A/N: Thank you Psy Girl for putting this story on the recommendation list! Thanks to everyone for the great reviews and support.
Chapter Thirteen
It was the scream of the chambermaid that awoke Harry. Her bloodcurdling yell that woke up all the Knights. Harry shot out of bed, grabbed his sword and rushed into the hall where a few Knights were already gathered.
"Harry," one of them said. "He's dead." Slowly he approached the room.
It was Viktor.
He was lying in his bed, his head missing. Ice filled his insides. Whoever did this must have snuck into the room and beheaded him while he slept. But why take the head? He stormed out of the room. On the brink of war and they just lost one of their Generals.
"Tell none of the soldiers of this," he ordered as he walked out of the room. "We are at war and it would do no good to lower the moral."
"Harry! Harry!" Ron and Ginny were running toward him.
Dread filled his insides, what more could've happened?
"She's gone!" Ginevra cried.
Harry blocked out everyone and began to run into the castle. She was fine, she had to be okay. He was just with her a few hours ago. Ron led him to her room, approaching the door Harry could see the guards that had been standing watch were dead. Heart beating loudly in his chest he opened her door.
The room was the same as he left it. The goblet lay resting on the small table, her bedsheets tangled from their sleeping in it. No sign of any struggle whatsoever.
"We think someone came to her door, someone she knew," Ron said behind him.
Harry's hand gripped tightly around the hilt of his sword. Guilt washed over him for leaving Hermione in the middle of the night. It was quickly replaced by anger. Whoever did this had better not harm one single hair on her head if they knew what was best for them.
"Do you think the armies of the False King have her?" Ron asked fearfully.
"No," Harry answered, anger burning through him. "Take attendance of who is here in the castle. People Hermione would keep in contact with, her friends, her advisors…We have a traitor in our midst."
Alarm bells sounded, signaling the False King's army approaching Rowena. The timing could not have been any worse.
~*~
Hermione lay back in the bed, covering her naked body with the heavy quilt she sighed contentedly. Harry had just left the room through the secret passageway. His scent still lingered on the pillow next to hers and she held it close to her, breathing it in. She felt empty inside without him near. Their last lovemaking had been bittersweet and she had cried a little knowing it was the last time they would have each other like this. Although it was known for Kings and Queens to have lovers, she would not do that to herself. She wouldn't do it to Viktor and she wouldn't do it to Harry.
A knock came at her door. "Milady, it is me. I have an urgent message." She hastily dressed herself in her night clothes again before opening the door. Severus Snape was on the other side.
"Severus, what is it?" she asked.
"Urgent order from your Sir Viktor. He wants you removed from the castle right away," Severus said urgently tugging her out the door.
Hermione looked down and choked back a scream. Her guards were dead on the floor. "Severus what's going on?" she asked.
"Come Milady, there's no time!" he said sharply, dragging her.
"Please tell me! You're hurting me! Unhand me at once!" she tried to yank her hand away.
Severus hit her hard across the cheek with the back of his hand. Hermione gasped with shock, her cheek stinging.
"How dare you touch me!" she hissed. Severus stared at her full of contempt. Out of the shadows four men appeared behind him. Hermione's eyes grew large. She tried to scream for help, maybe Harry was still in the castle and would hear her. But before she could get a sound out, she was pounced upon and bound and gagged.
With Severus leading the way, the four men smuggled a struggling Hermione out of the castle. When they reached the woods, she was mounted on a horse with one of the men and they rode away into the dark. It seemed to take forever but they crested a hill and Hermione looked down and gasped.
There was an encampment below her, hundreds maybe even thousands of soldiers, the tents bearing flying the Slytherin banner high above them. The group rode into the middle of the encampment to the largest tent. Hermione needed no introduction to the person inside.
"What in the hell is this?" King Draco looked up in surprise at the group that walked in.
"We brought her as you requested," Severus said as he kneeled. The other soldiers followed suit, Hermione didn't bow to him but Draco didn't notice. He marched over to Hermione and released her from the gag and binds.
"I asked you to bring her to me! I didn't say ambush her and drag her here like a common prisoner!" he shouted at them.
"You did this?" Hermione said accusingly. Draco grasped her chin and sharply turned her head to the side. The others rose to their feet.
"Which one of these abysmal idiots did this to you?" he asked, examining her bruise on her cheek.
Hermione didn't say anything but her eyes flickered briefly to Severus. Draco walked over to him and backhanded him. It was worse than the hit given to Hermione because Draco had his armor on, small spikes on the back of his hand. Severus' lips were bleeding. Hermione gasped out.
"Leave us!" Draco ordered and the men left the tent hastily.
He walked to Hermione and pulled out a dagger releasing her from her bonds.
"Why did you do this?" she demanded.
"I only asked them if they would bring you to me. I didn't think the idiots would kidnap you like this. I will send word to your cousin right away." He looked down at Hermione in her nightrobe and she wrapped it tighter around her. He brought one hand up and caressed her swollen cheek moving his hand behind her head to cup it. Hermione's heart pounded in her chest as he brought his lips to hers. Even though Harry could start a roaring fire of desire within her, Draco had the potential to start one himself. She didn't like that feeling, she couldn't trust herself with it.
"Draco," she whispered warningly as she stepped away from him.
Disappointment showed on his face. "Of course. I keep forgetting." He cleared his throat and backed away from her. "I had brought gifts for you," he said as he walked over to the entrance of his tent and snapped his fingers. Two female servants hustled inside carrying a large trunk. Draco opened it. "I think you could use one of them now." He brought out a gown of velvet, silver with cream colored grape vines embroidered on it. There was a matching cloak as well.
"Draco…I cannot accept this," Hermione protested.
"Take it. It is supposed to be a gift for your engagement. Dress her," he ordered the servants. "We leave before the hour is up." Then he left the tent.
~*~
Draco, with Hermione at his side, led the Slytherin army through the woods, stopping at the base of the hill. Draco trotted ahead, signaling for Hermione to do the same.
"There's something I wish to show you," he said, dismounted from his horse, and walked up the hill. Hermione followed him and gasped when she reached the top of it.
Smoke could be seen rising on the fields surrounding Rowena. The False King's army was attacking. Hermione watched the onslaught as the trebuchets threw boulders back and forth to each other, some of them were fireballs. Tears came down Hermione's face.
"I sent for you so you would be safe from the battle," Draco said quietly as he watched her. "I know that your kingdom is in trouble. I know that Arneau Tak has fallen. And I know that you have only five thousand soldiers making a last stand against the False King's army of ten thousand."
"What do you want?" Hermione whispered.
"At your word, I will send my soldiers into Rowena. It will not fall. You need my help…you know you do."
"My five thousand soldiers are the best. I know they will be able to hold it," Hermione said confidently.
"I also know that, unknown to Rowena, there is another army to the east. Five thousand strong."
Hermione looked at him, eyes wide.
Draco brought out a looking glass and handed it to Hermione. "Just below that third hill to your right," he said.
Hermione looked through it. Sure enough, an army of five thousand men of the False King were watching the battle take place. Watching and waiting. Hermione handed him back the glass. Draco took it and moved behind Hermione.
"You never answered me," she said quietly. "What do you want?"
"Marry me," he whispered in her ear. "Be my queen and rule by my side."
"I told you! I…"
"Gave Viktor my word," he finished for her. He raised his hand and signaled for a soldier to come up and join them.
The man trotted uphill, burlap sack in hand.
"Viktor is already dead," Draco said quietly.
"What?" Hermione asked him, eyes wide. The soldier turned the sack upside down and Viktor's head tumbled out of it. Hermione screamed and turned away. Her stomach heaved and she clamped her mouth shut to keep her sickness down.
Viktor is dead! Viktor is dead!
"How many more need to die, Hermione?" Draco asked her. "I can guarantee you that people are dying right now. You can put an end to it. Just say yes to me, Hermione."
Hermione wrapped her arms around her waist, tears falling down her face. Draco walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"I will swear to you that Rowena will not fall. Slytherin will not allow it. You will still get to rule your kingdom. Your people will be safe. Just say yes, Hermione, say yes," he whispered in her ear.
~*~
The first of the ladders clattered on the castle walls and the False King's soldiers clambered over the wall. Harry and Ron reached them, killing those that managed to make it over then shoving the ladder off the wall and back on top of the invading army below. With the quickness of his blade, Harry disposed of more of the enemy.
"Harry watch out!" Ron yelled above the shouts.
A large boulder came crashing at the wall and the ground disappeared beneath Harry. He quickly grabbed onto the rope bindings that tied a wooden banister together. The floor beneath him crumbled and he swung with one arm, dangling a great height above the castle courtyard. Ron ran over and pulled on the rope, pulling Harry back up.
Harry pulled himself onto the stone floor. "Duck!" Harry shouted and Ron obeyed. Harry thrust out his sword into the gut of an enemy, his axe held midstrike above his head.
"Thanks for that," Ron breathed.
"Anytime," Harry nodded.
A chorus of horns filled the air and a great rumble shook the ground beneath them. In the distance, a wave of soldiers on horseback poured over the hills and into the valley of Rowena. They carried the banner of Slytherin on them.
"What in the name of…" Ron was bewildered.
The Slytherin army flooded the valley and collided with the enemy. The False Kings army fell quickly in the fields at the blades of the Slytherins. Ravenclaw took care of the ones who had made it into the castle grounds.
Bellatrix LeStrange stood with a fellow Death Eater to the east.
"I don't understand why he sent you," Nott growled.
"To deliver his message of course. We just have to wait for the signal," she said as she looked through the looking glass at the battle below.
"My men have been here for two days!"
"And they will continue to wait. Ah!" she exclaimed.
They watched as the Slytherin army rode down from the hills and charged at Lord Voldemort's army.
"That's the signal," Bellatrix sighed. "You know what you have to do. I'll be continuing on my way to Slytherin."
"Our Lord doesn't want us to help our brothers?" Nott asked, confused.
"No," Bellatrix answered. "You are to march your brigade back to Arneau Tak. Leave Rowena alone."
~*~
The people of Rowena cheered and clapped as the castle drawbridge was lowered to let the Slytherin King's procession enter the city. King Draco rode proudly upon his large black stallion as the crowd roared with approval. The King stopped in front of the castle itself and stood upon its steps at the people below.
The Ravenclaw Knights stood closest to the steps and looked up at the King with scowls on their faces. Harry stood next to Ron, hidden among the Knights. The King gestured for silence.
"Good people of Ravenclaw," he said in a loud voice, "your city is safe from the onslaught. Rowena still stands!" The people cheered. "Slytherin has long been a neighbor to Ravenclaw and when I ascended the throne, it was one of my duties to strengthen the relationship we have. When I heard that your city would be under siege, I sent my armies right away. Slytherin will always come to the aid of Ravenclaw!" The crowd cheered some more and Draco gestured for silence again. "In an effort to strengthen our lands and strengthen our bond, I have some good news for the brave people of Ravenclaw. Your lovely Queen has accepted my proposal in marriage." The crowd gasped with delight. Harry's jaw clenched as he looked up at the King with anger in his eyes. Ron put a firm grasp on Harry's shoulder. The King continued. "Slytherin will be overjoyed to have her as their new Queen and they will love her as much as I love your fair Queen."
The King left the city under great pomp and circumstance. The Knights held looks of distrust on their face as the King passed to leave. Once he was out of the city they all looked at Harry. Harry had the look of murderous rage on his face and he stormed into the castle, Dumbledore followed. The Knights followed him all the way into the cellars. They crowded into a small room, lit by a few torches, a wooden table sat in the middle of it.
"I don't believe this!" one of the Knight's swore tossing a Slytherin banner onto the table.
"He murdered Viktor! I know he did!" another said.
"And he took our Queen!" Ron snarled. "I know he forced Hermione into it."
"What are we going to do about it?" a Knight spoke up.
Harry moved across the room and peered into the hallway then shut the door.
"Whatever we do, we must do it quietly," Harry said in a low voice. "There's a lot more to this than you think. Unbeknownst to our citizens out there, we are under siege. Rowena is no longer under Ravenclaw. There are thousands of Slytherin soldiers crawling through our great city and they are here to stay." The Knights cursed under their breaths. "He's going to infiltrate us. You'll see, the next step is to put his Knights amongst us to be his eyes and ears to any sort of uprising." Dumbledore said nothing, he only stood in the shadows.
"Our Queen is in danger," Ron said angrily. "We aren't just going to sit quietly."
Harry unsheathed his sword and stabbed it into the table, its point going through the silver serpent of the Slytherin banner. He gave a dangerous smile to the men around him.
"The Slytherin King has just declared war on the Ravenclaw Knights."
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