Hey guys, here is another chapter for you to read, hope you like it. As always, thanks for the reviews and thanks to my beta-reader. _000_ is for brakes in the pages.
Chapter 7: Cat got your tongue
Queen Metalia sat on her throne admiring herself in a golden hand mirror when she was rudely interrupted by one of her lowly soldiers.
"My Queen, I have some bad news," the soldier said, pounding his chest three times.
"Tell me," Queen Metalia hissed at the soldier through clenched teeth, smashing her mirror on her throne, glass falling to the floor in large shards.
"The priests and priestesses of Hermes have escaped," the soldier said.
"No! How did they escape?" Queen Metalia cursed.
"Three strangers came into town unnoticed by our guards; they freed the priests and priestesses. A man who was there said that he saw one of the women wearing a silver dress," the guard breathed out, afraid of the Queen's anger.
"Priestesses of Selene," Queen Metalia whispered, surprised to have moonlings in her city.
With one swish of her hand the shards of glass lifted into the air and impaled the guard's stomach. Pain filled his eyes as his blood leaked out of his mouth. Queen Metalia relishes in the sight, her red eyes drinking in his pain as he fell to the floor in a pool of his own blood.
"Guards!" Queen Metalia called, jumping up from her throne, her black gown swishing along the floor. Two guards raced into the room stopping before the dead body and pounded their chest three times.
"Get someone to clean up this mess and find the people who have set the priests and priestesses of Hermes free!" Queen Metalia screeched, making her guards flinch.
With three pounds to their chest they scurried from the room, shouting orders as they rushed down the hall. Within minutes a maid and two guards came back in. The guards removed the body while the maid cleaned the floor.
"What are priestesses of the moon doing in Volos?" Queen Metalia wondered as she watched the maid clean the blood from the floor.
_000_
Ami opened another door which led them into a dark empty house. Ami touched the metal rings on her belt that Mercury had given her; her heart felt lighter now that she knew her fellow priest and priestesses were in the underground house, safe." The metal rings were a weapon unlike any other; at first glance they looked like playing rings, but a flick of the wrist and a press of a button on the inside of the main rings brought out razor sharp spikes; when thrown, the rings could cut through skin like a hot knife through butter. Mercury was never without these rings—forged by Hephaestus himself—and it touched Ami's heart knowing that the old man trusted her so much.
"Ami, what happened to the temple?" Serenity asked, climbing out of the hole.
"There was a great fire which killed many priests and priestesses; my mother and father were among the dead," Ami explained in hushed tones. "Only a handful of priests and priestesses survived, only to be captured by Queen Metalia and tortured by her hand. The survivors where then tied up and placed at the temple to starve," Ami cried tears slowly making its way down her eyes. "I watched my fellow priests and priestesses die until there were the four of us left. Children would throw scrapes of food at us which we ate."
"I'm sorry for making you remember such sorrow," Serenity apologized.
"That's okay," Ami said, wiping her eyes, "it's nice to tell someone. We choose to live in Volos under King Ramos' rule and he was kind to us and asked for our guidance in his time of need, but once he died, Queen Metalia turned the people against us and destroyed our home and everything we had. Somehow she brainwashed King Ramos' former subjects; we do not know how she achieved this but she was unable to turn us to her will and when we spoke out against her she destroyed our home and lives," Ami explained.
"Where do we go from here?" Ella asked, changing the subject, not wanting to hear anymore of Ami's sad story.
"We stay here for the night and come morning, we head south. We should reach the gate within two and a half days if we stick to the tunnels," Ami said, looking out the window.
Serenity noticed the sky darken to twilight as she stood and made her way over to Ami. The streets were busy with people bustling about, most likely looking for them. When Ella moved towards a candle on a wall, Ami voice stopped her. "We cannot have light, for if they see a flame they might try to investigate," Ami said, closing the certain; darkening the room.
"Maybe we should head back home to Pheria and forget about going to Thessaloniki," Ella spoke up, fear dripping from her voice.
"No, we have to push on, High Priestess Alexis has faith in us," Serenity said sternly, looking around the darkened room towards Ella's voice.
"I don't know if I can take it, I'm a Priestess, not a warrior!" Ella screamed, her feet pounding the floor.
"Keep quiet, Ella, lest you bring about our destruction," Ami hissed, peeking out the window to see if Ella's voice drew attention of the people outside. Thankfully, it did not.
"I want to go home, Serenity," Ella choked out, on the verge of tears. "Mina may be cut out for this, but I fear I am not."
Mina said nothing, waiting and watching all in quiet observation.
"We have to try, Ella. Get some sleep and ask for guidance from the Goddess Selene tonight in prayer for courage," Serenity cooed gently.
Tired herself; Serenity laid down, using her hands as a pillow and said a silent prayer to the Goddess before going to sleep.
Hours passed and soft snores could be heard throughout the room, but one person stayed awake. Ella could not go to sleep, fear gripping her heart, squeezing it tight, making her breath come out heavy and uneven. Sweat poured from her brow as she wished that she was back home in Pherai sitting with her fellow priestesses-in-training doing humble chores and taking prayer in front of the Goddess Selene's temple. With tears in her eyes, she finally sat up and silently went to the door. Nothing but darkness greeted her as she opened the door slightly. Swiftly, she gathered her bag which was still packed with food and water, and left the house.
"I'm sorry, Serenity, but I can't journey with you any longer, I'm going home," Ella whispered to the wind, hoping that she was doing the right thing.
With her cloak covering her hair and gown, she started down the road, heading north, hoping that it would lead her back to the main gates. Sticking to the sides of the houses, she blended in with the dark, stopping only when someone passed by. With quiet steps she made it back to the center of town where they rescued the priests and priestesses of Hermes. There were no more houses to lean against as she took slow steps into the square; her only hope was to get to the houses on the other side. Ella looked all around for Queen Metalia's guards and smiled when she saw no one there. Walking into the moonlight, Ella took careful steps across the square. Suddenly, a rustling sound to her left made her take off in a sprint and she got to the other side of the square within minutes. With shaky breaths, Ella looked over her shoulder to see what had made that noise and she let out a small laugh when she saw a cat prancing in the moonlight. Sighing, she turned and fell into the arms of a soldier dressed in all black, his black hair tied in a high ponytail, his blue eyes boring hatred into hers. Gripping her arms tightly with his left hand, he pulled back her cloak with his right. Red hair flared out of the cloak and her silver gown caught the moonlight.
"You are one of them," the guard hissed, bending her arm behind her back.
"No!" Ella screamed.
She tried to kick at his knee but he was swift and easily moved away without letting her go. With one swift move he had Ella on her knees as he griped the back of her hair.
"Come with me now, or I will kill you where you stand," the guard seethed.
Whimpering slightly, Ella allowed the man to help her back onto her feet. Digging his fingers into her right arm, he dragged Ella to the castle.
_000_
Three bangs sounded through the room, waking Queen Metalia instantly. Grumbling under her breath, she threw back her black silk sheets and strode unhurriedly to answer the door.
"Who dares to interrupt my resting?" Queen Metalia hissed as she opened the door to reveal one of her many guards.
"Forgive me, my Queen," the guard stammered. "We have caught one of the strangers that freed the priests and priestesses of Hermes."
Queen Metalia blood red lips turned into a wicked smile as she took in the news.
"Good! Bring her to the throne room in twenty minutes," Queen Metalia instructed before shutting the door.
With a spring in her step, she quickly dressed in her best black dress. The dress clung to her curves and had a black rose on the right breast, and she felt it helped her exude power. Taking a seat at her vanity, she slowly brushed her black hair in even strokes, making sure she looked her best for her guest. Smiling at her work, she donned on some khol for the eyes and red berries to make her lips redder. Smiling at herself, she quickly blew her reflection a kiss before walking out the door. Queen Metalia sauntered down the royal hallway of portraits of former Kings and Queens, pausing before the last picture of her dead husband Ramos.
"You were a good king and husband," Queen Metalia said to the painting. "It's a shame I had to be the one to kill you."
Queen Metalia studied the painting and how the painter caught her husband looks well. His short blond hair style like a halo around his head, blue eyes judging her even in death. The painter captured his sun-kissed skin and high cheek bones, his slender neck and lean build. Queen Metalia gave her late husband one last glance before she turned right, heading to the throne room. Upon entering the throne room, Queen Metalia's cruel grin stretched further as she saw a young girl with bright red hair tied to a chair, her silver gown spilling on the floor around her and her black cloak ripped to pieces at her feet. Two guards stood on each side of the chair and Queen Metalia heard the girl whimper in fright.
"What do we have here?" Queen Metalia purred, gliding towards the girl. Slipping behind the chair, she curled her fingers within the girl's red hair and yanked her head back.
"Black is not your color, child," Queen Metalia hissed. "What brings you to my home?"
"Nothing, just passing by," Ella squeaked out, tears stinging her eyes.
"Moonlings do not travel, tell me the truth," Queen Metalia seethed yanking her head back further.
Ella cried out in pain as her neck stretched too far back, more tears leaking out her eyes. She wished that she had never left her fellow priestesses.
"We are on our way Thessaloniki to deliver a letter to King Damon," Ella cried out truthfully.
Queen Metalia stared into the girl's frightened eyes as she drew her face closer.
"What is your name, child?" Queen Metalia asked.
"Ella, priestess in training of the Goddess Selene," Ella whimpered out.
"Where are the others? My people have told me there were three of you who saved the priests and priestesses," Queen Metalia demanded, pulling her head back further, almost to the breaking point.
"I don't know! We were in some house!" Ella screamed, her cries bouncing off the wall.
Queen Metalia released her hair, walking away from her. Queen Metalia sat down on her throne. The guards quickly positioned Ella's chair so Ella's eyes met the Queen's.
"What does the letter contain?" Queen Metalia asked, her red nails stroking the arms of her chair.
"I'm not sure, it was High Priestess Alexis who wrote the letter, we've never spied into the letter," Ella choked out hurriedly. Fear touched her heart as she stared into Queen Metalia's red eyes.
"Then I have no use for you," Queen Metalia said.
Black started to fill Queen Metalia's irises as she started to speak words of power, her fingers pointing to Ella. The room fell into darkness as the lights went out within seconds. Ella's scream chilled the guards' souls but they stood still, afraid to move.
Ella screamed as she felt her body being squished, her bones breaking and reshaping. Blood slid down her body as her skin ripped open. Ella felt her hair grow from her head and travel down her body, wrapping around her arms and legs. Ella wiggled and struggled in the chair but the rope and her hair held her too tight, with one last scream she closed her eyes and waited for death.
The lights flashed on and Queen Metalia smiled at the chair. Both guards cried in shock and stepped back from the chair. On the chair sat a small cat with red fur, its sharp green eyes wet.
"This is one of my favorite spells, Ella," Queen Metalia cooed, standing up from her throne.
Queen Metalia swept over to the chair and scooped up the cat in her left hand. "You look like an ordinary cat, I must make you stand out," Queen Metalia said to herself.
Using her sharp nail, Queen Metalia carved a crescent moon on Ella's forehead, blood seeping out of the wound and Ella screamed anew. Queen Metalia spoke two words in a language unknown to Ella that came out sharp before she took her nail away.
"You and your decedents will always bear this mark, and it fits you, Ella, being a priestess of the moon," Queen Metalia laughed, looking at the bloody crescent moon bald spot. "Now go."
Queen Metalia threw the cat across the room by the door and watched as she scurried from the room.
"Follow her, she might lead us to the others," Queen Metalia ordered.
The guards pounded their chest three times before carrying out their Queen's order.
"Now the fun begins," Queen Metalia laughed, walking out of the throne room.
_000_
Darkness covered the land as the moon hid behind some clouds in the night sky. A small, shadowy figure scurried through the trees on the edge of Endymion Palace. The figure could hear sheep culling in the distance. With watchful eyes, the figure snuck out of the trees and ran down the hill to the pasture where the sleep lay. There was a small pond at the edge of the clearing and the figure decided to bury his treasure there. With silent feet, he crept to the edge of the pond and dug a shallow hole with his fingers, not stopping until the hole was three feet deep and four inches wide. He plucked a black pouch from his side and removed the black cloth from the pouch; unraveled the cloth he'd secured around the crystal. The shadow turned his hand and the crystal dropped into the hole, and he quickly covered it with dirt. With a covert look around, he got back up. Seeing no one, he headed to the trees but his feet faltered and he fell to the ground, disturbing the sheep. They baaed with alarm. He heard distant but loud voices and hastily got to his feet, running away quickly. The trees loomed closer and he was almost free until a man in gray stepped out before him, blocking his path.
That's it for now. Review and tell me how you like my story so far, and thanks for the reviews i recieved already. Another chapter will be up soon. Thanks again and Smile. :)
