Chapter 9
Her ears were ringing.
It's a steady high-pitched sound that made her head hurt, eyes blur and hear nothing except it.
The stench of burning woods and flesh assaulted her nose. Wherever she looked; wherever she go, it's all the same. Flames engulfing the capital. Flames burning the dead. Fire. Smokes. Flames everywhere.
And then there's blood.
She looked at her trembling hands. Her grip of the sword was steady, almost permanent. She could feel its weight from her hands. Blood covered her hands trickling thickly from her arms down to the hilt and blade.
She looked down and saw a man's body lying lifeless on the ground.
She was used to seeing it by now. She was used to the feel of the blade penetrating the flesh and the stench of blood oozing from it. It was almost normal.
But she was tired. Any movement was impossible.
She gulped for air and she was not sure if she could breathe it. She was not sure if she was breathing. Was she suffocating? She looked up and saw only the grey and black smoke that created a vast sky above her. She suddenly doesn't know how to breathe.
She saw Gareth at the distance fighting another criminal from Alcatraz. He has a crazed looked as he turned her direction. He was screaming at her, telling her something. But she couldn't hear him.
Her ears were ringing.
And then she saw Lance running to her. Lance was strong. He was fending the criminals off. They were nothing to him. He, too, has a crazed looked in his face and was screaming at her.
It was important. What they were saying… but her ears were ringing.
Suddenly her head was pulled up with such ferocity, she felt like her head would come off from her body.
Standing behind her was Moria and he grabbed her hair without mercy.
Pushed and pulled, he grabbed her hair. Her head followed the movements.
She couldn't hear… it was just ringing.
She tried to break away by attacking him with the sword… with all her strength left in her body. Before the blade reached him, he delivered a blow to her face. It was painful and she tried not to feel. Her body reacted and she lost her grip to her weapon. She used her body to oppose him. She screamed. She didn't hear it but she know she did. She growled. Her throat was rough… painful… but she didn't feel.
He was strong.
Unhumanly strong.
Didn't she saw him killed Bedwyr with his bare hands?
He dragged her back to the castle not caring about the objects in the ground that blocked her.
Everything was painful and she tried not to feel.
Because if she did feel, it will destroy her completely.
…
He's gone mad.
Moria's eyes were unsteady and terrifying. It was eyes that showed evil. She remembered Emrys saying that Moria now embodies the darkness.
A darkness that the world has accumulated overtime, but was seen over and over again.
He used his hands to remove her armor. He was grinning. He was enjoying every moment of it.
He was saying something to her but she couldn't hear.
Her ears were ringing.
But she knows he's looking for the ring.
They couldn't use Florin without it.
He used his fist. She blocked him with her arms.
Gritting her teeth, she smiled at him with all the insult she could muster.
She smiled at her pathetic and pitiful uncle.
Brandishing a blade to threaten her, he tried to touch her.
Emrys appeared then. There was the relief she felt knowing he was alive.
Moria grabbed her head again and pulled it back exposing her throat. He put the blade in front of her.
She knew he wouldn't hesitate.
She knew she was a door away to death and it was at that moment that she realized she wanted to live. She wanted to see the world and learn of its secrets. She wanted everything in life that she was deprived of. Tears which she thought was gone suddenly appeared. It was for herself… her pathetic and pitiful self.
She grabbed Moria's arm which was holding the blade and pushed it away from her. Her strength against his.
She couldn't hear.
Emrys talked to him. Moria said something.
It was swift and she tried to prevent it.
It was futile.
His strength won out in the end.
He sliced through her neck before Emrys could blast him away with his magic.
Strangely, she did not feel anything.
She just… fell.
All she could see was Emrys. He used one of his healing spells.
The ringing finally stopped.
"Forgive me child." Emrys said, crying. She couldn't express in words how she depended on him, the loyal Seer.
He's going to send her away. He told her of the plan. She doesn't like to go. How could she?
She's going to leave Florin again.
But she couldn't do anything.
When her kingdom was being torn into pieces, she couldn't do anything.
And its destroying her a thousand times worse.
She couldn't do a damn thing… she, the useless, pathetic, pitiful Queen.
Everything was painful and she tried not to feel.
And then there was light.
…
Althea felt something cold spreading on her arms. It was relieving and refreshing. Her eyes were heavy, but her mind is awake now. Her lips were dry. Her throat was dry. Her body was heavy but she is alive. Or was she?
She moved her arms. A soft hand was placed over hers.
"Lady?" A woman. Her voice is soft and calming.
"Lady, are you awake?" The woman asked again.
Althea opened her eyes. The bright light was blinding and she blinked it away. She was in a fully-furnished bedroom and was lying on a soft bed. This was the luxury she didn't have when she went back to Florin and how she wanted to bitterly laugh now. She wondered where on earth did Emrys send her away to? He definitely made sure it was to a rich household.
Her eyes went to the woman. The first thing Althea noticed was her red-hair, like blood. Without thought, Althea reached for it. Strands of soft red hair passed her hands like blood.
Without flinching, the woman smiled at her. She has honest green eyes and she looked at her clearly.
"My hair attracts attention a lot. The color is rare."
Althea mustered a smile. "Its beautiful. I like it."
She looked astounded for a moment. "Thank you."
Althea's voice was hoarse. She touched her neck and felt the bandage around it. The reality that Moria slit her throat hit her. Memories of what happened flooded her. There was an all-consuming rage and loathing that overwhelmed her, she had to control every muscle in her body to not visibly shake in front of a stranger. She cannot fathom how could she feel such revolting emotions, it scared her. Moria's completely destroying her and it angered her so.
The woman seemed to notice so she held Althea's hand again. The look of compassion she gave her was calming. Althea welcomed it because at this point, keeping her sanity was all she could do right now.
The woman helped her sat up, and gave her water afterwards.
"Are you the doctor?" Althea asked, minutes later.
"Ah! No, I'm a pharmacist."
"Pharmacist?"
She knew the word of course. It was a profession of the place the place she was meant to forget. Althea remembers everything. She started to get a suspicion where exactly Emrys sent her to.
"Unlike doctors, we are more focused on a researching and creating medicines."
"But you are treating me?" Althea said innocently, motioning at the small containers in the woman's hand.
"Well… we just formulated this medicine recently. It helps the skin to heal – more specifically it helps in removing scars." Her eyes twinkled as she explained the effects of the medicine. "I'm here to observe the effects. But, rest assured my lady, we are also allowed to treat patients."
Althea looked at her arms. Its appearance was far from her arms seven months ago. Knife wounds, burns, calluses... remnants of her past. It looked a little better. The old wounds are almost disappearing.
"And speaking of doctors, my Lady if you excused me for a bit. I was instructed to call them as soon as you wake up."
The woman went to the door and talked to someone. A knight appeared to see her, gaped, smiled and nodded at her in acknowledgment, and then disappeared. The knight seemed familiar but she couldn't remember where she saw him.
The woman went back to her seat beside the bed.
"If you feel something is wrong, my Lady, please tell me."
"Please call me Althea."
"Ah, then, my name is Shirayuki, Lady Althea."
"You could drop the title."
"I can't do that! You're a guest of His Majesty."
Ba dump.
There was a sinking feeling that she couldn't explain.
The suspicion is starting to be the reality.
It's a combination of longing, anticipation and dread.
Her heart suddenly started beating fast.
"Guest?"
"Yes, I heard you were a scholar."
Ba dump.
"Shirayuki, where is this place?"
"You are in Lilias, a city in the north of the Kingdom of Clarines."
Kingdom of Clarines.
Althea never thought she would be at this place again.
"And His Majesty?" Althea asked, knowing the answer.
"His Majesty, King Izana Wistaria."
The name was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Shirayuki was surprised and concerned by her actions but all Althea could do was cry.
"Lady Althea, what's wrong?"
Althea never thought she would hear his name nor see him again.
She abandoned and left everything about him in this place and yet… here she was.
