CHAPTER TWO

As Adrian and Jarvis were returning to the campsite Adrian whispered to Jarvis 

"Someone is following us" 

"How do you know?" Jarvis asked 

"I just know" he replied

Adrian didn't feel any leg movement from the person following them anymore as he did earlier so he stopped and looked back and saw a man about to shoot an arrow at Jarvis.

The strange man shot the arrow and Adrian screamed as he ran "Get down"

Luckily Adrian was able to push Jarvis out of the way as they both fell to the ground but the arrow scratched his arm a little bit.

"Run," Adrian said to Jarvis as he pulled out his sword and faced the strange man. 

The man began to run away and Adrian could not catch up with him. Adrian then decided to return to the campsite.

He ran nonstop until he got to the campsite.

"Are you okay?" He asked Jarvis as soon as he got there worried about her.

"Yes I am" she responded

"I don't think this place is safe for us to camp. I think we should look for another campsite" Dorian said and everyone agreed

They had finished packing all their belongings and were about to leave but the strange man with the arrows came again.

"Everyone get on the horses" Adrian yelled. As Jarvis was keeping Nacasia her sister on the horse, the man pulled Nacasia down and held her firmly by her neck.

She screamed and began to cry. 

"Jarvis save me. Someone, please save me" she shouted.

Jarvis took the sword she had carried from the palace and held it tight.

"Let go of my sister" she ordered the strange man.

"Make me," the man said 

Aquila hit him on the head with her bag hoping he will fall to the ground or something but nothing happened he just groaned in pain.

"Oh, I see. You want me to take you with me too right?? I'll take you with me pretty girl " he said looking at her flirtatiously as he pulls her by her hand trying to put his hands on her

Aquila is trying to stop him but he is too strong but luckily she managed to get an arrow from his quiver and stab his left leg. He shouted so loud I think the angels might have heard him from heaven.

She broke free from his grasp

"If appealing was the look you were going for, you failed horribly," she said looking at him with disgust.

"Are you okay??" Jarvis asked as she went to hug Aquila to check if she had a bruise on her.

"I'm an alright sister. I'm alright" 

Adrian went to the man to ask him some questions.

"Who sent you?" He asked. the man kept quiet which got on Adrian's nerves. Adrian then strikes the man on his face.

The man overwhelmed with anger

pushes Adrian and got on his feet. He then carried his arrow and kept it on his bow and fired it aiming at Adrian. Adrian is lucky enough to dodge it but the arrow enters Nacasia's chest.

"Casia" Jarvis and Aquila yelled 

"We have to leave now" Dorian yelled

Jarvis runs screaming

"You shot my sister" she yelled as she stabs him in his chest.

"She's just a little girl. She's just five" Jarvis said as she keeps stabbing the man repeatedly.

"Calm down Jarvis we need to go," Dorian said and Jarvis ran to Nacasia stroking her hair.

"I'll carry her," Adrian says as he grabs Nacasia's body and got on his horse and the rest got on their horses too.

They rode north for about thirty minutes. They saw a cave and decided to camp there.

Adrian laid Nacasia's body on the ground as everyone gathered her.

"She's not breathing," Dorian said.

"She's alive. I know she is" Aquila said

"She's not. You have to accept it" Dorian said sadly.

Aquila then began to cry as she hugs her sister's lifeless body. Jarvis is trying her best not to cry again but the tears can't help but fall from her eyes. 

"Everything is going to be okay.. we will avenge our sister and make her murderer pay" Jarvis ensures Aquila.

Queen Aries.

It is such a beautiful day it is such a shame that this place is going to turn into a bloodbath tomorrow Queen Aries had been thinking.

"Come take my bath" Queen Aries ordered Dian her maiden. 

"Make sure to keep my special flowers" the Queen had told her. 

The queen uses Lavender flower whenever she's stressed to calm her nerves and relieve stress. She got into the bathtub feeling the warm sensation. How it made her feel calm and of course she loved the feeling. she had thought the bath would not have worked in calming her mind given the circumstances but it did surprisingly. 

She is laying down calmly in the bathtub as Dian washes her hair and combs it when all of a sudden she asked Dian.

"Has Alain returned"

" No your grace," Dian replied

"When did he leave?" The Queen asked her maiden. 

"He left immediately you asked him too"

The Queen hired a hitman to kill Jarvis and her sister.

" Kill Dorian's handmaiden and her sister. Leave the little she's still young and bring her to me" The Queen had told the hitman.

"Make sure nothing bad happens to Adrian and Dorian" she had warned him

The Queen hired him to kill them because she feels they would know too much and put the princess's life in danger and a mother would do anything to keep her child from harm's way.

"May I ask you something, your grace?" Dain asked Queen Aries. 

"Go on" 

"Why do you want them dead,"  she asked 

"Well, they know too much of something important to me so they should die. I don't expect you to understand. As a Queen, I have a responsibility to protect the throne at all cost"  the queen said proudly while Dian was in shock she probably thought the Queen was heartless.

"Are you satisfied Dian?" The queen asked.

"Yes your grace".

The Queen had laid in the bathtub for hours. 

She stood up and Dian rushed to fetch the Queen her robe. 

She walked to her chair in her room and sat upon it. 

" I would love a head massage," the Queen said and Dian went to fetch some ointments to keep on her head.

Dian poured a little on the Queen's wet hair and began to massage her scalp. 

As Dian was massaging the hair, the king walked in.

As Dian saw him she bowed 

"Your Grace," she said.

The Queen also stood up and greeted her husband.

"Leave us" the queen ordered Dian and she did so

"The war is tomorrow. What is the battle strategy" the queen asked.

"I don't know but I have faith in God" 

"God??" The Queen said looking at the king as if he had lost his mind.

" Well okay then when God sends a battle strategy please be a darling and tell me," the Queen said sarcastically.

The king had no words coming out of his mouth so he went away while Dian went back to the Queen's chambers and continued to massage her head.

The Queen picked out her prettiest gown and wore it with the help of Dian.

Dian had helped the Queen braid her hair the way she likes it.

There was a meeting of the royal council in which the Queen had to attend because of the war coming.

When the Queen was done dressing up she went to the council room. As she reached the doors the guards opened the door for her.

Everyone in the council room stood up to greet the Queen.

"My Queen" Dyrk Bolton greeted the Queen as he stood up from his seat and bowed down to her.

Dyrk Bolton is Lord warden on the royal council because he is Lord Commander of the king's guard. He is part of the few people that advise the king.

"Your Grace," Lander Rein is the richest man after the royal family in the whole kingdom. He is a merchant Of gold and all sought of jewelry. He sells jewelry for the Ladies of great houses and the royal family and even some rich foreigners. He is from a great house. his family has been ruling Rhade which is one of thirteen states in the kingdom of Calesien for hundreds of years. The present Lord of Rhade is Bran Rein, which is Lander's elder brother. Lander is the master of the purse, the chief treasurer of the kingdom, he is responsible for the raising of taxes, funding of royal and civic projects, and the settling of debts incurred by the Crown.

"My Queen" the Queen's Uncle  Ronald Wilton greeted her.

"Uncle, always a pleasure," the queen said with a smile.

The Wilton family is well respected. Their family lives in Zelandra which is west of Calesien. They rule the state of Zelandra. 

Ronald Wilton is the high steward who monitors the kingdom's spying.

Adlar Barrister is also present In the council room. He is the High Chancellor and the king's best friend. The royal family sees him as family.

"My Queen," he said and the Queen gave him a big smile.

The High priest of the church was present too. He is responsible for the religious activities that go on in the kingdom. His name is William Lawson. 

"Your Grace," he said as the queen flashes him a smile.

The council is now complete. Remain one more person to come before the meeting starts which is the king.

After a few minutes of waiting, the king arrived and everyone stood up to greet him.

"Jonah of house Mendenhall, fourth of his name, peacekeeper, and the king of all Calesien" the high Chancellor introduced the king.

"Shall we begin?" The king said and everyone sat down.