*~*I know who you are - the Autumn People.
Where do you come from? - The Dust.
Where do you go to? - The Grave.
~ Ray Bradbury "Something Wicked This Way Comes"*~*
THE FAERIE GOBLET
Chapter 22 ~ "The Faerie Queen"
"I know who you are," Alede said quietly. Her voice dripped revulsion.
"Do you?" the Queen asked turning to her haughtily, smiling a venomous smile. "And yet we have not the pleasure of your name. I hardly think you are called 'Retribution'."
Alede snorted, a rude and vulgar sound amidst such refined and enchanted company. Outwardly Legolas appeared as disdainful as the rest of them but inwardly he was cheering. Alede was showing her true strength. And while he silently applauded her courage, he feared it as well.
*Do not let your anger make you reckless, my Sweet.*
Alede glanced at him, almost as if she heard his thoughts. But then her gaze snapped back to the Queen.
"You will not catch me out so easily," Alede said. "A name can be used in a binding spell, as you and I both know."
Legolas cheered again. He'd been afraid Alede would fall into the Queen's trap as well.
"A binding spell?" The Queen tittered prettily and Legolas found himself bending toward her unwillingly, placing a hand upon her arm as if he shared with the joke.
"I know not what you mean," the Queen said innocently. "I have bound no one here. They stay because of their devotion to me."
*NEVER! DO NOT BELIEVE HER, ALEDE!*
"Devotion!" Alede scoffed. "Devotion to what? Do they even know what you are?"
Beside Legolas, he felt the Queen stiffen. But before she could reply, Alede spoke again.
"Let me tell 'your people' what you are in case they do not know." Alede's voice rose so that all assembled might hear it and it rang with the vibrancy of power.
"You are Lust without the knowledge of Love. You are Selfishness without the lessons of Compassion. You are Emptiness without the fulfillment of a Soul. You are Shadow!"
Furiously, the Queen rose from her throne to advance on Alede. But she stumbled on the edge of her gown and Legolas saw that she had shrunken to the form of a wrinkled old hag. Her skin was as gnarled as tree bark and her spine as twisted as a willow.
"WITCH!" the old Queen screamed in a voice as dry as old leaves. The entire assembly seemed to blink and sway as Alede's Naming Magic shook the Queen's hold. But then the Queen straightened and looked down on the wizardess from her former height. The years and ugliness melted away and the company breathed a sigh of enchanted relief.
*NO!*
Whatever gain Alede had made with her small spell was lost. The Queen drew herself up and Legolas felt himself fighting within his own skin, desperate to save Alede from whatever the Faerie intended.
But Alede struck first. With a flash of light, the Faerie Queen suddenly erupted in flames. She screamed and writhed.
Legolas was able to take the first voluntary step during his imprisonment. And he took it away from the burning Queen.
"Release them!" Alede cried out. "Release them and I will release you!"
"NEVER, WITCH!"
The Faerie Queen threw off the fire and tossed a spell of her own. Ice cycles as sharp as daggers crashed against Alede's Encircling.
Alede staggered slightly with the force of the Queen's spell. Never had the wizardess felt such ancient and formidable power. She started to reach for the knife Gimli had loaned her. Throwing a blade had never been a great skill of hers, but the Queen was not far away. Unfortunately, the knife was not there and Alede realized with dismay that she must lost it when she fell earlier.
Raising her staff determinedly, she threw another spell, this one so intense she feared it might bring the earthen roof down upon them. But, despite the magnitude of Alede's magic it only affected the Queen for a moment before she shrugged it off.
Alede followed that spell with another and another, trying to find one that could weaken the Queen's power.
Green fire and sparks of magic ricocheted around the cavern. Faeries of all shapes and sizes were shrieking and scurrying about in absolute chaos. Rivendell Elves were struggling in their seats as if fighting bonds.
Legolas was slowly inching his way toward the huge table, his gaze fixed upon a golden knife lying there. His outstretched hand trembled violently as he fought against the Queen's enchantment and sweat beaded his brow.
Elrohir too showed signs of breaking his magical bond. Standing slightly behind the Queen, he'd procured a spear from the wall and was desperately trying to raise it.
Alede's hopes began to soar. If she had the help from Legolas and Elrohir, she was confident she could break through the Queen's formidable defenses.
But her hopes were dashed when the Queen caught sight of Elrohir's spear. Flinging green fire in his direction, the Faerie caught the Elf completely unaware. Still imprisoned by enchantment, he could not even duck.
Alede gasped in panic as she saw his tunic catch fire. She flung a water spell at him, but her attention was diverted just long enough for the Queen to get through the wizardess' defenses. The Encircling broke and with a particularly vicious movement, the Faerie sent Alede hurtling toward the opposite wall.
Alede hit the stone with enough force that her staff fell from her hand and she felt bones crunch in her wrist. She fell to the ground with a cry of pain. Desperately, she tried to stand, calling her staff toward her.
But the Faerie Queen was too quick.
Shouting an evil incantation, the Faerie flung all of her magic at Alede. It rushed down upon the hapless wizardess like a flock of birds, screeching and pecking at her.
Alede managed to cry out before the wall reached out a cold, stony tongue and swallowed her. She disappeared into the rock as if she'd never existed.
In the silence that followed, no one heard the tortured screams of an Elf's soul.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Will Gimli be able to rescue his friends, or has he too, been captured by the Faerie's enchantment? Find out in chapter 23, "Wolf in the Fold", coming soon! :D
Thanks so much for all of the reviews! You guys are terrific!!!! You keep me inspired to write more. :D :D :D And to all of the lurkers - hello! and thanks for reading! :) ~Nebride
Where do you come from? - The Dust.
Where do you go to? - The Grave.
~ Ray Bradbury "Something Wicked This Way Comes"*~*
THE FAERIE GOBLET
Chapter 22 ~ "The Faerie Queen"
"I know who you are," Alede said quietly. Her voice dripped revulsion.
"Do you?" the Queen asked turning to her haughtily, smiling a venomous smile. "And yet we have not the pleasure of your name. I hardly think you are called 'Retribution'."
Alede snorted, a rude and vulgar sound amidst such refined and enchanted company. Outwardly Legolas appeared as disdainful as the rest of them but inwardly he was cheering. Alede was showing her true strength. And while he silently applauded her courage, he feared it as well.
*Do not let your anger make you reckless, my Sweet.*
Alede glanced at him, almost as if she heard his thoughts. But then her gaze snapped back to the Queen.
"You will not catch me out so easily," Alede said. "A name can be used in a binding spell, as you and I both know."
Legolas cheered again. He'd been afraid Alede would fall into the Queen's trap as well.
"A binding spell?" The Queen tittered prettily and Legolas found himself bending toward her unwillingly, placing a hand upon her arm as if he shared with the joke.
"I know not what you mean," the Queen said innocently. "I have bound no one here. They stay because of their devotion to me."
*NEVER! DO NOT BELIEVE HER, ALEDE!*
"Devotion!" Alede scoffed. "Devotion to what? Do they even know what you are?"
Beside Legolas, he felt the Queen stiffen. But before she could reply, Alede spoke again.
"Let me tell 'your people' what you are in case they do not know." Alede's voice rose so that all assembled might hear it and it rang with the vibrancy of power.
"You are Lust without the knowledge of Love. You are Selfishness without the lessons of Compassion. You are Emptiness without the fulfillment of a Soul. You are Shadow!"
Furiously, the Queen rose from her throne to advance on Alede. But she stumbled on the edge of her gown and Legolas saw that she had shrunken to the form of a wrinkled old hag. Her skin was as gnarled as tree bark and her spine as twisted as a willow.
"WITCH!" the old Queen screamed in a voice as dry as old leaves. The entire assembly seemed to blink and sway as Alede's Naming Magic shook the Queen's hold. But then the Queen straightened and looked down on the wizardess from her former height. The years and ugliness melted away and the company breathed a sigh of enchanted relief.
*NO!*
Whatever gain Alede had made with her small spell was lost. The Queen drew herself up and Legolas felt himself fighting within his own skin, desperate to save Alede from whatever the Faerie intended.
But Alede struck first. With a flash of light, the Faerie Queen suddenly erupted in flames. She screamed and writhed.
Legolas was able to take the first voluntary step during his imprisonment. And he took it away from the burning Queen.
"Release them!" Alede cried out. "Release them and I will release you!"
"NEVER, WITCH!"
The Faerie Queen threw off the fire and tossed a spell of her own. Ice cycles as sharp as daggers crashed against Alede's Encircling.
Alede staggered slightly with the force of the Queen's spell. Never had the wizardess felt such ancient and formidable power. She started to reach for the knife Gimli had loaned her. Throwing a blade had never been a great skill of hers, but the Queen was not far away. Unfortunately, the knife was not there and Alede realized with dismay that she must lost it when she fell earlier.
Raising her staff determinedly, she threw another spell, this one so intense she feared it might bring the earthen roof down upon them. But, despite the magnitude of Alede's magic it only affected the Queen for a moment before she shrugged it off.
Alede followed that spell with another and another, trying to find one that could weaken the Queen's power.
Green fire and sparks of magic ricocheted around the cavern. Faeries of all shapes and sizes were shrieking and scurrying about in absolute chaos. Rivendell Elves were struggling in their seats as if fighting bonds.
Legolas was slowly inching his way toward the huge table, his gaze fixed upon a golden knife lying there. His outstretched hand trembled violently as he fought against the Queen's enchantment and sweat beaded his brow.
Elrohir too showed signs of breaking his magical bond. Standing slightly behind the Queen, he'd procured a spear from the wall and was desperately trying to raise it.
Alede's hopes began to soar. If she had the help from Legolas and Elrohir, she was confident she could break through the Queen's formidable defenses.
But her hopes were dashed when the Queen caught sight of Elrohir's spear. Flinging green fire in his direction, the Faerie caught the Elf completely unaware. Still imprisoned by enchantment, he could not even duck.
Alede gasped in panic as she saw his tunic catch fire. She flung a water spell at him, but her attention was diverted just long enough for the Queen to get through the wizardess' defenses. The Encircling broke and with a particularly vicious movement, the Faerie sent Alede hurtling toward the opposite wall.
Alede hit the stone with enough force that her staff fell from her hand and she felt bones crunch in her wrist. She fell to the ground with a cry of pain. Desperately, she tried to stand, calling her staff toward her.
But the Faerie Queen was too quick.
Shouting an evil incantation, the Faerie flung all of her magic at Alede. It rushed down upon the hapless wizardess like a flock of birds, screeching and pecking at her.
Alede managed to cry out before the wall reached out a cold, stony tongue and swallowed her. She disappeared into the rock as if she'd never existed.
In the silence that followed, no one heard the tortured screams of an Elf's soul.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Will Gimli be able to rescue his friends, or has he too, been captured by the Faerie's enchantment? Find out in chapter 23, "Wolf in the Fold", coming soon! :D
Thanks so much for all of the reviews! You guys are terrific!!!! You keep me inspired to write more. :D :D :D And to all of the lurkers - hello! and thanks for reading! :) ~Nebride