"Your majesty, we are under attack," a guard yelled, making King Alan's eyes widen in shock. Although he wasn't scared for himself, he was scared for his nation and the people.
"Lyarra, I need you to take all the old men, women, and children, to the secret room," he tells queen Lyarra.
She nodded in disagreement. "No Alan, I want to stay and fight alongside you."
King Alan sighed. "Lyarra, I know you want to fight, but right now, the safety of the women and children is more important. And It is your duty to protect them."
"Okay, I'll do that. But please be safe," queen Lyarra replied.
King Alan nodded, before turning around to leave. Although they were taken by surprise, he was not going to let them win.
King Alan put on his battle armor, taking his weapon. The good thing was that king Darian and his men had not bridged Azrael's wall. Due to their strong defense.
Azrael was always defended by special night guards, in case of a surprise attack like this one. But their defense was almost broken, as King Darian had more men, while the special night guard were five hundred in number.
King Alan immediately organized his troops and generals. And altogether, they were about twenty- Five thousand men.
King Alan_ "Lord Tyson(Minister of defense ), and General Ryder, you'll defend the gate with one thousand men... Position some of the men by the wall, and make use of fire and arrows to stop the enemy from bridging the wall. Lord Tormund(Minister of war) and General Odin you will take Ten thousand men and attack the enemy up front, while I take the remaining nine thousand, through the secret tunnel and attack from behind, giving them a surprise attack as they did to us."
"Yes, your majesty."
King Alan glanced at his men who were low-spirited, as they weren't except a war to break out. Sighing, he said, "The enemy may be more or less in number, they might have taken us by surprise, but this is our nation, our home, we can't just sit and watch the enemy take what is ours. Besides, our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children are counting on us. They want us to protect and save them. And if we fail them today, then why do we call ourselves King and soldiers. We'll have to defend Azrael with our lives, even if it's the last thing we do."
"We will defend Azrael, we will defend Azrael, with our tears and blood, even if it's the last thing we do," the men chanted.
King Alan smiled when he saw that their spirit was lifted, and now more than ever, they look ready to fight.
Meanwhile, King Darian and his men have succeeded in breaking Azrael's special defense. They were now heading to the wall to destroy it, when the Azrael's soldiers defending the wall on the inside opened fire...
The gate of Azrael was opened for Lord Tormund and General Odin to lead their troop of ten thousand men for an upfront attack.
While king Alan led his men through a secret tunnel.
...
On the other hand, King Luther secretly moved his men, and they camped on a mountain near Everton, waiting for the right time to invade the palace... Once the war between Arthur and Carl breaks out, King Luther and his men would strike.
...
Arthur matched with his men to the battleground, not far from Everton's border, as they await Carl's arrival.
Meanwhile, Everton's spies in Neptune and Crystal-Ville reported the number of men in Arthur's and Darian's army. They had thought that Arthur and Darian had thirty thousand men each. little did they know that there were more men. That is king Luther's men.
...
Old people, women, and children were led to the secret room, with all the necessary things they might need as no one knew how long the war would last.
Carl and Zara were clothed in their war armor, as Carl was ready to leave for battle.
"Zara! As I'm leaving for war, I can't promise you that I'll come back alive. but I want you to be strong, and remain safe. You have to promise me, that you will be safe," Carl muttered.
"I promise to be safe, but you also have to be safe. You have to come back alive because I have something important to tell you," Zara replied.
'Or should I tell him now? maybe that will motivate him to do whatever it takes to come back alive,' Zara pondered.
"Zara..."
"Carl! I think I'll tell you now. I don't think I can wait anymore," Zara said, cutting him off.
Carl gave her a curious look. "Tell me, Zara!"
She sighed, then she said, "Carl I'm..."
"Your majesty, it's time to leave. The battle has already begun," a guard announced, also cutting Zara off.
Carl gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Zara! I have to go. Always remember that I will love you in this lifetime, as well as every lifetime to come." After that, he kissed her, before turning around to leave.
Zara watched his retreating figure, as tears welled up in her eyes. For some reason, she felt like it was the last time she was going to see him. Like something was going to happen and they would be separated. She wished, she had told him, about her pregnancy. But it's too late now. She just had to pray that her intuition was wrong.
When Carl left, Queen Catherine, Lady Anna, Lia, and the three children walked into the chamber. "Zara, we have to go. it's time!"
Zara sighed. "Please you all have to be safe no matter what," she tells them, and they nodded giving her a sad smile.
...
They walked into the hall where Jerald and Gage stood waiting for them.
"Jerald, where is Myla?" Lia asked, glancing around curiously.
"I don't know. I haven't seen her... I think she might have joined the women and children in the secret room alongside Nadia and her maid," Jerald answered.
Little did they know that Myla had sneaked out through Aiden's room, to bring king Luther and his men in. While Nadia and her maid were packing the things they needed for their escape to Nedal.
Zara scoffed. She didn't forget what Nadia had done to her and Gwen. It's just that, now she had more important things to think of, rather than her revenge against Nadia.
"Mother, Aunt, Lia, you'd also have to take the children and go to the secret room, it's not safe for you out here," Zara told them.
"Zara, you should come with us. You can't fight in your condition. you're pregnant," Lady Anna reasoned.
Jerald, Catherine, and Gage gasped, giving Zara a stunned look.
Catherine_ "Zara! so I was right. you're pregnant."
Jerald_ "Your grace, you're pregnant?"
Gage_ "Queen Zara! if you're pregnant, then Lady Anna is right. You can't fight in your condition."
Zara sighed. "Yes, I'm pregnant, but I'm a queen. My duty is not only to the baby in my womb, but to everyone in Everton. I am not just a mother to my baby, but to everyone in Everton... I will fight and protect my people from the enemy just like a mother would protect her children," She retorted.
They stare at her in admiration. "Is it just me, or she looked badass when she said that," Lady Anna whispered to Queen Catherine...
Seeing that they couldn't convince Zara, they listened to her and went to the secret room.
...
Zara sat on her horse(Fury) with Jerald and Gage beside her, addressing the ten thousand men in front of her with confidence and boldness.
"My Fathers and Brothers, I stand before you, not as your queen, but as your daughter, your sister, and above all your fellow soldier. I stand here as someone, ready to fight and die alongside you. To protect our mothers, children, and everyone we hold dear in the name of Everton... Many of us might die today, but we die as soldiers, we die as heroes fighting for our home... Standing here today, I promise to spill the blood of the enemy, the enemy who has come to take away our peace, our home, and our lives. And what makes me more proud is the honor of fighting alongside you, my brave and loyal soldiers of Everton."
Soldiers_ "Hail queen Zara!"
Zara_ "In the name of Everton!"
Soldiers_ "Hail Queen Zara!"
Zara_ "In the name of our mothers, children, and Everyone we hold dear!"
"Hail Queen Zara!"
Zara_ "Today we spill the enemies blood. Not because we want to, but because they made us to... We're not fighting for pleasure, we're fighting for survival. I hope after this battle, I will see you all again. That after this, you'll smile and tell me, we did it, queen Zara, we won. However, if luck is not on our side, I'll see you again in the next life."
Soldiers_ "Hail, Hail, Hail."
Jerald and Gage watched Zara with a glint of pride and admiration in their eyes. 'King Carl was lucky to have a beautiful and brave woman as his wife and queen.' They thought. And now more than ever, their respect for her had reached an increasingly high level... Seeing her stand strong and confident amongst ten thousand men, was a sight to behold.
'I hope I'd live to tell the tale,' Jerald said inwardly. While Gage's glint of admiration was now replaced with regret. 'I hope I'm able to make up for my mistake,' he thought.
ON THE BATTLEFIELD
Carl and his thirty thousand men stood against Arthur and his thirty thousand men as they charged at each other.
"We meet again Carl... But this time, one of us must die before the battle ends," Arthur yelled, loud enough for Carl to hear.
Carl scoffed. "I'm sure it's you, Arthur," he yelled back in a mock tone, and his soldiers cheered. There was no aura of fear or doubt emitting from them. It was all confidence and the zeal to fight and win.
On the other hand, Arthur's men had doubts. After all, Carl's army has never been defeated in a war and even they could testify...
Arthur was outraged. "You dare mock me, Carl. we'll see who'd have the last laugh," He whispered, and without further ado, ordered his men to attack.
"Attack," he yelled, ambling toward Carl.
Carl smirked. "Hold position!... Archers forward! Aim... Hold... release," Carl yelled, and his men did as he said, repeating the same act thrice. And before Arthur and his men could reach where Carl was, about one hundred of his men were dead.
"Attack," Carl yelled, as the battle began.