Fifty Three

We signalled the plan to each other: grab hostages and use them as shields, but we had to disarm them quickly, to avoid battle. We sat silently in the trees and waited for the army to enter our lane of fire. As we were getting ready to attack the soldiers, something started attacking Joan.

    Something was bothering her and making her loud. It, whatever it was, managed to knock Joan off her balance and out of the tree. I instinctively jumped down to check on her and George, Donatello, and Nathaniel dropped down to cover us. The thing that was bothering her was moving so quickly that I couldn't tell what it was.

    I reached out and touched it for a split second, but it was enough for me to recognise it. It was the message bird we had sent. Joan let it settle down on her shoulder and it evaporated into golden dust as soon as it did. When it did, I ran towards the soldiers and pronounced my royal title to them.

    One soldier walked up to me and told me to prove it, but I can't prove who I am. He told me that I was under arrest for impersonating a royal/noble, but then someone came out of a carriage and asked about the situation. It was John.

He embraced me when he saw me and even the guard in the head for questioning me. He said that he and Sarah arrived at the rendezvous point three weeks prior. When we didn't show after two days, they left for Artica. The rest of the guard bowed to me and they remained bowing as another person rose from the carriage. My sister, Elizabeth.