({[ Rianna on the Run – Chapter One ]})
Dedicated to Molly, my one girl fan club, editor, and support group all in one.
Reviews are appreciated tons!
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Ria stood by Char's bedside, choking back tears. Char's face was still, and the only sign of life was the faint rise of his chest. His face was pale, wasted away. This isn't true, Ria thought angrily. This isn't a natural sickness. It was supposed to be the wasting fever, that stayed in your body for a long time. The medicant said the chances of full recovery were slim. But Ria knew; her father was strong, and a sickness couldn't have this effect on him, so quickly. She knew someone had caused this, and she knew exactly who.
The man across the bed from her appeared to be sad too, but Ria knew his mood. It was ecstatic. The mood in the whole room was a dark, but Ober, standing by her father, was happy. She just knew it. His face carefully concealed his emotions- his cold blue eyes gave away nothing. His handsome face easily won people over- Ria was more wary. Ober. He was the cause of all this.
She glanced at her mother, sitting on a chair close to Char. Her face was sorrowful, showing the strain of these past months. She squeezed Char's hand, and closed her eyes. Ria's anger grew. Her mother deserved a happy ending- but Ober had spoiled it all. Her temper rose in her throat, and she quickly excused herself from the room, knowing she would explode if she stayed longer.
Picking up her heavy black skirt, she ran down the stairs to the kitchen. She cast a glance at the stairwell- ever since Char had taken sick, she had never felt like sliding down them. It wasn't the same without her father behind her, laughing. She burst into the kitchen. It was late; Mandy was the only one still there, making muffins for tomorrow's breakfast.
"I hate him!" Ria cried, rushing to Mandy. "He's the cause for all this! He made that sickness, I know he did." She buried her face in Mandy's apron, and let the tears come that she had held back.
"There, there," Mandy said, soothing Ria. "Tonic for you."
"Mandy- Tonic isn't going to solve this," Ria cried. Fairy sensibilty got on her nerves sometimes; now was one of those times.
"No. It isn't. But still, drink." Ria grudgingly opened her mouth and let the Tonic ooze down it.
"Now, you need to go to bed. Sleep off the anger. Your temper is dangerous, Ria," Mandy said briskly.
"Mandy! Char's wasting in there!" she yelled. Mandy looked up from her muffins, and Ria was surprised to see tears in her eyes.
"Yes. I know he is, dearie. And we don't deserve this. But it isn't our choice," she said sadly.
"I'm sorry," Ria said remorsefully. It was hard on Mandy too. "I'm going to bed."
She crept up to her room. Before turning the corner, she abruptly stopped. She heard voices- her mother and Ober.
"The kingdom cannot go on like this," came his smooth voice.
"I know, Ober," Ella said wearily.
"We need leadership. I propose that I take over the decision making process until Char regains health."
"Ober- I told you before, I can-"
"My queen, you know the Kyrrians would not accept you as ruler- you are female."
"No, really, I didn't know that," Ria heard her mother mutter.
"I shall meet you in the study tomorrow. You will still have some say in the rulership of this country."
Ria heard departing steps, and then she raced after her mother.
"He's a mean, spiteful-" she cried. Ella stopped her.
"We both know that," she said quietly. "But if it's one thing I've learned in living at Court is to keep your tongue quiet when others can hear." She grimaced. "I learned that the hard way."
"He's going to ruin the country, Mother...I know it!" she cried. Ella hugged her, and stroked her hair.
"I know, Ria. But while we're still here, we can do little things," Ella said.
"He's going to get rid of me, I know it," Ria said.
"And if you're right...get to bed. It's going to be a stressful day tomorrow," Ella said, hugging her tightly.
Ria watched her mother go in the opposite direction- back to Char's room. Then she turned and walked slowly to her own room.
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The next day she woke up early, dreading the coming day. Ober had officially taken hold of the throne- the country. What he wanted to do, she couldn't imagine.
She got up slowly, and washed her sleeping face, blinking her sleep-clouded eyes furiously. Dressing in a conservative black gown identical to last night's, she ran down the hall to Char's room.
Slowly opening the room, she was relieved to see Ella had left and gotten some sleep. She nodded to the medicant's apprentice standing guard, and went to her father's bedside.
"Father?" she called softly. He had been in and out of his fever for some time now, and his waking up was rare.
"Who is it?" came an unexpected voice from him.
"Father? You're awake? Char!" she cried.
"Rianna? Is that you?" he said, opening his eyes.
Ria narrowed her eyes. He never called her Rianna. Something was wrong. This wasn't Char.
"Yes, it's me," she said, wary.
"Rianna, my dear. I'm sick. Ober must rule in my place until I am better," he said strangely. She widened her eyes. This was most definitely not Char. She knew how much his love and trust in Ella went. He would put her on throne before Ober. Something had happened to Char.
"I will do as you say, Your Highness," came a smooth voice from behind. Ria stiffened. Ober came up behind her.
"Your Highness, I will rule in your stead until you are better," he said.
"You have my permission," Char said. "Now, Rianna, Ober, leave. I require rest." His eyes closed slowly again. With a rebellious glare at her father that wasn't her father, she left.
"You heard your father," Ober said, a slight smile on his lips. "I will rule fairly until he recovers."
"If he does," she retorted. "But then again, that's up to you, isn't it?" She turned on her heel and left him standing. As soon as she left, she regretted the words. Ober now knew she was suspicious. He would get rid of her. She just knew-sensed?- it.
She found Ella in the study. Her pale face was drawn.
"Ria," she said, smiling faintly. "Ober summoned us to his chambers in an hour."
"He's in control of Kyrria now, isn't he?" she asked.
"Yes, he is," Ella sighed. "What he will do- I fear for the Kyrrians."
"He's going to raise taxes," Ria recited, rolling her eyes. "Marry me off, drain money from the treasury..."
"Now, Ria," Ella said, "No need to be pessimistic. We should hope for the best."
"But prepare for the worst," Ria said, smiling ironically.
How true it was.
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"My queen," Ober said, bowing. "Princess." Ria curtsied back, keeping her eyes on him. He was up to something. But then, what was new?
"Ober," Ella said, curtsying magnificently. Ria admired her grace under fire.
"Seeing how Kyrria is so neglected since your husband took
sick," Ober said, sitting in a luxurious chair. "So I took up affairs
immediately."
"Kyrria is a bit weary," Ella said calmly, "but not neglected."
"Our navy is in sad shape. If any of our neighbors were to
attack us, Kyrria would be defenseless. So I took immediate action."
"Which was..." Ella prompted.
"I made a deal with Halona, which has quite a large navy. They have a son, eighteen, which they would like to get married."
Ria closed her eyes and ground her teeth together. She knew where he was going with this.
"If Princess Rianna goes and marries their Prince Carrian, they will supply us with fifteen ships of their navy, which will most definitely suffice to protect our beloved Kyrria." His voice oozed with fake sincerity. Ria longed to grab that carefully groomed black hair and pull it all out, slap him on his fine cheek, break his aristocratic nose...she held the chair in a death grip. Looking out his window, she saw a hunter shooting a deer. She imagined she was the hunter with the bow, and Ober was the deer. She could make him die slowly and painfully...the idea made her smile.
"Ober," came Ella's tight voice. "Ria is but fifteen..."
"Many princesses have married before that age," he laughed unpleasantly. "And it is for the good of Kyrria. Rianna, dear, you surely realize how important Kyrria is? And if we were to break the promise I have already made to Halona...the effect on Kyrria would be unpleasant. You both know how much Halona contributes to our trade and industry."
Ella stood and curtsied. "If we may, Lord Ober, retire to our chambers to talk over this...situation?"
"Of course," he drawled.
Ella grabbed Ria's hand, and they walked out of the repulsive room as quickly as possible.
"Did you hear him?" Ria hissed. "We have the second-largest navy in the world! We don't need more ships! He's getting me away! And he's doing something about our NAVY not the famine, or the high taxes, maybe?"
Ella put a finger to her lips. "The kitchen," she whispered. When they arrived, Mandy, taking one look at their faces, led them into a side pantry.
"What's the matter, sweets?" she asked anxiously.
"Ober," Ella said, tears appearing on her face, "has just betrothed Ria."
Mandy gathered both of them in a hug. "Oh, dearies," she
said. "We must do something."
"He's going to ruin Kyrria," Ria said. "Unless someone stops him."
"Which is what we're going to do," Ella said firmly. "I have a plan."
"What?" Ria asked in a disbelieving tone. "You know that Halona can wage war on Kyrria if we don't follow through."
"But they can't blame us if you're dead, can they?" Ella asked, exchanging glances with Mandy.
"You're going to kill me?" Ria asked, giggling a bit. The idea seemed crazy.
"As Mandy can tell you, fairies have...ways of making a person look like you, and dead."
"Mandy?" Ria asked.
"It's big magic, Lady," Mandy said, looking at Ella.
"But it's not that big! It wouldn't be...if you just made a temporary simulacrum, for just two days?"
"And then simulacrum just disappears?" Ria interrupted.
"Basically...I've heard of it being done before," Ella said carefully, with a quick grin.
"Lucinda," Mandy muttered.
"...it makes the simulacrum appear exactly like the person- and Mandy, you wouldn't have to be doing a living one!" Ella said.
"I know, I know but sweets, if I make the
simulacrum...there's consequences," Mandy said. "Fairies have punishments. They
can't undo the spell, once it's there, but they can punish me."
"How?" Ria said. She wouldn't hurt Mandy, not intentionally.
"They take my magic away from me," Mandy said. "I'm still a fairy, and I'll go on living forever, but I can't do my magic anymore."
"Oh, Mandy..." Ella said. "There's no way then..."
"Shush. Lady, I will decide." She walked out of the pantry to the stove. "Now, taste this." She poured a spoonful of soup of soup down Ella and Ria's throats.
"Mmm. Good," Ria said. There was nothing wrong with Mandy's food, ever.
"Now," Mandy said, "I think I will."
"You're going to make the....?" Ria asked breathlessly. Mandy was notorious for quick decisions.
"Yes. I've made my decision," Mandy said firmly.
"Mandy, are you sure?" Ella's face was full of pain.
"Yes, Lady. And there is no changing my mind," Mandy said, smiling crookedly.
Ella hugged Mandy tight. "Although I wonder how much Lucinda's behavior has rubbed off on me," Mandy said, hugging her back.
"Mandy, thank you," Ria said. She squared her shoulders. She would leave, but come back. Kyrria was rightfully hers. She wouldn't desert it.
"So we pretend you were struck with some plague, which means that people avoid you. We can put the simulacrum in the tomb, and it will disappear when Mandy takes off the spell," Ella reasoned.
Ria raised her eyebrows. "And where would I go?"
Ella closed her eyes with pain. "You'd have to leave the palace. Maybe even Kyrria."
"Mother..I can't leave you and Mandy here!"
"You'll have to. We'll survive. Ober loves Mandy's food, and he can't do anything to me, or the Kyrrians would revolt. You'll have to make for Ayortha. But, Mandy..." Ella asked.
"Yes, sweet?" she asked, stirring her soups.
"Ober- if he isn't a mage, like you said before...then what is he?"
"Ober isn't a mage?" Ria asked, surprised. She'd always thought he was.
"No, Mandy tells me he isn't. Mages always have a special ring of their order, and Ober doesn't wear it," Ella explained.
"Then what is he, Mandy?" she asked, puzzled. Who had the magic to cast a spell over the king of Kyrria?
"He," she said, lips pursed. "Is a renegade of my Order."
"He's...a FAIRY?" Ella exclaimed. "But...how?"
"I told you," Mandy said. "The only distinguishable trait of a fairy are their feet, and he stuffs his shoes. But he's a fairy. A renegade fairy, but still a fairy."
"Was he expelled from the fairy Order? Why?" Ria asked.
"He went too far. He always broke rules. Big magic," Mandy said, stirring her soup furiously.
"Then," Ria asked. "Why wasn't Lucinda expelled?"
"Dearie, only after Lucinda did our Fairy Order create a clause for expulsion. She was the cause of it," Mandy said.
"And he broke it? How?" Ella asked, intrigued.
"Big magic, I told you. He used to be advisor to the Ayorthaian king, you know. He went too far and did a mind-control spell. He had to flee from Ayortha. He changed his disguise, since us fairies were after him. He laid low for awhile, then when we relaxed our guard he pounced- on Char."
"I told him," Ella murmured. "But Char was too trusting."
"Then why isn't the Fairy Order alerted?" Ria asked, exasperated. "Why isn't his magic gone?"
"Ria, dearie, the Fairy Order is- hard – to reach. They make it that way, so only important matters reach them." Into her soup pot, Ria heard Mandy mutter "Persnickety old crockheads."
"Where are they?" Ria asked. She was going to disappear, so she could alert the Order. Then Ober would be vanquished, her father would be well...
"Ayortha. Which is why I want you to go there," Mandy explained. "But it won't be easy to find them. They've hidden the office- it makes them feel important."
"I'll find them, Mandy! And then they can get rid of Ober!" Ria gave a little skip.
"It won't be that easy," Mandy warned. "First, get ready to leave. Probably by next week. And we have to make preparations, get the simulacrum ready..."
"This can't be real," Ria groaned. "It sounds so...funny. Ridiculous."
"It is real," Ella sighed. "Whether we like it or not."
-Alqualyne