CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Armco was hard at work in his ice palace that he erected somewhere in the south polar continent of ice. He had made a deal with a mortal elf and become distracted with his plans. Armco chanted a spell to see what was transpiring with the daughter of King Solaris. He watched the conversation between the king and queen, now vampires and Eleanor and her companions transpire.

"This does not look good," Armco balked. He watched the battle begin on the main floor of the palace in the hall. He watched heads roll and elves fall. Blood spilled. The fight had become so intense that Armco was watching it play out and enjoying it.

"Whoops," he gasped and then waved his hand. Time seemed to slow down and then eventually stop. He reversed time back to just after the conversation with the king and queen and then whispered to the guards blocking the hall.

"Let them pass," Armco whispered with his divine power of influence. The guards let them pass. He saw Captain Jorus fast on the trail of the elves. Jorus was coming up after Sir Sendrick, Fauna, Valenor, and Annalisa when Armco spoke to him.

"Let them leave," his voice carried authority. Captain Jorus grew confused and allowed the elves to leave. Armco waved his hand and the image was gone.

"Well that was close," Armco scoffed. The god went back to work on his fortress and army.

*****

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" King Solaris yelled at his queen.

"I—I had Captain Jorus go detain them and bring Eleanor to us alive." Queen Elineth confessed.

"We are not evil! Why make us look the role?" King Solaris barked.

"You think we are not evil, but vampires are naturally evil. We feed upon the living." Queen Elineth argued.

"We don't have to live that way. We can feed on-," King Solaris began.

"Feed on chickens? I'd rather be dead than be forced to feed on livestock for the duration of my immortal life!" Queen Elineth roared.

"I can arrange that!" King Solaris said threateningly.

"You see? We are evil. You would never have responded that way before." Queen Elineth pointed out. She was right. He would not have. In fact, he did not defend against her assault when he could have. He allowed her to feed on him out of love. Now his hate for her was driving a wedge between them.

"I love you Elineth but I will not have you harm our daughter or her friends." King Solaris said sincerely.

"Then what should we do? The priests are against us. There are rumors of a coup." Queen Elineth cried.

"I will abdicate the throne. Our daughter will become queen of the city." King Solaris decided.

"And what of us?" Queen Elineth asked.

"We will find our place in this world together." King Solaris replied.

"Captain Jorus will not be welcome here anymore after his attitude towards Eleanor." Queen Elineth informed her king.

"He will be welcome to continue his duties and leave with us." King Solaris offered.

"I know that he does not care for Captain Fellis for some reason," Queen Elineth said playfully.

"He will have to get over whatever troubles him. Captain Fellis has more than proven himself to me and is in charge of keeping Eleanor safe." King Solaris decreed.

"I do not think Captain Jorus will appreciate your decision. I have a feeling he wants to kill Captain Fellis." She retorted.

"Why would he want to kill a fellow captain?" King Solaris asked in confusion.

"You would have to ask him." Queen Elineth replied.

"I will. He needs to be focused on his job or I will replace him." King Solaris warned.

"Should I summon for him?" Queen Elineth asked.

"That may be a good idea in case he causes any problems we cannot recover from with our daughter." King Solaris replied. The queen walked over to the door and opened it.

"Where is Captain Jorus?" She asked one of the royal guards. The two guards outside the door bowed.

"Your heinous, he went after your daughter." The guard replied. Queen Elineth grimaced. She closed the door and spun round to face the king.

"That sounds bad my dear," he said.

"You heard?" She asked.

"I have keen elven ears and those are enhanced by our vampire traits, so yes I heard quite easily.

"The sun is still out. What do you suggest?" Queen Elineth asked. King Solaris walked over to a mirror. He could not see his own reflection anymore. Others could see his reflection but vampires could not see there's or other vampire's reflections because they had no souls. He began chanting a spell and an image of Eleanor snuggling next to Annalisa on a bed appeared. Queen Elineth walked up next to her husband and looked upon the image of their daughter.

"Why is she embracing the elf maiden?" Queen Elineth asked curiously.

"That is our daughter's choice of lovers. Do you not approve?" King Solaris asked a little confused.

"I just never thought—how will we have grandchildren?" She gasped.

"That is not our concern. She has made her choice and I respect it." King Solaris said proudly. He may have lost his soul and become a creature of the night but he still had his views and beliefs.

"I have no problem with it. I only—well I am just a little surprised is all. I have a lot to catch up on apparently." The queen admitted.

"Then do not do anything that will drive our daughter away." King Solaris warned. The queen nodded in agreement.

"Where are they?" She asked.

"It appears to be a room somewhere in the Cathedral of the High Order." King Solaris said.

"How can you tell?" Queen Elineth asked in awe.

"The windows in the background have the insignia in the decorative glass pattern." King Solaris replied. He waved his hand and the image disappeared from the mirror.

"Now what?" Queen Elineth asked.

"We go to her as mother and father," King Solaris answered. He transformed into a cloud of gas and moved beneath the door of the sanctuary. Queen Elineth followed her husband's lead. She transformed into a gaseous cloud and they moved beneath the door and down the hall. The royal guards panicked as the gas moved past their feet. They moved through the hall to the privy and down into the sewers where they navigated the sewer tunnels and its maze of interconnecting tunnels. The king and queen eventually found their way to the sewer beneath the cathedral and entered the basement where they returned to their physical forms.

Rose and Fortuna lay on the floor of the large room licking their fur clean. Rustan's gear had been packed up and rested against a wall across the way. Annalisa and Eleanor snuggled one another on one of the bunks. Dog sat near the door like a guard on watch. The Vile sat on a bunk as did Fauna and Valenor. Sir Sendrick and Sir Fellis stood facing one another with their blades drawn.

"Are you ready?" Sir Fellis asked, Sir Sendrick nodded and lunged in with his enchanted bastard sword. He fought two-handed and focused on every movement and strike with the bastard sword. Sir Fellis used a single hand. He practiced extensively with the exotic sword to wield it one-handed. Their blades clashed. Sir Fellis felt the sting in his hand from the power behind Sir Sendrick' swings. Their blades cut the air with practiced movements of professional swordplay. They were equals in combat skill but each had a different style. Sir Sendrick backed Sir Fellis on his heels and forced him to use both hands. Sir Fellis reversed the momentum of the duel and had Sir Sendrick on the run. Now it was Sir Sendrick who felt the sting in his hands from the power behind each swing of Sir Fellis' blade clashing against his own. Sir Fellis pressed Sir Sendrick and he was forced to yield. It was Sir Fellis who proved the dominant practitioner with his two-handed power and control. Sir Sendrick was tired and his hands were sore.

"I am not the best swordsman," Sir Sendrick said displeased with his performance.

"Sir Sendrick. You must be ready to change your style to counter others. I stick with the one-hand so that I have a free hand for a shield if I was using one. I switch back to the two-hand style when hard pressed for its control and power. Take a rest and then try again in a bit." Sir Fellis coached. Sir Sendrick nodded and then sheathed his sword and turned to take his rest.

"Who's next?" Sir Fellis asked.

"I'll give it a shot," Annalisa said. She hopped up from the bunk leaving Eleanor alone to watch.

"Whenever you are ready," Sir Fellis said with a smile. Annalisa drew her enchanted scimitar and came in with near blinding speed. She was good! Sir Fellis deflected her strikes easily enough however. He quickly had her on the run. Annalisa reversed the momentum on Sir Fellis suddenly by drawing her rapier in her left hand and surprising the paladin with her two-handed style.

"You are paying attention I see," Sir Fellis chuckled. Annalisa smiled at the compliment as she backed him towards a wall. He had nowhere to go. Sir Fellis returned the smile and surprised Annalisa and everyone in the room. He slapped his sword out wide hitting both of Annalisa's blades and forcing them out wide turning her body and exposing her backside with her posture. He brought his sword back at her with and slapped her in the rear with the flat of the blade.

"You are amazing!" Annalisa gasped.

"Thank you. I've not had this much practice in years." Sir Fellis replied. Annalisa sheathed her blades and returned to Eleanor's side.

"Eleanor," Sir Fellis called.

"I need a lot more practice. I do not stand a chance against your skill." Eleanor admitted.

"This is your practice time then," Sir Fellis said. Eleanor rolled from the bunk and approached Sir Fellis. She drew her bow and notched an arrow in the blink of an eye with it trained at his head.

"Very good!" Sir Fellis said loudly.

"Isn't that cheating?" Annalisa teased.

"No Annalisa. In combat, we use whatever we have available to us. Honing our sword skills is always helpful but as she pointed out, she believes I am better in swordplay and rather than submit right away or take a beating she chose her strength with the bow to best me." Sir Fellis explained.

"Eleanor beat Sir Fellis." Valenor cheered.

"You are next Valenor," Sir Fellis teased wiping the smirk from Valenor's face. Valenor rolled form his bunk and grabbed his heavy crossbow thinking that Sir Fellis would submit. He did not. Valenor fired the bolt but Sir Fellis spun out of the way and it shattered against a stone wall behind him. Sir Fellis was upon him and had his blade poised at him.

"Now what? You cannot reload before I sever your head from your body." Sir Fellis warned. Valenor sprung in and slapped the sword out wide with his heavy crossbow before dropping it to the floor. Sir Fellis was pleased with eh heart and devotion of the monk. Knees and elbows came at him. He was not expecting such an assault.

"Very nice!" Sir Fellis said before reversing the momentum and using the flat of his blade to sting the monk repeatedly until he submitted.

"He is good!" Valenor said gasping for his breath. Valenor returned to his bunk to catch his breath.

"Fauna," Sir Fellis was getting tired from the looks of things. Fauna recalled how Eleanor had bested the paladin and tried the same tactics. She rolled off her bed with her bow poised at him.

"Well played!" Sir Fellis said. He preferred the swordplay but knew that a well-positioned archer with the proper skill would stop even the greatest of swordsmen. Fauna smiled and then returned to her bunk.

"Okay, one more for me and then I need to rest. The Vile, would you care to test your skills?" Sir Fellis asked. The Vile smiled wryly. He came in hard with his club. Sir Fellis felt the sting of the power behind the swing of the club against his sword. The power of the paladin's swing was absorbed by the club.

"Would you be offended if I suggested that you try out a sword?" Sir Fellis asked.

"Not at all. I've never held one before though." The Vile replied as they clashed.

"I think you would give me a run for my money if trained to use a sword properly." Sir Fellis said just before he turned and slapped the flat of his blade against the back of the Vile.

"I'm delighted that you are on our side," the Vile said with a smile.

"Thank you all for the practice." Sir Fellis said before sheathing his sword and retiring to his bunk. The others took turns sparring against each other to practice their swordplay. Sir Sendrick practiced over and over as Sir Fellis had taught him. Everyone noticed that the Vile was highly interested in nature and animals. He was fascinated with Fortuna and her kin. Eleanor was teaching him about things when she had time. He seemed to be interested in the druidic path. She had become his mentor of sorts. The sun was still in the sky but nearing the horizon and beginning to set. Sounds of shouting were heard in the halls outside their door. Sir Fellis and Sir Sendrick stood to their feet and grabbed their swords in an instant.

"I know they are here somewhere," Captain Jorus' voice was heard.

"This is a holy place captain." The priest yelled defiantly.

"I serve the king and queen, not the church." Captain Jorus growled. Sir Fellis opened the door to the room and revealed himself.

"What is the problem Captain Jorus? You allowed us to leave." Sir Fellis was curious. Captain Jorus smiled at his peer.

"Indeed. That was a unique experience. Where is your magic user again?" Captain Jorus asked.

"He is dead. Show some respect." Sir Fellis growled.

"I was ordered to detain the princess," Captain Jorus barked. The king and queen came walking up behind Captain Jorus just then.

"Your orders have changed captain," Queen Elineth yelled from down the hall. Captain Jorus heard the voice of the queen and turned to see her and the king in person.

"How are you here? The sun is still out." Captain Jorus asked in confusion.

"It was no easy task," King Solaris replied earnestly.

"I know things are confusing to you captain but I was still acclimating to my new life. We do not want to harm our daughter or her friends." The queen said as she walked up to the captain. Captain Jorus lowered his head in defeat. He hated Captain Fellis. Eleanor heard the voice of her father and mother and left her partner in bed. She ran out in to the hall to see her parents and stood behind Sir Fellis.

"What are you doing here?" Eleanor asked her parents.

"We have come to stop Captain Jorus from doing anything foolish." King Solaris replied.

"Captain Jorus put Captain Del up to the sabotage of Captain Fellis. He has a vendetta against him for some reason." Eleanor said as she recalled the captain's confession in the alternate reality. Captain Jorus spun around and glared at Eleanor.

"How do you know this? Are you a witch?" He gasped.

"You confessed to us in an alternate history where you killed several of my friends. The gods turned back time and altered it. You are an evil elf and you have no excuse such as vampirism to excuse you." Eleanor growled. Everyone looked puzzled.

"How do you remember this and we do not?" Captain Jorus asked knowing that something was off about their encounter earlier.

"That does not matter Captain! You are hereby stripped of your title and duties as captain of the royal guard. Pray I don't bring charges against you with the magister." King Solaris warned. Captain Jorus spun to face his king.

"Your majesty, the queen asked-," Captain Jorus began to say.

"The queen confessed what she asked and none of it was violent." King Solaris assured everyone.

"I would have let you turn me, and served as your personal protector for all eternity!" Jorus growled before walking past the king and queen. Jorus left the cathedral in a fit of rage.

"I want you all to know that everything may be different because of what we are but my love for you all will never change." King Solaris said with all honesty. Eleanor pushed past Sir Fellis and ran to her parents. She embraced them both in a tight hug. King Solaris and Queen Elineth hugged her back gently.

"I'm sorry I have not been there for you my daughter," the queen sobbed. Sir Fellis watched the interaction transpire. The king looked up at Sir Fellis.

"You have done well, Sir Fellis. I thank you." King Solaris said. Sir Fellis nodded.

"My king, Captain Jorus has a vendetta against me from long ago that has only been amplified since you made me his equal in the royal guard." Sir Fellis stated.

"What happened before?" The king asked as the hug ended.

"He bullied me in childhood training and my father saw him do it. My father put a stop to it only to have to deal with his father. My father bested his father in public view. He has hated me ever since." Sir Fellis explained their history.

"He is holding a childhood grudge?" King Solaris asked in surprise.

"Yes, your heinous." Sir Fellis replied.

"If he is that foolish then he might do something more drastic now that he is no longer captain of the royal guard." Queen Elineth suggested. A fearful thought popped into the mind of Sir Fellis.

"Blanche," Sir Fellis gasped and then took off running down the hall.

"Who is Blanche?" Queen Elineth asked.

"His wife," Eleanor answered before running back into her room to gather her things.

"What's going on?" Sir Sendrick asked as he watched Eleanor grabbing her gear.

"Everything is fine with my parents but Jorus might be going after the wife of Sir Fellis." Eleanor replied. Her friends all hopped up and grabbed their things. The companions all took off out the room and passed the king and queen.

"Is it safe for us to go out and help yet?" Queen Elineth asked.

"No, my love," King Solaris replied pointing at the dim sunlight still shining into the room ahead of them through the stained-glass windows.