PART FOUR:
The fight (of the millennium):
The two fighters clinked swords with the same determined expertise and frequency. It would seem (to the naked eye), that their combative competence was uniform in application. However it may have appeared, neither warrior was budging with his strikes. With further and keen observation, the translucent fighter could easily have taken out his hooded adversary. But he did not do that. Nevertheless, his moves were aggressive, audacious and authoritative. Compared to his opponent's sneaked blows that were fiendishly aimed mostly below the belt. The angel's rank, authority, skills and power afforded him counter-attacks that would paralyze his opponent in mid-action. Unfortunately, he would not easily overpower the opponent until the mortals he defended wanted it to be so. As long as they entertained what weakened them, then he could not override their will or choice by defending them. The Ultimate Judge had set it that way. All he needed was one 'light-filled' interruption in that chaos and then he would swiftly clean out this opposing scoundrel once and for all. Or at least for that moment.
If only eyes could see:
Though they were all in the same environment, the other-wordly beings remained unseen to the naked human eyes as the battle raged. Meanwhile, three monitors had the advantage of gaping at the angel versus demon warfare, while simultaneously watching the pandemonium in the queen's quarters escalate into a state of anarchy. The monitors thrived in confusion and this was the mother of it all. As human temperaments toppled over each other, they watched and laughed gleefully. Sometimes these fallible creatures made their own destruction so easy, thought the monitors. They did not know what to get rid of. Even worse was the fact that the did not know what wanted to get rid of them. The monitors knew that as long as their diabolical influence saturated the atmosphere, their adversary's threats and solutions, were as good as nullified.
Uncensored (inner) circle:
After the queen had fainted in the presence of her husband, son, adopted-daughter, adoring subjects and servants, the palace was for the second time in less than two weeks thrown into chaos. Another hazardous condition that precipitated mayhem and emotional quagmire. The queen had been carried to her quarters while the chief provincial healer was summoned immediately. The king paced the floor length in her room, worried and babbling to himself in anguish. The prince sat by his mother's bedside desperately clasping her suspended left hand. Reinah the princess had rushed out with Debeh to help get what the healer would need when he arrived.
Broken walls:
The palace guards were all on alert and the special forces were assigned right at the entrance of the queen's quarters. That was the order of affairs, when Ethia the queen mother came rushing in towards the guarded entrance attempting to plow through everyone and everything that stood in her way. She was carrying a clay basin and her voice was raised in extraneous lamentation. Right behind her strolled a female no one had ever seen before. In place of Ethia's yet unfounded wailings, her female escort wore a smirk instead. As they approached the door leading into the queen's room, where her husband and son stood virgil. Her personal guard stepped forward and gently blocked the door. Ethia exploded with insulting rants and exhausting raves. She waved her clay basin in the air, which had most present ducking in safety. When her noise making finally got to the king, he permitted her to be let in. As she was led into the unconscious queen's private chambers, Ethia insisted on bringing her female companion with her. It was her newly hired maid she explained and would help her as she helped the unconscious queen.
A friend in need....:
Just two corridors away, Reinah trailed her mother Debeh as she hastily supervised the servants on what needed to be done for the queen. Suddenly that one remembered that she had to give Rifra some instructions. As she gently grabbed her daughter's arm to head the other way, she stopped short immediately. Her daughter was immovable and seemed to be staring straight ahead as tears streamed down her eyes. Debeh dropped the basket she had in her hands and held the princess on both her arms, as she shook her lightly. "Reinah, Reinah.....we have to move on now". "Reinah can you hear me?" She kept shaking the still girl. "Tell mama..... Please tell me, what is wrong?" The woman was struggling not to dissolve into tears as she held her daughter. "What is happening Reinah? Can you tell me......?" Suddenly, the princess turned to her and calmly said; "They want to kill the queen and her baby, mama." Reina was still calm but assertive as she spoke, even though her eyes were teary. Debeh was astounded and began to speak in panic. "The queen and her baby? You mean Amil? But who? How? Why? What baby Reina? Please tell me...." She was not sure of which question to ask first or if she could handle the answer. "We have to hurry mama, please we have to hurry now!" Reina's calm suddenly dissipated into urgency. And now she was jumping up and down hysterically as her hands flailed loosely by her side. "Quickly mama they will kill her....!" With that Debeh grabbed her daughter and started running back towards the queen's quarters.
The circus is in town:
As soon as Ethia and her companion had walked into the queen's room, the air became dense. The prince started to cough uncontrollably and noticed that his mothers hands had begun to get real cold. So he frantically beckoned and called for his father, who had been standing by the window trying to see if the carriage had arrived with the chief healer. "Look father!" Wailed Amil sullenly. "Her hands are getting really cold," he continued as he attempted to lift what seemed like a heavy yet limp palm. His father turned immediately to rush to their side, but suddenly felt dizzy and incoherent. Someone was talking to him, he could not make out who it was or what they were saying. But voices were whirring in his ear. Everything was suddenly blurry and he could barely understand what the moving heavily painted lips in front of him was saying. But he wanted to know more, it felt intoxicating. But..... He wanted to know more.
Just as quickly as the dizziness came, it left him. And right before him stood a strange woman imploring him with her speech. She winked and blew him a kiss and he thought that was so sweet. She reached out her hand to take his. As he lifted his hand to put in hers, he heard a piercing cry. "Father!!" Shouted Amil. "The chief healer is here." "The chief who?" The king was now starring blankly at his son the source of the noisy interruption of his reverie. When the chief healer, an older and distinguished gentleman walked up to him. "Your majesty," the healer began to speak to the king. "I rushed over as soon as I heard what had happened to her majesty. Unfortunately, I had missed the 'princess ball'. You see my son....." "Your majesty? Your majesty?..... Guards!" The king was holding his head now. As the healer looked around in confusion, three guards rushed forward to grab the king.
Ethia who had been glaring at the healer from a distance, now rushed forward and plopped the clay basin into the hands he had outstretched in perplexity. And commanded: "Put the dead child in here and I will take care of the remains easily and quickly." "Put what?" The healer thought he might be needing help himself. In the background, still holding his mother's hand prince Amil began to cry even louder.
And as more mayhem ensued with the people in the room, the un-named stranger in their midst was unflustered and unbothered. She expertly and unflinchingly trained her eyes intensely on the king. That was the situation, when unexpectedly Debeh pushed open the door and rushed right in. What she saw almost knocked her out, as she immediately ran to grab the prince. Then as she held the crying lad, she slowly turned towards the entrance in high anticipation.
Taking care of business:
Seconds later, princess Reinah walked into the room. She seemed and looked different. Her hair was held high and her face set in defiance. She moved with undefined purpose, like no one had ever seen her before. Just as instantly as she walked in, the unconscious queen heaved a heavy sigh and jerked up immediately. Ethia started screaming on top of her lungs as she too grabbed her head and fell to the ground. The chief healer dropped the clay basin with a yelp and that thing fell with a loud crash breaking into numerous pieces. The king lifted his head, turned to his guards and commanded; "Where is my wife?!" Someone leaped out the window and about the same time a snake slithered into the woods. The angel lifted his sword one last time and sliced his opponent in two.
Three monitors slammed their fists into a mirror and watched morosely as shattered glass littered their observatory stone slab. Two towns away, a young woman and her two sons waited for their young husband and father to return home.....
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