Taking What's Mine

Introduction

"NO!" Ada watched as her mother stood in front of her father, protecting him the best she could. "Please, spare my husbands life." The fairy queen begged, knees quivering in fear.

The king was kneeling on the floor, hands pressed against his stomach to slow the blood that was pouring out of his stab wound. "Angelica..." The king gasped out, blood trailing down the corners of his mouth. "Take Ada and Charles..." He looked up at his wife's back. "...and run."

Angelica didn't turn around to face her husband. She wanted to stay strong. She didn't want to lose her love. "James..." She trailed off. "Please..."

James pushed himself onto his feet, bloody hand prints and splatters of blood decorated the floor underneath him. "I'm not going to let you and the children die as well."

"Don't say that James." When Angelica felt the hands on her shoulders, only then did she dare to turn around.

James ran his hand through Angelica's hair before cupping her cheek. Angelica leaned into the touch, savoring the warmth of her husband. "Angelica, my sweet angel, I'm so sorry."

Angelica gasped as she was pushed to the side. She could only watch as the sword entered James' chest, right through the heart. "James!" Tears rolled down Angelica's cheeks, blurring her vision of her husband falling to the floor with a thud.

"Such a shame." The man cloaked in black pulled the sword from the fairy kings chest and cleaned it off with his robe. "Killing you was too easy." The man chuckled darkly. "But maybe your children will actually scream and beg for me to not kill them." He grinned, eyes glinting as he towered over the fallen king. "I'm going to take everything you love! Staring with your lovely wife."

Angelica didn't know what happened, but at the moment she was scooping Ada up form where she was huddling by the door and booking it down the empty hallway. "Where's your brother, Ada. Where is he?" She knew she sounded desperate, but they had no time to waste. "Ada!"

"Where are you going Angelica~" Angelica ran down the hallway faster. "I have plans for you~"

"Charles...room." That's all Ada could get out. She clung to her mother tight, eyes blown wide open with fear.

Angelica ran for dear life, hoping to come across Charles' room quickly. Her hopes were not answered because when he burst into the room her son was caught in the arms of the enemy. "Let my son go, now!" Angelica too a stance, arms tightening around Ada.

"Yeah...I don't think I will." You could feel the murderous glare through the cloth covering the mans face.

"Mommy!" Seeing his mother, Charles let the tears he was holing in fall. "Mommy help me!" Angelica couldn't bare to hear her six year old son calling out to her in such distress.

Angelica knew she had to do something, her son could die. "It's okay my sweet child. Be good for mommy and stay calm." Charles gave a soft nod. Her magic wasn't great, the level of a young child. It never grew, but Angelica worked past that. She transformed, a long white dress trailed behind her.

"You may be the queen, but you're nothing magic wise." The man chuckled, arm wrapping around Charles' throat, choking him. "one move and the kid dies."

Angelica's face darkened, a scowl taking over her fearful look. She was ready, and she would do anything to get her son back. "Let. My. Son. Go." Her tone of voice held a fierce warning.

"I'm sorry, 'your majesty', but no can do." The man was anything but sorry. 'The fact that I've served this pathetic family for so long disgusts me.' He was done following their orders.

"Mathew, you've been treated nothing but good by us." Angelica knew she wasn't going to get through to the man. "Please spare my son."

"Once again...no." Mathew sneered and brought a knife up to Charles' neck.

"Fine." Angelica sighed and pulled at her magic. She buzzed, blood pumping in her ears. Holding her hand out, Angelica created a ball of light in the air. As she threw her hand to the right, the ball of light flew forward and his Mathew in the chest, right above Charles' head. The knife fell to the ground with a clutter and Charles, now free, ran to his mother and Ada.

Charles jumped into his mothers arms, clinging to her tight in fear. "Mommy." Angelica could feel the tears trickling down her neck.

"It's okay baby, mommy's here." Angelica tried to sooth her son. She grabbed Ada and pulled girl next to her brother and against her chest.

Angelica willed her transformation, large green wings shooting out from her back, tearing her dress. "You won't - *cough* - get away from me." Mathew was ignored as Angelica turned away, clutching her children, and taking to the air.

"Where is she!" The cloaked man from before barreled into the room. "Get back here!" He yelled at the queen hovering in the air.

Angelica braced herself and her children, and flew through a window. Pieces of glass scattered everywhere. Angelica didn't pay any attention to the cuts on her face and arms and continued flying to the woods down below.

As Angelica landed at the woods edge, something smacked her in the back. Angelica was sent to the ground, Charles and Ada rolling in separate directions. The cloaked man stalked towards the mother and children. "Hmm, look who's fallen at my feet."

"Oh please." Angelica struggled to push herself up, "you're just kidding yourself." She looked left and right, taking in the positions of her children. Seeing Ada was closer, Angelica blinded the cloaked man with a light that lit up the entire forest in white. The man groaned and Angelica took the chance to run to Ada and scoop her up.

As Angelica turned to run over to Charles, a sudden gust of air chucked up the dirt and sticks in a whirlwind of debris, making everything dark for a moment. "You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeve." The man chuckled darkly.

Angelica quickly caught her bearing and looked in the direction where the chuckle had come from. "NO!" She stumbled forward a few steps before she was ordered to stop.

"Stop where you are or this knife will be in your sons neck." Charles was held against the mans chest by an arm around the childs own chest, feet dangling in the air.

"Let him go." Angelica winced as the knife held in the mans hand was brought closer to Charles' neck. "Please don't hurt him."

"Only one of your children are going to make it out of here alive." The man motioned between the children. "The nice part is that you get to choose who will live." The man gave a high pitched cackle at that. "So I'd advise you choose wisely."

Angela was distraught. She loved both of her children dearly, how could she choose only one to live? "Ada..." She looked at the wide, frightened eyes of her daughter. Angelica then turned to look into the teary, terrified eyes of her son. "Charles..."

"Tic-tock, times a ticking."

"I'm sorry baby."

Angelica turned and fled into the woods with Ada in her arms. "Mommy!" She didn't turn back at her son yelling out to her. She only tucked her head down and ran faster. Angelica wouldn't turn around to see her precious son be killed. She just couldn't.

Ada was staring over her mothers shoulder at her brother. "Mommy." Ada whined, clutching at her mothers dress. "Charles." A lone tear fell down from the young girls' eye.

"I'm sorry." Angelica continued forward. "I'm so sorry."