The Elemental Trilogy Box Set

by Toni Cox

  The queen nodded to her Servers and left without another word. Maia stood, unsure, until one of the Servers - she wasn’t sure if it was Melindin or Sari - came to help her out of her clothes.

  The water looked and smelled tempting, and now that the queen had mentioned it, Maia felt her exhaustion settle. She had felt no ill-will from the queen’s Eläm, so decided she might as well bathe. She would feel better when she was clean and smelling nice.

  The Servers turned aside as she took her clothes off, giving her some privacy. Once naked, she dipped her left food into the water to test it. The queen was right; it was the perfect temperature. Taking a step over the edge, Maia slid into the pool, letting the warm water envelope her tired body.

  Behind her, the Servers quietly picked up her clothes and one of them left with them. The other Server, the pretty blonde one with the piercing through her right ear, went to sit in the far corner at a gilded harp Maia had not noticed when she first entered. The soft sounds coming from the instrument as the Server stroked it gently with her fingers soothed her, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the luxury of not doing anything.

  Maia startled at the soft cough behind her; she must have fallen asleep. She sat up straighter as the pretty Server handed her a cloth and a bar of lavender-smelling soap. As Maia washed and the foam floated away from her, she realised there was a current in the pool. She watched the soap travel across the surface, before being sucked under at the far end.

  Curious, she walked around the pool until she found the spot where fresh water flowed in. The water coming out of the small opening was warmer than the rest of the pool. She walked further until she reached the other side where the foam had been sucked under. Here, the current was stronger; a larger hole sucking the water into the depth of the bedrock.

  Maia finished washing and then stepped out as the Server held open a bright blue towel for her. While the Server dried her and then did her hair, Maia found out her name was Sari and she had been with the royal family all her life. Sari came here as a child when her parents had been killed and the Elderbows had taken care of her.

  In her mind, Maia tried to make sense of the situation. Some of what Blaid told her contradicted with what she had learned about his parents so far. His father was strict and business-like, but did not seem unfair or unkind. His mother, although clearly used to having all the luxuries in the world, had a kind heart.

  She decided not to draw conclusions yet. They had only been here half a day and she had barely spoken to his parents. Maia was sure there were things she did not know of and she did not want to judge with little information. Blaid, too, needed to rediscover his parents.

  At the very least, Maia was warm and clean as Sari dressed her in a thick gown and then led her back to the top of the narrow stairs. There, Melindin awaited them, handing Maia a cup of hot tea.

  “This way, My Lady,” Melindin said, pointing through a wooden door that led off the narrow corridor. Maia thought they would go back into the hall and on to the queen’s chambers, so she was a little taken aback as the Servers led her through yet another corridor lined in wood panelling, and lit by green crystal lanterns.

  At the end of the corridor was an arched doorway leading to a sunlit room. A fire burned along the wall opposite the windows and plants adorned every windowsill. The room contained a sofa in front of the fire, as well as a few low tables. Three doors led from the room, excluding the doorway they had just entered.

  The largest of the doors was open and Maia could see the queen’s chambers beyond. Sari beckoned her forward and then opened one of the other doors. Astonished, Maia stared at the small room, filled with the queen’s clothes.

  “I think we are of an equal size,” Lady Elderbow said behind her. “You may as well wear some of my clothes and look like the princess you are. I have travelled before and there is nothing worse than not looking the part when in important company. Are you fond of yellow, Maia?”

  “Green is my favourite colour,” Maia managed to say, worried she might offend the queen.

  Instead, the queen smiled. “Good. I hate yellow myself. There isn’t one piece of clothing in this cupboard that is yellow. Green, however, I can assist you with. Sari?” She motioned to the Server to go ahead with selecting gowns for Maia.

  “Thank you, My Lady,” Maia said. “This is really not necessary, but your generosity is appreciated. Maybe something simple, just until my clothes are washed?”

  “Nonsense, there is no need for you to wear your armour around the castle. Please, pick whatever you like. Select a few items and also remember to take a night dress. Blaid mentioned you did not bring your luggage with you when you came this morning.”

  “He wasn’t sure if we would be staying for the night and said we could go back if need be.”

  “Back to where, my dear?”

  Maia almost stumbled into the trap, but then caught herself; Blaid did not want his parents to know about the cave. She knew too little about the city and the surrounding area to come up with another plausible explanation, so she stuck as close to the truth as she could without revealing Blaid’s secret.

  “My Queen, are you aware of how we arrived this morning?”

  “Why, of course,” she exclaimed, briefly laying a hand on Maia’s shoulder. “You rode in on that black beast of yours. I don’t know how you manage to control that thing. He looks positively terrifying.”

  Maia again had the feeling that dragons were not unknown to these parts. “His name is Midnight. We left our luggage with him in the mountains.”

  “It will certainly be safe,” the queen laughed. “Now, here you go, dear. Sari will return you to your chambers now. Try on these items, and we shall have lunch in the sunroom at noon. Do join us.”

  “It would be my honour, My Lady.”

  “Call me Sarena. I’m sure there’s no need for such formalities between us.”

  “Thank you, you are too kind.”

  “One can never be too kind, Maia. Sometimes, kindness is all we have to give.”

  Maia smiled at the queen as they walked side by side towards the door. It had been difficult for Maia to form an opinion of the woman - the extravagance and luxury hiding the true person beneath - but now Maia was starting to like her.

  “Another thing you should always remember is that we, as queens, carry the world on our shoulders for most of our lives. We have been given a responsibility to our people we cannot shirk and we must always strive to do what is right by them. So, when the opportunity presents itself, you need to allow yourself to rest, to be pampered, to renew your spirit. You look like the kind of person that will give and give until there is nothing left of you. Take some time for yourself every once in a while. Treat yourself; restore yourself, so that you may be the best you can be for those you care for.”

  They stopped at the door and Maia looked at the queen in wonder. She had spoken the words with such understanding that Maia thought the queen knew more about her than she could possibly have learned in the short time they had known each other.

  Sarena lifted her hand and gently stroked Maia’s cheek. “You are a beautiful person, Maia, I see it within you. Stop doubting and let yourself be that person. Now, go show off your gowns to my son and I will see you both at lunch.”

  “Thank you, Sarena,” Maia said, a little embarrassed, and then followed Sari out into the hall. The doors closed behind her.

  “Forgive me my forwardness, My Lady, but Queen Sarena is not just rich and glamorous,” Sari said as they walked back towards the guest wing. “Underneath all the fancy clothes and gold trimmings, she is a real person with a big heart. Never have I met another person as kind as her.”

  Maia returned to the guest bedroom deep in thought. After Sari laid the clothes out on the bed for her, the Server retreated, promising to fetch her before lunch.

  The queen made Maia feel like a child in her presence, yet had won her over with her wisdom and kindness. Underneath the fancy clothes and gold trimmings,
Maia saw a lot of her own mother in Queen Sarena and knew there was truth to what the queen said.

  Although Maia was no queen, as a Life Elemental she carried responsibilities similar to those of a ruler and, more often than not, Maia would push on for the welfare of her people without thinking about her own wellbeing.

  She had always thought of it as selfish to put herself first, but the way Sarena said it made sense; she could not carry on giving of herself, for eventually there would be nothing left of her to give. Maia would need to learn to replenish herself if she wanted to be everything her people expected her to be.

  Blaid was not yet back, so she tried on the gowns. As Sarena suggested, they were of a size and the queen’s clothes fit her well. Admiring herself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, Maia thought about whom she was and who she wanted to be. The last few years she had been indecisive, insecure, impulsive, and sometimes irrational. She was honest enough with herself not to make excuses for behaviour, but she tried to find a reason for it.

  She was an adult now, a Prime, and a Life Elemental; the traits she exhibited recently reminded her of when she was a child. Thinking back, she knew there had been moments when she had shown responsibility, valour, and even wisdom, but there had been no constant in her life.

  Deciding on a simple, floor-length gown of a forest green colour, Maia took a seat at the window and looked out over the lake. White sails dotted the sparkling surface of the water while storm clouds gathered over the mountain peaks in the distance.

  She thought that maybe she was too young for this responsibility. As Blaid said; the Life and Death Elementals had all been much older when their histories had been written. While she would like to believe it was simply her immaturity that caused her behaviour, it would just be another excuse. No; when she turned one hundred she had vowed to achieve as much as her brother had and had given herself twenty years to do it in. For eighteen of those years she trained intensely with Silas and travelled all over the galaxy. She had trained and learned, gathering all the experience needed to be the best she could be. The other two years, she had spent on Earth, completing her final test.

  Inexperience was not her problem and neither was immaturity. Something else held her back from being the person she wanted to be; the person she knew she could be. A piece of herself was missing, or she had not found it yet.

  She had just made up her mind to speak to Blaid about it when he walked in, a deep frown on his forehead. She rose from her sunny seat.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  He halted to look at her. “You are beautiful, Maia.” He closed in, took her hands and turned her in a circle. “I see my mother has bestowed you with her usual generosity.”

  Now it was Maia’s turn to frown. After everything Blaid told her, she did not think he liked his parents very much, but his tone of voice held only admiration for his mother.

  “You mother is a remarkable woman,” she replied. “I was unsure of what to make of her at first, but I think I like her.”

  “I hoped that you would like her.” He smiled and drew Maia into his arms. “She can be intimidating if you don’t know her; or if she wants you to be intimidated; but she is the reason this land is so prosperous and why the people love the kingdom so much. She holds it all together, even during the darkest of times.”

  “Yes, I can see that. She has given me a lot to think about.”

  “Yes, she has me thinking, too. My mother has a gift for seeing what lies beneath the surface. If she gave you advice, take heed.”

  “I shall.” She freed herself from his embrace, although she wished to stay there, and led him back to the sunny spot at the window. “Now, why were you frowning when you came in?”

  “My mother was right; I should have known.”

  “Right about what?”

  “My father has changed. I cannot quite put my finger on what it is, but there is something different about him. He is guarding himself well, as if hiding a secret. We spoke of trivial matters most of the time, yet he kept his Eläm so well hidden, not even I could read it.”

  “Is the change good or bad?” she asked.

  “Good. I think. My father and I are alike in many ways and it caused a lot of strife between us. He could always see the potential in me, for I am like him, but he wanted me to go in a direction I did not want to go. For most of my life, this was the topic of our discussions. Today, he never mentioned it once. For the first time in my life, I think he is proud of me.”

  “That is a good thing, Blaid. You should not be frowning then.”

  “It isn’t that that has me frowning. I know he is hiding something; something big. I think, something happened in the time I was gone they do not want me to know about. Maybe he needs to see I have changed as well before telling me. Did my mother say anything to you?”

  “No, we did not really speak about the country, or politics. She told me that we are burdened with our responsibilities and need to make time for ourselves when the occasion arises. I spent some time in the hot pool beneath the castle before she took me to her chambers to select clothes for me.”

  He smiled. “I am glad you got to take some time for yourself. There will be talk of politics soon enough and then we journey back. It may do us good to rest for a few days before we dive back into our responsibilities. There is so much I want to show you. Would you agree to spend some time here, so I may show you my country?”

  “I would love that,” she agreed.

  “We will not speak politics, war, or armies while we dine; it is forbidden in this house. I have set an earlier audience with my father for after dinner tonight. Maybe we will learn his secret then, or during the time we spend here. Come, I shall show you the rose garden before we go to lunch.”

  Hand in hand they walked to the door. Before Blaid had even opened it, Maia felt a presence in the hall beyond and the hairs on her arms stood erect. She hesitated, but Blaid had already taken the handle and pulled the door open.

  Distracted by a movement directly in front of her, she only vaguely saw the person moving towards them, before the large, light-grey wolf jumped up on her. She braced herself, as she did with Wolf, and grabbed the animal’s fur next to its ears with both hands to keep it from licking her face.

  Struggling with the excited animal, she tried to look at Blaid.

  He stood beside her, laughing. “It seems all wolves like you. This is Lunar. She is a northern Forest Wolf and, although she may act like a pup, she has been in the family for close on thirty years.”

  “She is beautiful,” Maia huffed as she wrestled the large wolf to the ground. “Sit,” Maia said and made the gesture she gave Wolf when she wanted him to sit.

  Lunar immediately sat, tail wagging, looking up at her with her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth.

  “Lunar does not usually like strangers,” a seductively feminine voice said, a hint of jealousy in it.

  Maia looked up to find herself staring at a tall, dark-haired woman, even more beautiful than Queen Sarena. Dressed in fighting leathers, two swords hanging by her side, she stood defensively beside her wolf, ready to challenge Maia if the need arose.

  The two women stared at each other; the challenge clear in the other’s violet eyes.

  “Did you manage to find a mute as a companion, or is she just rude?” the woman drawled, sarcasm dripping off her sensual lips.

  “There is no need for that, Siana,” Blaid said, stepping protectively closer to Maia.

  Lunar stood up, suddenly aware of the tension between the two women.

  “This is Princess Maia Longshadow of the Longshadow Clan of Grildor. Please show her the respect she deserves.” He turned towards her. “Maia, I’d like you to meet my sister, Princess Siana Elderbow.”

  Aaron stood back to back with Rothea, his sword held out in front of him, Wolf growling beside him. Ten Vampyres surrounded them and the fact that Rothea said they were not Generals did not make them any less frightening.

&n
bsp; Tall, thin, with haggard faces and protruding teeth, they were the most hideous people he had ever seen. They carried vicious-looking blades, curved, with bone handles. The Vampyres snarled as they drew closer.

  Had he been in this position two years ago, it would have meant certain death for him. The Vampyres matched the Elves in speed, strength, and agility and, as a Human, Aaron stood no chance against them. Now, however, after two years on Elveron and whatever magic Maia had done to them, Aaron was almost as strong and fast as an Elf and, with the training he received from Rothea, he had the ability to defend himself.

  Two years ago, he would probably have run if faced with ten Vampyres, but now he did not just have his honour to defend. Rothea’s strong back pressed against his reminded him of what it was he was fighting for.

  The Vampyres had chased them all the way back to their camp. There, they met up with the rest of the hunting party, who had also been chased. They soon found themselves surrounded by close on sixty Vampyres; impossible odds, if you had asked him. Yet, the Elves stood their ground, using their tents as cover and taking out half of the approaching Vampyres with arrows.

  After that, the Vampyres had been more cautious and retreated to talk amongst themselves. Rothea did the same, giving orders even as they watched the Vampyres assemble for another attack.

  It was soon clear that the Vampyres were not here for them, although the idea of a meal did seem to appeal; one of the horses had already fallen to a hungry Vampyre.

  What they were really after were their supplies. Rothea thought it was because of the cold. No one had expected the Vampyres to still be around this time of the year. Already, the snow clung to the ground and temperatures dropped to below freezing every night.