Running through the halls with her sword, Izzy felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Beside her, Alex had the dead assassin’s dagger poised and ready for any surprise attack. They both rounded the corner and towards the throne room where the two kings were meant to be. When they reached the entrance, Alex stopped Izzy before she could break down the door.
“I must go and make sure the servants are safe,” Alex said, pushing Izzy aside from the door.
“What? Are you crazy? I’m your bodyguard. I am supposed to stick with you and guard you!” Izzy hissed. Alex knew this was true but he needed to put other’s safety before his.
“Go and save my father. I will come for you quickly,” Alex said, kissing Izzy’s head quickly before he ran away through the corridors, quietly as a mouse. Knowing that she couldn’t waste any more time to grab Alex back, Izzy kicked open the door, her sword poised in front of her.
She quickly scanned the throne room and gasped as she saw the dark colors of crimson blood splattered across the once beautifully lavished room. Izzy saw the body of King Henry in a pool of blood, fallen with his bodyguards near him. Instantly, Izzy caught the sight of the only two movements in the room.
It was King John fighting a Vauldin assassin. By his pose, he seemed to be tiring out quickly, knowing that his body could not take it much longer. The Vauldin raised his sword and swiftly within a blink of an eye, aimed for the king. King John turned sideways so that it had only struck his arm instead of his heart. Feeling her heart quicken, Izzy rose into action and ran for the Vauldin who dared attack her king.
Running as fast as she could, she struck out her sword just in time to deflect the Vauldin’s deadly blow. Izzy’s intervention startled King John but he looked at the fearless warrior in awe. For a moment he thought he had seen Marissa instead.
Full of anger and adrenaline, she struck her sword powerfully one last time until it pierced through the Vauldin’s chest. The look in his eyes seemed to widen and he gave a little gasp before he crumpled to the ground. Izzy was built to kill but it was only her second kill and she was still recovering from her first. She stood there by his feet, looking horrified. It was only until King John groaned that Izzy knelt by her king’s side.
“King John,” Izzy said in an exhaled breath as she examined his wound. He clutched tightly to his left arm but he seemed distracted to care.
“Where is my son? Where is Zander?” he said tightly.
“He wanted me to get you, King John. He ran off to make sure the maidservants were safe,” Izzy said, biting her lips. She wondered if the king would be enraged by not following Alex.
“He will be safe. He knows how to wield a sword,” King John said, reassuring more himself than anyone else. He tilted his head so he could see Izzy in full view and was again reminded of Marissa. “Isabelle, you look so much like your mother,” he whispered.
“My mother?” Izzy flinched. She was a queen and Izzy knew she was nothing more than a bodyguard. She was raised up like that and that was who she thought she was. Nothing more, nothing less.
“Yes, my child. Like a princess,” he smiled and lay back down, feeling dizzy with the loss of blood. For a second, she thought King John knew everything but he couldn’t have. He was just as oblivious as anyone else was.
“Oh, it’s your blood loss,” Izzy told him, ripping a piece of cloth from her large tunic. She carefully built pressure to King John’s wound and wrapped it tightly to keep it from more blood loss.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” he smiled as he got into a seated position. He sat with his back to his throne and stayed still to keep his wound from moving.
“Izzy!” a familiar voice cried out. Izzy whipped around and saw Timothy coming in with Treyton by his side. She ran to them and hugged Timothy and Treyton, relieved to see the two soldiers coming back safely.
“We won, we won,” Timothy breathed as he let go of Izzy.
“Thank goodness,” Izzy sighed. “There was an attack here but I think we got all the Vauldins down. One had hurt King John but he’s going to be alright.”
“Good,” Timothy sighed. They both took time to relieve themselves with good news. “Izzy, I heard from Zander about the letter Annie sent and Treyton and I checked her room but she was gone. We think she escaped but we saw a book that was wide open on her desk and we read it. You’re a princess Izzy.”
“I-I know,” Izzy said quietly, her head hung low. She felt her heart quicken. She didn’t know how Timothy would react.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Timothy asked his eyes full of confusion and hurt.
“I found out only a few days ago and I knew if I said something no one would believe me and Annie would try to get rid of me.” Izzy looked at Timothy, hoping he would still see her the same way she was.
“It didn’t stop her from trying to get you killed.” Timothy’s eyes darkened.
“Timothy, all that matters is that she is safe,” Treyton said, putting his hands on Timothy’s shoulder. Timothy seemed to relax under Treyton’s touch and he looked at Izzy again.
“I’m happy that you’re safe, Izzy. If anything happened to you, I don’t know what I would have done,” Timothy said, smiling at her.
“Does Zander know?” Izzy said timidly. She didn’t know what would happen if Alex knew. He was certainly unpredictable.
Treyton froze with a grimace but he was the first to answer. “He knows.”
The heat on Izzy’s cheeks flamed. He knew about her real identity. What would he think of her know? They could get married if they wanted. It wasn’t an issue anymore.
“I see,” was all Izzy said before they returned back to real business.
Timothy called for a doctor and a tall male quickly came running down to the throne room, his hair disheveled. He went quickly to the king, ripping Izzy’s makeshift bandage and assessing the wound with salve and ointment.
Timothy stayed by the king’s side while he was treated and informed him with everything that had happened. How the Vauldin’s ran away after they knew their numbers was greatly reduced and that they had failed to penetrate the inside of the castle. The villages were badly burnt but the villagers were safe and out of harm’s way.