| Finally, the dreaded moment arrived, and the door came flying open. Three enemies soldiers stood in the door way, weapons brandished. The three women huddled together, each of the handmaids flanking the princess. Theana responed by taking a dagger and hurling it at one of them. It pierced him straight through the heart, killing him instantly. One of the soldiers responded by loading his crossbow and shooting Theana with it. The arrow landed right in her heart, and she fell to the ground dead. Latecia stepped in front of the princess, torch in hand, trying to keep the enemy soldiers at bay with it. An enemy soldier climbed through the window at that moment, grabbing Ariana from behind, forcing her to drop the weapon. "Give us the torch or she dies." One of the soldiers said threateningly. "Don't listen to him!" Ariana screamed, but the young maiden was so frightened that she gave into the soldiers orders, in hopes that she would not end up a cold dead corpse like Theana. Theana, her cousin and companion had always been the strong one, that is why she tried to protect Ariana and ended up paying the ultimate price for it. Ariana glanced back and forth between the enemy soldiers and the body of the woman who had been her constant companions since birth, and suddenly she felt bitter, defeated, angry and grief stricken. |