“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you Lill,” Said Trina as she sat behind me on the bed. “But it was for your safety. It really was.” She finished desperately.
“Its ok Trina, I understand. But right now, I need you to help me. What on earth do I wear to a coronation.” She smiled, looking relieved and started giving directions in her usual business like manor to the young maids that had been assigned to me.
Michael came in once I was dressed. I couldn’t look at him at first, but I relaxed a little when I saw that he was likewise keeping his distance from me. The two girls who where assisting me where both rather giggly and kept trying to catch Michaels eye.
“I thought you said that other elves weren’t affected by the ‘allure’ of other elves,” I whispered to Trina as she shooed the girls off to fetch us some food.
“There not, but that doesn’t stop the fact that Michael is very handsome Lill.” Her lip twitched at the corner in a hint of a smile when I didn’t reply.
Trina made me change my gown 3 times before she was happy than helped me with my jewellery as the maids massaged my skin with scented oils and smoothed my hair with an oil made from a type of seaweed. Michael had brought some scrolls with him that described other coronations, including Queen Isaldia’s that was only 20 years ago. I tried to remember what I had to do and was repeating it under my breath as I tried to calm my nerves with some warm honey water.
A messenger came to get us as the sun was setting. Trina and Michael walked out before me, both dressed in the elves finest silks, Trina in a long flowing red gown. We all had bare feet to allow us to properly connect with the magic of the earth. Michael strapped a long sword to his hip has he left the room.
“Why have you got that?” I asked casually.
“In case we are attacked during the ceremony,” He replied than seeing the look on my face added, “ But its only happened twice in the last hundred years or so, I’m shore you will be fine.” Trina nodded reassuringly but I noticed the slight bludge of a knife under her gown.
I took a few deep breaths to try and calm my nerves and stop the butterflies in my stomach and followed them out. I stopped as I passed the mirror in the hall and stood transfixed by my reflection.
My thin silk gown flowed down weightlessly from one shoulder loosely hugging my figure the golden cloth reflecting the sunlight surrounding me in a faint glow. My hair shone and was being blown softly off my face, a curl falling over one shoulder with the rest held back by the golden band encircling my head.
“Lill, its time.” Said Michael, watching me from the archway leading to the forest.
“I’m coming.”
I stepped out on to the cool moist surface of the forest. My gown sweeping across the fallen leaves. I walked past the crowd of elves and satyrs, the Undines and other people of the forest, their eyes following me as I passed them.
I stopped by the stream, under the oldest oak in the forest. The queen stepped forward and took both my hands in hers than raised them to the sun.
“Blessed with the light from the heavens,” She called. The sun dipped just below the mountains sending a wave of amber light across the forest lighting the many faces of the forest with a golden glow.
A faun stepped forwards and softly blew a handful of soil over me. “Blessed with the life giving earth.” He said in a deep smooth voice.
The faun took my hand and lead me down to the rivers edge, our path was marked by small flowers that sprung up beneath my feet with each step I took. Two Undines rose up out of the water and took my hands from him leading me down into the water.
“Blessed with the grace of the water.” They whispered in soft echoing voices, drawing me completely under the surface. The water turned crystal clear and an echoing song rippled through the current as small fish swept up around me.
I rose to find that the sky had turned red as the sun continued on its journey below the horizon. A breeze swept up through the trees as I stepped on to the shore. A transparent figure appeared at the base of the large tree by the bank in the form of a wizened old man. He held his hands out before him, I stepped up to him and lay my hands over his.
A fierce wind spiralled up around us, a warmth spreading up my arms than sweeping through my body. A white light surrounded me as pictures spiralled through my head so fast that I could only make out outlines of hundreds of faces swimming through my mind. Battles, wars, births, deaths, parties and terrifying fires all rushed through me.
Than, just as suddenly as it started, they stopped.
The wind slowed than disappeared and I was left standing in a cocoon of silence, bathed in the white light facing the old man. He smiled at me, and whispered so softly that I could only just hear him.
“You are the hope and light of my children, use these gifts well.” Than he faded away back into the wood of the tree.
I became dimly aware of my surroundings again. The light faded around me and I turned to face the waiting crowd. Like a great wave they fell to one knee, bowing their heads.
I couldn’t help but smile. I knew that I should say something to them, but I was too over whelmed with emotion.
Later that night as I sat by the fire watching the elves dancing around the flames, I felt calm for the first time in a long time, but something still echoed at the back of my mind.
“Michael?”
“Yes Your Highness.”
“Can I go home?”
“You are home.” He said turning to look at me.
“No, this is your home. I need to be with my mother, to find her and bring her back to me. I don’t have a lot of family Michael, my father is dead, my sister…,” I couldn’t bring my self to say what I knew was true. To admit it out loud would make it to true, to real.
“You have your grandmother.” He replied.
“Who have only met once when I was little and have only spoken to through letters twice a year since. No, I have to find mother, I have to have my family back.”
A wind sprite swept over the flames making sparks fly up into the air.
“I’ll help you. But first you need to deal with Cassandra.” He said after a while.
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about that,” I admitted, “What if we let her find Tisandor?”
“Your Highness, you cannot be serious!”
“I am. And don’t call me that.”
“You are royalty, you deserve respect.”
“Yes but not from you. We know each other too well. Although I am still mad that you didn’t tell me that you where that crow.”
“We all have our secrets, and besides I never really had the chance to tell you.” I opened my mouth to retaliate but decided better of it. “Well, that’s in the past now. No more secrets ok.” I looked at him to make shore he understood that I was serious. “I need to know that I can trust you. Both of you.” I added as Trina came and sat in front of us in the grass.
“You know you can trust me Lill. Arr, But as for that secret thing, well there are some things that I didn’t tell you. It seems silly now that you’re Queen and all, but I thought that you might freak if you knew.” She shifted slightly as two elves danced past us.
“Trina.” I said warningly.
“Well, you know how I said that I was raised by a group of women after my parents died.” She started.
“Yeh, keep going.”
“Well they are priestesses. My priestesses. My mother was, is the goddess of fire. And she isn’t dead exactly, well she is dead but her spirit is still on earth somewhere. Nobody knows who my father was so I went to live with the Daughters of Pele who serve my mother, who raised me. They’re really very nice, but don’t let me out a lot.”
“So that’s where you keep running off to.”
“Yeh, they only let me out of the temple when Queen Isaldia summons me.”
“So you ran away?” I said, thinking that I next time I make a friend I should do a background check first.
“Yep, they hadn’t let me out in 3 months whe
n I finally left. They where pretty ticked off when I came back, but Queen Isaldia must have talked to them because they are allowing me to basically come and go as I like now as long as I come when they call me.”
We sat in silence for a while, watching the dancing. The strange orbs of light that floated through the trees acted as spotlights on the dancers. Every now and than I could see something like small formless people moving in the flames but what ever it, or they where they where moving to fast for me to see.
I was starting to grow drowsy so lay down against a tree at the far side of the clearing to rest.
“Lill are you ok?” Trina asked as she and Michael followed me.
“Yes I’m just tired is all.” I said as Trina came and sat beside me.
“Here lay against me so you don’t get dirty.” Michael said.
I lay against him listening to the sound of the Undines singing in the river. My eyes grew
heavy and it wasn’t long before I slipped into a peaceful sleep.
I awoke the next morning to a bright, cloudless sky. Trina and Michael where still asleep beside me. I smiled to myself, to think that just a few weeks ago they where wielding swords in a very real battle against a very real enemy. Now to see them curled up against each other in a beautiful forest, dressed in delicate silken clothes. I didn’t have the heart to wake them; instead I went for a walk down to the river to wash my face. The clearing was empty, the last dieing embers of the fire where glowing faintly on the ground. I was surprised to see that the flowers where still appearing under my feet as I walked. I had assumed that the power of the night may have ebbed away by this morning, but it was clear that it would take more time for it to retreat within my body. That is of course if it would recede at all. The thought alarmed me, how would it look in town if everywhere I walked blooms appeared in my wake. I laughed quietly at the thought, and made a note to ask Trina about it when she work up.
The water was refreshingly cool and sharp. I splashed it onto my skin washing away the dirt. Than I sat, my feet paddling in the waters edge.
A shadow beneath the water grew larger as it neared where I sat. A hand grasped my ankle, pulling me into the water. I gasped as the frigid water rushed over my body. I was completely immersed in the water when I saw a flash of silver and my capture’s face swum into view.
“Be still Amaris, or we will be seen.” The Undine kept a hold of my leg, floating beneath me her eyes focused on the surface.
Chapter 18
Just a few metres from the surface I could make out the shape of a bulky person stalking over the sand. He stopped and looked about him before continuing on his patrol. I dove down deeper so that I was at eye level with the Undine, my hair swirling around my face.
“Undine, what has happened, how is it that they are here?” I found that my voice was clear under the water and I was able to speak without almost normally despite the urge to move my mouth as little as possible so that I didn't swallow to much water.
“I do not know,” she said, the fear evident in her voice. “They came last night, I was coming back from my river a few miles over and saw them coming. By the time I arrived here there was no one left to warn. The forest was empty. No elves, spirits or fauns where to be seen. I cannot even find any of my sister Undines. It was only a few hours ago that I saw them here by the river. One walks past every hour. I was ever so happy when I saw you here. Have you seen any others?” She finished desperately.
“My friends are sleeping a little way over,” I said suddenly fearful for them. “Stay here and I’ll get them.”
I swum to the top, surfacing slowly to check for guards before sprinting through the clearing. I woke Trina and Michael, giving only a hurried explanation before returning to the river.
“I don’t understand,” said Michael holding the Undines hand so that he could breathe under the surface of the water, “How could we sleep through everything? My soldiers would not have left without a fight.”
“We are also not easily frightened,” added the Undine.
“We cannot stay down here all day,” Said Trina. “We will go to the temple, it’s well guarded and with any luck the Daughters of Pele will have escaped notice.”
Undine stayed in the river as she could not stay on land for long, but promised to help when we where ready. We hurried to the temple which was on the side of a steep hill on the farthest side of the city. Despite the distance we travelled, we sore no one in Tisandor not even Lady Cassandras army, which would have been too large to hide easily. The silence around us after the cheerful week here was deafening. Yet I felt that someone or lots of someone’s were watching me which made all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
The temple covered by a mass of vines so thick that you could be tricked to thinking that it was built with. Inside it was cool and damp. The stone walls where covered with twisted jasmine that gave out a sweet smell when we brushed past. Trina led the way, slowly and cautiously but with a hunger in her step that showed how worried she was. She led us to the centre of the temple where there was a large open area. Inside where long slender trees stretching up into the canopy letting only shafts of light hit the dusty stone floor. Strange looking butterflies flew through the garden reflecting the light off their silver wings. In the centre was a large, round, stone basin full of burning embers.
“Mother Kastin!” Trina called, her voice echoing around the walls. “Mother Sylvia!”
“Goddess?” a small voice answered. A young girl crept out from a notch in the wall. “Margarete, oh thank goodness. Is everyone else ok?” Trina asked.
“I don’t know, I was in here tending the fire and talking to Olie. Something spooked her and she told me to hide so I went into the hidey-hole and cast my protective spells like Mother Sylvia taught me. Than when I came out, everyone was gone. Oh and im so happy to see you, I was so scared.” She wept , hugging Trina.
“Its ok Margie were going to find them.” She said stroking the younger girls hair but her focus was on Michael and I. Her eyes betrayed her feelings, she was scared.
We set to work setting extra protective spells around the garden immediately. Trina and Margarete took the top, scaling the trees in one leap. Michael showed me how to set the spells around the walls as it turned out that only Michael and I had strong enough magic to reinforce the wards around the room. By the time we had finished the edges of the room shimmered in magic.
“Um, I don’t remember there being as many flowers around here,” Trina commented sliding down from the top of the trees.
I looked down to see a trail of flowers tracing my path around the room.
“Oh sorry that’s me, I meant to ask. Has anyone got any ideas how to stop them from doing that?” I asked.
Michael handed me his shoes, his eyes watering from the effort of trying not to laugh.
“The Queen has the same problem,” He said clearing his throat, “ She has to wear shoes at all times or anyone could track her with the trail.”
I put the sandals on and took a few trial steps, the sandals were to big but there were no flowers when I looked back.
“Cool, hey does that mean that I’m going to have to wear shoes for the rest of my life?” I asked.
“Unless your flying or near water.” He replied smiling as he set yet another ward around the archway.
It was nearly midday when we stopped, Trina called some fruits from the kitchen with a flap of her hand. No one spoke for a long time, finally Trina spoke up.
“Margie, where is Olie?” She asked the younger girl.
“I don’t know, she flew away to fast for me to ask her what was wrong.”
“Well lets find her,” Trina whistled sweetly into the wind. A shift in the light announced the arrival of a small red finch. Trina held out her hand for it to land on.
“Olie, do you have news?” The bird tweeted, flying down off her hand and landing on the ground. In a flurry of red feathers it turned into a slender young girl, no older than eight or nin
e. Around her eyes she wore a mask of the same red feathers as in her bird form and was draped in a transparent red gown that hung loosely from one shoulder and was only just long enough to cover her nakedness.
She twitched her head in my direction, her movements still very animal like. Than quickly twisted around to face Michael bowing her head to him as he did in return.
“Oh Olie, I’m so glad that your ok,” Margie threw herself on the girl, tears streaking her face.
“Calm child, I am fine,” Olie whispered, her voice carrying the same sweetness as her song but I was taken aback at the power and wisdom it carried.
“Goddess, the Lady Cassandra has taken the entire forest hostage,” she said to Trina.
“Yes, but do you know where they where taken though. Or how this happened?”
“Alas no,” she said, bowing her head. “They moved swiftly and with great skill. I flew up to get a better view but they where gone by the time I came around again.”
“Olie, did you see anyone else on your journey here?” Asked Michael.
“No, however I did see movement down by the palace.”
“There are to many to fit into the palace alone,” Michael pointed out as his brow creased in thought. “And besides, there are to many wards around it for Cassandra or her army to get within ten metres of it.”
“Are you shore?” Trina asked, looking chest fallen.
“Yes, the most skilled elves, witches and mages in the land have placed protections on the palace for many generations. There is no way Cassandra could get any where near it.”
“But if she has the powers of all those elves that she killed, maybe she could fool the wards into letting her pass?” Margie put in.
“How do you know about her powers?” Trina asked her.
“I heard Mother Kastin telling Mrs Maglinden last week when she brought the wine.” She blushed with embarrassment at having to admit she had been spying.
“Well that would explain how she got through the wall that surrounds the city, but not the palace,” Michael stated slowly shaking his head.
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