Chapter Twenty Five

Words of the Blue

Leo's Point of View

The flapping of wings shakes the branches around us, causing the weaker leaves to fall. Kalypso fixes her hair excitedly as she waits for her real lover to land. I have never been overly fond of having to attend these meetings with Nox Terrorem, but since it was Victoria who asked me to accompany them and not Kalypso, I do so with pride. The ugly beast lands without grace and bows to our future queen.

"Rise, my servant." Princess Victoria's soothing voice is like sweet music to my ears. Nox Terrorem stands tall, towering over us all. "You may transform now."

The creature grabs at his fur as he shrinks down to a more human shape. He pulls it over his head and it slowly morphs into a fur blanket. The sheet covers his body until he lowers it to his waist and fastens it there. His body has transformed into that of a human male. The skin he wears is so pale that it is almost translucent. He shares similar facial features to the governess the Freemen girl traveled with. The wings he has turn into a black cloak to shield our eyes from his bare torso. His muscles protrude almost unnaturally, but it shows his strength. He looks up to meet eyes with Kalypso and he smiles, revealing all of his pointed teeth. I look away when he turns his gaze over to me. The unearthly glow of his green eye - one is missing and has a new scar over it - never fails to sicken me. He may look human now, but he is far from it.

"Tell me what you have to report." Princess Victoria is careful not to ask him a direct question. If she did, we would all be here until the morning. Nox Terrorem bows lowly before responding and I am satisfied to see that there are still some that will uphold tradition.

"My Queen." Nox Terrorem bows his head again. "I regret to inform you that this Dragon Empress is by far the most powerful I have ever seen."

I nearly scoff. He has to be joking. Lady Sybil is a juvenile delinquent who causes chaos, but she is not powerful.

"Explain." Princess Victoria tilts her head, causing her icy blonde hair to fall over her shoulder. I am graced with a wave of her intoxicating scent, reminding me of one of the many reasons I adore her.

Nox Terrorem shudders at the memory of the night I was knocked unconscious. I have been waiting to hear everything that happened that day with anticipation. Did the Freemen poison the minds of my Prince and my friends? I wish strongly that I will be the one who has the pleasure of executing her. There was order to this land before she came here. Her presence has disrupted the way we do things in this valley.

"She successfully called on the name of the First Dragon Empress and was answered." The Night Terror's eye scans the trees, truly unnerved. Kalypso's lips part in disgust and horror. She shakes her head.

"No. The First Dragon Empress has never spoken to another outside of their baptism. That's impossible," Kalypso protests. They banter for a few moments, their fear and panic increasing rapidly. I turn my head to my left to meet eyes with Princess Victoria. Her swirling blue eyes and intense stare take my breath once again. The serenity and certainty she can bring me at any given moment has me knowing that I will always be loyal to her. She smiles at me - something I should not be worthy of seeing – and I bow my head to conceal my inferior feelings.

"Do you not have faith in Her Royal Highness?" I interject, tired of the mistrust the other two have in their future queen. They stop immediately to look at her. Princess Victoria waits ever patiently for their attention. "She is by far superior. The First Dragon Empress is too weak to fight. She needs a willing vessel to carry her, but even if she finds one, she cannot inhabit one powerful enough to overthrow the future Queen of the De Noirs."

"Thank you, Sir Leo. You are my favourite human because of your vast wisdom and loyalty." Victoria strokes the side of my face to praise me. "Our knight is correct, but I wish to hear more. Tell me exactly what happened."

"When all light from the sky finally vanished and the Prince's dreams called to me, I began to feed. I didn't see the Freemen girl holding his hand until she woke up. I made him run, trying to break the hold he had on her, but he was awake enough to know that he would be better off with her by his side." Nox Terrorem scowls at the memory. "When there was no place left for him to run, I approached the Last Dragon Empress and spoke with her. I told her she was too weak to fight me. Despite my attempt to plant fears in her mind, her dauntlessness prevailed and she figured out my name."

Kalypso turns to Princess Victoria. "How could she have known Nox Terrorem? We destroyed all documentations and memories of him so that no one could defeat him."

"I know exactly how she found out." Princess Victoria states calmly. "Florence de Noir."

I scowl at the mention of the former De Noir Princess I served under. Of course the traitor told Lady Sybil all about the creatures of the night. She always loved to explore the Forest of Cold Light and learn more than what was good for her.

"Whether she stole a book that had him in it or remembered it from before she ran away, it doesn't matter. Sybil defeated you." Princess Victoria remarks.

"She said my name, yes, but she wasn't supposed to be able to say the Prince's." Nox Terrorem argues. "She wouldn't have found it without the First Dragon Empress's help. The Freemen called on her and she was able to attack me through two vessels."

"Tell me who they were." Her Royal Highness demands. I already know who they were; Foxflee and Phoenix. So the Freemen girl did poison their minds and turn them against the Protectors.

"The boy who stammers and the Fire Keeper." The Night Terror confirms. He cannot use anyone's names without allowing them to hear our conversation, which is why he refers to everyone by titles we may recognize. "They did not stand idly by; they outstretched their arms and called upon the name of the First Dragon Empress. That is how she appeared in them."

I shake my head in disbelief. This cannot be. Princess Victoria speaks. "So Ayemornielle has revealed herself to them. That is two more humans she has managed to make contact with. If I can find her main vessel, we can weaken her even more. I wonder who else the late Empress has spoken to."

The leader of the sirens looks to me, unsure. It pains me greatly that she would find a reason to doubt me, and I curse the name of Ayemornielle for causing it.

"Leave us." Princess Victoria's eyes do not leave mine. Kalypso leaps into Nox Terrorem's arms. His cloak transforms back into wings and he carries the siren off into the night.

I get down on my knees and keep my face parallel to the ground. I need her to believe that I am not her enemy. She is the only one I desire to follow; the only one worth serving under. I speak in a humbled voice. "Your Royal Highness, you have every reason to doubt me. Your enemy has turned my people against you; your own fiancé against you. I cannot express my sorrow enough for you. Do with me as you see fit. If you know a way to see if I have been poisoned like the others, I beg that you use it to put me on trial. I have and always will be loyal to you."

There is a long, excruciating silences that falls on us. I begin to think that this might be where we part paths through my death, but I am graced to hear her wonderful voice again. "I believe in you. Now, rise and follow me. I have a way to keep you safe from Ayemornielle and her chosen ones once and for all."

A chill slides its way down my spine as the air grows dense in a matter of seconds. It is as if there is some form of wall which differentiates the air of the De Noir Forest from the air of the Forest of Cold Light. A huge part of me grows weary as I break the rule of never setting foot in this damned place for the fear of the unknown. This is not right; we should not be here. But Her Royal Highness is the Queen of this forest, so I should not fear it.

"Sir Leo." The blonde siren in her royal attire need not turn her head to see that I have questioned our purpose here. I obediently follow, kicking myself mentally for not complying as easily as I should have. She is the future queen of the De Noirs, and I should be willing to fulfill her every command without faltering, especially since she spared my life. "I do wish you would walk beside me."

"Yes, Your Majesty." I acknowledge her greater title since we are in her real kingdom. I do not understand why she bothers to slow for me, but she does.

"Please, Sir Leo," Princess Victoria says as I join her by her side. "I know you're a stickler for rules, but I was hoping we could drop the formalities whilst we are in this place. Let me hear you say my name, Leo."

I open my mouth to speak, but every part of my upbringing has me refraining myself from partaking in any informalities. I do not think I can do it. She does not deserve such disrespect, but she also deserves my compliance.

"Must I beg you then, Leo?" Princess Victoria stops and begins to reach for the ground. "Shall I get down on my knees-"

"No!" I grab her up swiftly by her right arm and kneel before her instead. Consternation rises at the thought of her humbling herself for me. "No. My apologies, Your Worship... Victoria. I will do as you ask without delay."

I keep my eyes trained on the ground as she takes a step toward me. Her bare feet come into my line of vision as she towers over me. The ground oddly emanates a blue light where she stands. It is not the same blue that dances in her eyes, but it is not a natural colour by any means. I feel her cold fingers run through my hair until she lifts my chin. "You always follow my orders without question, Leo. I find you to be more trustworthy than my own kin. Most men would try to take advantage of this situation we are in, but I have no reason to doubt you. You are a loyal man, Leo, and I don't think Robin appreciates you enough."

"Your words are kind, Victoria, but His Royal Highness does treat me better than he should." I do not wish to defile my Prince's name, even if he is being controlled by the enemy.

"Robin is a traitor, just like his sister." Princess Victoria says lightly. I look to her for an explanation and she beckons me to stand. "Leo, I have seen the ones who have been turned by Ayemornielle, but Robin is not one of them. Ayemornielle has been using a vessel to approach those who she knows can help Sybil lift the Curse. Though she was the one who set it, she does love this valley and wants it for herself. She needs Sybil to succeed in lifting the Curse. She has spoken with the Thunderbird healer, which is why she does not listen to the Chief. She talked to Foxflee, Florence, the three warriors who followed Sybil around, and Phoenix, but she did not approach Robin. Robin made the decision to follow and aid Sybil on his own because he is in love with her. He is no longer my fiancé and he is a traitor to us all."

I take in a few sharp breaths. Prince Robin has betrayed his kingdom for the love of the Freemen girl. He has broken the bond of the engagement to the most beautiful, wonderful being that roams this earth. The man I served under can no longer be my friend. I stab a tree with my dagger out of agony. The tree lights up a bright green around the knife as I huff. "No! He was like a brother to me!"

Princess Victoria allows me to express my horror before she wraps her delicate arms around my chest. I feel her head press against my back and I immediately take comfort in her embrace. Someone like me does not deserve such affection from her, but I cannot tell her that. I selfishly accept it.

"Let's be honest, Leo. He was never fit to be a king. He breaks the rules all the time and never stays in the palace. He treats his friends as if they are his equals and he mourns his traitor of a sister. He is not fit to be a De Noir, let alone a king."

"I know. I just hoped that he would see my example of abiding by the rules given to us and be reminded of his duties he has as the De Noir Prince." I sigh.

"Leo, do you think the De Noirs are impervious to the power of the Dragon Empresses?" The Princess asks me seriously.

"No," I reply in a shaky voice. "Though they are not as powerful as you are, the people of this valley are weak and therefore susceptible to Ayemornielle and Sybil's trickery."

"Did you see your people's eyes when they realized it was Sybil who returned the bodies to their homeland? A part of them at that moment was willing to accept that she was the Dragon Empress they have been waiting for. Some of them pledged their lives to her when they heard the news. She has swayed some of your people so easily to her side, and even the King wishes for her to live. Leo, I need you to see that we cannot trust the De Noirs until we find the Statue. Even when we find it, we must kill all those who find favour in Sybil." Princess Victoria turns me around to see the seriousness in her eyes.

"You're asking me to betray my King?" I ask the beautiful creature in front of me.

"Leo, I am your King." She grins, strands of her blonde hair falling in her face as she lowers her head. "You know what it means to be poisoned by me. Are you under my spell right now?"

"No, but perhaps I am under a different one." I look away into the dark woods surrounding us. The unmistakable feeling of being watched has been keeping me on edge since we entered this forbidden forest. There is no reason to feel this way, but a sense of dread still overcomes me.

"So you understand it too." Princess Victoria's delicate fingers take their place on my jaw, guiding my gaze back to her enchanting blue eyes. "We are meant to rule together. We will be the equilibrium between the mortals and the immortals. We will bring peace through order and law, and nobody will dare question our authority."

I blink several times at the siren. Am I understanding her properly? "What are you saying?"

"I was never meant to be with Robin because I have fallen for you, and you, I." She smiles "Clearly you can see that I am more powerful than the Dragon Empresses. They mean to bring harm to the De Noirs. Everything you know will be decimated by Sybil and her liberal ways. You and I thoroughly understand the ways of this valley; the rules, laws, and traditions.

"This may come as a shock to you, but I had to take control of the King because he allowed Florence and your friends to intermingle with the Freemens, and that is forbidden. He was going to willingly allow Florence to marry into the Freemen family and insult the De Noir name by hosting the wedding in our fortress. That is not how it works, and you know that. Do you believe I was justified by doing what I did?"

"Yes, Victoria. In my eyes, you have been more than justified in your actions by taking control of the throne during trying times." Although I am surprised that she did this, I do not hate her. She will always be right in my eyes.

"So what say you? Will you accept me to be your Queen?" Princess Victoria looks deep into my eyes.

"That is inevitable, Your Highness." I bow my head. "You were destined to be Queen the moment you stepped into the De Noir Fortress.

"But will you be my King, Leo?" She asks. "Will you marry me and rule by my side? Before you say that it is not right for a Queen to marry a knight, know that you are the only one suitable to marry me. There is no one else who can."

"If it is what you wish." My heart pounds in my ears. How did this night go from the worst night of my life to the best? How is it that she feels the same about me that I do about her? She is fairer than me and deserves better, but I will do everything in my power to protect and serve her.

"I do." Victoria smiles at me. "We shall rule the valley together in the way it was meant to be. We will establish new rules to help guide our followers to obey the old rules."

"And what about those who oppose us? What of those who disobey the rules?" I ask, knowing the answer already, but wanting to hear her say it.

"Those who cannot follow the rules must face the consequences of their actions. Those who oppose us must die." Victoria grins. "You will see fit that Sybil and Robin and the others will be punished for their actions when I obtain the Dragon Statue."

"Me?"

"Yes; I am giving to you the De Noirs, the Freemens, and the Thunderbird Villagers to reign over. I will rule over the immortals. Does that seem fair to you?" The charming siren asks.

I am quick to answer. "Anything you give me or take away from me is fair, Victoria."

She smiles and I lose myself in her enticing blue eyes. "Good."

The sound of crunching leaves startles me. I draw my sword and prepare myself to defend my new fiancé. "Who goes there?"

Chief Thunderbird steps out of the darkness to approach us. He bows to Victoria and hands her a glass vial filled with dark liquid. "I have brought you the blood of Grace Freemen, just as you asked."

"Good. Follow me to the waters," Victoria says, taking hold of my hand and guiding us through the Forest of Cold Light. We travel for a long time until we come across a part of the forest that glows the same blue that is in Victoria's eyes.

"Emerge out of the darkness

Let us see the blue

The pool that isn't heartless

Reveal it to me and you

Welcome the Queen of the Night

Order we pursue

Grant us the gift of the sight

We hear the words of the blue"

Once Victoria finishes her song, the ground opens up to reveal a body of bioluminescent water. This pool is the purest form of blue I have seen besides what is in Victoria's eyes. Victoria turns to us and instructs us what to do in order to protect me from the power of Ayemornielle and Sybil. Victoria opens the vial of the late Freemen's blood and nods to us both. The Chief and I take our blades and make an incision on the palms of our hands.

"I call upon the waters of the Forest of Cold Light to hear and bless this celebration. Tonight I, Queen Victoria of the Night, take this mortal, Sir Leo de Noir, as my beloved equal. He has served me loyally and has accepted the responsibilities of what it means to be King over the mortals, and to rule by my side. Hear me, sacred waters, as this man joins the path of the Night, and gives his life to us. With the offering of the blood of a De Noir, a Freemen, and a Thunderbird Villager, I ask that you grant my new husband the gift of immortality so that he shall not age. Hear us."

"Long live the new King of the Night," Chief Thunderbird says loudly, allowing his blood to drip into the waters. The water hisses and steams as it accepts the blood offering.

"Long live the new King of the Night." Victoria pours Grace Freemen's blood into the waters.

"Long live the new King of the Night. I pledge to serve the Queen and the waters until the day I die." I hold my hand over the pool and walk into the waters. When I get deep enough, I submerge my head and listen to the wise words of the blue.