Alternate Twilight Part 1

Maria slept soundlessly when the door to her chambers opened. She rolled over restlessly. Isha quietly strode over to her bed and rolled her toward him. Maria cracked her an eyelid. Then rolled back over.
"Please, Maria. We must go," he urged. He pulled Maria off her bed and into her dressing closet and began pulling clothes off there hangers and shoving them into a bag.
"Isha?" Maria rubbed her eyes and looked at the bag of clothes he held. "What's going on?" she sounded more awake and worried now. Isha turned to her and began pulling her plain yellowed sleeping dress over her head. Maria wasn't embarrassed. Isha had been with her since birth and he was more of a big brother than a protector. 1

"The Ankalor are coming. We will stay here and hold the demons off you must go and escape. Head to the Mountains near the Washington peninsula. Through the portal into the humans realm." he pulled a white frayed long sleeve shirt over her head then handed her trousers to pull on. 2

"I will not go," Maria replied. "I am high Queen of the North. I should not leave my people while I go off and hide." Her usually golden purple eyes flashed blood-red. Isha sighed and patted her arm.3

"Yes you are the high queen and that is exactly why you must run. If you die then the entire northern season dies. Your heart lights the life crystals each village. Would you die protecting no one and let thousands of others lose their lives. Young children, Maria. Think, please, you must go." Maria frowned, she knew he was right. But she had never been a coward. In fact, it had terrified the elders to know that she was especially defiant.4

"Fine, call Rhoswen to me," Maria ordered taking the bag from his hand and strapping it around her waist as well and her sword. Isha eyed it questioningly. But decided not to ask. He'd been with Maria long enough to know to trust her. 5

Minutes later he was helping Maria up onto Rhoswen. The unicorn had her horn in full sprout. Her light pink hair was the same as her horn. Which allowed her to sense the Ankalor demons from far distances. 6

"I will protect her with my life. Have no worry of that my lord," Rhoswen said and bowed her head. Isha bowed too and bade her go.7

"Run quickly and strong," he said. He already knew that she would. For Unicorns ran faster than the wind. Rhoswen bowed once more and Maria reached down and grabbed the front of Isha's shirt before she took off. 8

"Protect them or you will answer to my wrath, Isha. I love you like a brother take care of yourself," she released him and kissed him on the cheek. Maria nodded to Rhoswen and they were gone. Isha rubbed his cheek and sighed.9

"If only we could be more...my love" 10

"General Isha," Sir Kingsley yelled from the low tower. "They come!"11

"Bring the gates up. Queen Maria is gone. We will protect the fortress."12

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