A New Era: Kalparainia Chronicles Book One

Chapter Eight

The clashing of swords, clanking of armor, screams of pain, cries of battle, and the smell of blood, death, and dirt were all around me as I sprinted around the battlefield unseen while the first rays of morning hit the sky. Huge bear-sized wolves were launching themselves at the men wearing Dragoon armor. The men of Kyrain, Heartstone, and Silverwood were fighting for their lives against men who seemed...well more battle ready.

It was rather easy to get by the wolves, but it wasn't something to celebrate. I dodged a blind-flying arrow and kept myself moving forward. Ignoring the urge to go after the shooter. It was utter chaos, and it slowly fed my power as I moved closer to ensure I could get a good view of something more specific. As I moved closer to my target, the battlefield seemed to grow more intense. Why in all of Kalparainia was a King fighting along side his men when he wasn't even sure he had an heir for his throne? I shook my head at the thought, it wasn't any of my business.

I made my way towards the center of the commotion, where I found Xander Shade fighting three Dragoon soldiers. He moved skillfully with his sword, his Royal Guards were busy with other fights-leaving him extremely open to attacks. I tried to get a better look at the King of Kyrain-to get a little closer. Sadly, in order to do so, I had to take my attention off of the fighting for one second. When I looked back, Xander was bashing his shield into the face of one of the Dragoon soldiers while his sword sliced another's throat with a lucky swing. As he turned to the third, I was surprised how quickly the Dragoon soldier dropped his sword and bolted away.

"Damnit," Xander fumed as he looked around the battlefield.

He seemed to realize the same thing that I had earlier. Though he had three different armies on his side-they were not organized in the slightest bit together. They were all doing their own things. It was the kind of chaotic order that fed my kind through the ages.

"Markus, have you seen Damien?" Xander called out to one of the wolves.

The wolf that I had seen earlier turned his attention to Xander. Before he could respond or anything, four of the men he was fighting himself caught him off guard. Two of the men stabbed his legs with their swords and pushed the blades down to the hilt, while the other two ran around with a chain looking stupid until the chain was wrapped around the wolf's neck. The wolf swung angrily at the men, and Xander began to fight his way to the wolf almost desperately. The wolf jerked, yipping in pain as the swords were hindering its movement. I could only imagine the pain.

I could see where this was going quickly. I was here to observe, not to interfere... I had to repeat that in my head several times as I heard the bones begin to snap in the wolf's throat. I closed my eyes and looked away.

I silently apologized to my Queen, "I'm so sorry."

With one last yip, the wolf became silent and still. I could feel the chaos increase in the air. The leader of the Silverwood soldiers and wolves was now gone-they were disorganized suddenly, and the Dragoon soldiers took full advantage of this.

That was until the King of Kyrain called out, "Retreat!"

I sat up so quickly in my bed that I nearly launched myself off of it. I looked around my bed chambers in shock. That all seemed so real!

"It just happened, my Queen. It was real," Sora replied sadly in my mind. "I came to just watch. I would have interfered, but then all sides would have known that I was here. I am so sorry. I beg your forgiveness for showing you how brutal this is. I didn't think that your sister's husband would..."

I closed my eyes and held my chest as my heart broke for Celeste. If that just happened, then Markus Caynar...he was dead. It was such a horrible way to go. How was I going to break this news to my sister? No one knew that I had sent Sora to show me that Xander was still alive, and if Celeste knew that Sora could have done something to save her husband-yet she didn't because she was just there to report back to me...Celeste would hate me for the rest of my life. I bit my lip as my door swung open and Williem stepped in.

"Are you alright, my Queen?" Williem asked.

I forced myself to nod. It took me a second to realize that I had tears spilling from my eyes. I took a shaky breath, "Close the door, please. I need to tell you something."

"Of course," Williem nodded and closed the door as I had asked. He turned back to me and I was touched by the concern that filled his older features, "What is it, Your Grace?"

"Yesterday I sent Sora out just so she can tell me if Xander's alright," I whipped my eyes, finding it impossible to stop the tears from coming.

"I see," Williem looked worried.

"She showed me what she was seeing as the sun came up," I continued. I refused to look at him now, instead I played with my locket. "Markus Caynar...he died. I don't know how to tell Celeste."

"Allow the messenger that your husband will send to tell her," Williem straightened up. When I looked at him, his expression was serious. "The way that she will see it is that you could have ordered Sora to stop this from happening. It will cause tension here. You're not responsible for the death of her husband, but she will see it like you are. I would hate to see what that would do to you, my Queen."

So, Williem believed that Celeste would hate me as well if I were to tell her what I'd seen. How was I going to even look at my sister while I knew what I knew? How was I going to even be in the same room as her without breaking? A heartbroken scream from down the hall pulled me away from my depressing thoughts. I jumped to my feet and followed Williem out the door. Arthur, Maurice, and Nikolas were already outside Princess Veronica's door and knocking it down. As I reached the Royal Guard, the door was knocked open, and Veronica was on the floor screaming.

"What's wrong, Princess?" I stepped towards her quickly.

She shook her head and held onto her chest, "The bond was broken. I can't feel him. I can't feel him."

I looked at Williem in confusion as I rubbed Veronica's back. She was shaking so hard, breathing in short, sharp breaths as she held onto her chest. If she didn't calm down she was going to pass out. I didn't understand what she meant that the bond was broken. Did it have to do with her brother being a werewolf?

"He's gone," Veronica shook her head. "My brother is dead. I can't feel him anymore."

"Feel him?" I frowned as I continued to rub her back.

"Veronica comes from a line of wolves, Your Grace," Williem closed his eyes as if he just remembered this. "The women in the bloodline don't carry the ability to change, but the bond with their Alpha is still there. In Silverwood, the Alpha is the ruler."

"Riely was Beta...he'll probably become Alpha now," Veronica held onto me tightly as she accepted the comfort I was offering.

Guilt plagued me farther. I could have ordered Sora to do something! Sure, I was sleeping, but I could have...I don't know. I could have done something! I could hear a soft sob come from behind me, and as I glanced over, I saw Celeste standing there. It dawned on me what would happen if Riely became King of Silverwood...her place of Queen was pretty much non-existent now, especially if she wasn't carrying Markus's child. Celeste turned and walked away quickly.

"Get Princess Veronica whatever it is she needs," I ordered my men before I hurried after my sister.

Despite the fact that things hadn't been very good between us lately, I wasn't going to leave my sister to mourn alone. I didn't know Xander that long, but I knew for a fact that I would feel horrible if he died. Celeste...she loved her husband. I couldn't even imagine what she felt like. Sure, deep down, I was happy that I didn't have to keep my mouth shut like I had thought I would have to while waiting for her to get the news, but the main thing that I felt was the need to ensure Celeste wasn't alone. I wanted to make sure that my sister didn't fall into her grief...

"So, you're Queen of Silverwood. That shouldn't change," Charlotte's voice came from Celeste's bed chambers.

"I'm not even carrying Markus's child," Celeste cried. "Riely and Veronica don't even care for me... I won't be Queen of Silverwood once Riely takes the throne."

I froze. Why did it sound like Celeste was more upset about losing her status as Queen rather than the loss of her husband? I held my hand over my mouth to stop any sounds from coming out as I heard Charlotte let out a cold laugh.

"Then we'll find you another husband," Charlotte didn't seem too worried. "There are ten other kingdoms in Kalparainia."

"What am I supposed to do until then, Mother?" Celeste sounded angry. "Am I supposed to go back to Heartstone and hope I get another chance to marry?"

"You will stay here, in Kyrain, where your chances of finding another husband are higher than if you were to return to Heartstone," Charlotte stated coldly. "Play the grieving widow. Alyse has always had a soft spot for you."

"I'm not going to rely on my sister just to find a husband," Celeste sounded like she was becoming aggravated. "I couldn't ask that of her, when she's probably fearing for her own husband's life now."

"Suck it up-" Charlotte was saying.

I couldn't listen anymore. I whirled around and walked back down the hall. Was I wrong about Celeste being in love with Markus this entire time? They had seemed as though they were soulmates, but... I didn't know what to think anymore. Celeste had sounded so...so selfish and distant from the fact that her husband had died... I had assumed that her world would be crumbling around her, not that she would be complaining about losing her status as Queen of Silverwood. A feeling that I wasn't used to having towards my sister filled me. Disgust.

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While Veronica grieved and Celeste pretended to grieve, I was running around getting everything set up for when Court began. I had offered to postpone having Court for Veronica's sake, but she had insisted that I continue my duties as Queen of Kyrain and give what little distraction I could to the people. I had to admit that I admired the way that Veronica remained strong. I had asked Jillian to help Veronica out in any way that she could. Despite me telling Ingrid that I could handle planning everything for Court myself, she had insisted on helping me.

"So Lady Wishburn absolutely hates Lady Bacise, so I would keep the two of them separated if you could," Ingrid told me as she went over my seating arrangements. "That's unless you want to hear them argue over this tree that grows on the border of their estates. That happened at my wedding."

"Thank you," I bit my lip as I realized how clueless I really was when planning any of this.

It wasn't as though I had any hand in helping Charlotte or Celeste plan any of the Court activities in Heartstone. I was barely allowed to even attend Court. This was going to be my official first season of Court, but I was too embarrassed to say anything about it. I wasn't trying to make it a secret or anything like that, but it felt like I was the last person who should be doing this kind of thing. It seemed wrong with all the fighting going on, but Williem had gotten replies from all the Lords who remained behind and the Ladies who's husbands went to fight, that they were excited for the distraction.

"If you want me to do this, I can," Ingrid frowned. "I understand if you need to go be with your sister."

I shook my head. I wasn't going to put off anything to see how my sister was while she was pretending her grief. A part of me wanted to believe that she had put on a show for Charlotte, but... even looking at her in passing...she didn't look as though she was as heartbroken as Veronica was. People grieve in different ways... but Celeste... she wasn't showing any sign of sadness for the loss of her husband. I'd even heard her tell her handmaidens that she'd have them beaten if they went back to calling her "princess", because she was a "Queen". I was trying to understand where all of this was coming from, but all I kept coming back to was that I actually didn't know my sister.

"Your Grace, a message for you," Jillian held out an envelope. "It just arrived."

I looked down at the envelope and felt shock when I saw the seal of Dragoon. Why was I getting a letter from Dragoon? Or should I say, why was Damien Rysse writing to me? I excused myself and stepped away from Jillian and Ingrid as I opened the letter. My heart slammed in my chest as I read through it and read it again.