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Kiera and Saeran have been traveling for two weeks now and Tybard was just over the horizon. Normally Kiera just kept to herself but traveling with royalty made her just a little bit more curious. “So I’ve heard about your father and your mother, what about your sister?”
“Trina? I hate her! She is always my training partner and she is my little sister so I try to go easy on her, but she seems to fight back with everything she’s got.”
“Well if you can take me down you can take her down.”
“I probably could but she is my little sister so I really don’t try that hard.”
“I’ve never had siblings so I guess I can’t help you there.”
“She is always playing pranks on me. One time she had the blacksmith create a rapier that looked exactly like mine except that it was broken in half. In the palace I never really have to worry about having it with me all the time so I might have left it somewhere without knowing. It was left on my bed with a note that said a guard had accidentally stepped on it and broken it.”
“Told ya they were flimsy.”
“Well yeah but that was the fake one. Later I went to tell her it was time for dinner and I saw my real sword under her bed.”
“So what, it’s just a sword. With all your money you could just get another one made just like it.”
“I don’t think you understand, the sword of a prince is very special. It was given to me by my mother when I turned twelve, the coming of age ceremony.” Kiera nodded. “When she handed me this sword her words were, 'When you take this sword into your hands, you take with it the responsibility of protecting your people, do you accept?' and of course I accepted.”
“Yeah, if you hadn’t we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“My dad, the king,” he continued, “had been at a council meeting all day and hadn’t heard about the broken sword yet. When he got home I told him about the prank. The trouble is, Trina is always such a goody-to-shoes kiss-up that dad didn’t believe me!”
“Wow, that’s tough.”
Saeran glared at her, “Do you have to be so sarcastic? She’s evil! She can hide from everybody else but not me, her own brother!” Saeran fumed.
“Wow, you’re just as psychotic as ever, Saeran,” came a voice from behind.
Saeran and Kiera both spun around, “speak of the she-devil, What are you doing here?!?” Saeran questioned.
“I dunno, I thought it was a shame that Lombarton would live on without a prince. Well, they live the best they can with a killer on the loose,” Trina spoke with a nonchalant tone.
“What did you do!?” Saeran started to unsheathe his sword.
“Whoa there, we’re all family here, well except for her.”
“What’s this about a killer? What do you have to do with this?!” Saeran instantly accused.
“Why do you suspect me? I was stuck in the palace. Besides, people are saying it was a red eyed girl with dark hair over one eye and a blade from hell.”
“Kiera withdrew her dagger from her sash. “You mean this?! Is this the same dagger that you say has been killing the people of Lombarton the whole time I’ve been with Saeran!?” Kiera’s voice was rising. Something about her really irritated Kiera.
“It’s not like it hasn’t killed people before. Geez you two are acting as if you didn’t know it was me. I sent the death threats, I sent those men after you and I arranged for the queen’s death so long ago.” A malicious smirk spread across Trina’s face. "It was so easy I could have done it in my sleep. In order to actually rule this land I needed to be the only one left of royal blood. Mother was easy so I went after her first, i was so young that no one would ever suspect me. Then there was you, you were a bit trickier since you had more protection. So I needed to get you out of the palace with as little protection as possible. I drew up some death threats and attempted assassinations but not enough to kill you yet, i wanted to do that myself," Trina chuckled. "I told dad that we had found the one sending threats and told him I would go after you to bring you back. Then after you're dead, dad will be a piece of cake. Overwhelmed with grief, his senses will go dull leaving him open to attack. Then I will be queen with all the power that comes with it!"
Before Saeran could respond, Kiera shouted, “What!? You killed the queen?! But I thought…never mind,” her vice trailed off for a second only to regain its ferocity. “I hope you are a better kiss-up to Satan than you ever were to the king because you are going to burn in hell!” Kiera lunged forward.
“Girls!” Trina shouted as she slapped Kiera’s blade to the side with an almost identical Rapier to Saeran’s. One girl leaped out from the trees behind Trina carrying a spear that looked as if it could slice through bones. The pole itself was blood red with a golden trim snaking its way up. She landed skillfully and sped forward.
“Kiera! What are you doing?” Saeran shouted just barely avoided decapitation from the spear-wielder. “If any one is going to fight my sister shouldn’t it be me?!”
“She sent for the queen’s death! How can I just let that go!?”
“She was my mother so shouldn’t I be the one getting revenge?” He shot back at his opponent and caught her spear with his left hand. “Wait, Sara? Is that you?”
“Kiera had just barely scratched Trina’s arm, “You know her!?”
“Well I sorta…I…well…”
Sara pulled her spear back, “He has a huge crush on me.”
“You what!?! A crush? On her?! She’s not even pretty!” Kiera shouted, maybe a little louder than needed.
“Ooo sounds like someone is a little jealous,” Trina taunted.
“Aargh!” Kiera brought her foot up and kicked Trina in the face, knocking her to the ground. Just to make sure Saeran was alright, Kiera swung her foot around and knocked Sara to the ground.
Sara struggled to stand up and with an aggravated grunt, swung her spear at Kiera. Kiera saw this coming and ducked just in time. Sara’s spear would have sliced Trina had she not jumped back. “Sara! Watch it!” That instant left Trina wide open so Kiera plunged the dagger into Trina’s stomach. Or at least, she would have if Trina weren’t so quick on her feet. The dagger just barely sliced her side. “You think I’m afraid of a little blood?” taunted Trina.
“No but I think you’re afraid of this.” Kiera kicked Trina in the side, slowing her movements considerably.
Trina clutched her side with her free hand and growled, “You b***h!”
Meanwhile Sara and Saeran were fighting only a few yards away. “Why did you join Trina? Why do you hate our kingdom?” Saeran jumped out of the path of the spear not a second too soon.
“Quit being this justice-seeking hero, I never liked you, You’re the annoying prince who always got everything he always wanted. Plus, when Trina is queen I'll be her top advisor,” Sara jabbed her spear at Saeran.
Saeran grabbed the spear just below the blade. “I don’t care what you have to say any more!” With the leverage he gained from grabbing the spear both hands, he flung Sara on her back.
As Sara was getting up, Saeran started to climb the small cliff behind him that was about nine feet. Just as he was pulling his leg up over the edge, Sara bashed Saeran’s right foot with her spear.
“Aaagh!” Saeran brought his leg up and saw blood dripping onto the rock floor. He crawled back the best he could and started shoving pebbles and rocks down at Sara.
Sara covered her head with her arms, “Quit it!”
“Yeah right!” Saeran pushed an exceptionally large rock off the cliff. It dropped between Sara’s arms and on to her head.
“Errgh!” Sara growled. With renewed strength she swung the spear at Saeran’s feet.
With great speed Saeran jumped back and on to his feet. All too soon an arrow shot out from the trees behind Trina and pierced his leg. “Aaaugh!” Saeran fell off the cliff and down to the ground clutching his leg around the arrow.
“Nice shot Kristi!” Trina called to the trees behind her without looking back.
Kiera heard the commotion and turned to see Saeran writhing in pain on the ground. “SAERAN!” she screamed in desperation. “Urgh!” Kiera’s shoulder had been sliced by Trina!
“You let your guard down,” she chuckled and swiped again.
Saeran opened his eyes just in time to see a spear coming down on him. With the last of his strength he rolled over leaving his rapier behind. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the air, Saeran looked over to see his cherished weapon broken in half.
Kristi shot another one of her arrows, it flew through the air, missing Saeran and sticking in a crack on the cliff side. The crack didn’t seem so big before, but now it seemed to form a closed shape. Sara had given up moving quickly since Saeran couldn’t move. There was a cracking sound coming from the cliff, Sara looked back. The part of the cliff that Saeran had been standing on not two minutes ago was collapsing. Sara was frozen in fear, and by the time she had finally come to her senses, it was too late.
Saeran flinched as he forgot his pain and saw the fate of Sara in front of him. A second later all the pain rushed back. He clutched his wound with the arrow still jutting out between his fingers.
Though Trina was a lot slower, that didn’t change the fact that she posed quite a threat. She tried to dodge the oncoming attacks, unfortunately Kiera still got nicked on the cheek. she reached up to feel a warm sticky liquid dripping down her face. A malicious smirk spread across Trina’s face, “Are you scared of a little blood?”
“Are you?” Kiera retorted as she thrust the dagger forward, barely missing Trina.
“Hah! Was that supposed to be a threat!?” Trina hollered, yet still gasping for breath.
“Sounds to me like you’re getting a little tired, want to give up?”
“Not on your life,” Trina growled while raising her sword. She thrust the sword wildly and with exhaustion.
Kiera thought fast and grabbed Trina’s wrist. Saeran looked up just in time to see Kiera plunge her dagger into Trina’s stomach. Trina’s breath became labored and uneven. Kiera twisted the blade and pulled it out. Dark red blood covered the once black knife.
“TRINA!” Saeran cried as she fell to the ground unconscious. Kiera was already half way turned around when another arrow shot out of the trees. Just when it was three inches away from her face, she swiped it away with her dagger, breaking it in two. She continued walking towards Saeran.
“Okay, let’s bandage those wounds.” Kiera ripped a strip of cloth from her scarf and examined Saeran’s leg.
“You…you knocked out my sister.”
“Don’t worry, she’ll be dead within the hour. It looks like the arrow may have shattered your leg.”
“She may have wanted me dead but she is still my sister! Did you have to kill her?” Saeran argued. "How would you feel if Johan died!" There was an awkward silence as the two of them stared at eachother neither of them knowing what to say.
“Saeran,” Kiera looked straight into Saeran’s eyes. “What could I have done?" Kiera was truly sorry. "I couldn't live with myself if I let you die."
“But couldn’t you have… what about…” he struggled to figure out what Kiera could have done. He gave up with a sigh, “...Okay, but what are we going to tell my dad?”
“I don’t know,” she turned back to his wounds again. “But we have about a month to figure it out.”
There was a sharp intake of breath as Kiera pulled the arrow out of Saeran’s leg. He winced as the he felt the makeshift bandage wraparound his leg. “Do you want me to bandage your foot too?” Kiera asked.
“No, it doesn't really hurt." Saeran's voice was a little more quiet from their conversation. "What about you, are you okay.”
“I'll be okay.” Kiera was also a little more quiet. “Lets get you off the ground,” she wrapped her arm under his shoulder and lifted him up.
"What about Kristi?" Saeran asked, looking over at the trees.
"She's gone, I heard her rustling the leaves as she left. She must've only had three arrows."
"Won't she come after me again?"
"You know it was her now."
"Right."
Kiera looked over at the arm sticking out grotesquely from underneath the boulder, the grass around it becoming stained dark red. She looked back at Saeran, “C’mon, lets go home.”
 Ember1257 · Wed Mar 18, 2009 @ 06:20am · 7 Comments |
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