A/N - Oh my gosh guys, I am so so so sooooo sorry it's been so long since I've updated this fic! I didn't want to post this until I got a few more chapters finished, but I feel awful that I left you all with a cliffhanger for so long. Ack! So, I've decided to post this chapter to prove that this fic is still alive and well :) It's just slow going. Though, I can't promise when the next chapter will be ready and will not committing be to a posting schedule, just be patient with me please! Thanks! Enjoy! :)
The atmosphere in the grand council chamber was thick with anticipation.
Francisco and Luisa sat in silence, sharing a long look, communicating in a wordless language of their own. Esteban sat at the council table with his head in his hands muttering distractedly to himself. Naomi looked sympathetically between each of the council members, knowing how they must all have carried the burdens of their people's suffering for so long, when her eyes fell upon Elena and Mateo at the center of the long table. Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, she watched Elena, who she was surprised to see wasn't pacing as she was prone to do in such high stress moments. Elena was watching Mateo— almost unblinkingly— her mouth turned down in an almost imperceptible frown.
Though Elena tried to keep her face smooth and free of emotion, she couldn't help the anxiety coursing through her as they waited for Armando to escort the refugees into the council chamber. Turning in her seat to get a better look at Mateo, she could see the haunted shadows flickering in his eyes. Squeezing his hand gently, their eyes met.
You're worried Nicolás de Alva is about to walk through that door, aren't you?
Mateo gave her a half smile. Was it that obvious?
Only to me. She smiled softly and leaned into his arm. Just remember, I'm right here beside you no matter who comes through that door.
Nodding, he pressed himself into her side. He swallowed hard as he looked into her eyes and saw his soulmate and life partner looking back out at him. He could do this— he didn't even know if it was Nicolás who had arrived. There were hundreds of people Shuriki had captured after all.
What were the odds?
They were jolted back to reality as they heard the rattle of the council chamber door knob turning and the door was pushed open. Elena sprang to her feet, still clutching Mateo's hand, as she watched Armando step into the room— her smooth, emotionless mask giving way to nervous anticipation. Heart racing, Mateo stood, staying close by her side, each lending the other strength and support for whatever discovery they were about to make.
Armando still looked a little pale, but seemed to have collected himself. Clearing his throat nervously, he pulled himself to his full height— which admittedly wasn't much— and surveyed the council chamber as he said, "Your majesty? Grand council? May I introduce the Lady Jimena and the Lord Antonio? Formerly of Avalor but recently escaped from a prison camp in the Northern Islands." He bowed and stepped to the side, ushering the aforementioned guests through the door.
Still clutching Elena's hand as if it was a lifeline, Mateo released a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. Neither of the refugees standing in the doorway looked even remotely like the man he had once called "father". Mixed emotions warred within him as he tried to reconcile the supreme relief and disappointment that nearly overwhelmed him.
The pair of refugees crept through the door, eyes darting nervously around the room as if looking for danger. Both looked to be middle aged–– perhaps in their early fifties–– and wore little more than rags.
Lady Jimena gasped, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes filling with tears as they fell upon Elena.
"Princess Elena!" she cried out, falling to her knees, as Lord Antonio quickly followed suit. "I– I can't believe it's you! We thought you died almost 43 years ago. But–– you're back!"
Elena and Mateo exchanged a look as Elena squeezed his hand and stepped away, hurrying around the table to the pair. Kneeling beside the woman, Elena placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Please, you don't have to kneel or bow before me."
Lady Jimena sniffled and looked up into the kind face of the princess she remembered from her childhood so many years before and smiled shakily.
Elena said, "I think you must have quite a story to tell. Will you please tell it to us?"
The lady nodded.
Elena called out to no one in particular, "Could we bring in a few chairs for our guests, please?"
To her surprise, Esteban leapt from his seat and hurried from the room, calling over his shoulder, "I'll take care of it!"
A moment later he returned with Armando, each carrying a stuffed wingback chair and a blanket. They arranged the chairs in front of the council table. Elena helped Lady Jimena up and led her to one of the chairs, directing her to sit as Esteban slipped the blanket around her shoulders.
Mateo appeared at Elena's elbow, reaching past as he handed the woman a hot cup of tea, which she took gratefully, murmuring, "Thank you."
Elena glanced at him in surprise, Where you get that from? Magic?
Mateo shrugged, smiling crookedly.
You're amazing, querido.
Blushing, Mateo handed a second cup to Lord Antonio who had settled comfortably in the other chair, and walked back to his own seat. Once Elena had ensured the comfort of their guests, she went back to her seat beside him.
Lady Jimena took a sip from her cup and said, "Thank you, your highness, for your hospitality. I'll be honest," she glanced sidelong at her partner, "we didn't expect to find help from the palace when we arrived. In fact, we'd planned to lie low and find help through old contacts we'd hoped had survived the years."
Elena raised an eyebrow curiously. "I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand. Why would you think we wouldn't help you?"
Lord Antonio spoke up, "Because, your highness, until we docked our boat, as far as we knew, Shuriki was still on the throne."
Esteban flinched at those words, haunted shadows flickering in his eyes, "But she's dead," he said hoarsely, "She died over two years ago!"
The refugees looked intently at the chancellor and at each other. Swallowing hard, Lady Jimena said, "No, she's not. As far as the Avalorans in the labor camps knew, she was still queen. She'd visited our camp only few months ago, just before we made our escape."
The grand council stared openly, varying degrees of shock evident on each face.
"But she fell of the bridge!" Luisa cried out, her eyes flashing angrily, "I saw her!"
"Apparently she survived the fall," Francisco said slowly, thoughtfully stroking his beard, "and retreated to a place where the people still regarded her as queen."
"Only because we didn't know any different," Jimena said with a dark look, as if offended that the witch had been able to fool her.
Mateo's mind reeled with the possibilities. Could this mean that Shuriki was plotting further revenge against Elena? As punishment for leading the final charge against her? He clenched his fists in his lap as he silently vowed to keep the witch's cursed magic from touching his beloved ever again.
He glanced at Elena, his heart clenching painfully at the panic he saw flickering in her wide eyed stare. Jumping slightly as Mateo slid his hand around hers, Elena looked into the eyes of the one who had played a key role in pulling her from her 41 year nightmare–– were they about to endure another?
Shhh...mi amor. It's ok.
Elena let the pain and fear show to the one person she knew she didn't have to put on a brave face for. I thought she was gone forever.
We'll be ready for anything she tries. Just remember, he smiled reassuringly, I'm with you–– all the way. He squeezed her hand and flashed her favorite crooked grin.
Elena raised an eyebrow, Didn't I tell you the same thing a few minutes ago?
Shrugging, Mateo quirked his own eyebrow in return, That's why we're perfect for each other, I suppose.
Elena took a deep, shuddering breath as she put on her brave crown princess face and turned back to their guests.
"Please, Lady Jimena, Lord Antonio, tell us your story and how we can help." She gestured for them to speak and sat tall, listening intently as she kept her fingers interlaced with Mateo's.
The refugees looked at one another and Antonio nodded for his wife to begin. Clearing her throat, the lady said, "As you know, I am Lady Jimena Salazar formerly of House Martín and this is my husband, Lord Antonio Salazar. Our parents were members of King Raul's court when we were just children–– before the witch invaded. Our families were among the nobility who opposed Shuriki, but laid low for many years until we could figure out what could possibly be done about it. In those years, families were torn apart and many were taken prisoner by the witch for "law breaking"–– things like singing or dancing in public, speaking against the queen, or showing signs of having magic. Punishments were never temporary, if one of your family members was taken prisoner, you never saw them again."
The room was silent, each council member listening intently as the lady spoke. Francisco spoke up, "Was the fate of her prisoners known to anyone?" He looked at Esteban as he spoke.
Esteban swallowed hard, exchanging a dark look with Armando, and shook his head. "No, it was a mystery to all of us. Even those of us who served closest to the throne. Shuriki had many secrets and she never confided all of her plans and projects to any one person."
Antonio nodded, "This is an accurate statement. The people throughout the kingdom certainly had no knowledge of the whereabouts of their loved ones. Even those of us in the nobility who spent a certain amount of time at court had no clue. After the first few years, it became assumed that prisoners were quietly executed. We thought perhaps that she maintained the mystery to enhance the climate of fear that she preferred to maintain throughout her reign."
"How awful!" Luisa cried out quietly, tears shining in her eyes. Francisco slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
Jimena continued, "This continued until about fifteen years ago when whispers of a resistance forming began to be heard throughout the kingdom. Everyone wanted in, from the lowliest peasant to the highest ranking noble–– including much of the palace staff and even a few of the guards. It was slow going at first, but over the following years, the resistance quietly grew. My husband and I joined as soon as we heard. Our plan was to infiltrate the palace and quietly take Shuriki down from within through stealth. We had eyes and ears all over the kingdom and inside the palace. Hope had quietly taken root in the hearts and minds of the people. It really felt like we were on to something and could be successful," Jimena's voice trailed off as her eyes shone with the memories of the work she'd helped with so many years ago.
Antonio took her hand, sharing a look with his wife, cleared his throat and continued on her behalf, "We even heard rumors that you, Princess Elena, were out there somewhere, biding your time and that the old royal wizard, Alacazar, had gone looking for you. The time was drawing near. Our plan was to defeat the sorceress and clear the way for your return, but––" he paused, looking away as he blinked rapidly.
"You were betrayed," Elena said in a near whisper.
"Yes, on the eve of our victory," Jimena continued, her voice thick with emotion, "our cause was betrayed. We later learned that one of our members had been captured and tortured for information about the resistance. That person had relayed our meeting place as well as the time and the date of our last meeting. Shuriki and a battalion of guards stormed our headquarters. Many of our comrades made it to safety, but dozens of us were captured as we tried to flee."
"Including yourself and your husband," Elena finished.
"Indeed," Jimena affirmed, "That was the night we learned exactly what happened to most of Shuriki's prisoners."
Antonio spoke up, "Dozens of us were sent to the dungeons and the guard captain sorted us like we were cattle, put manacles on our wrists and ankles and loaded us onto multiple ships. We sailed for weeks in the dark cargo hold with only a small ration of bread and water to eat and drink."
Naomi looked like she was going to be ill as she listened to the description of their sea voyage. "I can't believe they stuffed you in the cargo hold! That is not a space suitable for human passengers on any ship!"
"We weren't passengers," Jimena said with a wry smile edged with bitterness, "we were slaves–– human cargo."
"But there is nowhere in the Ever Realm where slavery is legal!" Luisa said, outraged.
"When you're the queen, you apparently make your own rules," Jimena said with a shrug.
Esteban clapped a hand to his face, muttering, "Aye yi yi, that's probably one of the reasons she kept it a secret. Imagine the diplomatic disaster that would be if word got out that Avalor legalized slavery. What a mess!"
"And there was one place slavery was legal until a few months ago. One place where they had no allies to appease and did as they wished for millenia," Elena pointed out.
"Malvara," Francisco said, nodding his head, "Shuriki's home kingdom."
"Yes, as a Malvaran magic wielder–– mediocre and middle class as she was–– she had no problem with the idea of holding slaves."
"Malvara?" Jimena said cocking her head to one side curiously, "You mean that reclusive island nation in the north? The one where all of Shuriki's magical overseers came from?"
"Wait. What?" Elena said quickly, her eyes widening in surprise, "I'm sorry, are you telling me that she has other sorcerers out on those islands?"
"She had sorcerers out on those islands. She doesn't anymore. Do you think we'd be here right now if she did?" Jimena said.
Perplexed, Elena raised a questioning eyebrow. "Why not?"
Antonio spoke up, "What you have to understand, your highness, is that they had our island protected by a magical barrier that no one but a Malvaran sorcerer could pass through, in or out. Plus, they had every single one of us under a spell binding us to our overseer. If any one got too far away from their overseer, they died. It only took one person finding out the hard way for the rest of us to understand what was at stake."
"We were powerless," Jimena said in a hoarse whisper, "Utterly powerless to do a thing against them once we were under their spell."
Elena and Mateo exchanged dark looks. They remembered all too well the effects of that particular Malvaran spell. Elena squeezed his hand, perhaps a little too hard, but he understood. She was livid. Completely livid that their people–– her people–– had been treated in such a way. Mateo knew the feeling. He was angry that Avalorans whose only crime was to stand up against a murdering witch had become slaves, and not only that, but Nicolás–– whom he still didn't know how to feel about–– the man who, though he lied and said horrible things to Mateo in the end, had been his father figure for the first eight years of his life. Had Nicolás been treated the same? Had he endured the same horrible fate?
Elena took a deep calming breath and said, in a steady voice that Mateo found rather impressive, "What happened to the sorcerers? How did you get away?"
"That's the funny thing," Jimena said thoughtfully, "we don't really know. A few months ago we were working as per usual when a disturbance flickered. It was like a wave of energy–– it apparently disrupted their spells. The overseers were staggered–– we think the energy wave disrupted their magic too."
"It did," Elena said matter-of-factly, her eyes gleaming with pride, "Mateo, here," she gestured to her royal wizard with one hand while squeezing his fingers with the other, "destroyed the source of the Malvaran's enhanced magical powers. It's a long story as to why, one for another time. Just know that our royal wizard is responsible for that disruption in their magic."
Jimena and Antonio regarded Mateo with wide eyes. "You–– you must be very powerful, young man, to have been able to accomplish such a thing," Jimena said warily.
Mateo shook his head modestly, saying, "Not really, I never could have done it alone. I had the Scepter of Light and Crown Princess Elena's help."
Jimena peered closely at him, as if trying to solve a complex puzzle before she saying, "You are in our debt, regardless. We never could have hoped to attain freedom without you," she nodded her thanks and continued her story, "So the sorcerers panicked, fearing what would happen to them without their magic once we realized they were now powerless. They fled in their ship, leaving us to our own devices. We were shocked, not knowing what to do now that we were free. Of course, we stopped all mining operations immediately and raided the overseers homes left behind for supplies."
"Wait," Elena said quickly, worry creasing her brow, "do the people left behind have food to eat? Clean water to drink?"
"Don't worry, your highness," Jimena said kindly, looking pleased by Elena's concern, "They are in no immediate danger. The supply ships usually brought dry goods that could be stored easily. There are enough grains, dried fruit and meats for them to survive at least a year. And their quality of life increased significantly once the overseers supplies became available to them. And we do have fresh water on the island, however," she paused, looking uncertainly at her husband before continuing, "it would be best if we could send help sooner rather than later."
Antonio spoke up, "This is true, the sorcerers took the ship but left a small sailboat behind. It was large enough for only a handful of people and supplies. It was soon decided that the two of us would sail out in hopes of finding passage off of that island for those left behind. Our plan had been to find a ship for hire and try to convince them that wealth was waiting for them on the islands–– seeing as we were mining diamonds, we figured the other work camps would be mining some other precious resource to make that greedy witch wealthier than she already was."
Jimena blinked rapidly, trying to hold back tears as she said in a low, hoarse voice, "But when we docked in the harbor, we immediately noticed the change in the mood around the city. Music and laughter echoed in the streets–– it was like waking up from a nightmare. It was the Avalor City from our childhood, only more beautiful. If that's even possible." She sniffled, swiping at the tears trickling down her cheeks. "And then, we heard in the streets that Crown Princess Elena sat on the throne, not Shuriki, so we came here–– to the palace–– in hopes that you would take up our plight and rescue your people."
"How many people are on the island you were from and how many islands were there?" Francisco asked.
"There were 56 adults and 22 children on our island when we left," Antonio answered after quickly counting on his fingers. "We're not sure how many islands total, only that there were more, they each were rich in a different resource, there were a few hundred workers, and that ours was the closest to the mainland."
"Children?! There were children on your island?!" Luisa said angrily.
"Yes," Jimena said sadly, "Though thankfully none of them had been captured by Shuriki. They had all been born over the years their parents had been held captive on the island."
"They–– they weren't slaves too, were they?" Elena asked with trepidation.
"They were. Though once they were old enough to work–– around age seven–– they did a lot of the domestic work around the overseers homes. They didn't join the miners until they turned fifteen."
The room was silent, each of the council members pondering this extraordinary tale.
Mateo looked at Elena, meeting her eye and he could see his own need for action mirrored in her lovely face. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't disappointed when the middle-aged couple had entered the council chamber— though he'd also be lying if he said he wasn't equally relieved. His feelings about Nicolás de Alva were complicated to say the least. However, feelings about his father— or the man who lied about being his father— aside, Mateo felt a rising sense of urgency as the couple told their story. He wanted to go and find these people and bring them home, and, judging from the fierce determination that sparked in Elena's eye, he was pretty sure they were both of the same mind.
We have to go get them.
She nodded, Agreed.
They nodded in unison and Elena stood, placing her hands on the council table as she looked around, acknowledging each council member and their guests as she said, "I think we're all in agreement. Those are our people out there. We have to go and bring them home–– NOW."
