S1 Chapter 11, Dying to Meet you. Part 1

 1 year later. . . .

2021 AC/DC Holy Wood. Castle Ao'o.

There was much excitement in the kingdoms. In Holy Wood a procession of bands was making way all over the Sunset drive, filling taverns and bars with music and people. People were prospering, thriving, happy, joyful. Star stood on the balcony smiling down at the incoming convoy, her lover at the forefront. Bon was here and it was all she could think about, finally being able to propose a union between their bands, and maybe eventually a marriage between her and Bon which would now be seen as appropriate.. All had come to be a year later, just as she set it up and predicted. A new band had risen from the Great Southern Island consisting of the Prince Malcom, his body guards Cliff and Philipe, their leader Bon Mantle, and Malcom's foster brother, a boy with red skin named Angus.

The five of them had formed the Power Band, and powerful they were. They left nothing but prosperity in their wake and everywhere they went the people and societies thrived and built themselves. As Star had planned and secretly funded, the potential for great peace had come in the form of this band that she had helped create. They had successfully brought peace to the Great Island they came from, now they came up from the Gold Fields to the south, and the Kingdom by the Sea had praised them. They were now coming to Holy Wood, the foremost thriving kingdom in the known world.

Star had asked them to make an appearance in her court, to publicly propose a full swinging tour that would untie that kingdoms and bring a new era of peace and thinking. This would make them the most powerful and influential force in the world. Nothing would stand in their way.

In the great hall of Ao'o Castle, Star sat with Dawn on her right had, and Rosie on her left. They were dressed in their finest velvets to receive these visitors, Rosie kept fidgeting, Dawn glared at the eldest of the Power Band as they entered. Star was soaring on the inside, her heart leapt in her throat, bursting with pride at the view of her demon son and lover walking side by side as if father and son. Angus was no more aware of who Star was in relation to himself and was staring at the place in wonder and devilish delight. When he saw Rosie he grinned, his smile full of teeth. The girl tilted her head in curiosity.

Richi was to the direct right side of Star, sitting in a comfortable ornate chair. The Blackmoore was angered at Bon's presence, no matter how happy it made Star. He shared Dawn's contempt at the sight of the arrogant looking man they detested. This was the only way he could have ever approached the Queen in public and the Blackmoore lord could feel the connection between his cousin and the man of filth, they were drowned in blissful happiness.

 Star herself was dressed in a wine red velvet dress was clung to her and trailed a foot behind her. She wore an epaulette of copper on her shoulders and rings of gold on her fingers, a small gold bell chimed with each subtle move of her head and her soft pink lips were hard pressed to remain in a smile that wouldn't give her away.

When the Power Band came to show their respects to the ruling queen, she did the same when Prince Malcom was formally introduced as the only true royal member.

“In attendance is Prince Malcom Younge, son of King Aberneil Younge, and his fostered brother his Lordship, Angus Younge.”

Star nodded her head once, her gold crown moving with her. “Prince Malcom, Lord Angus. Sirs Philipe, Cliff and Bon.” She grinned. “It is a cause for celebration that you visit today. News of your success and of your help towards those in need are told strongly here. As you are aware, since my rule implanted in 1980 AC/DC, Holy Wood has thrived and proven thriving in its people. Wherever you go, poverty ends, where ever I look poverty ends.”

“I have seen this in our time here your highness,” Bon spoke with a grin on his face. “Your lands are beautiful and full and rich, a reflection of their queen.”

Star felt Richi tense beside her. Dee stood among the crowd as well, the only BOC member in attendance. He watched and while he smiled, he was silent.

“Oh Sir Bon you flatter me. In the face of such rich success I propose a tour.”

“A tour you say?” Malcom asked. He, too, excited at the idea of uniting the Great Southern island with the rest of the world. Spreading a combination of powerful influence.

“Why yes dear, Prince Younge,” she directed her attention to him and rose from her throne. “Your Power Band and my Neon Knights combined will accomplish more than we could do on our own. My adviser, Lord Blackmoore's band Light in the Black shall also march. I ask you to join us and begin a crusade to end poverty and war, to bring about a new era of peace and enlightenment. A call to criminals to lay down their crime and wayward lives and to join us for a revolution of the mind.”

“You have the Power Band!” Malcom announced. “We will gladly unite to bring about a new era.”

Star descended the steps, Richi followed and she went to Malcom, just a boy of eighteen, Angus forever frozen as a sixteen year old boy. She held up a hand and the first prince pressed his palm to hers. Richi pulled a red ribbon out of his pocket, a ceremonial ribbon to symbolize unification, and wrapped it around their hands. When he was done he turned to the crowds.

“Let it be known that we three bands shall lead a march to the other kingdoms! We will invite the others to the south to join us! We invite YOU the people to join us! The tour for Peace begins with all of us!”

Whatever else he said was drowned out in noise as the people burst into celebration. Yes there had been peace in the time of Star's rule as queen, but there had always been conflict. Kingdoms isolated and thought abandoned, people still living without. This was to a rekindling of all the kingdoms to come to come alive. To join together and be free in every sense. This was a call to rise up and care for all in need, a way to boost economies of all sorts. This was going to change their worlds more than it was changed in 1979. More than it changed in 1980.

While the commoners in attendance left to spread the word and call everyone to join them, Dee slipped away into the crowds. Dawn was the only one who watched him leave his place. She followed him while her mother continued to make love sick gaga eyes at Bon in public. She went to the servants hall she saw him last and hurried quietly, the sounds of the people in the great hall still echoing. She heard silence ahead and in a panic she began running faster.

When she emerged into the nearest courtyard, she scanned the open area, seeing no one there. But when she stepped forward she saw a body in the grass. A woman's body.

“GUARDS!” She called as she dove to tend to the woman she knew. “GUARDS COME QUICK!”

Even though they came and helped her take the injured to the nearest healer in the castle, she knew it was too late.....Tilda was dead. A single stab to the heart had ended her life, why or by who Dawn didn't know and not a single guard had been present to see anyone. Dee was still gone and while the Princess wanted to believe he had done it, there was absolutely no proof that he had. There were no witnesses, no weapon, and Tilda was dead.

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It was late into the next day, as the entire city and all of Star's managers of affairs got the tour in order, when she was alerted of Tilda's murder. Dawn brought her to the crypts, where the woman was already laid out for burial and mourning. But she had no family, and only May was there to acknowledge her passing. Rosie had been told that Tilda had died in her sleep, the girl was shaken by the sudden death, but in the wake of the Tour her sadness was distracted. Star however stood shoulder to shoulder with Dawn and May, staring at the woman's body.

“I cannot stop the tour,” she said.

Dawn frowned. “I didn't think you would, despite the dishonor to Tilda.”

“Its not that,” Star whispered. “I loved her, she helped me raise you and Rosie. I owed her and this is the thanks I give? I understand your anger but the tour must continue, one in order to spite Tilda's killer, and two because she would want us to continue. It will free the lands and hopefully encourage them to separate from the BOC. For all my power and liberation the people still look tot hem for help in situations they offer assistance to. This tour could end the rule of the BOC, Tilda knew that.”

“We will not go after the killer? We know who it was.”

“He did not murder her, he could not have.”

“He is of the BOC, you know he did.”

“Did anyone see it?”

“No.”

“They will laugh at you without any evidence. There is nothing we can do.”

Dawn sighed. “I know.” She turned and left. . . .

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It wasn't long before the royal family once again was in the great hall, drinking and merry making before the tour was set to launch. The platform where the thrones usually sat was cleared of the chairs and instead was littered with divans and large pillows tossed about. The queen reclined on a chair while Bon sat next to her, they flirted outrageously, whispering of being loved dearly. Angus entertained a horde of girls by playing guitar for them. Everyone else was spread throughout the hall, mingling and drinking. Feasting and dancing. Dawn wandered the hall, drinking, smoking, May was not among them, she was with Rosie in her chambers. Rosie was not fond of large gatherings like this.

Richi was surrounded by people as well, his band mates, women, other dignitaries. He shared Dawn's belief that a member of the BOC murdered Tilda, it unsettled them both. They also knew that the tour would commence. When infuriated him most was the sight of Star with Bon. After he had broken her heart for forty years, she gives him a band and then invites him to her castle. Now they sat side by side as if lovingly collaborating on their tour, and it made Richi huff in frustration.

In the middle of their celebrations a guard came running through the large hall doors, his armor clanking loudly and drawing everyone's attention. He held a piece of parchment in his hand and came to the steps below the gathering. Star, while prone to folly, knew that he had grave news, even more upsetting than her friend's death. She stood, Bon watched. Richi leaned forward, dawn followed her mothers suit and stood next to her.

“Speak!” Star said.

The guard nodded and unrolled the scroll. “To QUEEN OF HOLY WOOD. This note is to remind you that we are not dead and our forces have amassed to new heights. We await you outside your castle, in the open fields to the east, myself and my two delegates. We have gained the strength necessary to come and demand you pay heed to us and our power. Should you fail to speak with us, and listen to our demands, war will come down upon you. Awaiting your presence, signed, the King of the Spyders.”

There was silence.

Star burst into a grin. “Who sent this?”

“The messenger outside said he is to show you to the field where they wait.”

“Then by all means, let us meet.” She said as she swept away to dress for the hint of battle.

Dawn and Richi followed her, Bon followed against their wishes but Star demanded he come. The Princess whispered furiously with her mother, this did not feel right. Something was wrong. Star waved her concerns away as jitters of a negotiation. Dawn huffed at her mother's ignorance but followed her to dress for travel all the same. 

Princess and Lord Blackmoore, dressed in leather shin, arm and body gear. Star was dressed similarly with thigh high leather boots and a long necked, tight fitted chemise with the sleeves split open and leather guards from her wrists to elbows. Bon was given his choice of armor since they had come without, and donned a pair of metal shin guards and a long sleeved leather jacket, he declined any sort of chainmail since war was not yet eminent.

When done with their quick travel preparations, they met at the stables and Star called a small fraction of her army to come with her to investigate. The messenger boy was a Spyder, he wore the vivid red and silver colors and held a flag pole flying the silver Spyder on a red background. Star told him to led them and he did without further conversation. She had to admit that he was indeed in better condition that she expected, the last time she encountered the Spyder's, they were mere rag tag warriors without armor to call their own. It appeared they had improved since then.

Richi and Dawn trailed behind Star and Bon who sat abreast on their horses. The messenger was well ahead of them to avoid any speaking situations and this made Star lean in close to Bon.

“This is unusual.”

“What do you think they want?”

“To stop us. If we unite the people, they will be cast out and free for me to round up and deal with.”

“Another attempt at rebellion.” He said.

She smiled. “But it isn't as frighting this time, with you beside me.” She looked and smiled at him. “I had hoped we would set on a march for peace, and not to investigate if war is here.”

“We will tour. We will speak to the king and he might even join us.”

“Oh I doubt that,” she laughed. “But yes, we go to speak. I'm so happy you're here.”

“You said that already,” he laughed.

“Because I am,” she whispered. “I would rather be marching North rather than east, but with you by my side I fear nothing.”

He took her hand and kissed the back of it. She did likewise and he gave her hand a squeeze. They had been unable to share an intimate moment since his arrival two days prior. The Queen was beginning to regret it. This was a scene from her vision of the tour, them dressed as they were, atop horses on a dirt path. She saw no more after that and was waiting to see what lay beyond.

Their conversation died the moment the crested a hill and saw the camp. There at least one thousand soldiers present and their camps were abandoned as they all stood in neat uniform rows behind three leaders. The King and his two delegates. Star was not prepared for this and the moment she saw that her one hundred men was a vast miscalculation she motioned for Dawn to come forward. She watched the other army carefully, the situation had suddenly become grave.

“Ride to Ao'o, gather more, one thousand at least more. Begin preparations to possibly evacuate the city. Go to the old King. This is not a meeting, this I a negotiation and threat of war.” She looked into her daughter's eyes.

Dawn stared at her mother, the encampment and then nodded and turned to ride back for Ao'o. She did not question Star then, as to why she did not send Richi. She wanted to ensure that Rosie was far from the castle if War struck, and they would need more warriors. One thousand men was hardly an army, but it was all the BOC had had when they overthrew Star with in the beginning. She ran hard and didn't look back.

Star kicked her horse forward, Bon and Richi following by her sides. She motioned for Bon to come close and he did, Richi glared at the army ahead. Now was not the time for her to be flirting and it angered him. They went slowly plodding along.

“I'll never forget the day we met,” she said.

Richi glared at him. Star smiled.

“How could anyone forget?”He said.

“I think of it almost every night when you are away.” She was quiet. “I wish for that night over and over.”

“We will live it again.” He ensured her.

“I hope so,” she whispered.

The Spyders moved forward when the others stopped and approached the Holy Wood Queen. They all shared bright red hair, dyed of course to sport their war colors. A bright red band of paint was spread across their faces like a mask. The King wore a silver crown with large rubies inset along the band, he was young, too young.

When the two parties met they were mere yards away from the nearest soldier, either Spyder or Holy Woodian. The King spoke first.

“I am Xander of the Spyders.”

“I am Star Dust of Holy Wood.”

His lips peeled over yellowed teeth and a sick smile. "I have been Dying to meet you Queen. We are no longer the petty warrior thieves you knew. We are now a thriving community of people, taking over lands far to the east that you yourself abandoned.”

“I do not deny living space to those who need it. Enemy or otherwise.”

“That is not why I brought you here.”

“And why did you King of the Spyders?” She asked sarcastically, clearing mocking him.

“To inform you that we are powerful now. More than the thread bare people you knew, we have amassed our own kingdom and fortunes and riches and we have built an army and we have gathered land and we continue to build.”

“You seem familiar. . .” she said then, as if ignoring him. “Have I imprisoned you before?”

“We met once, on the fields of war in 1979.”

“Oh yes, when everyone who wanted to fight leapt into war.” She seemed puzzled. “But why do you wish war on me? It was the BOC I was fighting, not you.”

“Because you are of Holy Wood! Your former kings imprisoned my forefathers! You have ignored us as a force of might for far too long!”

“Because you attack my people! Surrounding lands! You encourage crime and pillaging!”

“Is that not what you plan now with your tour? To eradicate us?”

“Of course not! In fact you may join us! Lay down your grievances and join us King of the Spyders. Join us. Do you have another sponsor perhaps? Allies of your own?”

“If you only knew,” he grinned wickedly. “We drank the water of life you gave your people, we are more than mere decedents, we are the last of the Spyders who were wrongfully imprisoned. And by who? A king who knew a Spyder was the rightful heir of Holy Wood.”

“Now that is where you fail to make sense,” Richi said. “The case you refer to took place nearly two centuries ago. It was a fight over two legitimate children for the Throne on Earth, and the one whose mother was Martian was denied the throne while the earthling mother was given the throne.”

The King smiled, "Time hides many secrets Blackmoore Lord."

Star went pale. If he only knew. . . . “He is right. I cannot attest to what my husband's ancestors did to your forefathers, but we can fix it right now.”

Xander's eyes darkened. “I am afraid it is too late to offer an alliance. You have been bested your highness.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean bested? By who? Speak clearly or you will never be a proper king at all!”

“You will address me as KING Xander the first of the Spyders!”

They fell into a fit of yelling at each other, Star hurtling insults and Xander using sarcastic allusions to double meanings. In the throngs of red, one among them crept silently, seemingly unnoticed by those around him until he reached the edge of the crow closest to the dignitaries. Bon watched the woman and Spyder argue, Richi did as well....But it was Bon who heard the crunch of dirt, being a Dirty Deeds Man his senses could detect what was otherwise silent. It was a trait of the Dirty Men faction. He turned in time to see the crowd part and without explanation he shoved Star out of the saddle with a violent push and grabbed a knife out of his shin guard.

As the dagger flew and struck the “king's” eye, another blade flashed in the sunlight. It wouldn't kill Xander. . .at the same time he reacted, there was a sudden movement in the crowd of uniformed stanced Spyder soldiers, and it happened quicker than anyone else could react. A Spyder pushed through the crowd and flung an object at the Queen.

In the same moment that Bon had shoved her and threw his blade, another was released from the hands of an assassin for hire. As the King screamed and was taken away from the stand off, arrows flew, war cries were screamed, the war began. With an arm raised the slaughter was started.

Richi ducked and jumped down from his horse, hiding behind it as he protected the Queen.

“SHEILD WWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL!” He screamed.

As the wall formed he looked down and crouched low to pick up his cousin, but she did not see him. He followed her gaze and saw Bon across from them, his hand in hers, a knife protruding from his chest. In the midst of colliding enemy lines, Richi picked her up and guards picked up Bon. They found shelter a mile away from the front line and a healer, sent by Dawn had quickly arrived with a small battalion of battle ready men. Dawn came with nightfall and led the battle as the people she had brought sent up a temporary base. As the tent was constructed and a table unloaded, Bon was being dressed by a healer, a magic healer from the Sabbath lands. A gift from that Kingdom to Star's.

With nothing else for it he grabbed the dagger and the moment it was free, covered it with a heavy cloth he pressed down. This changed nothing. The healer said his chants, laid a hand over the chest and the wound glowed a soft blue...but when the glow dimmed it was apparent that they were too late. He shook his head and said another chant while placing coins over the man's eyes.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Star screamed so loud that moment that her voice broke.

She fell to the ground and Richi was overwhelmed.

“Get her out of here!” he shouted as he drew his sword.

The tent was so close to the front lines that this was his holding point and he had to get her away to safety until she was dressed in her armor ready to fight, but with the death of her love right before her eyes he wasn't sure she was able to fight. The guards and healers took her away, but she fought them. Not willing to leave unless Bon's body went with her. They took her and the dead man to a tavern in a nearby evacuated village while Dawn and Richi battled on the front line. They were not far from the Castle Ao'o and Dawn had called for more and more reinforcements to come even after she had ridden out with her militia.

Eventually they held the line and more soldiers came to fight. Far into the night and the next day there was fighting. Dawn and Richi pulled out long enough to establish where they stood. Star was still holed up in the tavern and was said to be drinking copious amounts of rum. Dawn relayed to Richi that everyone incapable of fighting was being evacuated to the Kingdom by the Sea and he was willingly taking them in, Rosie and May included. The Princess then broke off from her uncle to go send word to the other kingdoms. This was not their fight but it would maybe become theirs if Holy Wood should lose, they should be prepared.

Richi agreed. With morale falling low at the sudden attack and Star's safety uncertain, the soldiers needed to know that their queen was well. They needed to know they were not fighting a losing battle....Even though it appeared as such. Over the course of the next few days, it became apparent that the Spyder's had also rebuilt their military and military tactics. Every time the Holy Woodians entered the forest to pursue them, the men were overwhelmed and scattered, sent running from the forests. It wasn't long before both Richi and Dawn concluded that the Spyder's had a significant army spread through the lands usually uninhabited, under one command it seemed.

The forests were thick, the hills rocky and full of caves. The Spyders had planned for this and it was evident in the way they moved and nearly expected their battle plans. After a large squad of soldiers was lost in an ambush, Dawn pulled back their forces and Richi went in search of Star.

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A tavern in the village of Tull, 2021 AC/DC, sunrise. . . . .

Stardust sat at the bar, Richi and a band of five soldiers stood behind her. The Blackmoore lord behind her was dressed in his battle worn armor. Their leader was getting wasted at a bar as the kingdom was at war. With the death of her lover Bon, the Queen was ill.

“My Lady, there is a war at hand the enemy is attacking from the east. We need your guidance in this time.” Her cousin said.

She sucked down another rum shot and tapped the glass in thought before pouring more. She drank and ignored those in attendance. The other soldiers didn't know what to make of it. Richi set his helmet down and stared at his Queen and cousin.

“Leave us,” he commanded his men. They did as told. He grabbed the shot from her hand before it touched her lips and threw it on the ground. She looked at him with an irritated smirk. “Wake up,” he growled at her.

She wasn't deterred. She pushed another shot to him, “Here have a drink on me,” she suddenly burst into laughter that dribbled into tears. “Hes upstairs, and there's no pulse.”

She spoke of her lover Bon. Just as their two powerbands were about to embark on a massive tour across the kingdoms, Bon had been assassinated before her very eyes. He had died after they fled the battle field and she held onto his body in the hopes he wasn't dead.

But he died long before being brought here, and she did everything in her willpower to deny it. She was drowning out her sorrow like she did after the Great war of 1979. After her husband vanished....she turned to heavy drinking in that short time before being exiled and separated from her newly born baby.

Richi was there to break her out of her drunken dream. “We need our Queen! Your daughter needs you, your granddaughter needs you.” He put his hand over the glass she was about to drink from. “Bon would want you to keep fighting. He didn't come all this way, he didn't follow you for more than thirty years to see you give up all because he died.”

She grinned at him and shoved his hand away. “Now that I will drink to. Bon was a persistent man.” She downed the double shot without a flicker of disgust. “And his persistence got him dead.”

Richi laughed. “You know nothing of Bon you foolish woman.”

She raised her glass and smashed in on his armor breast plate.

“Don't you say that Richi!” She screamed.

“You know you must go on! When we have a victory he will be cremated as the bravest of men are. He would want you to fight and we must go NOW!”

“Don't you dare touch him!” She branched a dagger at him, freed from its hidden sheath in her sleeve. I will keep his body forever if I have to!”

“You would defy his honor and keep him in a glass coffin if it meant you could keep him for yourself.”

“You're damn right I would and I'll drink to that right now!' She drank again and slammed the next glass to the floor. “

There was a sudden ruckus on the floor above them and the sound of smashing glass. Stardust leapt to the stairs when the glass shattered above and Richi trailed closely behind her. Her heart pounded in terror at what she would find and she ran down the hall to his room. The door was slammed open so hard that it fell off on hinge. She flew inside to find his body gone and the window smashed.

She stood there in stoic, sobering silence and Richi stood alongside her.

“Is this your doing?” She asked Richi.

He shook his head. “No. I. . . I have no explanation.”

Both body and dagger were gone from this room. She went to the window and saw that the glass was broken outwards, there was no glass inside the room. There was no godly, earthly, physical way that Bon should have moved. He had been dead, she had felt no pulse, he was dead. Now he was gone, once again gone. With the realization that she would be unable to keep his body, she gave up and came out of her depression.

She nodded, facing the rising sun. “Let us win this war then.”

to be continued. . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .