Chapter 11 - The Queen's Court
Elika, Ulric, and Jolyon traveled to the Dreaming City in silence, each of them thinking about what was to come next. Meeting the Queen of the Awoken was no easy feat, especially considering that most people thought she was dead. Ulric racked his brain in an attempt to remember his sister, the one he did all those awful things for, but couldn't even recall what she looked like. He'd never met her, not as a Guardian anyway. He wondered what he would even say to her and Elika wondered the same. She had no idea where she would even start given what she now remembers thanks to her run in with The Nine. Jolyon was mostly just along for the ride but he was worried for Ulric, who he knew was bound to be hurt in some way by this meeting.
The three of them landed in the Dreaming City and made their way to the Spine of Keres where the Oracle Engine was located. Ulric kept his helmet on the entire time in an attempt to hide his face from the Awoken soldiers located throughout the area. Jolyon stayed close to him, keeping an eye on everything around them as Elika led the way. They fought off a few groups of Taken as they traversed the cliffside leading to their destination but it was nothing they couldn't handle. Petra Venj, the Queen's Wrath, was waiting for them when they arrived.
"I didn't realize you'd be bringing friends." Petra addressed Elika before turning to the other two. "Good to see you, Jolyon. Who is the third?"
"Petra before I tell you I'm going to need your promise that you wont kill him." Elika moved in between Ulric and Petra as Jolyon gripped his sniper rifle tight. He was too close to get a shot off if things got out of hand but he could still hit her with the butt of the gun if necessary.
"Okay, I promise. What's going on?" Petra looked confused for a moment before she started putting the clues together. She knew Uldren Sov was back as a Guardian, she knew Jolyon and Uldren were close, and she knew that Elika had been working with Uldren. "Don't tell me…"
"This is Ulric." Elika introduced Ulric as he took off his helmet. Petra's hand shot down to the dagger on her waist and with lightning speed she pulled it out and lunged at Ulric with a growl of anger. Elika intercepted her, gripping Petra's wrist with her left hand while grabbing onto her collar with her right hand.
"He is not welcome here!" Petra shouted.
"All due respect, but that's not your decision to make." Elika stood firm, briefly challenging the Queen's Wrath to make a move. Solar energy began swirling around the Guardian, lighting up the eyes on her hawk-like helmet. She may have been a lithe Hunter but she could have the intimidating presence of a Titan if she tried hard enough. She let go after a tense moment and Jolyon stepped in front of Ulric. Petra sneered at them all before turning around with a huff and walking toward the device at the top of the structure which looked over the Oracle Engine. Jolyon gripped onto Ulric's hand as they walked behind Elika, keeping an eye on Petra as they ascended the stairs.
Once they were in position, Petra activated the Engine and a portal opened before them. Elika had been there before. She knew Mara's Throne Room was on the other side which caused her to hesitate briefly.
"You coming along?" Elika finally turned to Petra as the whirring noise of the portal echoed throughout the chamber.
"No, it's not my meeting. Besides, I don't really want to be anywhere near him." Petra glared past Elika to Ulric before leaning against a nearby handrail. "I won't be here when you get back."
Elika gave Petra a brief salute and motioned for Ulric to go into the portal ahead of her. He walked in after taking a deep breath, followed closely by Jolyon. Finally Elika stepped inside. Once on the other side the wind was knocked out of her by the shift in atmosphere. She expected this but was taken aback for a moment nonetheless. Ulric and Jolyon stood before her as they caught their breath. Elika gave Spaghetti a command and her helmet disappeared from her head.
They walked through the hallway that they appeared in, taking in the beautiful architecture before stopping as soon as they reached the landing in front of them. The view from here was spectacular as the Throne Room overlooked a vast section of unknown space. Elika was familiar with this view of course but the two men had yet to see it for themselves. When standing on the landing, it was as if one was actually standing in space looking out over a trillion star formations. It was breathtaking. Elika walked past the awestruck men and made her way towards the outstretched area on the landing that held Mara Sov's throne, which the Queen herself was seated on.
As Elika approached she kept her head down and her eyes focused on her feet timidly. Once she got close enough she knelt down on one knee, bowing to the Awoken Queen. There was a moment of silence while Elika tried to think of what she would say. However, Mara decided to speak first.
"There you are, Guardian. Petra informed me that you needed to speak with me. I knew that if you, of all people, demanded a meeting then it must be important. So here we are." The Queen spoke with ease. Elika lifted her head but did not stand up as Ulric and Jolyon walked up behind her. Suddenly the Queen became enraptured by the sight of her baby brother. "Uldren. Is that really you?"
"Um, hello." Ulric moved forward past Elika and addressed his sister. "It's Ulric now, but yes."
"Ulric? I like that." She chuckled as she stood up and walked over to Ulric. She stood silently for a moment while she looked him over before embracing him in a hug. Jolyon's breathing grew slow and heavy as his face twisted into a concerned expression. Mara looked over Ulric's shoulder at Crow behind him. "Ah, Jolyon Till the Rachis. I did not expect to see you here."
"Your highness." Jolyon gave a curt bow before standing upright again. Ulric backed away from his sister and looked her in the eyes. He searched them for a moment, hoping something in them would help him recall something, anything, from their past.
"You do not remember anything, do you brother?" The Queen looked at Ulric with saddened eyes, yet on her face was a smile. He may not remember but she did. That would have to be enough for the both of them now.
"No." The former Prince spoke softly. He took a step away from Mara now and straightened his back, using his posture to help retain any confidence he may have. "I must ask: why did you not help me when I was struggling? I did horrible things in your name and you didn't seem to care."
"I thought you didn't remember." The Queen's eyes became steeled as the smile faded from her face.
"I don't, but Elika and Jolyon have told me everything. I know what I did and I know I did it for you. I also know you could see it all happening and didn't lift a finger to help me." Ulric's chin quivered as he attempted to stifle the tears he felt welling up in his eyes. He admittedly didn't know much about his sister but he did know that he wished she had stopped him from committing such atrocities. In a way he resented her apathy. Mara glared at Elika, who was looking at the ground again as a purple tint of embarrassment shaded her face. Elika was the one who told Ulric that Mara could see him out there and Mara knew it.
"Regrettably, your downfall was a part of a greater plan and you played your part perfectly. It hurt to see you so broken, brother, but I had to let it happen without intervention." Mara spoke without wavering, her face showing no signs of remorse.
"Did I do something to hurt you? Did you not love me? Was I not good enough for you?" Ulric shuddered as tears began streaming down his face, pooling at the edge of his chin before falling down like raindrops on the cold floor. He may not remember why he felt it, but the pain was still there regardless. The time he spent wasting away on Ether, purposeless and mournful of Mara's absence still happened despite his inability to remember. The level of despair he felt then was too great to be completely erased by the Light.
"Of course I love you, brother." She tried to assure him.
"Even after I was reborn, you told Elika you felt it, but you just sat by and watched me die over and over. I was living on my own for so long, scared and alone. Did you not care?" Ulric could hardly speak through the onslaught of emotions overcoming him.
"It is not that I did not care, Uldren. There is so much you don't understand. Sadly, sacrifices had to be made in order to-"
"Sacrifices? Ulric killed and died for you and it was just another drop in a bucket full of "sacrifices", wasn't it? Just like the Awoken fleet." Jolyon erupted in anger. "You're our Queen and you left us. The Awoken are aimless after suffering such losses. Those of us who aren't Guardian's struggle every single day just to survive. Between the curse affecting our home and our dwindling numbers it's chaos for us. We need leadership, we need you, but you're here doing whatever the hell it is you do. Do you even care about your people or are we all just sacrifices waiting to be made to you?"
"The Awoken will thank me when this is over. Do not pretend to understand my reasoning or motivations, Crow." Mara snapped, turning her attention to Jolyon and in turn brushing Ulric aside.
"I lost him because of you!" Jolyon shouted at Mara before relenting, realizing that he was speaking emotionally and not logically. He stepped over to Ulric and embraced him tightly as he continued crying on Jolyon's shoulder.
Mara stood still, glaring at the both of them for a moment before turning away. There wasn't time to explain why she did what she did so she remained silent. She knew that the sacrifices she made were for the right reasons in the long run even if no one else could see it. Mara had once yelled at Elika and Spaghetti, telling them that they had not earned the right to presume to know why she has done what she has done. She could yell at Jolyon, or Ulric for that matter, about the same thing but she figured there was no point. Ulric and Jolyon could hate her all they wanted, she had nothing left for either of them anymore.
She focused her attention on Elika as she turned from the other two. She walked slowly towards the kneeling Hunter and stopped in front of her. Mara then reached down and wrapped her hand around the underside of Elika's chin, lifting it up so that she could look her in the eyes.
"I recall telling you to bow to no one, old friend." Mara spoke assuredly. She put more effort into the pull of her hand, bringing Elika to her feet.
"My apologies." Elika exuded an anxious energy as she distractedly adjusted her cloak.
"There is something you wish to say to me as well, isn't there? Well then, let's hear it." Mara's face was like a marble statue, perfect in every way but nearly devoid of emotion. Elika felt so familiar with Mara's expressionless gaze; she felt as though she has seen it time and time again over the span of her lifetime.
"I just… Well, you see, I…" Elika stumbled over her words.
"Speak." Mara spoke sharply. She wasn't shouting but there was a new layer of power in the Queen's voice that shook Elika to her core. The Hunter feared so little in life but this, the woman standing before her struck fear in the depths of her heart.
"I found a journal. Apparently it belonged to you. You wrote about me but I'm not so sure all of it was truthful. I just want some answers." The Hunter stood up straight and looked the Queen in the eyes.
"This journal, was it black?" Mara asked.
"Yes. With a weird flower on the front." Elika responded.
"Asphodelia. That is what that flower is called. Uldren picked one for me from the Black Garden." Mara looked over at her brother with a somewhat somber expression before turning back to Elika. "I wrote about you in it, yes. It was what you needed to hear at the time. I was made aware of your decision to look into your past, so I assisted."
"Wait, you knew about all that?"
"It shouldn't surprise you that I keep tabs on you. You had just killed my brother and were in the process of unravelling entirely. I couldn't stand idly by while the "Traveler's Chosen" self destructed." The Queen responded as she turned around and walked back to her throne. She sat down, leaned backwards, and crossed her legs languidly before continuing. "Do you really think I'd keep a journal full of such information only to let it slip into the hands of the depraved individual who gave it to you? I have been informed of your conversation with The Nine and their Emissary. I assume that is why you have further questions?"
"There are inconsistencies. The Nine showed me things that contradict what you wrote. I think we were closer than I was led to believe, namely." Elika brushed over the jab at Drifter and winced as the growing pain in her stomach came to a head. Her mind was conflicted. Truth be told, a part of her didn't want to know whatever it was that Mara was about to tell her. Sometimes she regretted digging into her past as it didn't have much bearing on her present and has only caused unnecessary confusion.
Mara Sov proceeded to answer all the questions Elika had for her, elaborating on every point that she was asked to. Elika learned that she was not Reef Born like she previously thought. Apparently, Elika's first name was Emma Odair. She was a Human mechanic aboard the Yang Liwei and was reborn along with Mara and Uldren Sov during the battle between the Traveler and the Darkness around the time of the Collapse. As an Awoken, she chose the name Elise Vale. She trained hard and became one of the Queen's personal guards, a position she held for many years. Eventually she was sent to Earth by Mara as an attaché for the Queen, working with Guardian's before losing her life in the Cosmodrome. She was brought back to life by Spaghetti's Light and named herself Elika Valerys.
Elika also learned about her relationship with the Queen. The two happened to be quite close. Elika was even presented with the opportunity to be the first Queen's Wrath. She declined the position due to a "conflict of interest" which she later revealed to be romantic feelings for the Queen herself. These feelings were not reciprocated and it caused a rift between Elika and Mara. This is when Elika took it upon herself to work for Uldren as a Crow, eventually returning to Mara's side as a personal bodyguard of sorts a few years later. Shortly after that Mara sent Elika to Earth, leading to her rebirth in the Light.
The Hunter Vanguard sat with this information for a while as Mara turned to her brother once again. It seemed the Queen was ready to end this meeting and was making sure to wrap up loose ends before sending her guests on their way.
"Is there anything else you have to say, either of you?" She looked to Ulric and Jolyon as the two men looked at each other, unsure of whether or not the other wanted to speak up. Jolyon had been comforting Ulric this whole time. Ulric was distraught, suffering much like Elika did in the past because of memories he no longer had but were so strongly ingrained in his being that he was still hurt by them. There was still something deep inside his mind that screamed out for his sister's acknowledgement which he knew he would never receive again.
Mara knew that her brother was gone, he died when Elika put a bullet in him. The man before her may look like Uldren but was not him at all. He had the same smile, the same eyes, the same mannerisms but he was Ulric the Guardian now. She had nothing more to say to him than she did any other Guardian. As for Jolyon, she never really liked him. He was always a bit too attached to Uldren for her liking. In a way, she was jealous. Uldren got to find a love that transcended his death and rebirth. Sadly that was a luxury the Awoken Queen could never afford. Her position made it difficult for her to have true friends or lovers. She was responsible for all of her people and must remain vigilant at all times. To her, love would be a weakness and therefore was far from worth it.
"Thank you for meeting with us, your Highness." Ulric choked out before turning to leave. Jolyon glared daggers at the Queen before eventually turning around to walk out with Ulric. Elika, while understanding of their position, would not be so quick to depart.
"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Elika asked, desperate for more answers.
"Is there anything else you need to know? I could tell you a great many things but I don't think you would be able to comprehend much of it." Mara responded irritably. It was clear that she had better things to do than tend to former relations and broken Guardians. "I've told you what I know of your past, what more could you possibly want?"
"Just, tell me one thing before I go because for all I know we will never speak again. Is the Darkness really our enemy?" After Elika asked this, Mara Sov narrowed her eyes and thought about her response carefully.
"No. I am not all knowing, nor am I omnipotent, however I can tell you with confidence that you Light-bearers place value in all the wrong places. The Traveler is not your friend anymore than the Darkness is. Your kind has become reliant on the Light, so much so that you cannot separate yourselves from it. That will be your downfall, in the end." As soon as Mara finished speaking she waved Elika away, dismissing the Guardian from her presence with a hint of indignation that wasn't present earlier. As Elika turned to leave the Queen spoke one last time, causing the Hunter to turn back towards her. "I pity you, Guardian. You've been placed in an impossible position. No matter what you choose to do you won't win. I hope that now you understand my position and the choices I have had to make."
Elika nodded to her Queen before turning on her heels and walking out the way she came in. Tears welled in her eyes as she attempted to make it out of this realm without falling apart. The truth is that she did understand Mara Sov and found herself feeling sympathetic to the Queen's struggles. Afterall, Mara was right. Elika was now in a similar position, given what all she knows and how the Darkness and the Light have both taken a particular interest in her. She never asked to be here but she couldn't leave. This wasn't the kind of thing anyone gets to walk away from.
As she made her way back through the portal and into the room which housed the Oracle Engine she could see Jolyon and Ulric waiting for her. As soon as she was back on solid ground she quickly made her way to Ulric and embraced him in a tight hug. She tucked one arm around to rest on his back and placed the other on the back of his head. He reciprocated by wrapping both arms around her and they stood together like that for a while.
"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought you. You deserve better than to be treated like that." Elika broke into a sob as soon as she finished speaking. She was experiencing a variety of emotions but first and foremost was the one that came about with the realization that Ulric was not the enemy she once hated, or even the Prince she once worshipped, but rather the brother she never had.
Since he came back into her life as a Guardian she has been reluctant, unsure of whether or not she wanted to be any closer to him than she had to. At first it was difficult because every time she looked at him she saw the man who killed Cayde-6. It took time for her to get past that but she eventually did, choosing to dedicate her free time to training him. Then the unexpected happened and Elika found herself looking forward to spending time with him. Hearing Mara speak to him like he was just an inconsequential part of a greater plan broke Elika's heart. She never thought she'd say it but he did deserve better and she was more sure of it now than she had ever been.
She knew now that he'd make a great Hunter Vanguard.
The three of them transmatted back to Elika's ship and collected themselves. They talked over the meeting, expressing their frustrations and such, before finally deciding to head back to the Tower. When they got there Ulric and Jolyon chose to go back to the apartment while Elika made her way over to her workbench in the Hanger. She spent a couple of hours there sorting through files and assigning tasks. It was calm and peaceful busy work which allowed her time alone with her thoughts. The peace didn't last long as a call came through to her via her Ghost.
"Hello?" Elika spoke through Spaghetti's shell.
"Elika!" Benoit Savrac's voice came booming through the speaker on Spaghetti's shell. "We are in the EDZ, doing some work with the Seraph Towers because we heard you needed a little break from all that."
"Who told you I needed a break?" Elika questioned the Titan.
"Who do you think?" He cackled. Elika knew the only person who knew about her stress and cared enough about her to mention it to someone was Drifter.
"Of course he did." She smiled at the thought of him actually calling her friends in an attempt to relieve her stress.
"Yeah it's real cute and all that jazz but cher we uhh, well, we-"
"We need your help! Ahh, oh shit!" Grayson Fox, a newer Hunter in their group, shouted in the background as he dodged bullets from Cabal aggressors.
"Grayson's a little green, as you know, and I am apparently having an off day. Take that, ugly salòp!" Benoit shouted and she could hear his shotgun firing and bodies dropping.
"Okay, okay. I'll be there in a jiffy. Keep your heads down and your eyes up." Elika laughed and hung up before equipping her helmet and transmatting to her ship.
Nothing ever stayed calm around Elika for long; this was a fact she had yet to get used to after all these years.