Welcome to Gaia! ::

- slack jawed stare at eight chapters above-

- remembers his first attempt at an novel- -he dropped it to pursue science-
-sighs quietly-

Chapter Nine
The Last Battle

Jon moved swiftly to one side as Romero hastened out of the throne room. Grinning widely, he turned a corner and pushed aside a long tapestry. Behind it, hidden in the alcove, were Kayo and Alysia.
“Alright, you have your warning,” he said with a laugh. “Did it have to be so dramatic?” Kayo grinned too. Alysia frowned in annoyance but said nothing.
“Well that’s everything, then,” said Kayo briskly, clapping his hands together once and looking around the tapestry for approaching soldiers. “All we have to do is hope that everyone knows what they’re doing.”
Jon shrugged off his heavy breastplate, engraved with the royal coat of arms, and tossed it into a corner. “I don’t think I’ll be needing that,” he said, sounding relieved to be rid of it.
“Do both of you know what to do?” Alysia asked, just to check. Both nodded.
“Jon, you go by the first tower upstairs. Alysia, you see about the front doors. I’ll be down here. Ready?”
“Ready.” Jon threw a swift salute. Alysia nodded, and without a word went into the empty corridor, the two boys behind her.

*

Rose was stationed behind a doorway on the second floor. No one had come by here since ten minutes ago, when she had taken up her silent vigil. She was about to abandon her post and find the rest of the soldiers, although she had been told not to many times, when two voices rang out from the passage outside.
“…Haven’t seem ‘em yet. Have you?”
“Nah. I don’t think they’re about anywhere, just that little half-pint telling stories. More trouble’n he’s worth, that one.”
“You’re right about that. Still, let’s check this room here, and the next one, and then we’ll go down and report.”
“Report, yea right. First thing I’ll do is wring that little shrimp’s neck. That one’s just trying to annoy us, he is.”
Two soldiers came through the open door, deep in conversation. Rose held her breath, observing them closely. The skinny one had on a helmet, but the other didn’t. She pulled out her sling, careful not to let the stones knock against each other, and fired. The soldier fell, knocked out by a stone to the back of the neck. His companion, the skinny one, turned around.
“Hey, what the—“
He was sent to the floor by a swift stone between his eyes. Rose didn’t bother staying, checking both sides of the outside passage before turning right and striding quickly towards the stairs. The second floor was unusually quiet. Perfect.
She knew where the others would be, so she might as well join them. The entrance hall seemed the right place, so without hesitation she pushed open the door.

*

Armani was bored. She stood on a tiny, one-person balcony, right below the ceiling on the first floor. Why it was there was beyond her, it seemed too useless to waste stone on, but there it was, and there was the empty corridor. Not a soul had come here for ten minutes at least.
Her interest quickly intensified at a small noise to her left. It was the clink of metal. She held her breath and crouched down, peering between ornate wooden railings. A soldier appeared, checking every room, alcove, and closet he passed. The temptation was too good to pass up. Disregarding the sling at her side, she leapt over the railing and landed lightly on the floor below.
The soldier was checking a small, one-exit room right before her, leaving the door half open. Or was it half closed? Neither way mattered to Armani, who could close it either way without much difference, and it also did not matter to the soldier, who suddenly found himself locked in a tiny room with no way out.
Ignoring the angry shouts behind her, and trying hard not to laugh, Armani went to go find the others.

*

Lia giggled. Natamo, crouching behind a suit of armor, frowned at her.
“Shh! Be ready, Lia,” he said in a loud whisper. Orichi still kept watch, completely hidden behind the towering suit of armor. He suddenly elbowed Natamo, pointing up the corridor. Two soldiers came around the corner.
“Ready?” Lia and Orichi nodded silently. The soldier in front suddenly noticed a sharp pain at his neck. He shrugged, attributing the sting to a bug, perhaps, and carried on. Natamo was disappointed, and couldn’t see why his shot did no damage at all. He shrugged it away for now, reaching into his pebble bag for another stone, and that’s when he realized his mistake.
“Orichi, do you have a big stone?” he asked very quietly. Orichi nodded and produced not so much a pebble as a rock. It was small enough for the sling, though. And suddenly the first soldier felt considerably more than a sting on his jaw. He fell, out for the count. His companion instantly became more wary.
“Who’s there?” he asked, which seemed a bit of an obvious question, but it went unchallenged. A small whirring sound grabbed his attention. He knocked aside an ornate vase and found Lia, who screamed when she saw him. He picked her up by one of her hands, very surprised.
“Well now, how could a little girly like you knock out Trent?” he inquired. There was no time for any other graceful connotations, however, as Orichi then dashed out and kicked him hard in the unprotected shin.
“Ouch!” The soldier did not release Lia, but was momentarily distracted, giving her plenty of time to hit him in the face with her tiny fist. Needless to say, he dropped her right away. All three backed away, and the soldier looked from one to another, confused as to which to go after first. They gave him no time to deliberate.
“Fire!” Three stones flew straight and true, and the corridor was suddenly free of conscious soldiers. Natamo, Lia, and Orichi set off, feeling very proud of themselves, to join the others.

*

Mya and Mera were tired of looking after the babies. Sure, their job was important, but definitely not interesting enough to hold their attention. The others had left maybe half an hour ago, and since then nothing of the slightest interest had occurred. Three of the children were asleep, the only one awake being Naia, sitting forlornly by the window to watch for her sister Armen’s return.
“How long do you think it’ll take?” inquired Mya. Time had slowed to an indefinable, sluggish crawl, partly from their lethargic boredom, but mostly from suspense and anxiety about the battle taking place as they spoke.
“I don’t know,” replied Mera, keeping an eye fixed on Naia. “Do you think they’re in trouble?”
“They might be. There weren’t too many of them, was there?”
“They’ll be alright.” Mea sounded slightly unconvinced, however,. Mya caught the worried tinge in her voice and said suddenly, “Do you think we should help?”
Mera sat up, any trace of boredom disappearing. “What do you mean?”
“I mean we can go help. They may need us.”
“No, Kayo and Alysia will be mad, and what’ll we do with the babies?”
Mya considered it. Her expression brightened as an idea struck her. “If we can’t go ourselves, what if we could get someone to go for us?”
Mera raised an eyebrow, and Mya took it as an indication to continue. “Kari and Kayna are at their house now, they weren’t there when Armani came back. I know where they live, we can find them and ask them for help!”
Mera saw her point and quickly caught on. “And there’s Evan too, no one told him. I remember where he lives, we can ask him too!”
The two girls smiled at each other, elated at the brilliance of their own scheme, and then without another word prepared to go to Kari and Kayna’s house.
A few minutes later found the two on the street below, carrying Caira and Selia and leading Hope and Naia, who could walk with ease, by the hands. Their destination was not far, only a few streets away. Mya knocked on the door of a small, pleasant-looking house on the corner of two side streets. It opened almost at once.
“Mya! Mera!” Kari exclaimed ecstatically as she saw them. She led them inside and then without further ado ran off to tell Kayna. Kayna dashed into the kitchen to see them, followed by their mother, Crysta, a tall, kind-faced woman with long, shining hazel hair and matching eyes. She smiled.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both, Mya and Mera,” she said kindly. “Kari and Kayna have told me so much about you.”
Mya returned the greeting for the both of them, though cut across by Kari, who exclaimed excitedly, “Mya, Mera, did you see? Mother’s having another baby!“ Sure enough, there was a definite curve in their mother’s stomach, and the twins were quick to share in Kari’s excitement. Kayna beamed, and Crysta laughed at their amazement.
“Yes, I am, I hope maybe this spring. But never mind that, did you two come to visit for a special reason, or just to say hello?“
Mera took over, explaining their situation. “…And since we can’t go, do you think you could find someone else, Kari? I know Evan lives nearby, and he’s not with the rest. What do you think?” Mera and Mya put on their best matching pleading expressions as Kari and Kayna looked to their mother for advice. She smiled.
“I have a better idea,” she said with some amusement. “Leave the little ones here with me, and my daughters can go with you. Is that a good arrangement?”
The four girls looked at each other in surprise, then smiled and laughed. Mya acted as spokesperson. “Thank you,” she said appreciatively. “That’s perfect. Kari and Kayna can come too?”
Crysta nodded. Kari hugged her mother fondly. Kayna was pleased, but looked solemn all the same. “Where does Evan live?” she asked.
Mera pointed north and slightly west. “Over that way, a few streets over. I’ll show you in a minute. And I’ll bet we can find a few other people as well.”
Crysta smiled once more. “Is there anything special I need to know about the little ones?”
Mya shook her head gravely. “No, all they do is sleep.” Crysta laughed at this statement.
Kari and Kayna hugged their mother at the door, Kari promising to be careful, Kayna promising to take care of Kari. They set off to find Evan, maybe others as well, anyone who could possibly help them at this, their hour of need. Crysta watched them set off, wishing them luck in a quiet voice before turning and walking back in to the small, white-painted house.

*

Rose, Armani, Natamo, Lia, and Orichi entered the entrance hall at the same time, though from different positions and angles, yet the view was not too different. All five thought they were prepared for anything, but that was before all five saw the chaos inside the hall.
The most noticeable aspect was the noise, a ringing, deafening, echoing cacophony of sound, clashing metal on metal mixed with wordless shouts and panicked shrieks reverberating off the stone walls and high ceiling.
Then the masses crowding the hall became noticeable. A swirling, ever-moving throng of glinting armor, the occasional shield, and flashing swords twisted, twirled and intertwined endlessly, unidentifiable forms, soldier and child, ducking about and fighting desperately. There seemed to be a hopeless amount of soldiers compared to the small group of rebels, and suddenly defeat appeared not only possible but probable. The room’s five new occupants rushed into the fray at once to help.
Rose knew, even as she descended the stairs, that there were too many enemies for them to fight. She worried that even if anyone realized this, it would be too late to retreat, a tactical nightmare for anyone. In any case, this sobering fact did not occur to the rebels incased in the melee, and they fought on, undeterred and unrestrained. She rushed in to assist them regardless, dismissing all seemingly pointless facts.
Her world immediately became crashing metal, flashing weapons, and yelling figures all around. Had she looked down, all she would see would have been fallen shields and stray sling stones underfoot, and had she looked up, the ceiling would have been hidden from her by flying stones, colliding weapons and hastily raised shields. All was confusing, loud, and frightening.
She ducked instinctively as something flew past her head, and it hit someone in front of her instead, but there was no time to see who, or what…She tripped a soldier intent upon defeating someone behind her, and he fell heavily to the ground. She looked past him to see Kayo, his sword raised in preparation for the attack she had just prevented. He flashed her a swift, appreciative grin.
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
“Look out behind you,” he warned, and she turned on her heel in time to duck a thrown spear. It fell harmlessly on the ground in front of her. She picked it up and used the butt end to knock out a soldier nearby. She turned to thank Kayo, but the tide of the battle had moved them apart. She battled on, without goal or destination, only trying to lessen the massive numbers against them. Even with half the guards gone, there were still too many to contend with. She ducked and dodged, wincing at the occasional stone flying past her head, hoping against hope that, no matter the victor of the battle, her friends would remain safe.

*

Natamo had realized how dangerous it was in the middle of the hall, so he had wisely relocated his two friends and himself to the second floor, where a walkway ran around the upper walls of the entrance hall. He, Lia, and Orichi concentrated on hitting any soldier that stumbled out of the melee. They had injured two and collapsed three others, and were having great success.
That was, until the side door across from them opened and allowed forth half a dozen archers, who spotted them right away.
“Duck!” yelled Natamo, and he and Orichi, who was right next to him, did. But he heard a shrill scream and saw Lia fall backwards onto the stone.
“Lia!” He crawled over to her on his elbows, Orichi behind him. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, and a feathered arrow shaft protruded from her side. She had fainted from the pain, it seemed, but Natamo feared worse.
“What do we do?” he asked Orichi, slightly panicked. Orichi pulled himself over to her side, inspected the wound, and then, without hesitating, snapped the arrow and pulled both ends from her side. Natamo winced, but Orichi was undaunted. He placed the broken arrow to one side, inspected her wound once again, and then tore off a strip from the bottom of his shirt, lifting Lia and wrapping the long strip around her waist, tying it off securely. He stood up, bent double, and picked her up around her waist, dragging her to a nearby alcove in the wall. Natamo helped him, awed by his nerve and calmness when he himself had panicked. They placed Lia in the alcove, behind a large, ornate vase, and made sure she was both comfortable and well hidden before returning to their place.
The archers were on the walkway opposite them, their attention focused on the fray below. One suddenly notched an arrow and fired it in one fluid motion, with well-practiced speed. Natamo gasped as he saw it hit someone below in the arm. Who it hit was impossible to tell, but whoever it was wasn’t wearing armor, so Natamo assumed it was one of his friends. He felt hot anger pulse through his veins, with a frightening suddenness, and stood, firing a stone at the archer. He drew a savage pleasure from the sight of the archer falling to the ground and from the surprised and scared looks on the other archers’ faces. Orichi did the same next to him, and another archer fell as the stone hit his jaw.
By the time the archers had realized they were under attack, only two remained, and Natamo and Orichi were out of sight. One was still looking about, while the other placed an arrow on the string, looking about cautiously on his eye level. He turned at a noise next to him and watched his companion fall, and perceived a small laugh from across the hall before something hard and cold hit him between the eyes and he joined the other archers on the floor. Natamo and Orichi smiled in satisfaction, feeling that Lia had been properly avenged.

*

Daum could not believe what he was seeing. “Impossible,” he muttered under his breath.
It certainly seemed impossible that this could be, which must have been why no one was expecting it. Even though half the guards had gone to the docks, there was still a very large number left, certainly over the score or so they had anticipated. Here was at least twoscore, maybe even half a hundred here to fight. They were outnumbered almost three to one.
If this is half, I can hardly imagine what all of them together could do, he thought. He had only just come in from a side passage, and was now standing to one side, staring openmouthed at the spectacle before him. And if he was honest with himself, after only a few minutes of observation he did not see how the small group of rebels could stand a chance. But the second this morbid and sobering thought occurred to him, he pushed it to the back of his mind. Not if I can help it.
He reached back and notched an arrow to his bow, swiftly firing it at a soldier a few feet in front of him. He saw that, though it did not pierce the soldier’s armor at this range, it was enough to cause a wound underneath, and the soldier looked about in surprise, giving his opponent time to send him to the floor with a swift punch to the face. Daum saw that it was Armani once the soldier had fallen, and felt a sudden strong burst of light-headed relief flood through him, which he could not explain to himself. She nodded in gratitude towards him, smiling broadly.
“Thanks,” she said, brushing a long strand of hair out of her face. He smiled back. “It’s no trouble.”
And then she was gone, much too fast for normal circumstances, but Daum thought nothing of it, as there were so many in the hall. He busied himself with firing a few more arrows, not caring that none of them did too much damage. In fact, he preferred it that way. He understood that this was more to defeat than to eliminate.
And then he became aware of something different happening, something new. Many of the small battles all around the hall had paused, and a few were looking to the right, oblivious to the rest of the hall’s occupants. Yells came from the scene, most in men’s voices, but one feminine, slightly hoarse. The fighters, soldier and rebel, suddenly cleared a bit, and through the gap Daum saw what was going on.
Armani was dueling with a heavily armored soldier with a short sword, obviously taken from a fallen guard, and simultaneously trying to defend herself against numerous other soldiers pressing in on the two. She was doing well, slowing into a steady rhythm as she blocked and jabbed in turn, but she was tiring fast; it was apparent from her slow, heavy movements and her hoarse cries. Yet she did not stop or pause for even a moment, fighting gamely on.
Her opponent proved himself an excellent swordsman, good enough even for the rank of general or colonel, and he was obviously in command of this half of the army. He seemed to take the duel lightly, as if wasting his time on it for pure enjoyment alone, and showed no quarter, allowing a few other soldiers to continue catching Armani off guard with spontaneous jabs. Armani too was determined not to hold back, but as she did not have anyone at her command the battle was sadly one-sided. However, in spite of these odds, she gave back stroke for stroke, wound for wound.
The commander was laughing in amusement at her efforts, and seemed to slow down so she could keep up. Armani sensed this and moved faster, so he had to speed up to keep her sweeps and jabs from hitting him. She sent a shock rippling up his arm as she struck powerfully, wiping the mocking smile off his face, and he began to take her seriously. Now this was more personal; a fight to see who was more skilled, who would triumph, instead of a random fight to last a few seconds before one moved on to the next opponent.
Their swords flew with more speed now, though it was hard to say who had begun the change in pace. The two became multicolored blurs, their swords moving about like liquid steel swirling in the air, the occasional spark flying as metal struck metal. Then suddenly, their movements slowed momentarily, and then, though no one knew exactly how, Armani stood, chest heaving as she breathed heavily, with her sword point at her opponent’s throat. He did not even have time to blink as she ran him through.
He fell to the ground, leaving behind a thoroughly shocked audience. No one moved, no one except a short guard coming around behind her and raising his spear…
Daum saw him, and weighed his chances in a millisecond. There was no time for thought, he concluded, and without a second more to spare on such pointless revelations he dashed towards Armani, no coherent thoughts coming to tell him other options, another way…

*

That was when the front doors opened and a stream of fighters came flying in.
At a glance, it was easy to tell whose side the new arrivals were on, though their small size and high-pitched yells were less obvious an indication than when several soldiers nearby fell to the ground as they passed. The reinforcements had arrived, and they were very clear to whom their loyalty belonged. The last two to arrive were Keomi and Rizu, who swiftly shut and latched the front door. The reason became obvious as, a few minutes later, a loud slam from behind the doors rang out, and it could be safely assumed that the guards who had been sent to the docks had been delayed at entering the palace. The new arrivals were sorely needed, and realizing this, jumped into the fray at once.
Rose was by the front doors, and she at once pressed an ear to the wooden door, listening hard for a moment to discern which way they would try to come in next. She could faintly hear an officious and slightly exasperated voice saying, “…Around the garden. Go through there with this half and unlatch these from the inside.”
A faint jingling came as, she assumed, the soldier saluted, and then silence as he moved away from the door. She turned back to the battle, scanning the combatants for Kayo. She spotted him after a few seconds’ search and caught him on the arm, quickly telling him what she had heard.
“We’ll have to go and meet them at the garden door, won’t we?” he said, already starting off towards the garden entrance. Rose caught his arm again, and he turned and raised an eyebrow at her. She shook her head.
“It’s not the guards or soldiers we’re fighting, remember? It’s Romero. We don’t need to stop the soldiers, all they’re doing is following orders. They serve the king, or whoever, whether they like to or not. We can lock the door to gain time, but then we need to find the source of this whole problem, do you agree?”
It took a few moments’ consideration, but he nodded in agreement. The two set off, quickly finding and locking the garden’s door. A few more minutes' navigation brought them to the throne room, where they were sure to find Romero. Rose pushed the door open and walked through fearlessly, while Kayo followed more cautiously, aware of the possibilities of traps or ambush. Neither bothered to shut the door.
Rose looked about the room, scanning every corner and shadow, while Kayo kept his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. A soft movement behind them made both spin around.
Romero stood behind the door, a malicious grin on his face and a jeweled sword in his right hand. In an instant, Rose’s sling was drawn and Kayo’s sword was in his hand. Romero laughed mockingly.
“I should have known you would be here,” he said to Kayo. “It was just a diversion that you set up down at the docks, wasn’t it? I didn’t think you would send your friends as a distraction and put them in danger…I wonder if they trust you after that?”
Kayo said nothing, but his hands shook with anger, and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the hilt of his sword. Rose could see that he was rising to the bait, and wanted to tell him that nothing Romero said was true, but she decided, on reflection, to stay out of this. With any luck, Romero would get his comeuppance in due time, sooner, if he kept tossing insults at Kayo like that. After all, one can only take so much.
“…And your friend from that attack a few days ago came too…amazing how many competent allies you have behind you, boy,” Romero said sarcastically. Rose caught the jibe, but did not comment upon it, satisfying herself with a brief glare in his direction which he did not see. Kayo, however, spoke this time.
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that,” he said lightly. “It’s one thing to underestimate me, but it doesn’t pay to try that with her.”
Rose did not bother hiding an amused smile at the expression on Romero’s face. Kayo gestured airily with his free hand. “Fun as this is, it’s pointless to stand here arguing when the both of us carry weapons.”
Romero’s grin returned. “It is pointless, but amusing, to say the least, which is why I won’t bother fighting you.” He clicked his fingers together. At a rustle overhead, Rose and Kayo looked up to see, with a jolt of surprised fear, half a score of archers on the upper floor, every arrow pointed at them. Rose gasped, but all Kayo did was resume his angered expression.
However, before anyone could make another move, the door was pushed open again. Alysia dashed in, but froze on the threshold as she spotted the scene inside. Romero was just as surprised as she, but quickly hid it and made a gesture towards the archers on the balcony.
“Alysia, duck!” Rose cried. Alysia obeyed, and ten arrows flew over her head. She stood again, unharmed, albeit shocked. Romero hid his disappointment with a cold laugh, but the angry retort died on his lips as a disturbance from above interrupted them. The archers one by one disappeared, and as the last one vanished, a small gathering could be seen where the archers had stood, and Kari, Kayna, Evan, and a few others waved from the balcony.
Romero was furious, his face red with barely controlled anger, but Kayo beat him to the return to conversation. “It looks like trying to get us from a distance wasn’t a good idea,” he said nonchalantly. “Why don’t you give up the coward act and get yourself a spine?” His voice became harsh and condescending at this last statement.
No one could take that kind of insult lightly, and Romero was no exception. He looked, if possible, even more enraged. He suddenly flew at him with surprising speed, yet Kayo sidestepped him easily. Both turned, and a ringing crash was audible as their swords collided. They moved with great speed and agility, and as the two girls stood back and watched, they silently agreed that the two were a good match in skill, though there was no question of which they would rather see victorious.
It was fantastic to watch, and Kari, Kayna, and all those with them leaned eagerly over the banister, the better to see the two small figures below, and cheered enthusiastically. Rose and Alysia wisely stepped out of the way, though never taking their eyes off the exhilarating scene before them.
Each move the combatants made was as fast as lightning, though not a single blow landed, each strike blocked with ease and quickly countered with another. Neither had a shield, which made it all the more intense, as Kayo occasionally ducked or dodged a difficult swing, while Romero, who was not so agile, parried every move with great speed and skill. The onlookers fell silent as the battle continued, holding their collective breath as they watched in amazement. No one had suspected that Kayo was so strong, not even Alysia, who had known him longer than anyone, yet no one had foreseen Romero’s skill beforehand either. Derision and derision alone had existed on his part, therefore astounding the spectators as they realized that he had been underestimated. Yet his agility and competence was still no greater than Kayo’s, though admittedly no worse.
The concentration on the rivals’ expressions was easily perceptible as they struck, sidestepped, and dodged in turn, each determined to triumph. Romero performed a tricky move, feigning a small thrust and coming back around to swing his blade in a wide arc at chest height. Kayo was caught off guard, and swiftly ducked to avoid the scything steel. He stood in time to block a powerful downward swing, which threw him off balance. He fell backwards onto the ground.
The audience let in a unified intake of breath, staring with wide eyes as Romero raised his sword with a fiercely triumphant air about him. Rose, thinking fast, suddenly found herself in front of him, knocking aside his arm with astounding swiftness. Romero blinked in surprise, then, his eyebrows contracting in frustrated anger, his shock turned instantly to fury. Rose held her ground, though keeping a tight grip on her sling as she watched him for any sudden movements.
Too quickly to prevent, Romero raised an arm and forcibly struck her aside. She flew a few yards across the cobblestone floor before landing in a motionless heap on the ground.
Gasps and outraged yells rang throughout the room, and Kayo stood at once, a flaming look in his eyes. Alysia rushed over to Rose, struggling to carry her out of the way. The intention became much more rational as a rain of shouts and insults came down from above, followed by a hail of stones, thereby adding, in this case, injury to insult. Romero covered his head with his left arm, running out of the way, towards the exit. Kayo turned, showing every intention of following, but stopped at a plead from Alysia.
“Kayo, come help me!” He seemed to struggle inwardly for a few seconds, but then gave in reluctantly, with a sigh of resignation, and strode over to where Alysia was kneeling next to Rose. With a last reproachful glance at the door, through which Romero had escaped, he helped Alysia raise her a foot or so off the ground.
“Alysia!” cried Kari from the balcony. “There’s another door over there!” She raised her arm, looping it over the railing, being too small to see over the top, and pointed to Alysia’s right, to the other end of the room.
“Thank you, Kari.” Alysia and Kayo struggled to drag Rose’s limp form in that direction. They were within a few feet of the aforementioned door, however, when a disturbance came from above them. They looked up to see a second-level door opening and another contingent of soldiers pouring through. A few on the balcony screamed, and at this, Alysia saw that Kayo once again had every intention of going back, but she would not hear of it.
“Kayna, retreat, did you hear me?” she shouted. “Find a door leading to the stairs! Kayo,” she added, as he turned to walk out of the door, “come help me!” He did not answer. “Kayo, come help!” she insisted. He paused, obviously impatient to go after the soldiers above them. “There are at least five ways out of there, Kayo. Come on, before we get caught in a crossfire! It would be impossible to do anything for Rose then.”
He looked at the door, then back at Alysia, who gave him her sternest glare. He at last turned back and helped her, once again, hurriedly carry Rose towards the door. They opened it and went through before any of the soldiers realized they were even there. Once outside, they found themselves in an unfamiliar room, with wood paneled walls and a low table surrounded by chairs set in the middle.
“Advisory room,” muttered Alysia. “Council meetings are held here…it hasn’t been used for quite some time. Come on, through this door.”
Through this room and another after it, they found themselves in a corridor they recognized. A way down the hall was the door that led to the dungeons, and to the other side was another door, which, according to numerous maps they had seen, led to another flight of stairs. Alysia indicated that this was the way they should go.
“Why are we going this way?” inquired Kayo.
“There’s a door that leads outside. It’s best if we set Rose down outside of the castle for now, it’s too dangerous inside.”
Hearing this caused the last of the adrenaline of battle to melt away, and Kayo began to feel panic building inside of him. If she was hurt, it was his fault…
Outside, it was almost nighttime, the sky nearly jet black as the sun descended below the horizon. There was a small pathway leading from the door that turned into a circular path running about the entire palace. They gently laid Rose down on this, and Alysia immediately knelt beside her.
“I don’t know…” she said quietly to herself. A weight of hopelessness had been creeping over her as soon as she had seen Rose fall, but she had refused to acknowledge it. But now…She placed her hand half an inch before Rose’s mouth and nose, concentrating hard, but she felt nothing; Rose wasn’t breathing. Her own breath caught in her throat. Kayo knelt beside her, dropping his sword thoughtlessly on the ground beside him.
“Come on, Rose…wake up…please…” Kayo placed a hand on her shoulder and shook it gently, trying to wake her. She didn’t move.
Kayo bowed his head, and Alysia thought for one wild moment that he was going to cry. He never had before; she knew that he considered crying as giving up, letting go. Her own eyes filled with tears, and she blinked hard to stem them.
When her vision cleared, Kayo had changed. He slowly raised his head, and she could see his eyes scanning the ground. He turned his head towards her, searching the ground. What she saw on his face made her take a full step back.
His eyes were filled with hatred, his jaw was clenched, his face transformed with an anger so intense that it was frightening. He looked to his left and found the hilt of his sword. Alysia’s eyes widened. She would have said something to calm him, to stop him in whatever he was thinking of doing, but the burning look in his eyes made her want to run away and never look back.
Kayo picked up his sword, then reached down and unlatched Rose’s necklace. The blood-red glass glinted in the sun, adding a more ominous aspect to the scene. He wrapped the locket around his sword hilt and walked towards the castle.
Alysia was stunned at what she had seen, but she had one ounce of common sense left to her. She extended her arm and put two fingers on the side of Rose’s neck, holding her breath. She was utterly relieved to feel a faint beat, a small throb, push against her fingers; a pulse.
“Oh…I….I don’t believe it…she’s alive? Kayo!” she shouted after him, “Kayo! Come back! Kayo!”
But he was already gone.
Alysia was torn. If she stayed, who knew what havoc Kayo would wreak on the castle guards? But Rose was in trouble too…
She recalled the dangerous glint in Kayo’s eyes and, without hesitation, went to stop him.

*

Kayo walked purposefully into the castle. The stairs were directly to his right, completely deserted, as they had been a minute ago. He barely noticed when the stairs began, and he didn’t pause as he began his climb upwards. He knew where Romero would be, without knowing how he knew it. The so-called king could have run anywhere, but it did not seem such a large problem at the moment. It wasn’t important right then. Only one thing was important: to get there.

*

Chapter Ten
The Injuries of War

Deathly silence was all around, seeming to press against their ears as they strained to catch a sound, somewhere, to find their friends by. The three would rather have heard the sounds of another battle than that oppressing silence.
“Where is everyone?” whispered Rose, almost afraid to break the stifling quiet. Kayo shrugged.
“Let’s check the entrance hall,” suggested Alysia. Kayo insisted on walking on his own.
“I wouldn’t walk on that, if I were you,” cautioned Rose.
“I’ll manage.”
They walked in silence, each feeling numb and frozen. It felt as if all their emotions were on hold, waiting until later to come pouring back into them; shock, confusion, disbelief, and sorrow were all absent from their minds, and they were glad of it.
They reached the steps leading to the entrance hall, at a slow pace to ensure that Kayo did not fall behind All three paused as the hall came in sight, casting shocked eyes over the scene before them. At least twoscore soldiers were lying sprawled around the floor, though whether unconscious or otherwise, it was hard to tell. Very few rebels remained among the armored soldiers, of which they were glad. No one moved or made a sound.
“I think…” began Kayo, looking about the hall in disbelief. “I think we won.”
Rose shuddered involuntarily. “If this is what we had to do, I almost wish we hadn’t.”
Alysia stepped down, kneeling beside a fallen soldier. She observed him carefully for a moment before pronouncing, “He isn’t dead. I don’t know about the others, but this one’s only unconscious.”
Rose stepped down too, stepping around the prone forms until she found someone familiar. Armen lay on the ground, her eyes closed. Rose knelt beside her, taking her face in her hands. A faint warmth came from her skin. Rose laid a hand on her shoulder and shook it, and Armen woke with a grimace and a small moan.
“What happened?” she asked bemusedly. “Where is everybody, Rose?”
“I don’t know. Are you alright?”
Armen nodded, putting a hand to her head. “Did we win?”
“I think so, but we’re not too sure.”
Armen sat up, looking about. “I’d say we won, alright,” she said, amazed at the vast numbers of immobile figures lying about.
“Alysia says that most of them are unconscious, don’t worry.”
“That’s good.” Armen looked about again. A small noise called her attention to the other side of the room.
“Armani!” she cried suddenly, standing and calling over to her. Armani was sitting on the ground some distance away, apparently oblivious to their presence. Rose went over to her, Armen following behind.
“Armani, are you alright?”
Armani looked up as though noticing them for the first time. She took a small breath and shrugged. Rose looked past her.
“Oh, no,” she said, understanding immediately why Armani was so upset. Alysia and Kayo arrived, but all they could do was repeat Rose’s reaction.
Armani was sitting next to Daum, who was slumped motionless on the floor. At a glance, it was easy to tell how different he looked from the rest of the still forms around him. His face was very pale, and not a telltale movement stirred him, no indication whatsoever that there was still life in him. Armani let out a small sob.
“What happened?” asked Kayo, a distressed expression crossing his face. Armani shook her head, unable to talk. She took a deep breath and, finally, managed a whisper.
“I was fighting a soldier, and after I won another one came behind me. Daum stopped him, but then this….” She could not continue. Alysia sat next to her and gave her a small hug.
“He was trying to save me…” Armani said, a tear falling from her cheek. No one could think of anything to say.
“Such is the way of war,” said Kayo quietly, bowing his head.

*

Lia had by them awakened, and though her wound was as bad as ever, she insisted that she was fine. The noise had now stopped, leaving an empty feeling in their ears after the prolonged clamor below them. They stood and looked down.
“What happened?” Orichi asked, addressing no one in particular. His friends shrugged.
Lia spotted something moving below. “Look, it’s Kayo! Kayo, up here!”
Kayo, Rose, Alysia and Armen looked up, though Armani did not bother. “Natamo, what are you doing up there?” he asked incredulously.
“Sniping,” he said. “What’s going on?”
Alysia and Kayo glanced at each other. Kayo turned back to Natamo, his expression betraying none of the emotions resting heavily inside of them all. “Natamo, do you think you, Orichi, and Lia could go find the others? They went somewhere from the throne room, and we need to find them so we can leave.”
“Does that mean we won?” cried Lia excitedly. Kayo glanced at Armani and Daum, and sighed. “Yes,” he told her. “We’ve won.”
Lia clapped her hands together joyously, and then she, Orichi, and Natamo set off to find everyone.
“Should we have told them?” asked Rose. Kayo shook his head.
“They’ll find out. We’ve won, but it cost us dearly. It makes you wonder if it was worth it.”
Armani shook her head. “No, it wasn’t,” she murmured, so quietly that it was hard to say if anyone heard her.
Rose stood, offering Armani a hand. “Come on, Armani. Daum wouldn’t have wanted you to be sad about him. He would want you to celebrate our victory. Let’s go.”
Armani was loath to leave. Alysia backed Rose up, saying encouragingly, “Rose is right, Armani. Life moves on no matter what. We can’t do anything else for him right now, and we need to see if anyone else was hurt. Come on.”
Armani reluctantly rose to her feet, following them wearily through the door as they headed after Natamo and his friends. “Are you sure you don’t need help, Kayo?” Alysia asked him worriedly.
“I’m fine. Save it for whoever we find that’s really injured.”
“If that isn’t a real injury, then I’d hate to see what is,” commented Rose. They climbed the rest of the stairs in silence, leaving behind the proof of the awful reality of war.

*

They finally found the rest, after a bit of aimless searching, in what Alysia had called the advisory room. The younger ones sat in a circle on the ground, each telling exaggerated tales of their adventures, while the older ones sat in the deep cushioned chairs to rest. There were many more than they had set off with, yet no one noticed. Everyone looked up as the small group entered, and suddenly an onslaught of questions and exclamations poured in on them.
“Kayo! Did we win?”
“Did we?”
“What happened to you leg?”
“Are you alright?”
“Rose, what happened?”
“Armani, is something wrong?”
“Are you okay, Armen?”
Alysia raised a hand, and the chatter ceased at once. “We’ll explain everything. But first, is anybody seriously injured?”
“Lia is, Alysia,” Natamo offered. Lia shook her head.
“I’m fine,” she insisted. Rose sat on the floor next to her, not convinced. “Where were you hurt, Lia?”
Lia showed her the hole in her dress, and Rose caught a glimpse of white bandaging underneath.
“Ouch.” She winced. “Was it an arrow?”
Lia nodded.
“Well, you were very brave. Who fixed it?”
“Orichi did. He found a bunch of medicines and cured me with them.” Orichi nodded to confirm this.
“Where did you find them, Orichi?”
He pointed. “Somewhere that way, in a little room. There were plants and things everywhere.”
Rose nodded. Every palace needed an infirmary, after all; it made sense. “Good job. Do you think you can heal everyone else?”
Orichi looked uncertain. “I suppose I could…Can Natamo and Lia help me?”
“Of course they can.”
Orichi nodded in satisfaction. “Then I’ll start with Kayo. What happened to him?” he added in a confidential whisper. Rose shook her head with a mischievous smile.
“It’s a secret. I’ll tell you later.” Lia wrinkled her nose at her in annoyance, but said nothing, helping Orichi along with Natamo to bring the herbs, potions and bandages to the table. However, as they tried to wrap up Kayo’s injured leg, he wouldn’t let them.
“Get everyone else first,” he said. “Then come back to help me.” They nodded solemnly and went around the table, mending every wound within their reach. Kayo leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as if he would like nothing better than to sleep right then and there. Alysia took up the tale, leaving out nothing. Rose was intrigued as she heard what had happened before she had arrived.
A stunned silence followed the narrative. Even Armani lifted her head from her arms and stared wide-eyed at Alysia.
“So you’re saying,” she said, as if setting her information in place, though her voice shook with incredulity, “that Kayo is the prince, who’s been missing for more than twelve years?”
Alysia looked about to the score-and-a-half faces all concentrated on her, waiting for a blessed affirmative of any kind. She nodded once.
Several audible gasps preceded a cheer loud enough to shake the ceiling. Keomi led out a sigh and rested her elbows on the table, smiling happily, and the smallest children were dancing about, mimicking the actions of everyone else. Rose was elated; she turned to see what Kayo’s reaction was and found him curled in the seat of his armchair, his left leg dangling from the side, appearing to be asleep. However, as she watched she could perceive a slightly annoyed frown on his face, and she could tell that he wasn’t used to this much attention and wanted it to stop. She turned back to the table and made a gesture. Everyone who saw it quieted, and the others followed soon after. Alysia stood, gaining the attention of the rest of the room once more.
“What happened at the docks, Keomi?”
Keomi smiled as she recalled the fiasco. “It went well enough; that is, we distracted them, to put it lightly. We managed to get everyone’s attention pretty fast…”
“Go on,” prompted Alysia, curiosity piqued.
Keomi grinned. “Rizu and I managed to rob an entire ship before they stopped us. It was wonderful; we floated down the river in this massive barge that was still loaded until they sent out a couple of smaller boats after us. Of course, neither of us had any idea how to sail the thing, so we ended up beaching it. We just jumped off and ran back to where we came from. Then the rest of the soldiers Romero sent were after us, so we went into the city, turning every chance we got, until I’d have sworn there was a soldier down every street, they split up on every corner. And that’s when we ran into Mya and Mera, who were trying to find some extra fighters. Mya, go ahead, finish it up.”
Mya tossed out her best evil smile. “We had left the babies at Kari and Kayna’s house with their mother, by the way, and we went to find Evan, who found some of his friends, who found more friends…we had about ten people with us when we ran into Keomi and Rizu. Then everyone split up again, and each soldier chased someone, but it ended up that all the soldiers got lost. That gave us a head start to the palace, but they managed to gain on us a bit. Luckily, they didn’t get in.”
Alysia nodded in approval, fighting the urge to laugh. “Good job, all of you. I don’t know what we would have done without your help. A few things still need to be sorted out, however…What will we do with any soldiers that come back?”
Several shouts rang out, though none of the suggestions were printable, let alone reasonable, and they were followed instantaneously by arguments. Alysia actually covered her ears as the din grew louder. “Stop!” she shouted. And stop they did.
“It doesn’t matter, I’ve thought it over already. The soldiers are hired to serve the king, queen, or regent; whoever is in control at the time they are employed. They can resign or stay on if a new ruler comes, it is their choice. However, while under a ruler they must obey every order their leader commands of them, or face losing their job or imprisonment, depending on how severe the crime. Jon told me all about it.
“Now think about it. The only reasons the soldiers attacked us was because they were following orders. They are no longer our enemies. New ruler, new rules. All we can do is ask each one if they will resign or serve the next ruler. No fighting is needed. Any objections?”
There were none. All the room’s occupants were silent, though some were looking rather sulky about the arrangement.
“Good,” she said approvingly. “Now, one last thing remains.” She took a breath. “And that is where to bury the dead.”
Many faces looked up in alarm and murmurs swept across the table like a breeze through tree leaves.
“Who died? Is it one of ours?” asked Rizu, fists clenched in agitation on the tabletop. Alysia took a few more breaths to steady herself.
“A few soldiers are dead, and we must care for them too. As I told you, Romero is among them…and yes, one of ours. Daum.”
Waves of shock traversed from person to astonished person. “How?” asked many persistent voices. Alysia shook her head firmly. “I won’t tell you how, not at the moment.” Rose noticed that she glanced at Armani as she said this. Armani’s head was once more between her arms as she hid her face, resting on the table.
“Tomorrow we will bury them, all of them, on the small hill behind the palace, where the royal family members sleep. And then, once we have respected the dead, we shall attend to the business of living. But we won’t worry about that now. Everyone find somewhere to sleep tonight; everything will be arranged tomorrow. And someone guard the door, please. The last thing we need is a group soldiers pouring in here in the middle of the night.”
She sat back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. Around her, everyone settled somewhere soft, most falling asleep at once. Rose found herself still filled with adrenaline after the action of the day, and could not sleep. She curled up in her chair, and instead of sleeping, she released all her reserved emotions and carefully looked over each one. There was sadness; that she could deal with tomorrow. There was also amazement at the revelations she had heard today. Of all the people in the entire world, she had never suspected that the prince was among them, let alone Kayo. And yet, it made perfect sense, explaining how deeply he had begrudged Romero’s usurped power and how he had believed that if the prince was found, all would be solved. He had confirmed that belief himself.
But what most amazed her was that if Kayo was a prince, his parents were the king and queen. She had never known her own parents, and could only imagine what it must feel like, but to know they were the two most powerful individuals in all of Rsen must have been a staggering truth. And she also felt sorry for him, as his parents must have died many years ago. It was one thing to not know them; it was another to know who they were and find that they are gone forever.
She looked over at Kayo, who was in the same position as before. She would have believed him asleep, had his eyes not flashed in the light of the candles lining the walls. She lifted her head.
“Kayo?” she whispered.
He stirred slightly. “Hmm?”
“Are you asleep?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Are not.” He didn’t respond. “Are you surprised?”
He raised his head, looking at her in slight confusion. “About what?”
“About today. Finding out.”
He propped his head on his elbow. “I don’t know. I’m trying not to think about it.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “It’s too hard to believe right now. It’s easier to just ignore it for now, then if I think about it again in a few days it may be easier to accept.”
Rose nodded. “Is that what’s really bothering you?”
Kayo sighed and shook his head. “No, it isn’t that.”
“Then what?”
He was silent for so long, she did not think he would respond. Then he said quietly, “I never meant to hurt anybody.”
Rose understood. “You did all you could do, Kayo. It was a bit beyond your control.”
He shook his head. “Just because I could doesn’t mean I should have. I’ll never feel that I did the right thing.”
“Don’t let it bother you so much,” said Rose gently. “What’s done is done, and, like I said earlier, if you hadn’t killed him first he would have killed you. I doubt there was a way out of that where no one would be harmed.”
“I can’t help thinking that there may have been a way.”
“Well, there wasn’t,” said Rose firmly. “Romero was determined to get away, and he didn’t care if he killed someone to escape or not. He wouldn’t have cared if he had killed me, and he certainly wouldn’t have cared if he killed you.”
Kayo sighed. “That doesn’t make it right.”
Rose could see that he was beyond comfort. “You’ll be alright eventually. Give it time. But there’s no need to make yourself miserable. There are a lot of people who look up to you now. Don’t disappoint them.”
She turned over, attempting to fall asleep once more. Kayo moved behind her, and before she closed her eyes, she heard him whisper, “Thank you, Rose.”

*

The next morning was both cold and sunny, with tiny rain clouds approaching but never allowing the rain to fall. It was a bittersweet sort of day, and matched perfectly the mood of the assembly in the conference room. It seemed disrespectful to celebrate the victory of yesterday, once the price had been added up, and yet it was almost impossible not to be joyous over their triumph. Most contented themselves with being solemn and expressionless, for the time being at least.
Many walked aimlessly throughout the corridors, under the pretense of searching for any soldiers who had fallen in the battle. All were surprised to find that the army had dispersed, only the two that had been bested remaining. It was decided eventually that the soldiers rendered unconscious had retreated, though if they would return or not was a different story altogether. Thankfully, none of their own were found. Eventually, the castle had been searched thoroughly several times over, and the two fallen soldiers were placed on makeshift stretchers and carried to the graveyard.
The rest headed after them, aiming for the tall hill rising at the southern boundary of the city. There, beneath the deep loam and tiny wildflowers, they buried the dead. Little ceremony was troubled on Romero’s part, though everyone tried their best to refrain from any slights or insults, as they would certainly do no good and, in any case, was disrespectful. Grudges held no power against the deceased, and it seemed pointless to bring the past up now. The only feasible course was to let old differences lie. The two fallen soldiers were mourned very sincerely, though it was hard to say if anyone was aware of even their names. However, someone had taken the trouble to look their names up on a roster, listing all the soldiers and guards, and the names of the four departed were written neatly with a fire-heated knife on four separate pine boards. Later, these would be wrought again into stone and would replace the boards.
After the three men from the castle were placed, Daum was buried beneath a tall birch tree. His marker had been adorned with a thoughtful inscription:

Daum
Beloved friend and brave fighter
Died in battle to save a friend
You will not be forgotten

Some present, upon reading this, could not hold back their tears, and they were not silenced as they mourned for their lost friend.
A prayer would need to be said, and most expected Alysia, who was believed the eldest, to say it. However, she surprised them all, though they were not displeased, when she suggested that Kayo say it. He tried to object, protesting that he would not know what to say. She ignored his misgivings.
“You’re the prince, Kayo,” she said firmly. “This is your job. Just say what you feel.”
He tried his best, delivering a short speech for the crowd’s benefit, and finishing with a small prayer for the souls to be at peace, to which everyone joined in willingly. He often halted, searching for the right words, giving the impression that he was not used to speaking to large crowds. However, it could not be denied that the prayer was sincere, though no one was quite sure who it was addressed to. The people in Rsen did not worship any gods or goddesses.
Once the short ceremony was over, everyone went their separate ways, drifting about aimlessly. In truth, there seemed nothing more to do. Rose sat on the crest of the hill, looking out over the city and thinking of the events of the past week. She heard a small sound beside her as Kayo sat next to her.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked her.
“How much things have changed,” she said with a small smile.
“It’s amazing. I never expected things to work out this way.”
“Is it better or worse?”
He looked around at her, perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“Did it turn out better or worse than you expected?”
He frowned slightly, considering it. “I don’t know. It could have been better, but it could have turned out much worse.”
“It’s funny how nothing ever turns out the way you would like.”
He laughed. “Funny isn’t the word I would use. Irritating is more like it.”
“It’s just the way things are, I suppose. Imagine what would happen if everyone’s wishes were granted. It would be total chaos.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
They sat together in silence for a long time. Then Kayo asked suddenly, “Do you think they’re angry at me?”
Rose was caught by surprise. “Who?”
“The people in the city, for starting this whole mess.”
The statement was so unexpected and irrational that it was all she could do to stifle a laugh. “That’s ridiculous,” she said, amused at the random suggestion. “Why would they be mad at you?”
“I don’t know. If I hadn’t interfered, things might have been peaceful for a lot longer.”
She looked at him in disbelief. “Will you stop feeling so guilty? If you hadn’t done something, right about now the people in the city would be struggling to pay high taxes while the husbands and sons fought in a war to control the world. Don’t you think they would rather try anything else but that? And did you see how all of them reacted when they found out you are the prince? Believe me, everyone else will act the same way. They thought the royal family was gone for good, and now they found you after who knows how long. As far as they’re concerned, you can do no wrong.”
He sat in silence, absorbing her words. “Do you really think so?”
“No, I know so.”
He laughed. “I’m glad everyone’s happy, then.”
“Good.”
He sighed, his gaze falling onto the castle. “Someday,” he said musingly, “we’ll look back at everything we’ve done, all of this…but what do you think we’d say?”
Rose was surprised by the question. She thought about it for a long time before giving her answer. “I think we’ll wonder why we did it, and wonder if there was something we could have done to win without violence at all. But if we are wiser than we are now, we may realize that it’s all in the past, and it’s impossible to change it and unadvisable to dwell over it. But then we’ll realize that we tried our best, and we never gave up.”
He smiled. “That’s an interesting way to think about it. Besides, who knows what can happen in the future? Things will always be changing.”
“That’s true.”
“It seems to far away to bother about, anyway. Who knows how different it could be? Someone might try something or invent something that will change everything.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, I don’t know, something like a boat that doesn’t need the wind to move.”
Rose laughed. “As if that could ever happen.”
“It might. I don’t know if I would want too much to change, though.”
“I can’t really imagine anything changing. Everything has been the same, at least up until a week ago.”
Kayo sighed. “With everything I’ll have to take care of now, I doubt I’ll have any more adventures like this ever again.”
“Don’t worry,” Rose assured him. “Things can only get better now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, this is all over, but it’s not as if nothing else will happen. If you get bored with the royalty thing, you can always take a vacation. And besides, you’re not old enough to rule a country by yourself, so we’ll all have to help. It won’t be too hard at all.”
Kayo grinned. “That makes me feel much better. Thanks.”
She smiled. “Anytime.”
He shut his eyes for a minute, apparently finding the right words. “Rose, I don’t think I ever properly thanked you. If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think we would ever have won.”
“How do you figure that?” asked Rose, truly confused.
“Well, there we were, after maybe four years, and we hadn’t managed to get anything important accomplished. And then you come along, and we empty out the prison cells, take the castle and defeat Romero, all in one week. It was your idea to go into the castle and open the cells…”
“But you said you had though about it too—“
“And,” Kayo said, determined to finish, “you’ve helped a lot in the middle of fights, when we really needed it—“
“But—“
“And,” Kayo persisted, cutting across her with a small smile, “you’ve saved my life too many times to count. I can’t thank you enough.”
Rose felt her cheeks grow warm at his praise. “I really…I was just in the right place at the right time, is all.…”
“And it was lucky for everyone that you were. No, forget luck, I think it was destiny.”
Rose almost laughed. “Destiny? It could happen, I suppose, but I don’t believe in destiny. It’s too hard to avoid if you accept it.”
“Well, was it destiny that you happened to be down that alley at exactly the same time I came around the corner? Or was it just chance?”
“Coincidence.”
He laughed. “Well, whatever it was, I’m glad it was on our side.”
“Lucky old us.”
He smiled. Whatever she said, he would never forget how she had thrown herself in the way of danger to protect him….He looked out at the city again, its tiny shops and houses literally set in stone, the last place to accept even the slightest adjustment. Yet it already seemed a different place.
“Everything’s going to change, isn’t it?” he said softly. Rose surprised him by smiling and laughing.
“Of course it is. That’s the fun part. I would prefer change any day. It’s impossible to be bored when you know everything can turn around in the blink of an eye. We weren’t given legs to walk on if we were meant to stay in one place, were we?”
He laughed. “Well then, I suppose all we can do is accept the change and get used to it.”
“Well, change doesn’t always have to be bad. Most of the time it’s for the better, even if you don’t realize it. Most things are like that.”
He smiled, realizing the truth in her words. They sat in silence, watching the city and its inhabitants, in full swing until the hottest part of the day was over and it was too cold to work. Soon rumors would spread, stories told, and just like that, the city would find out about the prince, how he had risen out of nowhere and fought the king. As for their reaction, only time would tell, but now, in spite of all the difficulties of the world, in spite of the everyday trials, suffering, and sorrows that come at no cost with the gift of life, they were happy, going through the motions of every day, seeing family, friends and welcoming strangers all around them. Never mind the troubles of the past, and never mind the mysteries of the future; today was today, and all the inhabitants of the city were determined to try their best and live it to the fullest.
The sun eventually set, as it has done and will always do until the end of time, ending the first peaceful day since the night of the storm twelve years before, the greatest proof in the world that no matter how long the tempest lasts, it will end, leaving behind a day as new and beautiful as there ever could be.

The parts I read were good, but this didnt keep my intrest as well as your other stories did. Sorry.

good for thirteen though. better then i did a fourteen atleast ^_^

I'd like to read a book where the kids act like real kids when they're walking through the entrance hall or lost in some dark coridor with nothing but magic on their sides.

ermm your welcome ( are you back yet?)

bah! i'll help you pass math with an A. then chemistry, physics and thats about it. I'd say History but i really find the general subject difficult to partake in. I like the socialogy part of it but other then that i would rather jsut read straight through the text without bothering with the class ( im in higher level now but only because its too noisy in lower level classes)

Grrrrrrr. Bump!

C'mon, guys, i wrote a book. A BOOK.

I was so much better then. crying *sob*