Shadows

*POV* Coral Sparks

I flopped down on the bed, heaving a sigh. "I can't wait for this week to be over with." I said into the soft blankets. "What was that?" I heard Randall say from his chair where he was reading a book on the history of this world.

I sat up and turned to him, repeating my statement. "I agree." He smiled before going back to his book.

It was late in the afternoon and we were waiting for dinner to be announced. "What has got you so interested in history all of a sudden?" I asked him, going to look over his shoulder.

"I guess I figured I should know a little something about what has happened here." I nodded. "Only really big event I remember was when Elesor and Hilldren was at war, but that ended when I was 4." He shrugged.

"Did you know that a lot of people have left the mainland and have taken to the sea to find new land?" I shook my head. "No, but I am not surprised. Elesor and Hilldren are to very large kingdoms."

I stepped away from him as Lula started crying, and the smell of smoke filled the room. As I rounded the bed I fell to my knees at the sight of Samuel holding onto Lula's dress with fire in his hand, the small wooden block in Lula's hand dropped.

I took Samuel's hand and pressed it against mine as I whispered a spell, extinguishing his fire. Having children was easy enough, but trying to control their growing powers was going to be a bit different.

Samuel started to cry, ruffling his hair. I picked up the block and handed it back to Lula then turned away after putting a different one in Samuel's hand. They quieted after a second and started to play again.

There was a loud knock on the sitting room door leading to the hall. I opened it to find two young maids with arms full of blankets. "We came to tell you, dinner is ready." I smiled, they curtsied and rushed off.

The dining room was full with all sorts of people dressed nicely. As soon as I entered the chatter that I could hear outside the door stopped and everything was eerily silent.

A servant standing by the door bowed, then announced us. "Her majesty Queen Coral." I stepped forward holding Lula close. "His highness Randall Franklin." As I passed them the crowd bowed and curtsied.

A servant let us to a table at the back of the room. Dixie, Pip, Clay and Cassy sat there already. Andrew wasn't there. I sat, Randall slipped into the chair next to me.

He looked around nervously. Pip took Lula from me and I turned to give Randall a smile before taking his hand under the table.

"We are glad you could make it!" Clay grinned, as the room became noisy with chatter once again. "Me too. Where is father?" An odd look crossed Clay's face before he smiled. "He wasn't feeling well, so he is resting." I wondered at his look, but nodded.

When we were finished we headed out to walk in the garden. Clay had his arm wrapped around Cassy's waist as he talked with Randall, their obvious companionship left no doubt in my mind that they were in love.

I took Randall's hand and looked up into the muddy gray sky listening to their conversation. "Hilldren was make over a hundred years ago, before that there was 5 kingdoms on the mainland. Hilldren was split up 3 times and Elesor twice." Clay was telling him.

Movement in an oak tree a couple steps in front of us caught my eye. I stared at the spot and my heartbeat quickened as I saw it again. A man was up in that tree watching us.

I squeezed Randall's hand and pulled him down to whisper in his ear. "We have someone watching us…" his back straightened, but he smiled at me. "Are you sure?" He whispered back. I nodded.

Someone pulled at my sleeve, and I turned to see Pip, she motioned to Lady Grace, who curtsied sweetly, her long brown hair falling around her shoulders. She pushed it behind her ears and smiled.

"I am glad you are back, your majesty." I sighed, hugging her quickly before pulling back, this was not time for hugging. "Thanks." There was a shout, and I turned to see we were surrounded by a couple dozen men dressed fully in black.

"Who are you!?" Clay called to them. I pushed forward till I was standing beside him. "We are the shadows.." I stared at them. "We have come for our revenue!" The man who was speaking had a voice that was airy, almost like he wasn't real.

"We have done nothing to you!" I called out. "Have you not?" there as an echo of high pitched chuckles. "You dirt, stoll our master and brought him into this world then you killed his father." I was lost. I couldn't tell what he was even talking about.

"What master? What is his name?" I asked in a loud voice, fighting to make it sound strong. "Leonurus! He is the master of shadows, the master of darkness."

"And how did we take him?" The man chuckled again. "You are one to talk, greedy woman, you are the one who stole him!." He pointed at me.

"What is he talking about, is he from that other world?" I shook my head. "Your cursed spells, you try to deny it!" I stepped forward away from the huddled group behind me.

"I have never messed with the darkness!" He stared at me. "You are the one that took him away through birth." It hit me and I flinched, the baby! "I don't know where he is." I finally said after a second.

He laughed. "You are a dumb human miserable and dishonest. We will find him after we kill you!" On clue the others produced long swords made of black metal from under their cloaks.

A wall of water shot up in front of me as they jumped forward towards me. I stumbled backwards, Randall was beside me taking my arm.

Around us the others fought. Cassy was holding one back with a fire and wind. Clay stood beside us holding the twins. "This is Magnur's doing! It has to be." Clay grumbled, his eyebrows pulled down.

Pip was fighting with a dagger of flames. Dixie was standing with a straight face as 4 ladies crowded around her like she was a shield, her face a mix of pissed out and fearful.

I saw the man walking towards me and I straightened my shoulders. "I told you I don't-." He was in front of me in a second, a sword ready to stab through my heart.

Randall pulled me out of the way, the blade just missed my shoulder. I was frozen with fear, more or less my lips trembling, my mind numb.

"Snap out of it!" Randall shouted in my face, before he winced in pain as the blade cut his arm leaving a red stain that was slowly growing bigger. As he grabbed at his wound I whispered a spell and met the blade head on with a shield of ice.

Then I threw balls of ice at him. I wasn't trained in sword fighting or any combat for that matter.

Curing my dumbness for not training with Pip and Dixie I ran forward trying to get a hold on the man. He bogged and managed to cut my hand, I pulled back in pain. But as he reached for me, I sent a sheet of ice out over the stones of the path, he lost his balance and I took the opportunity to slide forward and touch him.

He froze, his body turning into ice. A sword slammed down on the ice, shattering it. I looked up with a grateful smile at Cassy.

A lightning strike defended me momentarily as the other 4 men standing where hit, my vision blurry from the force of the light.

The battle was over, my hand throbbed with pain, Lula and Samuel were crying. I felt like crying too, as I began to sway with dizziness.

"We should get you to bed." Dixie said, coming to hold on to my shoulders. I hummed in reply.