A night attack

Acantha

The days had been very busy indeed. The maids had worked hard to gather everything that was needed at Saira’s new healing house. Thankfully that left plenty for me to do while helping. felt like I was able to be a real mother for once.

Eah day I made sure everyone had eaten before leaving. I loved cooking in my cave so it felt good to be back at it here and it helped keep my mind distracted for the upcoming fight. One thing became clear over that last few days was that we had no way to tell how many guards my sister had.

They already had more than we did and if she had a secret army somewhere we would be annihilated. Lyanna had mentioned help for us but what would they be able to do against trained men? When I had some free time, I would walk the city and try to count any new faces that I saw wearing the guard's uniform.

I was always good at remembering faces and I seemed to see at least three new people on the days I went out. The numbers were starting to add up and I started to get really worried about what would happen. What could we do against four hundred and seventy-three men? And that didn’t count the ones the young maid had seen in the castle.

We knew only that the Queen had four guards with her at all times and they seemed to change often so she had no true telling of how many were behind the castle gates. We just had to hope that what we had would be enough. A lot of these men were too young to remember what a real dragon looked like and I counted on their fear of my daughter’s wrath.

I had also noted a change in the people of the city. They had started to grow stronger and rally together thanks to all the work Saira has done. If they joined the fight too then we would have better chances. Sara had been spending a lot more time now at her healing house, she had only slept at home once in the last five days.

Massell stayed with her the whole time she would be there, they both had rooms set up now. I started to bring them two meals each day they stayed away. When I was there, I was able to help with the customers and to talk to them as well. They all talked about how they wished the King and Quenn would be usurped like the previous ones. No one knew who I truly was yet and I liked it to stay that way.

They were too afraid to do it themselves. I could understand that. The had been kept weak on purpose. My sister had made a place for herself where no one had the will or strength to stop her. She was such a foolish coward.

The next few days repeated the same way. Aurelia had been out with the Captain a few times. He was leaving for a quick voyage to a near port to collect a payment for some loaned recourses. Kairios and I were grateful that his influence would be elsewhere. He was much too fond of my daughter and I didn’t trust a single thing about him.

For reasons that are beyond me, my daughter wanted him around as an ally. He was more useful alive to her she would say. Personally I knew that his constant affection and fancy dressing had caught her attention, she was a young girl after all.

Kairios had planned to spend some alone time with her before the battle, needing her comfort. I planned to be away for the night. Saira always needed an extra hand and I was more than happy to help. She said she would have an extra bed ready for me should I need it one day.

I made the familiar journey to the far side of the city to meet them at the healing house. The house wasn’t as busy tonight as it had been the last few days. I counted two new faces among the three that had been bed ridden since they arrived here. We were able to stay in the back and chat and eat some of the food I had brought with me.

The house was quiet for a long time and we started to think about getting some sleep. The rooms we were in were in the far back of the house, we were so surprised when the door exploded open! I took in those who burst in and they were not friendly.

Each one of them had their swords drawn and had been dripping with blood. They killed those who were too sick or injured to get out of bed!

“Run!” I heard myself yell.

Massell jumped up and drew his sword as well. I grabbed Saira’s arm and bolted out the back without another glance at Massell. I could only hope that he would survive long enough to give us time to get away. We ran away together, we had to get as far away as possible!

“We have to split up. Get back to the house and tell Aurelia, she has to be warned!”

Her silver eyes started at me in fear, she didn’t want to separate.

“Go, it will be okay. I'll try to stop them, go!”

She finally listened to me and ran in the other direction. I turned and ran in a way that would take me in a large circle around the abandoned houses. Fear pumped my legs harder and I ran almost into a group of them. I hid behind a wall just in time for them to pass me. There were only two of them now, I hoped that meant that Massell was able to stop some of them.

I had no choice but to move again, but when I stood up and turned to run, I ran right into the armored body of an angry guard. His strong hands grabbed my arms and squeezed them painfully.

“Where is the other girl!” He shook me as he yelled in my face.

I didn’t answer and he shook me harder. I would never tell him. He quickly grew more frustrated by my lack of response and slapped me hard. My head rang from the force of it. Little stars danced around my eyes as blood began to fill my mouth.

“Tell me where the other bitch is!”

This time he slammed me hard against the wall. I felt like I was going to pass out from my head bouncing off it while he continued to slam be back. Then out of nowhere his lands loosened and I fell to the ground hard. My body had completely given out. As I lay there, I noticed two sets of boots and thought that Massell was her here to save me.

My eyes began to darken as I saw the guards body fall beside me and a man's voice that I didn’t recognize said,

“You’ll be safe with me.”

I came in and out of consciousness. When I did come to, I could hear more unfamiliar voices. They spoke of how deep the cuts on my back and head were, how the wall I was thrown against was jagged and broken down. had lost a lot of blood and I could feel that my body was weak. I didn’t even have the strength to open my eyes. I tried to move my fingers instead.

“Go grab the master! I think she is waking up!” The unfamiliar voice yelled as a hand grabbed my own.

It gave me the spark of strength I needed to open my eyes and see who she was. Quick moving feet were everywhere around me and flashes of people moved around behind her.

“Where...?” I tried to ask.

“You’re safe, my master saved you from that brut. You’ve been asleep for a long time. Do you remember your name?”

She was kind and seemed to be near my age. I felt like I could trust her but I didn’t know who her master was. The door opened and a man walked in followed by another maid. He was an odd-looking man. I had never seen a man wear a dress before.

“She hasn’t said anything yet, I think she is afraid of who we are.”

“I would be too. Please leave us, both of you.”

The woman left and I was left alone with this man.

“My name is Jaxson; I own the area you were in.do you know why that man was after you?”

Jaxson? He was a bored looking man in a dress. This was the man that Aurelia had told me about. There was no need to hide the truth anymore.

“My name is Acantha, Former Queen of the Kingdom of Scorch Crest. My daughter Aurelia is the one you know as Nihola.”

“Queen Acantha... you're said to be long dead.”

“A handy thing when people intend to make it true.”

“Where is your daughter now?”

“Safe at Lyanna's house.”

He stood up and paced around the room for a moment. His movements mad me dizzy and I had to close my eyes. When I opened them again, he was sitting once more in front of me.

“What's your plan?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because you will need my help, and so will your daughter if you wish to survive taking this city.”

“We don’t have much of a plan. Lyanna has been gathering an army. we will take over this city.”

“Many will die.”

“As is always with war. What other way is there?”

“I don’t know right now. I will seek out your daughter while you get some rest and gather your strength.”

“Wait, what about Saira, she was the one healing the people?”

“The woman known as the silver healer hasn’t been seen since the attack.

It could mean only one thing. Saira had been taken. Massell had to be gone as well. What was I going to do? Tears poured down my face and he left to allow me to cry in peace. Were we doomed now?