Princess Rescue Inc (120 page)

Pryor
gave him a choppy nod. “Grim news. A pair of
basilisks
have come down
into the fields. They are hunting the herds and villagers of county Firth.”

“Crap,”
Ryans grimaced. “How bad is it?” he asked turning to the map in the room. Firth
didn't seem to be getting any breaks, first the raiders in the late summer and
now this.

The
Duke shook his head. “Bad enough. Twenty dead. The beasts kill; eat only a
little then move out into the fields to attack again.”

“And
the fields make natural cover. Like a lion in the grass,” Nate said coming into
the room. They looked over to him. “Beaters?” he asked. He'd wondered why he'd
been called in for this meeting. Now he knew.

“No,”
the count of Firth said snarling. His lip curled. “Such noise makers would be
attacked on sight, young man.”

“Ah.
Okay, that's out. Trap then,” Nate suggested. He nodded.

“The
problem is if we lay a snare it could get ripped out. Or catch the wrong
animal,” the Duke said patiently.

“A
cable could work, but that's not the trap I had in mind,” Nate said.

“I'll
call Edsfield. We'll need directions to the farm,” Ryans said rising.

“You're
going?” the Duke asked in surprise.

“Of
course,” Ryans said nodding as he glanced at the Duke and then to the count.
Firth was doubled over in a silent coughing fit. “I'd delegate it, I'm not too
keen on going toe to toe with one of these nightmares again, but I promised
Deidra I'd look after her people.” The Duke nodded.

  <==={}------------>

Six
eyes stared out through the long grass. These hunting grounds were much more
fertile than the forests. The two legged prey were soft and weak, easy to
ambush. They didn't have a lot of meat on them but they had been plentiful. She
had staked out the watering hole, knowing they would come eventually. She'd
buried several kills nearby, ready to dig up and feed on when the weather
changed.

She
rumbled softly, flaring her tentacle mane as the wind picked up. She lifted her
muzzle and sniffed at the air. It shifted and she picked up the delicate scent
of fear and shit.

Locking
in to the scent she turned, then slowly moved through the bush. Her mate should
be at her side but it was off bringing a portion of their latest kill to the
kits back at the edge of the forest.

Normally
she would wait for her mate before making a kill, but this prey hardly fought
back. They would eat well before the long cold time came. She crawled to the
edge of the grass and then stopped. A screen of grass hid her shape.

In
the middle of the beaten down circle was a terrified sow. She tugged at
something holding her rear leg to the ground. The thing squealed as the winds
shifted, picking up the unmistakable scent of the predator.

The
basilisk
chuffed a little and then began to stalk forward into the
field. The sow's tiny black eyes locked onto it and it squealed once more,
tearing at its back leg and then lunging away. It tripped and fell just as she
lunged.

A
deep thunderous sound belched from the sky. She felt a hammer blow impact her
side. Staggering, bleeding she turned, trying to run. A second shot slammed her
head to the ground.

Woozy
she got up, staggered and fell, then raised her head. She bellowed a screech of
defiance and rage. A third shot tore through her exposed throat, ripping the
scream out of her. Her head fell to the grass. Her empty eyes darkened as the
light faded and her lifeblood poured out onto the near frozen ground around
her.

  <==={}------------>

“God
that was a bitch,” Ryans muttered, watching through a pair of binoculars. “I didn't
think a fifty cal round would be shrugged off.”

“It
wasn't. It was hurt, I just put it out of its misery,” Edsfield said, looking
up from his scope.

“No
the second shot I mean. Bounced right off the skull,” Ryans said. He turned to
look behind him. The count was there, he'd insisted despite being sick. The
blind was a bit crowded with the four of them here but it was at least warm.

“Yeah,
well, I was aiming for an eye socket. She twitched at the last minute. The
skull's sloped and has a pretty dense pad, I bet she had one hell of a headache
though,” Edsfield replied.

“Yeah,
I'll say. Okay, one down,” Ryans said as he came out of the blind and looked
around. The other hunters were further back, they looked more nervous now than
ever. “That's a good thing right?”

A
soldier nodded. “Yes my lord. But also dangerous, once one is down the other
sometimes comes to avenge its mate.”

“Ah.
And we're a bit exposed,” Ryans grunted. He checked the trap again. The sow was
still tearing away, lunging and falling back. Her rear leg was a torn and
bloody mess. “Well, we can either stay here or go down and reset...”

A
loud brassy screech from the north, north east cut him off. “Or not. Something
tells me to stay the hell away for now.”

“Yeah,
my sentiments exactly, we're losing daylight though,” Edsfield murmured.

“Switch
to night vision. We'll fort up in the Stryker though. You can shoot from under
or on top,” Ryans ordered, waving to Perry and the team waiting near the big
vehicle.

“Right,”
Edsfield nodded. “Think it'll come to see its mate?”

“Maybe.
At least it's a chance.”

“Right.
And we're too far away to associate with its death,” Edsfield said.

“That
too. And the wind is going from east to west. We're downwind of it so it can't
smell us,” Ryans said, watching the winter wheat dance in the wind. He shook
his head. Apparently the farmers had tried to get one last crop in but when the
influenza had struck they'd been unable to harvest. Now the wheat was wasted,
the seeds scattered to the wind. He was surprised the plants were still here
since there was a nightly frost. Apparently the alien wheat was hardier than
its terrestrial equivalent. He'd have to have Mary take a look at it.

“Let's
send this other one to hell and then go back to the castle,” Ryans growled as
they struck the blind and packed the gear. Edsfield was already on top of the
Stryker, looking down range.

Two
frustration filled days later Ryans returned to the capital. The mate of the
damn
basilisk
had turned cagy, forcing them to play a waiting game for
it to show up. Finally Paris had radioed in a suggestion and they'd tried it.
They'd found a stash of recently buried bodies. Instead of recovering them
they'd placed a camera near and an IED. When the bastard had come for the food
they triggered the IED. Unfortunately he'd only been wounded not killed.
Edsfield and Newman had tracked it down by its blood trail at dawn and killed
it.

Count
Firth had been happy about that, his wife had not been happy about his being
out while sick though. She seemed bitter about the gaijin as well, Ryans had
puzzled over it until a soldier had quietly told him that the countess was
mourning the death of a child. Apparently she blamed Sue and the gaijin.

He
sighed, cutting off his woolgathering and rubbing his temples. He'd just gotten
in and all he wanted to do was unpack and kick back for an hour before the next
crisis loomed. Now this, he thought blackly. “Coronation?” Ryans asked watching
Deidra and Zara talking with their ladies. All the women were dressed up in
royal costumes. “Something told me I wasn't informed for a reason?” he asked
amused. “I'm glad to see you up and about though,” he said to Deidra. They
hadn't had a chance to get together since he'd gotten back. Come to think of
it, they hadn't shared a bed since she'd gotten sick. He took Deidra in his
arms and felt her rest her head against his chest. She'd had a second run in
with the virus, mainly because she'd overextended herself in her recovery. She
was now looking and sounding much better though. Three weeks, three weeks since
she'd gotten sick, three weeks that had changed her world forever. Her world
and now his, he still hadn't admitted it to her or to the others yet.

While
he'd been in Firth, Lewis had flown in all the local lords. She told him she'd
burned through half the fuel reserves and some of the lords would need to go
back by vehicle or other means. That might be a problem since they were due for
a good blizzard any day now.

“You've
been busy,” she said one hand gripping the back of his belt. She looked up to
him. “It has to be done,” she said simply. Which was true, and also true of her
mother's funeral he thought. Her mother's body had been burned the night before
with the assembly watching. He smiled as they kissed.

“I'm
sorry I missed the funeral,” he murmured. She nodded looking away.

“You
were taking care of my people. Our people,” she said. Still he rubbed her back.
She squeezed him tighter.

“Yeah,
and you know how much I hate formal occasions,” he murmured. Her eyes twinkled
at that. “I think I can stick around long enough, if you don't mind,” he teased
and then smiled, one hand caressing her hair.

“You'd
better,” she growled darkly, full lips pouting. His chest rumbled with a soft
chuckle. She had on two shades of lip gloss blended, also some interesting
makeup.

“I
like the new look. I take it you cornered Sue or Charlie and got some makeup
from them?” he asked, taking in the almost modern look the women had.

“We
of the court are always up on the latest styles of fashion,” Zara said with
dignity. He gave her a look then chuckled as she rested her hands in her lap,
lifted her chin and struck a pose of quiet dignity.

“Well
put. You both look a lot better with some color,” he said. Deidra punched him
in the shoulder. He rubbed it as she looked away, finishing her makeup. “Oh
that really hurt,” he stage whispered to Zara.

“Good,
you deserved it,” Deidra said pursing her lips. He growled. She smiled
playfully at him. He sighed and looked over to Zara as she got up. He looked
back down to Deidra as she turned, wrapping her arm with his.

He
pulled her hand up and kissed her hand. “All right your majesty, let's get this
over with, we've got time to make up for,” he said with just the right hint in
his voice for her to get his intent. He smiled a wicked smile at her just to be
sure. She blushed, dimpling.

  <==={}------------>

Deidra
went through the coronation, vexed a little over the lack of flowers and the
attendance of only the local Imperium lords. The great hall was decorated in
festive colors, lights shone on the wall tablets and constitution. Trumpets
brayed notes as they made their way down the rich red carpet at a stately pace.
They stopped at the front row; Ryans kissed her then stepped to the side and
his waiting seat next to the waiting Dukes. He nodded to each as she smiled and
nodded to each as well. Serena wasn't there, but Duke Pryor, Troy, and Emory
were. The elderly Emory looked exhausted but determined to see this through. He
smiled with pride as he viewed his new Queen.

Ryans
turned before sitting and took her hand in his. He brought it to his lips and
kissed it. She smiled back and then turned to the royal court.

She
gave a regal nod, receiving the same in return from the Dukes. The nervous
looking chamberlain stood next to a boy holding a purple pillow topped by the
crown of the realm. Deidra seemed to straighten her shoulders and then turned.

Ryans
smiled as she bowed to be crowned. Zara came forward and took Deidra's tiara
off and then stood off to the side, holding her sister's old tiara on a purple
pillow. The chamberlain carefully put the crown on her head. Ryans and a few of
the audience blinked as flashes went off. He turned as did Duke Pryor to see
Sydney taking pictures. Ryans snorted at the look of annoyance on the old
Duke's face.

The
Duke of course changed his expression as the historian turned on him and the
audience. He struck a pose, serious and stately that had Ryans trying not to
laugh as Sydney took the image and then changed angles to get another shot.

When
Sydney was finished a herald stepped forward and trumpeted. They turned to him
as the trumpet's rich notes died and he snapped to attention with it at his
side. He was dressed in the royal house colors, with a gold dragon on his red
tunic. Quickly the audience rose to their collective feet. “May I have the
honor to present Queen Deidra, Imperator of the Ianua and Duluth Imperium! Long
Live the QUEEN!” He said with a bass voice.

“Long
Live the QUEEN!” the audience echoed, saluting the new monarch with their fists
over their hearts and then kneeling as one. 

 Deidra
smiled regally, knowing this was all part of the script but reveling in it. She
had one last act to perform, one she wasn't sure would go over well but was
determined to go through with. They had waited too long already. She indicated
for the lord chamberlain to get up. The herald rose with the chamberlain and
quietly the assembly did as well.

She
smiled, nodding to her subjects but ignoring the scepter the chamberlain
offered her.