//------------------------------// // Bad News // Story: Into That Wild Blue Yonder // by CptBrony //------------------------------// The young man descended into the castle tower and immediately started making his way back to the princess. He would go to the King in a bit, but making sure she was okay was the priority. She was a nice girl; there was no reason for her life to be so hectic. Except that she was a princess. The guards and castle staff the young man passed stepped aside for him when they saw him coming. The guards stood at attention, some saluting him and staring straight ahead. The staff members kept their heads down, as if they expected the young man to strike them or something. Weird. After a brisk walk, the young man was once again at the door to the princess’s quarters. When he pushed on the door, it only opened a couple of inches before jerking to a halt and sending the young man walking face-first into it. “Agh,” he said. “What’s in there?” the young man asked. “Oh, sorry, human,” a voice said from the other side. The door opened all the way, revealing a guard on the other side. “We were keeping the room secure until the situation resolved itself.” The young man walked in. The princess was sitting on the edge of her bed with Colm, holding his left foreleg like it was her lifeline. There were several guards in the room securing every possible entrance, buzzing about and looking through everything. The princess looked notable uncomfortable “The situation is resolved now,” the young man said. “Yafid has been apprehended and it’s safe again. You can leave.” “Sir, we feel we should stay until-“ “Get out.” The young man added a hint of finality to the statement, shutting the guard up and sending him out with a series of nods. Once the guards were gone, Nikita let out a breath she had been holding for what felt like forever. She visibly relaxed without the guards in the room, practically melting in front of her personal guardsman and guardspony. “I’m glad that’s over,” Nikita said. The young man nodded. “What did he want with me?” The young man looked to Colm with conflicted eyes. He should probably tell her that Yafid was after him, not her, and that this didn’t mean she was safe, just that the young man was a little bit safer. Colm shrugged, leaving the decision to him. “He was after me, not you,” the young man said. Nikita looked at him with confusion. “I killed his ‘friends’; his merc crew; so he came after me.” “Oh,” Nikita said. “No worries, the biggest threat to anyone’s safety is gone now,” the young man said. “A dozen or so guards had him when I left the roof. He’s probably in a cell now.” “That’s good,” Nikita said. “I’ll have to pay him a visit,” the young man said. “Be careful,” Colm warned. “Ya never know what tricks he’s got up his sleeve.” “I can take him,” the young man said dismissively. “I’ve done it twice now.” “True enough,” Colm said. “We should go see the king soon.” “I agree,” the young man said. “Nikita, when do you feel like you’ll be ready to move?” “I can move now,” Nikita said. “Great, let’s go,” the young man said. The trio got up and left to go see Nikita’s father. The castle was still on high alert, so guards were running all over the place, but they always made way for the princess when they spotted her. They typically took up sentry positions along the walls, scanning everywhere for possible threats. The young man wasn’t worried; not like Yafid had any friends any more; so he made sure everyone saw his confidence in his walk. Colm just stayed right beside the princess the whole way, making it clear that he was the final obstacle for anyone to try and bust through to get at her. He knew just as well that she was perfectly safe now, but it was more about keeping up appearances for the duo at this point than anything else. The young man never expected to be doing HVI protection, and even though the threat was gone, it was proving to be an interesting experience. When the trio made it to the king’s quarters, Nikita threw the doors open and was greeted by a hail of spears pointed her way. Colm and the young man jumped to her sides, but the spears were down by order of the king already. “Nikita!” the king exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace his daughter. She met him half-heartedly. “Are you alright, my daughter?” “I’m fine, father,” Nikita said. She was still somewhat shaken up. “You!” King Yakesh said, pointing at the young man. “You apprehended that scoundrel, Yafid. I can never repay you for what you did.” “No need to,” the young man said. “Didn’t have a choice, you sort of pressed us into service…” The young man forced a smile. “All in a day’s work for us.” “So humble,” Yakesh said. “The ideal warriors, you two are.” “Simply trying to be better each day,” Colm added. Yakesh laughed. “I don’t know how anyone COULD be better than you two are!” Yakesh said. Colm grinned. “This capture is proving to be more bountiful by the second, too.” “Oh?” the young man said. “Indeed,” Yakesh said. “Yafid has made claims, backed up by evidence, that he already took out several spies and assassins in his attempt to kill YOU. Something about a personal vendetta. Not only did you save my daughter from HIM, but we’ve obtained information that is, as we speak, leading to the capture or killing of several more enemy agents.” “Wow,” the young man said. “That’s, uh, a really solid victory for us. Double win.” “Indeed,” Yakesh said. “Unfortunately, though, some of the information is less than positive.” “Why’s that?” Colm asked. “In two days time, one of my rivals, Vladimir, is going to invade and lay a surprise siege to the city,” Yakesh explained. The young man gulped down his next sentence and listened further. “Not so much a surprise now, but nonetheless, a serious problem.” “I’ll say,” Colm said. “Indeed,” Yakesh said. “You two will have the key job of protecting my daughter from the invading army. They will likely send platoons of griffons after her and myself, but I’m confident in your abilities.” Platoons. That’s what he said. Platoons. Groups of up to thirty guys. They wouldn’t be able to take half a platoon, let along a single full one or multiple. This would be a death sentence. The young man looked to Colm, who looked back. They both knew they weren’t looking to die in someone else’s war this week. But if they tried to tell him no, they’d be killed. “How big is this army?” Colm asked. “Twice the size of ours, I’m afraid,” Yakesh said. “But we have the advantage of information and intimate knowledge of the city. It’s harder to take a city than to defend one.” “Is that really true for griffons?” the young man asked, earning a curious look from all parties. “I know it’s true for ground forces, but with flying adversaries, it seems like it would just become a battle inside the city.” “It does,” Yakesh said. “But knowledge of the city makes all the difference.” “Sounds like a load…” Colm thought. “Alright,” the young man said. “We’ll keep Nikita nearby at all times and establish defense protocols. You and your guys focus on what you’re good at.” “Defending the city,” Yakesh said with a smile. “Alright, let’s get to it!” Colm and the young man took Nikita back to her room in silence. Nikita looked at both of them with worry; they both had concerned looks. Was she safe? Would this battle be the end? When they entered her room and shut the door she ran up to the young man and grabbed his wrist. “What is going to happen to me?” she asked, tearing up. “Is it going to be okay? Tell me it is!” The young man sighed. “I can’t tell you that, because I don’t know.” “Nikita, this is serious,” Colm said. “This battle is gonna be heavy if the enemy force is as big as your father said.” “So?” she said. “You guys are able to protect me, right?” “Not against platoons,” the young man said. “Our best bet is to leave.” “Leave?” Nikita said. “We can’t just leave!” “And why the hell not?” the young man said. “If all goes well, we come back. It’s that simple.” “If royalty runs away, its legitimacy is gone,” Nikita said. “Baloney,” Colm said. “It ain’t worth dyin’ fer.” “I… I… UGH!” Nikita ran to her bathroom in distress, terrified of the future that awaited. Colm and the young man let her run in and shut the door so they could talk privately without her. They would need to discuss how to get the hell out of this whole ordeal if they wanted to survive to the end of the week, and the sooner, the better. Hopefully, they wouldn’t find themselves in a worse position than they were already in.