Common Crowns

Prologue

Mikael's POV

    I awoke to the smell of burnt bodies. 

    The screams were what really rousted me from bed though. It seemed as if the whole castle was screaming. 

    Making haste, I slipped on my chainmail and grabbed my axe from it's mount on the wall. The heavy wood door slammed behind me as I tore towards my Queen's quarters. Through the windows I could see a circle of dragons flying around; men, women, and children's bodies crashed towards the ground as the dragons took turns dropping them from the sky and swooping down to swallow them whole. The ones not playing with their food were busy burning all the nearby crops and terrified citizens. 

    I was on the stairs before I knew it. I didn't even even feel them under my feet - I was just suddenly at the bottom of the landing, my eyes and legs locked in place as I stared out the window. 

    Queen Westwood was in the courtyard now, a large black and red dragon towering over her. Her grey hair flowed in the wind, staring at the dragon with a fearless heart. She tapped her oak staff to the ground, a wave of light flowing out from the connection. All the screams around me faded to silence, the images in front of me fading out of existence. 

    I could see the Queen's face in my mind. Her voice floated around from everywhere at once, urgency filling the space in my mind. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been an honor serving with you. Please, get Evelyn to my sister's kingdom in the South. I care not what happens to me, but she must live." 

    My vision and hearing glitched for a moment, the chaos around me slipping in just long enough for me to see a golden orb flying towards my chest. It was hot to the touch as I caught it, and I felt myself fog over as the Queen sent me another message. 

    "Please Mikael, I'm counting on you. Save Evelyn. She's the key, she must live. Tell her I lov-"

    Reality crashed upon me again, my eyes still aimed at the courtyard below. Flames engulfed the Queen, steam covering the whole courtyard as she tried to shield herself with a water barrier. My fist clenched tighter to my axe and the orb as I turned away and sprinted down the stairs. I knew what my Queen intended, and I didn't intend to waste the little time I'd have to get her plan in motion. 

    "Meet me at the stables, grab as many of the horses as we can. Anyone too far away, meet up by the lake. We leave as soon as the horses arrive. If you're late, we'll be in Kariva in three days time, be there on by the fourth." 

    The orb lit with a bright shimmer before breaking into smaller orbs and flying off in a multitude of directions. I frowned a bit at that, my troops were far too spread out. Many of them wouldn't make it, I'd guessed. 

    There were only ten others at the stable when I arrived. They'd already begun loading up the horses, and I quickly joined them. Three others had gathered by the time we were ready to leave. Once everyone had climbed on the horses and connected the extras, we made our way through the woods towards Kariva, the sound of flames and screams and death fading as we made our escape. 

    We're coming for you Princess Evelyn. Your mother's death will not be in vein.