Tag: bower

Guarding the Future

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Photo credit: rockrose

“Knights!” Cyrus called as he flew into the Bower, raining a trail of herbs. “Creepers and Flyers are attacking the Hive!”

The Knights sprang into action. Trevor ripped off his sling, and retrieved his weapons while Barry drew the sleeping infants from their carrier to lay them beside their mother.

Wide-eyed, Cyrus asked, “Twins? You had two?”

The Princess nodded. “A girl and a boy,” she said, love and hope shining through her exhaustion.

Surveying the chamber, Cyrus hovered over Arturo as he scummed a dusty pool of the beast’s blood from the floor.

“What happened here?” the young Guard inquired as the midwife left her plastering to retrieve the Assassin’s stinger from a high shelf and hand it to Barry. “What’s wrong with the Prince?”

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Doubt and Determination

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Photo credit: Bill Beck

After removing the beast’s corpse from the Bower, Barry and Arturo returned from the honest dark of night covered with persistent rain. Arturo took Trevor’s place tending the Prince’s wound.

The Knight shook his head, whispering, “He’s hanging on by the tips of his tentacles. I’m not sure he’ll ever wake up.”

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Close Quarters

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Image credit: FreakingNews.com / Luis Morgado / Zong Ye Quek / S.T. Ranscht

A crash of lightning followed the shape into the bower. Miranda lay senseless beneath the invading mass of muscle and rage.

Colored spots before Elliot’s eyes throbbed in rhythm with his pounding head. He gritted his teeth against the agony in his side. Thinking only of shielding his daughter, he sank into cold, black emptiness. Cassandra’s voice called to him from far, far away.

“Elliot!” Her cry surged and expanded to a scream of desperate cramping lost in the thunder’s drumming.

The beast’s voice rumbled its own thunder. “Where is General’s Assassin?”

Arturo winced as he moved to stand between the Prince and the invader. Clark followed him.

“Mama!”

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Short on Time

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Photo credit: Elvis Kennedy

“But, Mother,” Andre implored, “what was I supposed to do? Samantha’s team wouldn’t leave her alone with us, and when she took us to the front, I watched her kill two wasps with a single move — like it was nothing.” He stared hard at her as if that would communicate the full horror of what he’d witnessed. “There’s no way I could have forced her to do anything.”

Covering her face, Queen Madalena tried not to begrudge her son the senseless deaths and injury his friends had suffered. She tried not to blame him for the head-strong willfulness of his sister, even as anger, disappointment, and remorse tried to tear her heart apart. Her silence lasted longer than she knew.

“Mother?” Andre pressed.

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Second Wave

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Image credit: nac-nud

Late afternoon scents of mint and lavender drifting from the cup Miranda held, resisted mixing with earthy undertones of rainy dirt and blood. The Bower’s mushrooms lit the raging storm’s false night, glinting green on tears Vernon wiped from his cheeks. Standing behind Arturo didn’t shield his heart from the sight of Cyrus sponging away the blood still flowing from the gash beneath the jagged breach in the Prince’s shell.

The Princess, unconscious at her husband’s side, stirred and moaned a growing growl. A glimmer touched the emptiness in Cassandra’s mind like a child’s hand warming a frozen rock. It grew into a vice grip forcing a web of cracks from its center, leaking her last waking memories into the once merciful oblivion: the Assassin falling at her foot… his bulging eye… his burbled dying breath… his legs scrabbling in the dirt… Arturo struggling to shove the spasming Stinger off him… throwing herself past them, trying to get to Elliot, falling instead into an abyss of nothingness that now squeezed her toward its surface, extruding her insides out.

The first contraction since her collapse flooded panic through her, straining her eyes open, heaving her lungs, and pushing her to her foot. Elliot! Where am I? The room began to spin.

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Good News and Bad

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Photo credit: Kym Kemp

Although a mere drizzle fell when Ambassador Arturo arrived at the Alliance camp in the dark hour before dawn, thickening clouds and a brisk wind promised a brief dawn and another storm. He thought of the Wildlands Ants and resisted the atmosphere’s depressing heaviness.

Great commotion at the Medic station drew his attention, but the voice calling, “Arturo! What’re youse doin’ here?” turned him around.

“Barry!” His friend was covered with cuts. “What happened to you?”

“Nuttin’ wort’ worryin’ about. Youse should see da stitches dey’re puttin’ in Trev’s face. What brings youse here?”

“I’ve got some good news for the Alliance.”

“We could use some.” Barry looked back at the Medic tent, and spoke in hushed tones. “Da King’s in dere. De Assassin got ’im an’ dey aren’t sure he’s gonna make it.”

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It’s Time

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Photo credit: Tammy Bergstrom

“We’ve heard enough!” The single voice drowned in the assent that rumbled through the hastily convened Wildlands Congress of Ants.

“War breeds carrion,” another called. “It’s good for us no matter who wins!”

Commandant Marabunta banged her staff against a hollow log. “We are charged with more than disposal. The Alliance wants us to assist their side in combat. Ambassador Arturo can’t guarantee access to their enemy’s dead unless his Alliance wins. So I ask, who would march east to join with this new Alliance in battle against The Arids tyrant?”

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Promise Me

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Photo credit: Paul Starosta

The Knights lay Randall on a moss mat in the Bower.

Barry rubbed at the blood on one of his arms. “What can we do ta help?”

Wetting a bit of sponge in a small bowl of water, Cassandra cleaned blood and dirt from one of the many gashes on Randall’s chest. “Could you bring more water?” Cassandra asked. “And silk — I don’t have enough to stitch up all these wounds.”

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Hormones and Harmony

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Photo/Image credit: dreamstime.com / S.T. Ranscht

Cassandra hadn’t been able to fall back to sleep after Miranda suggested she might be pregnant. Sunrise shone on her Elegance as she sat above the Lilian Pond, chasing her swirling thoughts in circles.

What if it’s true? she asked herself. What if I am expecting? How could anyone be so fortunate? Marry the love of my life and have a child come from the only night we’ve had together before Elliot had to leave? It just isn’t possible, is it? It would be like a fairy tale.

The sky was clear, but a shadow passed over her happiness, plunging her heart into despair. But in fairy tales, the Prince always dies never knowing he’s going to be a father, and the Princess has to raise their child alone.

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Reunited

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Photo credit: Ernie Cooper

In sight of the bower’s entrance, a member of the Hive Elite waylaid Vernon with the Queen’s request that he return immediately to the Hive.

“My apologies, Sir Barry, for abandoning you before introducing you to the Princess and Prince. The bower is just over there, and if you let them know you’re replacing Clifton for the time being, I’m sure you’ll find the Royal couple gregarious and pleasant company.” He flew off before Barry could respond.

I’m s’posed ta walk in dere an’ innerduce myself ta Royalty? Well, he thought, I’ve done tougher tings. Continue reading “Reunited”