“Your Grace, we need to kill Shuntha,'' Seti walked alongside Raiden as he made his way to the icy throne. The throne wasn’t made of ice but metal that was painted white, it was almost a century old. It didn’t rust, it wasn’t worn down, the paint wasn’t chipped, and it looked like it had just been crafted. Five fairies that were part of the kingdom forged the throne with magic, the fairies were once respected and loved; until King Atticruss and Queen, Tressa feared them and spread hatred amongst the people. “Enough death Uncle, I know he is an enemy, but we’ve had enough death here.” Raiden sat on the throne as his eyes shifted to the side, he watched men bring in the similar feminine throne as they placed it next to his. They bowed and left as Raiden and Seti stared in its direction. “The Queen’s throne?” Seti questioned as he made his way up to the empty chair. “I thought it lost after my brother died, your mother proclaimed herself the indisputable Qu
“Ealdormen, I have gathered this council for the heir apparent.” Ealdorman Leif Deshanel slowly stood from his chair addressing the five older gentlemen gathered around the large wooden table. “We should discuss young Raiden Zanzibar’s reign, and this new woman he is fond of.” Piped up a man sitting on the side of Leif. He had long, thinning gray hair that fell to his sunken cheeks with a large gray mustache buried under an elongated crooked nose. He was going blind guiding him loyally as his large brown Newfoundland dog, Rexus. All of the Ealdormen wore long white robes to signify their long-standing loyalty to the kingdom; they were the oldest of men there. They were put on the council to help govern the kingdom, some would say more powerful than the monarchs themselves. They could deny any heir out of fear for the wellness of the realm, and sentence any man they deem fit to death for the same reason. “Quite right, Ealdorman Silas Tryon, quite right!” A bal
“My love, I can not go into the council with you, but I will be right here when you get out.” Raiden held onto Bridgette’s shoulders as he looked deep into her almond-shaped blue eyes. He hugged her tightly, kissed her forehead, then leaned forward to knock on the big wooden doors. As they opened he was greeted by two large guards, they moved aside letting Bridgette enter. “Ms. Bridgette Hawthorne, you were summoned before the council on this day, what say you?” Bellowed Ealdorman Amos as he sat on the other side of the long wooden table. She stood still with her hands in front of her, nervously taking a deep breath. “Well, this council is waiting!” Amos got louder as he stared her down. “Say you come of your own accord and are at the mercy of the council,” Ealdorman Leif whispered to her, smiling. His seat was at the opposite end of Ealdorman Amos. “I come of my own accord and am at the mercy of the council.” She kept her head d
“Ms. Bridgette Hawthorne, you were summoned before the council, what say you?” Ealdorman Amos started as he cleared his throat to get the attention of his fellow Ealdormen. “I come of my own accord and am at the mercy of the council.” Bridgette closed her eyes, slightly dipped her head, and turned her hands palm up as she sat in the large chair next to Ealdorman Leif. “Ms. Bridgette Hawthorne you are brought before the council on this day. We the Ealdormen of this council have educated you on our history, our culture, and our customs.” Ealdorman Leif leaned forward on his staff. “We understand that you wish to marry Prince Raiden?” Ealdorman Silas spoke up leaning on the long table to hear better. “I do, Ealdorman Silas.” She put her hands together as Rexus came under the table and put his head in her lap. “We will grant you this, under a condition.” Ealdorman Eagan leaned back in his chair as he paused. “You will take an Ealdorma
“Nice to see you finally awake, Ms. Hawthorne.” Ealdorman Amos exhaled sitting in a chair next to the bed in the dark. Bridgette screamed as she grabbed the cover and quickly sat up in bed. “Why are you here?” “You’re late!’’ The Ealdorman paused. “ We have so many things to go through and you are late!” He stood up and moved away from the bed. “You can’t be in here!” She grabbed a pillow and gripped it tightly against her chest. “This is absurd.” “This isn’t absurd, you are late, that is absurd.” Amos raised his voice while rolling his eyes and leaned on his long staff with both hands swaying. “I was let in by your page at the door.” He pointed his boney finger to the door as a young blonde girl quickly closed it on the other side. “I didn’t know I had to do something today,” Still clutching the pillow as she looked around the room realizing Raiden wasn’t there. “He isn’t late, I’m sure. Get dressed,
“Bridgette, your Queen-to-be, and I are ecstatic to announce that the children from the Keeper’s Ward will finally have loving families! Please, come and adopt a child.” Raiden looked over at Bridgette smiling as she kept her eyes on the children towards the back of the room. She clapped her hands which prompted the crowd to copy, she watched as Jaqnie took the eager children to the grand ballroom so that they could run around as the people started to follow. Just as the crowd made their way into the ballroom the doors closed abruptly. Sheamus appeared from the shadows, with blue paint across his eyes, shirtless carrying his lucky silver ax. “Sheamus, what are you doing?” Raiden inquired as his hand immediately shielded Bridgette. “I’m here for your lovely doll, King of Nothing,” Sheamus smiled showing his missing teeth while narrowing his focus on Bridgette. “Sheamus, you ox’s ass! You dare come here to propose this bullshit?” Seti grab
Raiden looked up as he heard the woman he loved in peril. He followed the horror that echoed through the halls and his mind, with his heart still heavy from his Uncle and now this, the woman that saved him, he shuddered to think what made her yell such a blood-curdling scream. “Bridgette!” He yelled out as if to tell her he was on his way as if to reassure her he had an army at his back ready to slice down anyone in his path. “Did that come from the cells?” Miles asked as he held his bleeding arm they ran through the halls without saying another word. They knew what the other was thinking, get Bridgette and kill Sheamus and Coffrey. As they passed the rooms they heard a faint grunt and a crash. “Go to Bridgette,” Miles said as he headed toward the monarch’s chamber. “I’ll handle this!” He twisted an axe in one hand and held his dagger in the other, with one motion he swiftly kicked the door open. “Agneta!” He threw his weapons down and ran to her side to help her to he
“I’ll never be able to make this right to her,” Raiden stared off into the distance as Agneta was putting on his armor. He was refusing to make eye contact for fear he might see the sympathy in her eyes, and right now he needed to keep a clear head. “No, don’t say that, she loves you!” Agneta replied as she pulled the leather straps to tighten his breastplate. “Bridgie is the most wonderful person I know, she reminds me so much of my grandmother, Olive, her looks, her mannerisms, everything. My grandmother was wonderful, she was loved by all and understood the world, she never tried to hide anything, and my Bridgie is just like her, she loves you, she will have nothing to forgive, you are her life, now save her!” Dr. Hawthorne said as he came up behind Raiden putting his hand on his shoulder in comfort. Raiden held back a sniffle and cleared his throat as he pulled down his shirt. “I will get her back and kill the Ainsleys.” His voice changed as he gathered the black paint a