| It was the dead of night when Princess Ariana of Armethia was awakened by the screams of one of the castle guards. The chaos outside of her room had startled her out of a deep sleep. The darkness seem ready to envelop her like a living breathing force, an evil entity with a mind and will of its own. She didn't know what time it was, but it must still have been late because it was pitch black. She feared the castle was falling. It was like a scene out of her worst nightmares, and she was helpless to stop it. The princess called for her ladies in waiting, Theana and Latecia. "What is it, my lady," Theana asked. "We are under attack." Theana woke Latecia who quickly lit a torch. She heard a desperate cry from outside: "The castle is under attack my lady. Your family has been captured. Armeithia is falling." She recognized the voice as Eran, the general of her father's army. "Get our weapons...quickly," she ordered. The women complied. They were Armeithians, if they were going to go down, it wouldn't be without a fight. Ariana was the only daughter of King Dagmor and Queen Lasetini, leaders of the cluster kindgom. She lived in the castle with Rovec and Ratesic, her brother and cousin, and Christa, her seven year old sister, she could only pray for their safety as the invaders took a battering ram to her door to knock it down. Her anticipation was rising. She clutched the hilt of her sword. It was now or never. How she handled these next moments would determine whether or not they lived. |