10 MINUTES EARLIER
Winter: The man called himself... DIEM
Everyone was shocked but no one was more shocked than Lorelai and Briar.
Lorelai: Was it before you came back at night.
Winter nodded slowly.
Briar: How did we not notice? Lorelai, Were we
so caught up with leaving the human world.
Winter: No, It's fine. At least we survived though.
Queen: It most certainly, not fine. He could have killed you both.
Winter: I don't think that was his main intention. Nevermind that for the time being .I have been thinking of something.
King: Go on
Winter nodded
Winter: Mother, Father, Did you send Diem and that woman to the human world to attack us, so we could come back to Etheria?
There was silence for a while. The silence was loud and scary. No one expected this question. Even Lorelai and Briar were shocked.
The Queen went over to Winter and squeezed her shoulder softly.
Queen: Ayana.
Winter turned to her.
Queen: I know it would be hard to trust us ever again, however, I can tell that your own heart tells you otherwise. I sense some doubts in your heart. Do you think we are capable of hurting our own flesh and blood?
Winter sighed.
Winter: It's okay, I believe you.
The King and Queen looked visibly relieved.
Winter: But the name DIEM, doesn't ring a bell, not even a small bell? Wasn't he a guard, knight, citizen or anything?
Queen: Not that I know of though, however he could be a citizen.
King: Ex...cept..
Queen Alouette and King Felix looked at each other in disbelief. It's like they were communicating through visual contact. Winter looked in between the two, perplexed.
Winter: What... What are you not telling me. Do you know this Diem?
King Felix sighed, just then someone spoke up.
"A few months ago, a group of rogue protesters, disappeared from each side of Etheria. They could probably be tied to this"
Everyone turned to see Princess Corissa sitting down casually on the sand,close to the sea at a distance from the group.
Winter: So you could actually come?
Corissa: That's not of high importance at the time.
Winter rolled her eyes at this.
Winter: Typical.
King: Corissa, that was a confidential piece of Etherian information . How did you get your hands on such?
Corissa just looked at her father with a look, he knew too well. He exhaled in defeat.
King Felix: Nevermind that, for the time being. Although, we would certainly talk about this later.
Corissa nodded, knowing she got her way for a little while.
Winter: So these rogue protesters may have attacked us? How did they even get intel about us in the first place.
King: We were very careful about your birth, we even destroyed all the evidence leading to your birth. To Etheria, we only had one daughter.
Corissa was uncomfortable inside hearing this, but hid it well from the others.
Queen: No one else knew about you knew, except us. The servants, maids, knights, didn't have a clue.
Winter looked at the King as he confirmed all this.
Winter: Hmm. Let's say no one in Etheria knew. However, the one person who always gets notified about triplets birth is..
Corissa: Avis
Winter: Exactly
Queen: That could be the case. it is reasonable enough.
Winter: It's either the rogue protesters are working for Avis or they are just well informed protesters.
King: That seems like the right answer. But how would could they work for someone in the underworld. It is almost impossible to get a link between Etheria and the underworld. Not to talk of how they got to the human world to attack you.
Winter: "Almost", still leaves a small possibility.
Corissa: Someone must have definitely found a way.
Suddenly an arrow which appeared from nowhere in particular, was shot in the group's little circle. Before anyone had time to react, it EXPLODED.
A few Minutes later, right from the other side of Embry where Lyla and Melanie were talking.
Melanie saw a faint tint of smoke flowing away from the source. She squinted her eyes and pointed, unsure.
Melanie: Is that smoke?
Lyla turned abruptly and realized something shocking. She started panicking.
Lyla: That is where the others are
Melanie's bright smile turned to a face of seriousness in a matter of seconds.
Melanie: We are probably under attack.
Lyla: By who?
Lyla said, overwhelmed with fear and fright. She was not afraid of her dying, well maybe she was, a little.But what Lyla was really afraid of was losing all her family at the same time, in the same place. Melanie responded hurriedly.
Melanie: That I don't know. Right now, protecting you and helping the others are my utmost priority.
Lyla hoped and wished for a miracle. Maybe her panic attacks/ visions will predict a glimpse into what was going on over there, or what they should do next.
Lyla: So... What are you going to do now?
Melanie: I can't leave you here, just in case there are more attackers. I have to go help the others.
Melanie: From now on, we have to be very careful, stay VERY close to me.
Lyla nodded in response. As they turned back to the little forest where they came from,to go help the others, another arrow was short just inches away from them.
Melanie: Look out
Melanie lunged herself at Lyla pushing them both away just in time, before the arrow could explode. They got up and saw a figure in the smoke. It spoke.
"Now, now, we are not going anywhere, are we?"
BACK TO THE OTHER SIDE
Zuri: Is everyone okay?
Zuri asked as William released his stone wall on them while Lorelai kept her force field on. The smoke around the forcefield had not vanished completely. The area was still a little blurry and unclear. Even William and Zuri at the far back could not make out whether something or someone was hidden in the smoke. Queen Alouette looked back at Zuri.
Queen Alouette: Yes, we are all fine Zuri.
Zuri nodded. William, Zuri, King Felix, and even Corissa drew their swords, taking a battle stance. The vine chairs that were destroyed in the explosion, regenerated at Queen Alouette's command.
Winter: Who was that?
Corissa: Someone who wants us dead, I assume.
King Felix: Stay behind us, Ayana. The situation at hand, now is uncertain.
King Felix said that in a serious tone. Winter looked tensed and had this "not another round of being attacked" expression.
Winter: But--
Briar: Wait, what of Ly... Princess Kalina?
Winter was now tensed. Lorelai looked back at Briar, stunned, like she could release the forcefield any moment now. But her determinant and confident spirit held the forcefield tight.
Winter: Ly...la. Where is she?
King Felix: Don't worry, Melanie went to watch and protect her.
Queen Alouette nodded in confirmation.
King Felix: ZURI, WILLIAM.
"Yes, your majesty", was heard from them both simultaneously. He gave them a familiar look.
King Felix: GET READY
King Felix: Lorelai, release the forcefield with everything you've got.
She nodded.
King Felix: NOWW!!
What happened next, happened so quickly and precise. On cue Lorelai, released by pushing, the forcefield outwards with a tremendous amount of force. The force from the forcefield generated aerial breeze, which was able to wipe out the smoke in one swoop. Suddenly William and Zuri dashed to the royal family and their midwives( Lorelai and Briar). The smoke finally vanished and the atmosphere was clear enough to see the culprit. But Nooo, they all saw it wasn't a culprit. What attacked them were swarms of culprits. They were none other than the NIXIES.