chapter 40

Princess Eleanor went to Ms. Monica's lifeless body which lay by a side and her shard head scattered abroad. Her blood flooded the whole placed. There was no way she would have survived such heartlessness. Her life was indeed claimed by the incident. Eleanor wept. Every one of them pitied her ill fate. Especially her workers.

That night general Frederick relieved the workers after Ms. Monica was laid to rest at the back of the house in her small garden. Some of these workers insisted that they shall stay.

The general didn't object. He left them to their fate. When he turned his eyes he saw that, they were so many knights around.

The troops duke Williams came with, remain. They didn't want to return to the palace so that Duke Williams shall not required their head from them.

The general insisted that they must go. Not to the palace but to theirs homes and start afresh. He can't keep all of them. He send them away yet some of the knights refused to leave.

They vowed to go with him to wherever he may go. Five of them including Bernard and Rolland. The other three were Martin, Arthur and Timber.

Bernard went to the general to begged for his forgiveness. He said it was because of him that the Duke found his way to this place. Which ended up claiming the life of his dear mother.

**

The princess saw general Frederick from the window sitting closed to his mother's grave. He sat still without a word just staring at the grave.

"You missed her" the general turned around.

"My princess".

She sat beside him.

"I have missed her for too long. Since when I joined the knight's school. I devoted my life for the kingdom that I turned my back on my family. I never came home.

Now that I finally did. I thought I was going to spend a little more time with her before she finally departs. She didn't deserved to go in such a disgraceful way".

Tears somersaulted from his face. His face was red and pained. The princess placed a hand on the general's hand on his thigh.

"My father was the best of the two friends I had. We were so attached to each other. We do virtually everything together.

Waking up to realized he is no more is too much to bear". She was wriggling her toe in the grass as she spoke. The sun was setting in the sky.

Princess Eleanor and the general left the grave side and sat on deck chairs in front of the small garden

"My father believed I am the kings' stone" she said looking at the single star ruling the sky.

The old general turned to look at her face. For the first time since she came back from the Mistletoe kingdom because of her father's demise, her hair was neatly combed and packed into a ponytail.

Her brows arched carelessly on her forehead. The evening sun splashed on her face making it look like ripe oranges under the yellow mild sun.

"Your father told me, my princess".

"He did!" She turned to him surprised. "Righteous". She exclaimed.

Their eyes met. General Frederick smile. "You are not entirely the kings' stone. A part of you keeps it hidden in you. Aye! The parts that needed to survived and make the king a father".

The general wished she was not the Kings' stone. It was because of this that the Duke came and now the emperor is after her life too.

She furrowed her brows confused. "but father told me that the kings 'stone can't give life".

" Aye!". The general arranged his beard with his hands. It was white and scanty. It couldn't cover his double chin. "It cannot give life to a lifeless Being but can sustained a life".

"Does it been if the stone is finally out of me that I shall die"

The general heaved. "I am only but flesh and blood. I am a no magician neither I'm I a demon. I can not predict the future... My princess". He said in a husky tone and adjusted himself on the deck.

The princess swallowed hard. She pouted her lips, then it shivers. She dropped her hands on the edge of the deck and grabbed it fiercely.

"Why can't I used or controlled the power of the stone".

" You can access a fraction of it power if you are in danger. That was what happened on that day at the battlement. It likely that you won't be able to used it no more.

"Why?". Eleanor already knew but she wanted to compared to what she already knows.

"It is not meant to killed humans but to killed wicked beast and demons who are enemies to humans".

"Some humans can be more deadly that these beast or demons or these humans could be possessed by these demons".

"As long as the beasts or demons is being possessed by humans. It can be tamed by same humans, somehow, anyhow. But the ones that comes without disguised. There are deadlier and beyond human powers".

"If no one can controlled it or access it power. Why are they hunting me for it". She released the deck. It was bruised.

"The magic of the depths... from Serpent Land can be used to controlled it. Emperor Cassius is in possession of it".

General Frederick stood and walked down the hill. The princess trailed behind. Training her feet not to hurt the ground. Ken was watching them. He followed them behind.

"If he controlled and used the power of the kings' stone. He shall turned to an immortal. He would have the power to ruled over the world till eternity. That's why he will do anything to have you and retrieved the stone".

The princess conceived this revelation in wonderment, how it rhythm with the ones her father told her before he died. the reason her life is in danger.

"How will he get the stone out of me" she hurried up to him that they walked side by side. The path was grown. So they walked parting the grasses with their hands. He stopped and looked at her.

"If you get defiled!".

"What!" So if I meet with Francis the stone will come out of me". She held her mouth. She never meant to say that. How did Francis entered her mouth?. Not any other time. Now!. Now that she was having an important conversation. Beside she was married. Why didn't she say if she met with her husband.

"I...I .." she stammered "meant to say if I meet with my husband" the old general just smiled.

"Even if you wished. You couldn't. Your father told me that the bond between you and it had been broken. Still! since its still in you, You will killed any man that might attempt to thrust you. There is a dark magic that must be invoked into you to suppressed the power of the kings' stone or you returned it.

Then and only then would a man gained access to you and the king stone shall ceased to be part of you. It would definitely come out of you in the physical".

" From where?".

When the general turned to looked at her. She looked away romancing the long grass.

"Your mouth, nose, ears, eyes any where".

She sneer. Not convinced.

"my father told me to go to a demon in Serpent Land that he shall coach me on how to returned the stone!".

She remembered lord Zane. "Was he still breathing?. Did prince Raymond succeeds in killing him?". She hissed.

"To returned the stone is not a hard task my child. If you embarked on such a long journey now. By the time you returned, the emperor must have wiped out our entire kingdom and our people shall perished".

"never". The princess said.

"We need to plan on how to fight back. The emperor gave us three days before he strike" the general informed.

The princess heaved. Fighting against the emperor was not a child's play. He has destroyed kingdoms. Other times he ruled over most of these kingdoms and make the people his slaves.

Eleanor couldn't stand the thought that if she doesn't think of a way out. The possibility of the emperor taking over her kingdom was high. She knitted her brow and anger set in.

They stopped. Something was in the grasses. "We have to go back" they general said.

They headed back.

The next morning general Frederick gathered them together that they were living to a far distance.

"If we waste any time my general it might be deadly" sir Bernard said. " By tomorrow emperor Cassius will be invading our kingdom. He gave us three days of peace".

" We are leaving now", the general assured. " We shall be leaving on horses without no carriages. The woods is not familiar with carriage". They chuckled.

Eleanor didn't understand why she would be running away when she was supposed to fight back. She asked, they said until she returned the king stone, she cannot win any war.

Maybe the daughters of Serpent Land can take her there to return the stone. So she could make haste in saving her people and kingdom from the hands of Duke Williams and emperor Cassius.

When Bernard arrived. He said that the Duke has increased the taxed payment for the people. Triple of what they used to pay.

They servants were subjected to hard labour and they was no freedom of speech. They people are currently living in fear.

Eleanor wept as they left to the unknown. They would all be killed if they don't. The emperor was no matched for them.

Through the woods and unto the desert they rode across. They came near the border between them and the Mistletoe kingdom.

The general begged the princess that they should go to her husband's kingdom. To meet with prince Raymond, her husband and king Edward, her father in-law, so they could tell them what is on ground and bond their alliance against what is coming.

It was late and they decided to passed the said night before advancing further. They were hungry and tired. Kate gave them a house. Her house. She claimed she lived there with her aunt before she got to the palace as a maid.

They were of course fifteen of them. Luke and Eric left with the other knights back into the city. The princess and the queen were given commoners cloth to wear. And the guards and maids stopped wearing uniforms too. They were all fitted into commoners clothing.

At Kate's house after their dinner. They had chitchats. Afterwards the queen sang and the maids danced. Beatrice, Kate, Stella and Martha. The dance so beautifully well.

Francis forget he was not alone with her. They sat next to each other, he wouldn't take his eyes off her.

Observing her smiled so bright. She giggled out loud when Beatrice twisted her hips. She rolled her waist and rocked the air.

The way the guard drummed the spoons. The tables and chairs. Daggers against their swords and everything their hands could reach.

It produce an appreciating sound worth dancing to. Martha and Stella were given a new name. The general called them, the foster twins.

The displayed enticing salsa dance. The way their feet went back and forth. Their speed and uniformity. Their buttocks toast the breeze. Princess Eleanor loved Kate's pattern also. Flagging her shawl. White chiffon which indicated peace.

Francis dug his palms into hers and claimed her left hand. "Are you avoiding me?". He whispered into her ears after he took her hairs over the other side to reveal her ear.

Eleanor didn't have any strange feelings again. Even though she was laughing with the people around her.

Her mind was far. She was thinking of saving the people from the emperor's hand. She was thinking of lord Zane and his condition.

She was thinking if she goes into the Mistletoe kingdom tomorrow. How would her husband regard her before her people.

So many thoughts weakens her. This made her laughed like a fool on the outside. Since they were entertaining her. They didn't read meanings to her laughter. Instead they laughed with and they were glad she was happy.

"Are you avoiding me… Eleanor". He whispered to her hearing alone.

Why wouldn't she. Remembering what the general told her. She forgot to asked if he might die if she kissed him.

Sadly she didn't asked and she has been dying to taste his lips. She doesn't want him to die either. So it best she avoids him. Eleanor cursed for thinking of kissing another man's lips. She was married.

"Why would you say that?" She lied.

"My princess you know what I mean. Before you loved me around but now you seems to detest me. Did I wrong you?. I'm sorry. Forgive me". Francis said emotional. He was frustrated. Love was torturing him. He didn't bothered if everyone was staring at them.

Eleanor looked at him. "Was he going insane". She thought. She had a lot of pressing problems right now and she didn't need more on the list.

"What are you talking about?". The laughter died down on Eleanor's face. She was sitting on a bench leaning against the wall. From the corner of an eyes she felt everyone gazed was on her. She wanted to stop his madness and let me know that she was taken.

"You are talking to a married woman Francis and tomorrow... I shall be going to him. My husband prince Raymond". She said more to herself.

"He is a beast who doesn't care about you. It amazes me how you still address him as a husband. You placed too much value on him".

The rest were wondering what they were discussing. That made Francis looked at her longingly.

Queen Margaret wouldn't take her eyes of them. She was seated at one end of the small hall of Kate's house. The best sit around were stools, bench and an arm chairs.

The table in-between them had shifted to block the door leaving the center for the dancers.

"Would you excused us". Francis held Eleanor's hand to take her outside but Ken stopped them.

" It not safe outside. I will prefer you tell her what you wished to here". He stood face to face with Francis. Bernard supported the motion. General Frederick called them to order.

"Francis… you should know that our princess is married. You should also be mindful of how close you are to her and what you say to her. Don't forget so soon that she is still the princess".

The dancers gave up. Francis actions dissolved everyone's interest.

They were all seated when the general asked for an explanation from Beatrice. why she was able to countered the magical attacked of Duke Williams.

She sat back on the armchair. "I used magic" "you did" Arthur questions. "Yes" she paused. "I am not from this land" everyone except the few that knew looked at her bemused.

" I am from Serpent Land" Beatrice said knowingly. " From the Dwarf City. All of us". She pointed at the foster twins. Stella and Martha. A name general gave them moments ago. Foster twin.

"No wonder" Martin exclaimed. The height was enough for a person to tell where they were from.

Ken glared at him for trying to ridiculed his love's height. Beatrice was the love of his life. They have passed through hurdles together and they were still bonding.

"Except queen Margaret who is from the Nile Tribe". They all turned to her. She turned into Jessica to represent her tribe.

For the very fist time. Beatrice and the foster twins let their disguised down. Everyone except the princess and Kate flinched seeing four strange Beings in their midst.

Beatrice black kinky hair was now silver. Her silky ebony skin became blonde and her blue eyes crystal white. They foster twin were brown skin and golden eyes and hair. The small hall possessed a different aura.

"why did you let the general mother to die?". Bernard asked. He was feeling guilty because the Duke and his troops followed him down to the house unknown to him.

"It was her time. She was destined to die in his hands" . Jessica responded. Her hair was basking in strength. Blue and wavy.

Some how the general felt he had a protection for the princess against the emperor.

"Do not expect much from us. We are just legacies who practice magic. The demons from our kingdoms are powerful".

All of them had taken too much. Most of them were drunk. Except Francis and Ken. Francis was drunk with love. His love for the princess.

Eleanor wanted to be left alone. She was tired of all this. Not after she heard of the demon. She needed to see lord Zane. She said she shall retired to the room. Princess Eleanor excused herself.

After she locked the door of the room. She turned the black opal ring. With the hope that lord Zane shall come. She kept turning and calling him subtly but he never did.

She thought of Joyce. Joyce came for lord Zane on that day. "But how did she know he was in danger?. If she came unannounced. It means she can come here if called upon" Eleanor reasoned.

"Joyce… Joyce… Joyce"

Eleanor called. She didn't come.

"Joyce please come". She said with a teary voice