The battering ram's iron horns charged towards the massive doors of the stone castle, splintering the timber. The weighted doors were resistant to break against the force delivered by the Knights' weapon, prompting fatigue and discomfort across the men.
"Keep going men, don't give up!" Lief supported, fastening his hand around the hilt of his sword.
Brushed to the left, Lief's unkempt chestnut hair was kept from his dark brown eyes, preventing any obstruction to his sight. The Knights' valiantly continued their efforts to demolish the door; under close supervision from the monarch.
"Has any progress been made on the door, knight?" A cloaked figure appeared from behind Lief, placing a delicate hand on his clothed shoulder.
"No, my Queen..."
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Withdrawing from Lydia's touch, he felt her hand slide from his shoulder and retreat under the charcoal cloak. This, coupled with the woman's departing footsteps, signalled he could safely interpret her remark. Soaked with disdain, the words only hid the guilt and anger towards herself. The demise of the former Queen had broken her heart at a young age, teaching her that 'love was weakness'. However, through years of research, she had managed to pursue her mother's accused murderer. Lief knowing full well of Lydia’s intentions, winced at the thought of blood staining both the Queen's and his men's hands'.
Lydia examined the entrances architecture, frustrated with the careless damage sustained from the battering ram. Raising her arms to the door, the Queen's palms began to radiate an amber-coloured light. As the light began to intensify a beam of golden energy was projected from Lydia's hands, blasting the doors open in seconds. However, she stumbled backwards after the assault; visibly drained from the magic she had exhausted.
"Are you all right, your majesty?"
Three of Lydia's knights rushed to offer their Queen physical support as she struggled to stand. Waving off the knights support, she regained some of her composure and stood upright. Lydia sneered at the open doors of the large castle, turning to face Lief who was stunned at the woman's display of
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"Investigate every square inch of the castle. Don't leave any stone unturned..." The Queen ordered, her expression gradually darkening. "I want Dominic Warren found and brought to me, understood?"
The Knights remained silent, appearing to have ignored Lydia's orders.
"Understood?" She snapped, watching in amusement as the Knight's uniformly agreed with the Queen's declaration before marching through the entryway. Lief refrained from making eye contact with Lydia, disgusted by the Queen's deranged agenda, which had placed a rift between their friendship. A sudden shift in the atmosphere caused Lief to shudder unexpectedly, prompting his hand to tighten on the hilt of his sword. Lief attempted to spark a conversation with his friend, who seemed busy reminiscing through the memories of this castle.
"I don't mean to speak out of line, your highness," Lief initiated the conversation, sick of drowning in the deafening silence that surrounded the Queen's entourage. "But when is this going to stop?"
"When is what going to stop?" Lydia uncomfortably shifted.
"Don't play dumb, Lydia. We both know what I'm talking