Knight of Lions | The Assemblage of the Stars - Book 4.5

CHAPTER 3

"You're blamed for a spy,

For being alike,

To an unknown Warlock,

Who gives us a fright-"

"Will you please stop?!" Regulus shouted at Pip, who was visiting him again. As soon as the guards left, Pip appeared to play him more tunes. "You've been singing that line for the past hour!"

Pip stopped playing and stared awkwardly. "King Henry told me to keep you entertained until the execution. I'm following his orders."

"Maybe it's because the song's so bad that it will make me want to die faster!" Regulus complained.

"I'm sorry you're being executed," Pip said, completely ignoring his harsh insult. "I would let you out, but I've no idea how."

Regulus sighed. "Is there any way to redeem myself?"

"With the King's attitude, I doubt it," Pip replied. "What'd you even do to make him so angered?"

"All I did was talk to his daughter," Regulus sighed.

"Trying to catch the ladies at first sight isn't a good first impression for him," Pip declared.

"What? I wasn't trying to win her heart! We were talking!" Regulus objected, ticked off.

"They all say that," Pip sighed.

Two guards suddenly walked in and stopped by Pip.

"Hello," Pip commented.

"Come on, it's time to go. Hope you had a good farewell ceremony," one of the guards joked. He opened the cage, and Regulus immediately bolted out. He promised Mirfak he would return safely. He had go get out alive.

"Stop!" He heard a guard shout, and almost immediately, he was hit on the back of the head, and he blacked out again.

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Regulus blinked open his eyes to find himself tied to a pole, the wind tugging at his very dark, navy blue hair. He looked down to see dry hay and grass encircling the pole he was tied to. In front of him, a large mass of villagers gathered, and the King and multiple guards faced him directly. He could spot Pip and Alya standing near King Henry.

"Regulus," King Henry's voice boomed, "are you or are you not a spy of the Warlock?"

"I am not!" Regulus shouted. "For the last time, I'm telling the truth!"

King Henry waited for the village to respond. Angry shouts arose, and Regulus frowned. No one believed him.

"It is decided. Regulus, spy of the Warlock, shall be burned to death tonight!" King Henry yelled. "Let the execution begin!"

A man with a hidden face held up a lit torch, and Regulus watched in fear as he lit the piles of dry hay below him, which quickly caught fire and spread all around him.

How can I get out? He wondered in fear. I have to think fast! I have no idea how to summon my lion - or even control it. I can't just accept death, though.

The fires began to spread up the pole, slowly but surely. Regulus coiled his knees up, trying to avoid the hot flames licking at his bare feet. He knew that soon enough, the weakened pole would fall, and he would plummet to his death in the fire. What could he do?

A loud roar suddenly boomed through the village, and the shouting villagers fell silent. Panicked screeching suddenly rang out as the villagers scatters, and Regulus looked over to see a giant, starry bear burst through the gates to the village.

Dubhe's bear.

"Run!" Guards yelled, pulling out swords and spears. The King jumped up and pulled out a sword as well, and Regulus's heart raced as he watched them begin to run to the bear.

They can't fight that thing! They'll die!

"Wait, stop!" He yelled. "You're only going to die fighting it!"

It was too late. Regulus watched as Dubhe's bear knocked over multiple guards with one swipe, leaving fatal wounds to them.

A tug behind him startled him, and he turned his head to see Alya holding a sword, cutting at the ropes that binded him up there. Pip was by her, and he had somehow managed to temporarily put out some of the fires and was hauling her on his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Regulus gasped.

"I'm freeing you!" Alya shouted. "After all, you said you were the only one that could defeat Dubhe!"

Regulus smiled. It seemed he had made some acquaintances.

Alya finished cutting his ropes, and Regulus jumped down, pushing off of the pole to avoid the still-burning fires.

"You guys need to go!" Regulus shouted at them. "Leave this to me."

"I'll take Princess Alya away safely. You go defeat the bear!" Pip informed, grabbing Princess Alya's hand. Regulus watched them run away, and he turned back around in time to see the bear charging at him.

He yelped and jumped out of the way, Dubhe's bear barely slashing at his arm, drawing blood. He stood back up, expecting to see the bear facing him, but it kept charging.

What is it after?

Regulus suddenly remembered how Alya explained that the Warlock would go after royal blood.

He's after Alya! Regulus realized.

"Alya, watch out!" Regulus yelled, watching the bear charge towards her. He needed to do something.

Regulus grabbed the nearest sword laying on the ground and began to charge after the bear, picking up speed. His necklace shone again, and he watched the lion appear, running at his side.

The bear raised a paw and swung at Alya and Pip, but just in time, Regulus ran in front of them and blocked the attack with his sword, feeling stronger with the growling lion by his side.

Alya and Pip stared in shock as Regulus knocked down the giant bear's paw, sending it slightly stumbling back.

He yelled and slashed his sword at it, feeling irregular strength running through his veigns. He realized the other soldiers couldn't defeat it because their strength did not compare to that of a star's.

As Regulus continued to attack with the bear attacking back, he felt a deeper connection to the lion fighting by his side. It was almost as if he could control it.

Finally able to think straight, Regulus managed to make the lion attack the bear, the two animals fighting wildly. When his lion got the bear pinned down, he rushed forward and stabbed the sword straight through its chest.

The watching villagers fell silent, and panicked screams stopped as everyone, including the King, watched.

Dubhe's bear fell to its side, breathing slightly. Regulus somehow knew it was being controlled, so he walked up to it, stood over it, and pointed the sword to its face.

"Dubhe," he yelled, staring at the bear, "I am Regulus, brightest star of Leo. I warn you now - wherever you reside - to stop this, return to the sky, and face punishment there, or die at my hands and stay stuck on this Earth, never able to return."

The bear stared at him, panting heavily before opening his mouth. "I've gathered an empire. A single star cannot bring me back."

After that single sentence, the bear closed it's star-filled eyes, and it disappeared into thin air.

The village remained silent, staring in awe at Regulus and what he had done.

Shouldn't they be happy?

"You are safe for now," Regulus announced.

When still no one responded, Pip walked up by Regulus and raised a scroll in the air.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he yelled, "Sir Regulus, Knight of Lions!"