The Golden Betrayal

They started running for the castle when they noticed a figure flying in the back of the tower carrying what looked like a lit firework. They were too late. The golden eagle was already carrying out its mission. It dropped the firework right in the throne room window. They heard a very loud explosion. They realized it had not been a firework but dynamite. Fire immediately engulfed the tower and trapped King Paul, Queen Annetta, and Abigayle in their suite.
On the ground, islanders were screaming and running hysterically for their lives. Hot ashes falling all around burned several of them. Young children who had been separated from their parents were terrified, crying, and trying to find some place to hide from all the dangerous debris dropping from the sky. The fire was so intense that it gave the evening sky an eerie orange glow as if it were day.
Jonathan ran as fast as he could, thinking about the bald eagles. Just as he did, one swooped right by him and headed toward the castle. Jacob, the fastest of the three brothers, sped by them and ran up secret stairs to where the king, queen, and child were trapped. Covering his mouth, Jacob dashed daringly through the smoke and fire in the stairwell.
When he reached the top of the stairs, he saw that his brothers were trapped by the flames and unable to ascend the stairs. “Don’t worry,” he shouted. “I’ll get them out.”
“Don’t do anything foolish,” Jonathan shouted. “You hear me?”
That advice came too late. Jacob had darted into the room and saw the king and queen holding each other and hugging their newborn. They were unaware that the bald eagle had soared into the room. They were startled by the gasping Jacob who entered the room. The frightened queen asked, “Is there any way out of here?”
“No, I don’t believe there is, my queen,” Jacob said. “I think we are trapped. The stairs I just came up have collapsed.”
Just then, the bald eagle circled the room. Putting his hand up in the air toward the king and queen, he said, “Wait here.” He went to the next room and looked out the window. He saw his brothers standing below. He motioned with his wing that they should wait there and raced back to the royal suite. The queen had the baby bundled very tightly in a blanket she had knitted. In another bag, she had placed things for the baby, including her favorite stuffed animal, a picture of the three when they had come home from the hospital, the queen’s first crown, and an heirloom locket with a picture of them. Jacob nodded to the bald eagle; he knew what to do. The other two eagles appeared through the smoke and flames. King Paul and Queen Annetta kissed their daughter’s forehead.
The larger of the eagles picked up the package the queen had prepared. The other eagle grabbed the bag the king had filled with gold coins and some letters. The eagles soared through the smoke to the horizon. The eagle that came in the room first swooped down and carefully picked up the newborn with its talons. Jacob said to this eagle, “Be careful! You have the greatest treasure of all to carry. Do not fail me.”
“I know,” the eagle replied. “That is why they call me Valor Eagle.” He flew out the window with the newborn.
Watching intently, Jacob saw that the eagle’s talons were fraying the delicate blanket. He tried to warn the eagle, but it was too far away. The eagle was losing its grip on the baby. The king and queen gasped in horror as they watched the baby plummet toward the ground. The eagle saw the blanket unravel and watched in horror as the baby slipped through his grasp.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Marcus and Gwen ran toward the castle towers. As he looked up in the moonlight sky, Marcus saw the bald eagle carrying the newborn in the unraveling blanket. Marcus prayed for help.