Slaughter in the Palace
The King’s chamber was a blood bath.
And sitting on the King’s throne at the end sat Humpty Dumpty.
The Necromancer stood stead fast in shock. Humpty no longer consumed his victims whole, parts of them lay ripped asunder all over the large room.
Guards, Pageboys, Ladies in Waiting and Clergyman all torn to shreds and thrown to every corner.
Humpty sat staring at the Necromancer, the King’s regal garments draped over his skinny arms and the royal crown sitting lopsided on his rounded dome.
“So you got my message Post Master” said Humpty. His voice breaking the Necromancer from his wild-eyed stare.
“You speak” he replied after much fumbling for words himself.
“You showed me that Fairy meat sustains but never told me that human flesh makes me aware” Humpty said accusingly.
“I had no idea, I only did what the book showed me” whined the Necromancer “Where is the King?”
“The King is not your main concern, even though he was my main course” Humpty followed this with a small laugh to emphasize his little joke.
“I command you to stop, I command you to return to the docks” the Necromancer ordered, knowing it would be futile.
“You Post Master, are no longer my master. This is my new master” cried Humpty and from the cover of the King’s robes held up the Book.
“I knew the book was trouble” sighed the Necromancer as Humpty Dumpty’s long shadow fell over him.
The Necromancer, no, he was the only a Post Master and only ever was. He resigned himself to this fact and more importantly his impending death.
His broken body lay in a heap on the other side of the room where he stood prior to Humpty’s attack.
Even though he was in substantial pain the edge seemed to be taken off by the body’s natural pain defenses by flooding his body with endorphins.
What had he done?
Was this the price of revenge?
Why hadn’t Humpty killed him? Even eaten him?
Maybe he wanted his old master to suffer
Master. Now there was a strange conversation. He had heard Humpty talking as he walked away, leaving the Chamber.
“Why hide? Why rest?”
The Post Master had heard Humpty’s new booming voice protest.
“Oh well a couple of days won’t hurt” he added as if answering someone the Post Master wasn’t aware was in the room with them, at least alive.
With those last words Humpty smashed the doors of the chamber outward and left.
The Post Master wished only one more thing before he died. To scratch a warning to those who discovered this horror and he wrote it in his own blood.
The Aftermath
Prince Charming was now officially King, being the Regents only heir and the laws of the Kingdom and heraldry demanded it.
This, however was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.
His Father and entire court as well as royal personal guard and the night staff had all been slaughtered in the Palace and there was not a witness to explain naught.
Charming had concluded a Dragon. Only a Wyrm could be so swift and savage in such a small space and leave so little evidence of its physical presence.
Prince Charming was well learned.
Wyrm’s also liked gems and jewels and nice fabrics which could also explain the disappearance of the Royal robes and crown.
He needed serious professional help to revenge his Father’s tragic death and those of his subjects. Prince Charming called for Jack’s immediate reinstatement into the Elite Guard and sent his fastest troops to search the forest for him.
To be continued.......
Edited by Cathie Tranent, art by Simon Sherry
