Prelude To A Massacre Part1

Footsteps could be heard pacing back and forth in the throne room. In fact, it seemed everywhere in the palace was in a hectic state. Servants and even guards frantically prepared for the three nights of festivities that would begin shortly. From the throne room, Lord Gerald became impatient.

"Syra!!! Syra!! Where did that girl get off to? Gretchen, go find Syra. The banquet will begin at sunset, make sure she's ready!"

A young girl, age fourteen, stopped her chores and replied, "Yes my lord," and quickly scurried out as Gerald went back to stroking his beard deep in thought.

Outside in the palace grounds, soldiers were doing drills as more servants were setting up for the arrival of countless guests. Gretchen rushed out of a service door into the yard where the soldiers were training. She ran up to a young guard, Captain Charlie Miles. She whispered in his ear.

"That's easy enough. She's on the roof of the tower watching people gather into the city, unless she decides to come down not much anyone can d-" Captain Miles replied before being interrupted by Gretchen.

"Captain Miles, how are you so calm? She needs to-." Just then a flash of light and a brief gust of wind stopped Gretchen in her tracks. She smiled and turned slowly at first then rather fast. Quickly she snatched the little girl floating behind her by the ear and dragged her inside. "Sorry to bother you Captain Miles," Gretchen smiled at him as the door closed.

Syra was screaming at her the whole time, "I will turn you into… into into..."

"Into what? Anything you turn me into is better than this. Besides, who is going to help you get ready for your big 10th birthday weekend, your highness? I can't braid your hair as a goat, now can I?".

Syra smiled, "Monkeys can braid hair. I'll turn you into a monkey hehehe."

Gretchen replied while she got the young lady dressed and cleaned up, "Well hurry up and do it. I might be able to get a date tonight at the very least." The girls continued to joke as they prepared for the night. 

…Meanwhile...

            A small group of armed horsemen galloped hastily through the woods and over hills, rushed towards a narrow pass that led to the top of a small mountain.

"We must get to the Beacon and signal the army." The dust behind them got thicker and nearer as a large force approached hastily on their trail. Three of the five men stopped their horses and signaled the others ahead at the mouth of the pass, hoping to use the narrow incline to slow the pursuers.

"We're gonna fuck'n die," one rider cries out to the other.

"Of course, we are, but not before that beacon is lit."

Just then a volley of crossbow bolts sunk into them both from ahead. As the first rider fell off his horse, he looked back to find that the others were already dead. The soldiers chasing them circled around their commander, who let a hawk into the air with a letter attached to its foot. 

.....

"We still have not heard back from our scouts. It has been three days since we heard word of anything from the northern villages. However, I am sure everything is fine. No beacons have been lit." Captain Miles worriedly explained as Gerald stroked his beard and made his reply.

"Miles, that's what concerns me. No birds, no beacons, no travelers. I don't want to alarm the citizens. It's best for them to be inside the palace walls if the city comes under siege. I want you to start preparing for the worst while putting on a good face for our guests. Guards send Syra in now!!"

The doors opened and little Syra rushed in clumsily with Gretchen trailing behind trying to calm the hyper little girl.