They were coming. The vampires. They had crossed the borders between the kingdom and the wild lands and they were heading straight for the castle.
The entire castle was in a frenzy with frantic movement from the servants and soldiers. They were all panicked. They were looking for where to hide, how to get away. Little did they know that once the vampires descended on them, nowhere would be safe for hiding.
Even while stowed away in her locked bedroom, Circe could still hear her father screaming orders to the soldiers lining the palace parameters. When she peered out of her window, she spotted more soldiers rushing to fortify the other entrances.
Her little brother sat trembling at the foot of her bed, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes.
" They are going to have us all slaughtered." He sobbed. He was only six years old and the fact he had a good grasp of the situation they were in both amazed Circe and sent a stabbing pain straight into her chest.
Circe didn't know what to say to her brother's words. She tightened her grip on the windowsill. It vibrated with the force of multiple approaching horse hooves. Just two days ago the invaders were spotted heading north for the kingdom. It was almost mind boggling the way they were able to cover such a long distance in such little time.
Her father, the king, had sent some of his best warriors to the border to neutralize the threat as soon as he received word of their approach. The last thing Circe heard about the matter was that the soldiers her father sent were all slaughtered.
The incoming horde of them were not only vicious but also bloodthirsty which meant whatever gruesome fate the men her father sent to the border faced would be nothing compared to what was waiting for those in the palace.
" I wish I could be down there with the rest of them." She muttered absentmindedly. Their father had locked her and Rowen in the highest point of the castle as the prized merchandise that they were. After all, she was set to become heir if something were to happen to their older brother. Not that there would be much of a kingdom to inherit afterwards.
" Are you mad?" Rowen exclaimed.
Circe asked herself the very same question everyday. What kind of person would rather be at the Frontlines of a war then be tucked away where it was safe? Maybe it was because she knew nowhere was truly safe. They were in as much danger here as they would have been standing with a sword in their hands alongside the other soldiers.
She saw them when she peered out of the window again. The invaders. The moonlight illuminated their silhouettes on horseback. Shouts of alarm reverberated around the palace. The sounds soon turned to screams of agony.
One of the enemy soldiers in the front, a behemoth of a man, gripped a long spear in one hand and his horse's reins in the other. Light from the numerous lit torches scattered around illuminated his features as he reared back and flung the spear in the air. It swung and arched before hitting its intended target. It pierce the chest of one of the archers firing down at them.
The sound of clashing swords could be heard from miles away. The enemy's numbers seemed almost endless. Soon they were breaking through the barricade surrounding the castle. Heavy footfalls echoed through the walls. The sound drew closer and closer.
" Get under the bed and stay there until I tell you to come out." Circe said. She pulled out her sword from its sheath. Her eyes were trained on the locked door.
Rowen did as he was told, crawling under the bed and quieting his whimpers.
The sound of the ensuing carnage was now right outside her door. The knob jiggled forcefully. There was no other noise in the room, even her breaths had slowed in anticipation.
The person on the other side must have realized the room was locked because the next thing Circe knew, a huge weight was slamming into the door trying to force it open.
Circe's grip tightened around her sword.
The door was almost ripped off its hinges by the third shove.
" May the gods accept our souls into Valhalla." Circe whispered.
The door flew open.
She swung her sword, catching the intruder unawares. Her blade sliced into the side of his face, causing him to howl in pain. Aiming for his chest had been her first choice but he was covered in chainmail. His neck, face and arms were the only parts of him that were exposed.
She raised her sword and swung again but he was faster this time. He parried her blow. Circe slid to the side when he swung at her.
The man was almost twice her size with the sword skills to match but Circe refused to give up. surrendering would mean death to not only her but to her brother as well.
" You're a slippery one." Her attacker grunted. " I didn't know your people taught their women to fight. It's unfortunate you will die by my blade like everyone in this palace."
His blade cut a line down her arm. She hissed at the sting. Blood poured out of the wound as she landed a heavy hit to his left, which she saw was his weakest side. He stumbled a step back.
Circe took the opening she was given to charge at him. She thrust her sword into his middle. Her blade cut through his chainmail, straight into his flesh. She pushed it in deep and he gurgled as blood filled his mouth.
He crumpled to the floor. He fell to reveal a second man standing at the door's threshold. Her bloody sword still in hand, Circe took a step back.
" You just murdered one of the king's highest ranking generals." The man at the door said.
Circe spat at the feet of the dead soldier.
" And you will share his fate if you don't take your soldiers and return back to the hell you crawled out from." Circe warned. Her eyes blazed with rage. It worked well to mask the bone deep exhaustion that was unfurling within her. Strands of her dark hair stuck to her sweat-damp skin.
" You are far too confident for someone with a dead army." He drawled.
She tried not to show her surprise but he must have caught the slight widening of her eyes. He laughed.
" Yes, little warrior. Everyone is dead, including the king and the crown prince."
Her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. She remained standing by sheer force of will.
Her lips trembled. " You're lying."
" Would you prefer I bring you their heads instead?"
Tears burnt the corners of her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back from falling.
" Do you know who you're speaking to? I could cut out your tongue right now for this." She snarled.
" I know exactly who you are, Circe. Crown princess of westeria, now heir to the throne." He gave a mock bow. " They said your father carried the mark of the gods, yet was killed by a mere steel blade."
His sharp fangs glinted in the light as he spoke. He crossed the threshold, stepping over the prone corpse in the process.
" Stay back." She sounded feral.
" The prince would be more than pleased to meet the princess strong enough to best one of his most skilled fighters."
In a flash he knocked the sword out of her hand and grabbed her by her hair. Her scalp stung when she tried twisting free but his hold was unbreakable. She clawed at his hands, and face but his grip remained firm.
" Get your hands off me, you disgusting leech." She screeched, still trying to fight him off. She was only human with barely enough strength to fight off a full grown vampire while unarmed
" For that comment alone I hope the prince keeps you alive. I will take pleasure in watching him break you." He said before shoving her off to another member of his troops.
Circe watched him skulk around the room in search of something. Realization dawned when she saw him move towards the bed and crouched down. A scream lodged itself in her throat. He shoved his hand under the bed and pulled out her sobbing brother by the foot.
" How many prisoners do we really need?" The man now gripping her asked.
The man holding Rowen flashed a vicious smile. " Ideally only one but this time, I'll let the prince decide."