Dark Secrets of Time

Chapter 5

(QUEEN’S PALACE)

Queen Alice was in her room alone; her cheek resting on her palm, while she was obviously lost in thoughts. A voice came from outside,

“Queen Alice, you have a guest”

She didn’t hear this, as her mind was elsewhere; thinking about the fact that her memory would be altered. The voice kept repeating the same thing, and finally, the door slammed open, and she came back to reality, seeing her sister; Eleanor coming in and she hurried towards her.

Alice sighs and stood up to welcome her with a hug, her eyes red and filled with tears already.

As she pulled away, she held Eleanor’s hands and both of them sat, while the door was closed by the guards from outside.

Alice started,

“Eleanor, I’m glad you came”, she heaved a sigh of relief.

Eleanor replies sharply,

“I’m… I’m really sorry. I never told you about the secret organization…”, she was yet to complete her statement when Alice cuts in, “It’s fine… you did it to keep me safe; I know it’s for the best… but now, my memory will be altered”

“We won’t let that happen”, Eleanor said firmly; encouraging her elder sister. “I won’t let that happen… trust me”

“Even if I’m spared or not, my days on earth are numbered. Everyone knows I’m suffering from an incurable illness… though I look like a happy person, but I’m dying inside… I’m…”, she burst into tears, while Eleanor replied,

“we won’t let that happen either… If you die, Brughton sill crumble”, Eleanor said; she patted her sister’s back, and continues, “you have a lot of people who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect you. Have faith, you’ll be fine, I promise”

The Queen nodded, while she wiped her tears with a napkin. “Thank you. Thank you very much”. She rests her head on Eleanor’s shoulder, who held her shoulder firmly as she began to hum a music tune.

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Lois, the little girl amongst the secret council, was walking along the streets; dressed in tattered clothes, she looked very rough, cause she was a very poor girl; her mother runs a small restaurant outside their house to earn money, while her drunkard father spends the money on gambling, and would only win once in a blue moon; yet he didn’t stop.

He loves money more than his life, and married out his first two daughters, when they were only 17. Lois is now 16, and he’s already planning to give her out for marriage.

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She arrived at her parent’s house, there were about 6 people who were eating outside, while her mom served them. She headed straight for the house, where her father laid on the floor, he was asleep; snoring and licking his lips at intervals.

She said no word, but only walked past him and through the back door, she went outside; it was quiet on this side, and as she inhaled fresh air, a smile escaped her lips, but this moment was cut short, as she heard indistinct footsteps from the bush opposite her position at the back of the house.

Her ears moved upwards and downwards as she concentrated on the sound; she heard multiple footsteps trashing around on dry leaves, and then it began to slow down gradually.

There was a sudden silence, but she was still very cautious, she moves her eyes from left to right, without moving her head, then back to the center. A soft wind blew on her face, and suddenly she raised her hand and caught something with two fingers; her thumb, and index finger.

It was an acupuncture she caught, while it was close to her neck. She had a stern look on her face, and inspected the needle.

Another one flew towards her chest, but she caught it as well. Without wasting time, she jumps off the ground, moving forward, while she sighted some assassins, clad in black overall. They began to run back into the bushes, but she followed, as she ran while mid-air; not touching the earth’s surface with her feet, but chased after them speedily.

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She was getting closer, and then noticed they were just 6 in number, one of them was lacking behind, and she marked that day his last; as she moved past him.

He immediately began to shake on a stop, till he dropped dead to the ground; one acupuncture needle was on his neck.

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Lois caught up to the five others, pushing them to the ground with an invisible force. They all lost balance and fell, before she landed, still stretched her hands towards them.

They tried to get up, but they were being pinned down by the invisible force which also weakened them; they couldn’t even yell in pain.

“Who sent you?”, she asked.

As she released one of them to speak, though he couldn’t get up, “We… we… we don’t know”, he panted heavily; fear written all over his face, it seemed he didn’t expect this.

Lois smirks, and moved closer to him,

“I’m just a little girl… and you wanna kill me?”, she scoffed, “I won’t kill you, but I can’t leave you alive; you won’t keep your mouths shut. But I can keep them shut for you… no, I won’t do that”, she said.

Lois pulled back her hand, and they were freed of the invisible grip; they began to grunt in pain, while she spoke to them,

“Only one of you can leave this place alive; pick up your swords and fight to the death”, she commanded.

But one of them scoffs, while another laughed it off as they stood on their feet; immediately running towards her as they yelled, about to attack, but she raised a rough stone with her feet, and kicked at one of them; hitting his head speedily, and bouncing to the neck of the other.

The impact was so fast, and both were knocked down to the ground, and were bleeding already.

Oh no! They were dead!!

The three others were shocked by this. She smiled at them, “kill each other”, she ordered.

Instantly, one of them stabbed another, and also got stabbed by the last one from behind. The last man standing had fear in his eyes,

“Can I go now?”, he asked

Lois shakes her head negatively, and walked closer to him, “Go on your knees”, she commanded, and he fell on his knees before her, while dropping his sword.

She touched the side of his neck softly, and as she took her hand off, he immediately began to shake and choke, till he fell to the ground, and was also dead; she had left the second acupuncture on his neck.

Lois sighs, and said to herself,

“Whoever sent them must be one of us… no one considers me threat, except those who know about me. I’ll have to find out”

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(EMILY’S HOUSE)

Judith was now staying with Emily, and outside the house were Emily, Judith, Harry, and Blake. Harry knew not what these three were capable of, nor their secrets; Emily had called for Blake to spar with Harry.

Blake had a sword with him; sheathed, but he dropped it, while one of the attendants of the house came to them with two regular swords, he handed one to Harry and one to Blake.

Harry smirk and said with a smile,

“Judith, since you really want me to show Emily what I can do, I will… and Mister…”

“Blake… just Blake”, Blake said sharply.

Emily and Judith moved back, while Judith whispered to her,

“Emily, why did you ask Blake to come here…? of all the people we know… This’s gonna make Harry look like a child who has never raised a sword”.

Emily chuckles softly and replied,

“Yeah, but even if he doesn’t last a second, I’ll know how good he is, and if he can even defeat us”

Harry unsheathes his sword, while Blake also did the same.

He had a calm look on his face, and his straw hat was still on his head.

Harry charged towards Blake yelling, but Blake stood on right where he was expecting an attack from the former.