S2, Chapter 8 In fact its cold as hell

Mars. Twilight. Abandoned ruins of a defunct royal Chateau. 

They had hidden out in the ruins of a once grand chateau for royal retreats. But according to Ziggy, her host, there had been no visits in over one hundred and thirty years. They hid among the ruins comfortably and he seemed to have been there for some time. She set up her own sleeping quarters and had no other choice but to trust the man who had saved her at the last moment. Yet what he had to say astounded her and was so obviously truth she could not deny it.

Once inside the chateau and once he was satisfied that it was secure he spoke to her and she had no choice but to believe. They faced each other over a fire pit.

“My name is Ziggy and I have been waiting for you for over a century.”

She stared at him with wary eyes. “You. . .know me?”

“I know you very well child,” he smiled and before she could react he embraced her. “I was there the day you left here.”

“I am Martian?” She pushed away from him after accepting his embrace for a few moments.

He shook his head and began gathering wood for a fire together. “You were born on a planet that went nova eons ago. Do you remember anything of this?”

She shook her head. “Am I supposed to?”

He sighed and blew the fire into life. Once that was done he went about setting up for making food. He did not stop once to look at her. “Its no wonder you do not. You received no proper education on your blood. Every time a Rider was awakened they were educated on their past and the present they had come into.”

“Have I. . been awakened before?” She whispered as if afraid to believe it.

“Oh many times,” he grinned. “ King Lazuras gave you his blood in the attempt to bring you out of hibernation. But he lost his war before you could help it.”

“Then the King? Is he. . . . Is he my father?”

“Your father?” He asked.

“If he gave me his blood to bring me to life, I call him my father.”

He was silent as he brought out hidden shanks of meat and set them over the flames. His two toned eyes were thoughtful.

“Yes, he was your father of this life. He and his Queen gave their blood to you.”

“I have a mother?” She was excited at the thought.

He shook his head. “She died long ago, like the ones who birthed you.”

“And the King? Where is he?”

“Dead as well.”

She sank to her heels and sat on them. “I came here looking for them. . They. . .one of them called to me.”

He looked to her then, his two tone eyes bore into her from across the fire.

“They are gone but I was there when you opened your eyes. Do you not remember me at all?”

She shook her head, her eyes misted with tears.

He tilted his head. “I remember you. Your eyes were blue and your hair was white. Earth changed you.”

“Fire changed me,” she whispered and wiped tears away from her cheeks. “I awoke in fire on earth.”

“Time may have passed but I know your face. I could never forget.”

“What happened? Why was I sent away?”

“We had lost the war,” he sighed. “The Queen was dead, the King and I came here. His laboratory was here where he hid you. An awakening can last for months. The Barons had overrun the capitol so we fled here and sent you off in a rocket that the King had preserved.”

“Preserved?”

“Long ago other Starriders forbid Martian travel to Earth, they burned blueprints, destroyed every craft and murdered all technicians with space travel knowledge. Their knowledge purge sparked the Martian Civil Wars.”

“Did not the King start them?”

“Oh good heavens no,” he shook his head and poked at the seared meat. “No The last king inherited these wars from other Kings and Queens before him. They believed he would settle them and so they went into hibernation soon after his awakening. They were all destroyed by the Spyders. Cast out of the saftey of the ice while they slept and the sands stunk of rotting bodies for years. But he saved the very last Starrider besides himself.”

She stared at him with a face in awe. “I am the last?”

“Well besides me.” He grinned and laughed. It was an airy sound that she enjoyed listening to. “I am a lesser Starrider you see. Stewards of sorts.”

“What did you do afterwards?”'

“I ran and became someone else. It was the only way.”

She nodded, “I can understand.”

They ate that night together and she relayed to him her plight on earth. How she had enlisted the Kilmister to bring her back over five years before hand. Ziggy laughed at how he turned his mission to capture her into a mission to assist her, but did not elaborate. She felt like she was living a dream.

Even as they spent the weeks together and she learned of Martian Civil wars and the tyranny of the Barons, she felt that he only told her parts of whole stories and histories. As if there were things he hid from her still, she felt he knew more about Kilmister than he let on.

“So the Barons were the lead Spyders who overthrew the Starriders?” She asked.

He nodded. "Long ago, very long ago, humans from earth lived here first. They made it livable and one day they found the Starriders drifting through space on an ice asteroid. The humans brought the Riders to Mars and eventually some interbred, creating what are now called Spyders. But the Starriders became their overlords, that's what they have always done you see, rule planets.”

“What was wrong with them?”

“They found the secret to immortality in the stars. Instant freeze in ice caps on planets much like Mars and Earth. Only so many Kings and Queens ruled for only a few decades at a time. They would awaken the next one and then go to sleep for however long it took to get back round to them in the line of secession.”

“Were they not just?”

“It was not that they were not just, they were a greatly diverse group of aliens. But not everyone of the mortal Spyders liked this cycle of immortal rulers.”

Star shifted in place, it was as she did on Earth. Keep herself immortal, but she did it to protect the people against the BOC. Besides, she had shared her immortality with victors of tournaments. She was satisfied with her peace of mind, but in awe of just how alike she was to the others who had perished.

*********************************************************************************

As time went on she asked many question and received partial answers. She could not, however, bring herself to ask him why Zardos was so happy about being on Mars. She didn't want him to think her insane but during her stay Zardos posted by any window and stared out over the sea of sand surrounding them. She stared at the city and was silent. She hardly paid attention to Star and it made the woman nervous. She came and went as she always did but with increasing absences.

After a day or two he returned from the city with a jar of red, clay like substance.

 “A ruckus has been raised about the sighting of a woman with gold hair. Gold and white hair,” Ziggy had explained, “were tell tale signs the Barons told people to watch for on her bounty. We must dye yours.”

She stroked her lush golden hair. She treasured it, prized it. The thought of dying it never occurred to her. But she remembered her first days when she wandered about the city and saw that all hair was dyed various shades of silvers, reds, or black. If she wanted to stay she had to, she nodded and sat down at his feet.

He revealed more of her past. “You had white hair when you left, but the Barons countered this should you ever return. Everyone was forced to register their names into city logs and dye their hair various colors that the Barons chose, their colors.”

She listened more than she spoke, taking it all in as best she could. However, as he dyed her hair she had to ask one question that had been killing her since the day she arrived.

"What do you know of the two princesses in the Silver Spires?"

His movements through her hair stopped. "The princesses of Earth."

She did not face him but her eyes welled with tears. "Are they well? Are they cared for?"

"They are. As best to anyone's knowledge."

"How far is their prison from here?"

"Too far to go on foot. We would need horses and I cannot obtain them without being chased as a thief."

She fell silent. They were on this planet, as she always imagined, and she could not save them. Feeling worse than helpless, a feeling that had no name, she did not ask about them further. Only to know that they were alive was good enough for her. 

                                                                           **

Ziggy had made trips back into the city, Star had gone with him but was wary of journeying to the center of the maze. The guards were actively looking for her and she was the highest bounty paid fugitive on all of the planet. She had never known this and so had never suspected what she was going to jump into. But she went as far as she dared with Ziggy and he showed her what he safely could.

When Star herself knew that she had outstayed her welcome. Ziggy reminded her that Mars time was longer than Earth. By the best of their combined understanding, she came to the shocking surprise that she had been gone well over three solid months from the Throne on Earth. While only being in Mars for weeks. 

They made plans to set off back to the location of the Rainbow bridge where they would jump back into it and shut it off from her side. They would go through a narrow gorge to skirt around the city to avoid any tolls or checkpoints. It was too dangerous to go through the dunes, people got lost all the time he said.

So they would go beneath the city and run from there. She didn't know what she had expected, but this was too much for her to take on alone. She would need to take her knowledge back to Earth and try to figure out how to approach it. Returning to Mars was a dangerous subject, while returning to Earth knowing what she did now was even more so. She huffed against the cold encroaching winds that blew into the ruined abode she hid in.

Maybe it was indeed for the best that she return to a place where she, at least, had some political standing. It unnerved her to think that if she was caught here she would undoubtedly be put to the sword. But on Earth it could get just as bad. As she gazed at the dunes, her hair a dark dyed shade of red now, she took in the last sights before she was to go home.

“Are you ready?” He asked behind her.

She nodded and they started into the twilight. Through the darkness of the desert they silently made way to the gorge. Star didn't know where to go, but Ziggy did. He took her by the city but they avoided the sights of the guard towers. Into the gorge they went and all was silent in the night, she actually believed they would make it. It was a crawl as they heard talking and saw guards above them. Ziggy felt his heart drop, he hadn't expected this. They never came this way so far from the city at night.

He led her along, he had to get her out of here. But to his dismay he heard footsteps behind them. He turned and saw a Spyder Soldier.

The Spyder struck a torch. “I knew it was you. No one else would be on her trail as closely as a Spyder.”

“Run Star,” Ziggy told her while withdrawing a large scimitar. “Run through the city, lose them there.”

“I will not leave without you,” she said firmly.

The guard then threw the torch overhead and when it landed it lit the gorge walls on fire. They had been oiled. It was not a fire meant to kill them but to alert others. He grinned.

“Go now!” He shoved her to go around the Spyder.

As she looked at him, really looked at him, it suddenly struck her. Right in the head. He was the one she had seen. He was the Martian of her visions, sitting in the red dunes holding out his hands. But he shoved her away just as she understood and had no choice but to make sure his efforts were not in vain.

The Spyder let her past. “You won't last long,” he said to her.

She dashed away to find a path to the city. Ziggy faced the Spyder and they dove into a well trained flurry of sword fighting. Their fight went on, clashing swords and flying sparks. When they stopped both were panting for breath and the Spyder was surprised. With the walls of the canyon on fire they were melting in their leather armor.

“You are still well honed for being such an old man,” the guard jibbed. “Your fugitive friend won't hide for long in there.”

“You have no idea what she is capable of.” He glared at the other man. “How did you know we would come this way?”

“A hunch. I saw you two escape the city so I followed you.”

“You've been watching the chateau?”

“Aye, for some weeks. Nearly lost your trail honestly.” He chuckled. “But I found you on one of your little trips to the city.”

“You let us sit for weeks. Why not make a grab for us when you could?”

They flung themselves into parries and blows once more. Sparks upon sparks rained at their feet. The fire was starting to create its own draft and it sucked through the gorge, making the men sway. They stopped again, panting for breath.

“I knew you would dash for it out in the open. You never came into the city, even then I'd lose you. I figured you two were smart. You could see me coming miles away during the day, you would have even been able to slip away if I came with an army. But here at night is where I waited.” He laughed at his own cleverness. “I knew, I just knew you two would sneak around, whatever you're after.”

“Laugh while you can,” Ziggy said. “It will be your last.”

As if he had merely been playing with the Spyder, he danced forward and cut his leg out from under him. The scimitar then found its way cleaving into his chest. He was stunned and choked on his own blood, Ziggy faced the oncoming set of soldiers who were coming to back up their partner. But they would arrive too late for their comrade and just in time to battle the man of the sands.

                                                                           **

Tears streamed from her eyes as she dashed through the fire lit streets of the city. She had found him! She had spent days and nights with him! And he had slipped through her fingers! She now had to run back to the portal and go home, alone. It was too dangerous here and she knew that now. They could stay no longer and she had to leave him behind!

Somehow, someone along the way had gotten clever and had ruined everything! She had no idea if anyone followed her but her progression through edge of the city slowed as the crowds thickened. Men and women in red and silver capes rallied through the streets and under bridges and through tunnels. They chanted about growing their hair free, they chanted about being free to believe to learn their history. Their torches cast the city in orange light and they moved forward.

As she stood on the edge of a fountain a set of three soldiers entered the square. She saw them and one saw her and they knew. He pointed to her and the other two looked at her as well. They began pushing and shoving through the crowds with hard aggression and some of the protesters shouted their upset.

Star fell into their ranks and crossed the square. She got to another large, square fountain and jumped up by a light post. Light reflected off the water and she stared about at the surrounding crowds. So many people! This would not end well, Star knew it, she had seen it before.

Suddenly she heard breaking doors and windows in some unseen alleys, ahead of the crowd a building was lit on fire. As the building roared into flame, she took the moment as the crowd began running forward in a heavy surge, to flee. Any guards after her were occupied now.

Into the darkness she melted and not a soul came to stop her. She looked back as she left the city and crested the first dune. Behind her was a large plume of fire in the outskirts of the city. Not one, but two of them burning tall and bright.

She turned away, leaving a world on fire as she had on earth and ran through the night time desert of Mars. The dark sky had just begun to turn the slightest lighter shade of night time blue to signal that dawn was hours away but coming. She came upon the black shapes of the ruins in which one could feel and hear the hum of the rainbow bridge. She had no fire or light to see by but could make out their shapes.

Once inside she knew to walk straight forward. Even in the dark she followed the hum of the Bridge as she got closer and felt the false wall that hid the portal. Once between the false walls she saw a faint blue glow and followed it.

Her lips were dry and her lungs bursting. Her throat parched and her water long since gone in the sandy dunes she came from. She beheld the blue flow of the bridge as it sensed her near and prepared itself for her. Praying to any gods she knew that no one followed her she went to jump into the fire-

A hand grabbed her! He pulled her back around the false wall and in the glow of the portal he knocked her hood back. She saw his face, angry and young.

His eyes! They were silver like Kilmisters! Swirling like mercury. 

She couldn't tell his hair color in the light. He stared into her face, taking in her details and pulled on her to leave the ruins but she punched him in the head and he yowled loudly. He turned and smacked her across the face in return.

 She had a dagger that bit him in the dark and drew blood on his forearm. He grabbed her wrist, slammed it against the wall and she dropped the dagger. But she was quick to retrieve it with her free hand and stabbed him in the hand in turn. He yanked it back, screaming. The dagger flew into the darkness behind him during their scuffle. She turned away but as she did he grabbed a handful of her flying hair!

He twisted a good grip on it and pulled so hard that strands were coming off in his grip. Her hair was strong in the rope he held and without the dagger to cut it she had no choice but to pull away from him. The clump came away in his grip, blood came from her skalp. She screamed and kicked him with her boot before rolling away and flinging herself into the portal and whirring off to earth.

There was no way He, Garot, was going to leave Mars and go into the portal everyone thought was defunct. It was against the law to even come to this place. He may not know her name, but he had her hair, he stumbled out of the ruins with something to show the Barons. Klyde had been killed in battle and he had run after her into the dunes, to this horrid place of legend.

He had seen her face and if she was who he thought she was, he was shocked that he had seen her alive. He looked at the hair as the sun began to rise and saw dye coming off on his sweaty palm.

                                                                     **

When she came out, Kilmister was more than surprised. Star fell out of the portal and into the cold room below him. He sat in a hanging swing seat above. She fell and sprawled out on the floor, her head was dripping a solid line of blood and she got on her hands and knees, gasping violently for air.

He watched her adjust to earthen atmosphere and when she could breath she looked around for him.

“Water!” She shouted. “Water please!”

He lowered the swing and rushed a flask to her lips. He knelt beside her and was able to see that her bleeding spot was a missing clump of hair. Someone had attacked her and she got away. He went to the main power lever and hauled it down. The whirring of the Bridge ceased and the earth was eerily still.

Kilmister went back to her side. “Breath, breath heavy. I remember what it was like, adjusting to earthen air.”

She gasped for a few moments until her shoulders shook and her gave out low raspy bellows. A laugh.

“Martian air is....is kinder to....adjust.” She coughed and drank more water.

Kilmister smiled. “You'll have to tell me what it's like.”

She looked up at him with a sharp twist of her head and reached into her pocket. She produced a silver coin and gave it to him. His smile died and his silver eyes widened.

“You know them?” She rasped.

They met eyes and he nodded. "They sent me to kill you."

She felt a dizzy spell come over her head and fell to the floor before they could speak of it further. . . .

S2 Chapter 7 Caught in the Middle

Holy Wood, Ao'o, 2020 AC/DC, Day.

Her mother had been gone two months! Months and not a word! Last they heard of her she had ridden off to settle land disputes and a fire and had done so. But of course, the treaties lasted a short while. not on the fault of lords and ladies of the land but simply because the pagan tribes that had no kings or queens were always at war.

Dawn did not bother with them. But Richi was busy in the throne room at that moment, reading letters and corespondents form afar. Dawn picked her nails with a wooden pick and acted nonchalant. Rosie was in classes and Dawn had little else to do on this day, instead she was watching her Uncle. maybe he knew something of her mother, though she doubted it.

He also didn't seem aware of Dawn's discoveries. He didn't seem to know a damned thing about the Silver eyed man her mother was so infatuated with. Her dark blue eyes stared at her uncle as he sighed over this paper and that.  No doubt he was reading over the bills her mother accumulated. But still he didn't seem so bothered, just annoyed.

Just as she was judging him he spoke out loud.

"Again! Just as you mother settles one dispute there is a siege at Darkness Castle."

As she was the only one else present she knew he was trying to include her in subjects of the lands.

"That's a little farther north."

He looked up and from across the hall said, "You are not as interested in far lands as your mother."

"Why should I be? Allies yes, but there is nothing for me there."

He seemed to think about that statement. It rang a bell in him.

She toyed with him. "What's that look for?"

"She does love the Sabbath lands. . . ."

"Glad I'm not the only one who noticed," Dawn said, a grin teasing her voice but not her lips.

"But still, she knows the importance of taking care of ones allies. As the epicenter of the known world its nearly our duty. If and when you inherit the throne, you will be forced to care for countries beyond our boarders"

She scoffed. "We shall see."

"Speaking of which," he trailed off while reading a letter. His eyes skimmed over words but each syllable only seemed to make him more dismal. "This is not good. They are not prepared for such a siege." He put the letter down in his lap and looked at the floor in thought. "My diplomats are holed up in the Sabbath Lands."

"What are you going to do? Go yourself?" Dawn laughed, she saw a plan building. "We need you here, send someone else."

He sighed and ran a hand through his thick black hair. "At the moment there is no one else." His gaze wandered at dates on papers. "This was dated not long ago, this one reports that the siege is imminent," he held up another. "This one is an account from an outside source."

She sat up from her  slouch. "I can go."

"No no, I will. Its an isolated place and I know the young Prince, Ozzie. Better than you do so it will be easier for me to deal with this."

She shrugged at his truth. "If you insist."

He looked up at her. "I will leave you in charge of the estate managers until I return."

"You need not worry Uncle, I won't cause damage. I will not take with force what is mine by birth." She grinned wolfishly. "Not like I'm in any hurry to become Queen."

                                                                              *

As she watched Richi leave the castle for an extended trip to the Sabbath Lands. He had given a great sigh and then made the necessary arrangements to make her Queen Regent until his return and after a short time preparing he was gone. Dawn was beyond overjoyed with herself. She assured her uncle that she would refrain from making any major decrees or actions until he returned.

The first day she received nothing to do. She merely sat on the throne with glee and dwelled on thoughts of what she could do. She didn't have much time. She summoned two men to her side, great warriors and bards. Loyal as long as she had known them.

They stood before her on the second day of her Regency, they were in her chambers as she wished no one to know what she was doing.

"Sir Kyle, Sir Jables. You two have been called to help me."

"But of course," Kyle said. "In what way do you need our services?"

"I need you two to do a bit of dirty work for me."

Jables looked uncertain for a moment. "Ok are you sure? Because we aren't Dirty Deeds men you know." When he received a blank stare he went on. "You know, its cool! Forget I asked, whatever it is! You got it." he smiled.

She presented two large bags of coin on her table. "Thrice this much awaits you if you trap my uncle at Ozzie's castle. Set fire to the grounds, inflame the riots, I don't care just cause havoc and keep him there."

The looked at each other, then the gold, then they nodded.

And they both said! "OK."

She provided them with horse, food and funds and sent them away.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Four months after Star's disappearance. . . .


Dawn circled her coveted throne. What was hers by birthright as the only surviving child of the last Lizard King. When she came of age she began hearing whispers of her two elder sisters and how they vanished into the night before she was born. Around this time her father also disappeared and it wasn’t until after Dawn was born that the BOC kidnapped her and imprisoned her mother. 

Her eyes concentrated on the thing her father seemingly never wanted. Dawn however, wanted this, she wanted what her father left her, what her sisters gave her, what her mother had shed blood for. But due to some witch’s prophecy about a bastard king, Star refused Dawn rulership, believing that death would follow her crowning if she sat on an Earthen throne. Foolish loon.

“My Lady!” A messenger approached with a guard by his side. 

Dawn was alone in the throne room, after she had tricked Richi into leaving Holy Wood she happily took command. By order of succession, with the Warden of Holy Wood gone and the Queen gone, it fell on the Princess to assume leadership. With their prolonged departures backing her reasoning, she had begun preparations for her coronation as Queen.

“We have received word from the Sabbath Lands.” He held out a rolled piece of paper. It had a red seal with Richi’s stamp on it, unbroken. 

Dawn nodded in dismissal and while the messenger left the guard remained. He saluted her and relayed more.

“Dee Astoria of the BOC wishes to have an audience with you my lady.” He announced.

She thought it over and then nodded. “Send him in.”

He bowed his head and left the room. Dawn swept to the throne and took a seat, slow sitting down. She savored the feel of control. Dee was no doubt coming to speak to her about the nobles. He among the BOC mingled in the courts, Dawn considered him a spy and if he was she wanted to keep an eye on him. He was the only member of the BOC her mother trusted, which shocked Dawn considering their past. 

No doubt he came to tell her how unrest and uneasy floated through the courts of nobles. Dawn knew it, it had been a challenge these last few months, gaining their support. She had tried to attend more manager and nobility council meetings, and tried to appear interested. She tried to make it look like she had curbed her rambunctious behavior.

As she waited for Dee to enter she unraveled her uncle's message. It was spotted with blood, she doubted it was Richi’s. Most likely another messenger’s. 

“Dawn, the clan war has cut us off. Cannot get out, will seek shelter with the Prince of Darkeness Castle until the war subsides. Please send an extraction! -Richi.”

She grinned, she had no intention of sending help. It was no secret that those lands were sometimes blockaded for months during their clan wars. The longer he was kept away from Holy Wood, the longer she was able to gain control. She heard the approach of softly padded feet and looked up. Dee Astoria, tall and narrow faced, with his platinum hair tied back. There was something Dawn could never trust about him, something she saw that her mother did not. But she didn’t know what it was she saw exactly. 

“Hello Princess,” he bowed his head. “I heard Lord Richi has been away over a month now and came to see. How fares the throne in your uncle’s absence?”

Straight to the point, at least he knew that Dawn would waste no pleasantries with him. “It fares well. It is, after all, my inheritance.” She gave him a look of faux confusion.  "Everyone seems concerned about my business in his absence."

Dee eyed the rolled up parchment in her hand. She tightened her grip.

"Some of the nobles say it odd that you plan to crown yourself when neither are proven dead."

"Given the circumstances, I believe it a logical course of action. Did you come here to speak secession?" She kept it as civil as she could manage. 

He was taken slightly by surprise. “I came to extend my alliance as I did to your mother. I believe we may help each other.”


“Oh?”

“I come with information, whispers and statements committed by nobles. They are uneasy about your rumored
ascension.”

“Tis no rumor. They will grow to accept it.”

“I hope you are right. Many wish that Princess Rosie takes your mother’s place.”


Dawn smirked. “My daughter is next after me. She is much too kind for the heavy ideals of monarchy. She will come after me I can assure them of that.”


“They wish it now.”


“Do you?” 


“Of course not, I wish whoever sits on the throne to be a capable leader and of the right blood.” He came closer and smiled respectfully. 


“Does he think we are friends?” She thought to herself. Out loud she said. “With my uncle gone the responsibility of Holy Wood falls upon me and I will take it up. Whether the nobles want me or not is of no consequence as I AM the king’s only living daughter.”

Something like a twitch in Dee’s eye made her narrow her own and raise an inquisitive eyebrow. But he concealed whatever he was thinking. 


“They are used to Star’s rule, they will be hard pressed to accept you. You are after all, an excellent and noted war strategist. But this is not the Underground nor a battlefield, you are the queen apparent. However, if there is a revolt you will not be what you were born to be.”

“Is that so?” She asked with an even tone. 

“Indeed it is. You must play a different face within the courts of these nobles. Many of them are immortal like your mother and yourself. They are used to her soft hand, threatened by the loyalty she evokes in the common people.”

“I have loyalty. I do not worry over the opinion of those who were not born from the last Lizard King of Holy Wood.”

“I knew you would say that.” He grinned as if he was friendly with her. “Many opt to free the Sabbath lands as it is now known that they have been cut off and your uncle seems to have become part of the clan battle.”

“It is unfortunate that he is stuck behind the blockade. But now is not the time to worry about lifting a blockade. It is my understanding that this happens often, that they are out of direct control of Holy Wood and they were my Mother’s allies. She was the one always riding to their defense. But I am not my mother, I will clean up whatever is left of the dispute but I decide to let them battle it amongst themselves. Their land wars do not concern me.” 

Dee, seeing that she was a harder challenge than he first thought decided he needed to regroup his thoughts and plans. He smiled and nodded. 

“Any news of your mother’s return? People do wonder.”

She felt that their conversation was nearing an end, thank the gods. “There is no news forthcoming. I sent my men, the Tenac, to go search for answers but they not yet returned. In such an instance I have decided to commence with my coronation and a wedding on the same day.”

“Oh? A wedding you say?” He seemed keenly interested.

She nodded. “The Wizard, Sir James, is to be made my husband and King.”

“The first wizard to become king of Holy Wood, my my what a shock.”


“It is no secret that we are lovers. If I can assume that you worry he will take power over me, I can assure you he will not. King in title only. It is MY throne and I will be the ruling Queen.” 


“I will convey your thoughts.” He said, he was about to say more but she interrupted.


“Be sure that you do and give them the honest telling of what I said here today.” Her test upon him to see just what he did with knowledge. “And ready the people for my coronation and wedding.”


“As you wish,” he said as he bowed. He turned and left with a parting smile that Dawn took to be sly and friendly. Falsely so.


As he left she called for a guard. When he appeared she stood and looked out of a window behind the throne. 


“If two men by the names Kyle and Jables should come to my gates alert me immediately.”


He nodded. “Yes my lady.”


“That is all,” she dismissed him. 


With him gone she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. She meandered to the records room. The day before this one she had sat in there surrounded by account Managers and dealers, hounding her about her mother’s strange spending habits. They were not drowning in debt but it made the managers go wild with confusion. She heard them prattle on about the mage called Geez, where she she had witnessed Star speak to the mystery man. Whoever the Silvered Eyed one was, Dawn had no clue. She had no idea why her mother would imprison him with war criminals and then release him. But it was important and there were other reasons Dawn had for implanting herself on the throne so forcefully. 


With no one in the room she struck a candle and let it burn before holding Richi’s message over it. It ignited in flame and she wished her uncle the best of luck. Her abandoning him was not because she harbored him ill will, they were alike in many ways. She wanted to be Queen and she would do it while he was away. So long as no one else read his message and need for an extraction from the Sabbath Lands, no one would go do it. Which means he would be detained there until the land dispute ended and by that time she hoped to be married and queen. 

“Mama?” She heard a voice from behind her int he hall. It was Rosie. 

 The child had come seeking the princess. Dawn smiled and turned to face her. 

Rosie could see that a piece of paper was burning but did not ask why. “May said Dee was here.”


“He was.” Dawn walked to them and took their hand, they walked through sandstone halls side by side.  As different as fall and spring. “He is gone from the castle, though not from the village. Don’t ever trust him Rosie, never trust a BOC member.”

“But nana does.”


“Your grandmother had a different past with them. But you and I are not nana.”

“Ok,” they said. “When are nana and Richi going to return.”


“I do not know my sweet.” It was the truth. “But we have reason to celebrate. I am going to be married to the Wizard and will be crowning myself queen.”


Rosie looked up in excitement. “You are?!”


“I am!”


“What about my father?”


Dawn’s thoughts halted. Apollonio was a prince from a far away land who was once fostered under Star while a plague ravaged his homelands. They married in a small ceremony that while it was no secret, it was unsanctioned by the Queen and she was not present. Thus she had no knowledge of it until Dawn showed signs of pregnancy. When Rosie was two years old, Dawn had another child by him but the Prince was summoned back to his homelands and they had not heard word from him or his father since then.


“We are no longer married sweet child. With no knowledge of his lands or well being, I had to move on. But I am getting married once more to a man I love deeply.”

Rosie nodded. The men in her family seemed to be cursed in some way. Her brother, her father, her grandpa, even Angus. The demon her nana had summoned. She walked alongside her mother as they went to prepare for the double ceremony. 

S1 Chapter 12, Dying to Meet you, Part II

The Highhills......earliest rays of dawn....

Dawn was riding to the Highhills, places of woods and misty rocky hills. that bordered the Dragoons and Sabbath lands. The people here were splintered in many different clans and factions, but the ones she sought were the GeordieMen. The cleverest of warriors who didn't take no for an answer, or anyone's bullshit for that matter. She had actually met a few Geordiemen years ago in a village market somewhere. Wanderers far from home.

But now so was she.

The army was behind her, the wrong army. It had been weeks of fighting, nearing a third month's worth, and Dawn's army had broken some line within the forests of Holy Wood and the Eastern freelands, many Spyders had fled or been killed. Dawn herself didn't take prisoners, not many anyhow. Star and Richi had staked their holdings on the boarder of Holy Wood and surrounding touching lands, and were succeeding in fending off the attackers, but they had recently closed in in the forests. They choked a pathway around the main force and somehow, of course somehow, Star managed to break off Spyder contact with the lands they had claimed. Forcing the largest fraction of their army up a narrow crag in the earth that went north by north east.

That is where she was now. In the heat of this chase, and the battle that started their running, she had taken off with nothing but her horse and she carried, trailing after the enemy. She couldn't turn back for risk of losing them in the rocky gorge, and so could not break pace and could not lose sight of them. In this place, one day lost was an army lost forever. She knew they were trying to get to the Hills, those misty hills where Clansmen lived. If the Spyders got there before she did, they would slaughter the natives and hide out for the winter fast approaching.

The hills were pitted with caves that went deep into the earth, and the winters grew harsh. If the enemy made it to the caves, Dawn and her army would be barred all winter, and the Spyders would be free to take every advantage and flee to the East before she could catch them. But she gained ground on the Spyders, though her horse was ragged and so was she, she went on, she had to find the GeordieMen, to tell them, to recruit them. For their lives and her peoples'.

She missed her child, who was all the way by the sea with her nursemaid. Dawn had been shaken by the death of her childhood nanny, Tilda. Her mother seemed indifferent, until her Bon was murdered. True while Dawn hated him, she didn't wish for either of them to go through such violence. While she prayed to pagan gods to protect her child, she also worried for her now war crazed mother. The loon was going mad, Richi said she was not sleeping well, and was mostly silent. This was a bad combination that hopefully changed if they won.

She shook her head to wake herself, tired from the journey and the exertion she had endured to get this far ahead. Behind her the Spyders were happily setting up camp for the evening. She glared at them, wishing that she had Rosie's potential power to harness and command the earth. Rosie would never use her powers for such violence, but Dawn would have gladly used them to stop this from ever having to happen. A big hole in the earth would have sufficed.

Her own powers over the sun were too vast and wild for her to control safely.

She was in the foothills when the lavender tint of pre-dawn crept into the sky above and around her. Below, the camps were surprisingly out of sight in the canyon below. This would only prove her point, or make her look insane. These clansmen were so secluded that she doubted their knowledge of the outside world was up to date. Would all of this even matter if the clan she found in these foothills wasn't even the Geordiemen? The Spyders would stay in that canyon for days, probably sending spies to scout these areas....she had that much time over them at least. Maybe.

If the Georidemen weren't in this area, if they exceeded her reach, she doubted she would win. She laughed in her throat as she could almost hear her mother's voice in her head, telling her to never doubt her own power. She was Lizard Blooded, she would win if she tried.

“Its when you stop trying that you really lose.” Dawn's voice echoed as she recited the words with a sarcastic tone, mimicking her mother's. “Loon. . . “

Her horse suddenly stopped, panting hard. Its breath rising and freezing int the chilly morning air. Dawn shivered. The winders of ice were upon them, snow would be falling within the month. By then the Spyders would be right at home with the bodies of the dead left to the storm.

There was noise on the crag above her. Her sword was drawn and pointed at the hills above her. In one fluid motioned honed to even faster speeds during this current war. But she saw no one near. She sheathed her sword, dismounted, and retrieved the blade quietly once again. She led the animal by the reigns carefully, and came around a mound of rock that blocked the paths above. When she saw a man some ways above, on a path she now saw open up before her, she stopped.

That face she knew only from paintings, from dreams, from looking in the mirror. In leather brown pants, a flowing white shirt, with soft brown hair in even softer curls, was her father, standing above her, looking down with an lazy, expectant look. He turned without a word, throwing a leather jacket over his shoulder and walked up the rocks and boulders, leaving her behind.

“Father! Father wait!” She shouted. She left her horse and began scrambling up the hillside path. The sky was beginning to grow a lighter shade of lavender by the time she straightened up and stopped in the middle of the a dirt switch back with a wide turn, as if for a small cart or wagon. She stopped and spun round on the spot. Her father was nowhere in sight.

But another man was. He was dressed in a green kilt and a moss black long sleeved tunic. He wore leather boots that rode up to his knees, fur lined the edges and insides. His eyes were dark, made darker by the large, grey wool shawl he had wrapped around his torso. His face was handsome, hinted with a tad touch of being plain. His curly hair was a light brown and the wild expanse was kept tightly under a dark grey cap.

She wasted only a moment's worth of inspecting him before she realized that other, similarly looking and clad men stood in places behind him on the hillside. She herself was void of any identifying marks or colors. Her armor was a dark, grey color that she had lost parts to some time ago. She now had her platemail tied to her horse behind her, and it looked like nothing extravagant. Her horse was tired, drooping, beginning to thin. Her self wrapped in a large black cloak, her long hair was meant to be kept in a netted cap but of course it broke free around her face and sprouted from her head like wild vines. Her cheeks reddened by the cold winds, her skin dusty from the road. She looked like a traveler, but her eyes bore into their in such a way that they conveyed power.

“I am Dawn of the Lizard Blood!” She used her more common titles. “Princess of Holy Wood, daughter of Queen Star Dust and the Last Lizard King.” Her father was more widely known as such. “I come seeking the leader of the GeordieMen. I have traveled far to see him.”

The one nearest her took a moment to listen and think. He nodded. “Well comma long then, you certainly found who you were lookin for. I'll take you to the Jasper.”

She hurried to catch up to him and the others dissipated into the rocks it seemed. She left her horse but it plodded forward on the path, instinctively following her. She was relieved that these were, apparently, the GeordieMen.

“Wait the who?” She stumbled but was quick to recover.

“The Jasper, the leader, chief!.”

“Oh,” she remembered it. “What is his name?”

“Ya came lookin for em but ya don't know his na'iem?”

“Well no,” she admitted. “We know little of you, if I hadn't crossed two of your people before in Holy Wood, I wouldn't have known to come here.”

He suddenly stopped and turned to face her. “Why do you come 'ere?”

She stopped gratefully. “Because a war is coming your way wild man. A new clan called the Spyders have started war and is below in That canyon.” She pointed, he looked.

“I see nothin.”

“They're hidden down inside.”

“ 'Ow many?”

“Five thousand? Eight thousand? Does it matter? How many of You are there?”

“Ah, enough to take em.” He moved on.

“I hope so.”

“Naaaah,” he drawled.

“You don't believe me?”

“Hardly even know who you are.”

“And I don't even know who I'm asking for help here, so we're just going to have to get over that shit and trust each other. Got it?!”

He shook his head and laughed. “I like yeh! You're alright as far as princesses go and all.”

She gave him a “hmpf”, an act committed in doubt that he had even met Real princesses who could trace their blood back thousands of years.

When they reached what was the encampment it was half in the caves of the hills and half out in the open. Dawn cringed at the exposed targets, there was no fighting here yet, but these people would be in harm's way when it did come. She was taken through the camp, people watching and whispering in her wake. She was from the Southern Kingdom called Holy Wood, they all knew her Lady Mother. The man who led her took her into the caves and led her through more throngs of people.

Dawn counted that they could match and maybe hold the Spyder army with the men she saw present, but numbers is all these men had to their advantage. She had her doubts about them being able to hold their own on the battle field with such skill and defense powers. There were warrior men and women here, but the Princess didn't see them as being able to take on a trained and well provisioned army.

They passed a fire ring with an old white haired woman sitting near it, her back to a tent post. As Dawn passed she reached out and grabbed her arm. The Princess tugged out of reflex but the woman held firm.

“I see a son rising. The Queen of darkness shall have one, but the Queen of light will have two. One born of memories past, one born of a hopeful new future. Born of dark and light, this second son shall take what was due to the first for the first shall have no inheritance.

Dawn glared at her. “You ramble woman. Of Whom do you speak?”

“The Queen of Mars.

“There is no such person.”

“There will be....”

She was silent for only a moment, recalling that her mother's prophecy predicted none of her mother's daughters shall rule on Earth.

“This second son will give rise to a new era. An era long desired. Balance, once corrupted, will return. When no sons were born to rule, now let them come forth to take their places as rightful Kings of the thrones they are due.”

“Eh , don't mind 'er, crazy that one.” Her guide warned her.

They went on and were quickly led into thew largest tent. Inside was a man dressed as the others. But he was far shorter. He stood his full height but Dawn's reach was nearing six feet tall, he had to be just over five feet. By the way the ornate wooden chair sat in one corner, nearest the fire pits, she guessed this was His tent and he was their Jasper.

“Look, I don't know how to approach you as the leader, the Jasper, if that is who you are,” she was harshly direct. “But I need to speak to the Jasper here, its life or death for you and your people.”

“And who ar' you?” He asked, a smirk tainted his mouth.

“I am Princess Dawn Abithia Morrison, daughter of the Star Queen and Lizard King. I come your way because a war ravages the lands beyond your hills, and those who which to enslave you and use your caves for themselves are not far away.”

“She was sayi' 'ow there is an army in the Canyon, the one below us. Says we can't see em but they hide within.”

The Jasper looked from his man to the Princess. “How do we know you're tellin the truth woman?”

“Why would I lie about this? If you don't believe me, then fine. Go ahead and I'll leave you all here and you'll be slaughtered in your sleep. Our kingdoms are not familiar with each other, true. You have no reason to trust anything I say.”

“And If I act crazy like and do?” The Jasper asked.

“Then I will prepare your men for battle, and it doesn't even have to be a battle. Its a defense. They have you out weaponed, my mother's army comes from the south-”

“How do we know that's not a trick?” Someone asked.

Their leader raised a hand to silence whoever it was. “Silence ye!”

“ My mother's army comes to crush those who would destroy you!” She shouted. “I came to help you, despite our lack of knowledge of each other. If these Syders get passed you, they will hide in the hills you call home and desecrate them. If I am wrong, there will be no defense, no fighting. If I am not. . . .”

The Jasper stared at her, looked to the fire and then nodded. “I've 'erad of ye. All of ye. Yer whole family. If you tellin' the truth, and we win this defense of yers, I want to see yer castle.”

She grinned, “You'd be the first.” She held out her hand. “Dawn of Holy Wood.”

He held his and drew a black stone blade, its glossy surface cut across his palm with ease and he didn't flinch. “Brian of the Geordiemen Hills.” He slid his blade across her flesh and they grasped hands.

Their bloody palms connected and she smiled.

"Show meh to the canyon now Princess," Brian said. "I wish teh see what yer ravin' about."

"Come with me and I'll show you more than the army, I'll show you how to win," she replied with a smile. 

   >>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<

Star and Richi rode up behind their army, through the ruins of the Spyder camp. Any Spyder soldier was killed, any officer taken prisoner for questioning. As she and Dawn had discussed, she would not receive  word if all went well with her daughter's mission, she would have to carry out her attack on the Spyders no matter Dawn's outcome. But when Star came, the hills the Spyders would travel through lit with fire. Balls of fire were launched from hastily constructed trebuchets. They had successfully held the Spyders at bay, all too easily it appeared, giving the Queen enough time to bring her army in and over run the enemy.

The defeated Spyders ran to the hills to the east, to the high, rocky mountains already piled with snow and covered in stormy clouds. They would face a death by frost that way. Star did not pursue them, the mountains were the biggest in the lands, bigger than the Dragoons. They ran thousands of miles in either direction and no one had crossed them for thousands of years. No one ever came back if they lived.

Suddenly a large group of the so called Geordiemen came forward. The group split and Star and Richi paused. The men made a path from the Lady and her Companion to Dawn and her companion. A gruff looking man far shorter than she. Star was instantly intrigued. She dismounted and couldn't reach Dawn fast enough o embrace her.

“Oh my child, I am so relieved.”

“Oh Mother, you shouldn't have been so worried.”

“How could I not be?! You ran off to find a group of clansmen we know nothing about. And managed to get them to fight with us I see.”

Dawn stood proudly to her mother's side. “Mother, I present theJasper of the clan himself, Brian.”

The man tipped his hat. “My day Queen.”

Star smiled without understanding, “Um, greetings Jasper Brian.”

He reached out a hand tied in a blood stained cloth and took her gauntless hand and pressed his lips to the top of her hand. She was sure she felt the tip of his tongue lash out to perversely touch her sweat covered skin. She saw him lick his bottom lick ever so subtlety. Her heart ached for another man but she accepted his greeting.

“My day is their way of addressing royalty Mother.”

“I see,” her smile deepened in understanding. “You made quick work of this, for that I am grateful to you Brian.”

“And I to yer kin Star One,” he replied. “I hope that jour'ney to yer castle will not be too long. I've never been to another kingdom's castle befor'.”

Star had to take in his words. “Ah yes, the journey to Ao'o, should not take long at all. I will be most pleased and honored to have you as a guest.”

“Ah good. Since I'll be taking place as Lord Brian I'd like to see this place. Now excuse meh, I ned to make arrangements.”

Her dutiful cousin leaped into action.“I shall go with you, we must speak of our kingdoms and come to understanding each other. I am Lord Richi of Blackmour, advisory to the Queen and Lord of the Courts.”

When they were gone, Star spun to around to face Dawn. “He's coming with us?” She asked with a stony voice.

Dawn smiled,” Of course Mother, as a reward for helping us. I wasn't going to give him nothing.”

“We did not discuss this.”

“You're not angry I'm bringing our ally to the courts are you?”

“No. . .Of course not.”

“Oh and I also gave him the Power Band as well, which is what will make him status of Lord in the court.”

At this Star bristled. “You WHAT!?”

“It came up in conversation,” Dawn went to a nearby wagon filled with medic women and water barrels. She thankfully received a deep bowl of water to rise her face in. “After procuring his alliance, he wanted to know if this entitled him to a wife, to which he was two. I said it may. He then asked how to become a lord of the courts, to become more involved in the Kingdoms. I said that Lords were either of noble birth such as he, or leaders of Greater bands of musical men.”

“How did the Power Band come into this I wonder?”

“He heard tale of a mighty band form the Far Far south, and wanted to know if there were many bands like that in Holy Wood” she took a long drink. “I said that band was now without a frontman, to which he said his own band had just bisdanned. I said Perfect!” She splashed her face. “He said he become more than our temporary allies, he would bend his knee to you if it meant he was placed with the Power Band, thus making him a Lord of our court.”

“Dawn how could you!? I can't just give up Bon's place to a stranger,” she eyed him walking with Richi. “A handsome stranger, but strange all the same! How can you demand this of me?!”

“Because without him you would have lost this battle. Had he not heeded my warnings when I must have sounded insane, all this would not have come to be.” She grabbed a towel from the medical supplies and went to a tent that was being constructed for the commanding officers, which included her. Star followed to bag.

Before she could, Dawn was right behind her. “He is dead mother. I am sorry it happened but he is gone and you must accept it. Brian will ease the pain felt by the people who loved Bon. Somebody has to be this way and I will take the burden. Now do not deny our newest ally the rewards he was promised. It'll make you look bad.”

Star turned and left the tent as her daughter began dismantling her chainmaille and armor plates. Though it pained her to give up the Power Band to this, Brian, she would have to. He was the reason they had fortified the small hill paths that would have be free for trespassers otherwise.

The show of fire as they lit the hills a'flame. The balls of red that rained down on the Spyder camp in the night, without warning. Fire is what greeted the queen when she arrived, fire and chaos. She nearly had to wait for the flames to go down before she could go through the camp. It wasn't as spectacularly drenched in blood as she had hoped, but those fleeing would never last. With a bittersweet victory she walked through the devastated Spyder camp, the words of the Kilmister echoing through her head.

“We come from the same place.”

The Spyders seemed to know and hold onto a part of the Martian culture they hailed from. She was envious. They knew more of their home than she did. If what the Kilmister said, if what her dreams really meant were true, then she was no earthling and these enemies she destroyed were her people.

Still, she wanted to return to Ao'o now. With her daughter, her cousin and reunite with her granddchild. She wanted a bath, a bowl of dates to eat, wine to drink, and a joint on her lips.  Her blood craze has vanished when the Spyders broke and ran. She was feeling the tired ache of war in her body.

She wanted to go home. . . .

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.

                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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. . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . .