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| The Runic Heart | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Act eight: a prince and a queen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deep within the kingdom of the Dark Queen Tamina - the young prince Harmen and his friend Samson were hiding in an alley as dozens of soldiers marched more prisoners through the streets - some of which the two recognized. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do not like this place - and I do not want to end up like them," Samson muttered as he motioned to the prisoners being marched away. Harmen closed his eyes and shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think I do?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Explain why we are here? When we left the fighting - I thought we were looking for the Runic Heart? You remember that? A magical weapon that will help us defeat all of this?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I haven't forgotten," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then why are we here? We should be looking for it - and not answering invites from the Witch Queen!" Samson muttered emotionally. He looked over at the prince and could see that he was an emotional wreck. "Look - I respect that you love this girl - but," he began. Harmen quickly covered his mouth and scowled at him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She - is in this mess - because of me - I will get her out or die trying. If you don't want to help me - fine - I will understand - this is my fight not yours. But do not think for an instant that I will turn my back on her now," he warned. He removed his hand and slumped down to the ground. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I've never seen you like this," Samson began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I've never felt like this before," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is there no other way to rescue her?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Would I ask you to do this if there was?" Harmen asked. Samson looked around and saw dozens of armored soldiers patrolling the streets in perfect formations. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't like the idea of you just waltzing up the castle," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She is expecting me," Harmen stated calmly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She expects a lot of things," he retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will try to keep her busy - buy you time. I need you to go into the dungeon and find where she is - and get her out," Harmen stated. Samson rolled his eyes in serious disbelief. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is that all?" he sarcastically remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Want to switch places and talk to the queen?" he retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'll shut up - is it just me - or is there a disturbing amount of soldiers here? How can she be attacking us with so much and have this many troops still here?" Samson hesitantly asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I never thought about that - god willing - I won't ever again. Good luck Samson - I'm counting on you," he replied seriously. Samson groaned and shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Samson - help me find the Runic Heart - Samson infiltrate the Witch Queen's kingdom with me - Samson - sneak into her dungeon - blah-blah-blah," he muttered sarcastically as he stalked away into the shadows of the alley. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Now for my part in all this," Harmen muttered as he walked out from the alley and began to walk towards the castle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment - in her thrown room, Tamina was sullenly sitting on her thrown - stirring her drink with her finger. Trying her best to forget her feelings for the only man she ever wanted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't it have been one of the thousands that worship me - adore me - why - him?" she asked herself. She looked down at her snake familiar and motioned for it to leave. It slithered over to the corner of the room behind her thrown. "We could have been - so - perfect," she sighed as she slowly downed her drink. Just then - the doors to the room opened and Hunter slowly approached. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My queen - you do not look like yourself," he began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do not desire to be amused right now - so please spare the pleasantries. Why are you here?" she asked seriously as she casually tossed her glass goblet aside - breaking it against the stone floor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As you say my master. The - prince - has been seen in the city - he is heading this way. Do you want me to send an escort?" he asked curiously. Tamina sighed and shook her head. "Are - are you well my queen?" he asked - concern beginning to show. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will be fine," she replied with a sigh. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Something is troubling you," he stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have you ever been in love?" she asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Personally no - that emotion is nothing but baggage," he replied. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I wish I could be like you," she said softly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is the prince. Tamina - I have known you for longer than any in your empire have. I have served you and your cause - and I have seen you achieve greatness - equaled only to a goddess. Why - you have chosen this - human prince - confuses me," he said calmly. She looked over at him and smirked. "And to be quiet honest - you are too good for him. he doesn't deserve to be in your presence - let alone your heart," he added seriously. Tamina slowly got up and walked over to where he was and gave him a hug. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I needed that," she whispered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I had a hunch you might," he replied with a smile. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You always seem to know what to say," she remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It?s a gift," he began as the doors to the hall opened again - at them stood Harmen. Hunter stood between the slowly walking prince and the queen. Harmen stopped and looked around the hall. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tell me noble queen - do I frighten you so much - that you need your girlfriend to protect you?" Harmen sarcastically remarked. Hunter began to draw his weapon - but was stopped by the queen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Please - leave us - this is something I must do on my own," she whispered. The thought of leaving her with a man that hated her did not sit well with him - but he knew better than to argue with her when her mind was set. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you need me - just call," he whispered as he slowly walked towards the prince that was glaring at him. once he was close to him he stopped. "One day - the queen will see you for what you are - what you really are - and will stop protecting you. When that day comes highness - I will be there - waiting - remember that," Hunter whispered as he exited the thrown room. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is she?" Harmen demanded as he stormed towards her. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Can we please talk first?" she asked quietly. Harmen stopped and looked at the woman that had caused such hurt to his kingdom - that had kidnapped the woman he loved - now looking as fragile as glass. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fine - why did you go after her if your quarrel is with me?" he asked sternly. Tamina began to timidly shake as she sighed and sat down on the floor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tell - me why?" she asked quietly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What?" he asked. She looked up - tears were dripping down her cheeks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why couldn't you love me?" she asked sadly. The question completely caught him off guard. He sighed and looked away from the timid looking queen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I knew you. I heard about the Witch Queen - I heard about the pain and suffering she had brought to untold thousands. I couldn't be a party to that - and I still can't," he replied seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would - would have done - anything - you asked of me. I would have changed," she muttered. He turned around and walked over to where the crying queen was and sat down before her. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "For how long? The rage of the Witch Queen would be bad some years and quiet for years to follow," he began. Before he could go on she fell over and clung onto the hem of his pants. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I need help - please don't turn your back on me," she sobbed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where - is Angela?" he asked quietly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why her? What is so special about her?" she emotionally asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I love her," he replied seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - you - you can have her - but - but please - don't leave me," she begged. Harmen slowly got up and sighed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can't do that - I can't do that to her," he replied. Tamina quietly sobbed and then let out a frustrated scream. She pounded her fists against the floor and then slowly rose to her feet - glaring at him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - asked so little - and you treat me so little," she began as a dark aura pulsated around her. "I just wanted you by my side - I wouldn't have cared if you had her on the side - so long as you were with me. But no - you couldn't even do that," she fumed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is she?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You want to play that game? Fine! You will do as I say - or I will kill her - or maybe subject her to the fate your aunt is enduring. We caught her two days ago. You think I'm bluffing? Here!" she hissed as she threw something at him. it bounced off him and hit the floor. He slowly bent down and picked up the ring that Greel had given his aunt at their last anniversary party. "She - won't be killed - she will live on. I will send her back to your family - or should I say what is left of her. You want your precious Angela to suffer her fate?" she demanded emotionally. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think - threatening me - will make me love you?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you think there is anything - left in me that cares? I - have wanted - nothing - my entire life - until I met you. And what do you do? You treat me like something you stepped in!" she retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is she?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't think I'd do it? Imagine what - my men - my godless - immoral - savage men - would do to a precious flower like her. One word from me - and she will be on a bed beside your aunt! So - I guess the question now is - will you - be with me?" she asked seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How do I know she isn't already there? How do I know you haven't killed her already?" he retorted seriously - hoping beyond hope that she hadn't done either. Tamina hurried over to her thrown and brought he magic crystal over to him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You can see her in this," she began. Harmen batted the crystal from her hands. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You could make me see whatever you wanted in that - I want to see her - no deal unless I see her - in person," he replied seriously - a desperate look crossed her face. she grabbed onto his arm. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then a deal? We will have a deal? On your honor?" she asked desperately. Harmen didn't like lying - but he had no choice. If Samson hadn't found her yet? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Deal," he replied. excitedly she all but dragged him from the thrown room. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short while later - the two were in the dungeon. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I even said that she wasn't to be touched - honest," she said eagerly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will believe it when I see it," he replied coldly. It was then that they stopped at an empty cell. All color drained from the queen's face. Her eyes frantically panned all over the cell - but she wasn't there! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She's - she's gone," she stuttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||