Author's Notes:
Yes, you have every right to be angry and impatient with me, and I will not even dare offer excuses for my lateness in bringing this chapter out! However, to make up for my insufferable slowness, I will inform you that Chapter 11 of My Lady Queen is also written and will be released next week.
Also, in the benevolent spirit of the holidays, and because my conscience is ridden by guilt, I have also decided to write a brief summary of what has occurred in My Lady Queen so far, in order to refresh your memory. If you don't need to read it, please scroll down to Chapter 10!
- - - Summary - - -
Serenity is the sixteen-year-old princess of Luna, a kingdom that is part of the Ferral Realm. Luna is only one of the five kingdoms (Luna, Mercurian, Venusia, Jupitar, Terra) that, at the beginning of the story, make up the Ferral Realm. Luna is also divided into subkingdoms, one of which, ruled by King Diamond, is Black Luna. However, Black Luna, although inferior to Luna, is also subordinate to the High Kingdom of the Ferral Realm: Terra. Terra, and thus the entire Ferral Realm, has been ruled by High King Gladius Torregon, until the beginning of the story. He has died and bequeathed his throne to his twenty-year-old son, King Endymion Torregon. As soon as Endymion is crowned, he immediately pushes back the Glauders (Saturnia, Martia, Plution, Neptunia, Uranus) who are led by King Celgrin of Uranus.
Serenity has one brother, Kunzite, who serves as Master of Diplomacy at King Endymion's high court, Crystal Terra. Because of her brother's closeness to Endymion, she unwillingly becomes betrothed to Endymion. However, before Serenity finds out about her new engagement, she meets Leoth, who is Endymion's brother in all but name and his Master of the Avant-Garde and Cavalry – basically, he is Endymion's right hand man. Leoth immediately falls in love with Serenity, and although Serenity tries to fight her feelings, she soon realizes that she does feel affection towards Leoth – but, what kind of affection? She's never sure.
Endymion comes to Luna to pick up his betrothed and to bring her to Crystal Terra. He also falls in love with Serenity, and doubtlessly, she with him. But he senses that there is tension and mixed emotions between his fiancé and Leoth. Despite this uncertainty of where Serenity's loyalties lie, despite Serenity's knowledge of Endymion's bastard unknowingly fathered with his half-sister Beryl, and despite some problems with Endymion's witch sister Lyann, who speaks of a prophecy ("…your blood and your future presence in Endymion's life will bring doom to him, and to all of us…") and sends her off on senseless adventures to Ruxur's Inn, etc., they leave for Crystal Terra.
During the crossing of the Red River, a river that divides all the kingdoms with deadly water and that can only be crossed on bridges made by Elf Crystal), the wedding party is attacked by Saturnian Riders. Defending herself, Serenity surprisingly kills one of their attackers. They find a half-elf young boy named Dielyn, who had advised the Saturnian Riders into their timely attack, and find that he had been forced by a mysterious witch to do her bidding and lead this attack against Endymion's wedding party. Serenity learns that Dielyn is a servant of Ilathier, an island dedicated to the goddess Isult, and Endymion informs Serenity that Dielyn is Leoth's son.
Once at court, Serenity meets Giluyenne, the High Priestess of Ilathier, and finds that the older woman has a great dislike for her. Despite hostilities at court, Serenity is wedded to Endymion and crowned as High Queen. After her seventeenth's birthday and a few months of marriage, Serenity is frustrated that she cannot conceive. Endymion is away from court on a campaign against Saturnia, which is overtaken eventually and annexed to the Ferral Realm. To let out her frustration, Serenity goes hawking in the woods. However, she falls off her horse, is captured, taken on a boat to the Island of Gawa, and there King Diamond awaits her, along with the king of Martia, Vænalion. King Diamond has lusted after Serenity for quite a while, and given this free opportunity to have his way with her, he does not hesitate to make advances on her. However, she delays his attempts by promising him to dance provocatively in front of his men at dinner. While in captivity on Gawa, Serenity also meets Luna, a talking black panther who is a Ferral spy acting as Diamond's pet.
Serenity is rescued from the island by Endymion, Leoth, and their men. During the battle for her freedom, she sees her good friend Degos being attacked by several men, and she jumps into battle reflexively, killing one of the men. Endymion is enraged by her recklessness, and upon reaching Crystal Terra, he does not see her for three days. When she is finally given permission to see him, he tells her that she is holder of Selene's Silver Crystal. He tells her that it was because of the Crystal that Vænalion and Diamond captured her, since it has immense power, and that she was guided by the Crystal to fight, to protect.
Serenity also learns that the person who planned her capture is one of her closest friends, Lady Rei of Martia. She confronts Rei and confines her to her chambers until the feast of Mabon, after which she would be obligated to leave. Although Rei is a lady of Martia, she was raised on Luna, for her parents had been loyal to Gladius Torregon, and had brought her to safety on Luna before their Martian lands had been overrun by the Glauders. During the feast of Mabon, Rei drugs Serenity's wine, as well as Leoth's and Endymion's, with an aphrodisiac. Desperate for release and feeling suffocated in the dining hall, Serenity leaves and goes to her chambers to wait for Endymion. However, Leoth shows up, and after they argue, he leaves. Serenity, having prepared herself for Endymion, falls asleep naked on the floor.
Endymion finds her there and they make love, but are soon awakened by Endymion's men, who report that Rei is leading a mob of drunken peasants into rebellion. The peasants have captured Leoth and Jadeite, one of Endymion's most valuable and closest friends who had been in charge of Rei's confinement. Led by Rei, they are protesting that Serenity and Leoth have betrayed Endymion, and they wish for the traitors to be punished. The evidence they offer Endymion is Leoth's footprints in the Queen's garden. Furious, Endymion demands to have Leoth and Jadeite back, and his men subdue the mob and capture Rei. However, the evidence is found – Leoth's footprints – and Endymion, already uncomfortable with Serenity and Leoth's odd relationship and the rumors already existent concerning the Queen's adultery, sends them both to Ilathier.
It is important to remember that because so many kingdoms and territories are involved, there is also a great diversity in religions. However, Christianity and Selenisism, or paganism, are the main religions, and the people of these faiths, having been forcefully brought together by wars, are highly anxious due to their religious superstitions and discriminations.
- - - End Summary - - -
All right, that is the best I can do for 3:00 AM! There is much that I left out, but I hope the summary helped instead of confused you. ;
As always, thanks so much for your support. Your reviews, emails, criticism, and even flames (yes, flames!) greatly motivate me to be a better writer and to keep going, despite the utter writer's block that I sometimes tend to suffer. Thanks so much!
Oh, the monthly music recommendation is: Loreena Mckennitt – Caravanserai.
Now, without further ado…
My Lady Queen
Chapter Ten – Ilathier Author: Moon Sparkle Contact: Sparklecutey (AIM) Rated: Teen-Adult
An icy gust of wind blew wildly, rattling doors and shutters, sweeping flecks of dusty snow off rooftops. It raged and howled, tearing at branches and slamming stray, empty barrels against the walls of alehouses and inns, stables and homes. It danced, unchecked, over the empty roads of the town, then peeled off the frozen ground to fly up into the giant clouds of threatening gray. The clouds sucked it in, swelling and expanding as they loomed over the town of Glintuit. The villagers crossed themselves and holed themselves further into the comfort of their homes, grudgingly accepting nature's boastful promise of a long, hard winter.
The ale was sugary and refreshing, a pleasant sweetener for the bitterness of a cold, December day. A strong fire popped and roared in the hearth's embrace, sending forth much-needed heat into the damp, cold chamber. The old hound underneath the table sniffed experimentally at the snow-covered boots in front of him and his tail began to wag furiously. His master was home.
"Good to see you too, Belan old boy." The voice was distant, distraught, but it was Endymion's voice nonetheless, and the dog was delighted to hear it.
"How old is he now, Endymion?" Nephlite sat in a chair next to Endymion, his usually calculating eyes casting a soft gaze on the elated dog.
"Nigh on fifteen years, I daresay. I was only six when my father gave him to me as a birthday present. I brought him here to Glintuit when I was nine. We had come here to take Zoicite to our court, but amidst the confusion, he was left behind."
Nephlite nodded, his eyes moving to look at the King with a well-disguised sense of … what? Pity? No, Nephlite did not pity Endymion, for his position was not a pitiable one. No, it was sympathy that the older, brown-haired Companion felt now for his King; sympathy that he knew Endymion would rather not accept.
Endymion sipped his ale and allowed the sweet liquid to comfort him, his hand moving to rest on top of Belan's head affectionately. He sighed wearily and forced his attention on the marked maps spread out in front of him. Though he was a man of action, a soldier, a leader of war, he could not think of a time when he needed rest more than he did now. He could not, for the life of him, remember what it was like to be free of worry and plans, aloof from the world of grown men and their responsibilities. Indeed, he doubted that he had ever experienced such a carefree life, for he had been trained to be King since his early youth. And tonight, sitting in the cold bedchamber of his castle in Glintuit, he was indeed King, surrounded by questioning eyes and lips that demanded to know his next move against the Glauders. Jesú, if only it would end!
Endymion's next target was Martia, a large and potentially prosperous kingdom, with warriors that were highly respected even by their enemies. Despite the fact that Vænalion was still Endymion's captive, the Martian warriors were wild, fierce, and fearless, and effectively fought off Endymion's light attempts at conquering their kingless land. They were a proud race, and Endymion admired their determination and boldness as they defended themselves without a true, God-appointed leader. And thus, his attempts at seizing their land with little force had been useless. Now he would strike with full power so that the deed would be done at last, and he could look beyond them and to the three remaining Glauder kingdoms: Uranus, Neptunia, and Plution.
"We shall have Gorgoth's son Rhys bring his men from Saturnia to meet us at the northern Martian border, for we cannot enter from the western shores of the River; Ruxur has his damned men there." The disgust with which Endymion pronounced the Elven lord's name put a grin on Jadeite's face as he entered the chamber.
"Oh, come Endymion. Ruxur is truly a likable fellow! All his … men… believe him to be." The King's mouth twitched, for everybody knew of Ruxur's open sexual relationship with his male servants.
"In truth, Endymion, you have been too soft on the Martians." Zoicite murmured from across the table, his green eyes narrowing as he glanced at the map stretched out beneath his mug of ale. "They have been terribly stubborn since they found out about Rei's imprisonment at Lleafen. They truly believed that she was their last hope against you because of her closeness to your …court. They trusted her, hoped that you would never move against Martia while she was in your favor."
"Damn that bitch! She's caused naught but strife since her arrival at Cry—"
He was sounding too passionate, too deeply troubled by the never-ending scandals caused by the strong-willed lady of Martia. Endymion checked his outburst before his generals believed him incapable of dealing with this issue. He reined in his temper and waited a few moments for the wave of fatigue to pass and his mind to clear. He could no longer wave these thoughts away by covering them with plans for battles and attack strategies.
After the night of the Mabon riot, Rei had been sent to Lleafen, a small but infamous castle in the northeastern part of Lieret. Imprisoned, she was not allowed outside her chambers, and her captivity had become Jadeite's sole obsession and, amusingly, his newest hobby. His pride wounded by his capture at Rei's duplicitous hands, Jadeite had at last shown the world that he was not a man to be played with, not the perpetually good-spirited Companion of the Terran King. While men who accompanied him in battle knew of Jadeite's deathly taste for vengeance, the common people knew now as well, and he was no longer going to be –
"— trifled wi'. This harlot has been playing games wi' me since I watched her crawl into her cage!" Jadeite's laugh resembled a cackle, and Endymion raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"What games?" He bit off the urge to warn Jadeite against Rei's manipulative nature, for they had all seen, firsthand, just how dangerous it was.
"She has decided to play the fool wi' me, the wretch. She refuses food and drink. When my guard wen' in to check her on the day I left to meet you here, she asked to see me. My curiosity got the best o' me and I wen' in, and was right surprised when I saw her. Lleafen has broken her already, it has! She's lost all that arrogance and pride, is naught but a pitiable wench now."
Endymion looked at Jadeite closely, narrowing ocean blue eyes to read his Companion with the scrutiny that so many of his subjects feared. It seemed quite impossible to Endymion that a few months in Lleafen tower had broken Rei's feral spirits. Signaling to the wine-servant to leave the room, Endymion waited for Jadeite to sit at the table before asking:
"And what did Rei have to say to you?"
"She was talking nonsense, Endymion! I paid no close attention to her." Jadeite's defensive remark troubled Endymion, indicated to him that what Rei had to say had made more of an impression on his fair-haired Companion than Jadeite liked to admit.
"But you did pay attention to her, Jed."
"Yes. She was begging for me to tell her why she was in captivity! She insisted that she did not know how she had wronged you, what she had done to deserve your anger and her punishment."
Endymion sighed. Rei's rebellious actions had planted so many seeds of discord, that since her imprisonment, there had not been a day that passed without his ears being flooded with advice about his current situation with the Queen. The Lady of Martia had succeeded in escaping comfortable confinement, in rallying up a great number of drunken peasants, and, most importantly, in portraying evidence of an adulterous relationship between the Queen and Sir Leoth. And, after accomplishing such a feat, she was not even taking credit for it?
"Perhaps she has lost her wits, or, more likely, she is trying to talk her way out of the tower. Be cautious, Jed, she might go after your guards and –"
"My lord!" Endymion turned to face the page at the door. "My lord, Sir Kunzite has just ridden into the bailey! He wishes to speak to you."
Endymion frowned. Kunzite never sent pages to ask permission to see him. He was much too close to Endymion to need consent. This could only mean the one thing that Endymion had been dreading to face since the night of the Mabon riot: Kunzite felt responsible for the awkward situation in which Endymion, Serenity, and Leoth now found themselves; furthermore, Endymion knew that Kunzite would never forgive himself for being the initiator of a marriage that almost brought the delicate Ferral kingdom to the brink of civil war.
The Companions stood up from the table. Jadeite yawned hugely, but was unable to keep the sardonic, lopsided grin off his lips.
"Tell the old boy that he still owes me forty Vilts for that bet we made in Mercurian. I will be the first to rob his grave if he does not acknowledge I was right, for once."
"You will never fail to amuse me, Jed." Zoicite's sarcastic comment earned him a magnificently obscene gesture from Jadeite, and Endymion would normally have found the two quite amusing. But his mood was not light, and he had begun to worry about minute things that he would normally check off with a simple thought. He knew that the guard shifted at sundown, but were his officers here in Glintuit as efficient as his officers at home? Were his men doing their jobs? Of course they were; these were Zoicite's men. Endymion frowned, reaching for his mug of ale and downing the liquid thirstily. What in God's name had gotten into him?
Seeking the comfort of reality, Endymion shifted his attention to the glazed window. He found little solace, for the day was slowly fading into a dim, hazy evening. It was that time of day which lacks certainty and clarity, lacks the heartening brightness of daylight and the all-embracing darkness of night - a time of transition, of change, which made the young King feel uneasy, for it too well reflected the precarious status of the Ferral kingdom, its subjects, and its leaders.
"Seven years in Terra and I have yet to get used to the terrible weather. It shall snow again, according to our Seer."
Endymion turned to face his wife's brother. Kunzite kneeled and formally kissed Endymion's ring.
"When I made you my Master of Diplomacy, I took for granted that the most traveled of my men would have an adaptive nature to the weather!" Endymion's attempt at dispelling the tension was slightly successful, for Kunzite smirked.
"Yes, well, the sun greatly favors Venusia, and thus, so do I. It's not difficult to get used to the hot sand beaches and clear blue waters."
"Yet I hope that basking in the sun was not your only activity there, Kunz." Endymion was not a man of formality in most situations. "Why the hell are you here?"
Kunzite paused for a moment before proceeding to unclasp his mantle, pulling the heavy cloak off his shoulders with seemingly great effort. He was thin, Endymion noticed, and the usually lively features of his face were downcast and marked by fatigue. Endymion forced himself to look past the likeness of Kunzite's Lunar features to that of his sister, but a heaviness of heart came upon him nonetheless, for the high-boned cheeks, the slight slant of almond-shaped eyes, and innate elegance of movement could not be ignored. Endymion scowled, mentally berating himself for his weakness, suddenly wishing that Kunzite would leave his chamber. Damn her, damn her…
Kunzite remained silent for a moment longer as he poured himself a mug of ale.
"I was loath to leave, but I've come because Athair advised it. He did not give me a reason," the Lunar knight shrugged, "but, as you well know, he is not a man to be argued with. King Lukien has at last decided to climb back onto his throne, now that the slaughtering has ceased, and so he is back in charge of his corrupt court. He is an old fool, Endymion, and must die or be dethroned soon, because his kingdom will be back in chaos under his rule by Christmas. He cares not for his people; his expenses consist entirely of feasts and jewels for his mistresses!"
Endymion nodded. He knew too well of Venusia's negligent, incompetent king, but even as High King, he could not challenge Lukien's legal status on grounds that did not consist of criminal action. Lukien was ineffectual, not evil, and the only power that had a right to oust the old fool was death.
The recent slaughter of Selene's followers on Venusian soil had been a painful reminder of that kingdom's need for a stronger and more skilled sovereign, for Venusia was a pagan kingdom, while the territories that flanked it - Terra and Mercurian - were Christian. This hotbed for religious uprisings had been thrown into endless turmoil during the wars waged by Endymion's father, Gladius Torregon, for his rule had required that all kingdoms declare an official religion. Undoubtedly, the laws had been passed for political reasons, but men of office always seem to disregard the social and cultural consequences of their "conciliatory" laws and subtle treaties.
"I want Jadeite on the Venusian throne. He is able and he is one of us. It is where he belongs. Lukien has no sons and has named no heirs. Jadeite is the oldest son of Lukien's dead brother and thus the rightful heir, but convincing him to take a crown will be akin to convincing a whore to take vows of chastity." Kunzite grinned at Endymion's analogy.
"Yes, and I suppose that convincing him to take the Venusian crown will be nigh on impossible. He has a great dislike for his home court."
Endymion nodded, remembering Jadeite's angry rants about the rampant corruption at the Venusian court, and the infinite list of nobles with whom he had quarreled, verbally and physically. Jadeite preferred to stay as far from his humble home as possible.
"And besides, he will insist on remaining as close to Lleafen as possible," Endymion murmured, turning to look directly at Kunzite. They could not avoid the subject forever.
Kunzite's smile disappeared and Endymion realized that, for once, his Master of Diplomacy found himself at a lack for words.
"I do not blame you for your sister's sins, Kunzite," Endymion said slowly. "God knows, if anyone is to blame, it's me, for I was too trusting, allowing the situation to get out of my control. It was under my nose all along, but I chose to ignore it."
There was a long silence.
"What will you do?" The question came at last, and Endymion felt his face grow hot as he was once again forced to answer a question that he wished to ignore.
"I do not know yet."
"You do not know?" Kunzite temper flared as he slammed his mug onto the table, sending Belan into growling retreat to the King's feet. "Endymion, you must remember your vows of kingship! Upon your acceptance of your crown, you promised the Ferrals that they shall receive justice. This situation will not remain in this stagnant, confused state forever. You will have to make a decision soon, for rumors have already begun to spread. People are saying that you gave the command for a secret execution on Ilathier, that Giluyenne's elves cremated Leoth and are using my sister's bones to make poison!" Kunzite was vehement, his voice rising and his face reddening, his words sharp and angry. "While you have been warring and conquering, the people are defaming your wife in every way, embellishing the stories of her "betrayal," accusing her of witchcraft! She does not deserve this, my lord, she does not. That Martian bitch has become a saint amongst the Ferrals, an imprisoned martyr who is suffering punishment for ridding your court of traitorous snakes! This is what your beloved people think; this is what Serenity has become – naught but a witch, a traitor, and a whore!"
Kunzite was breathing heavily. Endymion did not flinch, yet the knight's words were spreading through his conscience like wildfire, making his blood boil within his veins. Kunzite was the first to mention Serenity's name since the Mabon riot, for Endymion's men and courtiers had avoided doing so, fearing his reaction. .
"She should have considered the probability that her reputation would be utterly ruined when she decided to take my regent into her BED!" Endymion was no longer calm, fixing his icy gaze on the equally angry Kunzite, ignoring the whispers outside the door of his chamber. He scowled, angry that he should feel so guilty as the cerulean blue orbs in his mind's eye stared at him accusingly, pleadingly. Damn her!
"You are quick to accuse her of such a grievous sin, when all divinities know that you are no saint! Even if she did betray you in her drugged state, you of all people should know that not all sins of the flesh are committed willingly."
Kunzite felt his breath come short and his temples begin to throb, suddenly realizing what he had said. Had he gone too far? Yes, he must have, for no man in his right mind would ever directly mention the High King's darkest secret, his most shameful transgression, to Endymion himself.
Endymion paled, feeling his throat tighten as he struggled to choke off the hateful words in his defense. But truly, what argument was there? Kunzite was right. But of Serenity's betrayal, there remained no trace of doubt in Endymion's mind. He had found her naked on the floor, sleeping as deeply as any lover after nightly sport! The footprints that Rei spoke of had been there, deep and fresh in the moist soil, leading up to the Queen's terrace and into her chamber! Truly, what argument could be made in her defense?
Endymion turned away, moved back to the window and watched as the first snowflakes of the evening began to fall.
"She will not be put to death as the law requires, for God knows, I did love her." A lively giggle echoed in the back of his mind, followed by a graceful swirl of white gold hair as the ghost in his mind danced defiantly before a pack of lust-driven traitors… Endymion shook the haunting memories away, and turned to face Kunzite once more, feeling back in control of his emotions and his thoughts. "She shall be free to return to Luna as soon as the snows clear and the war ends," he said clearly, "and she must remain there."
"She will never remarry."
"Well perhaps we can exile our loyal Leoth to your lands, and they can live happily ever after." The biting sarcasm in Endymion's suggestion rekindled Kunzite's fury, but the knight would not allow himself to lose control again. He bit his tongue and straightened his shoulders, moving smartly to the door before lifting his sword to his brow in the soldier's solute.
"Then I am here to serve my King. I shall find Zoicite and he can fill me in on our plans for action. But before Your Grace asks me, I will inform you that Athair has remained in Venusia and has demanded that I convey this message to you: do not hope to look to him for reassurance about your actions against the Queen and Sir Leoth, for his Sight does not reach into the past, only the future." Kunzite bowed and promptly left the room.
Endymion let out a long breath in efforts to abate his anger once again, but as Kunzite shut the doors firmly behind him, a surge of fury overcame him, and he swore furiously as he picked up an empty flagon and sent it flying into the wall above the hearth. Cursing again as the hapless cup shattered, he drew a deep breath and shifted his attention back to the open maps upon the table. He paid no mind to the servant who had entered the room, fed the fire, and was filling an intact flagon with a trembling hand, until the young man cleared his throat nervously.
"What is it, Nick?"
Why was everybody afraid of him?
"M-my lord, the Lady Miranda awaits outside and wishes to know if Your Grace will see her tonight?" Nick set the bottle back onto the table and reached into his trouser pocket to pull out a thin and fragrant pink handkerchief. "She sends this as a reminder of her affections, my lord." As Endymion did not move to take the small gift, Nick mustered up enough courage to suggest, "she looks very pretty, my lord, as she always does, and is quite eager to see you."
But Endymion at last shook his head.
King, I am thine...
"No, not tonight, Nick," he replied quietly. "Tell the Lady Miranda, not tonight."
No news. There had been no news from the King, not even a messenger with information concerning her legitimate punishment - for exile on Ilathier could not be her sentence for such supposed betrayal. But for four months Endymion had not sent word, and Serenity now found herself forlorn and uninformed of the world's happenings, a captive on Isult's island.
"Ren? Are you all right?"
Ami's concerned voice was distant to Serenity, but she nodded, rolling up the sleeves of her dress. She moved mechanically to the table in the back of the Healing Chamber and dipped her bloody hands into the bowl of hot water. She watched with glassy eyes as the blood danced off her fingers in a patient, swirling dance, slithered in ribbons through the water, spreading and finally transforming the basin into a pool of crimson.
During her four months on Ilathier, Serenity spent her waking hours in the temple's Healing Chamber, learning herb lore from Giluyenne's priestesses and learning, from Giluyenne herself, how to use the Crystal's power within her for healing. It had been difficult for Serenity at first, for Giluyenne liked her not, showed no measure of warmth, no smile, not once since her arrival on Isult's isle.
She had arrived with an escort of ten men, sitting in a litter with Leoth's head still in her lap, his blood still flowing freely, seemingly never-ending in supply, into the fine material of her gown. They had received right of passage with a sealed letter from King Endymion, and the elves had solemnly helped Serenity position the dying knight in their boat.
Giluyenne had greeted them with naught but a curt beckon of her ringed hand, and Serenity had obeyed with a very heavy step, for Giluyenne's eyes held daggers. The High Priestess, surrounded by her excited acolytes, led them into the Healing Chamber, which despite Serenity's clouded state of mind, had taken her breath away.
The ceiling was not made of stone, or wood, or glass. Serenity could not determine what it was made of, for it was transparent and translucent, reflecting not the sky, but bright, unknown symbols on a misty, floating background of constantly changing shades of blue. Tall, thick candles cast away the dark shadows of the heavily packed chamber, and incense sent forth scents unknown to Serenity's nose. A row of netted beds lined the eastern wall of the chamber, and across from them, a row of tables, loaded with marked bowls, towels, herbs, and, to Serenity's alarm, a group of neatly arranged blades of various shapes and sizes.
Giluyenne had bid the men place the unaware Leoth on a bed before snapping instructions to her priestesses, ordering them to fetch herbs that, at the time, Serenity was not familiar with. None of Giluyenne's orders were questioned, disputed, or disobeyed. She reigned supremely, and Serenity had felt an unwelcome pang of jealousy. If only she could be as confident, as exacting, as in-control as this formidable Elven Priestess!
The priestesses had immediately begun to nurse Leoth, who, delirious in his fever, was speaking unintelligibly, gray eyes hidden behind a screen of misty confusion. Serenity had watched with a wildly beating heart, had sunk into a chair, grateful for the lack of attention, of questions and accusing glances. At long last, she was not the center of attention, and could safely retreat into herself. She had remained quiet and composed, cerulean eyes watching as Giluyenne's women had covered Leoth's ugly wounds with balms and bandages.
She had fallen asleep in her chair, and upon waking up, found herself in the same position, but the healing priestesses had exited the chamber. Leoth slept, though turbulently, for his clear brow was drawn into a pained frown, and Serenity had moved to his side, reaching for his hand, which burned with fever.
"You kept him alive, did you not?" The voice had made her jump, and Serenity turned around to notice Giluyenne approaching the bed. Rich black hair, tinged with green, flowed about her straight shoulders, beautifully lined eyes of amethyst concentrated on Serenity with searing heat or, perhaps, hate. A gown of forest green draped her tall, slim figure, and an elegant chain of gems and flowers lined her throat. Serenity had watched the Priestess silently, convincing herself to not feel intimidated by this amazingly powerful woman. She had lifted her chin and nodded, for the first time realizing that her blue gown and hands were covered in dried blood.
"I cannot say that being the holder of the Crystal is a fortunate thing for you, but with practice, the world can benefit from your burden. Since my discovery of your role in the Goddess' intricate plan we call fate, I have wondered why she has chosen you." As she spoke, Giluyenne reminded Serenity of a tutor with little patience for her students, speaking in a tone that was neither friendly nor patronizing, but direct and devoid of feeling.
"What is my role?"
"It is still unclear to us, but even if it were not, it would not be my place to tell you. As things stand, I have been burdened with the task of teaching you how to exercise your control over what you Selenisists call the Silver Crystal, what Christians call the Holy Grail, and what we, followers of Isult, call the Fire."
Serenity could not help herself from feeling curious, and had immediately felt the urge to ask more questions, but was interrupted by a low whimper. Both women had shifted their attention to the man lying unconscious on the bed. He was struggling with the sheets, trying to untangle himself and push them off as the scorching heat of his fever spread through his body.
"If he can fight this fever, he will live. There is naught else we can do for him; the wound was very deep, and he lost much blood, would have lost more, if not for you." This time, Serenity had detected a hint of bitterness in Giluyenne's voice. She would have waved the thought away, had the High Priestess not frozen when Leoth whispered Serenity's name, once, twice, thrice, until she at last took his hand in her own and clung tightly. The fire that burned in Giluyenne's eyes then had surprised Serenity, for she recognized it to be jealousy. But she soon dismissed this idea as preposterous and ill-founded, for the Elven Priestess had swiftly turned and exited the chamber without uttering another word.
Serenity had been given a small, simple room in Giluyenne's temple household, as well as a change of clothes and reading material. But she hardly spent any time in her new room, remaining instead by Leoth's side in the Healing Chamber day and night. The knight had survived his fevers, but took several weeks to recover from the wounds. Serenity learned from the priestesses how to mix potions, to blend them into the pungent balms that relieved Leoth from his agony. She also learned, from Giluyenne herself, how to concentrate the power of the Crystal on curing and reviving, on soothing and comforting. As the days had passed, and Serenity grew confident in her healing practices, she became Leoth's sole nurse, only sometimes assisted by two of Giluyenne's younger priestesses.
During the days in which his pain and fevers kept him silent or asleep, Serenity occupied herself with reading books of herb lore and medicine, or with singing for him, distracting herself from the guilt, the dreading for the future. And when Leoth began to recover significantly and was able to eat and drink consciously, they spent their time talking, sharing memories, reading poetry.
She told him of the time when, on her seventh birthday, she escaped the close vigil of her nurses and guards and wandered off into the village near her father's castle. She had made a friend there, a stableman's son who equaled her in age, affability, and courage, if not in rank. Small, alone, and well-dressed, Serenity had been spotted by the baker's rowdy brood. They had surrounded her and taunted her, demanding to know what she thought she was doing by invading their territory, by leaving the comfort of her lily-livered father's house. Degos, for that was the boy's name, had broken up their fun by taking her small hand and pulling her away from her tormentors, threatening them with a wonderfully rich vocabulary that should they follow her, he would send his dung-smelling fist right into their snotty noses. Serenity had endured severe punishment for her foolish escapade, but she had never forgotten the boy's bravery and kindness, his utter shock and delight when she told him that she was King Guston's daughter. Four years after their encounter, Serenity had begged her father to give her an escort so that she may go in the village and find her childhood savior, insisting that she would have never gotten away from the young hooligans, would have died then and there from angry frustration, were it not for Degos. Amused, King Guston had given her his permission, and Serenity victoriously returned from the village with a flushed and flattered Degos, the new royal stable hand.
"Small wonder that you would jump into battle and risk your neck to save the lad. Felt the urge to return an old favor?"
"In truth, Leoth, I cannot say. It was mere instinct. I was frightened out of my wits, but at the same time I could not think, only wanted to see him safe. That night is naught but a dream to me; it happened so horrifyingly fast."
"You were not the only one frightened," Leoth said softly, shifting his weight so as to lighten the pressure on his wound. "I have fought many battles with our odds even worse than they were on Gawa. But never in my born days have I have I been so anxious, for you were in danger. When I saw you on that stage, entertaining that pack of whoresons like a common harlot, I thought I would—"
"But you did not," Serenity interrupted him quickly, partly because she did not want him to become too excited and aggravate his condition, and partly because she did not want to relive that night by talking about it. Instead, she decided to steer the conversation into a different direction. "Yes, it was awfully degrading, but I had to delay Diamond's advances… Good Mother, it was a miracle that you showed up in time. I suppose I must thank your son, for it was he who located my whereabouts."
Leoth had frozen mid-sip, his grip on the wine flagon tightening and the slight color in his cheeks fading. Serenity watched him intently, for she had never confronted him about this subject in the past, had been too shy to ask, too afraid of the answer.
"I suppose you wish to know his history," Leoth said at last, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the pillow as he braved a wave of exhaustion. When Serenity nodded, he drew breath and began quietly, "I was but a lad of fourteen when I met Setsuna. I was still a squire at King Gladius' court and still his ward, but I had begun to crave for life outside Crystal Terra's walls. I had had my first taste of battle at Lyon that summer, for I had accompanied Sir Glerrys on the King's campaign to Venusia, and I was eager to get away from court's formalities to live a soldier's life. Endymion was wroth with me for wanting to leave. I am three years his senior, though, and at fourteen I had a different view on life than him. But when Gladius gave me permission to return to my parents' castle at Agneau, he understood. You see, when I was three, the Glauders had overtaken the western part of Terra, had killed and burned and looted everything in their path, and Agneau was no exception. My father's seneschal had succeeded in escaping though, taking me with him and bringing me to Gladius Torregon. And although I felt quite at home at Crystal Terra while I grew up, I'd always yearned to see where I was born, to see my parents' resting place. So little Prince Endymion understood."
Leoth paused. Serenity could see that the effect of the potion she had mixed for him was surfacing, for he suddenly seemed extremely drowsy. She was about to suggest that he continue his story on the morrow, but Leoth had opened his gray eyes and found energy to speak again.
"Although we had no problems with robbers or highwaymen, as soon as we crossed into Agneau, a storm hit us, pushed as back and sent us slightly off track, for the roads were flooded." He spoke with a wistful smile on his lips, the memories of his early youth making him feel carefree and invincible again. "The leader of my escort suggested that we entreat the elves on the shore of the Great Lake, ask them for shelter on their island. I thought the storm had gotten to his head, had maddened him, for no man with his wits properly about him would want to visit the witches of Ilathier!" Serenity frowned, not understanding, for she had been raised to believe that the elves on Ilathier were friendly people, and she had seen from her brief stay that the priestesses were indeed very hospitable. Leoth had smiled sleepily, seeing her confusion. "This was before the merging of the kingdoms, Ren, before Gladius had brought the people together and had shed a more benevolent light on the elves. Terra is a Christian land and its people harbor a great hate and awful fear for foreign religions. But surely, you must know this, for although the people have become used to having different faiths amongst them, they are still not entirely comfortable. Not everybody approved when Endymion married you, a worshiper of Selene, but their fear of the Glauders outweighed their superstitions."
Serenity nodded, remembering the uneasiness of Endymion's priest on the day of their wedding, the dubious whispers that had riddled their marriage feast. She had ignored it, however, having Endymion's strong presence at her side, his smile a constant source of comfort and reassurance every time she had needed it. But now…
"As foolish as Bran's idea seemed, I agreed, for we had nowhere else to go until the storms abated. Now, I'd been raised a Christian and was a little uncomfortable approaching those sharp-eared beach guards, but approached them I did, and was right glad to find them willing to escort us to the island. It was very odd, Ren, for it seemed as though the sky was raging Hell itself upon Mother Earth. The winds were so strong that we were forced to dismount. The storm uprooted trees as if they were inconvenient weeds in the Queen's garden! Yet the Great Lake was completely motionless. Not even the smallest wave hit the shore! It was unnatural, and it made my men terribly nervous. But it was the safest direction, so we took it."
"How did you part the mists, though? Was there a priestess present?" Serenity interrupted, remembering that when she and Leoth had been brought to Ilathier, they had first waited for a priestess to arrive in order to accompany them and clear the fog, for the male servants of Ilathier had no such power. Some of the oldest legends that Serenity knew were about men tragically losing their way on the Great Lake, enshrouded by fog thick enough to choke on.
Leoth had glanced at her quietly, an odd expression on his face.
"Yes," he replied quietly, looking away. "There was. And I was immediately besotted by her, for I had never met an elf woman before, and she was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I tried to speak to her, but she remained silent for the hour-long boat ride to the island. As the time approached for her to part the mists, she became increasingly nervous, fidgeting and fumbling with her robes. But when I made a foolish comment on the weather, she found me very amusing and soon warmed up to me. Later that day I learned that her name was Setsuna, that it was her sixteenth birthday, and that the parting of the mists had been her final test to becoming a priestess of Isult. I was there for her induction ceremony, watched as she took her vows and was given a new name: Giluyenne."
Serenity suppressed a gasp, eyes widening as comprehension dawned upon her swiftly and without warning. This was why Giluyenne hated her!
"We became lovers," Leoth continued, the eagerness in his voice having disappeared and given way to an impartial tone. "Instead of leaving as soon as the storm abated, I remained on Ilathier for four months, spent my fifteenth birthday with her. Our relationship was entirely based on lust, for we rarely spoke at length. She was my first, as I was to her, and we found an exciting security in that mutually awkward interaction." The memories were getting darker, for Leoth shifted in his bed uncomfortably, seemingly regretting his decision to tell Serenity about his past. "But I did not love her. I believed our relationship to be a temporary liaison, an opportunity to learn from one another and then move on. So when I announced that I would be leaving, Setsuna was shocked, angry, hurt. She accused me of taking advantage of her, of being selfish for not asking her to wed, for not living the rest of my life with her. I tried to make her understand that she was being irrational, for while the priestesses of Ilathier have no restrictions upon whom they bed, most of them, unless of lower rank, are not allowed to wed. And Setsuna was being trained for the title of High Priestess. Unless I would decide to live the rest of my days on Ilathier, there was no other way of being together. And I had no such intentions."
"And it was then that she told you she was with child, was it not?" Leoth had thrown her a surprised glance in response to her question, and Serenity offered him a small smile. "It is an old strategy that we women use to keep our men at our side."
"Yes, indeed, for that was precisely what she told me. I did not doubt her. I offered to take the child with me to court once it reached the age of three, but in her anger, Setsuna refused entirely. She told me that she would raise the child on Ilathier, be it boy or girl, and would never allow me to be its father, for I could not claim such a title if I were not by its side in infancy. I understood her resentment and truly wished to comfort her, Ren, but I had been raised by men who had more bastards than they could count, and I knew that I could provide for my own. I was troubled, however, was loath to leave Setsuna in such a state. I wanted it to be well between us, for I did not want my child sequestered on Ilathier for its entire life. When I told Bran about my dilemma, he merely laughed and told me that the woman had gone mad. He reassured me that a monthly payment for the child's upbringing would be enough to appease her. Don't look so troubled, Ren. You know that this is how men think."
"Yes, I know," Serenity had replied sharply. "Men always have one way of looking at things and once they convince themselves that that way is true, they never doubt their own conclusions. It is maddening!"
"Yes, well, I plead guilty to that charge, for I listened to Bran and left Ilathier. Setsuna – Giluyenne – became High Priestess three years later. I came to the island to visit her and the child six times during those three years, yet she was never to be found, would lock herself and my son in her chambers and refuse to come out until I left. And after she became High Priestess, she refused to even allow me on the island. I did not see her again until Endymion's crowning, and only after the Saturnian attack during your crossing did he succeed in persuading her to allow Dielyn at court. He is eight now, and he knows that I am his father. But he either hates me, or perhaps fears me, for he refuses to speak to me. Of course, that is no doubt his mother's doing, and I truly wish I could make the lad understand that I do care for him, but he is his mother's son, not mine."
It seemed a little odd to Serenity that she had felt no trace of jealousy after hearing the story about Leoth's sexual adventures with the beautiful High Priestess, for she had been jealous when Endymion informed her that Dielyn was Leoth's son. Instead, she felt an odd, concealed pity for Giluyenne, and when the older woman would refuse to smile at her attempts for humor or refuse to answer conversational questions, Serenity accepted the coldness with a new understanding and found that she no longer felt resentful toward the High Priestess.
And neither did she blame Leoth for his decision to leave Giluyenne. In fact, he had done more than most men would, had tried to be there for his child's mother in her time of need. Yes, his efforts had been for naught, but his intentions mattered to Serenity. She knew too well how often traveling soldiers, especially nobles, impregnated women during their campaigns. And although the men of higher rank had the means to support the shamed mother and her child, few of them had the courage to face the dilemma into which their thirst for bedsport had thrown them. Nobody was truly to blame in this situation, Serenity thought. But even if Leoth and Giluyenne had come to accept the reality of their circumstances, little Dielyn was probably suffering more than his parents knew. It was true that he did not lack for courage, for he was the son of fearless Giluyenne and daring Leoth, and his luckless messenger mission during Serenity's voyage to Crystal Terra was hard proof of his bravery. But he was withdrawn and shy, had a quality of vulnerability in his speech and movements. And he was only eight years old! He was supposed to feel invincible.
It was this thought that drove Serenity into a heartfelt mission to bring the father and his son closer. After a month of tending to his wounds, Serenity and the priestesses decided that Leoth had virtually recovered and were more than glad to release him from the Healing Chamber, for he was an energetic man, had become restless and impatient with his treatments. He had become desperate for any sort of activity during his long hospitalization and was very thankful to leave his bed. Serenity detached herself from him then, her purpose having been actualized, and after urging Leoth to seek out his son and to get to know the lad, she quietly withdrew into herself, her thoughts, and her guilt-ridden conscience.
She bristled and seethed, crumpled and occasionally wept, as she thought of Endymion's beautiful mistresses taking her spot in their marriage bed, seeking to comfort their beloved, wronged King. And as October's leaves were blown into November's chill and Endymion's twenty-first birthday passed, Leoth and Serenity had ceased seeking each other's company altogether, too overwhelmed by their sense of culpability, by the thought that Endymion had doubtlessly spent his birthday damning them both to the bottomless pits of Hell.
End Part 10.
AN: Well, c'est tout! For now. I know it wasn't very eventful, but the information in this chapter is extremely important. Remember, Chapter 11 is written, almost entirely edited, and will be released next week! And I promise it will be action-packed! In the meantime, please review or drop me an email! OH, and, of course…
! Happy Holidays !