Silverbolt And The Mask Of Faun

Chapter 2

Princess Constance Reynard isn't sure what scares her more the Rexword's guards or the man named Silverbolt. He paid her no mind as he tied the offending parties up, "Are you okay?" His distorted voice did nothing to endear him to her.

What should she say? Her mother told her honesty was often the best policy, "Forgive me for my boldness, but you're terrifying."

"I know," Silverbolt grunted. He kicked Rexwords men one more time. He knelt next to his captives, "Why did you need the girl?" he kept his tone even and casual.

"Aren't you going to escort me home?" Constance scowled at the hero. Silverbolt's lack of interest annoyed her a little.

"Listen, you have a chance to find why Rexword wants you," Silverbolt pointed to the restrained men.

"The guards will beat it out of them," Constance knew how the conversation ended. Not in her favor.

Silverbolt knocked Helman out with a heavy right that shook the chubby form. How strong was he? "It's your life. Fight for it," His voice offered no humor but gritty determination.

Constance remained silent and watched her rescuer go to work. Not a single man offered to do such a thing for her before. Nor had one thought her capable of taking control of her destiny. Constance could see the possibility of redemption. Not by her hand, of course.

"No one wants to share with the class?" He casually circled the captured guards. Their faces froze in fear, "Your loyalty is admirable, stupid, but admirable." His hand shoved a weight into Sarge's hand. "I'm going to ask one more time, and then things will get unpleasant."

Sarge kept himself tightlipped and spat on the ground next to Silverbolt's feet.

Constance had never felt so ignored in her life. "Who do you think you are?"

"Silverbolt, I thought we established that earlier."

"Are you going to escort me home?"

"Why would I do that? Didn't you say I scared you or something?"

Did he use her words against her? Constance refused to let it stand, "I find it strange a man would rather spend time with a bunch of blackguards than with a young woman in the bloom of youth."

Silverbolt kicked Sarge again. The soldier groaned, "Please, no more, I have a family..."

"Shut up. If your family meant anything, you wouldn't be out here trying to take advantage of young women in the bloom of youth," He paused, "There's a phrase I won't be saying again," Silverbolt shivered involuntarily. He turned to Constance, "I find it strange you keep trying to hang around me when I repulse you."

Constance crossed her arms raised her nose in the air, "Then I shall wait for you to conduct your business. Then you shall escort me home."

"I have half a mind to tie you to a lamppost and tape your mouth shut." Silverbolt turned his attention back to Sarge. He made sure the weight was in the scared lackey's hands.

"What are you doing?" Sarge spoke through ragged breaths. He winced with every word.

The princess watched in wide-eyed wonder as Silverbolt's fist began to glow. Tiny sparks danced across his knuckles and twisted and twirled down the chain. Silverbolt had magic? "How are you doing that?" she blurted out.

"It's one of my powers. I can produce and conduct electrical energy," the sparks moved further down the metal links. Sarge and his companions clumsily tried to move away from the tiny bolts.

"What is electrical energy?" Constance had never heard such a term.

"You've seen lightning, right?" Silverbolt's bored tone did nothing to change the princess's opinion of him.

"Of course,"

"Think of me as a portable lightning bolt...and even that's woefully inaccurate," Silverbolt paused, "It has all sorts of applications." He pushed the sparks further down the metal. He struck Sarge with the heel of his boot. The guard's head snapped back, "Talk, or you will ride the lightning, understood?"

Sarge's eyes went wide just as his companions began to stir and wake up. Helman saw the sparks and jumped out of his skin, "What is that?" his boots scratched against the bricks as he desperately tried to get away.

"Why did you want the damn girl?" His fist glowed again. Another duo of sparks crackled next to the first sparks. "You are wearing metal armor. If you weren't wearing all that metal, you'd survive easy. See metal conducts electricity..."

"Okay, stop," Helman used his considerable girth to turn all three captives around so he could face the masked interrogator, "Lord Rexword sent us to retrieve the princess. He wanted her for something. Rexword doesn't need her, but the princess makes his plan easier to execute."

Constance threw her hands in the air, "Great. Off to the castle..." She trailed off as the sparks crept further down the chain, "What are you doing?" She gripped his arms, and he shoved her away like she were some pest.

The trio of guards convulsed under Silverbolt's power and went still, "Let's never meet again," The masked warrior said. He leaped between buildings and landed on the roof, snapped a salute, a raced off into the distance.

Her escort Lord Herbert Tuxley, the awkward and homely, opened his enormous eyes. His thin lips, "It happened again, didn't it?"

The young lord had a strange condition that caused him to pass out during excitement. Constance had lost all patience thanks to her encounter with Silverbolt. She shoved him back down, "Take me home at once."

***

On the way home, she couldn't stop thinking about Silverbolt. She concluded the warrior had spoken correctly. They should never meet again. Why would she want to spend time with such an uncouth man?

Herbert attempted to make conversation several times only to receive a harsh, "Shhh, you'll spoil the remainder of the trip with your words."

"I was supposed to sup with you and the Queen this evening," Herbert complained.

Constance clapped her hand against her face, and it slid down her delicate features, "Let's be honest, Herbert, you'll get excited upon meeting my mother and will fall to the floor and miss out on eating."

"You're thinking about your rescuer, aren't you?" He accused.

"Pffft," Constance scoffed, "Worry not, I have no desire to see him again either."

Herbert drew himself up to his full height, "I was hoping to tell my father he could back the queen..."

"Excuse me?" Constance's voice grew low and deadly, "Are you threatening my mother and me, Herbert?"

"Lord Rexword approached us...,"

Constance shoved the gangly lord away from her, "That man is no good for Ivorhaven. The people revolted the last time a Rexword assumed the throne."

Herbert's face grew colder than a winter breeze, "On second thought, I do not wish to have dinner with you and your mother."

Much to Constance's relief, Herbert said little to nothing for the remainder of the trip home. When they arrived at the castle gates, the princess scowled at Herbert, "When Rexword stabs you in the back, and he will. Don't blame me."

***

The mushroomed-haired Madame Cuttle greeted her at the front doors, "Your mother was worried sick. You've taken a couple of hours longer than she expected, and her condition worsens."

Constance held back her tears. The past few months left her feeling abandoned by her goddess. Her mother contracted a mysterious illness. Even the talented Dr. Lurcock couldn't find the source, "What does Lurcock say?"

The woman looked up at Constance with empathetic eyes, "He says your mother won't last the month. I am arranging the funeral on the sly. Have you found a suitable young man to help you rule?"

"Such a ridiculous law, mother ruled with dignity and grace, despite my father's untimely death," Constance thrust her cloak to a handmaiden, "Gilda, see to it this gets cleaned thoroughly."

Madame Cuttle adjusted her spectacles. She folded her hands as they made their way to Queen Sophie's room, "I take it your outing with Lord Herbert was less than exciting."

"Rexwords men made attempted to kidnap me. Lord Herbert dropped like a fly in the hot sun."

The pint-sized sorceress giggled, "The Tuxleys have always been that way. Passing out at a moment's notice..." She trailed off and frowned, "How did you escape Lord Rexwords men?"

Constance mentally debated telling Madame Cuttle about Silverbolt. On the one hand, he was a rude, self-absorbed twit. On the other Silverbolt could be a powerful ally. After thirty seconds of mulling it over, "I was rescued by a man named Silverbolt."

Madame Cuttle stopped, "That is not a name."

"That's what I told him," Constance went on to explain her encounter and his less than cordial behavior.

"You have a lot to say about someone you detest," Madame Cuttle said with a straight face. Her eyes filled with humor, "Why would you mention him?"

"The man is powerful. I was hoping to make an ally of him."

"Are you sure this is wise?"

"No, I don't, but Lord Tuxley plans to align himself with Rexword."

Madame cuttle stopped in front of her mother's door, "Your mother is having one of her bad days. Be gentle and keep it brief." Her hand patted Constance on the back, "We will strategize after your visit."

The princess leaned against the door to her mother's room, "I think we should change doctors. I don't trust Lurcock."

"Yet everyone you asked had nothing but positive things to say about the man."

It was at that moment, Constance wondered what Silverbolt was doing, "Send our trusted messengers to find Silverbolt."

Madame Cuttle fell into stunned silence. she adjusted her robes, "Are you sure about that?"

Constance clenched her fist in determination, "Yes, I can't afford to be idle any longer," after she spoke, the princess entered the eerily quiet room and spent the rest of the evening with her mother.

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