Shrouded Kingdom

by Rachel Medhurst

  Patting him down, I handed the reins to my valet, Hendrick, and strode to the stream. The heavy canopy almost hid the sun as the leaves cast shadows on the forest floor. Stripping off my tunic, I sat on a stone rock beside the stream and held up my leg.

  “Just a tiny slip of the tongue. I managed to give her a fake name in time.”

  Bending on his knee, Hendrick dragged off my black leather boots.

  Jin watched me from his horse, his stubby fingers scratching his whiskers. The slight shake of his head made me throw my hands in the air.

  “You know well that I wouldn’t do anything to-”

  “Sire, you may not mean to, but your emotions are a little tightly coiled right now.” He raised his eyebrows to drive his point into my brain.

  My meeting with Layanna had been the perfect opportunity to get to know my enemy. Her dark deep eyes had been too familiar. In fact, a chill ran down my spine as I imagined them.

  Shoving to my feet when my long stockings were removed, I stepped out of my breeches and slunk into the stream. A gasp escaped me as the cold water stroked my skin. A pool of water gathered behind the rock, the small space big enough for me to dip my head under. It felt good to be able to bathe properly. The road had been long from Althea. Not that I minded, I’d achieved my goal of seeking Layanna.

  “What was she like?” Jin called as I emerged from the stream.

  Taking a deep breath, I accepted the robe that Hendrick threw over my shoulders. It was far too cold to air-dry. The leaves were almost completely torn from their branches, the winter setting in nicely.

  “A rarity.” My muttered response was barely audible.

  “As beautiful as legend would have it?”

  Running a hand through my soaking hair, I grinned to myself. “Physical beauty is of no consequence to me. However, her eyes…”

  The sound of horses’ hooves drew our attention. My men had returned from their post in the woods near Ramedia. I’d ordered them to scare Layanna the day before, which they’d succeeded in doing. Would they have any news of her this morning?

  “Your Grace,” the head huntsman greeted when he pulled his steed up in front of me. “Layanna is going about her normal routine this morning. However, we have news.”

  My heart skipped in my chest, the shadow that crossed my man’s face making it plainly obvious that something was amiss.

  “Pray, do tell,” I prompted through clenched teeth.

  Ducking his head, the man cleared his throat. “The witch Sarsia has arrived in the village. She’s not alone.”

  Heat fired in my belly, causing me to throw off the robe and reach for my breeches. If the meddling witch got close to Layanna, there could be trouble. “Why didn’t you stop them?”

  When I had taken the place of my father on the throne of Althea, a handful of the residents of my kingdom had sworn to overthrow me. One of those had been Sarsia.

  “We tried, My Lord.” Lifting his arm, my warrior showed off an impressive gash on his sword arm. “She cast a strong spell, making our swords turn on us. Eventually, we outran the swords, but not one of us were left uninjured.”

  “Who’s with her?” I snapped.

  Looking my second in command directly in the eye, my warrior shrugged. “We don’t know who they are. There’s three of them altogether. A pixie, the witch and…”

  “And?” I barked.

  Clutching his bleeding arm, the man suddenly turned pale. The wound was draining him of his lifeblood.

  “If you tell me, I’ll get your wounds stitched.”

  “It was a fae, Sire…” Before he could elaborate, the man fainted, his body slumping in his saddle.

  As the horse pawed the ground, I snapped my fingers at Hendrick, who led the man away to be seen to.

  White hot rage tracked up and down my veins, but I remained calm. Deep breaths helped me to retain my temper.

  “The fae are turning against me,” I said as I stood motionless, still half naked.

  Glancing at the men who had accompanied me on my journey, I sighed. Each one was tall, elegant, their eyes dark and their skin pale. High Fae were my blood. They were hers too. The rest of the fae often betrayed their rulers, but our own kind should always remain loyal. It was an oath my father had forced them to make.

  “Sire, we need to return to Althea. You’re getting weaker.”

  My second in command was lucky that I needed him. His head would’ve been lying on the ground if I wasn’t scrambling around for my stockings. Without Hendrick, I would have to dress myself. Not that I usually minded, but today… today had been a blow. Jin was right. My power was weaker when outside my own kingdom, which meant I would be no match for the witch. No, I would have to try and stop her another way.

  “I have a plan,” I announced as I tugged on my boots and strode to my horse.

  Nodding, Jin failed to hide the smile on his face. “Very good, Sire. Just one question.”

  “What is it?” I snapped as I glanced back at him.

  Leaning forward in his saddle, the strong man rested his chin on his fist. “Are you planning on riding all the way back to Althea shirtless? You might catch a chill, My Lord. We can’t have that, can we? The people of Althea might try and take you down when you’re vulnerable.”

  “Enough, Jin!”

  Snatching my tunic when another of my men offered it to me, I scowled at my second in command. “No matter what happens, I’ll defeat anyone who tries to overthrow me. I’m the King of Althea. No one, not even the witch, or the human, will ever get close to me, let alone kill me.” Hoisting onto my saddle, I turned the horse towards the direction of my kingdom.

  I knew her face. If any of them showed up in Althea, I knew exactly what I would do. “You’re lucky I like you, Jin,” I said as I kicked my horse into a trot. “If you ever say anything like that again, your head will be on a spike.”

  Chapter Three

  Rolling out of bed that morning had been challenging. Snug furs and the fire spitting in the fireplace made it hard for me to get enthusiastic about going to my lessons. Ever since Father had decided it was time for me to find a husband, he insisted on my learning of the ways of a wife.

  “Layanna?” he called as I tied my maroon wool cloak around my neck. “Will you come here a moment?”

  Walking through to my parents’ bedroom, I braced myself for my daily lecture. Yes, I did know that if I didn’t find a husband soon, I never would. I was already past the age when normal women wed.

  “Is everything well?” I asked when I stepped through the rough green curtain.

  My mother coughed from the bed. She had come down with a fever the night before, her skin burning as I tucked her up tightly. I’d already checked in on her this morning, just as my father was bathing.

  “Your mother has asked that you fetch her a book from the bookstore. She would like something to read while she regains her health.” Tucking his tunic under his rotund belly, my father waved me away.

  Nodding, I looked at my mother and smiled. A tear fell from her eye as she turned her head towards the low-beamed ceiling, refusing to look at me.

  Frowning, I left them, a sense of unease making the palms of my hands slick as I picked up my book. My father had commissioned a writer to produce a tied book of parchment. He had provided me with all my letters, so I could learn to read and write. There was even spare paper at the back to help me practice.

  “Good day, Layanna,” my father called as the door pulled closed behind me.

  As the cool breeze rushed against my face, I threw my hood over my head and made my way towards the town hall.

  One of Father’s closest friends, and another of the elders, had been my teacher since I was a child. My father had broken the land’s tradition by ordering that his daughter had an education fit for a king.

  “Layanna?” a voice I didn’t recognise caught my attention.

  A few of the villagers meandered around, waiting for the market stalls to set up. It was early, the
sun not long risen from its own darkness. Glancing around, I tried to see who had called me.

  “Over here!” A woman stood by the bookshop, one hand waving at me, the other clasping the handle of a sword where it rested in a scabbard across her slim hips.

  Checking if anyone was around me, I looked at her again. She was still waving directly at me, a wide smile on her pale face. Her long black hair was tied back, a braid falling behind her back. The long grass green dress that flowed around her legs moved as she gestured for me to join her.

  Another newcomer. Someone who knew my name. What was going on? I had only just managed to settle my mind the night before to get a few hours of broken sleep, but every time I’d drifted off, bright green eyes had haunted me.

  Going over to the woman before she drew too much attention, I kept my book close to my chest. “Who are you? What do you want with me?”

  The tone of my voice made the woman’s eyes widen. She held up her hands and shrugged. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was against the law to call out to someone.”

  Her royal green cloak moved as she tucked it around herself, hiding her sword. It wasn’t usual for women in these parts to own a weapon. There was no need for one.

  “Please, come inside.” Nodding towards the door of the shop, the woman promptly went in without checking to see if I would follow.

  A part of me knew that I had to get to my lessons, but a bigger part was curious. There were too many strangers in the village. It was rare for anyone new to come to Remedia. Surely that meant that something untoward was going on.

  Pushing my way inside, I froze as the door closed loudly behind me. The tiny window in the shop had glass in it, allowing light to flood in, which was rare for our kingdom. The elders had come together to commission small glass windows for the shops and the town hall. The inn didn’t have any glass, the risk of breakage from drunken revellers deemed too great. Material often covered the window holes of our homes, the attempt at keeping the cold out wholly underwhelming.

  “Who are you?” I blurted when my gaze landed on the threesome.

  A small man with brown skin stepped forward. His head only just reached the woman’s shoulders as he offered his hand. His nose was pointy, but his smile was soft. He had dark brown shaggy hair, just resting on his ears. “We’re-”

  “Let Sarsia do the talking,” another man interrupted him.

  He was tall, his frame towering above the smaller man. The sharp line of his jaw reminded me of Jorhain. When he bowed towards me, I studied his hair, which fell down to his shoulders. The blonde mass was half tied up, half down. The dark brown of his eyes drew my attention more than the others. He must have been from another kingdom. I’d never seen fair hair, skin and dark eyes. The brown tunic and breeches he wore looked like a uniform of sorts.

  “I’m Sarsia,” the woman said as she stared between the tall man and myself. “This is Larnika, and this is Trenton.”

  Looking down at Trenton again, I tried not to stare. His clothing was rather peculiar. He wore deep green hose, but rather than having breeches over it, like Larnika, he had his cream shirt loose over his nether regions. Something I had never seen before. Usually a man had at least a tunic over his hose.

  “You must be Layanna.” Larnika interrupted my discourteous gaze.

  Shaking my head, I swallowed as I took a step back. Glancing around, I searched for the bookshop keeper. His humming came from the small room at the back. About to call out, I paused when Sarsia clicked her fingers.

  “He won’t hear you,” she said as she untied her cloak and threw it on the nearest stand.

  My stomach flipped at the idea of the material damaging the delicate parchment book underneath.

  “What do you want?”

  Edging towards the door, I kept my book in front of me as if it would give me some sort of protection.

  Tilting her head to the side, Sarsia went still as her mouth moved silently.

  A wave of calm settled across my form, forcing me to relax. What had just happened? Why was the strange lady whispering to herself?

  “Have you ever felt like you were different?” Sarsia whispered to me.

  Wait, she hadn’t whispered. She wasn’t speaking at all. How had I heard her?

  The three of them watched me, their gaze intense as I breathed heavily.

  “You are different, Layanna.”

  That was Larnika’s voice, in my head. No matter how much my mind reeled, my body’s reaction stayed calm. It was as if Sarsia had cast a spell on me. Which wasn’t possible considering witchcraft was a myth, spoken by suspicious men when inebriated.

  “Who are you? What do you want with me?”

  “Tell her,” Trenton said out loud. “We haven’t got time.”

  Sighing loudly, Sarsia took two steps and stood directly in front of me. She was slightly shorter than me, her nose coming to my chin. The black of her hair turned blue as the sun from the window caught it. Her eyes, at first glance looked black, but the dark blue of her hair matched her irises. It was a strange but curious colour. The slight tilt of her nose and rosebud lips made her look delicate. The single men in the village would want to court her right away, if she wasn’t already married to Larnika.

  “Have you ever heard of a changeling?”

  My muscles froze as I tried to move. Anyone caught talking about changelings were seen as insane. I wouldn’t participate in such folklore.

  However, my mouth moved of its own accord. “Yes. A fairy steals a human child and replaces it with one of their own.”

  “Exactly.” Sarsia’s gaze was soft, soothing, even though my body quaked.

  Larnika came forward, his expression hard, but his tall frame solid. “You are a changeling. A fae changeling.”

  “A what?” I blurted, wondering if I was trapped in a dream.

  “There’s a whole realm you don’t know about, one that you belong to.” Trenton almost pushed Larnika out of the way. “And, you must come back with us.”

  Shaking my head, I finally broke free from the spell that had come over me. My feet retreated, my back almost thumping into the beam behind me. “A realm?”

  Nodding, the three of them stared, not daring to make a move. They were probably afraid that I would flee, which was exactly what I was about to do.

  “Yes. The fae realm is very different to this one. It is where the Seelie Court rules. You’re-”

  “I’m human, not a changeling. There’s no such thing as changelings, or, or…” stuttering, I spun on my heel, my hand reaching for the metal ring of the door.

  Luckily, they didn’t try to stop me this time. As I flew out of the building, I crashed straight into my teacher, Mr Kingsman.

  “Ooph,” he exclaimed as I almost knocked him over.

  The elderly teacher managed to right himself before he fell to the dirty ground. Holding his arm, I tugged him towards the town hall before he could speak a word.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late,” I rushed, “Mother asked me to pick up a book for her, but I couldn’t find one that she’s not already read.”

  The man tripped along beside me, his small fragile frame doing its best to keep up as I marched us straight to the open doors. Inside, the low ceilings made me feel comfortable, safe.

  “My, my, child, you’re certainly in a hurry today.” Tipping his spectacles onto his nose, he studied me. “What’s got you so flustered?”

  Going over to the wooden table that I used for a desk, I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. Smiling broadly, I turned to Mr Kingsman. “I don’t like being late, but I lost track of time in the bookshop.”

  My answer seemed to appease him as he shuffled to his stool. The room was sparse, mainly housing a risen platform at the end, and an empty space for villagers to stand and debate on political topics regarding our homes. The desk and chair were pushed to the side, the clerk often using it to take minutes of the meeting. Every Tuesday and Thursday, I borrowed it for an hour lesson with Mr Kingsman.
He had taught me reading, writing and some history too.

  “Fair enough.” Mr Kingsman settled on his stool as he took out a parchment of paper and started to read.

  Bending over the table, I stared at the letters on the page. I’d been learning how to write for two years, so my hand was fluent. My father was aggrieved that I hadn’t found a husband, yet insisted on treating me like a child. It wasn’t that I hadn’t had suitors. A couple of the village men had tried to court me, but I hadn’t fallen in love with them. I had sworn to my father that I’d prefer to be an old maid than to be forced to settle in a loveless marriage. Although he’d grunted as he shared a smile with my mother, he’d not given me away to anyone. I was grateful, it showed how much he loved me.

  “Mr Kingsman?” My voice was small for a reason.

  Lifting his head, he removed his spectacles and nodded for me to go on. My insides shivered as I swallowed before speaking. “Is there such a thing as changelings?”

  A frown furrowed his brow, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening with the movement. He studied me before he glanced across the room at nothing in particular.

  “Well,” he said, his stare vacant as he thought about his answer. “Lore does suggest that babies were exchanged for fairies, but it’s probably just tales. Best not to think too much on it. Your inquisitive mind might run away with you.”

  Seemingly finished with his answer, Mr Kingsman went back to reading. My pulse quickened as I remembered the exchange, only moments before, in the bookshop. I was human. There was no proof of fairies and realms and…

  Sarsia had asked if I felt different.

  Looking back at the words I’d written at my last lesson, I paused. Maybe today will be the day that I make a friend. Even as a grown woman, I had longed for friendship. Alas, for some reason, other women in the village avoided me. It had been the same all my life. I’d put it down to my different appearance, but what if…?

  The door slammed open, the sudden vibration sending a shock over me. Jumping up, I moved towards Mr Kingsman when the bookshop owner stormed in.

  “Those people stole two of my books!” He pointed at me as he shouted. “You knew them! You were with them!”