The Crown Prophecy

by M. D. Laird

  “The thorian rulers have abilities, and we will have a high angel and demon presence. We can defend ourselves if necessary.”

  “He knows that, and you’re giving him plenty of time to plan what he’s going to do about it. It’s up to you, as Calab is always reminding me I am not queen yet, but I think you’ll be walking into a trap.”

  “Spoken like a true leader,” said Calab, entering her quarters. Thalia frowned at him and continued her lunch. “Isn’t this what I’ve been saying? Even the human sees it’s a terrible idea.”

  “We agreed we would meet with them first and then make a decision.”

  “It’s foolish.”

  “It’s the right thing to do.”

  Eve interrupted as they glared at each other, “I thought my dream was because I didn’t know what the Imperator would do if he caught me,” she said, “but I don’t believe it is. The day Calab—”

  “Prince Calab,” Calab interrupted.

  “—Prince Calab told me about the alchemists and the Imperator, he also told me about the meeting. I can’t feel safe because it’s not me that’s in danger—not yet anyway—it’s everyone else.”

  “That’s just anxiety, Miss Franklin,” said Thalia, trying to keep her cool. “You don’t have the gift of sight.”

  “How do you know?” said Eve, knowing she was crossing the line speaking to a ruler like that. “You didn’t know there was a chosen one and that it was me until four weeks ago.” Calab smirked at her and lifted his eyebrows arrogantly at Thalia. “I said to Prince Calab the meeting was a bad idea and I’ve been haunted by dreams since then. I didn’t know what they meant until now, and I am now entirely convinced it's a bad idea.”

  “I am not convinced,” said Thalia. “I am not willing to potentially start a war because you have been having nightmares.”

  “In somnis veritas.” Calab smirked.

  “Utter nonsense! We do not get anywhere by believing our dreams.”

  “She is echoing what everyone else is saying. We are only going to the meeting to compromise with you, and it could get us all killed, then he will come for the queen and get his plans right back on track.”

  “No,” said Thalia, “I won’t take this option. I won’t attack anyone unprovoked.”

  “Just let everyone else do it then,” said Eve. She was starting to understand why Calab found Thalia’s approach so frustrating. Thalia glared at her furiously.

  “Miss Franklin, you are not yet queen and have no right to speak to me like this. When you are queen, you will still have no say in matters of defence. This situation is not your concern, and I for one would be grateful if you would stay out of it.”

  Eve frowned but stood her ground. “I apologise if I’ve been rude, it is not my intention. However, I think it is my business. If Arkazatinia wanted a queen to rule just like all the others, it would have selected one just like all the others. It has chosen a human, someone not from Arkazatinia, who knows nothing of its ways. That must mean it wants things to be different. It doesn’t want someone who will go along with the way things are done because that’s what has always happened; it wants a fresh perspective and a new way of doing things.” Calab said nothing though Eve could see a smile creeping across his lips.

  “She is coming with me, Calab,” said Thalia furiously. “You have been corrupting her with your nonsense.”

  “I have done no such thing,” he said.

  “He has not said a word,” said Eve. “When I spoke to him about being unhappy with the role of the Crown, he said the same as you: defence is not my concern and that’s the way it’s done. I’m the one who thinks it should be different.”

  “I’m starting to believe that we are better off with the Imperator,” said Thalia. “You sound like quite the tyrant. I shan’t be happy to serve under a warmonger. And for your information, Miss Franklin, I am trying to do things differently and not do the ‘attack first ask questions later’ method we have always done.” Thalia stood and picked up her jacket. “I am going to leave. I suggest you think long and hard about the type of queen you want to be.”

  “What about the plan for the Imperator?”

  “There is no change to the plan,” she snapped and stalked out of the room.

  Eve turned to Calab and smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t behave like that in your home and with your friend.”

  Calab grinned at her before sitting at her table and pouring himself some tea. “You have done a splendid job; she doesn’t get angry very often.” Eve flushed and felt her chest tighten from guilt as she replayed her words. “She’s quite stubborn when it comes to acts of war, and she won’t budge,” he continued. “If we all die at the meeting, she’ll die at peace with the knowledge that she didn’t strike first. Lord Thalia will do anything to avoid confrontation.”

  “What if she is right?”

  “She is right. Her plan is the most sensible and the most moral. Eliminating the risks is easy, managing them is harder, but more often than not, it is the right course. In this case; however, it could be suicidal,”

  “I know I’m walking a line and it is not my place to say,” she said carefully, “but if you think the plan is suicidal, why are you going along with it?”

  He shrugged. “We agreed.”

  “Can you not change your mind? Tell the others that you find the plan more stupid than before.”

  Calab laughed, picked up a biscuit and dipped it into his tea. “I have a feeling things are going to get interesting with you as queen.” Eve blushed again and sipped her tea. “The alliance is meeting tomorrow. I shall discuss it with them then.”

  That night Eve slept soundly and woke the following morning feeling refreshed.

  Calab did not call on Eve the next morning, and she presumed it was because he was attending the meeting with the alliance. She hoped that they would come up with a new plan. She agreed Thalia’s plan sounded fair and reasonable and hoped to be the kind of leader who would try to resolve things peacefully, but she could not help wanting them to get it over with so they could get rid of the Imperator quickly. Still, she felt sorry for the way she had spoken to Thalia. She had no friends in this world and did not want to drive Thalia away to be left stumbling around awkward conversations with Calab for the rest of eternity.

  After breakfast, Eve ventured out into the garden. It was not as cold as it had been, the first signs of spring had entered the garden, and it made for a pleasant morning. She took up her usual spot by the fountain and read a book with her guards keeping watch close by.

  Eve woke suddenly to find that Calab was crouched beside her shaking her shoulder and realised that she had dozed off in the garden.

  “Hello,” she said sleepily.

  “You have grass in your hair.” He grinned and reached to pull out a stalk of grass near her ear. Eve’s pulse quickened at the sudden intimacy, and Calab jerked away. He stood quickly and composed himself. “Would you care to join me for lunch?” he asked formally. “I will bring you up to speed with the meeting with the alliance.”

  Lunch had already been laid out in Calab’s quarters when they arrived and Eve sat opposite him at the table.

  “I raised the topic of the plan to meet with the Imperator,” he said, pouring himself and Eve tea, “and I asked for them to reconsider. I did mention that the future queen did not like the idea and that she had been haunted by it since hearing of it. That did not hold much weight I’m afraid, we don’t tend to hold the opinions of humans in high regard in Arkazatinia—not unless they’re committed to the arts and sciences anyway. However, as they were already nervous about the prospect of meeting the Imperator, it did not take much to convince them. Thalia is furious of course.”

  “She’ll probably never speak to me again,” sighed Eve.

  “I wouldn’t trouble yourself,” he said. “She speaks to me.”

  Eve smiled. “What is the new plan?”

  “It is still
a compromise and not the outright assassination I would have preferred. We are going to call on the Imperator unannounced and heavily armed and have our meeting with him on our terms. We have been watching his movements for some time, and he is heavily guarded at home and at the Imperium. Our plan is to strike him in transit when he is less guarded. He visits the same restaurant on the same day every week, and we plan to intercept him on his way home.”

  Eve breathed a sigh of relief. “I prefer this idea,” she said. “You can have as many people as you want on hand.”

  “There could still be complications that we haven’t considered. I will have a team of my men take you away from here until the Imperator has been secured.”

  Eve nodded. “When will you strike?”

  “In two nights.”

  “When will we need to leave?”

  “When you have finished eating.”

  After lunch, Calab gave Eve a small duffel bag from his wardrobe and told her to pack essentials. She returned to her room and filled the bag with a couple of changes of clothes, underwear, some toiletries and a couple of books. Tamiel escorted her downstairs to the waiting vector. Eve had not seen a vector for nine years and had forgotten how strange they were. Tamiel and three other demons would be going with her, and they were waiting by two vectors. Calab opened the door for her.

  “My men will take care of you,” he said calmly. “I’ll send for you as soon as it is safe.”

  Eve nodded and climbed into a vector. Tamiel and a demon named Turel sat opposite her and the other two guards, Nakhiel and Tausa, were to follow behind. Tamiel plotted the vector with their destination, and they sped away. The speed was dizzying and Eve looked forwards as the scenery whizzing past was making her feel nauseous. They sat in silence as the vector moved through Arkazatinia with Eve having no idea where she was going.

  It was a long journey, and they travelled all afternoon and through the night stopping only for Eve to use the toilet or rather squat behind a bush. They ate cold sandwiches and drank bottled water which Tamiel had packed in a cooler. Eve occupied her time reading or dozing against the window. There was very little conversation with the demons who maintained their vigilance throughout the journey.

  It was approaching lunchtime when the vector began to slow down as they approached a mountain road. After a further hour, it came to a stop.

  “Are we there?” asked Eve.

  “We’re going to fly from here,” replied Turel.

  Eve stepped out of the vector and took in the surroundings. They were halfway up a mountainside and stood in front a large cave. “Where are we?”

  “The Laurentian Mountains.”

  The demons pushed the vectors into the cave to conceal them from view and powered them down. Large grey wings unfurled from the demons’ backs. Eve gasped.

  Where did they come from? How do they get through their clothes?

  “When you said fly you didn’t mean the airport,” she said nervously.

  Turel gave a weak smile and held his hand out for her bag, she handed it to him, and he gave it to Tamiel who had retrieved another bag from one of the vectors. Nakhiel and Tausa also had bags.

  “I’m going to have to carry you,” said Turel.

  “Okay.”

  With his arms under her legs and around her back, he picked her up with ease. She had not been this close to a demon before, and Turel was hot—she could feel the heat from his skin burn through their clothes. Uncomfortable with the close proximity to the demon she kept her hands in front of her and her eyes forward. She yelped when he took to the air, suddenly feeling vulnerable, and threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly.

  “Sorry,” she muttered.

  His expression showed no reaction and he said plainly, “I won’t drop you.”

  After an hour’s flight through the mountains, they arrived on the outskirts of a forest. The demons landed and began to make their way on foot. Turel did not set her down and Eve did not ask knowing that she would not be able to keep pace with the demons as they ran rapidly through the trees. Eventually, after a further two hours, they reached a small clearing by a stream. Turel set her down without a word and began to make camp with Tamiel while Nakhiel and Tausa midspaced and kept guard over the camp.

  Eve was suddenly cold without Turel’s warmth. They were in the southern hemisphere, and it should have been hot, but it was the beginning of autumn, the forest was high up in mountains and the wind icy. She shivered.

  “Can I help?” Eve asked the demons. They shook their heads.

  She frowned and prowled the campsite. It was a beautiful spot to camp out or come back for a picnic if she could ever find it again or be bothered to make the long trek. She headed back to the demons who had set up a canvass den with a makeshift bed inside for her. The den was more like a cave and did not seem to have a door. It did not seem like privacy was going to be an option. At least the heat from a fire would keep her warm. She pointed to the area in front of the den. “Is this a good spot for a fire?”

  Tamiel shook his head, “We can’t risk a fire.”

  “I will be cold.”

  “We can keep you warm.”

  Eve nodded though she did not relish the thought of cuddling up to a demon while she slept. The daylight was failing, and there was not enough light to read. She sat in front of the den with her blanket around her and shivered. Turel and Tamiel sat at either side of her, and she felt instantly warmer but unbelievably awkward. Her attempts at conversation earned her monosyllabic responses.

  What I wouldn’t give for a lamp!

  She was desperate to do what she did whenever she encountered an uncomfortable situation and hide in a book. After a cold supper of bread, ham and cheese, Eve retired to her bed and fell asleep lying next to Turel with Tamiel guarding the entrance.

  The alliance waited for the Imperator’s vector to approach them. They had chosen a secluded stretch of road lined with trees and planned to ambush the vector as it made its way along. Calab waited with his team of guild demons. The Berith and Astaroth princes had also brought a large team, as had the Sons of Raphæl, Michæl and Uriel. The hominem had shown up in large numbers and heavily armed, as had the Calahad and Elion. Thalia had only attended with Mikæl, a few other Procnatus, and very few weapons which Calab presumed was a further demonstration of her displeasure at the strike upon the Imperator. Calab ignored her and kept his mind focussed.

  Right on schedule, the Imperator’s vector approached flanked by two other vectors containing his guards. Tharazan and Thanis, the Lord of Elion, fired fire bolts at the vectors to take out their power supplies, the spells bounced off surrounding shields. The teams had fired their crossbows at the power source and the bolts also rebounded. The demons launched at the vectors. Their last attempt was for the demons to pull them off the road. They landed on the shields and began to tear through them. The guards had opened the vectors’ windows and were ready to fire their crossbows at the demons. The thorian and hominem were running after the vectors which had sped past them. The angels had taken to the air and flew after the vectors with their bows drawn ready to fire. The shield on the Imperator’s vehicle failed first and the demons launched at the vector, tearing through the side panel, they ripped out the power supply and brought it to a stop. Pulling the door open they grabbed the Imperator and dragged him onto the road, more demons piled in to grab the guards and knocked unconscious the dark alchemist who was accompanying them. The shields on the escorts’ vectors dropped, and before the guards could fire, the demons had stopped their vectors and pulled the passengers onto the road. The strike had taken less than thirty seconds, and the Imperator and his guards were secured by the demons. The alchemist had been relieved of his staff and was now powerless. The plan had been executed perfectly. The leads stepped forwards with Lord Tharazan taking charge.

  “Good evening, Imperator,” he said. “We decided to bring the meeting forward.”

  “
So I see,” said the Imperator slyly. “What do you want?”

  “It is time you relinquished your role as custodian of the Crown,” continued Tharazan, “it is time you let the new Crown take over.”

  “The Crown is over,” said the Imperator, sneering. “Arkazatinia has a new rule, and I am not giving it up.”

  “You’re not exactly in a position to argue.”

  The Imperator laughed. “You don’t think I expected this? You think I would let your little alliance continue without having someone on the inside?” The leads looked at each other.

  “Regardless, we still have you outmatched.”

  “Perhaps, but if you take me out, then my men will take out your precious queen. You think I don’t know where you’re hiding her.”

  “Do it,” said Calab, “take her out, another crown will emerge. We are not leaving you in power.”

  “If you think I’m bluffing you’re quite mistaken,” laughed the Imperator. “If I’m not home in fifteen minutes then a message will be sent to my men to pick up the Crown. I’m working with more than one alchemist, and your demons will not stand a chance against them. You have only caught me because I let you.”

  “I don’t care if you’re bluffing,” said Calab. “I am not bluffing. Kill her. A new Crown will emerge. You are under arrest for interfering in the Crown and refusing to allow a chosen ruler to take their place—treason in other words. If you come quietly, you will make it easy for yourself, or we can execute you right now.” The other leads glared at him, and Thalia hissed. He ignored them.

  “Time is running out. Arrest me, it won’t change anything. I will take my fair trial from the noble Crown Alliance.”