Blood and Shadows

The silent hours of the night were shattered by the sudden and violent assault on the castle. Inside the royal chambers, King Mathias of Eastanzarth stood alone, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. He had known that peace was not a carrier pigeon that came every day when he became king, but he hadn't anticipated such an attack—one so swift, so brutal, that it caught the castle unprepared.

The air seemed to vibrate with the distant clash of steel, the cries of guards, and the frantic scurrying of servants. The king's heart pounded in his chest, his instincts kicking in. He had to protect his people, his family.

"Alaric!" he barked, his voice sharp as steel, cutting through the chaos. His trusted captain of the guard appeared in a flash, eyes wide with urgency.

"Your Majesty, the castle is under siege. Assassins have breached the walls. They're coming from every direction."

Mathias nodded grimly. "Gather the men. We'll defend the castle. We can't let them reach the royal family. They must be protected."

Without hesitation, Alaric saluted, his face hard with determination. "At once, Your Majesty."

The king, his armor gleaming in the dim light of the chamber, grabbed his sword and strapped it to his side. His movements were swift but deliberate. He had been in battles before, but this felt different—more personal. The castle was under attack, and though the enemy moved silently in the shadows, the weight of his responsibility felt even heavier than the sword at his side.

As he stormed out of the chamber, he glanced toward the hall. The air inside the castle had shifted; the usual quiet had been replaced by an atmosphere of impending doom. Guards rushed past him, their faces filled with fear, their hands trembling as they readied themselves for the battle ahead. There was no time for hesitation. The enemy was already inside, and there was no telling how long they would last.

Meanwhile, in the lower levels of the castle, Queen Celeste stood at the doorway to her chambers, her heart racing. Her children—Prince Elnar and Princess Heissa—stood behind her, wide-eyed with fear. She had heard the commotion outside, the noise of the attack, and instinctively, she knew something was terribly wrong. The castle was being overrun, and the royal family was in grave danger. But where was Queen Namia? And what of her daughter and son, Princess Liria and Prince Belin?

The queen swallowed hard, forcing herself to remain calm for the sake of her children. She turned to Elnar, her eldest son, who was already preparing for battle. "Elnar, you must stay close to me, and do not leave my side."

The boy nodded, but his face was pale, the fear evident in his wide, green eyes. "What's happening, Mother? Who is attacking us?"

"I don't know, my dear, but we will stay together. We will be safe, I promise."

Before she could finish, the door to the chamber slammed open, and a guard rushed in. "Your Majesty! The king has gone to the front lines. The attackers are inside the castle! We need to move quickly."

Queen Celeste's heart sank, but she forced herself to stay composed. "Get the children to the lower chambers," she commanded, her voice firm. "I will go to the king."

The guard hesitated. "Your Majesty, you cannot go alone. It's too dangerous!"

"I'm not alone," she replied, her voice unshaken. "I'll see to my husband. You take my children. Protect them with your life."

The guard nodded, though his face was filled with doubt. He quickly ushered Elnar and Heissa toward the hidden passage leading to the lower levels, where they would be safer. Queen Celeste's heart ached as she watched them disappear into the shadows. She knew that as long as they were safe, she could do what needed to be done.

But before she could leave, a loud crash echoed from down the hall. The door to the chamber burst open, and a shadowy figure appeared. With a swift movement, the intruder lunged at her, a sword raised. Queen Celeste barely had time to react, but her instincts kicked in, and she parried the blow with her own blade, which she had kept hidden beneath her dress. The assassin grinned, a cruel smile stretching across his face.

"You're brave, Your Majesty," he sneered. "But you won't last long."

"I won't die without a fight," Queen Celeste replied, her voice cold as ice. With a swift motion, she stabbed forward, her blade sinking into the assassin's side. He gasped, stumbling backward before collapsing to the ground. Queen Celeste stood over him, her chest heaving with exertion. She didn't have time to revel in the victory—there was more to be done.

The queen rushed through the corridors, her feet pounding against the stone floors. She had to find Mathias. She had to make sure he was still alive. The castle had become a maze of chaos, with guards fighting off intruders, and the distant sound of combats growing louder with each passing moment.

In the central hall, King Mathias fought valiantly, his sword flashing in the dim light. He had been injured in the shoulder by a sword strike, but his resolve remained unshaken. Blood soaked the fabric of his tunic, but he pressed on, determined to protect his people and his kingdom.

"Your Majesty!" Alaric shouted, rushing to his side as another wave of attackers descended upon them. "You're injured. You need to fall back!"

"No," Mathias growled, his grip tightening on his sword. "We cannot fall back. We will defend this castle to the end."

But as he swung his sword again, the pain from his shoulder became too much. The blood loss was beginning to take its toll. His movements slowed, and his grip weakened. A moment later, an assassin took advantage of the opening, landing a brutal blow to the king's side.

Mathias grunted in pain, falling to his knees. His vision blurred as the world around him spun. The castle, his home, was falling apart. The sounds of battle rang in his ears as he struggled to stay conscious.

"Father!" a voice cried from the shadows.

It was Elnar, the young prince, rushing toward him. Queen Celeste appeared beside him, her face stricken with fear. Her gaze fell upon the king's bleeding form.

"Mathias," she whispered, her voice breaking. "We must leave. We need to get you to safety."

But Mathias shook his head weakly. "No. The castle is ours. We will hold it. We will—"

He didn't finish his sentence. His strength gave out, and he collapsed into his wife's arms, the blood continuing to pour from his wound.

Queen Celeste cradled him in her arms, her heart heavy with the weight of what was happening. "Stay with me, Mathias," she pleaded, her voice full of desperation. But even as she spoke, the sounds of the castle being overrun grew louder.

Alaric appeared at the door, his face grim. "Your Majesty, we can't hold them off much longer. We must retreat. It's over."

Queen Celeste's face was pale, but her voice was firm. "No. We'll fight to the end."

But the castle, once a symbol of power and security, had already begun to fall. And with it, so too did the hopes of those who remained inside. The royal family's fate now lay in the balance. Would they survive the night, or would they be swallowed by the darkness of the invaders?