Solar Knight: Shifting Sands (book 6)

chapter 32: Mau runs away

I have not rested since they departed....
I was too anxious to....

Filled with both anxiety and dread, i found myself trying to keep busy and attempting to keep the nagging thoughts away, we did have funerals to arrange of course and preparations too. I am their queen after all.

I greeted and consoled every family that came into our palace, expressing my condolences and giving them gifts as well as holding a special banquet in the departeds' honor.

During the ceremony and all of the talking.....everything was blocked out and filled with visions of the nightmare i had on the first night. Said nightmare was about finding the bodies of my friends....but the bodies of simon, seth, my children, and.....Rameses.

Another part of my dream was that of Tia sitting on the throne, howling in laughter as i was bound in chains and he having the bodies of my loved ones hanging from the roof of the palace, as though they were trophies. All of then silently swaying and me begging her to let them go, only to be met with mockery as the youma from before, that i have slain in the past, came out and laughed at my suffering.

I couldn't do anything....
The helplessness was suffocating.....

I would wake up that night feeling no rest and miserable the following morning.....

The ceremony took all day yesterday into the morning today. By the time everything was said and done, it was mid-day. Not a word has been sent back.

Abbas would walk up to me as i stared off into the open desert, wearing the toothy grin she always has.

"Fear not, your highness. They will return. They have the sun boy with them! Your husband spoke highly of his accomplishments and has seemingly proven to avoid death! Then there's simon and seth, our proud generals! They're strong and mighty as they come! And let us not forget the senshi you've sent! They are plenty powerful too!" Abbas said.

I looked down and sighed.

"I do not discount their abilities and haven't lost my faith in them but....i just....i have this nagging feeling is all, that something is wrong, dreadfully wrong! And i hate just staying here and waiting for them to come back! It's....it's both infuriating and worrying! I can't keep still and the only time i slept was when i napped briefly and had....a nightmare." I vented.

"A nightmare is only a construct of the brain, your majesty. Do not let it bother you so. Why don't you drink some chamomile tea and take a cat nap? Pun intended heheheh." She said.

"Haha, i think i just might. Thank you for the reassurance. So....what do you think of them? The newcomers?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I think they are fine knights of earth, with sun boy in lead. He peaks my interest, i think he might have been checking me out, many offspring me and i might have, heheheheh." Abbas said jokingly.....i think?

I would bid her ado before retiring to my chambers. One of the servants had brewed me a cup of chamomile tea and bid me a good rest. After drinking the tea in full, i was able to finally sleep soundly.....

Only......
To wake up where i left off....

I was shackled in chains while Tia, in pharoah attire, loomed over me from the throne.

"What's wrong, little kitty? Can't get free? Awwwww, poor baby!" She said as she cackled with glee.

"Let them go!! Wait...this is all a dream....Abbas said to not let it get to me, you're not real!" I cried as i tried to break the chains.

Then....
Something horrifying happened....
I felt a pebble hit my head....
I felt.....pain....
In a dream.....

I looked up and seen Tia with another pebble in her hand, smirking as she tossed it up and down.

"How....how did i feel that....?" I said in shock.

"Because sweetie, my dear little kitty, this isn't a dream....its a vision!" She said with a wicked smile.

My eyes widened in horror.

"I'm giving you the sporting chance though. Come here to the cursed ruins and rescue him! And i promise the only potential casualty will be you and you alone." She said with a devious grin.

"And how am i to trust you?" I asked.

"Do or don't... time ticks either way...." she said as the dream abruptly ended.

I would wake up in mine and Rameses bed, curled up in my cat form. I would stretch and looked out into the desert, knowing if i stayed here, something bad would happen however, i had to act fast before luna, artemis, the senshi here and knights catch on.

I remained in my feline form and would climb high up on the pillars and jump from one ledge to another. It has been a while since i went all "cat mode" and climbed up on things. Last time i did this was when my daughters were younger and wanted to play "kitty tag", where we remained in our cat forms and played tag basically, climbing and jumping freely. We eventually stopped, because one of the girls knocked over an expensive vase....as did i when i thought i could stick the landing one time, i knocked over a statue that time.

It didn't take much effort to slip past all the guards and servants, as i was really high up above them. Even if i were spotted, i could have simply said that i was getting exercise and was anxious.

Once i got to the stables, this was the crucial part. Getting on a horse and riding off towards the ruins.

Whatever ritual they have planned, i cannot let them unleash those monsters onto the populace again!

A stallion was being groomed and washed. It was the only one not in a stable surprisingly, kind of reckless once i think about it. Nonetheless a grand opportunity!

I would take a leap of faith off of the rafters, land on the horse, and sank my claws into it to make it run off.

"Gyah! I told you to keep it in its stable!" One stable hand yelled.

"What?! I didn't think it'd run off!" The other yelled back.

The two stable hands would bicker as i sped off into the desert.

Once i had gotten far enough, i would turn into my humanoid form and resumed travel.

I'm coming Rameses.....
I won't let them hurt you or my family any further!