Wirlon had tainted Bruce's son upon. Just as Barbenthal came to his side, the king fell into a great depression. The king, yet for now they would be sure to close any gaps. Should a corruption so great ever think to threaten the western capital, Wayne would bring down his fostered, judgment .

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