Mists of Apalia, Chapter 1 (1087 words)

Mists of Apalia

Formaly titled Airianna

Chapter 1: The attack on the palace

         Faith's breaths came in rapid gasps; her pulse pounded against the side of her throat. Terror gripped her every fiber as she clung to the shadows trying desperately to get to the princess without being caught. Mercenaries darted in and out of doorways, tracking blood across the carpets and leaving a trail of screams in their wake.

No alarms had sounded within the Citadel. She had believed an attack would be impossible. Yet the Mercenaries had come in the dead of night and converged silently on the sleeping royal family, slaughtering them in their beds. There was only one explanation: a snake within the walls.

Faith gripping her knife she pulled her hem up higher and stepped across a body that lay sprawled in the hallway. Running as fast as her feet would carry her, she dashed to the corner and carefully looked around; thankfully, the next hallway was deserted. She slunk around the corner, sticking close to the wall, just as a leather-clad man emerged from the doorway where she had been hiding moments before.

She froze and squeezed shut her eyes. He came towards the corner and stopped, standing mere inches away.

She held her breath and listened to him zip his pants as he moved down the hall away from her.

Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. He had just come from the Lady Amaranth's apartments, a close friend of the queen. Faith fought back the tears and ran to the opposite end of the hallway, avoiding the soft circle of light from a glow wall sconce. Footsteps somewhere in the distance urged her onward. Glancing around the next corner, she spotted the room where Princess Airianna would be hiding if she had managed to survive this long.

This room had once been Airianna's nursery, but as she grew out of childhood it had fallen into disuse. It was in here that Faith and Airianna would run and hide when Citadel life became too dull. It had become their own private space; many secrets and dreams had been told between its walls.

A window across from Faith suddenly swung open, assaulting her with a cold blast of air. She silently crept around the corner and into the nursery. Airianna lay huddled in a corner. A giant mountain of a man towered over her, loosening his belt.

A bolt of white-hot anger shot through Faith, a boiling fury that awakened feelings she had never before felt. With perfect clarity, she saw what must be done. An eerie calm settled over her. She walked forward, the knife poised in her small, delicate hand. 

In one fluid moment, she reached over his shoulder and jammed the dagger into the side of his throat. She jerked the blade violently back, feeling the flesh and tendons give way. The wound gushed open, drowning the princess in a crimson wave.

Faith tore the man away from Airianna and helped her to her feet. She removed her robe and shoved it toward the shaking Airianna . 'Put this on'.

Airianna reached out slowly, her face pale, eyes vacant. Blood saturated the white night gown she wore.

'Hurry', Faith hissed urgently. She stood across from the entrance brandishing the wet blade, ready to defend her friend at all costs.

All her senses were focused on the hallway. She didn't know how many mercenaries were lurking about, but one thing she did know; she had to get Airianna out of there alive, and that meant now.

Taking Airianna by the hand, she led her away from the nursery and into the main hallway. Sounds of violence pieced the air: metal against bone, fist against flesh, stone against skull. The cries of life ending brutally echoed in the distance.

Faith shook her head. She must not think of that now; not when Airianna's life was in her hands. Wishing she could shield her friend from the horrors of the massacre, she guided her past the bodies of people who lay dead or dying. The floors and walls were splattered with the life-blood of nobles and servants alike.

Faith froze at the sounds of two men approaching from around the corner. She shoved Airianna to the floor next to a bloodied corpse and whispered for her to be perfectly still. Ignoring her nausea, she smeared gore over herself before lying down beside the princess.

The foot falls came closer; she knew they must be standing right over them. She willed herself to stop breathing, lest the slightest movement give them away. The two men stepped over and continued on down the hall. She waited for several moments before she dared to move. She stood up and caught Airianna's gaze. Beneath the blood smeared on her face, she was deathly pale, and her eyes asked questions Faith could not bear to answer. Turning away, she led her to the servant's stairway and down to one of the storerooms below.

This was the coal storeroom; a trapdoor in the ceiling where deliveries were made would be their escape. Scrambling up the coal pile, Faith managed to unlock the trapdoor. Cautiously she opened it and peered out.

To her relief, there was no one outside.

'Faith!' Airianna whispered, 'I think someone is coming'.

Faith hastened towards the doorway wielding her dagger, shielding Airianna as best she could in the small space.

'Quick, in here', came a hushed male voice.

Relief  flowed through Faith. The voice belonged to Tah'lon, her childhood friend, and member of the Royal Guard.

Tah'lon glanced in the room. Seeing Faith, he smiled in relief and gently squeezed her in a quick hug. Following behind  him were a small group of battered guards and frightened servants.

Bowing to the princess quickly, he climbed to the trap door and pulled himself up. Faith helped Airianna, and then the rest of the group up the pile to the trap door.  Tah'lon reached down and one by one he pulled them to safety, followed lastly by Faith.

They emerged into the darkness of the night and were greeted with wafts of thick smoke billowing in the air from the flames consuming the top floors of the Citadel. Tears welled in their eyes as they walked away from the Citadel, and into the relative safety of the trees.