In the courtyard of the castle, a group of knights were undergoing routine training for the day and preparing for the arrival of the King. Leading them was the knight Bron, one of the oldest and a veteran from the years before Arthur’s reign began. At his side was the personal knight and sworn protector of the prince, Orcus. Orcus was just a couple years older than the prince but he took his duties and responsibilities far more seriously than his lord. He was tall and well built, but not overly so that he sacrificed speed for power. Next to Bron the Bear, Orcus was a lion and carried himself with the pride of one.

At the current time, his short brown hair was matted with sweat from the hours of training he’d already done, his eyes watching the sun for when he’d be allowed to go and keep an eye on the prince. Then came the ringing of the warning bells.

It didn’t matter why the bells were ringing, or who was ringing them, all that mattered was that I made it to the prince’s side as fast as I possibly could. I spent far too long at morning training, I should have been with him from the moment he woke up! Enough, you can damn yourself later, focus on the task at hand. The prince is most likely in the throne room with the queen, if he had stuck to his schedule that is. Odd, where is Bathrew? He was on guard duty this morning, was he not? Why are the throne room doors wide open?

The sounds of conflict coming from ahead brought me out of my own thoughts. Rushing into the throne room with my sword drawn and I damned myself further for not being here earlier. Bathrew and the other guards seemed to be locked in combat with several assailants wearing the castle staff's finery. Where was the prince?! Ah there he was! He’s fighting some blonde woman. Who is that on the ground behind him? Is that…the queen?! Enough! You don’t have time to think, you need to act! Taking advantage of the prince's combatant being focused on him gives me ample opportunity to strike.

I struck out towards the woman, catching her most recent sword swing with my own.

“Apologies for being late, Your Highness! It will not happen again! Now for you.”

Turning my attention to the woman in front of me as Zanifel took the opportunity to

kneel down and get his mother to safety. She seemed intent on continuing her attack on the prince but a swift kick to her midsection put an end to that.

“I am your opponent now!”

“You? Ha, I have no need nor the time to deal with you. Now get out of my way!”

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The speed of her swings were practiced and precise, giving little time for outmaneuvering. I have to put her on the defensive.

Orcus started his forward assault on the unknown woman, but with each of his own strikes giving him room to move forward, she retaliated quickly enough that it was just as soon lost. Each clash of steel echoing through the throne room amongst the rest of the fights currently happening. Whoever this woman was, it was clear to Orcus that he wasn’t going to win this fight, but needed to stall for as long as he could. A cursory glance around after a parry caused his heart to sink. The rest of the guards had fallen or surrendered with eyes now turning towards the queen and prince. Orcus saw the queen looking at him and met her eyes, in them was an order he was loath to follow but follow it he must.

After another parry that granted enough space, he disengaged from the blonde woman and quickly crossed to where his lord was standing, sweeping him up and over his shoulders.

“Orcus! What is the meaning of this?! Put me down this instant!”

“I’m sorry your highness, but the battle is lost and I need to get you to safety.”

“But what of-”

Zanifel’s sentence was cut short by the realization of what was happening.

“No! NO NO NO!”

The queen was now standing to her feet, the king’s sword in hand as she nursed a wound along her side. Orcus swept out of the throne room with his charge, not able to bring himself to look back as the queen gave a wave of her hand to close and lock the throne room door behind them, eyes locked on the group of attackers that now converged on her.

Don’t stop moving Orcus, no matter what you hear behind you, do not stop moving. That’s all I could bring myself to think at that moment. I ran through the castle as the sounds of combat echoed through its halls. I passed by so many of the fallen, all while the prince struggled in vain to get free of my grip. He was screaming and ordering me to go back, but I knew what lay in store if we were to return.

Eventually we made it to the stables but there were no horses left alive. Whoever these people were, they had planned this out really well. The incessant squirming and crying from Zanifel had me throw him to the ground.

“Your Highness! Do you not understand what has happened?! The castle is lost! I need to get you out of the city and to safety before we’re set upon! Are you going to continue to make my job harder and have your mother’s sacrifice be in vain? No? Then shut up and act like a prince!”

That seemed to be enough to set him right. I had never spoken to him like that and the shock of it was plain on his face.

“What must we do, Orcus? How are we going to get out of this?”

“I am not sure yet but we can not remain here for much longer.”