Chapter Eleven
Whatever was going on, it wasn’t what I expected as I walked into the room and sat the table. They were done eating, but it didn’t stop me from piling on the food without a word, and I started to eat about four servings of food as fast as I could. They could deal, and it would give me a moment to try and appraise things.
Ayda’s eyes were red, and there was a new hopelessness in her usual meekness. Edea wasn’t there. The queen felt forlorn and helpless, but her body’s cool demeanor and face didn’t show it. Eloen looked… the same. No expression at all, and shielded. Goddess, I was so tired. I scooped in more food, and though not really recovered, I’d need sleep for that, I did start to feel a little less sluggish. I’d really strained my power, flying at close to Mach speed for hours while using three other abilities to their limits wasn’t easy. In fact, I was kind of proud of myself when I thought about it.
A quitter doesn’t work that hard. My powers hadn’t faltered once either, which meant I believed strongly in what I was doing here. I felt a little embarrassed at myself, and my doubts earlier, but it had just been exhaustion.
The men were here too, and the prince felt smug, and as usual hateful of my presence. I imagined I’d find out why smug in a few moments. The prince consort felt sad, with a twinge of disbelief. I finally finished off my plate.
“You wanted to see me Aleisia?”
Aleisia asked, “I assume your search was unproductive?”
When I simply nodded, she continued, “I’m afraid we caught the one doing this several hours ago, but had no way to let you know about it.”
Wait, what?
“Who?”
Vaeril said spitefully, “The abomination did it.”
Ayda sobbed, and the queen snarled, “Get out Vaeril, and don’t come back without a civil tongue, do you understand me?”
Vaeril snorted, and stomped out of the room. Two hundred or not, he was a spoiled teenager in my mind. I sent a silent thank you to my parents, wherever they were, for not letting me turn out like that. They may have wanted me to be a supervillain, but they never put up with spoiled behavior.
I sat back in shock. I also didn’t believe it for a second. I hadn’t read Edea’s mind, but I’d felt her emotions, and her spirit. She had bitterness, sadness, and even some anger, no doubt of that considering her and her mother’s treatment at the hands of the elves, but I’d felt no hatred within her.
Shockingly, I felt that they all believed it, including Ayda.
“How?”
Eloen sighed and explained, “I was escorting Ayda to the heart. It’s not…wise for her to be alone outside of the royal apartments. All the elves that maintain the heart visit it at least once a day to feed it magic, and commune with the forest. We caught her over a new grub, and she was using forbidden magic. She’s in a cell now, and will be judged the night after tomorrow on the full moon.”
Forbidden magic? I got the impression I shouldn’t ask, but it also felt important. I also got the idea they’d already made their judgement. Even her own mother thought she was guilty.
“What did she say?”
Eloen frowned, “She didn’t, she turned red in the face and ran, terrified she’d been caught. I knocked her out with a spell.”
I wanted to talk to her, but I also needed to think first.
Then Eloen added, “Since we’ve figured it out, you’re welcome to leave at any time.”
Shit.
“I think I need to stay, and see it to the end.”
Eloen’s face finally cracked, and she looked annoyed, “Why?”
I looked at the queen, who outside of the verbal spanking for her son, she’d been quiet.
“Because the goddess had me brought here to figure out the truth, because I was the only one who could. I also didn’t catch Edea, you did Eloen. So… there has to be more to this.”
Eloen opened her mouth to retort, but the queen beat her too it.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish Katrina. I’ll see you at breakfast in the morning.”
I guess my desperate appeal to the queen about our shared goddess worked, the last thing I needed to do was get kicked out of Gwienidd. I was calling bullshit on Edea being guilty, though not outside of my own head yet. I needed proof first, and unless I slept so that I’d have enough brain power to rub two nickels together, I’d never figure it out.
I also recognized a royal dismissal when I heard one.
“Good night,” I said to the room at large, bowed my head to Aleisia, and then got out of there.
It was time for some sleep. The bed felt a bit lonely though, and my last thoughts were of Gerard, and wishing his arms were around me.
The next morning, I woke up early, since I’d gone to bed so early. I hadn’t dreamed up a solution though, and still had no clue what to try next, outside of talking with Edea of course.
I put the extra time before breakfast to good use, and after taking a bath and retrieving another dress, this time a dark green, I finally had some time to question Saida. Granted, I’d gotten a lot of information from the queen the last couple of days, but I still had so many. I also needed to get more clothes soon, I’d only bought a handful of dresses so far. In the scheme of things, it wasn’t nearly as important as my mission, but appearances were important here. I didn’t want to cycle through the same five dresses if I stayed here that long.
Saida arrived quickly after, and I ushered her inside the room.
“Saida, I have some questions for you.”
Saida nodded, “If I can answer, I will.”
“The judgement tomorrow night, why on the full moon?”
Saida replied, “That’s related to the… accusation of forbidden magic. I can’t tell you about that, only one of the royal family can.”
I frowned, not a good start, and I hoped the trend wouldn’t continue. Since the forbidden magic had been my second question, I skipped that one too.
“Why are the elves so concerned with racial purity? I mean, is it pride, or is there a practical reason I don’t understand?”
Saida blushed red, and I waved the question off, another taboo subject apparently. Three for three, I was batting a thousand. Damn, I missed softball. All my questions seemed to be related to taboo subjects, or of course, the elves didn’t know the answer either, and it was my job to figure out. She also couldn’t answer all the other questions I had just pertaining to me and other magic than elven. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure what else to ask.
They seemed determined not to go into too much detail about their magic, only sharing the simple basics, and a lot of it just pointing out the end results, not how it worked. Apparently, I would have to bug the queen after all with the deeper questions and hope I didn’t lose her support, or, I could ask Edea. I planned to go to her this morning anyway, and find out the truth of what happened yesterday.
I smiled, “Sorry, I guess I’ll have to save my questions for the royal family.”
Saida shook her head, “I should have explained that the first day. I was expecting questions about your comfort, and what amenities were available. Maybe take you out into the city and shop.”
I was tempted, but too busy to spend the day shopping. I’d do it before I left though, if it all possible. Right now, I needed to focus on Edea, and finding the true culprit behind things. It still didn’t feel right that it would be an elf at all, why would any elf want to destroy the forest and their society like I’d seen in the visions. That didn’t make sense, yet there had to be an answer, I just wasn’t seeing it.
“Breakfast?”
Saida nodded, and led me to the private royal dining room. It was still early, and Eloen was the only one in the room so far. I joined her at the table.
“Good morning.”
She nodded wordlessly back in acknowledgement, but otherwise ignored me. The silence between us grew a bit uncomfortable. Finally, she broke it.
“What are your plans today?”
I wasn�
�t eager to explain it twice, but I didn’t want to be rude either.
“I’d like to speak with Edea.”
She measured me with her old eyes, “She is locked away, and is not allowed visitors before the judgement. You waste your time anyway, there have been no further grubs planted since yesterday afternoon. There is no further need of your presence here.”
Damn, I wondered if she thought a lot like Vaeril instead of Aleisia. I was suddenly glad she was shielded all the time. There was another option of course, maybe it wasn’t bigotry like Vaeril, perhaps she wanted me gone for another reason altogether. Or… I could be paranoid. Either way, I decided to poke the bear.
“The forest is beautiful, and is a special connection for all the elves, isn’t it?”
She nodded reluctantly, “Both the forest and we benefit from the symbiotic connection.”
“That must be hard then, to be cut off from it all the time. Does it bother you? I’ve only been here a few short days, and the forest is very soothing. I’ll miss it when I leave.”
Her eyes narrowed, “What are you saying?”
“Something I’ve been curious about, and a change of subject so we don’t argue. Just thinking it must be a great sacrifice on your part. I heard that you shield yourself constantly in order to protect the royal family?”
She grunted, “It is a sacrifice, but not as big as you’ve been led to believe. No one can function as a guardian forever without a break. At night when the palace guards take over, I commune with the forest away from the city.”
I smiled, “That’s good to hear.”
“What’s good to hear?” Aleisia asked as she walked into the room and sat down. Ayda followed behind a few moments later.
I said, “Oh, that she can commune with the forest at night. I’d also mentioned to Eloen I wanted to see Edea and speak with her. Is that really not possible?”
Aleisia frowned, “To what end?”
“To try and determine if others are involved in this mess.”
It wasn’t a lie, just not the whole truth. I also said involved, not guilty, because I didn’t believe for a second Edea was guilty of trying to poison the heart. It would answer a few questions, and she did have access and opportunity. But… it was all too neat, and didn’t match what I knew of the young half elf. For most people, that kind of thing was normal, people shocked and betrayed their friends all the time. For an empath, that just didn’t happen, people weren’t very much different than my first impression of them as a rule.
There was a long pause, as if Aleisia was trying to decide. I’d hoped she’d be a bit more forthcoming, but there was politics here I didn’t understand completely.
It was Ayda that answered, “I will take you to her. It’s my right to visit my daughter, and I too would like an explanation for her actions.”
Aleisia blew out a breath, and Eloen looked angry, another crack in the façade.
Eloen said, “It’s a mistake. We need to put this behind us and move on.”
The queen replied, “No, not if there are others that assisted her. I want to know where she got the grubs from at the very least, and if possible before the judgment. You may visit Edea, Ayda will take you there.”
Eloen said, “I should…” but was cut off by Aleisia’s raised hand.
“No, you must accompany me this morning. I have to leave the castle.”
I was curious why that was, but not enough to push my luck and ask, not after I’d gotten my way. The rest of breakfast passed quickly as we ate in silence, and I stood when Ayda did. She led me through some new halls, and then down some stairs. The stone walls were still well made, but not quite as polished. I was in my first dungeon ever.
The gamer geeks would have been jealous.
It was rougher, but it was still spotlessly clean, and even down here it smelled better than a human city. I really should try and introduce plumbing and sanitation, but I wouldn’t know where to start. I’d figure it out when I had spare time.
We walked to the end of the hall, and there was a jail cell. Edea was chained up in iron, not to be cruel, but to suppress her magic. The chains were long, and she could move around as much as she wanted. There was also a cot and a small table with the remains of breakfast on it in there. Edea looked miserable, and afraid.
“Edea,” I got her attention, and opened up my telepathy far enough to read her public mind. I felt she was innocent, but I also had to be sure. My empathy was already open as usual.
“What are you doing here?”
I looked guiltily at her mother, and then said, “I want to know what happened yesterday, the truth. Why were you there, and what were you doing?”
Edea didn’t want to answer me, I also saw right away she didn’t do it. But I just waited, and she decided it didn’t matter, and she’d tell me anyway.
“You’ve seen the way they look at my mother, it’s ten times worse for me. Most of the elves in the palace go to the heart either first thing in the morning, or later in the evening. That way they’re work day isn’t broken up.”
Edea stopped talking then for a few seconds.
“I understand,” I urged her to keep going.
She continued, “Because of that, I like to go after lunch, almost no one is there, and I get to commune in peace. Yesterday, when I got there I felt the blight’s curse, and went over to it. It was stupid, I should have just reported it, but I thought I might be able to help. I heard my aunt telling mom what you said yesterday morning, that maybe a witch could discover the truth, and even create a protection.”
I frowned, her public mind didn’t explain that at all.
“What does that have to do with you?”
Edea laughed bitterly, “They didn’t tell you? It’s why elves are so obsessed with racial purity. They mixed with humans once a long time ago. Elven magic is different than human magic, it’s a part of us, all of us. Not even close to every human has magic, and the ones that do have several different kinds. It dilutes the magic, changes it, and in some cases, like my magic, it becomes bastardized with human magic mixed in.
“You see, I’m allowed to commune with the forest, but forbidden to contribute my magic to the forest. What does it have to do with me? Katrina, I am a witch, I’m also elven. I’ve never learned how to wield the former, I’ve been forbidden to try by our laws, and by my mother.”
Well shit. I hadn’t seen that coming. I had the answers to my questions, and I could almost understand their prejudice now. They weren’t prejudiced against humans exactly, they were disgusted by the twisting and possible changes of their own magic, which was an integral part of their lives and identity. It would be the equivalent of a human born with a deformity of some kind on my own world, on purpose.
That didn’t mean I’d forgive the hate and disgust they felt for Edea and her mother, that was taking it too far. That was no more right than people who discriminated against and feared the handicapped back on my old world. Not to mention Edea was perfect the way she was in my eyes, which made it even less forgivable for me.
I asked, “So why did you try to run, won’t the truth of your innocence come out tomorrow night?”
Edea sighed, “You don’t understand. Even if they did believe I wasn’t behind it all, which is doubtful, they’d still either banish me, or kill me, because I dared to use my magic. It’s forbidden, you see, the magic natural to me is unnatural to them. I’m wrong. I was stupid, I just thought I could help… stupid.”
“Do you have any idea who could be behind it?”
Edea just shook her head miserably, and her public mind agreed with the negative response.
“What is the judgement, how does it work?”
Ayda answered, “The queen, my sister, will run things and make the final judgement. But there will be a council of sorts which will ask questions, and Eloen and I will be questioned as well. Then my sister will be forced to make a judgement, while respecting the opinions of the council, which will break her heart. My daughter
won’t get a fair hearing from the council because of what she is.”
There was still something I was missing. My gut told me Edea was connected to it, even if in an innocent way on her part.
“Will you tell me how… I mean,” I blushed.
Edea asked archly, “You want my story, how I came about when elves feel the way they do? Well mom, do you want to tell her about your fall from grace?”
Ayda sighed, “Why do you wish to know?”
I shook my head, “I can’t tell you because I’m not sure myself. But it feels important. Something is making my brain itch.”
Or maybe I’m just too damned nosy and curious.
Chapter Twelve
Ayda said, “Very well. The forest expands in jumps. The magic of the heart radiates outward, and it spreads at a crawl, but every fifty or sixty years the border of the forest expands quickly, up to a mile. Usually that isn’t an issue, the closest human village, Bellmeadow, is at least ninety miles from the edge of our forest to the north-east. Occasionally though, an expansion will take a foolish human who is trapping or hunting too close to our forest by surprise.
“Even non-magical humans can feel the difference at the border, and know better than to come in. But sometimes a human will get swallowed by an expansion. It was almost eighty years ago now, when the forest expanded while I was out in it. Back then I used to love moving around in the trees, and communing with the forest.”
That was interesting, because I couldn’t feel the elven magic at all, all I could feel was the emotions of the forest.
“I felt it right away, the forest told me a human had violated the border immediately after the expansion, and was being held. The forest isn’t smart enough to realize that it had been an accident, and I started in that direction immediately. When I found John, he was being held off the ground by a leg which was broken, and he was in a lot of pain. I felt compassion for the man, it wasn’t his fault, even if he was foolish.”
Ayda smiled, and it struck me that it was the first time I’d seen her do so, as she got lost in the past.
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