The Vordalyn 2

by Michael T Payne

  “She is willful.” Kalla observed, “Shall I correct her for you?” Venalina gave Kalla curious look, considering her offer.

  “No.” She said after a few moments, “I tolerate it. It is a strength in her… for now.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  The forces of Ganlin setup a command post in the center of the city, occupying the houses and homes around the market at its center. Battalions of men still hunted the few creatures that fled throughout the city, in a futile attempt to escape back to the outer region. The reanimated corpses were dispelled by clerics and the fallen of Ganlin were wrapped and laid in rows for burial at a later time. The Bugbears, Gnolls, Goblins, Orcs and other creatures that made up the horde, were not so ceremoniously handled. They were put in piles and set ablaze, leaving a stench of burnt hair that permeated the city.

  Queen Menina marched side by side with Tamina, accompanied by a squad of elves as their escort. One of the larger buildings that was, not so long ago, a tavern, had become their temporary command center. The center of the room had several tables pushed together and was full of men giving reports to either Raggrun, Prince Charnio, or one of the other princes who were also in attendance. Queen Menina walked straight to the table without haste. The others in the room joined her around it.

  “We need to make-” Tamina began to say, but Queen Menina cut her off immediately.

  “I will hear no one’s opinion until I ask for it!” She shouted angrily, her face was scrunched in a scowl, “I will not have another hasty rush into any further humiliation. I will not waste anymore soldiers without taking a measured moment and come up with a thought-out objective. We will reduce any further casualties of my people! It is our responsibility to protect them, not throw them like wood into a fire!” She looked around the table still stinging from losing to Dracon in the opening round of battle. Her brothers all knew her ire in the rare times she lost at anything. They may have fought back the tides, but they lost valuable men. Queen Menina took a breath, calming slightly, “I have no delusions about what will happen here today, many will die, I know this. But they will not die for nothing, not if a better way can be placed before us.” The room was silenced by her strong words, they were all unnerved by the day’s events. They were lulled into a sense that victory was close at hand, to which they were sorely mistaken. Queen Menina looked at Tamina then again at those around the table. “Where are we at?” She asked Prince Charnio.

  “We’ve lost sight of the women, but their beasts are on the run. We have all but taken the city back completely. There are small pockets of opposition here and here,” He pointed at two points on the map, “But they no longer have the stomach for a fight and flee, hiding in the abandoned homes.” Prince Charnio informed her, hovering over the crudely drawn map of the city.

  “Unless we catch those women, we’re likely to have another outpouring of forces through one of those portal’s they wield. Likely, they’re letting us think we’re safe before they open another one. You can bet Dracon was behind the placing of those last ones, it damn near cut us in two!” Raggrun said almost out of breath from talking so fast.

  “Dracon knows our training, he surely knows our strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, it’s his home.” Prince Renic offered.

  “It was his home.” Prince Darrin said.

  “What do you mean?” Queen Menina asked. Prince Charnio rolled his eyes and shook his head, expecting his brother to say something philosophical about Dracon not being at home, because he was the son of Terrax.

  “I mean, he’s not been here for two years, the city is more ours than his. Even the palace is foreign to him.” Prince Darrin explained. Prince Charnio remembered when he went and shared a meal in the palace with Dracon and Venalina.

  “That’s true, when I met with him, he complained of getting lost within its walls, regularly.” Prince Charnio added after hearing his brother’s words.

  “Small favor, I suppose, but it’s still Dracon, and I doubt we’ve seen the last of those creatures, that was probably just a taste of what’s to come.” Prince Renic said, making everyone nod in agreement.

  “Ideas?” Queen Menina asked to the table.

  “My lady?” A dwarf spoke from behind Raggrun. Everyone at the table turned to see him. Raggrun waved him over to join the group at the table.

  “This is-” Raggrun started to introduce the dwarf.

  “I know who he is.” Queen Menina said quickly, all the siblings knew who he was. He was the dwarven captain who returned with the body of their father, after his fall in the last battle with Terrax. The same battle that took Dracon into the outer region. “Captain Goldhammer, you have something to offer?” She asked.

  “Aye, your highness,” He said, “As ya know, I served with da man himself, right here in his very own mountain.” He looked at the others around the table, “I believe we can stop the comin’s and goin’s of dem’s we don’t want, with an artifact of his own possession.”

  “What are you saying?” Prince Renic asked.

  “Years ago, we dwarven folk, a few of us any how’s, we forged a magical stone for him, t’was the secret of his mountain. No strategy, like was the rumor, that he placed his manor on this hill, but because the magical protection the stone could give to it, entirely.” He said.

  “What stone?” Raggrun asked surprised, “Why wasn’t I informed of this?”

  “Treska knew of it, kept it quiet too. Even from her highness, Ayana.” Captain Goldhammer explained. “This stone can create an impenetrable shield, against all things from entering the city, if placed properly. These portals will no longer be of any concern to ya. Buy ya the time ya need.”

  “How do we get this stone from him?” Queen Menina asked, then said, “Raggrun, assemble a team.”

  “It’s no necessary, your highness, we take back the stone when he left, when he was lost to the outer region. When he no come back right away, and his fate unsure, there was no sense leaving it here to protect nothin’. We had planned on presenting it to you, before you and yours took to fightin’ amongst yourselves. Then we waited to see when it would come to an end, one way or another.” Captain Goldhammer went on to say. Queen Menina clenched her jaw and her face turned red, both from anger and embarrassment. She was also dismayed how everything that happened between her and her brothers could have been avoided. If only she did what Prince Renic suggested in the first place and sit on the throne as interim queen instead of trying to take the crown. She regretted her actions, but remembered the wood nymph’s words, and hope filled her again. She could undo all the bad and become good again, make her mother proud. Unfortunately, she had one bad thing left to do. Destroy her brother’s chances of sitting on the throne, or even remaining in Ganlin for that matter, she knew she might have to kill him. She had succeeded in taking the throne. How far would it go from here? What would he force her to do, in his righteous indignation, after all, he was innocent? Another tinge of guilt stung her.

  “Will you bring it to me now, Captain Goldhammer?” She asked.

  “We order you to bring it to us!” Tamina growled.

  “Tamina!” Queen Menina snapped, “Do not speak!” Tamina’s face twisted in anger. She looked at Queen Menina then at the others around the table. She was just behind Queen Menina, who did not turn to look at her after telling her to shut up, “I understand you had reasons to hide it from us, do you still?” She asked. Captain Goldhammer shook his head no.

  “I suppose no. We’ll need to take it to the palace gates and smash it there, iffin yer ready. It will last for a day or so. Durin’ that time, none can leave, or come, either on foot or by way of magic. We’ll be trapped as well, mind you.” Captain Goldhammer walked around the table to Queen Menina and handed her the stone. It looked like an ordinary rock, the size of a fist. Queen Menina took it from him and gave him a nod of thanks.

  “Start gathering provisions in the city, we’ll need to bring as many men as we can, into the city before we do this. Then we’ll
have a limited amount of time to find, and kill him.” No one spoke. “Let’s get started, I want to face him at the palace gates before night falls. I want one last conversation with him. If he will not leave, then we will have no choice.”

  “You plan on giving him a chance to walk away?” Prince Charnio asked shocked.

  “Your highness, you cannot mean to let him live?” Raggrun asked, also shocked. The faces of everyone in the room reflected the same dismay.

  “I tell you this now, no matter what has happened or what has been said. He is my brother. Every tale, rumor or true, can never change the fact that I grew up with that man. Ate side by side with him, ran through the halls of the palace, playing with him, with you.” She said looking at each of the princes. “He will always be my brother. I will not kill him if I can avoid it. I will defeat him, one way or another.” Queen Menina wanted so badly to tell the truth behind all of it. Ayana, Tamina, even her own true nature. What she was doing made her feel dark. She wanted so badly to point at Tamina and tell them what she did to Captain Velen’s family, not doing so, made her feel just as much at fault for it. She wanted to be a loving ruler like her mother had been. She had done so many things that made her feel she would never reach that goal. She remembered what the wood nymph told her. This was her chance to have mercy on Dracon, unjustly dethroned, by her own hand. At least that might be a step toward embracing the light. “I am going upstairs, I do not wish to be disturbed. Notify me if something changes. When I return, we will place the stone, then march on the palace. Unless something new occurs.” Queen Menina walked through the soldiers that filled the tavern, turned command center, to the stairs and left them to the planning. Prince Renic took charge almost immediately after she left the table. She could hear him giving orders as she climbed the steps. When she reached the wrap around deck on the outside of the second floor, Tamina was already there awaiting her. Queen Menina had no doubt she would be.

  “I am your only family and you talk to me like that! In front of those things down stairs!” She growled.

  “Calm down, Tamina.” Queen Menina walked along the deck that lined the front of the building, corner to corner. She passed Tamina then stopped and looked out over the market square, full of soldiers of all races.

  “You ignore me! My advice!” Tamina said still growling.

  “How can you be so blind?” Queen Menina asked, “You can’t see how you underestimate them at every turn, yet you still stand here, so arrogant, willing to flail your own body against the walls of the palace, as though they would break for you as simple as a dollhouse under foot!” Tamina’s face furrowed in confusion, analyzing her words internally, “What drives this madness, you seem willing to get us all killed for? Is it the ascension? The promise of ascension?” Tamina’s face went white, “Yes, I know what it is now, that is why you were so sure she could not die.”

  “You never let on your mother spoke of it to you.” Tamina said cocking her head, “Why?”

  “She said nothing of the ascension to me. You are not the only one who knows of our history, or of theirs. You said she couldn’t die, but you later said everything dies. Explain yourself.” Queen Menina pointed at her. Tamina began contemplating who could have told her, who could have been so close to her sister that she would have given up that information. It had to be someone she trusted with her life. Tamina was sure it was not a human or even an elf. Neither of them could be trusted with that information, humans would have found it ghastly, and elves… suffice it to say, being a delicacy is not information one wishes to hear. That Queen Menina fed on elves and was able to keep it quiet was a minor miracle. Elmyra was surely growing suspicious of how Queen Menina killed for the placing of bodies. “You have kept secrets from me. Why?” Queen Menina asked, “You didn’t want me to know about the ascension?” Tamina’s face changed once again.

  “I did it to protect you, Aynisa.” She said stepping closer to her, then grabbed her hands. “If the ascension was possible for us, I would have told you. There was no need to burden you with its possibility, if it were never going to happen for us. You don’t want to live your life knowing you could have tasted absolute power. It would haunt you.” Queen Menina pulled free of her, she was almost convinced, but not quite.

  “Like it haunts you? Like it drives you? Acting so recklessly, putting lives in danger, mine, even your own?” Queen Menina scowled once again. She looked down to the street below, noticing some archers returning to the makeshift fort they built surrounding the marketplace, using the buildings as its walls. They barred every street, save for one, it was from there the group of archers approached. Prince Darrin was on the street and one of the archers approached him. They had a few words, the archer seemed very agitated and very animated. Prince Darrin looked over at the tavern then up to the second floor, spotting the two women. He stared a long moment then looked back at the archer who also looked up at the two women. Prince Darrin gave the archer orders and he left the area back from where he came with the men that had accompanied him, all the while glancing back over his shoulder at Tamina. Queen Menina spotted it and glanced over at Tamina, who stood by silently watching the exchange. Prince Darrin stared up at Queen Menina as he walked back to the building. She knew he wanted to talk immediately.

  “What did you do?” Queen Menina asked still locked in a stare with her approaching brother. Tamina chuckled.

  “I may have shown my true form, when I fought that whore.” She said, making Queen Menina shake her head and close her eyes.

  “I suppose you don’t see the problem with that?” She asked with her head tilted down, disgusted, her eyes squeezed tight as she could. She could hear the footsteps coming.

  “I’ll take care of it.” Tamina said.

  “You’ll do nothing but stay silent! How have you survived so long without thinking?” Queen Menina popped her eyes open and snapped her head to look at Tamina. The door to the room just off the deck opened and Prince Darrin stepped in then joined them on the deck.

  “Your highness,” He said and bowed, then straightened, “Aunt Tamina.” He nodded at Tamina, “May I have a word, your majesty?” He asked still looking at Tamina. She looked back at him with a smile, ready to break into a laugh. It unnerved him and completely infuriated Queen Menina.

  “Of course, this way,” She motioned for him to go back into the room, when Tamina began to follow, Queen Menina put her hand up and said, “I’ll have a private conversation with my brother, aunt Tamina. Enjoy the fresh air for a bit,” She said smiling, “Clear your head.” She finished in a low growl only she and Tamina could hear. It was an insulting instruction, given the air was rank with the smell of the burning monsters.

  Prince Darrin led Queen Menina back inside, then down a hall that held other rooms the tavern would rent out. On their right, was a railing overlooking the lower level of the tavern, where the command center was located. The area was a hive of activity. They entered a room, Prince Darrin turned around and looked at Queen Menina a moment, thinking before he spoke. She wanted to tell him to spit it out, and that she already knew what he was going to say, but she chose to wait for him to get to it in his own time. “How much has Aunt Tamina confided in you?” Queen Menina cocked her head slightly and furrowed her brow in curiosity.

  “In what way do you mean, Darrin?” She asked feigning any clue as to what he might be talking about.

  “I’ll come right out with it then.” He said.

  “By all means.” She folded her arms over her chest expectantly.

  “I believe she is one of those… things. A Vorda…” He struggled to pronounce it.

  “A Vordalyn?” She asked.

  “Yes!” He said agitated, trying to keep his voice down, as though Tamina was listening outside their door, “My men witnessed a fight between her and that dark haired one! She transformed twice, once into a white winged woman, like them, then again, into that woman, Venalina! She is Venalina! I believe she is here to undermine us, disguising herself
as our aunt. We have to tell the others!”

  “How do you know what Venalina looks like?” She asked.

  “One of the men on the wall, served in Dracon’s palace guard before all this happened.” He answered.

  “Calm down, Darrin. She is not Venalina, nor is she one of them.” Queen Menina chuckled.

  “Then how do you explain it?” Prince Darrin asked.

  “We are wielders, changing our form is not something we are unfamiliar with. Tamina told me of the battle and that she tried to scare the girl, the other one, by pretending to be one of them, she also thought it might protect her from their horde. If she appeared as one of them, they would leave her alone. It worked well enough, it saved her life, helped her make it back here safely. I was there when the battle broke out, when the portal opened.” Queen Menina smiled at his concern, “Don’t worry, Darrin. I have my eye on her.”

  “Well now, so do I.” He said.

  “Tell Charnio I wish to see him right away, I want to know where we stand before we march on the palace.” She said, then, as he turned to leave, she stopped him, “And Darrin,” She said. Queen Menina cast an illusion, showing herself to be a lion, with both of them in a forest. Darrin looked at her and his face turned white. To Queen Menina, watching his face turn white and his jaw slowly fall open about to scream, was more than she could handle. She immediately let the illusion fade and doubled over laughing at him.

  “That’s not funny, Menina!” Prince Darrin yelled, after a moment of watching her laugh at him, finally finding his wits again.

  “I just wanted to show you, how easy it is to do.” She said struggling through her laugh, his face was so scrunched up, she could hardly see his eyes. It made her burst out laughing again. He turned to leave again, even more angry. “Wait.” She said then straightened up and fixed her dress, “It was a game mother and I used to play, it stands to reason Tamina can do it too. Don’t make any waves Darrin, she is not Venalina, I just showed you how it can be done. I’ve seen them both in the same room together, so I know she is not her.” Prince Darrin stared at her a moment, then nodded.