Ella followed Evelyn outside down a beaten path, listening to the constant prattle of Evelyn’s interesting stories. Evelyn explained that her child was the first bairn to be born within the village after almost a decade. The wee town of Ferryden feared for their children after a terrible tragedy.
Evelyn directed her to a small fenced-in cemetery with a cluster of headstones. Evelyn opened the gate and the two of them walked through the row of gravestones.
“These are the graves of the children who used to live in the village. Ten years ago there was a wicked storm, but the truth behind what happened is still not known. Everyone in the village said that the children got caught out in the storm and died. But they ne’er found the bodies. The graves themselves are empty, but it dinna feel right no’ to have a place of mourning. Galen, on the other hand, believes something quite different. The night of the storm, he went on some crazy rant about the children. He claimed that a woman took them. Of course, as ye can imagine, the elders in the village thought him mad. When Galen refused to stop his allegations they banished him. He left fer a good six years before returning. He refuses to talk about it, but I know that he still believes what he saw. He was convinced that a witch took them; a Fae witch, of all things. Just between ye and I, there have no’ been stories of the Fae on Scottish soil for hundreds of years, and there has no’ been a sighting in over a century. If ye ask me, they are no more real than a mon who could predict the rain,” Evelyn confessed.
At the mention of the Fae, Ella’s eyes shot wide open. The allegation of a Fae kidnapping human children seemed absurd. Why would someone do such a thing? As they reached the last grave marker, Evelyn crouched down.
“This last one was my cousin’s childhood friend. He will no’ admit it, but I know he misses her verra much. After all, she was his first love. Her name was LuElla but he called her Ella,” she said, as she wiped the snow off the face of the gravestone, exposing the name.
LUELLA DUMONT 1391-1403
At the sight of the name etched in stone, it was as if an arrow pierced Ella’s heart and then ripped back out. She felt as if the arrow left a tiny crevice, which widened, breaking her heart in two. Though the written word was still fairly new to her, she was very familiar with the spelling of her own name. Though Luella was her given name, she had always been known as just plain Ella. The only person who ever referred to her as Luella was Alaris.
Ella’s mouth fell open. With a catch in her breath, she gasped. In utter shock, she scanned the grave markers once more. There were thirteen stones total. Each one had a familiar name, all members of the Order. Ella became agitated. Her hands became sweaty despite the cold, and her pulse quickened. Why was her name on that stone? On a gravestone, of all things! Searching her memory, the timeline Evelyn described would have been the same time she had joined the Order, ten years ago. Nay! It can’t be true! But looking at her name upon the grave marker, she knew it was. Was this it? Was this the reason the stones had sent her here, to discover the truth about who she was?
None of this made sense. If her name was on that stone, that meant...
Ella felt a bout of nausea rise in the back of her throat. She needed answers, but she was not going to find them here. She had to go back, to return to her realm. If what she believed was true, Alaris had known all along. Alaris must have been the witch Galen saw when he was a lad. Alaris had deceived her.
Without a moment of hesitation, Ella dashed out of the cemetery and up the hill before vanishinginto the darkness of the barn. After a quick survey, she noticed two horses; a beautiful buckskin-colored stallion and a chestnut-colored mare, both locked in their stall. Galen’s horse, however, stood before her already saddled and ready to go. Mounting the large beast, she smacked its backside hard, urging it to go. The horse bucked and pushed open the barn door. Ella jerked the reins toward the trees from which she had come, and without further encouragement the horse took off in a fast sprint. Ella needed to find the portal before it was too late.
“Lassie, lassie!” Evelyn cried out as Ella bolted passed her.
Ella could hear Evelyn calling out for her as the distance between them increased, but she could not turn back. Time was not on her side.
Galen and Warrick ran out to the cemetery when they heard Evelyn crying out. Worry kept him at a hasty speed. As he ran toward her, he saw Evelyn standing alone.
“Evelyn, was it is? Where is the lassie?”
“Gone!”
“What do ye mean, gone?”
“I dinna know. We were just walking through the graves, and when I told her the story about the children, she became increasingly agitated and took off in a sprint.”
“Where did she go?”
“She took yer horse and ran off into the woods.”
“No’ again!”
Without another word, Galen ran to the barn, mounted a horse, and took off after her.
Galen searched well into the night, but she was nowhere to be found. By morning, he returned to Dunquest to send men out to search for her. Throughout the day, he was given reports of their status, but they still couldn’t find her.
Galen prayed she was safe. He had to trust that she knew what she was doing; otherwise it would drive him mad. The only comfort he had was that she had his horse and all of the provisions he had packed stuffed inside the saddlebags. At least she wouldn’t go hungry.
~ Chapter 17 ~
After riding for hours, Ella finally came upon the withering oak. The portal was hidden to the human eye. Sliding off the horse, she walked toward the tree. Not knowing how to open the gateway from this side, she took the runes out of the satchel, hoping they would guide her. Dumping them into her hand, the stones did indeed tell her how to open it. As she smoothed her hands down the bark of the tree the vortex of light appeared. Without hesitation, Ella stepped into the light.
Within a blink of an eye, she was back in her own realm. She sighed with relief. Hiking up the skirt of her dress, she ran back up the path towards the iron gates of Lochmoor. As she approached the gate, she was grabbed from behind. It was Baudi.
“No! Please, Baudi, let me go,” she pleaded as he began dragging her toward the gate.
She felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted when she realized her voice had been restored. A sudden burst of excitement shot through her like a bolt of energy.
“I know you have your orders, but you must listen. I need to stop this war; Baudi but I need your help.”
Baudi stopped. His eyes narrowed. Reluctantly, he released her.
“Stop the war?” he asked in a gritty tone.
“You of all people know the casualties and aftermath of war,” she reminded him, as she glanced down at his broken tattered wings. “I know crossing through the portal was forbidden, but I have learned a great deal. We are fighting on the wrong side, Baudi. Alaris has us all bewitched and me more than anyone. I must get to Greylyn. I must speak to the Queen. I cannot explain it now, but you must let me go.”
Baudi looked to her as if he himself had hope. War had destroyed him once; who knew if he could survive another? Releasing his breath slowly, he firmly placed his hands upon her shoulders.
“If what you say is true and you can stop this war, then go. Do what you must.”
Ella’s lips curled in a small smile.
“Thank you, Baudi.”
Ella placed her fingers to her lips, and in a loud, high-pitched whistle she called for her horse. Within moments, her demon black stallion rode to her side. The horse bowed his head, allowing her easy access to mount. As she swung her leg over its neck, the horse lifted its head, raising her up onto its back.
“Go!” she called out as the horse bolted up the steep hill toward Greylyn.
Once they reached the top of the hill, the flat terrain was draped in a white curtain of snow. What was once a beautiful, lush forest was now a barren flatland, made so by war. Along the outskirts of Lochmoor, Queen Talara had ordered the trees and brush to be cut down to prevent anyone
from hiding from her guards. It became a fine dividing line between the dark lands Alaris controlled and those of Talara’s. Fear of being caught did not once cross Ella’s mind. Demon was faster than any horse in the realm.
If her calculations were correct, the royal babe’s celebration was a little more than a week away, just enough time for her to reach Greylyn and return to the citadel of the Order, that’s of course if she could convince Talara of her plan. At this rate it would take three full days alone to reach the walls of Greylyn. Kicking the horse’s flank, Demon picked up speed.
Heavy precipitation blurred their visibility and caused them to slow their pace. Surrounded by falling white snow with no visible landmarks to follow, she let Demon use his instincts to guide them. A fitful breeze of blowing snow continued to sweep across the frozen terrain, making it appear as if she rode the clouds among the Gods.
~ ♥ ~
It had been days since Galen sent out his best men to search for the lass. There hadn’t been one trace or clue as to where she could have gone. The last report he received was that they had lost her trail days ago headed north in the direction of the nearest port. They believed she had boarded a vessel and left Scottish soil.
From across the table, Alex watched Galen as he picked at his meal like a bird.
“My Laird, I do no’ mean to interrupt ye, but I have word. The horse has returned riderless. As for the lass, we have searched everywhere to no avail. Messengers and scouts have been sent to the nearby clans, but nay one has seen her. It’s likely she has either headed south toward England or boarded a vessel towards France. Tis been almost a week, my Laird. I think that if the lass wanted to be found, we would have found her.”
That was the last thing Galen wanted to hear. Picking up his mug of whiskey, he smiled as he remembered the lass’s reaction the first time she tasted it. It was a fond memory.
“Yer right, Alex. Call off the search. Starting tomorrow we will focus all of our attention on the security of this castle and surrounding villages. I am to travel to Inveraray next week to meet with Laird Campbell and the Duke of Argyll. We will need their support. The discovery of the lass interrupted my plans for the campaign. Neville Campbell has proposed a treaty with Arthur McGregor, and I have agreed to sign the contract to end this war. My uncle started this dispute, but as of today, I am going to end it. Whatever the cost!”
“Tis a bold move.”
“Aye, and one long overdue. We need to be one step in front of our enemies. Tis time for change, my friend.”
~ Chapter 18 ~
In the wee hours of the morning Ella gazed upon the fortress of Greylyn. Built into the rock face of the vast mountain range of Mor na Beinn, the fortress was as tall as fifty men standing one on the shoulder of another. Its massive height towered over the valley below. With little sleep and only a few frozen berries in her stomach, she felt weary and sluggish as she wavered in the saddle. ‘Twas almost a blessing she arrived when she had. She was unsure if she could survive another night out in the cold.
Perched on her horse, Ella could hear the drumming of hooves approaching, and the ground shook beneath her. The rhythm of the vibration beat in her chest. Dressed in armor, their weapons drawn, six armed Greylyn warriors rode in circles around her; assessing her. Ella’s eyes met theirs as she waited for one of them to address her or take her into custody.
“It’s the Princess”, she heard one of them whisper. Their acknowledgement caused her to inwardly smile. Ella could feel their tension in the air. They feared her. It was a gratifying sensation.
“I am Ella of Andor. I am here to speak to Queen Talara.”
“Lady Talara sees no one,” one of them spoke.
Ella lowered her gaze in anger. Insolent fool!
“If you do not allow me to pass, Alaris, Queen of Darkness, will strike fear into the hearts of your children and blood will be shed. You will bear witness to a world of destruction and terror far greater than you ever dreamed imaginable. War is coming, and you have no way to stop it. Not even the Gods can save you. If you wish to save your lives and the lives of your families, I implore you to let me pass.”
The six guards looked to each other in horror. They knew she spoke the truth. One of the armed guards nodded to the others, and for several moments they stood in silence. It appeared to Ella that these men were gifted with a telepathic ability, but it did not appear they could read her mind. But, of course, how could they? She was not like them. She was not a Fae. At first, it was hard to accept the reality of it and believe that her whole life had been a lie, but she’d had time aplenty to think during her journey here and could no longer deny the truth. Everything she had learned made sense. She was, in fact, human.
The decorated guard rode to her side and forcefully grabbed the reins from her hands.
“We have agreed to allow you safe passage,” he said in a grave tone.
The guards escorted Ella to the great hall of the fortress, where she waited alone behind a closed door. Much like Dunquest Castle, the room had high decorated ceilings and portraits from the ancient past. Over the past several days thoughts of Dunquest and Galen had been pushed out of her mind to keep focus on her mission, but not without struggle. Had she allowed them to invade her thoughts, she would not have been in the state of mind to see out this plan and stop the war. Though she had discovered the truth about her past, it did not change her future. After everything had come to light, Ella finally understood why the stones led her to the mortal world. She was meant to stop this war.
Behind her, Ella heard footsteps approaching. She turned and saw the most amazing sight descending the stairs. The long train of her dress trailing behind, Talara came to stand before Ella. Ella could feel the intensity of her powers by her mere presence. A pale blue aura of light radiated around her, like the glowing halo that circled the moon.
Talara’s flawless beauty was striking compared to Alaris’s aging features, but the likeness was remarkable. Though Alaris’s hair was black as coal, Talara’s hair was as white as snow. Talara’s long hair draped down her back in waves and wild curls. She shared her sister’s tall yet slim figure, like a flower that has not yet bloomed. Even their eyes have the same crystal blue color, which made Ella feel a bit apprehensive. Had she not known better, she would have believed they were one and the same.
“My lady, I have come here to tell you that you are in grave danger.”
“Danger? My sister has lured us before. How do I know that she did not send you as a ruse to fool us once again? Though I am surprised she sent you.”
“I will not lie to you. I did not come here to ask for peace among our kind. I am here to stop the war. Had I completed the mission on which I was sent, it would have helped Alaris seize this fortress and gain great power over this land. But by doing so, I would have put my own people at risk as well. We may have our differences, but there is one thing that still remains. We both have a common enemy. Alaris!”
“Why the change of heart? As Princess of the dark world, and head of the Order, what will you gain from this?”
Ella narrowed her brows.
“Yes, I know exactly who you are. I know a great many things,” Talara added.
“I gain nothing. But you will gain a great ally.”
Talara turned away from Ella and headed toward a table on the far side of the room. Picking up a golden urn, she filled a glass with red wine and took a sip.
“War is inevitable,” she said before turning back to face Ella. “I believe that was the message you sent on the body of a dead man.”
Ella shamefully looked down. It was true. Had she not crossed into the mortal world to learn the truth, she would not be here having this conversation with her enemy. She would have kidnapped the child and successfully completed her mission.
Raising her head high, Ella looked into Talara’s dazzling blue eyes.
“War is inevitable, but it’s the outcome that matters. The Order is powerful; together, more powerful than Alaris. T
hey follow my command. There is truth hidden behind a sea of lies that, once revealed, will change everything. But we must act with great urgency. Alaris’s army will soon breach the gates of this fortress. I must be allowed to return to the Order. But I cannot do this without you. So I ask, will you help me defeat Alaris once and for all?”
Talara’s skeptical look faded.
“What is it you want from me?”
“The night of the babe’s celebration is when Alaris will strike. She believes the babe is a threat. She plans to kill the child. I have come to stop her, but I cannot do it alone. I ask you to fight with us. I wish to join our forces and restore the balance of our world. If we succeed, Andor will be yours once again.”
“If what you say is true, Ella of Andor, I will offer you my assistance.”
Ella felt relief sink into her bones.
Talara offered her a warm meal and a room in which to rest before she needed to head back to the Order. Now that she had the support of Talara’s army behind her, she needed to convince the Order as well, which was not going to be easy. They were as devoted to Alaris as she was. But once they learned the truth, she expected they would rebel as well. At least, she hoped.
~ Chapter 19 ~
“Peter, are ye going to see Laird Graham?” Moira asked, holding onto a tray of roasted beef and potatoes.
“Aye. I have a message fer him.”
“Bring this to him, will ye? Poor lad has no’ left that library fer days. Been working himself to the bone, I tell ye. I have ne’er seen him like this, no’ e’en when his own mother died. If ye ask me, he’s like a walking dead mon. He barely eats, barely sleeps. He keeps his focus on work, but I know the real reason he keeps himself so distracted as of late,” Moira said, before handing Peter the tray.
Legend of the Fae: A Highland Fantasy (The Dark Fae Saga Book 1) Page 11