Accidental Dragoon

by Jamie Davis

  “Stop!”

  Cari smiled as she heard her own amplified voice echo through the room.

  The holocube’s laser projection sound system bounced the voice signal off the flat surfaces of the tall stained-glass windows up and down the grand audience hall to amplify her voice. It made it sound like she was everywhere at once.

  The musicians stopped playing, confused by the shouted order. There was murmuring in the crowd at the front of the hall. Cari stood at the rear of the room and all eyes were focused forward and up, trying to find the source of the voice. Then someone pointed up at a ledge high above the rest of the room. Cari’s three-dimensional hologram stood up there with her hands on her hips staring down at the crowd below.

  Everyone’s eyes looked up at her projection, and because her voice boomed from the walls themselves, no one paid any attention to the girl standing alone at the back of the audience chamber in an identical pose.

  “I’m afraid you’re too late, my dear,” the Duke called out to the hologram. “We are here to crown Prince Timron and you’re not going stop us from doing what the Empire needs most.”

  “And what might that be, Your Grace? To put your puppet on the throne so you can rule from behind the scenes just as you’ve tried to do for so many years?”

  “Who are you to lecture me about morals and ethics, Cari Dix.”

  At the sound of her name, the buzzing of the crowd’s voices grew. Many pointed upwards realizing they stared at the mythical lost princess herself.

  The Duke continued. “I don’t know what you think you can do. You may be a princess, but you and your family cannot inherit the throne. That is reserved for a true member of the royal family like His Majesty here.”

  “Even if said the Prince conspired to murder his entire family so he could take the throne?”

  “A nice accusation, my dear,” the Duke said. “Too bad, you don’t have proof.”

  Time for Cari to play the card she’s held in her deck for so long. Her personal comm chip recorded everything that went on around her in a continuous loop, including conversations she had with other people. She could choose to save selected conversations before the chip would record over them with the new data from more recent events. She played back that conversation now through the projector.

  Everyone in the hall heard the amplified conversation she’d had with Timron over a year and a half before after she saved his life in the forests north of Tandon.

  * * *

  “Why’d you side with the Duke against your family?”

  “I wondered if you heard that. Well, it doesn’t matter now. I’m the only heir remaining, so there’s really nothing anyone can do to me. I’ll be Emperor soon.”

  “But, they were your family. Some were only children. How —”

  “How could I do it? I did nothing. I only made an agreement in order to survive when the Duke sent his men to kill me first. He thought it’d be easy to stage my accidental death. He was wrong. Afterward, once he and I reached an understanding, the Duke of Charon took care of all the real dirty work.”

  * * *

  “Enough,” Prince Timron shouted. “You heard what I said. I never killed anyone. So, what if I happened to tell someone where my family was traveling. That’s not a crime. I didn’t know for sure that people were going to assassinate them. What kind of monster do you think I am.”

  “The type of monster I’m here to stop from taking the throne. My family was tasked with protecting the Empire of Fantasma. We were tasked with being the champions to defend everyone from people like you. That’s what I’m here to do. “

  Cari was so intent on talking with Timron, she failed to realize the Duke had moved to one side and was talking with someone beside the dais.

  She and Prince Timron continued passing their insults back and forth. Cari knew she had to stall for time and now she was pulling out all the stops. She wasn’t usually the type to be petty and call people names but in this case, she was willing to make an exception.

  Cari became so wrapped up in what she was doing, she didn’t see the guards come up behind her until three of them jumped on top of her knocking her to the ground. As soon as they did, her projection on the ledge above the audience disappeared.

  Cari heard the Duke’s voice call out over the noise of the crowd. “It was merely a parlor trick. The use of some petty magic to keep us from doing what we came here to do today. Do not listen to her. She only wants to take the throne for herself.”

  Cari struggled to break free of the guardsmen wrestling her to the ground. She had to get moving with the rest of the plan. She hoped the others were already in place and ready to act. Because she was not going to be able to do much from here by herself.

  Activating her comm chip once again even as she wrestled against her attackers, Cari called out, her voice amplified by the projector despite no longer being visible to the unit’s camera. “Dragoons, forces of Tandon, loyal guardsmen of the Crystal City, now is the time to act. To arms, to arms for the new Empress and the Empire.”

  Gasps sounded from around the crowded room as men and women produced weapons hidden beneath their cloaks and rushed at the Duke’s guards lining the walls from amidst the rest of the attendees. Four former Dragoons broke from the back of the crowd running directly where the guards held her.

  The three men holding her to the ground had no choice but to let go of her as they were suddenly engaged in a furious sword battle with the four Dragoons.

  Cari rolled to her feet, drawing her rapier and dagger. Two more guardsmen ran at her and she charged straight at them. Just before she reached them, she activated her acrobatic dodge skill, vaulting up and rolling forward over their attacks coming down between the two attackers.

  They were caught completely by surprise as their opponent was one moment charging at them and the next moment knelt directly between them.

  Cari didn’t wait for them to recover. She struck out with both her blades. Her dagger sunk deep into the side of the attacker on her right while her sword blade slid cleanly through the chest of the man on her left. Both attackers went down, killed instantly.

  * * *

  2,500 experience awarded

  2,500 experience awarded

  * * *

  Letting her momentum carry her sliding on one knee past the two dying men, Cari jumped back to her feet. She barely slowed down as she ran for the front of the vaulted audience hall.

  If everything was going according to plan, her parents had emerged from the servants’ hallway with Jaycee. With all the disorder around them, they should be able to get the girl to the dais with the help of Helen and Percy.

  Once they got the young princess to the Archbishop and announced who she was, he could crown her Empress. Then, perhaps, they could stop the fighting and the Duke of Charon’s men would back down. It was risky, but it was a chance they had to take.

  Cari was sure the Duke himself wouldn’t give up that easily, though. That was why she raced as fast as she could to the front of the room. She had to get there to help defend Jaycee and defeat the Duke once and for all.

  There were knots of frantic fighting all around the room. Men and women on both sides fighting and dying while the regular attendees ran for the doors to get away from the carnage. Cari ran up the center aisle towards the dais. The Duke’s guardsmen were there in force. A double line of guards stood at the front of the room between Cari and the dais.

  Cari realized right away the Dragoons were outnumbered. Despite that, they fought with such fierce energy they still managed to hold their own against their opponents. Stefan and Harley hadn’t arrived from the square outside yet with reinforcements. Cari had to do something to turn the tide. If she could activate her burst of speed power-up skill, she could do a lot to even the odds in favor of the loyalist forces.

  Major Novachik rushed from the dais and down the center aisle directly at her. Four of the guardsmen peeled off to join him in his charge towards her. Novachik slowed
a bit and let the four guardsmen take the lead. It looked like he’d let them soften Cari up for him.

  She couldn’t stop now. She had to try an all-out attack and force her way through. If she could get past them and defeat the major, she could defend the access to the throne so Jaycee could make it there. Cari spotted her parents entering the hall behind the dais with Jaycee.

  It was now or never.

  Cari didn’t slow down as she hit the first of the guardsmen coming at her. She ran at him at full speed, ducking under his awkward swing at her head and thrust her rapier deep into his thigh, causing him to stumble and fall to the side. Cari ignored him for the time being and kept going.

  She planted one foot and twisted, spinning forward to deliver a roundhouse kick to the chest of the next guardsman in line knocking him backward into the first row of chairs assembled for the noble guests. His fall also tripped up the guard right behind him.

  Her plan to continue forward and reach the dais stalled at that point. Major Novachik and the remaining guardsman formed a line in front of Cari with the Duke of Charon just behind them watching the action. Novachik’s unnatural speed once again caught her by surprise and Cari suddenly found herself in a frantic defense of her life as the major and the remaining guard attacked her with a whirling clash of steel on steel.

  She fended off a few of the attacks but many others snaked past her parries to draw blood again and again.

  * * *

  Health damage — health -10

  Health damage — health -8

  Health damage — health -7

  Health damage — health -10

  * * *

  Out of the corner of her eye, Cari’s parents, along with Helen and Percy headed for the dais and the Crystal Throne. They sheltered Jaycee between them. Despite the mounting damage she was taking, she steeled herself to hold on and keep distracting the Major and drawing the Duke’s attention her way so Jaycee could make it to the final objective.

  More attacks broke past her defenses and she winced at the pain of multiple wounds all over her body.

  * * *

  Health damage — health -11

  Health damage — health -8

  Health damage — health -9

  Health damage — health -8

  * * *

  The hits were starting to add up. Cari tried to gather herself and keep going. She just had to hold on a little longer, despite the mounting damage she sustained. The others had almost reached the throne.

  Chapter 41

  Hal reached the end of the corridor running beside the grand audience hall, coming to the final door. He heard shouts and the clash of steel on steel on the opposite side. The fighting for control of the room had begun.

  He turned to Mona and smiled. “You ready?”

  “The longer we wait, the more chance it’s Cari that’s getting hurt out there. Besides, we’ve got to get this little girl on the throne.”

  Hal nodded and grasped the handle to the door. He pulled the door open and raced through, casting his ice armor spell and drawing his weapons, ready to defend against any guards standing nearby. As soon as he opened the door, the familiar slot machine started whirring and spinning in his head. Time to push his luck.

  They were about thirty feet from the dais and the throne. On it stood a man in ornate robes and a tall hat. He must be the Archbishop. There was also another man standing next to him wearing a royal purple velvet robe. That must be Prince Timron, the usurper. The two guards at the rear of the dais were watching the action in the rest of the hall and didn’t see or hear Hal as he slipped up behind them.

  Two quick dagger thrusts dealt with the threat they posed.

  * * *

  2,500 experience awarded

  2,500 experience awarded

  * * *

  He gestured to Mona to bring the girl up to the dais while he dealt with the usurper. He froze when his eyes fell on a furious sword battle going on in the central aisle in front of the dais. Cari stood, fighting a desperate struggle, holding her ground against the onslaught attacks from the two swordsmen in front of her. One was an ordinary guardsman. The other, based upon his uniform was the Duke’s senior officer, Major Novachik. The Duke stood behind his men watching the fight with Cari.

  Cari took multiple blows in rapid succession causing her to backpedal away as she tried to regroup.

  The swordsmen didn’t let her get any respite, stepping forward to re-engage with her. Hal winced as he saw his daughter get hit again and again.

  “Mona, you’ll have to take care of getting Jaycee where she needs to be. I’ve got to go help Cari before it’s too late.”

  “Go,” his wife yelled. “I’ve got this.”

  More guardsmen came out of a door opposite from where they’d entered and charged at Mona and the others. Percy moved to stand in front of Jaycee, his cutlass and pistol at the ready while Helen stepped up to stand beside Mona.

  While the two women formed a defensive line to protect Jaycee, Hal raced around the dais, ignoring the Archbishop and Prince Timron to attack those fighting his daughter.

  Two throwing knives made short work of the guardsman fighting beside the major.

  * * *

  2500 experience awarded

  * * *

  Seeing the guardsman fall, the Duke of Charon turned to see who was attacking them from behind. His eyes fell on Hal. He smiled and saluted with his rapier.

  Hal smiled right back at him and nodded in return.

  The Duke and Prince Hal charged each other. The Duke’s longer rapier blade started slashing in at Hal’s acrobatic form as he dodged each of the blade’s incoming attacks, trying to get in close enough to attack with his two daggers.

  His Grace was an excellent swordsman who knew what he was doing. He seemed to focus his attacks in such a way as to keep Hal at a distance where his daggers could not reach to connect for any sort of damage.

  Hal could afford to take his time now, realizing he had taken some of the pressure off Cari. More guardsmen were coming to help their leaders but they weren’t here yet. He was content to circle in this dance of blades with the Duke. He’d find an opening soon enough. His uncanny luck would ensure that.

  In Hal’s head, the rattling slot machine rolled on. It signaled something was about to happen that would require his unique brand of luck. He had to be ready.

  Holding onto the hope that luck was in his favor, Hal rolled to the right and came up lunging forward to the full extent of his reach to plunge the tip of his dagger into the Duke of Charon’s leading thigh. A grunt of pain and a splash of red blood on his cream-colored trousers told Hal he’d finally connected for a solid hit.

  The Duke didn’t let the minor wound distract him. Hal had overextended himself and the Duke took advantage of it. Hal winced as the fine point of the Duke’s rapier blade slid through a crevice in his ice armor at his shoulder staining the clear armor red with his blood.

  * * *

  Health damage — health -12

  * * *

  Hal pulled back from his lunge and nodded at the Duke. They both managed to draw blood in the same stroke.

  “Let’s see how many of those each of us can take. I’m willing to bet that I can absorb more damage than you can. After all, I’m the legendary Prince Hal, come back from the dead. Care to try your luck with me, Your Grace?”

  “I don’t have to wager, Prince Hal. I just have to hold out long enough for my reinforcements to arrive. I anticipated this attack. There’s a full company of a hundred guards in the barracks outside. They’re already on their way in to join with my forces in the audience hall.”

  As if his revelation caused it to come about, the doors burst open on the far side of the hall and a horde of fresh guardsmen rushed in to fall upon the already beleaguered Dragoons fighting in the audience hall.

  The surge of the Duke’s guardsmen running into the audience hall moved forward and the Duke stepped back as a squad of five of his soldiers moved into place
to protect their master.

  Hal backed up, parrying attack after attack until he found himself fighting side by side with his daughter against the fresh troops. His daughter’s weapons and battle style melded in a strange way with his own to build a mutual defense against the overwhelming odds. Major Novachik had broken off fighting as well and rejoined the Duke, heading back towards the dais.

  “Cari, we need to break one of us free. The Duke and the major are going to stop mom and Jaycee from getting to the throne.”

  “Give me just a few more seconds, Dad, and I’ll power up and take out some of these guards. When I do that, you head back towards the dais.”

  “Power up?” Hal asked as he parried another pair of sword thrusts. “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t worry about that, you’ll see soon enough. Just be ready.”

  “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be right behind you.”

  The two of them continued to fight side-by-side. A few attacks managed to slip through his armor and defenses.

  * * *

  Health damage — health -8

  Health damage — health -5

  * * *

  Cari called out to her father. “Now, Dad, get ready. I am going to activate.”

  It would help to know what she meant, but he assumed it was something that would somehow distract the guards allowing him to break free.