Chapter Twelve
Lady Setsuna sat deep in thought as she watched Lord Helios supervising the Knights as they attempted freezing spells. She had been mildly pleased and surprised to see them progress more quickly than she had expected but even so she couldn't help but feel uneasy. Her thoughts kept returning to what Lord Danburite had said at the Bramble.
"Lord Danburite," Lord Helios called. The youthful Immortal was standing in front of a red stone altar when a single broken branch had stood upright and thorny, wood still gleaming despite its age. "It was noble of them," Lord Danburite said, gesturing at the bough. "Did you know that these days the story of their sacrifice is a pretty fairytale, an old wives' fable? It's a sad day indeed when history is disregarded and its heroes unknown."
"I understand all too well," Lady Setsuna said eyes cast down. Was it really so long ago that she stood here on this earth for the first time, breathed in its air, watched the woman who loved it so much she'd spilt her own blood to protect it?
If so, it seemed that no number of Millennia would let the memories fade. She didn't know whether to be grateful or to grieve. And judging by the expressions on the other two Immortals' faces, they didn't know either.
"I cannot help but agree with you Lord Danburite but I fear there is a more pressing concern. It's urgent that we let the past be, just for now." Lord Danburite nodded absently. "Yes, of course. What was it that you wanted to know?" Lord Helios and Lady Setsuna exchanged looks.
"I want to ask you something about Queen Beryl." She said finally.
"I should think you would." The boy answered, sighing deeply. "I expected you would ask something like that of the one who, for want of a better word, advises her. And my Queen being of a singularly unique breed of the femininely violent must raise a lot of questions. Ones that even I have trouble justifying the answers.
I'm afraid I am not the one she confides in any longer, Lord Helios, Lady Setsuna. I cannot tell you much of what she plans or asks because I don't know. "
"We won't ask." Lord Helios replied swiftly before Lady Setsuna cut him off. "If I may be so bold as to ask, why is your Queen so bitter, even though the only event that could cause such a reaction happened a good six years ago?" She asked readily.
Lord Helios's eyebrows nearly met his hairline but Lord Danburite took no offense. "Queen Beryl has long felt the injury of King Apollo's rejection. Time does nothing for those kinds of wounds, I'm afraid. It's rotted her from the inside. While unrequited love usually heals through the passage of time, her…" He struggled to find the words. Love? Lust? Rage? "Feelings for him are somehow different. She was always very possessive
and jealous of him when they were young but…well I think it's because she sees him as something she wants and has to own. She wants it and she doesn't care what she'll do to get it. And if she can't get it, she gets absolutely vile."
"In what way?" Lady Setsuna asked.
"In ways you cannot imagine. She performs none of her Queen's tasks save this war, leaving them in the hands of advisors and the Council. I think I safely assume that none of your Sovereigns would behave in such a fashion. Unless your Kings enjoy lying with mistresses; while their wives sleep, of course." Lady Setsuna's eyes grew wide. "She has a concubine?"
"Several actually. But like most people, she likes to pick favorites."
Lord Helios's eyes bugged for a moment before he resumed his normal face. "Her suitors-"
"She has many but chooses none."
"That's a violation. Ever since the beginning, no King or Queen has ever ruled alone." Lady Setsuna began to look fearful as if she thought the world would actually crumble beneath her feet. "She ought to still be a Princess, not a Queen. How is this possible?"
"My lady Setsuna, theses days, so much is possible. You should know given your own princess. Is it not true you cannot glance into her future?"
"Yes, but there hasn't been a soul whose destiny I could not see. Perhaps my skills are not what they once were. With practice, perhaps I could see things more clearly." Lady Setsuna argued. Lord Danburite nodded. "But while you do that, why not train the children in the same manner as their parents as a precaution?"
To be sure she wanted to actually meet the young Princess, she'd had a free afternoon and decided to take the path through the gardens to the castle when she'd heard a far off shout and children screaming. Suddenly two children appeared before her and stopped at a tree. "Endymion! Save me! Save me!" The girl screamed shrilly. The little boy looked around and saw a bush and pulling her into it they huddled in the growth. Lady Setsuna chuckled to herself. She couldn't pass up the opportunity.
"Serenity! Endymion!" She spoke in Juno's deadly voice. The two children jumped like rabbits discovered in their hole. Endymion made all sorts of apologies but it was only when Serenity, who'd already realized that it was not the Sphinx whose voice they heard, tugged on his sleeve that he stopped, blushing. He may as well have continued for it was the commotion that drew the real Sir Juno to the scene. "I thank you Lady, for doing my job for me," The soldier said, an evil smile lighting up her features in an alarming manner. The children shivered at the sight. "We're sorry!" Endymion squeaked, eyeing the woman with a nearly comical terror. "We'll never ever ever go into your weapons again!"
"Do you promise?" The woman asked severely. Endymion hesitated until Serenity stepped on his foot. "Say yes!" She hissed. The poor boy painfully repeated the words and, satisfied with his apology, Sir Juno took her leave. It took a great deal of control on Lady Setsuna's part not to laugh at the scene unfolding. It took even greater control on her part not to fall over from surprise at Serenity's address. "Who're you?" The little princess asked curiously. What right did grown-ups have to laugh at other grown-ups, She thought. As a whole, grown-ups are a very large group just as children are. If all children band together then should not be the same for adults? Serenity looked at Endymion to see what he thought of this new development but he too, was both bewildered and amused.
Unknowingly, Lady Setsuna interrupted their mental conversation. "My name is Lady Setsuna. I am your parents..." She struggled to find a suitably simple word for them to understand. Luckily, it was Serenity who saved her the trouble. "Teacher!" She answered. "Mommy said you teach things and are very smart." At this she looked somewhat hurt. "Do you make Daddy and Mommy too busy for me?" Those pitiful eyes were almost too much for the mage and she nearly felt liking dropping to one knee and begging forgiveness. She hadn't had that feeling from a person's eyes for a long time, many many years ago. But it was so long ago that it seemed almost preposterous that she'd come back. She was never meant to come back that was certain when she sealed her fate all that time ago. It couldn't be, because her return meant only one thing.
Her perfect world was falling apart.
Lady Setsuna tried to dismiss that thought from her mind. The world would keep on going.
Even if it felt like it wasn't.
Her reasons strengthened by intuition and her first true encounter with the Princess, Lady Setsuna sought an audience with her King.
"No."
"It would be safer in the long run?"
"I forbid my daughter to partake in the evils of war."
"She's not going to be a warrior, my King. It is merely for her own protection. I have spoken with the Swenyos family and they agreed." Lady Setsuna pointed out impatiently. King Apollo remained adamant."She's only a baby, for Mona's sake!" King Apollo said exasperatedly. Lady Setsuna sighed. She so hated to play this card. "I have seen the need for it, my King. To best protect her, she must be trained." She lied, surprised at how easily it came to her. Perhaps she should look into it to see whether that was actually true.
King Apollo stopped, knowing he'd lost. He didn't know anything about prophecy but he was sure she only meant the best. To let his daughter become a Knight and fight when she should be given these years of infancy was a repulsive thought but the alternative was equally unthinkable. His wife would understand, but then again she was also a Knight. She would want the best for the child, regardless of the nature of what the best might be. Sometimes it was simply difficult to be in his position, knowing that Katrine relied on his judgment, as did the rest of the Kingdom. So what would his judgment be this time? "You may train Serenity, Lady Setsuna. I entrust her safety and education to you. Guard her well." With that he strode to the door and opened it, surprised to see Endymion, Martha and Serenity standing before him.
He shot a look at Lady Setsuna who smiled apologetically at him.
The world was against him today.
