Knight for the Prince

Chapter 24 - Agatha's final fall

They march onward not knowing what lies before them or what defense Sabrina has to defend her newfound position of power. As they approach the throne room soldiers bars their way. Bonecrusher flexes his muscles and cracks some knuckles as he makes a show of preparing to pulverize the soldiers. He sneers at them and they flee.

A cacophony of noises sounds from the nobles. A gleeful cackle of an old woman reaches them. It made the hair on Marilyn's neck stand on end.

"Sabrina is now the new queen. If any of you questions her authority you will have to answer me! Go ahead, my dear," Agatha announces.

Sabrina's voice fills them with dread and draws a cold glare from her already mournful mother. "Find out where my traitorous mother is. She needs to answer for her sick excuse of a title as a zealot witch. The punishment for this, of course, is death. Now find her! How difficult is it to find a single witch?"

"She is a master of the dark shroud. If she does not want to be found that spell will prevent any search efforts to succeed," a magician answers her fearfully.

"I don't care how you find her. Just find her! She needs to pay for every humiliation I had to suffer at her hands. I will burn her as I will with Evelyn and find me, my beloved prince. I want him by my side as my beloved king!" Sabrina shouts at the nobles.

Arwin snarls. Bonecrusher smashes the thick wooden crossbeam door that barricades the throne room. The door splinters under Bonecrusher's fist sending splinters of wood flying in all directions. The heavily thick door lies in a crumpled heap of broken wood at Bonecrusher's feet.

Narine lifts the debris out of their way and dumps it in the far corner of the foyer.

Arwin leads them into the throne room. "Go to hell, Sabrina! You are not worthy of that crown or the throne! When will you get it, Sabrina!?"

Inside chaos breaks out as Sabrina's supporters engage the small group of knights. Ristheart soldiers emboldened by the presence of the paladin knights quickly engages the traitors. The knights work together to keep the nobles out of harm.

A red light streaks towards them. The air fizzles as a yellow ball meets the red ball. There is an explosion as the two spells collide above their heads. Keera, Grimston, Mandolin, Nox, and Millston form a ring around the three royals.

As they progressed through the throne room, Arnoldus relieves a dying soldier of his sword, Arwin engages several deserting soldiers himself a few times, paladins advises the nobles to evacuate the throne room, and orders Ralston to let the soldiers shepherd the nobles out of harm's way.

The crowd of nobles clear and wedged in a ring around the raised throne and the paladins. They are now the spectators of what transpires in the throne room. Their faces are filled with anguish, fear, hope, shock, and horror.

Marilyn stands at the lead with Grimston and Mandolin flanking her on both sides. All three of them hold their swords pointing down.

"The dishonorable wench returns with everyone that I have deemed most wanted." The knuckles of Marilyn's hand turns white with rage. The nobles' eyes travel between Sabrina and Marilyn with new interest.

"Lord Ashton, you may retain your title if you join me. You shall be my pet sorcerer. I shall make sure your every need is taken care of. This offer is what I intended to give you Ashton and the offer still stands. You are an impressive sorcerer," Sabrina tries to seduce Ashton.

"I am already an archduke. What offer can you possibly give me that is better than what I already have. I have an army of magicians at my disposal from the Zealot Wizards Academy. I am in the king's good graces and he has my trust. If you had the will of the kingdom you would have had my loyalty," Ashton replies with a smirk.