Demi Note- Hey yall! this little ditty comes in after CHAPTER 14 of a Dance of Flames. Just a little view of Eredin and Maeves world and whats going on over yonder. Enjoy!
Blue for Red
All around Maeve, sounds of excitement and battle preparations filled the air. Like her, countless contenders had gathered from across Tir ná Lia to earn a coveted spot among the ranks of the Red Riders.
But unlike her… they would not be successful.
She turned her determined gaze into the breeze to where she caught sight of Queen Áine, whom she served in any way she could… though usually that meant guarding her from danger whilst watching from the shadows of the palace. Occasionally though, she had the pleasure of being a friend to her.
Now that role had changed into something… more. Maeve had been given a mission, one she accepted readily. Even though it meant that if she failed, it would bring about the death of an innocent queen. Hers as well - but Maeve had accepted long ago, particularly because her father had drilled the knowledge into her, she was meant to have an early death.
Soldiers and guards typically did and as men and women all around her loosened muscles and sharpened blades, Maeve was ready. She would not fail.
She had a short sword strapped to each hip, one named Frostbringer and the other Winter's Edge - or just Edge for short.
Maeve glanced down at each sword in turn, running leather encased thumbs over the hilts. Every good weapon deserved a name… she had learned a lot from her father during his days as commander of the palace guard - none of it had been directed at her in particular, but she had overheard him long ago when she had been a child training with the other recruits.
Frostbringer had already been enchanted when she bought it, but Winter's Edge… Áine herself had enchanted it.
"You know I abhor anything winter." The then Princess Áine had said as she worked to imbue the blade with the essence of ice. "I know you can do this yourself, so why do you have me doing this?"
Maeve took a bite from an apple she'd just plucked from a basket and leaned back against a tree to watch the princess work some magic. "So that I can be honest as I sell it for coin. I imagine I could get a pretty decent price for a sword enchanted by the great Princess Áine."
The young princess answered with a grin. "We could begin selling these rather remarkable blades, save enough coin to travel the stars. Discover new lands. Meet dashing heroes."
"I take you up on that business deal. Let's leave and see what's out there. And if there's dashing heroes, there must be dark and brooding villains to conquer as well."
Maeve shook the memory away. They had just barely reached their majority in those days, full of silly notions and dreams. Things that never came to fruition as they settled into their social roles. Mediocre palace guard. Heir to the throne. Both grounded and never changing.
Until suddenly everything changed.
Áine was now Queen and though she was still grounded, there was nothing beyond this immediate threat to prevent her from traveling. But Maeve… she was embarking on a journey to the stars with her villain in sight.
An excited murmur went through the crowd of would be warriors surrounding her, and Maeve followed their attention to watch as Eredin Glas, general of the Red Riders… King of the Wild Hunt, in full armor strode into view. His company followed behind him, black metals gleaming in the sunlight and red fabrics whipping in the breeze.
She looked down at her simple fighting leathers, though the leather was dark, she favored blue trims and silver mail. She was going to miss them when she had to don the armor of the red riders. Red just was not her color, as Áine liked to say.
Finally, after what left like days of waiting, Eredin came forward. The crowd of civilians cheering at his appearance did not sit well with Maeve. The people loved him. For his centuries of conquering realms in their name, for driving back threats and knowing how to hold their attention.
"People of Tir ná Lia!" Eredin held a hand up toward the cheering people, before lifting the other in the direction of Maeve and the others standing by silently watching. "Warriors of blade and power! Those who would seek to destroy us from within have failed… but not without exacting a terrible price. A price which has left a place by my side empty. And so, I call upon you, those who seek to be worthy of glory, to take this place. But it will come at a cost. No Red Rider is given a place among our ranks, it is taken with the price of blood!"
The crowd lost their mind. They wanted blood spilt today and Eredin was going to see that the people were given what they wanted.
Maeve watched her targets long black hair whip in the wind while she smoothed a hand down her long red braid.
The Queen had wanted a tournament, had made certain that Eredin could not fill the spot with another mindless follower, though to look around her, it was obvious they all followed him blindly regardless. But he was going to make her pay for her power over him.
With a heart aching for her friend, Maeve allowed her hatred for Eredin to be her foci.
As her swords flashed through the sunlight, striking steel and leaving trails of ice cut into flesh, she told herself that he would pay. Even if he proved to be innocent of Áine's suspicions, he was guilty of far more transgressions. So, with every wound she inflicted, every spray of blood, every body that dropped to the ground, and every time she felt the sting of a blade finding a way past her defenses, Maeve renewed her strength and determination.
She couldn't say if she was the best. But she was the only one with a reason to want it as badly as she did. Nothing was going to stand between her and the King of the Wild Hunt.
It became obvious to Eredin near the beginning of the tournament that the woman dual wielding swords, was the one to watch. Something that was obvious to more than just him as he caught several of his soldiers watching her take down opponent after opponent.
She was not his choice. He preferred warriors that could wield weapons that would leave nightmares of terror in their wake. Not little swords more suited for children to play with.
However, she was the last one standing. Blood dripped down her blades as she approached him. Blue eyes stood out from a blood splattered face; lips lifted at one corner.
"When do I start?" She spoke directly to him as if she knew he could not refuse. A thought that had him sending the watchful Queen Áine a muted glare. But he remembered that the people waited and had expectations.
"Your name?"
"Maeve Ó Ceallaigh."
Amplifying his voice to be heard over the crowd, Eredin gestured in her direction. "Today's champion - Maeve Ó Ceallaigh!" After a long moment of listening to the crowd cheer, Eredin turned back to the still woman beside him. She did not wave to those cheering her or offer any expression at all. "Nithral will take you to the armory." Eredin flicked his gaze down her before meeting her eyes once more. He kept his comments about her size to himself. As much as he despised the way it had come about… she was one of his now.
As she walked away without another word, Eredin caught the speculative look on Caranthir's face. "Falling in love again?" Eredin managed to just keep his annoyance out of his voice.
The boy sent him a knowing smile. "We both know that under all that blood and dirt is a beautiful woman. Can you blame me for looking forward to drills come morning?"
The crowd began to disperse as Áine, and her entourage left the stadium. "I don't see why you would be; it will be me who is to test her limits."
"There is a crude joke in there, but I'll leave it at that." Caranthir said lightly.
"You leave the recruit to me - the commanding officer. You need to be worried about finding the child and the traitor." Eredin narrowed his gaze.
Caranthir grew serious. "She has not used the power in some time now. But she will slip up, and when she does, we will be ready for them."
Eredin didn't reply but dismissed the riders to the barracks where they were given orders to be certain they were ready to leave at a moments notice. As for himself, Eredin retreated to his office after removing his armor.
Scout ships had returned with reports from the child's home world, but they were not his priority at the moment.
Instead, he read for the eighth time, a letter from home. A letter from the servants informing him of the disappearance of his younger sister, Etain. The one light in his life was missing.
His thoughts turned to the calculating looks he'd received from Áine, the princess he had dismissed as silly and merely the ends to attain his goal. Now the queen who was revealing herself to be much more adept at the game than he'd previously believed.
If she had anything to do with Etain's mysterious disappearance, he would make certain that all Tir ná Lia - particularly Avallac'h and Ge'els, knew it was he who would put her head on a spike.
His hand clutched around the letter still in his hand as he felt the familiar stirrings of blood lust.
"Eredin!" Imlerith shouted as he burst into his office. The man had never taken to the correct protocol when it came to address him, but he was an adept killer and followed orders with a thirst for violence that matched his own, so Eredin did not punish him for the insolence.
"What is it?" Eredin asked without looking up from the letter.
"Caranthir has sensed the child. He knows where she is." Imlerith was already disappearing from view, already knowing his orders.
Eredin grinned as we drew a hand over his face, glamor distorting his features. "Time to hunt."