6 VI~Alzar and Malla~

~I've looked that old scoundrel death in the eye many times but this time I think he has me on the ropes.(Douglas MacArthur)~

Soon I pull up to the grand castle. It's been so long since I walked these halls. I look at the gothic style stone walls. The gargoyles are everywhere and they look menacing but that doesn't bother me. With a reluctant sigh I grab my bags and exit the car. The moment I close the door I feel a gust of warm wind wrap around my body which is quickly followed by a deep, thunderous voice, "Lady Islanzadi, we are happy to have you home again."

I turn to see a man just two inches taller than me with grey skin, long black hair, sharp teeth, and leathery wings standing about ten feet away. "Goliath." A large smile breaks across my face.

The large gargoyle smiles, showing his sharp, white teeth, as he holds his arms open wide. With tears in my eyes I run into the familiar embrace. Immediately his large hand goes to the back of my head as he holds me close. "We have protected and cleaned the castle in hopes that you would return." His voice turns into a whisper, "You haven't forgotten us, my queen."

"Of course not!" I pull out of his embrace and greet the others as we walk inside the castle. "The rest of the council will be arriving later tonight."

Goliath's eyes widen, "You... then what's so wrong in the world?"

"You will learn of it later. As of now let us relax and enjoy each other's company."

~*~*~*~

I follow close behind my mother with my hands behind my back. My mother stops and turns to me. "Islanzadi, I have someone I want you to meet."

My mother's melodic voice sounds through the stone entrance of our castle. "Mumma I told you I wish you would stop setting me up with bachelor's. I do not wish to wed."

My mother shakes her head, letting out a tsk noise. "You are twice fourteen. If you do not hurry and wed I may never have grandchildren and you never an heir. You cannot simply think of your heart, though I want you to love your husband, you need to think of our kingdom. But today it is not a suitor I want you to meet."

I shake my head, causing my knee-length black locks to sway around me, as my mother turns away. She opens the doors to reveal a young man. His skin is the same grey as the stone that makes up this castle. His silken, shoulder-length, jet-black hair blows in the light breeze. He is well built in the way of a seasoned warrior. He is covered only by a loincloth and large, leathery wings protrude from his back. "Hello, my lady." The man bows with a smile, showing sharp, fang-like teeth. "I am Goliath the first."

As he straighten to his full height I notice that his eyes are a bright yellow. "Hello Goliath."

I turn my gaze to my aging mother, "Goliath is the leader of the last remaining gargoyles. He comes seeking protection, I said he would have to speak with you. You are soon to be queen."

"Of course you can stay here but I have a price."

Goliath nods as though he was expecting it. "And that would be?"

"I simply ask that you protect the castle." It was a small price but asking this would tell me if I could trust him or not.

A small smile appears on his face, "We will protect this castle and its queen."

From then on that is what he did. He protected the castle and my family until mumma fell gravely ill. Mumma fell ill during a time where Father and I were out defending the borders. There was nothing Goliath could do to keep her alive, he tried.

Father and I came home victorious but when we entered the castle all joy of victory vanished as the dark gloom of grief settled over us. We knew that mumma had passed and from there Father fell into despair. Had it not been for Goliath I too would have fallen into insanity right alongside my father. Goliath and I got closer during the last years of my father's life. As Father grew closer to death I grew closer to the people of my kingdom until one night I was swept away from my gardens by a young man.

The man's intentions were anything but pure. "Come on! You can't care about those inhuman creatures! You know what they can do so why won't you tell me how to kill them?" The man growls as he paces back and forth in front of me. He's been at this for the last week. If I don't tell him he tortures me in one way or another. As queen I have been taught to withstand torture but that is easier said than done. "You are the only ruler either dimwitted or brave enough to befriend the supernaturals. I know that you know their secrets. Their weaknesses, their strengths, how to kill them."

The thought of betraying my allies was simply preposterous but I have an idea of how to end this. "Who do you want to know about?"

A smile spreads across the man's face as he pulls a chair over to sit in front of me. "Start with your guard... what the hell are they and spill everything."

Staring at the man I hide a smile of my own. "They are gargoyles. They are guardians and fierce warriors. Their skin is impenetrable, it's as hard as stone." Feigning a sigh I shake my head, "They can fly, they are extremely strong, they have sharp teeth and talons, and..."

"And how do I kill them?" Eager, the man leans forward, "What are their weaknesses?"

Feigning panic and fear I scream my lies at him, "They don't have any! Didn't you hear with I just said?!" In the sunlight they turn to stone. Our castle is never touched by the sun and neither is the village around it so we don't have to worry. No one knows their secret either, just e. Not even my sickly father knew.

The man stands, throwing the chair against the wall. "Damn it all! I bet they are all like this, aren't they?!"

He screeches in my face and I simply sigh in content with my victory but I am quick to cover it as though it were sarrow. "Of course they are. How else do you think they have lived for so long?"

I watch as the man continues to throw profanities about before falling eerily silent. He turns to me with a strange smile on his face, "They do have a weakness."

In confusion I shake my head as my brows draw together, "You heard what I said... they don't."

"They do though. The little human queen they've befriended will be their downfall." As he said this he took up a whip and started at me.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into years. Fifteen years I was tormented by this man and never once did I break. I have tried to escape many times in these past years but I failed every time. Recently I have been working at my chains again, softening the metal. Soon I'll be able to leave this place and see my friends once more. I'll be able to rule again. I wonder if I was missed. My kidnapper did not give me any information on the outside world... They probably think me dead.

The moment the heavy wooden door of my cell opened I shielded my eyes from the bright light and scrambled into a corner. He will try to beat me but the moment he does I'll break the chains and show him how a warrior fights. I hear light footsteps and I know instantly that they do not belong to jailor. Who could it be? He doesn't let anyone in here and all my guards have heavy footfalls.

Removing my hand from in front of my eyes I try to make out who the mystery man it. The light scent of vanilla makes itself known as the man crouches in front of me. "I am not going to hurt you little kitten."

I've heard that voice before... it's been so long... it can't be it's him! He's messing with my head! I let out a feral growl as the man moves closer. Moving quickly I lung at the man, breaking my restraints and locking my hands around his throat. The man makes no move to stop me or to defend himself. I knocked him on his back, revealing his face in the light.

I gasp and scramble off him only to embrace the older gentleman. "I always call you kitten but I never knew about those claws or teeth." A deep rumble moves through his chest as he laughs. Releasing him I glance at my hands to find that there are, in fact, claws protruding from my fingertips. "Let's get you out of this place then we can worry about what you are. Come now kitten." As I stood for the first time in ages I am forced to lean against the hemophage king to keep from toppling over. With a sly smile he lifts me so that I am cradled to his chest. "Rest kitten."

With that soft request I lay my head against his chest and let the night air wrap me in a soothing blanket. I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep. I haven't slept well in fifteen years but the moment I got out of that place sleep took me.

"I don't know what he did to her but she is not human anymore... if she ever was." I hear the deep voice of the hemophage king through the fog of sleep. "Can anyone tell what she is?"

A feminine voice answer his question, "A dragon could but... we don't have any willing to speak with us." Unlike the other supernaturals that I got to sign a treaty with me the dragons refused. They stick to themselves most of the time so I never thought twice about their refusal.

I open my eyes only to close them as I growl at the bright light. "Hurry shut off the lights!"

I feel a cool, wrinkled hand touch my cheek, "You can open your eyes now."

I let my eyes flutter open only for the spell weaver to jump and cover her mouth as she gasps in shock. "What is it?"

The hemophage questions from somewhere behind me, "Her eyes..."

This one phrase scared me. What about my eyes? Goliath comes into view as someone voiced the same question that ran through my head. Goliath's eyes widen in shock. "She's a banshee..."

"I'm a what now?" My voice held multiple tones to it, making me sound as if many people said the same thing all at once.

"Yup, she's a banshee but how?"

"Banshee can only be born if one parent was one meaning the late queen had an affair with Alzar and he never knew about Islanzadi."

"Alzar?" I had learned much about the supernaturals while I was making alliances but Alzar never came up.

"Alzar and his wife, Malla, were the last living banshees. Malla was unable to conceive so in an attempt to keep the race alive Malla allowed ALzar to sleep with other women. Many conceived but the babes and mothers all died. You, somehow, slipped through. We knew your mother slept with him but we thought she had been impregnated by the human king she has married. You haven't shown any signs because you were not of age. Now we need to teach you everything we can."

"Why can't Malla or Alzar teach me?"

"They died shortly before you were born." Everyone bowed their heads in silent respect and mourning of the fallen banshees.

"Thinking of it she is already fulfilling a banshee's job... part of it at least. SHe had already started bringing peace between us again before she was captured."

"You're correct but she needs to learn everything." SIghing I sit back. This should be fun. As years passed I learned more and more. I watched many friends and neighbors pass. The hemophage king I now call friend is the great grandson of the one I made the first alliance with.

The world has been destroyed and mad anew at least three times since my childhood and it turns out Goliath was only about three when I first met him.

Gargoyles grow in intelligence, maturity, and body to that of a full grown adult in two years of living. It's odd to think that I am that much older than him. What is even harder to understand is that he's died over and over again and has come back as his own son so really I am older than everyone I know by centuries, excepting maybe Abaddon. Goliath dies every hundred years or so and is remade within the next three years. He doesn't remember anything, aside from me, so I have to teach him all over again each time. I am a lot like his mother now.

Abaddon is the only one slightly close to my age and I may be older than him. It is nice to be back in the castle.