Seer of Souls

Next chapter! New characters! Interesting information!(I hope
anyways)

I don't have a beta so all mistakes are my own.

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The slam of a heavy door against a stone wall echoed loudly
through the castle, a warning to those that could hear it of what is
to come. Cringing, the servants fled to the lower levels, hoping not
to be in the way of the rampage that was sure to come. “Mother!
How could you! I hate you!” said an angry, red faced young
woman. Her carefully styled blond hair adding several inches to her
short height.

“Beatrice? What is the matter?” The regal woman asked,
blinking her pale blue eyes rapidly in surprise at her raving
daughter. She stood with a swish of silk skirts, towering over her
shorter child. Lifting a hand, she waved
dismissively at the courtiers in the grand hall, who left as
quickly as they could while maintaining their dignity.

“You! You engaged me to HIM!” Beatrice cried, her
voice full of loathing. The regal woman gave a slight smile in
understanding before she began placating her daughter.

“Now, sweetie, its not so bad,”
Beatrice snorted at this and crossed her arms over her chest, “his
kingdom is large, rich and has many things that you enjoy. Not to
mention the fact that prince Coralus is not
exactly intelligent and his father is near death.” A
calculating gleam enter Beatrice's eyes at this, stupid and near to
gaining the throne? That was useful. Beatrice's mother smirked when
she saw understanding shadow her daughters face. “See? Its a
good thing, this engagement. Soon, you shall be queen, and once we
dispose of the good prince, you won't have a thing to worry about.”

Beatrice laughed, “Yes, you are right mother, I should have
realized this! This engagement is a good thing!”

A firm knock on the great doors interrupted
them as they started to outline a plan for when the old king
died. Beatrice's mother
Dorthea's lips thinned in annoyance at
this before she bid the person to enter. A tall, dark haired man in
silver armor entered the room, his steps confidant as he made his way
to the dais that Dorthea and Beatrice stood
on, he bowed deeply before he knelled before
the two women. “My queen, I wish you good tidings on this day
and bring news on the endeavors you have bade me to begin.”
Dorthea nodded at him to begun, her interest caught. “My men
have razed the demon stronghold to the ground, my men are currently
searching for any demons who fled the village or who have hidden
among the common peoples.”

Dorthea smiled, pleasure written on her face. “I am pleased
that this unpleasant matter is being dealt with promptly, once all
such creatures are... destroyed, I will
truly show you and your order my gratitude.” The man glowed
with pleasure at these words of praise form his queen, though he
maintained a dignified appearance.

“Ah! Sir Gailin, what fine work you do for our kingdom!”
Beatrice exclaimed, as she gazed at the knight in admiration, “How
hard it must be to do such battle with the foul demons who poison our
land with their presence!”

“Yes, it is a difficult, but
necessary duty. The demons can be very cunning, hiding as
humans. It is their foul magic that gives them away, without the
special training myself and my men would
otherwise be unable to tell them apart form human beings.”
Beatrice sighed at these words, placing her hand lightly on the
knights shoulder.

“You are truly a great warrior to
be able to see through the deception of those creatures!”

“I am simply a knight of Corindane,
that is all. I must protect the kingdom as is my duty.”

“You may return to your post, sir Gailin.” Dorthea
said dismissively. Gailin stood and bowed
deeply.

“My queen, my princess.” Before turning and leaving
the throne room.

None of them had notice the young boy hidden in the room, who had
listened to the conversations held within

~ ~ ~ ~

Her breath came in pants, her mind fogged over as she swung her
sword. Blocking and slicing and stabbing. The clang of armor, the
screams and shouts, the coppery tang of blood on the air as it was
spilled from the bodies that had once needed it so. She was bleeding
too, she was sure of it, but she could not separate her blood from
theirs that covered her body, staining her hands and sword, running
down her sword as it cut through air and the attacking men.

Crimson rain falling, falling... The world faded to black as she
collapsed.

~ ~ ~ ~

“.....Alla? Salla? I think she is waking up! Salla?”
Someone was talking, calling her name. Each word she heard as if
coming from a far off distance, muffled and slightly distorted yet
still clear enough that she could understand it. Salla wanted to
respond, but felt burdened, as if the encroaching darkness was
seeking to drag her back into its embrace.

She struggled against it, using the voice as a guide, following it
to its source. She new that voice, it had a name .... Diamond?
Dia....”mond?”

“Salla? Viran!”

She opened her eyes, the lids like heavy weights. Long black hair
and large green eyes were the first thing she saw, she blinked
rapidly in surprise as she tried to focus blurry eyes on the rest of
the face that was so close to her own. “D-Diam-mond?”
Salla asked, coughing as she said the name, a large smile spread
across his face as he leaned back and looked over towards the foot of
the bed she was lying on. Viran's face appeared on
the the other side of the bed, he wasn't leaning as close to her as
Diamond had been, so she could see him more clearly.

“Ah! Good, your awake!” Viran said, pleased, “Do
you hurt anywhere?” Salla winkled her nose and thought about
this question carefully, why would she hurt? What had happened? As
she thought of this she became aware of a steady burning ache in her
arms and legs and a stinging sensation on her forehead,
surprised, she told Viran of her newfound pains.

“Diamond? Viran? What happened?” Salla asked,
concerned, she could only seem to remember a endless seeming battle.

“One of the solders managed to get a good hit in on your
head, your lucky it was with the blunt end of their weapon otherwise
you would be dead.” Diamond explained, his voice serious, “you
did well though, bandits like those can be dirty fighters, using
tricks and treachery to win their battles.”

Salla smiled slightly before wincing as the pain in her head
increased. “Its alright now, Salla, go back to sleep now.”
Viran said as he smiled at her and nodded at Diamond. Diamond placed
a hand lightly on Salla's hand and begun muttering under his breath.
Salla tried to listen to what he said but she felt so tired, her
eyelids were heavy and everything was fading away.

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review please?