Mysterious Warriors: Alone (2 page)

~ Chapter 2 ~

              Sir Alexander Markin hated the queen’s balls. They were loud, crowded, and always done to impress. He couldn’t believe how much he enjoyed living in Whitehaven, and he understood why Thomas, his closest friend and fellow knight, had stayed. There wasn’t much keeping Alex in Junipero, but she was worth everything.

              Princess Tara Colville, dressed in a bright green gown, seemed to flow through the ballroom. He was impressed that she could move through the crowds without running into anyone, her hair secured in one of her usual jeweled nets, and her dress fit her perfectly.

              “Alex.” Tara grabbed his arm and gently pulled him through the crowd.

              He wasn’t sure where she was taking him, but he didn’t mind. An overwhelming sense of calm flowed into Alex, and he was suddenly sure of the situation. He gripped Tara’s hand and drew her back to him.

              Tara, narrowly missing a dancer, stumbled back into his arms, and Alex gently brushed his finger along her cheek as if he was a painter stroking his masterpiece. Tara’s deep green eyes turned confused, and Alex wasn’t sure where his assurance came from. He pulled the princess closer, and Tara’s breath caught as his mouth brushed the side of her cheek, where his fingers had been.

              Tara pulled away. “Alex.” His name seemed to catch in her throat. “Alex, what are you doing?” Her voice was just above a whisper.

              “We can make this work.” He swallowed his confusion. He was never this forward. His head stung, and he felt weak and strong at the same time. It was strange, and he wasn’t sure he liked his newfound sense of assurance.

              “Make what work?” Tara stepped back and shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

              He didn’t like her stepping away from him, and Alex took her arm. He pulled her through the crowd to escape into a small room on the side of the ballroom. “You must know how I feel about you Princess.”

              Tara stared at him as if he was mad, and he wasn’t entirely sure she’d be wrong to think so. Shock filled his senses, and misery overflowed his veins. He had kept his feelings buried deep inside so she couldn’t deny him, but the rejection was full-force as it crashed his system.

              “I…” Alex coughed, and he felt like his insides were mashed together, someone was grating his innards as if they were cheese. He fell to his knees, and Tara rushed to him.

              “Alex? What’s wrong?” Tara’s green dress flowed around her as she came down beside him. He wanted to touch the soft fabric, run his fingers through her hair, wrapped safely in an emerald-studded hairnet, and free her locks.

              Alex gasped as the air finally came back into his system, and he looked up. He shoved Tara to the side, stepping in front of her as he saw the woman. Dressed in a short black dress and cape, the hood covering most of her face, the woman smiled at them, a knife in her hands.

              “So this is the Princess Tara.” The woman stated. “I was wondering how I’d get you over here, and it was far easier than I thought it would be. Hello Princess Tara, Sir Alex.”

              “Who are you?” Alex kept himself in front of the princess. It was his duty to keep her safe. He couldn’t understand her reasons for being there. Overwhelming uncertainty clouded his mind.

              “Call me Black Hood.” The woman bowed. “Come here Princess.”

              Tara didn’t answer as she obeyed. Alex grabbed Tara’s arm, but she seemed intent on going to the woman.

              “You don’t have to listen to her.” Alex cried as he held onto Tara.

              Tara looked back at him. “I’ll be fine. I’m perfectly safe with her.”

              “No, you’re not.” Alex tightened his hold on the princess’ arm. He’d heard rumors of Black Hood’s powers.

              “It’s alright Tara.” Black Hood stated. “Come with me.”

              Tara took another step forward, and Alex yanked her back. He stumbled, sure his tugging was painful. He didn’t want to hurt the princess, but he had to protect her.

              “Let me go Alex.” Tara struggled.

              “We just need to get back to everyone.” Alex whispered, and he flinched as Tara’s nails grazed him.

              She glared at him, and the princess elbowed him. Alex fell, and his head stung and spun. He blinked several times, and he screamed as Black Hood and Tara rushed away from him.

~ Chapter 3 ~

              Tara couldn’t remember a time she’d felt so safe with someone she didn’t know. Black Hood led Tara through the ballroom, and the princess wasn’t sure why she had flashes of fear within her tranquil emotion.

              “Stop!” Alex cried. “Someone stop them. Black Hood is kidnapping the princess.”

              Tara wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his statement. No one was kidnapping her. She wanted to go with— Tara blinked as she realized she didn’t know this woman. Who was she? Her mind felt covered in fog. She stopped and yanked her hand free from the woman in the hood.

              Black Hood turned and brought her knife up and around. Tara blocked the blow, and she felt more like Cabaya than the princess. Tara’s fine silk dress ripped as she stumbled back, tripping over the delicate fabric. Tara smashed into a table, hors d'oeuvres flying. Black Hood spun as she faced the numerous people in the ballroom.

              Alex rushed to Tara and helped her to her feet. Alex stepped in front of the princess and grabbed a piece of broken glass. He held it like a knife, pointing it at the woman in the hood.

              The woman in the hood clubbed Alex with a broken table leg. She lunged for Tara, but a man stepped between them and shoved the princess back. Tara moaned as she slammed into the ballroom floor, bruising an elbow as she landed. Everything was happening too quickly, and she wasn’t sure what was going on.

              The woman in the hood slammed into the man, and he grabbed her arm. He pulled her up and shoved her to the guards who ran into the room.

              “This is only the beginning.” Black Hood faced them, and Tara gasped as she realized the woman’s right eye was blood red. There was no color, like the green of her left, and the red seeped like blood through the white sclera.

              Black Hood threw her knife, and she disappeared in a wave of black and red fire.

              Tara stared at the burn marks on the granite floor, and she looked at Alex. He rushed to the entertainer who had been struck by the knife.

              “Tara, are you alright?” Terena Adamsen, her mother’s maid and the woman who raised Tara and her sister, rushed to embrace her.

              “This is madness.” Queen Margaret cried. “Look what she did to the floor and my party.”

              Terena held Tara as the princess looked at her mother.

              “Your majesty.” Lyssa Brooks, another one of the queen’s maids, stared at the queen. “The floor will be alright. Be glad Princess Tara is safe.”

              Queen Margaret’s deep blue eyes flashed at she looked at her maid. “Then you can clean the entire ballroom after everyone leaves.”

              Tara took a step forward, but Terena held her back. “Don’t.” Tara looked at her former nurse and back to her mother.

              “Thank you for saving my daughter sir.” Queen Margaret looked at the man who had stepped up to protect Tara.

              Tara’s gaze fell to the man as well, and her breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. He was tall with dark brown curls. He bowed. “It was my pleasure to protect the princess, Your Highness. I didn’t expect to have to step up and defend her since I heard she had a protector.”

              Tara glanced back at Alex, whose face was red.

              “What is your name?” Queen Margaret looked at the man.

              “Baron Stefan Graem.” He bowed deep. “I just had the pleasure of joining the court tonight, and I am glad I did.”

              Alex slowly stepped next to the princess, and Tara looked at him. She whispered. “Did you really mean what you said?”

              Alex paled, and he ran several fingers through his dark hair. His bright blue eyes stared, and he let out a slow breath. “I don’t know what you mean. I think Black Hood used her magic on us.”

              Tara nodded, and she felt a twinge of disappointment. “It was like I knew I could trust her, even though my brain kept telling me I couldn’t. She was putting something inside me which I can’t believe.”

              “Tara.” Vance rushed to them, splitting the crowd like a knife. “Are you alright? I barely saw her, but I’d recognize Black Hood anywhere.”

              “You know her?” Baron Stefan frowned as he joined Tara and Alex.

              “I’ve fought her.” Vance explained. “I used to sail with my sisters and their crew.”

              “Sisters?” Tara cocked her head to the side. She only remembered Vance having one sister.

              “Well they were like sisters.” Vance paused. “Anyway, Black Hood is a Fabisker, and she has the ability to make you feel any emotion of which you have the slightest impression.”

              Tara glanced at Alex, and she wondered if he really had intense feelings for her. Was he in love with her? She’d always thought of him as a friend, but it seemed possible to have stronger emotions for him.

              “She won’t get another chance to capture the princess.” Alex vowed and pulled her along the crowd. “Goodnight Sir Lot.”

              “She won’t get another chance if someone else is protecting her.” Stefan crossed his arms as he blocked their exit.

              “I’m fine.” Tara yanked her arm free. “I don’t need protection.”

              Monika seemed to materialize beside her. “Are you alright, Your Highness?” The maid’s voice was panicked.

              “Where were you?” Alex’s tone turned stiff. “You’re her new maid, and as such it is part of your duty to be with the princess. You’re responsible for some of her safety.”

              “But you’re her protector.” Stefan pointed out.

              “I’m sorry.” Monika whispered.

              “Take Tara upstairs, where it’s safe.” Alex crossed his arms.

              Like a puppy with its tail between its legs, Monika gently took the princess’ arm and led Tara upstairs.

              “My safety isn’t your responsibility.” Tara looked at her new maid. “Don’t listen to him.”

              “He’s right though.” Monika shook her head. “You’re now my responsibility: everything from making sure you’re presentable to yelling for help if someone tries to kidnap or harm you.”

              “I can take care of myself.” Tara promised her new maid.

              “You shouldn’t have to.”

              Tara wondered how long she’d be able to keep her secret life from Monika, and she hoped the maid wasn’t loyal to her mother. If Queen Margaret ever found out her daughter was Cabaya, Tara wasn’t sure what her mother would do.

              Tara pulled on black breeches and a dark purple shirt. Her tuta had torn several weeks ago, and she’d adapted her costume to her needs. She tied her hair back in a ponytail and strapped her quiver across her back.

              As Tara lifted her purple and silver mask, she went to her balcony door and thrust it open.

~ Chapter 4 ~

              Cabaya raced along the wall of upper city before flipping off onto the roofs of lower city. After the Split of 268, the capital of Zorba’s Reach had been destroyed, and instead of rebuilding the city, the royal family had built a new city on the mountain above the ruined one. Now Lower City was full of drunkards, high crime, and low class peasants, which was one of the many reasons Sir Vance Lot had suggested Lunette begin her quest as the People’s Warrior in Lower City.

              The sound of breaking glass turned her attention south as she raced from the roof of the surgeon’s dwelling, jumping the distance to the buildings across the narrow street.

              Cabaya leapt down from the baker’s residence and landed on the back of a man who had been fighting Kitnan.

              “Cabaya.” Kitnan’s moss-green eyes widened as her blade swooshed back into her pegleg. “Ye are backeth.”

              Cabaya nodded. “Hello Kitnan.” She smacked the man’s head with her bow and stood.

              “Welcome back to Lower City.” Sarasa stated as she joined them, dragging an unconscious man by his collar.

              Cabaya smiled as she looked the others over and realized how much she’d missed the strange trio.

              Kitnan, shoulder-length maroon hair tied back with a forest-green bandana and mask, held a curved sword and supported her weight on her wooden pegleg. She didn’t let the fake leg slow her down, and she was even deadlier with the implement.

              “How was Whitehaven?” Galdut ran a hand through his bright red hair. His mask was domino in style and mud brown.

              “I helped banish a murderer.” Cabaya wondered how proud she sounded of that fact. Would Prince Rodger Naxison come to Junipero and get his revenge? She looked forward to the challenge. The prince had murdered one of her close friends, and she was glad he didn’t get away with it.

              “Black Hood’s fierce.” Sarasa, head and face hidden under a dark blue mask, shook her head. Her bright blue wings were still in the moment. The diamonds and silver swirls that outlined the wings shined in the moonlight.

              “I heard she tried to kidnap Princess Tara today.” Cabaya tried to say her name nonchalantly.

              The others looked at her, and Sarasa nodded. “Black Hood seems to want something out of her reach. She came here for a reason.” The woman in blue exchanged a glance with the woman in green. “And it seems like she’s expanded her reason for being in Junipero.”

              Cabaya glanced between Kitnan and Sarasa and wondered what that look was about. Galdut’s face remained stone, and Cabaya once again speculated about her fellow warriors. What was their story? They seemed to get along very well, and they worked together far better than the Mysterious Warriors did in Whitehaven when they first came together.

              “Anon that ye are backeth in Junip’ro, how longeth doeth thou planeth to stayeth?” Kitnan demanded. “We didn’t expecteth thou to disappeareth on us liketh ye did.”

              “I’m not leaving again.” Cabaya looked around to the others. “I don’t think I’ll ever return to Whitehaven.”