Blood and Ice Ch. 08

I was rudely awoken by flash's cold wet nose. I picked the little fluff ball up and gave it a cuddle. I noticed that Peter wasn't in bed so I got dressed and went to find him. Flash was at my heels yapping for food.

"I'll feed you in a minute flash." I said.

"That's a lovely name for her.", father said.

"Thanks I thought it would be, because of the strip of white down her back and front."

"Tell me, knowing that the light raider's princess must die, what do you plan on doing with her?"

"I will deal with her today after breakfast. Will you have her brought to the throne room please father and would you mind realising the rest of the light raiders. I want them to see the fall of their princess but no one is to kill Gabriel! Is that okay father? "

"Very well, I will do as you ask."

Flash and I headed to the food hall, but Peter wasn't there either but Michael was.

"Have you seen Peter?"

"Yes He's in the training hall, he didn't want to wake you up."

"Will you get him up to the throne room along with the rest of our council please?"

"I will, your highness."

He left me with flash who was still yapping for food. I put her on my lap and fed her a breakfast of bacon which she seemed to like, as she kept looking for more.

Father came in and sat down beside me.

"Tell me what do you plan on doing with her?"

"I plan on showing her which clan is really superior."

He smiled and nodded; "Very well she's waiting for you in the throne room with the rest of our council."

I nodded. "I'll be there in a minute father." He got up and left me. I went back up to my room to get changed into my armour, (father had given me new armour) and my sword. As I slid my sword into it's scabbard I thought of all the things that the light raiders had done to my family. They'd split my family, up killed my mother, and shattered my clan. Now it was time for revenge. I tried to set flash on my bed but she wasn't having any of it, so I picked the cub up. She licked my face. I gave her a scratch behind the ears.

When I got to the throne room I gave the cub to my father.

"Look after her if this goes badly okay?"

Father nodded. "We have released the rest of the light raiders and sent them out side; their not leaving though not without a fight." father said.

"That's okay I don't want them to leave not yet any way." I said with a wink. "Get our men armed in case they attack, as I suspect they may."

Father nodded. Peter came over to me. "Lex, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes I am They're going to pay for what they've done to our family."

He said no more, just giving me a kiss on the cheek.

I walked past Peter and I saw Alexander holding Jess by the arms.

"Before I do what I must do, I need to make some things clear to you Jess. Before we entered this area, we were best friends. I truly have strong feelings about you as the person that I knew then. Since that time I have heard you talk about what you would like to do to the shadow raider's princess. It wasn't pretty. You and I know that for the prophecy to be fulfilled one of us must die. It is an unpleasant job that I have this morning."

I said, "Let her go and give her a sword please Alexander."

He nodded let her go. My father gave Alexander a sword, which he gave to Jess. She looked a mess. Her dress was torn and there was a little bit of blood on it. Her hair, which she was always proud of, was every where.

"Since when did shadow raiders believed in being fair? Wouldn't you rather just kill me now without a fight?"

"No I owe you a chance, however slim. I don't want to be accused of taking advantage of you, even if I am more skilled with a blade than you are. I want to prove something to you and the rest of your miserable clan. We will fight for our future. We will fight and win the war. Now get up and fight."

Jess stood shaking. "What did we ever do to you?" Jess asked.

"You don't know?" I asked.

"No! Please tell me, you owe me that much at least" Jess said

"Your father and Gabriel attacked our castle, killed my mother, and shattered our clan.

Now were getting our own back starting with you."

I'd had enough. I lunged in with my sword. She side stepped and brought her sword up and took a lunge at me. I blocked her effortlessly I moved forward she started to walk backwards. The council moved back. "Father I think you should go outside and let me deal with her."

"If you wish" he said.

"Do me a favour and bolt the front door when you go out, please."

My father nodded. The council moved out and left just me and Jess. Seeing her opportunity she ran. I ran after her. She headed up to the top floor. She tried to get into her old room, but father had locked the door.

"Do you think were that stupid Jess?"

"I wouldn't put it past you."

The only door that was open was my father's room. She ran in and brought her sword up to face me.

"What? You're not going to run again Jess?"

"I'm not running from you Lex why the hell would I be scared of you?" she said.

I knew the door up to the roof was still open as father liked to be out in the fresh air at night. I backed her towards the door. She grabbed the handle and wrenched the door open and ran up the stairs. I went after her when I reached the top. I heard Jess shouting. I locked the door, as the key was in the door.

"Now that I have finally got you to stop running, will you fight or will I have to just kill you?"

I could hear shouting down below. The light raiders were trying to get into the castle by any means possible.

"You won't kill me because Gabriel will get here before you can finish me off." Jess said.

"You really think that they can get past my father, his council and the locked door behind me?", I asked her.

Her face took on a look of complete terror.

"Face it! It's just you and me. We fight to the death.", I said.

"You're crazy Lex."

I'd had enough of her. I swung my sword at her. She ducked and swung her own, which I blocked. I pushed her back towards the edge of the roof. She desperately lunged at me. I plunged her sword into her heart. I threw her backwards off the edge of the platform. She fell right on to the now frozen lake and her blood splattered all over the ice.

I looked over the edge. You couldn't make out Jess in the mess of blood but I knew it was her. I was violently sick but that was the least of my problems. The light raiders had noticed that the victim was Jess and not me. They were screaming their heads off calling me all the names under the sun and moon. I looked down. Father and the council had gone back inside. I unlocked the door and went down into the main hall. Father met me.

"Lex, are you okay?"

I just nodded.

"I know what you did is hard to do. But you did what you had to. I'm proud of you Alexandria.", he said.

"My lord we need to fight! They're almost breaking through." Michael said.

"Okay, but were getting my daughter out of here!"

"No! I'm not going any where. You will need me and I know that I can fight."

He looked straight into my eyes.

"Very well; I can see that I will not persuade you to stay out of the fight."

Peter found me.

"Thank heavens your okay Lex. I was so afraid for you.", he said, giving me a bear hug.

I was still covered in Jess's blood.

"I'm fine Peter; we need everyone to fight. The light raiders are mad as hell."

Peter nodded and left to get everyone organized. The light raiders were hammering the door down.

"Father do we have any back up?"

"I'm afraid you killed them off.", father said.

"There's no back up at all?" I asked.

"Well there is, but I only use them in extreme circumstances."

"Well, I think that if things don't go well you should use them."

Father just nodded. The door was just about to give way. Father was shouting getting people ready to fight then without warning the door gave way and the light raiders flooded in. The didn't have swords, but were prepared to fight none the less.

"Remember what I said, no one kills Gabriel without mine or my fathers permission!" I shouted.

Jason came charging towards me. "Your going to pay for what you did to Jess!" he yelled.

"She deserved what she got!" I yelled at him.

I charged with my sword, he managed to duck my blow. He tried to punch me in the face but I swung my sword hitting him in the side of the head, almost knocking him unconscious.

"So you think that your pathetic clan can kill me? I don't think so Jason! It's you that will die today."

He was too dazed to say anything. He stood back up.

"Go on then, kill me I'm all yours.", he said.

I knew he was teasing me but I took the opportunity. I drove my sword deep into his belly and twisted the same way I dealt with Jess only this time I pulled it back out and with it a torrent off blood.

"Still think I wasn't going to kill you?", I said.

He didn't say anything. He just vomited blood, shuddered, and died. I heard Gabriel scream; "You bitch what have you done?".

"I killed him, what does it look like I've done. Face it Gabriel, you've lost! Your princess is dead, along with your brother."

Gabriel looked at me the tears were running down his face.

"You may have won this battle, but the war is just beginning." he said.

Addressing the rest of the light raiders he said, "Everyone stop, its over! They've won this fight. Retreat. This isn't over Lucifer. When we meet again you won't survive." Gabriel said, before picking up Jason and leaving. They all followed him.

I saw Andrew. He was crying his eyes out. When he saw me he said "He loved you and you ripped his heart out and now you've taken him from me you're a monster." He then spat in my face. Father saw this and made quick work of him. Before I knew anything, he was on the ground.

" Take your dead and wounded and leave with Gabriel before any more are killed.", father said.

The only thing he could do was nod.

The light raiders left picking up their dead and wounded.

"Father where's flash?"

"She's in my room Alexandria."

"I'm going to go up and get her."

Father nodded. I headed up to his room and he followed me. Flash came running out when I opened the door. I picked her up and gave her a cuddle.

"Are you okay Alexandria?", father asked.

"Sort of. I still can't believe I had to kill Jess and Jason."

"Listen to me, you did what you had to do. I'm very proud of you. You defended the clan the way a leader should. Now why don't you take a shower. I will have clothes brought up for you."

I nodded and handed flash to him.

I went and had a long shower. I still couldn't believe that I'd killed Jess and Jason. I started to panic. The reality of what I'd done was just starting to hit me. When I came out of the shower father had laid clothes out for me on the bed. I was just finishing getting dressed when my father came back in with flash. He sat down beside me.

"I know how your feeling Alexandria. When I first killed, I felt guilty."

"Who did you kill?", I asked.

"Gabriel's uncle. He killed your grandfather. We've been killing each other for generations. It will never stop until one of us is wiped out."

"How did all of this start?", I asked.

Father looked into my eyes "I can see that you do want to know. Very well I will tell you. It started nearly a thousand years ago or so, or so they say. We're not entirely sure, the fighting has been going on for so long we've forgotten the details. Anyway, the light raiders and shadow raiders were once one clan. Then your ancestor fell in love with a servant girl and at the time it was strictly forbidden. When the leader found out they executed the girl. Your ancestor, Alexander they called him, was devastated. He broke away from the clan with a few others. They declared war on their old clan, and its been that way ever since. It will never be settled."

It took me a few minutes to process all the information. Finally I asked, "Why did they execute the girl? Surly its not a crime to be in love?", I asked.

"No it's not. But as I'm sure you know it is against their laws to have sex before marriage. There laws have never changed and never will."

I wanted to know more but father didn't know any more than what he had already told me. I decided to do my own digging in the library.

Father said, "Why don't we go down stairs and get some food." He put his arm round my shoulders and guided me downstairs to the food hall. I wasn't hungry but father insisted that I eat. Peter came and sat next to me.

"How are you feeling Lex?" he asked.

"I'm okay. I'd feel better if it wasn't necessary to kill them."

"Well I'd rather they'd be dead than you Lex", Peter said giving me a kiss and a hug.

I ate something small but I still felt sick about what I had needed to do. I didn't know what to do with my self. I felt so numb. Every one was saying that it wasn't my fault, that it was self defence. But, deep down, I knew it wasn't.

"I think tonight you should stay in my room Alexandria.", father said.

I just nodded.

Father guided me back up to his room. The door was still open from when we left for food. Flash jumped on the bed beside me. I stroked between her ears. She seemed to like it as she wouldn't leave me alone.

"Alexandria can I show you something? Your grandfather left it for us."

I nodded. Father went out of the room. He was gone for about five minutes. During that time flash had cheered me up a little bit. She had stolen one of my fathers socks and was running round the room with it. I was chasing her trying to get it from her when father came back in. He saw me laughing at the cub.

Father laughed and said, "Well I'm glad someone could put a smile back on your face, the little rascal."

"Well it's lucky for some she has no worries. The only thing she worries about is where the next meal is coming from. What did you go to get father?"

"I went to get this."

He handed me the black book Michael had shown me.

"I've seen this book before. Michael showed it to me. It said something about the final battle. I didn't really understand it."

"Did he show you all of it?"

I shook my head. "well we've known about the final battle for about eighty or ninety years but there has to be certain signs before it can happen. A fight between two princesses is one of them."

"What? So we were always meant to fight?", I asked.

"Yes! This would be the only time we've had two princesses. It was always a prince on our side. You're the first princess that we've ever had and were hoping that when you have a child that it will be a female. Have a read if you don't believe me."

Father handed me the book I found the passage that I'd read before. I looked through the book and found what my father was talking about. The passage said, "The final battle will arise when two princesses fight on a platform in the sky followed by a battle on bloodied ground. Only then will the final battle between the clans commence." I read it over a few times.

"So its was always meant to be me against Jess?"

Father nodded. "I'm afraid so. You were never meant to meet her but because of what happened the only safe place was James' and Sarah's house. Unfortunately she was taken near by. I'm sorry you had to go through this. I hope this helps you accept the fact that you would have had to fight her regardless of whether you knew her or not.", father said. He kissed me on the head.

"The next passage is very unusual. It says, ' When two angles dance together under a sky of blood red only then will the clans be at rest'". Do you know what that one means, father?"

Father looked uneasy

"No, Alexandria, that one has never made sense to me either. Just remember, you were destined to fight Jess. It was just an unfortunate situation that led you to know her as a friend."

"It does help father Thank you. how did this book come to be how did he know all of this?"

"He saw all of this in his visions. He knew that your mother would have a girl. He told us when your mother was pregnant that it would be a girl, but we didn't believe him."

"Did I ever meet him?"

"He was killed just after you were born, so you won't remember him. However, he adored you and he insisted on calling you after his wife.

Your mother was devastated that's why we retaliated by killing Gabriel's uncle. Why don't you look through the book while I go to council you don't need to go. We're just discussing what's happened. I don't want to distress you any more than you already are." father said.

I nodded council was boring anyway, so I was glad to get out of it.

"I will be up later, after council."

"Okay father, thanks"

Father kissed me on the cheek and left. Flash was now trying to rip my fathers sock apart.

"Flash stop that" I grabbed one end of the sock, but the cub thought I was playing with her and started tugging back she was making me laugh I played with her for a little while then I went back to the book when flash decided to hide with the sock I flicked through the book it was a diary of all the visions that my grandfather had seen one caught my eye it said,

"Last night I had an other vision. Last night I saw her again standing on the edge of the battle. She had my daughters sword and was mounted on a black horse. I saw her talking to Thomas' son Michael. She was giving orders to the men. I remember her saying to the men,

"We're going to make them pay for what they did to our clan we need to get father back come hell or high water."

They charged at people who were advancing against the woman and our men. Then I woke up. This may be the final battle, but I'm not sure"

I had to read it a few times it was then I realised what was going on the light raiders were evil and needed to be stopped at all costs. I went up to the roof top I walked over to the edge. Jess's blood still stained the ice. They'd taken her body away. A deep realisation hit me that it would have been me if I hadn't have fought! I was glad to be alive. Flash had ran up the stairs and was now yapping round my feet to get me to pick her up. When I did she licked my face. I scratched her behind the ears. It was starting to get dark, the setting sun made Jess's blood stretch out onto the snow. I shed a tear. Jess had been a wonderful friend. I was going to miss her. I was so sorry that Jess had to die but I knew my place and I knew that father wouldn't like me to be upset over her. It was starting to snow so I went back inside. I closed the door and lay down on my fathers bed. Flash cuddled up beside me and I slipped into a deep sleep. When I woke, father was standing at the window. He'd pulled the covers over me.

"Father?"

"Sorry, did I wake you Alexandria?"

"No you didn't father." I said sitting up.

"What time is it?"

"It's about eleven o'clock, how are you feeling?"

"Better, the book helped a lot."

I got up and went over to my father and he gave me a hug.

"It will get better, I promise" he said as he hugged me tight.

I was glad of the comfort of his moral support.

"Do you want me to get some food brought up to you?"

I nodded.

"Peter was asking about you. Do you want to see him?"

"Yes please father." He went to the door. Peter must have been waiting outside. Father said something to him that I didn't hear, and then left. Peter came over to me and hugged me.

"How are you feeling Lex?"

"I'm better than I was thanks to this little book." We sat down on the bed. I showed him the book.

"What is this?" Peter asked.

"Don't tell my father I showed you this I'm not sure if it's secret or not."

"Don't worry I won't Lex."

"Its my grandfather's book of the visions. He wrote down everything he saw and he saw that Jess and I would fight and that one of us would die. It's also one of the signs of the final battle. There's an other vision in here that worries me, read it for your self." I handed him the book he read the vision that I'd read.