CHAPTER 52: THE PRINCESS MUST NOT LIVE

From within the swirling black smoke, five Ashantis emerged with their red cloaks whipping in the wind as they headed towards the group.

Aeron’s hand tightened around his sword hilt. "So... what do we do now?" he asked, in a low voice.

Nyella didn’t take her eyes off the advancing figures. "We stay together. If we split, they’ll pick us off one by one. But if it gets messy," she turned to Varek, "you take Aeron and get him out of here."

Varek nodded once, then said to her in a firm tone, "If it comes to that, your highness, you run with him. I’ll hold them off."

Devic stepped forward, planting the butt of his spear into the ground with a thud. "I’ll take two of them. You handle one each, and whatever you do, keep the young dragon safe," he said, glancing at Aeron with a small smirk.

The Ashantis closed in. Everyone dismounted at once, and they spread into a loose formation. The red-cloaked warriors didn’t slow down; they marched straight for them and drew out their curved blades.

The fight was sudden and violent. The sound of steel rang out in the forest as blades met one another.

Devic immediately got involved with two of the Ashantis. He was a mountain of a man, he doesn’t yield, and his spear moved like it was part of him. He gripped it in the middle, using both ends as weapons: the sharpened point to thrust at one opponent, and the blunt to parry and strike the other. His foes could barely land a blow; every attack was smothered under his relentless counterstrikes.

Nyella and Varek fought side by side. They were good and managed their opponents well with good precision. Their training showed in every step and swing, they blocked high, cut low, and twisted away from the Ashantis’ heavier strikes. The men were strong, but they still didn’t equal them in sword fighting.

Aeron, however, was struggling. Though he had the heart for battle, his skills weren’t yet on par with the others. His opponent was bigger, faster, and clearly trying to overwhelm him. Aeron focused on defense, raising his sword to block again and again as each blow rattled his arms.

Then, another column of black smoke erupted not far away. Three more Ashantis stepped out of it, and their sudden arrival shifted the odds.

One went straight for Aeron. The other two rushed at Nyella, and as they closed in, one of them hissed to the other, "The princess must not live."

Nyella now faced three enemies at once. They attacked her from different angles. She parried and sidestepped, but it was all she could do to keep them from landing a fatal blow.

Devic caught sight of the danger. "Time to stop playing," he growled. Then, with a sudden burst of force, he struck one opponent’s sword aside, spun his spear, and slashed the other across the chest. In four swift strikes, both Ashantis fell to the ground.

Without wasting any time, Devic lunged toward Aeron’s fight. He yanked one attacker’s focus away from the young dragon and left Aeron with just a single foe to manage. Then he went toward Nyella and drew one of her enemies off her back and left her with two.

Even with the odds slightly better, Nyella was still getting tired as the two men were giving her a tough time. Sweat ran down her temples, she started breathing hard and her movements grew slower. Then...slash!

One of the Ashantis cut her left arm deeply. She stumbled back with a gasp, as blood stained her sleeve.

Varek saw it happen. His eyes flared, and he redoubled his strikes against his own opponent and drove him back with angry blows. In three quick movements, Varek disarmed the man, swept his legs out from under him, and ended him with a single downward strike.

Without wasting time, Varek charged toward Nyella and placed himself between her and one of the attackers to give her more breathing space.

The battle in the forest became a fierce one. Aeron’s opponent was fighting him very hard and forcing him back step by step. Every time Aeron tried to strike, the Ashanti blocked and came at him with a heavier blow. His arms ached, and he knew he couldn’t keep this up for long.

Then, out of nowhere, a fast whistle cut through the air, and the sound was followed by the hiss of flying arrows. Two Ashantis cried out and fell to the ground with the arrows that went deep into their chests.

The fighting stopped almost instantly. The remaining Ashantis glanced toward the trees and saw armored figures emerging. It was the royal guards, and there were at least a dozen of them with their bows raised and ready.

The head of the guards stepped forward and said. "By order of the royal house, we are here to escort the dragon rider to the palace."

The Ashantis looked at each other. They could see the odds had shifted. Between Varek, Devic, Nyella, Aeron, and now the royal guards, they didn’t stand a chance. Without another word, they retreated into the trees and disappeared into the back smoke just as they had appeared.

For a moment, there was silence in the forest, which was broken only by heavy breathing. Everyone was panting and had sweat dripping down their faces.

"You came just in time," Aeron said, walking to Nyella, who was holding her injured arm. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "You’re hurt," he said and frowned at the blood on her sleeve.

Devic looked up from cleaning his spear with a tense face. "What was that about? I heard one of them say the princess must not live."

Varek glanced at him, his jaw tight. "You heard right. They meant it."

Aeron lowered his head and spoke with heavy guilt in his voice. "I’m sorry... This is all happening. You all are in this mess because of me."

Nyella’s breathing was shallow from the pain, but her eyes stayed firm. "Don’t say that, I know you’re a good person, we know you have a kind heart and would do the same for us if it’s any of us. We’re with you, Aeron. Always."

He shook his head. "I appreciate that, but not if it means you get hurt for me." He said looking at her hand.

She gave a small, tired smile. "I’d get hurt a thousand times before I let you face this alone."

Varek scanned the trees. "Alright, get over with it you lovebirds, we need to move. More could be coming."

With Nyella supported between them, the group joined the royal guards and began the journey to the palace. The path was a long one, and the sun was already almost setting.

When they finally reached the gates of the royal palace, they were led to the High Hall.

There, standing at the top of the grand steps, was the king himself, and the queen standing beside him. Around them stood the members of the royal council who were yet to leave and still wore their robes.

The king’s eyes immediately fixed on the group approaching. His expression shifted from calm to shock when he saw his daughter among them, and worse, when he saw she was wounded.

Nyella stepped forward first, but before she could speak, the king spoke out.

"Oh my goodness, what happened to you? Who did this? How did you end up here? Don’t tell me..." His voice trailed into disbelief. "...don’t tell me you were with him. Don’t tell me you knew him all this time."

Nyella lowered her head. The king’s questions came fast, but before she could answer, the queen raised a graceful hand and spoke gently.

"Come here my dear child, you must get treated at once," the queen said as she stepped forward and placed an arm around her daughter. She led Nyella away without another word, ignoring the king’s protests.

Aeron then stepped forward, standing before the king and the council.

"So... it is you," the king said as he looked him over from head to toe. "So young... and yet, you are a dragon rider."

Aeron bowed low. "I am honored to stand before you, Your Majesty."

The king’s expression remained unreadable. "You are summoned before the crown and the lords. There, we shall decide what is to be done with you."

He began to turn away, but then his eyes caught something behind Aeron. His brow furrowed. He stared hard for a moment, as if doubting his own sight.

"...Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" he murmured, before speaking louder. "That is impossible." He stepped forward, his voice rising with astonishment. "Ser Varek Drenn... could this truly be you? After all these years... you have returned to the palace?"

His gaze shifted between Varek and Aeron. "And you come back... with this boy?"