Golden Fantasies Chapter 1
By Jupiterstar
The demons had come. They ravaged villages and innocent people and stole not only their money and riches, but also their lives. Bodies lay strewn over the blood-soaked ground as the demons made their way across the land.
The king of Winden looked carefully over the town below him before signaling the captain of the guards. The captain strutted over and the king let silence hang for a moment before speaking.
"Look at this Winslow," the king said softly. "The people, the prospering town, the rich agriculture that has made this kingdom great. Can we let this all die in a few seconds?"
Winslow fidgeted uneasily.
"No, sir," he finally answered as he approached the window where the King was leaning. The King sighed and gazed again out at the land stretching beneath him.
"Tighten the guard around the village. I don't want any demons getting in here. None!"
Winslow took a step back and bowed respectfully.
"Of course not my Liege. Nothing will happen to this town." He snapped to attention and left the room, leaving the King alone with his thoughts. He stared down at his hands, soft; pampered hands that ruled the kingdom called Winden. They would never, ever let anything happen to his people.
His wife, heavy with her third child, came into the room and set her hands gently on his robed back.
"Dinner's ready honey."
The King slowly got up from his perch and followed his wife down, but not before pausing to take a look at the family portrait hanging on the left wall. Him, his wife, and his two daughters, Nina age 10 and Jewel age 7 were all posed looking solemn at the painter.
"May nothing ever take our happiness away," the King murmured to himself as he walked down the Dining Hall. His family was waiting for him and they said grace together. Just as they were about the sit down and enjoy the freshly cooked meal by their trusted family cook, shouting was heard outside.
The King jumped up and ran to the door. Soldiers were fleeing from a small being shooting magic out of its fingers.
"A demon," the King whispered shakily. He began edging his way back to the Dining Hall when the demon leaped over him and landed in front of the Queen.
"Death," the demon said hoarsely. He pointed one gnarled finger at the fearful woman in front of him and laughed a deep, throaty laugh.
"Your child -inside you- is cursed! Cursed with the demon's mark! Let it be known that this child is one of us and will overthrow your kingdom!" The King grabbed a rusty sword and lunged with a yell onto the unsuspecting monster.
The demon screamed as the knife split it apart and the two halves fell onto the floor as green ooze seeped out from under the body. The King stood panting and the Queen breathed heavily. Jewel and Nina both stared in horrified wonderment at the demon on the floor.
A sob escaped the Queen's lips as she slipped from balance and hit the marble stones below her feet. Her hands let go of the chair she was leaning on and it went clattering down with her. Her family rushed over.
"Honey, honey!" the King said urgently as he rubbed her hands vigorously to keep her awake. She opened her eyes a crack and held out a shaking hand before collapsing into a heap with her white gown spread under her.
"Nina! Get the medic! Now!!" the King cried to his eldest daughter. She paused for only a moment to glance at the body of the demon, still collecting dust on the floor before rushing out of the room to find the medic. Jewel knelt by her mother's side and gently set her fingers on her arm.
"Mommy? Please wake up," she said as tears rolled down her ashen cheeks. Her father looked at her as if just realizing she was still in the room. He reached out for her hand and she grabbed his.
"Mommy is going to be fine, you'll see," the King told her softly. She nodded with a sob and bent down to give her mother a gentle hug. Nina and the medic came running back in the room at lightning speed. The medic pulled out a bottle of pills and placed one in the Queen's mouth. "We need to get her to her room where she can lie down. I believe she is going into premature labor," the medic reported to the King. The King helped the medic carry the unconscious Queen up the stone stairs and into their bedroom. Nina and Jewel stood in the Dining Hall.
Jewel was crying silently to herself and Nina approached her. Jewel looked up at her big sister with tear-filled eyes.
"Is Mommy going to die? I heard the soldiers talking about the demons, Nina. They kill people!" Nina hugged her sobbing sister and rocked her back and forth, trying her best to console her fears but almost believing them herself.
"Mommy is going to be fine. I promise."
.