Memento Mori (closed)

Her raven hair waved behind her as she pushed her horse to it's limits. In the distance, the sun started to break over the horizon but yet, the forest remained dark so she had to stick to the trail no mattr what.

She had to get to the King right away.

Loreena had a vision.

Not just any vision either.

Images of what she had seen flashed in front of her as she continued to ride.... an image of the King being attacked.... the castle being stormed upon by the enemy.

And with no heir to carry on the King's legacy, the kingdom would be left in ruin...

"No!" She said out loud.

Suddenly her horse cried out and lost it's footing, throwing Loreena to the hard, cold ground. She screamed too, both in pain and in frustration. "No!!" she screamed again.

She was running on pure energy, from where it came from, she did not know, but she took it. Getting herself upright and finding her own footing, Loreena looked down at her horse, who lay on the dirt trail, breathing hard and suffering from almost no rest.

Kneeling down next to the animal, Loreena ran her hand along the horse's neck, stroking, whispering to it in a calming voice. "Ohh... I am so sorry but..." she leaned down, near the horse's ear, "I have work to do...I have to get to the King... please..."

It was no use. She had pushed the horse too hard.

Loreena stood. Her eyes still focused on her horse.

She had to focus....close her eyes...whisper a spell under her breath...

Concentrate.

A sudden wind, light at first, blew threw the forest, rustling the tree leaves.

One had to listen hard before they could hear what she did.

The galloping of another set of hooves racing through the forest. Racing toward her.

Suddenly, the wind stopped.

The wild 'neigh' of a horse was heard as Loreena suddenly started running.

As if in the blink of an eye, another horse was running beside Loreena. It neighed at her, as if urging her on, telling her it was fine...

She grabbed the horse's mane as the two ran before pulling herself up on to his back.

They would make it to the castle.

There was still hope.

King Alsak Velgin walked slowly over the battlements of Castle Sargrin. An impressive structure of steel black stone with red and dark blue banners flying over it's peaks Castle Sargrin had been the center of the Velgin line for many years.

The king felt restless. His wife had died some time ago and while the Kingdom was at peace he had still been unable to secure proper alliances and accords to bring another princess to court. The kingdom needed an heir, at least one that came from his line. If he died the throne would pass to his half cousin Martin Alicard. The king did not like to think of what his father would have thought of all this.

His thoughts returned for a moment to his lost love and he wished he had drank more wine in the evening but he knew it would not help. Passing a pair of sentries along the outer wall he moved back to the central keep.