Phantom of the Heart

by Stein Willard

  Cybralle had been ruling with Queen Mesmeria for over twenty years. She had never and would never, let such an important practice slip. Lima's eyes filled with tears. She remembered how, when she had mourned Orla's passing, the royal consort had sought her out. She remembered how tenderly the large woman had folded her in her arms. Not a day went by that Lima did not miss her daughter—her only reminder of her Gentro. But that day when Cybralle had sat with her and cried over her loss, the pain had been bearable. Just the thought that she was not alone in her pain had made her want to live. Her hand clasped over her mouth. The absence of a royal in the returning party also meant that Sterling was not with them. Lima slowly sunk to her knees. It was all too much. Deep, heart wrenching sobs tore from her and in the dark, moldy smelling pantry, Lima gave in to the raw sadness that permeated her heart.

  Soft hands landed on her shoulders, but she ignored them. If she did not let this pain out now, it would stain her eyes forever. They would never see happiness again. She needed to get this out. She was gently pulled up from the cool tiles and into a warm embrace. She wanted to scream at the person to leave her be—to leave her in this moment of mourning, but the arms around her tightened.

  “It hurts to see you cry.”

  The softly spoken words made her cry even harder. What would they know about hurting? But selfishly, she did not want to hurt alone. She lifted her hands and sunk her nails deep in the person's forearms. No sound of pain registered. The lack of reaction from her ‘captor' made Lima look up. Her breath got caught between a sob and a gasp.

  “No…no…no…”

  She reached out, her nails ready to scrape the familiar face off that of the imposter. A strong hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.

  “Mother?”

  The imposter even sounded like her child. Teary, ice-blue eyes looked down into hers. Suddenly breathless, Lima's eyes moved frantically over the beloved face. It could not be. It was not possible. When Mesmeria told her that Sterling had gone in search of Orla, she had cried that night. Her daughter was dead. She was her mother, she would have known if her daughter was still alive. Realizing that she was not breathing, Lima inhaled deep and long. The moment her lungs were filled to capacity, Lima let out a shrill cry. With the explosion of air from her lungs came a sudden darkness.

  Lima did not even try to fight it.

  ***

  The sight that greeted Gentro when he entered the pantry was one of indescribable love. Seated on the cold tiles, her mother's fragile body in her arms, was Orla. She looked up and he gave a tender smile. In the last twenty years he had questioned his decision to leave Lima the way he did. He knew why he had to abandon her and he would probably do so again if he had to do it over. But, one thing he would never regret was leaving Orla to take care of her mother. As selfish as it sounded, he doubted even he could have done a better job. The way his daughter held her mother was so possessive, he wondered if she was even going to let him close to Lima. He slowly lowered himself to the floor and sat next to Orla.

  For a long moment, silence prevailed while his eyes hungrily moved over his wife's face. Except for a few grey patches at the temples, Lima still looked very young. Her skin still had a youthful glow and her body still resembled that of the young girl he first met behind the soldiers’ barracks, years before.

  “She thinks me a ghost,” Orla said in a broken whisper. “I thought she would know whether I was dead or alive.”

  Gentro shifted closer so he could put his arm around his daughter's shoulder. For a moment, a feeling of wholeness rushed through him as he realized that, for the first time in decades, he was reunited with his family. Overwhelmed by emotion, he pressed a kiss against Orla's temple before his hand brushed over Lima's ashen cheek.

  “When in wolf form, it is hard to sense the human essence. When you were in wolf form I could only sense you because I had your scent. Your mother…” He looked down at the unconscious woman, “she lost her link with you when you began spending more time in your wolf form.”

  He watched, as Orla lowered her head and placed a gentle kiss on her mother's cheek. “I will not let that happen again. I missed her a lot.”

  Gentro smiled sadly. “I missed her too,” he murmured softly, as tears filled his eyes.

  When he lifted his gaze from Lima's face, he was met by her intense gaze. He swallowed when Orla carefully lifted her mother's slight body from her lap and gently placed Lima in his lap. As soon as Orla's hands moved away, Gentro clutched Lima close to his heart, as a soft whimper left his lips. He had dreamt of this moment for so long. Long tears streaked down his cheeks, as he cradled Lima. No person alive would understand how much he had craved to be this close to his wife again. Their time together had been so short and he had had so few memories of Lima to sustain him.

  “I will leave you for a while.”

  Gentro started at the sound of Orla's voice. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he had completely forgotten about her. He quickly raised a hand to wipe his wet face, before he faced her. Orla's eyes swam in tears. He gave her a curt nod. Once Orla left, he clutched Lima even closer.

  “I have so much to tell you, my love.”

  ***

  Cybralle gave a shuddering sigh, as she placed a small kiss on Mesmeria's ear. It was absolute bliss to be back in her Mesmeria's arms. The queen's eyes were red and swollen from all the crying, but her face held a dazzling smile.

  “I thank you for returning to me, dearling,” Mesmeria said softly and brushed a sweet kiss over Cybralle's cheek. “Your reward will be significant.”

  Before Cybralle could reply, the doors swung open. They turned together to see Sterling enter. Like an arrow shot from a bow, Mesmeria was in motion. Mother and daughter met each other halfway. Built bigger than her mother, Sterling had no trouble to pull her mother off her feet. No words were spoken as the two women embraced. As soon as Mesmeria's feet touched ground, the queen frantically ran her hands over her daughter. Sterling patiently indulged her mother by standing quietly under the other woman's inspection. Cybralle found the scene extremely intense, as she watched her wife slowly circling their daughter, her small hands tracing each and every limb lovingly. It took a few moments, but as soon as the inspection was over, mother and daughter embraced again. Cybralle could make out a few sniffles. She walked closer and pulled both her women into her arms.

  “It is a happy occasion, why the tears?” Her teasing comment got her a sharp thump in the ribs from Mesmeria.

  “You both gave me quite a scare when you did not announce your arrival. You both know the significance of failing to do so.” Assured of her family’s safety, Mesmeria's eyes flashed at the two warriors.

  Cybralle quickly held up her hand. “We know, my love, but you also know that there is one other reason why we might not announce our arrival.”

  Mesmeria cocked her head to the side, her eyes wide in disbelief. “You were outranked?” Cybralle nodded. “But…How? Where?” Mesmeria's eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you telling me that we have a royal visitor and you did not bring them straight here?” Mesmeria nervously brushed over her hair.

  Before Cybralle could answer, Sterling answered. “They will be here soon, Mother. They asked for a moment to freshen up after the long journey.”

  “Who…who are they?”

  Cybralle pushed her fingers through her hair. “It is a long story and we have only but a few minutes to tell you the most significant parts.”

  ***

  When she approached the throne room, the guards quickly opened the doors. Orla briskly walked over to where the three royals stood and bowed deeply before her mother-in-law.

  “Your Majesty.”

  There was a flurry of movement and Orla was pulled to her feet and engulfed in a sweet-smelling embrace. Hesitantly, her arms curled around the queen's slender waist. Orla looked at her wife from over Mesmeria's blonde head. When Mesmeria pulled out of the embrace, Orla was overcome by the affection she saw in the que
en's eyes.

  “I am happy to see you are well,” Mesmeria said softly and placed a kiss on Orla's cheek. “Have you been to see your mother?”

  “We have met already,” Orla's said, not sure how much the queen knew already. “My father is with her now.”

  Mesmeria smiled. “Sterling told me as much as she could in the short time since their arrival. All that matters is that you are well and back home.”

  Orla felt her eyes well up with tears. Home. She was welcomed back like a long-lost daughter, despite her abnormality. Soft hands cradled her cheeks, and she looked down into the face of her mother-in-law.

  “This is a joyous occasion and there is no reason for tears. We have all cried too much over the past few months. Let us celebrate the fact that we are all together,” Mesmeria said.

  Orla swallowed convulsively, pushing back the emotion that constricted her throat. “I am happy to be home, my Queen.”

  “Good. I have sent word to the kitchen to prepare a feast for tonight. We will eat and drink and toast our good fortune.”

  Clearing her throat, Orla looked at Sterling. “I have a humble request, Your Majesty, and I will be forever indebted to you if you could grant me this boon.”

  Mesmeria cocked her head to the side, as she studied Orla. “Whatever you want is yours, Orla.”

  “I would like to join with my wife this eve.” Three pairs of eyes blinked at her and Orla blushed as she lowered her eyes. “I want to be her mate in the true sense of the word, if my Queen permits.”

  It took a while for the queen to get her voice. When she did, she waved a guard over. “Tell the priestess to prepare for the ceremony.”

  “Thank you, Your Majesty,” Orla said as she bowed low before the Mesmeria. “If I may, I would like to prepare my parents for the occasion.” She held her hand out and Sterling reached for it. “Please, tell me you want this too, beloved.”

  Sterling's smile was teary. “I do, my love.”

  ***

  Lima was confused when her eyes fluttered open and she found herself looking at the floor of the pantry. She tried to sit up and that's when she became aware of arms cradling her. She lifted her head, meeting pale-blue eyes

  “Orla?”

  “No, Lima, it is me.”

  Lima tried to place the voice and at the same time, studied the face above. She quickly sat up, throwing herself against the wall. “Gentro? It cannot be.” She held up her hand when Gentro moved closer. “No, please. Stay where you are!”

  Gentro took a shuddering breath. “I missed you, Lima. Every second of every day, I missed you.”

  “But you left me,” Lima whispered. “You left me when I needed you the most. Is that your meaning of love?”

  “I would do it again, my love, if it meant keeping you safe.” Gentro moved closer. “Please, do not push me away now. I have been waiting for this moment for so long. Please, allow me to explain.”

  Lima shook her head slowly. “You are telling me that deserting me and your child was so you could protect us. From what if I may ask?”

  Gentro's eyes were piercing as they searched hers, and Lima was astounded by how much they looked like Orla's.

  “If you will allow me, I will tell you everything. Could we go somewhere to talk?”

  “No,” Lima said quickly. If this was a dream, she was scared of leaving the pantry and finding it was all her imagination. “If you have anything to say, then you can say it to me here.” She saw a flash of fear in Gentro's eyes, before he blinked and it was gone.

  “I would beg you to listen with an open mind to what I am about to tell you even, as implausible as it may sound. Do you promise?”

  Lima swallowed hard before she nodded. “I promise to listen, but that is all I am promising you right now.”

  Gentro looked relieved. “That is all I want for now.”

  ***

  Mesmeria clutched Cybralle's hand as she looked at the group of three standing before her. No matter what her wife and daughter had told her about their guests, it could never have prepared her for what she was looking at now. They were almost ethereal in their beauty, especially the tall queen. The first thing that grabbed her about the woman was her eyes. There was no doubt that the woman was Orla's grandmother, albeit a very young-looking one. She quickly looked away from the woman to rest her eyes on the giant of a man who looked at her with an impish smile. Orla's great-grandfather. The man winked at her and Mesmeria blinked at him in surprise before she threw a quick glance at Cybralle. Her wife gave her an indulgent smile.

  Mesmeria cleared her throat softly. “It is a great honor to welcome you all to my kingdom,” she said in a strong voice. “With our families joined by the marriage between our daughters, my kingdom and my home are yours too.”

  A darkly handsome man of average build bowed low before her. “We are just as honored to meet the great Queen of Karas, Your Majesty. We have heard nothing from your people, but praise of your wisdom and fairness. Thank you for receiving us.”

  The man's poise reminded her so much of Cybralle's that Mesmeria could not help but smile brightly at him, accepting his words of praise gracefully.

  “I thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty,” she said softly and returned his bow. “My daughter-in-law, no doubt, informed you that they plan to have their fertility ceremony tonight. Could I interest you in a light repast while we wait for the couple to be readied for the ceremony?”

  “It would be greatly appreciated, Your Highness.”

  Cybralle looked to Mesmeria and the queen smiled. “You may lead the way.”

  As they proceeded to the banquet room, Orla's grandmother fell into step next to Mesmeria. Up close, the woman was even more beautiful. A soft smile played on the woman's lips, as she looked at Mesmeria's hand where it was caught in Cybralle's larger one.

  “I have known your daughter to possess beauty, courage and wisdom, but having met both her mothers, I can see that my granddaughter is infinitely fortunate to have caught the eye of such a remarkable woman.”

  Mesmeria smiled broadly. To hear a stranger heap such lavish words on her daughter, made her mother's heart almost burst with pride. She looked up at Cybralle, her eyes warm with love.

  “I believe I was fortunate to have chosen one such as my consort to sire such a rare being.” She looked back at Audunn. “I believe my daughter has been blessed with great sense to have found and captured the heart of a noble soul like Orla. She truly is the other half of my daughter's heart, her true soul mate.”

  Audunn nodded. “I am looking forward to meeting their offspring, for I can predict a great future for Karas.”

  “As do I, Your Majesty. I am craving to hold my grandchild against my breast. It has been too long since the palace has heard the pitter-patter of small feet.”

  Audunn had a warm look on her face when she spoke again. “From your lips to the gods’ ears, Queen Mesmeria.”

  Chapter 28

  Orla was nervous where she stood in the bath while the priestess' aides rubbed fragrant oils into her skin. She kept looking straight at nothing in particular, trying to keep her mind off the fact that strange hands were touching her all over her body. She felt a small hand creep dangerously close to her sex and she gave a soft growl without lowering her gaze. The hand quickly moved away. Her enhanced hearing picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway to the High Priestess' bathing chamber. A knock sounded and one of the aides left to let the person in.

  Orla was quiet as she stood naked. She did not turn to see who her guest was. She waited for the person to speak first. When after many heartbeats the person still had not said anything, Orla cleared her throat.

  “Do you hate me now?”

  “Never!” came the passionate reply.

  Orla slowly turned, her eyes shimmering with tears. “I missed you, Mother.”

  “And I you, my love,” Lima croaked, as she stepped closer. Her face was wet with tears as she looked up. “Your…your father told me
everything. How do you feel?”

  “Unbelievably powerful,” Orla said quietly. “…and scared.”

  Lima threw her arms around Orla's waist and held on. “Remember the promise I made you as child?”

  Orla planted a soft kiss on her mother's crown. “You said that for as long as you lived, I never had to fear anything.”

  Lima placed a soft kiss on Orla's wet cheek. “You never doubted it before and I hope you still believe it.”

  “I do, Mother.”

  “Good. Now let us get you ready.” Lima held up a small pouch. “I want you to be as strong as a stallion so you can make me a strong grandchild.”

  Orla felt her cheeks heating. She heard a few snickers and saw the aides whispering. Lima threw the girls a sharp look, quieting them. She walked over to a table that held a carafe of water. She filled a goblet and stirred a powder into water.

  Looking down at the glass her mother held out to her, Orla's first thought was of Sterling. “This will not cause any harm to Sterling?”

  A sly smile formed on her mother's lips. “On the contrary, my heart. She will be immensely appreciative, of that I can assure you.”

  Still a little apprehensive, Orla took the goblet and looked into the clear liquid. She made herself a silent promise that she would fight the effects of whatever this was if it proved to be detrimental to her wife. She tipped the goblet and drained its contents.

  Lima took the empty goblet and looked at the aides. “Are you done, or will you be gawking at her the whole night?”

  Glancing at the girls, Orla flushed again when she found one of them giving her a darkly sensual look. Orla quickly looked away. It was obvious, now, to whom the wandering hand of earlier belonged. At her mother's sharp tone, the girls jumped into action.

  ***

  Mesmeria stood back, taking in the sight of her beautiful daughter. Sterling was dressed in a white, loose-fitting robe and small, white flower petals adorned her coppery locks. Mesmeria smiled with pride.