She turned back towards him and kissed him quickly on the lips. The kiss took him by surprise and his grip loosened from her wrist. She framed his chiseled scruffy looking face in her hands before whispering
“I’m sorry,” and she ran towards General’s side before he could grab her.
It had worked.
She stood mere inches in front of Deleav and her heart ached for the man. His eyes were swollen shut and the blood was beginning to dry. This was all her fault. She had to right this once and for all. She looked at the General, then turned around to see Marlon.
He had not moved from his position. He stood there wide stanced, waiting. She turned back to the General who was once again appraising her in that disgusting fashion he had done when she was
“That’s right. Let the news sink in.” He continued. “No one is coming to your aide. You have no choice now but to concede to me and my will. I will be King if Zuff and you will be my Queen, and I will have the Jewel.”“Never !” She yelled and he backhanded her hard.The swift, hand motion made her fall back onto her leather seat. She rubbed her cheek.“Get up. Act like royalty for god’s sake.”She quickly righted herself in her seat and looked down at her lap. Marlon was dead. The only other person who was her ally no longer existed. She was alone in this world now and the fate of her life rested in her own hands. It took everything she had not to burst into tears.
Marlon knew he did not survive the arrows the General had sent in his direction, and from the look of his surroundings his assumption had been correct. He was shocked to see he was wearing nothing but a white linen loincloth with a gold belt and white sandals on his feet. Marlon stood in a long hall supported by gigantic gold columns. It all appeared to be floating in white matter, which he noticed was bright but not blinding. He saw at the far end of the hall a young boy with green skin sitting on a golden throne. He was Royalty. Standing on the left side of the large golden throne was Zuff’s late Ruler, Queen Bihadlly, Flossina’s mother. He slowly turned around and noticed he was surrounded by forty-two other beings, who looked and dressed similar to the young King. They were seated on benches that spanned the length of the room. They sat motionless, unseeing and unfeeling, only
“You are in the afterlife.” She answered simply and continued, “You did not survive. Neither did your friend. My brother would like to help you.”“Who is your brother?”She stepped aside and his line of vision was again directly staring at the solemn faced boy King that sat on the gold throne.“He is King Osiris, Lord and Ruler of the Afterlife, the Underworld, and the dead.”He noticed Queen Bihadlly stood by the god Kings side looking stoic, and he felt compelled to go to her.He felt terrible now for not believing Flossina when she had told him she had spoke with her mother before. He recalled he had brushed it off as nonsense and made her feel like she was going mad because
“I humbly accept your offer King Osiris.” He knelt in front of the King then.That gesture pleased Osiris and he could hear the applause and howls from the other deities and gods that sat in the room looking on.Khepri was still at his side. She was quiet and intently watching the exchange between her brother and the mortal man.“Arise.” King Osiris said, and Marlon did as he was commanded. “Queen Bihadlly believes in you, and if she does, then so will I.” With those words he was gone.Khepri turned to him then and he watched as she held her hands out in front of her with her palms facing upward. A golden glow encased them and faded. In its place sat a small, thick, golden book.
He heard King Osiris’ booming voice then. “Your first trial in the Hall of Justice.”He watched as a large, muscular, Egyptian soldier made of pure gold walked forward holding a spear and shield in his hands. Marlon felt like he was at a definite disadvantage. They stared into each other’s eyes as they slowly began circling each other. Marlon didn’t know if his weapons would work. He had never fought someone made out of pure gold. The drums beat sped up faster and faster and faster until they stopped. In a split second the gold soldier swung his strong muscular arm forward, launching his spear in Marlon’s direction. With lightning speed reflexes Marlon moved out of the way. The spear lodged inside the ground where he had been once standing. The golden soldier let out a battle cry that seemed to enlive
He heard a singular clap. He turned around and looked in that direction to find it was King Osiris himself clapping for him. Seconds later everyone else followed suit and began to clap for him. The King held up his hand and the arena was gone and once again he was standing beside Khepri and King Osiris in front of another gate.“The second trial. The desert of Sorrow.” He continued.“You are special Marlon. I can see why the beautiful Queen Bihadlly chose you for her daugter.” He walked back to his throne. Once he was situated. He held up his hand again and this time the gate opened.Marlon felt like he was getting closer to the Princess with each task he accomplished this was the second one, and he hoped he would be able to face whatever came his way. For both of their sake…
The trip back to castle Meadowbrooke had taken half a day’s ride. They had rode fast and hard, arriving at the castle when it was night, and in half the time it usually took to arrive there. Her home seemed so foreign to her now. It seemed darker and less magical than it had been when she was just a little girl growing up here. The carriage ride had been a silent one. The General had made sure she was uncomfortable the entire trip by staying stretched out inside of the small, confined space, and using the majority of her seat as a footrest for his dirty boots. To avoid them she had to sit to the far right of her seat. Cramped in a corner of the carriage.Shortly after arriving home the General, along with his guards, escorted her to her Royal chambers. She noticed two large soldiers standing in front of her doors. The General wasn't taKing an
He let her go and walked out. She watched them all follow after him. She felt the nervous knots in her stomach relax once she heard the last soldier shut her chamber doors. She finally exhaled, not realizing she had been holding her breath this entire time. With the room being so full she hadn’t noticed her lady’s maid. She stood by her hope chest against the wall across from where Flossina stood. She thought the General was joKing. All she saw was a young girl with a long raven black braid pinned into a bun atop her head. She looked no more than thirteen.“You are my lady’s maid? ” Flossina asked her. She had already knew the answer but she tried to keep the attention off her. She felt enraged and numb. This was a child, and Marlon had only been protecting her. General Torunn w