Chapter 1

Georgina sat astride her beautiful black stallion and surveyed the two thousand men and women armed and prepared for a bloody battle. For many of her warriors it would be their first fight and for a few, she knew they were too young but her army would be successful and defeat the nacket's disorganised band of huderons and avetrols.

This was her land, stretching from the cerulean seas of Waverley to the salebrous mountains of Agephon, which she inherited from her father aged eight and had ruled with sapience and fairness ever since. The terrorists who demanded freedom and independence from the rule of their monarchy had been defeated five years ago.

The pyknic, foul individual, who autolatrically styled himself as the Protector of Elgiva, obtruded his obsessive and misguided beliefs onto the small corner of her realm until she destroyed his abusive ideals with a decisive victory at the Battle of Gloosen, and his untimely and violent death.

Over a mile away, the xanthic flags of her enemy, now assembled under her deceased opponent's son, were clearly visible in the distance and a single rider and horse left their huddle and crossed the deep valley. She watched him approach her army and her deputy ordered their warriors to engage their weaponry.

"Your Majesty. His excellence, the Protector of Elgiva requests an audience with you by the stream," the messenger nervously said and she nodded silently.

"Tell the pretender we will meet him in ten minutes to accept his surrender," her deputy, a buxom abishag born to a peasant girl who had progressed exceptionally well since joining the army five years ago. She was confident and had her hand on her sword.

"We will not be surrendering. We are fighting for freedom!" The young messenger announced and there was a loud collective exsibilation from her army.

"Hold your tongue," her deputy shouted and pointed her sword at the throat of the young man. Georgina put her hand up and Ingrid, her respected sidekick, lowered the pointed weapon.

"We will meet him," Georgina replied calmly and the messenger rode back towards the disorganised band of freedom fighters.

Georgina had not met the son of the terrorist and her forces had been forceful in suppressing any rebellion since her glorious victory on the alcedama, just outside the small market town of Gloosen. Over 400 of her brave soldiers had perished as her glorious army agonously killed 2,500 of the misguided and brainwashed men, who were fighting to bring anarchy and chirocracy to her country.

The two leaders of the opposing forces were to meet in the centre of the field, the Sun directly overhead. She was flanked by Ingrid, and her bodyguard, a ventripotent giant of a man with a huge frame and a quiet demeanour. She watched the two horses descend the steep incline and approach them.

He was tall and broad, around six feet in height, with warm blue eyes and short brown hair. His clothes were torn and ragged, his horse flea-bitten and tired and was not wearing any armour at all. Ingrid sneered, but Georgina felt a wave of sympathy come over her. He stood no chance.

"Your majesty, Yohann, Protector of the good land of Elgiva," the terrorist introduced himself with a sly smile. "We haven't met."

"Majesty? You agree that Her Royal Highness should be sovereign over these lands?" Ingrid asked in an angry voice.

Yohann smiled and nodded gently. "Not one of my army objects to Her Royal Highness reigning over these lands, it is my lands that we are fighting for."

Ingrid drew her xyresic sword but Georgina held out her hand and she dropped it back into its holder as Yohann grabbed his. "Save it for the battle," Georgina barked. "Unless you wish to surrender and save your men's lives."

Yohann pursed his lips. "We will not be surrendering, but when we win I promise we will not kill those of your men and women who are lucky to still have their lives."