The King's Abducted Queen

"I will never touch you, Alira... not until you beg for it!" Calixto declared while grinning. Alira never thought she would be put in a situation she had never imagined or even dreamed of. To meet the king of her clan's enemy—Calixto. She hated him, yet, she...

Chapter 1

"That's a bit too close to the border for my liking," remarked the older handmaiden, her golden hair framing her face. Alira chose to tune her out, knowing the comment was directed at her companion, Nadine.

Nadine paused her needlework to address the older woman. "Indeed, the temperature drops significantly the farther we venture from the border, particularly with the current season."

"It's a shame not to be celebrating a wedding back home, Your Royal Highness," Nadine clucked, finally pulling Alira from her thoughts to pay attention to them. "It must be difficult for you to leave your family behind. All the other princesses had their weddings in the palace."

"This is hardly the right moment for an elaborate wedding, especially without family present. It just doesn't seem right," the older handmaiden admonished, as if her views could alter King Hades' decision. Alira couldn't help but smile at Nadine; she had been at her side for months, and Alira was finally growing comfortable with her sharp tongue—a quality that had allowed her to remain in Alira's service for so long.

"It's alright," Alira reassured them. "I'm sure this is only a temporary setback. Once I marry Alden, we'll likely return to the capital while he works with Father to bring his forces up to the same standards as the rest of the army." Alira understood the unfairness of her situation; her sisters enjoyed splendid summer weddings surrounded by family, while she faced this solitude.

A weary sigh escaped her lips as she reclined against the uncomfortable cushioning of her seat. The carriage ride was bumpy and wearisome. It was late—well past dark. Perhaps they would stop soon for the night, allowing them some much-needed rest.

Given their proximity to the border, the soldiers were determined to keep moving. They had orders to deliver her to Alden's fortress and ensure the wedding proceeded as planned.

"Your father should have simply commanded Lord Swan to marry you at the palace to settle this matter," Nadine said, her voice tinged with irritation. "Royal politics can be so baffling. Lord Swan's men are technically under the king's command anyway. Why does Hades need to marry his youngest daughter to him to ensure their cooperation in the war?"

"I heard that Alden Swan has been stockpiling resources since his court is so close to the north, where the new Thunder king has been frequently encroaching," the older handmaiden chimed in. "My cousin lives in a small village nearby and wrote to tell us that the Thunder have been attacking Mavis villages under the cover of darkness when their shadows are strongest. She's thinking about moving back to the capital. I naturally told her that was a wise choice."

Alira leaned her head back against the wooden wall, listening to the maidens gossip about her betrothed and the war. The tales were familiar, yet they sent a shiver down her spine.

She was haunted by the stories brought to Grand about their people living too close to the border with the Thunder. A deep ache settled in her heart for them.

Even in the moment, it felt perilous to be so close for the sake of a wedding. Yet Alira understood that she had a role to play. If her father needed Alden's soldiers to actively combat the shadow elves instead of retreating into hiding, then she would do her part in this war.

Marrying a man she had barely met felt like a minor sacrifice in comparison.

Without warning, Alira's head collided painfully with the window frame as the carriage came to an abrupt halt. She could hear the horses whinnying and braying in alarm, accompanied by the shouts of soldiers outside.

"What in heaven's name is happening out there?" Xena huffed, placing her needlework down between herself and Nadine, who looked up, her curiosity piqued as she too turned toward the closed windows. "I'll check to see if we're stopping for the night."

Xena hesitated, her fingers resting on the handle, sensing that the commotion outside was far from ordinary for a procession. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and vanished into the night's inky darkness.

Nadine's gaze locked onto Alira's across the carriage, the silence stretching between them, making it feel as though miles separated their worlds.

In the heartbeat that followed, a harrowing sound pierced the air—a blood-curdling scream that sent chills down Alira's spine, right before the carriage jolted violently. She pressed her hands against the wall and seat to steady herself, while Nadine whimpered, curling into herself across from her.

Although Alira had never experienced the sounds of war before, the unmistakable chaos unfolding outside the carriage confirmed that a battle was raging nearby. The clang of metal against metal stung her ears, accompanied by the grunts and curses of soldiers, the noise growing louder with each passing second.

"Nadine," Alira said, taking a deep breath as she reached across the carriage to grasp her trembling hands. "I believe we are under attack. We must exit the carriage and run at the first opportunity."

Nadine's silver eyes flickered around the enclosed space, her fear evident as she shook, and it felt like an eternity passed before she finally nodded in agreement.

Alira felt a flash of frustration at her handmaiden's fearful demeanor—Nadine's usual sharp tongue had led her to believe she possessed more courage. But in that moment, it no longer mattered.

"I knew we were too close to the border! I knew it, and now we're going to die for it!" Nadine cried just as Alira's hand gripped the door handle, ready to push it open.

Clenching her teeth, Alira knew that if they stood any chance of surviving the chaos outside, they must remain silent and composed. "Nadine, we cannot assume we are under attack by Thunder. It could merely be bandits seeking plunder. Whatever the situation, we need to escape—quietly and swiftly."

Though her words came out more sharply than intended, they seemed to have the desired effect, as Nadine's trembling began to subside.

After a moment of eavesdropping outside, Alira cautiously pulled the handle and peered through the crack she had created in the door. The flickering light from the lamps around the carriage illuminated a horrifying scene, chilling her to the core.

Numerous soldiers lay sprawled in pools of blood along the dirt road, their eyes wide open, still reflecting the terror they experienced in their final moments.

Alira swallowed hard, striving to breathe slowly through her nose.

The sounds of battle now seemed to emanate from the other side of the carriage and into the surrounding woods. This could be their only chance to escape while the fight was hidden from view.

"We must go now, Nadine," she urged as she turned to see Nadine huddled into herself on the carriage cushions. "That is an order from your princess! We must leave immediately!"

Chapter 2

Though Nadine stared blankly at her, she nodded in reluctant agreement. Alira grabbed her hand from her lap and pulled her behind her as she descended the steps.

Her slipper squelched in a pool of blood, and bile rose in her throat as the stench of death filled her nostrils. Nadine began to sob behind her as they made their way cautiously around the lifeless bodies of the soldiers they had traveled with for days.

Tears welled in Alira's eyes for them and their families, but her body surged forward on pure adrenaline. There would be time for mourning later.

As she scanned the area, Alira realized they had a clear path into the woods, assuming nobody noticed them. The cries of dying men and the clash of steel were behind them, urging her not to look back.

So many guards assigned to protect her journey were already gone, and Xena was unaccounted for.

While they navigated around the bodies, Alira stifled a scream as a bloodied hand clawed out and grasped her ankle. She looked down, horrified to discover it was Xena, nearly unrecognizable and drenched in gore.

Blood dripped from her parted lips as she lifted her gaze from the soaked ground to Alira. Her eyes were vacant, and Alira doubted Xena would truly recognize her until she whispered her final words.

"Hide, princess. The hunt has begun." Then, the light in Xena's eyes faded, and her feeble grip on Alira's ankle slipped away.

"Oh, gods save us!" Nadine cried at Alira's side. Alira had never witnessed someone die before and wondered if this was Nadine's first encounter with death as well.

Xena's last words clung to Alira like an icy shroud, and the chill of the night air only intensified the shivers that ran through her body.

"We have to run, Nadine. Let's go!" Alira tightened her grip on Nadine's hand and quickened her pace along the dirt road until they reached the trampled grass leading into the shelter of the woods. She could hear Nadine's labored breaths behind her as she pulled her through the trees and into the darkness.

The sounds of fighting faded, and Alira lost track of how long or how far they had run before silence enveloped them completely.

By then, her legs ached from the exertion, and her lungs burned from gasping in the cool night air.

They paused to catch their breath, believing they were at a safe distance from the fighting. Nadine hunched over, her palms resting on her knees as she drew in deep breaths.

Xena looked up at the trees, where only patches of starlight pierced the darkness. At this stage of their journey, she had no idea how far they were from Alden's fortress or any nearby village, especially without the guidance of the carriage driver.

A sudden thud echoed in her ears, followed immediately by faint sounds of strangled breathing. She turned abruptly to Xena, horror rising in her throat as she saw the black arrow lodged in her chest, staining her white dress with vivid red.

"Xena!" she cried out, lunging forward to catch her. She hardly registered the hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

Xena felt heavy in her arms, and she nearly collapsed under the weight as she sank to her knees, cradling her friend as the last rattling breaths escaped her.

By the time she laid Xena on the soft grass, her body lay still.

"Oh gods, no, please no," she whispered desperately, sensing that the deities had abandoned her in this moment. She realized she was utterly alone, and death was closing in.

In the distance, voices reached her ears, and she knew that whoever had shot the arrow at Xena couldn't be far behind—ready to unleash another. The longer she remained here, the more exposed she became as a target.

Clenching her teeth and balling her fists, Alira rose from Xena's lifeless form and sprinted through the underbrush of the forest. The thin fabric of her dress tangled around her legs, forcing her to lift her skirts to run faster.

Then, something whizzed past her ear, and she whimpered as the arrow narrowly missed her head. She was uncertain of how far away the bandits were or how skilled they were at shooting, but adrenaline surged through her, propelling her to run faster than she ever had before.

But it wasn't enough. Growing up in the kingdom of light, she wasn't accustomed to navigating darkness. This wasn't her home, and the terrain was unfamiliar. Suddenly, her foot caught on something.

In the blink of an eye, she crashed painfully onto the hard forest floor. Pain shot through her nose from the impact, and her wrists throbbed as she tried to break her fall.

A groan escaped her lips as she rolled onto the cold grass, struggling to clear the stars dancing in her vision.

As heavy footsteps approached, she held her breath, her heart pounding loud enough to drown out the sound of someone nearing. Some starlight found its way through a break in the trees, revealing her assailant.

He was a figure shrouded in darkness.

Shadows seemed to cling to him, reaching out as if yearning to merge with his form. The shades stretched closer with every step he took.

All the air escaped Alira's lungs when he stepped into the beam of light cast by the stars above. Her heart raced, and she felt an overwhelming urge to flee.

A mountain of a man clad in shimmering black armor loomed over her motionless form on the ground. Sharp spikes jutting from his shoulders and a dark crown resembling tall spears fused into his helmet added to his menacing presence. The visage of the helmet evoked the unmistakable dread of being hunted by a faceless demon.

Yet, it was the fierce amber eyes glaring from the dark slits that sent a chill of fear coursing through her. His black armor unmistakably marked him as their enemy—the shadow gnomes had indeed found her.

However, it was the grotesque crown atop his helmet that revealed his true identity, and Alira needed no more than the tales of his bloody legacy to understand her perilous situation.

Hovering above her was the ruler of the dark gnomes, the King of the Thunder, Lord Calixto Dunmer, brandishing a blood-soaked sword.

Her family's sworn enemy stood ready to end her life.

"What's this I see?" a deep, sensual voice questioned from beneath the dark helmet. He stepped forward, and Alira instinctively scuttled back on her elbows, as if she had any chance of escaping. "Have I caught a little light gnome royal?"

Chapter 3

The mocking tone of his voice ignited a fire within her. It was as if he were a predator toying with his prey. Although fear consumed her, she managed to twist her face into a defiant sneer.

In the darkness, her vision was limited, but she knew the Dark King could see her clearly in the moonlight.

He sheathed his sword and crouched before her, mere feet away. Alira's instinct urged her to kick him, yet her body felt frozen, a cold sweat clinging to her skin.

"Now, tell me, what is a little creature like you doing so close to the border? Don't you know there are monsters lurking here?"

His growl dripped with mockery, and her heart sank as if it wanted to escape her chest. "You're the monster!" she spat defiantly.

"Hmmm, a feisty one," he replied, extending his gloved hand toward her. Instinctively, she slapped it away, only to elicit a chuckle from him, amused by her futile resistance.

In an instant, he grasped her left wrist, yanking her upward until she sat just inches from him. By the time Alira realized what he was doing, it was too late.

Her wrist was before his face, and those gleaming amber eyes scrutinized the white ink tattoo of a sun—the Totem family crest.

"A royal indeed," he remarked, releasing her arm. Now, she found herself awkwardly perched on the cold ground, far too close for comfort. Terror gripped her heart at the thought of what might happen next.

Moments stretched painfully long as he crouched in front of her, perhaps studying her. Alira closed her eyes, unwilling to meet the gaze of this monster. The sound of his steady breathing sent chills racing down her spine.

If the King of Thunder meant to kill her, she wished he would do it swiftly.

After a deep sigh, the king stood, prompting her to crack open an eye to peek at him. His helmeted head was turned back toward the direction from which he had pursued her—the carriage where her people had met their gruesome fate.

The thought ignited a fresh surge of white-hot rage within her. They were still on Mavis's lands, and these dark gnome creatures had attacked them.

A wave of courage surged through Alira, and before she fully realized her actions, she kicked out her foot, knocking the king's leg out from beneath him.

A stunned "huh" escaped him as his heavy, armored body crashed to the ground. Almost squeaking in surprise at his fall, Alira's body was already in motion.

Twisting away from the ground, Alira scrambled around the fabric of her dress to regain her feet. The dark gnome lay groaning, but she knew he wouldn't stay down long. She dashed through the trees as quickly as her limited visibility allowed.

She hadn't gotten far when she heard him curse and pull himself back up. It felt as though she was soaring above the earth in her desperation to escape and save her own life.

However, her progress was short-lived, for it wasn't long before she heard the heavy thud of his boots pounding behind her.

There was nowhere for her to hide or flee. He would track her down in the darkness, regardless of where she ran. A moment later, she sensed him right behind her. When a powerful hand seized her arm, she screamed—not out of surprise, but sheer terror.

"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to run from a wolf on the hunt? I might get eager and chase you down even harder," he snarled, yanking her around by her shoulders.

"Your comparison to a dog is spot on!" she shouted, spitting at his faceplate. The spit hit his armor, causing his head to jerk back. Instead of reacting with anger, he erupted into deep, guttural laughter, muffled by his metal mask, as he threw his head back in amusement.

Amidst his laughter, he suddenly swept her up and tucked her under his arm. In an instant, she was facing downward, her arms pinned to her sides as he carried her like a sack of potatoes.

"You've got quite the mouth for a royal," he rumbled, striding confidently through the dark woods, each step assured despite the night.

Struggling in his hold, Alira yelled, "Get your filthy hands off me!" The uncomfortable position only heightened her distress.

"You're from the Totem bloodline," he said in a flat tone, "but the capital is very far from here. I wonder what a royal is doing out here with just a small entourage. There's a city nearby, isn't there? Were you perhaps heading there? Or leaving?" His musings seemed more directed at himself than at her.

"Eat dirt!" she retorted, squirming with greater intensity beneath his grip. Her face flushed with anger as he laughed again. Then suddenly, he paused.

"What is that?" Alira couldn't see what he was referring to, her face pressed against the ground. Something in his voice made her still in his grasp, and a moment later, she heard the sounds of shouting and fighting nearby.

A glimmer of hope flickered within her; perhaps some of her guards were still alive and engaged in battle. There had been a Thunder soldier with a bow—might he have shot Nadine while the dark king advanced with just a sword?

Maybe the Mavis guards were overcoming their foes, and as they approached the scene of chaos around the carriage, there remained a chance for her rescue.

As Alira listened to a thunderous growl and the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart, a wave of nausea washed over her, and bile surged in her throat. There would be no rescue.

The creature engaged in battle was unlike anything she had ever encountered. An instinctual fear whispered to her that it was some kind of beast—perhaps one of the dark monsters that lurked in the north.

A man's anguished scream pierced the air, spurring them forward in haste toward the source of the horrifying sounds. "Beast hells," Lord cursed as he propelled them toward the beast and its unfortunate victim.

With a heavy thud, Alira found herself unceremoniously dropped onto the damp ground. As she shook her head to clear the disarray of her hair from her face, she realized they had been brought back to the treeline bordering the road. Her gaze initially landed upon the opulent carriage adorned with gas lamps along its roof, but her heart plummeted as her eyes were drawn again to the scattered corpses nearby.

What she saw next would haunt her nightmares for years to come. A long, feline creature with corpse-like pale skin was ripping into the lifeless body of a Thunder soldier among the other remains.

The sickening crunch and wet sounds of the creature's feast made her stomach churn.

"What is that?" Alira whispered to herself.