Look to see who is approaching

They stop their passionate session of sex long enough to look over the top of the thicket toward the sound of the horses. To their shock, they see at least a dozen heavily-armed riders race across the bridge from Obscuria. Their armor glistens in the sunlight and is so impressive that one might overlook the fact that all of the riders are women.

As Caroline and Dreyvel reach for their clothing, one of the riders reaches behind her and takes a bow and arrow and fires it toward the queen’s carriage. The arrow strikes the side of the carriage with a loud concussion.

The combined effect of the arrow, the approaching horses and the strange surroundings are enough to spook the Mirantian horses. One of them attempts to rear up, and is pulled off balance by the other horse attempting to run.

Amid shouting and and a big cloud of dust, the Obscurian horses arrive at the queen’s carriage, surrounding it on three sides. The poor, startled horses, attempt to race off and soon find themselves at the ledge of the steep precipice of the canyon that separates Mirantia from Obscuria. The horses attempt to swing around, but what started as them being startled has developed into them becoming terrified.

One of the horses steps precariously close to the edge, and one leg slips off the side. For a moment, it appears that it has recovered its footing, but at that moment its partner makes a terrific lunge in exactly the wrong direction at exactly the wrong time.

The entire scene seems to freeze in place for a few horrible moments. The queen, Dreyvel, and the Obscurian riders watch in open-mouthed horror as the horses struggle in vain to stop the inevitable. First one horse tumbles over the side, then the other, and finally the carriage follows. What seems to be many long seconds later, the sound of crashing fills the air as horses and carriage crumble into a horrible tangled mess on the canyon floor.

“Who was the incompetent jackass who fired on them?” demanded the captain of the Obscurian riders.

One of the women urged her horse to step forward. “It was me, Captain.”

“What on earth were you thinking? What am I to tell Queen Imperia?”

“My apologies, Captain,” replied the rider. “I meant only to have my arrow at ready in case it was necessary. I did not intend to shoot it. It will not happen again.”

The captain considered her soldier coldly for a moment. Then, without ceremony or warning, she unsheathed her sword. With a precise swing, she took the head off the offending rider. Her head bounced twice and rolled away, stopping with its startled expression facing toward Caroline and Dreyvel.

“I know it will not,” said the Captain, spitting toward the severed head.

The captain glanced once again toward the canyon before addressing the riders.

“I assume Queen Caroline and her escort were inside the carriage?”

“It happened so fast, Captain,” replied one of the riders. “I did not get a chance to confirm that.”

The captain looked around and said, “Well, I must report back to Queen Imperia and pray that she does not take my head, as well.” Speaking to two of the riders, she says, “Archia and Vastra, remain here and scout around to make sure there is no one remaining. Once you have confirmed that, you may return home. The rest of us shall go back and see what instructions the queen may have for us.”

With that, the majority of the riders depart, leaving the two behind. Caroline and Dreyvel look at each other in wonder.