Chapter 64: Broken Hearts
The sun touched the apex of the mountains in the west, their titanic shadows creeping across Sängril to herald the encroaching night. Melody wrung her hands as the carriage rolled its way down the road into the valley. Lara sat beside her, with Mina and Ariel across from them. Despite the roughness of the road, the carriage glided over the earth with surprising smoothness, leaving the well-cushioned seats to soak up what few vibrations made their way to the passengers. Melody heard Captain's armor rattle as he drove, and the constant pit-pat-pit-pat of bony paws in time to the horses informed her that Lobos was keeping pace. She glanced out the window, seeing the phantom-outlined lupine skeleton trotting along, his ghostly green tongue lolling as he panted without breath.
"We'll be in town shortly, your majesties," announced Glenn from the footman's seat behind the carriage box. "It appears they prepared a welcome for us."
"They have?" asked Mina over the road noise. "With such short notice?"
"Last I checked, milady, you are quite beloved by your people," replied Glenn.
"You're certainly a vast improvement over the previous 'king,'" added Captain. Lobos barked in agreement.
Mina smiled, returning her attention to her guests. "Good thing we dressed for the occasion!"
Melody looked herself over. Mina herself chose their outfits for the evening. For the princess, she selected a dress of sapphire blue with cut aquamarine gems set in the bodice and skirt. A pair of matching gloves adorned her hands, and a silver tiara was seated upon her head. Her hair was freshly washed and dried, shining like polished obsidian. Ariel was no less stunning in Mina's selection. Her dress was a shade of red that matched her hair, with billowing frills set into the skirt and gold thread embroidery. Her fins were freshly moistened with a solution of salted rosewater, leaving them gleaming, soft, and smooth. Mina had changed as well. The form-flattering black dress of earlier was traded for a gown of such a silvery gray it was near metallic in its sheen. Black flying birds decorated the skirt, and the bodice was adorned with accents of black lace. Her hair was done up in a high bun, held in place by a pair of solid silver hair pins with ravens carved into the ends. A silver choker styled into a snake eating its own tail wound around her neck.
Melody's eyes wandered over to Lara. Dressing their guardian had been another matter altogether. The male royal uniforms were quickly dismissed by Lara for their constraining fit and ostentatious flair. That, and they could not accommodate her tail. Melody had to admit they were quite gaudy, more costumes for official affairs than actual clothing. They had broad embroidered sashes, complimenting arrays of military medals, dangling shoulder tassels, and accompanying swords that served no purpose beyond ornamentation. They thought to use her magic to craft something, but at that moment her sorcery decided not to cooperate. Lara herself was fine with this, but the other three were not about to let her walk out of the castle in her battered travel clothes. It seemed they were at an impasse, but then Captain decided to speak up.
"Pardon me, your majesties, but Dame Anclagon is a knight, yes? So, shouldn't she be dressed as one?"
And so, Lara was dressed in armor.
It was a small labor finding components that would fit her, but it was completed in time. She declined a full suit, saying it would hinder her too much. She took only the indispensable components: breastplate, vambraces, couters, poelyns, greaves, sabatons, and leather gloves with articulating metal plates across the back in lieu of gauntlets. A single pauldron protected her left shoulder, a great snarling amphithere furnished upon it. A true dragon was stamped across the breastplate, its titanic wings spread wide as it roared to the sky, right claw gripping a great sword as the left clutched a shield. All the pieces were secured to her body by leather straps, the metal polished so fine it was like silver. A gorget of thick navy cloth was clasped around her shoulders, the sleeves extending down to her wrists beneath the armor, right shoulder and neckline guarded by pyramidal steel studs set in the fabric. Beneath it all she wore a mantle of the same dark blue with vertical silver stripes that fell to her knees. A chain mail shirt was visible underneath, and the collar of her black tunic rose halfway up her neck. The black leather belt was inlaid with silver designs, as were the scabbard of the longsword and dirk strapped to her hips. Her hair was done in a tight braided crown, the rest trailing down her back. Her tail snaked out across the seat and down onto the floor thanks to her pants–the only part of her own clothing she still wore, and the only bit able to successfully accommodate her tail.
Melody could not prevent her glance from becoming a stare. Lara looked every bit the knight that she was. She looked valorous, noble, and dashing. Melody found herself wishing Lara was able to wear something similar for her knighting ceremony. What a sight that would have been!
Lara glanced over, sensing her gaze. "What? Is there something on my face?"
Melody blushed and quickly looked away. "Nothing!"
Mina gave a light laugh, amused by the princess' sudden shyness. "Can you blame her, Lara? I feel underdressed sitting next to you!"
"It suits you," added Ariel. "You look…you look…?" Her hand made repetitive circles in the air as she searched for the right words.
"Captivating?" offered Mina. "Beautiful? Bewitching?"
"More like…" Ariel pressed a finger to her lips in thought, a smile forming as she found the words she wanted. "Alluringly courageous."
Now it was Lara who blushed, looking out the window as her cheeks reddened. "It's just armor…"
Melody looked out the window as well, momentarily catching her reflection in the glass. She truly looked like a princess again. Barely two weeks ago she would not have given it a second thought. Now, after all the turmoil and trauma they had been through, she felt uneasy in such finery. Fake, even. As though her dress and decorations were an afront to the horrors they had survived. And to those who did not survive them. The carriage hit a large rock, giving it a hard jostle and a loud rattle as the wheel came down.
"Run!" Lara yelled, hauling Melody upright as two more shells struck above them. A part of the ceiling fell nearby, and fresh cracks rapidly spread through it. "Go! Go! Go!"
Melody ran for the door as she heard another shell fall towards them. Lara was pushing on her back, hurrying her along. Melody grabbed the handles to her doors, but suddenly Lara snatched her and pulled her back, cocooning them in her wings. A moment later a shell landed squarely inside her room and detonated.
A wall of searing heat struck Melody. She felt as if she were caught between a volcano and the world, and the volcano was about to be dropped on her. The air was forced out of her chest as her feet left the ground. Her hearing disappeared completely, leaving only silence. She went flying out of Lara's grasp and through the air. Then her front struck something hard and flat, bouncing off it and landing on her back. Her body was numb, and then it hurt. From the top of her head to the ends of her hair, she hurt.
Melody groaned and rolled over, her hearing once again dominated by ringing. Her room was gone. The bed. The furniture. The floors. The walls. The dresser. The closet. All of it. There was nothing but a burning ruined hole. Every single thing inside it had been obliterated, devoured by raging flames or collapsed through the now absent floor.
Bile rose in Melody's throat in response to the memory. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand as she forced it back down. For a moment, she swore she smelled blood and smoke.
"Mel?" Lara sat up, noticing the change in Melody's bearing and the color in her face. "You alright? You're looking green."
"Are you feeling okay, honey?" asked Ariel, reaching across and taking Melody's hand.
Melody took a breath and nodded. The queasiness was still there, but it was not getting worse. "I'm okay. Just…I remembered home. When they destroyed it. It…" She swallowed hard, feeling the nausea rise again.
"May I try something?" asked Mina. Melody nodded, allowing Mina to take her left hand. She gently pinched the webbing between Melody's thumb and finger with one hand, slowly rubbing it back and forth as her other hand massaged her palm. She was humming something as well, but not a tune Melody recognized. To her amazement, she felt her nausea subside, the bile settling where it belonged. "Feel better?"
"Yes, actually," Melody looked at her hand. "How did you do that? Was it magic?"
Mina laughed. "No, no. Just a little something I picked up in my travels."
Melody looked out the window as she felt the dirt road change to cobblestones. The first buildings of the town passed by. They were mostly uniform in construction, made of weathered pine and fir logs with angled gray slate roofs to slough the heavy winter snow. Several appeared newly constructed, while others had evidence of repairs. There were freshly painted signs hanging over doors, spotless new windows in sills, and stacks of cut cobblestone still waiting to be set. Candlelight flickered in windows and torches were lit along the streets, providing illumination against the encroaching night. People were coming out of their homes and businesses, walking in the same direction they were traveling. Melody saw their faces light up when they beheld the carriage, voices quickly spreading news of their sovereign's arrival.
"It's Countess Mina!"
"It's the Countess!"
"She's here!"
"Look! It's Master Glenn! And Lobos!"
"Captain's with them, too!"
Melody turned to Mina. "Aren't they afraid of your servants?"
"My familiars," clarified Mina. "And they were, at first. Not any longer, though. It's remarkable what a bit of honesty, virtue, and just being good to people can accomplish."
A group of children ran towards the carriage, waving and shouting excitedly. Mina smiled and waved back to them. Lobos barked and ran up, bounding around the children like a happy pup. The children squealed, not in fear but delight, as the large spectral canid leapt and spun before running back to the carriage, the children giving chase. The carriage rolled into a large central square. The smatterings of people were now a crowd. Melody saw a raised wooden platform in the middle of it, set five feet above the ground with torches at the corners and a gentle ramp at the front. Four people stood atop it, their features cast in shadow by the firelight. A long table with eight seats was set behind them. The crowd parted as they approached, cheers and applause rising from the sea of faces. Mina continued to smile and wave as they went. The carriage stopped at the bottom of the platform. Melody felt the carriage shift slightly as Glenn stepped off, and then shift immensely as Captain's far heavier bulk dismounted. Glenn came to the door and opened it.
"My lady," he said, offering his hand to Mina.
"Always the perfect gentleman," said Mina, taking his hand. She emerged through the door to a chorus of cheers, stepping down to await her guests.
"Guess that's our cue," said Lara. She cricked her neck and hopped out. The crowd quieted slightly, mildly confused and very awestruck by this armed stranger with a tail and blazing orange hair who accompanied their countess.
Glenn held out his hand to Melody. "Your highness, if I may?"
Melody swallowed nervously. She took his hand, uneasy at the feel of his clean bones against her skin. Yet the way he held her hand, refined as it was light, reminded her of Grimsby. A pang of loss struck her heart, distracting her as Glenn led her off the carriage.
"Captain, would you see to the queen?" asked Glenn. "And I implore you, do your best not to drop her."
"I may not be the most graceful, Glenn, but I'm not a moron!" Captain stepped up to the doorway. "With your permission, your majesty?"
"Please be careful," said Ariel, hesitantly scooting herself to within his reach.
"But of course!" Captain moved to take her but then stopped, checking his right arm. "Just making sure!"
Melody glanced back as Mina led her and Lara to the platform, seeing the carriage list as Captain fetched her mother. He emerged carrying Ariel in his arms, as though she weighed no more than a feather. A gasp went up from the crowd as they saw her fins, the firelight gleaming on the green scales. Melody allowed Captain to go ahead of her, following in his steps as Lara and Glenn brought up the tail. She felt the ramp creak as they ascended.
When they reached the top of the platform, Melody got a proper view of the four people from before. The closest to her was a middle-aged man with keen green eyes, a bald head, and a solid frame. Bits of black were smeared on his stern face and in his thick ginger beard, which obscured all traces of his mouth. His hands were stained black with soot and his forearms were thick and powerful, suggesting many a long day working before a fire. Perhaps he was a blacksmith? Or a glass maker? He smiled as he saw Mina, revealing crow's feet at the corners of his eyes. The slender woman standing beside him smiled as well, her curly black hair matching her ebony skin. Next to her stood a man of equally dark complexion and short curly hair, his clean-shaven face revealing a nervous but welcoming smile. They were all dressed in plain but well-kept clothing, clearly wanting to be presentable for the occasion. The woman at the end was significantly older than the rest. Her hair was silvered with age and her olive skin wrinkled by time and weathered by the elements. Her posture was heavily hunched, forcing her to lean on a gnarled wooden cane. A thick green shawl was draped around her, and her sky-blue dress was deeply faded. Yet, despite her elderly and haggard appearance, there was life and spunk in those blue eyes that returned Melody's gaze. The old woman smiled kindly in return and Melody quickly averted her eyes, embarrassed she was caught staring.
"Rowan!" said Mina, walking up to the bald man. "Good to see you again!"
Rowan, as Melody assumed he was named, placed a hand over his heart and bowed at the waist to her. "Your excellency! You honor us with your presence!"
"I am the one who should be honored!" said Mina, taking Rowan's hands before planting a greeting kiss on each cheek. "Did you really put all this together for me?"
"But of course!" said the younger woman, she and her companion stepping forward. "It feels like it's been months since we last saw you!"
"We had a council meeting less than a week ago, Olivia!" said Mina, embracing the woman closely and repeating the kisses on her cheek before doing the same to the man. "Michael! How is little Nicholas?"
"Oh, same as always, milady!" said Michael. "Running around, playing knights with his friends and causing trouble!"
"As a young boy should!" said Rowan.
"With no small bit of encouragement from your own son, right?" said Mina, giving Rowan a knowing wink. The man laughed from deep within his belly. She then turned to the elderly woman, who slowly made her way over, her cane tapping against the boards.
"Hazel." Mina embraced her gently, planting a single kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
The woman returned her smile, resting a gentle hand on Mina's shoulder. "Think nothing of it, countess. We are always ready and willing to answer your call."
"And you have my gratitude for it," said Mina, gesturing towards Melody and the others as they reached the top. "Allow me to present their royal majesties, Princess Melody and Queen Ariel of Seahaven, and their guardian and my dear friend, Dame Lara Anclagon of Seahaven."
Mina stepped to the side. "Your majesties, Lara, I present to you the council of Sängril. We have, in order, Rowan, Olivia, Michael, and last but not least, Hazel."
"You must be the guests our lady mentioned," said Rowan. He gave a polite bow, the others following suit. "A pleasure to meet you!"
"Yes. I mean, we are!" said Melody. Remembering her manners, she curtsied to them. "It's very nice to meet you all."
"Myself, as well," said Ariel. "Forgive me if I don't bow."
"Not at all!" said Rowan. "Though, I must ask…are you really a mermaid?"
Ariel's answer was to gently raise the hem of her skirt, revealing more of her fins. Rowan's eyes widened as Olivia and Michael let out small gasps of astonishment.
"Bless my soul!" breathed Olivia, awe and wonder painted across her face. She grabbed Michael's arm excitedly. "To think we would live to see a proper mermaid with our own eyes!" Her eyes then shifted over to Lara, a smile crossing her features. "So, you're the Lara Anclagon? Lady Mina has spoken of you often. And very fondly!"
"She has?" said Lara, looking at Mina.
Mina winked back at her. "All good things, I swear."
Michael glanced behind Lara. "Then, is it also true that you…?"
Lara swung her tail around. An audible gasp came from him. His eyes were glued to the appendage, the firelight dancing off the scales like hundreds of black mirrors. "Half dragon…" he uttered. "I never dreamed such a thing was possible! Yet here you are! Remarkable!"
Lara gave him a lopsided grin. "Buddy, that's just the tip of the iceberg!"
Hazel coughed loudly, drawing everyone's attention. "Speaking of the tips of things, her excellency's message said you had an urgent matter to share with all of us?"
Melody felt that nausea in her belly once more as the grin fell from Lara's face. Mina spoke up before she could say anything. "There is. And it's something everyone needs to know of." The countess walked to the edge of the platform, raising a hand for quiet. The people responded instantly, their voices dying to silence in a matter of seconds. "People of Sängril! I thank you all for coming on such short notice!"
"For you, milady, we'd be good with an hour's notice!" shouted a man from further back. A few laughs went up along with a light wave of agreeing claps.
"Duly noted!" Mina replied, earning a few more laughs. "I would not have requested such a thing unless it was urgent!" Her own smile faded away. "And the matter I bring to you is urgent in the utmost sense of the word!"
Murmurs and whispers went rippling through the crowd as Mina stepped back. "Allow me to present my honored guests!"
Glenn stepped forward, clearing his throat despite his lack of one. "Announcing her royal majesty, Queen Ariel of Seahaven, daughter of King Triton of the merfolk kingdom of Atlantica…!"
Captain stepped forward, presenting Ariel to the crowd. More inaudible murmurs erupted as her mermaid tail, crimson hair, and exquisite beauty were seen by all. She gave a polite nod to them, and many of the crowd bowed or curtsied in response.
"Her daughter, Princess Melody of Seahaven…!" continued Mina. Melody stepped up beside Captain, curtsying to the crowd. More murmurs went up, along with more bows and curtsies. "And Dame Lara Anclagon, knight and sorceress of Seahaven, and guardian of their royal majesties!"
Lara strode up beside Melody, her golden eyes looking out over the crowd. The murmuring rose in volume as they beheld her, new whispers reaching their ears.
"Look at her tail! And her hair!"
"Is she some sort of demihuman?"
"He said sorceress! She has magic!?"
"They bring news of a dire and rapidly approaching threat to our kingdom!" said Mina, making sure she spoke loud enough for all to hear. Melody could feel as much as see the shift in the crowd's air. Curiosity was now joined with mounting anxiety. The people pressed in, not wanting to miss a word of what was to come. Mina turned to Ariel and gave a small curtsy. "Your majesty, the crowd is yours."
"Thank you," said Ariel before addressing the crowd. Melody saw the shift in her bearing from mother to queen, taking on a stately air. "Good people of Sängril! Thank you for lending us your time and ears this evening! I am Ariel, queen of the kingdom of Seahaven, part of the Alliance of kingdoms! Though I am pleased to make your acquaintances, it is my deepest wish this introduction were happening under happier circumstances! That we came bearing only good will and friendship for your people!"
"Which we do!" interrupted Lara. Ariel shot her a look as Melody elbowed her ribs through the gap in her armor. "What!? I'm just saying we…!" She trailed off as she realized the entire crowd was looking at her. "Um…I mean, we…uh…" She coughed into her hand before looking down. "Never mind."
Ariel returned her attention to the crowd, taking a steadying breath before starting again. "I'm afraid it was not a desire for camaraderie or diplomacy that brought us to your lands! It was necessity and the threat of death! We and what remains of our people were driven from our home by an enemy unlike any other!"
A quick wave of murmurs went through the crowd, but there was not a single eye looking away from Ariel as she continued. "Our kingdom was invaded by an organization of evil mages calling themselves Maelstrom! Their commander, a warlock we know only as the Master, orchestrated a simultaneous attack on us and all the kingdoms of the Alliance, including the merfolk kingdom of Atlantica–my former home! They came without warning and without quarter, offering no chance for surrender! My husband and Melody's father, King Eric, was taken prisoner! As was my father, King Triton of Atlantica, and the rest of our family save one of my sisters! Many of our friends were taken as well!"
She gestured to Lara. "Lara Anclagon, bravest and mightiest of our knights, and sworn protector of our family, was able to rescue Melody from them and deal a crippling blow to the Master! She then returned to rescue me from my execution! Both times at immense risk to herself! Were it not for her, we would both be in their clutches…and I would surely be dead!"
A short round of applause went up as Melody, Mina, and the council politely clapped. Lara blushed and averted her eyes, her tail swishing bashfully. Ariel raised her hand for silence and the crowd obliged. "It saddens me to say it, but very few of our people were able to escape this calamity! The same goes for the rest of the Alliance! Those who did not escape were captured or…!" Her voice trailed off, eyes looking to the coming night sky. Melody could see a tremble in her mother's throat as she breathed, finding it hard to keep her composure as her thoughts went to the uncertain fates of their loved ones. That, and the grim fate that befell many of their friends and subjects. The nausea in Melody's stomach was now joined by a woeful constriction in her chest, as though sorrow were a snake winding itself around her heart.
Something in Melody compelled her to speak. Before she could stop herself, she stepped forward, taking over where her mother stopped. "The rest have been captured or killed! We have every reason to believe they will do the same to any and all they come across! Including you!" She licked her lips, clasping her hands tightly before her. "And I'm sorry, but they know we are here! And they are coming!"
A wave of alarmed voices rose from the crowd. She could see the fear in the people's faces vividly. Fear brought about by her words. What she said was the truth, and one they needed to know, but it was not her intent to terrify them. She saw parents hold their children tighter as friends and families spoke urgently with hushed words.
"They brought their fight right to us!" shouted a voice from the crowd. A few agreeing murmurs went up, and now Melody saw not just fear but rising resentment and anger among the faces. She felt that nausea crawl up into her throat. Those angry faces were now looking at her, and a tight knot formed in her stomach.
"No! We–!" Before Melody could say anything more Mina put a hand on her shoulder, gently but firmly pushing past. Lobos was at her side, the wolf's spectral jowls curled back in a snarl as he growled. Some of the crowd went quiet as the familiar and his master approached the edge of the stage, not deaf to their cross airs. Suddenly Lobos let out a roaring howl, cutting through the chatter. The crowd flinched at the wild sound, many of them taking a frightened step back.
"That is enough!" Mina said sharply, her red eyes sweeping over the crowd as if daring anyone to speak over her. None did so. Lobos continued to growl as he sat, Mina quieting him with slow measured strokes down the top of his head. "To think I would hear the people of Sängril condemn three women for fleeing an enemy that wants them dead! Is that the sort of people you truly are?"
"You heard what she said!" shouted a woman. "They followed them here! If they hadn't come–!"
"It would be no different than if they found us on their own!" interrupted Mina.
Lara stepped up beside Lobos, one hand resting on the pommel of her sword. "Don't mistake our coming here for some sort of plot to destroy you! Like Ariel said, we're not here by choice! And Unlike Maelstrom, we aren't your enemies! We came because there's something here that'll help us bring them down! And because there was nowhere else for us to go! Maelstrom controls the entirety of the Alliance lands and all its waters! Our closest allies are gone! The ones we have left are too far away to do anything! And even if they tried, Maelstrom would destroy them, too! Melody and I were able to do some harm to their boss before we fled, but it'll only slow him down! As for what's following us, they're still three whole days out! That's three days to plan and prepare, which is more than we had! We didn't even get three minutes! Three minutes, people!"
"Captain, could you set me down, please?" asked Ariel.
"Are you sure, your majesty?" asked the armor. Ariel nodded, so Captain carefully set her on the platform and stepped back. Ariel smoothed out her dress, sitting straight up with her chin lifted with that ever so slight regal distinction. She raised a hand, gaining everyone's attention and silence almost instantly.
"It's true," she said. "Maelstrom would not be coming here were it not for us. And I cannot express to you how much it saddens, frustrates, and terrifies me that we have inadvertently involved you in our struggle. That Maelstrom could ruin your peace and happiness just like they did ours. It was never our intention to bring disaster upon you." She looked about the crowd, her eyes glistening and then shedding slow quiet tears as she spoke. "When I see you all, I remember the faces of my people. Of friends that were taken from us. Faces we will never see again. Voices we will never hear again. My heart breaks to think that so many of them are gone forever, and that we could lose more still. And it horrifies me to no end to think that Maelstrom would do the same to you. Or our being here may lead to it."
Ariel bowed down, her forehead almost touching the floor. "You have our deepest and most sincere apologies. My only hope is that you can somehow find it within your hearts to forgive us. And that our warning might spare you from the fate we suffered."
Seeing her mother do this, Melody hesitantly followed suit, bowing low to the crowd. The rough grain of the timber pressed again her palms and knees through the layers of her dress. Long tense seconds passed by, broken by the subtle noises of an uncomfortably shifting crowd and the gentle crackle of lantern and torch light. Then Mina cleared her throat.
"Now you know why you were summoned here," said Mina. "And now, the council and I will decide how best to proceed with this knowledge. I expect you all to compose yourselves and listen accordingly. And to think carefully before you try to lay blame on Maelstrom's victims a second time. Now is not the time for accusations. Now is the time for planning our response, and to offer aid to those who need it. Lobos."
The skeleton wolf gave a sharp snort and turned, following his master back to the table. A bone hand touched Melody's shoulder, urging her to rise. "On your feet, your highness. You've made your remorse more than clear."
Melody stood, smoothing out her gown once she was upright. She saw Mina and the council heading to the table as Lara picked Ariel up, carrying her over to the right side. Mina went to the far end as Rowan, Michael, and Olivia took the three seats on the left. Hazel slowly made her way to the closest end, Captain assisting the ancient woman as Glenn saw to the countess, the two remaining at the women's sides. Lobos went and lay under the table, curling up as the lights in his eyes went dark with slumber. Lara set Ariel down in the middle seat and then went to help Melody, but she waved a hand indicating she could seat herself easily enough. The crowd began to gather close around the platform, listening in on the impending conversation.
"Now then," said Mina, folding her hands together and resting back in her chair as she crossed her legs. "If any of you have further questions for our guests, now is the time to ask."
"First, I think I speak for all of us when I say how sorry we are for your loss," said Michael, nodding towards the three women. "To lose not just your home, but your family and people as well is…it's beyond imaginable."
"Agreed!" said Rowan.
"You have our deepest condolences," said Olivia. She turned to the crowd, her eyes narrowing crossly at them. "And we would be glad to help them and their people in any way we can! Right?"
Melody saw more than a few faces turn away, not in contempt but shame as the rest nodded in quick agreement. Mina gave an amused grin. "Your wife is a force to be reckoned with, Michael."
"That she is," agreed Michael before returning his focus to Ariel. "We'll offer what help we can, your majesty. Within reason, mind you."
"Michael!" snapped Olivia, smacking his arm in a scolding manner.
"Have a heart, man!" said Rowan.
"I'm not saying I don't sympathize with them!" said Michael placatingly. "I'm merely reminding the council we can't overstretch ourselves! Of course, we should offer them assistance! I don't think any of us disagree with that! But Sängril is not a large or wealthy kingdom! Certainly, not compared to what we know of the Alliance! We do well enough to look after ourselves! Even more so since Lady Mina took the throne!"
"Technically, the throne is still vacant," said Mina. "Though, I doubt any relatives of the royal family are still alive."
"And you won't get any argument from me about helping them!" continued Michael. "But we can't support a massive influx of people!" More voices of agreement came from the crowd. Melody had to admit he made a fair point, even if it did come across as callous.
"Not immediately, no," said Rowan. "But we aren't lacking for space, either! Nor is this land the ruin it once was! Our fields are the most productive they've been in decades, and our waters now run clean! Surely, we could use our surplus to support them! And there's still time to clear and plant new fields before the season's out! It may be a late harvest, but if we put our backs into it, I'm confident we can make it! None of us is a stranger to hard work!"
"There is also the matter of housing," said Hazel. "These coming seasons may be mild, but our winters are most unforgiving. Tents will not suffice against snow and ice when it arrives. And while we can open our doors to many, there are only so many seats at our tables and so many beds under our roofs."
"Ahem," Mina said, gathering their attention. "Perhaps you would have a better grasp of what help is needed if you speak to the ones who need our help." She subtly nodded to the other side of the table.
"Oh!" declared Olivia, remembering they were not alone. "I'm so sorry! Here we are, talking amongst ourselves, and you're seated right across from us!"
"It's alright," said Ariel. "I realize this is a lot to take in."
"And speaking of taking in," said Michael, leaning forward to rest on his elbows. "How many people could we expect?"
Melody saw a small sorrowful frown turn the corners of her mother's mouth. "A few thousand, unfortunately."
"If I had to guess, no more than six," said Lara.
Rowan's eyes flew wide as he stood up, smacking the table with his hands. "Six thousand!?"
"That many!?" exclaimed Olivia.
Hazel tapped her cane sharply on the ground. "Mind your manners, you two. You are speaking to a queen."
Rowan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he realized the volume of his outburst. He sat back down. "Apologies, your majesty."
"I know it's a lot," said Ariel. "But please understand, there's–."
"You misunderstand!" interrupted Rowan. "My reaction was to how small your estimate is!"
"Small?" said Melody. "Six thousand is small to you?"
"Well, no," said Michael. "That's very nearly triple the current size of Sängril! But from what we've heard of the Alliance, its total population was above four hundred thousand! Do you mean to tell us that's the entirety of who escaped!?"
"Wish I could say we're underestimating," said Lara. "But Maelstrom didn't leave any time or space for people to get away. And they weren't picky about who they captured and who they killed."
Michael looked to Mina. "Is that true?"
"It is," said Mina. "They all shared their blood with me."
"Then you've seen this Maelstrom they speak of?" asked Olivia.
"Effectively, yes. From what I saw in their memories, Maelstrom's indiscriminate destruction was aimed more at sowing chaos than conquering a kingdom. If their assault on the others was anything like what occurred in Seahaven, I don't think we can be optimistic about survivors."
"Putting that aside for the moment, six thousand is still well beyond our current ability to house and feed," said Michael. "One or two, I could see settling in without issue. But six? I don't see how we can accommodate such numbers in this town."
"Then we find new space for them," said Rowan. "The Sängril Valley stretches more than thirty miles in both directions, and the mountains form a natural barrier to outsiders! It's why our captors were able to thrive here as they did! No one could reach them, and we couldn't escape them!"
"The borders of our kingdom extend far beyond that," said Mina. "Our northern border lies more than halfway to Arendelle, and our southern border extends just as far. Our eastern border reaches almost to the Sand Ocean. There are bound to be other areas that can be settled. My crows can scout for them with ease. I was also planning to introduce a proposal to re-settle Hangman's Creek and Redstone Gorge. The initial plans would have started clearing the land next year. However, I think this is a good reason to accelerate those plans."
"Hangman's Creek? Why there?" asked Olivia. "That place is a ghost town. And Redstone Gorge is effectively a trash dump since the dwarven mines collapsed."
"That they are," said Hazel. "However, there are multiple freshwater springs at each, and the lands around Hangman's Creek should be ideal for farming. There is no shortage of timber to be harvested, either." She looked to Ariel. "Are your people physically capable, your majesty?"
Ariel shifted a bit in her seat. "Um…I'm afraid many of them are women and children. Most of the men did not escape. But I'm sure they'd be willing to help if it means they can have a place to call home, even if it's temporary…hopefully."
"And you would be undertaking this with my assistance, of course," said Mina. "I wouldn't have brought this before you if I was not willing to do my part."
"Are you sure, your excellency?" asked Rowan. "You must have other tasks that need your attention. We wouldn't want to overburden you."
"The matters concerning the people of this kingdom are and will always be at the forefront of my tasks," said Mina. "Nor will I hesitate to use my powers for your continued security and prosperity."
The four council members looked between each other, sharing quick hushed words. Melody felt an unease inside as they spoke. She looked to Lara, who was watching them intently. She had no doubt she could hear what they were saying, but her face betrayed nothing. Then Olivia leaned forward, looking to Mina. "If you have plans prepared, milady, we'd be glad to put them into action. And accept any help you can offer."
Mina nodded to her. "I'll deliver them myself tomorrow morning."
"As for your people, your majesty," said Michael, addressing Ariel directly. "Six thousand will be a strain for our small kingdom. But, with our Lady's help, I am confident we can provide a home and safety to them."
Hazel made a low "mmm" sound in her throat as she nodded in agreement. Ariel gave a short bow to them. "You have my utmost gratitude. I can't…" She stopped, covering her face with her hands as her bottom lip started to quiver.
"Mom?" Melody turned to Ariel. "Mom, are you okay?"
Ariel nodded, but when she took her hands away, Melody saw fresh tears coming down her face. "I'm sorry! It's just…you can't…!" She had to pause to find her voice. "You can't imagine how much that means to us! I don't know how we could ever repay you!"
"If you and your people can be friends to us, and help our budding kingdom continue to grow, that will be repayment enough," said Mina.
"Hear, hear!" said Rowan. "Now that that's settled, there's still the matter of Maelstrom to discuss." He looked to Lara. "You said they're three days out?"
"Roughly," said Lara. "Mina had the Archive crunch some numbers, and it put them at the castle gates just before midnight at the next full moon."
"Which is three days away," said Olivia worriedly. "That's not a lot of time."
"How big is their force?" asked Michael.
"Not large," said Mina. "A battalion numbering less than a thousand. This is a hunting party, not an invasion force." She held up a hand, silencing an interjection from Rowan. "However, Maelstrom's strength does not come from numbers."
Mina brought a thumb to her mouth and bit, her fangs piercing through the skin with ease. She extended her hand out, squeezing the blood from the punctures. Three droplets fell, but instead of splattering against the table, they hovered in midair. Melody felt that same sensation of danger and dark power as more blood flowed out of Mina's thumb, gathering in the center of the table. The blood swirled together, forming a humanoid shape with legs, arms, and a head. Then familiar details began to emerge – smooth plating over metal bones, a ring of barrels in one forearm, a sword springing forth from the opposite hand, and a skeletal face with piercing crystalline eyes, all formed from living blood. Melody saw the awe and fear on the faces of the council members as the figure began stalking up and down the table.
Mina nodded to Lara, who nodded back before addressing the council. "This is just one of their soldiers. They call it a clockman. It's a metal body brought to 'life' using a defiled soul. That right arm shoots wads of metal called bullets faster than you can see, and strong enough to pierce most plate armor or chain mail. They're also extremely strong and can shrug off swords and arrows. Even a cannon would have trouble knocking one down without a solid hit."
Rowan leaned forward, eyes wide as the small blood figure stopped in front of him, turning and raising its chain gun arm as if to fire. "Can these things be stopped?"
"Yeah," said Lara. "They're not invincible, but they're literally tough as steel. From the few I fought, there's two ways to kill them. Destroy the magic crystal inside its chest or break it so bad it can't fight anymore."
"It was a horde of these that destroyed Seahaven," said Mina. "Over ten thousand of them."
Rowan, Olivia, and Michael's eyes went wide as they turned abruptly to Mina. "Ten thousand!?"
"How many of these approach us?" asked Hazel, her eyes still watching the small clockman move about.
"One hundred, per my crows," said Mina. "And they aren't the only ones."
More blood slithered out from her hand, forming five new figures. One became a snarling miniature version of a werewolf, its teeth and claws bared as it snarled angrily. Three became various versions of Ursula's mutant abominations. One was an unholy amalgamation of man, octopus, and crab. The second had the beady eyes and gaping mouth of an anglerfish and was covered in poisonous urchin spines, a pair of jagged scimitars in each hand. The third was human from the waist up, but its lower half was like a flatworm with squirming tentacles for legs. A pair of sharp mandibles flanked a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth, and its eyes were bulging and insectile.
The last one became an unmistakably familiar sea witch. Ursula's miniaturized facsimile strutted forth, her tentacles pulling her along the table as she barked silent orders to the other bloody imitations of her minions. For a moment its eyes met Melody's, and she felt a chill go down her spine.
"This is a fair representation of the remainder of what is hunting their majesties," said Mina. "Three hundred werewolves and five hundred of these monstrosities."
"Nine hundred altogether," said Lara. "Nine hundred and one if you count their leader, Ursula."
"Ursula is a sea witch," said Ariel. "She tormented my father's kingdoms for years before my husband was able to slay her. So did her sister, Morgana, until we were able to defeat her, too. Somehow, the Master was able to revive them both, and they've been serving him ever since."
Melody saw and heard Olivia swallow loudly as the spiky anglerfish man-monster strode past her. "Five hundred of these things!?"
Mina looked to Lara. "Which would you say is the greatest threat among the forces Maelstrom sent after you?"
"Ursula," Lara immediately answered
"You're sure?"
"Without a doubt," said Lara. She settled back in her chair, folding her arms sternly. "Clockmen, werewolves, and fish monsters are dangerous. But they all answer to Ursula. I'm only putting this out as a hypothesis, but from what I've seen her witchcraft lets her alter her body at will. I've witnessed that sort of magic before, but not to this extent. She took Willard's sword though the chest and is still going. There's also that gigantism trick of hers, which could be a real pain to deal with. Not to mention she was able to absorb the trident's magic and use it as her own. She's got natural offense and defense in spades. And I'm sure that's not the full extent of her abilities."
"There is also the Master himself, and his other generals." Mina gave a sharp twirl of her finger. All the blood figurines except Ursula collapsed into puddles, and then quickly reformed into even less welcome forms. Ursula's doppelganger was now joined by miniature versions of Morgana, Remora, and the Master. Two of the puddles merged to form Riptide's large serpentine body. They turned and faced the council, Remora's figure spinning her scythe and then draping it across her shoulders as Riptide encircled them all. "These five individuals represent the greatest threats in Maelstrom's arsenal. Concerning the Master and Morgana…" She waved her hand and the two in questions stepped forward. "They are believed to be incapacitated, albeit temporarily. Which is fortunate, as the Master is by far the strongest of the lot. Morgana not so much, but she's still a dangerous witch."
"What about the other two?" asked Michael.
"Assuming Richard wasn't lying through his teeth like always," said Lara, a growl to her voice as she said the man's name, "Remora's been shelved indefinitely. Or at least until the Master is fully recovered. No idea how long that'll be. As for Riptide, who knows? He could be back at whatever hole he calls his lair. He could be out scouring the oceans for us. Or he could be dead from something else, hard as that is to imagine. Point is, we don't know."
Mina extended her bitten hand out. The blood figures collapsed and streamed back to her thumb, returning through the wound she called them from. Within seconds they were gone, not so much as a speck of blood left on the table. "Your thoughts, council?"
Michael blew a long sigh, running a hand across his hair. "If your intent was to frighten us, Lady Mina, you've certainly succeeded."
"That wasn't my intention," said Mina. "I wanted to impress upon you how strange and dangerous this enemy is. Maelstrom is waging an entirely different form of warfare from what this kingdom experienced in the past. This is beyond even the kingdoms in the east."
"They took out five kingdoms in one day, and at the same time," said Lara. Her hands clenched tight as she looked down at the table. "It was a complete loss on our side. Even if our army had been ready to meet them, it wouldn't have changed the outcome. Not in any significant way."
Rowan sighed, stroking down his beard. "Is there any possibility of negotiating with them? Any at all?"
Ariel shook her head. "There isn't."
"I agree," said Mina. "From what I've witnessed through them, Maelstrom does not make a habit of brokering alliances, much less treaties. Nor do I see any reason to think they'd leave us be once they discover our kingdom. Or if we handed these three over to them." She looked to Ariel. "Which, I assure you, has never and will never be an option!"
Lara grinned at Mina. "Never had a doubt in our minds."
"Even if they did negotiate, you couldn't expect them to honor it," said Melody.
"That, or they'd use it against you," said Ariel. "That sort of thing was Ursula's specialty. It's how she almost overthrew my father."
"So, this battalion is coming no matter what?" said Michael.
"I'm afraid so," said Mina. "My crows are hindering them around the clock. But they will come."
"And the only thing we can do is run?" said Olivia. Concerned and scared voices began rising from the crowd.
Rowan punched a meaty hand into his palm. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd sooner fight that turn tail! We've worked too long and hard to have all this taken from us!" A round of concurring voices followed.
"Some of us have families to consider!" said Michael, taking Olivia's hand in his. "We at least need to get the women, children, and elderly to safety! We should start the evacuation right away!" This too was met with agreement amongst the crowd.
"I understand your concern!" said Mina, motioning for Michael to stay as the man rose. He stopped, looking at her for a moment, then sat back down again. "Which is why I will use every bit of power at my disposal to stop them! You have my word on that!"
To her surprise, Melody saw relief not only in Michael's face, but that of the rest of the council. Even the crowd seemed to relax. "You will?"
Mina stood from her chair. There was that same feeling of creeping dread in Melody's chest again when she saw Mina's eyes glow for a moment. "When I freed this kingdom, I had no intention of becoming its ruler. I eliminated your masters of my own volition, without expectation of reward. It was all of you who made me countess, and did so of your own free will. And I accepted that title and its oath to you all. You are my people. You are my responsibility. And, more than that, I count you all amongst my friends. I won't neglect my duty to protect you."
"There is another option," said Ariel. All eyes turned to her as she raised her left arm, showing the black curse winding its way around her skin. "This curse was put on me while I was their prisoner. We believe it's telling them where I am. But if we leave soon, and get far enough away, maybe they'll follow us and miss you all."
"If you don't mind my saying so, your majesty," said Rowan as Mina sat again. "That will depend entirely on where they are. I'm assuming you came from the southwest?"
"Well, we were heading northeast, so…" Melody did a quick mental check. "Yes, we did."
"They came here on the Spire Road," said Mina. "And that's where Ursula is right now."
A disappointed look crossed Rowan's face. "Then there are very few other routes for them to take. Spire Road is more of a trail. It's narrow and treacherous for much of its length, as you no doubt saw. Which will likely force them to keep their current path till they reach Snowkeep Saddle, at which point they will be within sight of the castle."
"Even if they did break off before then, the next trail would be east to Spire's Reach," said Michael. "That still puts them dangerously close to us."
"And there's no path to the west from there," added Olivia. "The White Iron Mountains are almost completely impassable in that region."
"But if they did find another route, we might be able to keep them from finding your kingdom at all!" said Ariel. "It's at least worth considering!"
"Much as I hate the thought of running again, Ariel has a point," said Lara. "Ursula isn't gonna show mercy to you just because you aren't who she's after. Even if she decides to skip you, she'll report back to the Master. And I doubt what comes afterwards will be any less dangerous than what's coming with her now."
"You all know the extent of my powers," said Mina. "I can do many things. But I can't hide an entire kingdom." She looked to Ariel. "Nor am I about to allow you three to risk your lives trying to outrun them. If they catch you, they will kill you! Either immediately or once they take you back to the Master! And if that happens, your majesty, it won't be the end for just you! It will mean the end for everyone!"
"If we stay here, it could mean certain death for all of us!" said Ariel. "Ursula will kill you if you fight her! She'll kill everyone! We can't just sit here and–!
Dok! Dok! Dok!
All eyes turned to Hazel at the last strike of her cane. She looked around the table at each one of them, her eyes settling on Melody. "Princess, did Lady Mina tell you what this place was before she came?"
"Um…" Melody paused, trying to remember exactly what it was Mina said. "She said it was full of very bad people. And that you were all effectively their slaves."
Hazel shakily stood, Captain quickly moving to assist her. She gave his metal hand a grateful pat and then walked to Melody's side. "You are mostly correct. Except we were not 'effectively' slaves. We were slaves. Sängril was a slave farm."
Hazel reached up to her collar and pulled it lower. Melody felt her hair stand on end when she saw the deep, pale furrowed scar encircling the woman's neck. The tips of many thick raised scars marred the nape of her neck as well. Hazel then pulled back the sleeve on her right arm, revealing a broader but no less deep scar encircling her wrist. She flipped her forearm over, showing Melody what could only be a brand. A set of three interlocking pale circles and several symbols underneath Melody did not recognize, forever burned into the elder's flesh.
"This brand was put on me when I was born," said Hazel, pointing to the symbols. "To tell my owners my age. I do not remember it, but I'm grateful to be deprived of such a thing, for I must have cried something terrible when it was done."
She started walking around the table, speaking to the crowd as much as those seated. "Sängril was not always a slaver's haven. It was once a proud and noble kingdom with a history older than the forests themselves. It was a land filled with free, honest, and hard-working folk, ruled by countless generations of royalty. The story goes that a group of slavers enlisted a powerful warlock and an army of mercenaries to overthrow the last king and queen. They slew them and then betrayed the warlock, slitting his throat the moment his guard was lowered. They then set about turning Sängril's people into their merchandise. My mother and father were slaves. Same as their mothers and fathers before them, and their mothers and fathers before them. We were raised like cattle, fed and housed till we were old enough to be sold. It was the day of my sixth year when four men took me from my parents. I was put in chains, thrown in line with the other children of age, and marked. These three rings are Sängril's slave mark, so that all would know where we come from. A man once told me they represent the shackles we wore on our necks and wrists. Another told me they symbolized birth, life, and death. To remind us our bondage would last through each." She pulled down her sleeve, covering the brands. "That pain I do remember, much as I wish I could forget. Much as we all wish to forget."
Hazel looked to her fellow council members and nodded. "Show them. All of you."
Melody watched as Rowan, Olivia, and Michael all pulled back the sleeves on their right arm, revealing the same brands on their own skin. Melody realized they too had scars around their necks and wrists. Then, to hers and Lara and Ariel's collective sickening horror, everyone in the crowd raised their right arms and did the same thing, revealing the same evil brands on their forearms. Now that Melody looked more closely, she saw scars aplenty. Scars on arms. Scars on necks. Scars on faces. Scars on the old. Scars on the young. Scars on women. Scars on men. Even scars on children. Far too many scars and far too many brands.
Ariel clasped a hand to her mouth as the grotesqueness of it all struck her. "I think I'm going to be sick," she said through her hand, holding back a small retch. Lara reached over and took her other hand, allowing Ariel to squeeze it for what modicum of relief it could provide her. Melody saw her jaw clench tight as her free hand, fist shaking with restrained rage.
"Like us all, the first thing I learned was that I was not human," continued Hazel. "A slave is many things. A farmhand. A cook. A housemaid. A seamstress. A wet nurse. A smith. A jeweler. A messenger. A handmaiden. A tool. A toy. A pet. A plaything. But never a human. Sometimes they used words to remind us of that. Other times their fists or feet. Other times a whip, or a switch, or a strap, or whatever else was within reach. And sometimes they used the lives of our fellow slaves to remind us how utterly powerless we would always be. How far beneath them we would always be.
"I am seventy-three years old know. And for more than seventy of them, all I knew was enslavement. My work lasted from the first light of dawn to the final glimpse of sunset, and often longer. I kept my eyes down. I kept my tongue still. Kept my hands busy even when they ached with fatigue. Kept on my feet even when they stung with sores and blisters. Hunger and cold were my oldest friends. Fatigue was my frequent guest. I was traded, sold, and lent out more times than I could ever recount. Forced to labor in the fields, businesses, and homes before I was sold to the High Lord to serve in his castle. I imagine my experience there was no less harsh than that of anyone else who had the misfortune of serving him." Hazel paused, licking her lips. Her voice shook with a mix of emotions as she continued. "And there is no word or words, not in this or any tongue, that will ever describe the pain, the misery, the sorrow, the disgust, the shame, the anger, or the crushing despair I or any of us felt through it all. We were treated as many things. But never–not even once–were we treated as people.
"And then, one day, a girl was brought to me. She was dirty and scraped, much like the others brought in that day, yet still a fair and beautiful thing to behold, with such unusual red eyes! I was ordered to make her and the rest presentable for the High Lord's entertainment that evening. In my efforts to adorn her, I pricked myself on the pin of an earring. Not wanting to stain anything lest it earn our handler's wrath, I went to suck the blood away. But before I could, this girl volunteered to do so for me. It was a strange kindness, but one I did not refuse. I finished her, as I did the others, and then dismissed them to a fate I unfortunately knew too well. Just before she left, though, this girl returned to me. She smiled at me as she said, 'This will end,' and then walked out with the others."
Hazel looked to the crowd. "I speak for all when I say there is not one among us who has forgotten that night, or ever shall. I was preparing the High Lord's room when it started. The candles went out. The air became cold. The moon turned red as blood. I saw nightmares come to life in the corner of my eye and heard voices with no one there. I fled before I could see or hear more, locking myself inside a wardrobe. I covered my ears and kept my eyes shut as the screams and eldritch sounds grew louder with every passing minute, sure it would be my turn next. That my pitiful refuge would become my coffin at any moment. Even when dawn's light chased the dim away, I kept hidden."
Hazel then turned and walked to Mina. "It was not till I heard a familiar voice that I dared open those doors. And when I did, that same red-eyed girl stood before me, as pristine and unsullied as when I last lay eyes upon her."
She reached out, smiling as she cupped the countess' face. "She took my hands and led me out of there. And I will never forget the words she said to me as she broke my collar and my manacles with her bare hands, or how I wept as she cast them on the ground."
Now it was Mina who smiled, laying her hand over the old woman's. "You will never be a slave again."
Hazel's smile grew even wider. "You freed us, your excellency. You, by yourself, gave us what we thought was impossible." Melody saw the woman's lower lip tremble as her eyes watered and then shed tears. "What we denied ourselves the right to hope for, out of fear of the pain such disappointment would bring. You broke not only our chains, but a cycle our forebears could only dream of escaping. You made us human once more."
Hazel strode past Mina, standing before the crowd of onlookers. "It is because of our countess that Sängril is a kingdom of free people once more." A unified voice of agreement rose from the crowd. "It is because of her that I, like you, have spent the last ten seasons as the property of no one. That my fate has been mine to decide, and my life mine to live. That I have seen our prison become our home. That I have seen our land heal itself as we have healed ourselves. That each day I hear laughter and song, not the crack of whips and the rattle of chains. That, for the first time in our lifetimes, children are born who will never know the scald of a brand or the weight of a collar and chains. And I say this with absolute certainty." She struck her cane loudly against the platform, the noise echoing off the buildings around them. "I would rather perish as a free woman, fighting alongside our Lady of the Red Night, than live on as a slave ever again!"
"Long live the Countess!" shouted a man from the back. An instant later a resounding and repeating bellow rose from the crowd, fists punching high into the air with each round. "Long live the Countess! Long live the Countess! Long live the Countess!"
Now it was Mina who strode forth, Glenn at her side. She walked past the table, facing the deepest portion of the crowd with hands clasped behind her back. The chanting quickly dwindled to silence, all eyes and ears on her as she spoke. "One drop. It was one drop of Hazel's blood, given willingly, that told me everything. In that drop I learned her life. Your lives. Your suffering. Your pain. Your endless torment. I had already decided to destroy your captors when I arrived here, and to repay them for every lash, every strike, and every cruelty they ever visited upon you. But it was because of that blood I accepted the mantle of leadership you offered me. So that I could ensure you never suffered such a demeaning existence again."
She gestured back to Melody, Ariel, and Lara. "They shared their blood with me. I too know what they have suffered. What they have endured. What this enemy stole from them. So, it is with absolute certainty that I tell you there is not one speck, one morsel, one iota of mercy, honor, or kindness in any who would march under Maelstrom's banner. Do not fool yourselves into thinking them the woe of some distant land. That they will ignore or spare us simply because we have made no previous offense against them. That we can appease them with promises of fealty. That we can turn a blind eye to them because of distance. Maelstrom is the enemy of all free peoples, near and far! They speak a language you know too well! The language of the chain, the whip, and the cage! Their only promise is violence, murder, and destruction! We run, and they will hunt us! We surrender, and they will return this kingdom to the abomination it once was!"
"Never again!" yelled a man in the crowd.
Mina started walking back and forth along the platform's edge. "Never again will this land be a refuge for those who would treat people as possessions! Never again will the banner of tyranny and oppression fly from that castle's spires! Never again will this kingdom be a stain of inhumanity upon the realm! So long as I am here, I shall do everything and anything in my power to ensure the dark days of the past never return! That all who value freedom, peace, and humanity will find it within our borders! And we start by telling this foe, this Maelstrom, in one unified voice, 'You willnot have us!'" She pointed to Melody, Ariel, and Lara. "And you will not have them!"
A swell of voices and applause rose in response. Rowan smacked the table with his hands as he stood up, pushing his chair roughly aside as he went to face the crowd beside Mina. "The countess is right! I lived in chains same as the rest of you, and I'm not about to go back into them without a fight! Especially to a mob of murdering marauders! And what sort of people could we call ourselves if we turned on backs on those needing help!?"
Now Michael and Olivia stood as well, joining their fellow council members, still holding each other's hands. "Start preparations as soon as dawn breaks!" shouted Olivia. "Fortify as many buildings as you can! Board up windows! Reinforce doors! Move all the stored food out of town! Set whatever traps and trickery you can! They aren't going to show us mercy, so don't spare any for them!"
"We work in eight-hour shifts around the clock!" said Michael. "Every able-bodied man and woman, report to the town hall for your assignments!"
"All the children, the sick, the expecting, and the elderly are to head to the castle at dawn on the third day!" said Mina. "You will be safest there!" She motioned to Captain and Glenn, the former approaching hastily and kneeling before her. "You both know what to do. Start as soon as we return."
"Your wish is our command," the two said in unison, Glenn bowing to her.
Lobos strode out from under the table, sitting beside Mina. She reached down, stroking one of his phantasmal ears. "Do what you do best." Lobos let out a long howl to the night sky. Mina raised her hand again and the crowd went silent. "Is this your decision then?"
Hazel strode up to Mina, her cane sounding loudly with each step. Olivia, Michael, and Rowan stood behind her, each resting a hand on Hazel's shoulders. "It is. Sängril stands with you, countess. And we will stand against Maelstrom, no matter what may follow."
"Very well." Mina faced the crowd once more. "You all know what needs to be done. Build what defenses you can. Know that you will have my support. My forces and I will do what we can to keep them from you. I cannot promise none will make it to the town. I cannot promise there won't be losses on our side! But I will promise you this!" Mina's hand clenched into a tight shaking fist, her nails cutting into her palm. Blood poured forth, coalescing into a crimson longsword. She slashed it through the air and then raised it high overhead, the firelight reflecting off its blade. "I will fight and die a thousand times over before I let them put a single one of you into slavery ever again!"
A roar went up from the crowd as they began pumping their fists in the air, the chant of "Long live the Countess!" returning. A distant peal of thunder rolled ominously through the air. Melody turned around to see distant flashes of lightning as a new storm brewed in the White Iron Mountains, slowly creeping towards them from the south.
The storm was upon Sängril in full as Melody lay in bed. The rain tapped ceaselessly against the windows, countless wet fingers begging to be let into her room. A flash of lightning momentarily lit the room, leaving Melody to wait in the dark till the distant growl of thunder rolled in. A moment later Melody's stomach growled and she rolled the other way, pulling her feet up into the folds of her nightgown. She tried to ignore the gnawing emptiness in her stomach, but it growled again. She gave a frustrated groan and flopped over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. A thousand different thoughts swam in her head, robbing her of sleep into the deep hours of the night.
She thought back briefly to the events after the council meeting. Goodbyes were a rather quick affair, as there was much to be done and the townsfolk were eager to sleep so they could start fresh in the morning. The return carriage ride had been relatively quiet. Ariel and Mina again briefly debated the possibility of using the tracking curse to draw Ursula and her forces away, with Mina emerging the apparent victor based on the dire ramifications if Maelstrom caught the women again. That, and Mina's promise she would use all her might to impede any efforts they made to flee. No sooner were they in the castle than Mina dispatched Glenn, Captain, and Lobos to their respective tasks, escorting the women personally to the great dining hall for their meal. Dinner was a delicious if quiet affair, attended to by a cohort of ghostly men and women. There were fire roasted game hens, steamed vegetables braised with garlic and butter, three different varieties of soup, and a honey-roasted ham the size of Melody's own head, to name but a few of the delicacies put before them. It tasted as magnificent as it smelled and looked. Lara all but inhaled six whole plates while Ariel and Mina politely conversed, the countess doing her part to put the queen's lingering fears to rest. The harmless flirtations between Mina and a very charming and ghostly maître'd managed to put a smile on Ariel's face, while Lara almost choked on her food from laughing. Despite the wealth of food before her, though, Melody's appetite could not overcome the nagging queasiness in her gut. She was barely able to finish half her plate before excusing herself. She went back to her room, readying herself for bed without the assistance of a phantom handmaiden who offered to attend to her, and tried to go to sleep. Her efforts thus far were fruitless.
At the forefront of her mind was Maelstrom's impending arrival. They were still three days out, but the thought that every passing second brought them closer weighed heavily on her mind. That, and the consequences once they arrived. Mina seemed incredibly sure of her ability to protect them, as did the townsfolk. Even Lara seemed more optimistic following the council meeting. But did Mina truly understand the scope of what she was about to do? Even if they somehow defeated Ursula and her underlings, they were a drop in the ocean next to the true scope of Maelstrom's forces. What if the next force was not nine hundred, but nine thousand? What if Maelstrom devised a way to bring their cannons over land and rain death from afar? What if Riptide or Remora or the Master himself came next? Against the full might of Maelstrom, Melody saw nothing but defeat and death in Sängril's future.
There was also the matter of who would be doing said fighting. From what Melody saw, Sängril had no standing army. There was no implication the townsfolk would or could form any sort of organized militia either, which left Melody to assume that Mina would somehow use her magic to summon some form of undead army in their place. The woman's powers over life and death were impressive, as was the brief demonstration of her sangromancy at the council meeting. But how was she planning to defeat an entire battalion? Her familiars were hardly weapons of war. Captain lost pieces of himself every other minute. Lobos acted more like a rambunctious pup than a feral beast. And Glenn seemed about as likely to win a fight against a Maelstrom minion as Melody herself. The rest of the castle staff were not any more intimidating–an assortment of transparent ghosts, various inanimate objects possessed by spirits, and whatever Hattie was. Was Mina really planning to pit this lot against Maelstrom's purpose-built soldiers? Melody felt her confidence in their benefactor wane yet again.
Underneath all this was that persistent guilt in Melody's stomach. Was all this really okay? Her, laying warm, dry, and comfortable in a castle far away from danger, while her family and people suffered whatever cruelties Maelstrom wished to inflict? Her, eating delicious food fit for royalty while her aunts and uncles probably starved in cages? Her, bathed and clean while her grandfather might be sleeping in filth, if Maelstrom even allowed him rest? Her, planning to run even farther away on the slim chance of finding Lara's father, while her own father was still a prisoner? The more she dwelt on it, the more the guilt grew and ate at her. Underneath it all was the persistent "why?" Why was she spared when so many were not? Why did fate allow her to live when so many innocents perished? Why did any of this have to happen? Was this some sort of divine punishment for an unknown slight she or her family or the Alliance committed? Or was the universe really so cold and cruel that this sort of travesty could occur solely by chance?
There was a flash of lightning, and then a loud CRACK of thunder that shook the windows. Melody flinched at the sound then snatched her pillow and clapped it over her ears, wary of another cannon-like outburst. None came, but her stomach did growl again. She sighed in defeat and sat up. "All right, all right. I'll feed you. Maybe there's some leftovers in the kitchen."
Her stomach gurgled in response, delighted at the prospect of a late-night snack. Melody slid out of bed and went to the door, peeking her head into the hallway. It was quiet save the sounds of rain, flickering candlelight providing illumination. She began making her way to the dining hall. Her steps were quiet against the carpeted floor, yet also unnervingly loud. The dim light of the candles gave the castle a spooky feel, as though unseen eyes were watching her, vanishing the moment she tried to look at them. She swore one of the statues turned its head to follow her, and that the queen in one of the paintings was facing the other direction last time she passed by.
She was just about to head down the stairs of the main hall when she heard something run up behind her. She started to scream as she spun around, but it turned into a sharp inhale of fright as she lost her footing on the edge of the first step. Her arms waved wildly as she began to pitch backwards, gravity pulling her towards the unforgiving stairway. She saw a pair of gleaming eyes and a flash of green, and then a strong force grabbed her right hand and yanked her back. Melody fell onto the landing, breathing fast as she recognized her savior.
"Lobos!?" Melody exclaimed in a whisper, meeting the skeleton wolf's pinprick eyes. His jaws were latched around her wrist, the points digging into her skin as he pulled. "Ow! Let go!"
Lobos did so immediately, stepping back from her. Melody rubbed her wrist as she sat up, feeling the indents where his teeth held her. It was sore, but he did not break the skin. She looked back at the stairs, seeing almost a hundred-foot distance between her and the next landing. Even if she had not tumbled all the way down, the sharp corners would have done far worse than Lobos' teeth. She looked back to the wolf, his eyes silently scrutinizing her as he panted.
"Um…thank you," she said. Lobos stopped panting, his ears perking forward as she stood up. She started down the steps, Lobos watching her from the top as she went. Then she stopped, looking back to him. "You wouldn't happen to know where the kitchens are, would you?"
Lobos trotted past her down the stairs to the next flight and kept going. He stopped at the bottom, looking up at her.
"Do you want me to follow you?" asked Melody. Lobos gave a muffled woof and walked off to the left, stopping at a door and looking back at her. "Okay. I'm in a haunted castle with a vampire, and her undead wolf skeleton is showing me the way to the kitchen. Could this get any weirder?"
Lobos growled impatiently, pawing once at the floor. Melody descended the steps to him. She thought he was about to open the door, but then he turned and walked right through it. "Undead ghost wolf skeleton. I stand corrected."
She opened the door, finding Lobos walking away on the other side. She followed him down the passage, going past the hall to the library and several other rooms and into the dining hall. From there he guided her through another set of doors and down another hallway to a thick oaken door. Lobos promptly vanished through it. Melody was about to open it when she heard a woman's voice from the other side.
"Lobos!? What have I told you about sneaking down here at night!?" There was a series of quiet growls in response. "What? Right outside?" A single subdued woof answered. "Well, why didn't you say so!?"
Melody heard a canine grumble as footsteps approached. She considered running for a moment, but before she could decide the door opened to reveal a ghost woman. Her entire form was a transparent off-white color, same as the other ghosts Melody encountered so far. She must have been older when she passed on, going by the lines around the mouth and eyes of her wide, round face. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, most of it covered beneath a pleated mobcap. She wore a wide apron over her dress, and her feet were nowhere in sight. The hair on Melody's neck stood up as she realized she could see straight through the woman and into the kitchen.
"Bless my soul!" said the woman, her eyes widening. "If it isn't the young princess!" There was a growl from inside, and the woman turned and scowled. "Yes, I'm well aware that's what you said!"
"I-I'm sorry!" said Melody, backing away. "I didn't mean to disturb you!"
The woman looked back to Melody, giving her a kind smile. "Not at all, child! Come in! Come in!" She went to urge Melody into the kitchen, but her hand passed straight though her. "Oops! My mistake!" She tried again, and this time Melody felt a cool touch on her back, like a fall breeze pressing against her. "There we are!"
"Really, I don't want to be a bother!" protested Melody as the woman led her in. Her stomach said otherwise, gurgling loudly.
"Not a bother at all!" said the woman, nodding to Melody's abdomen. "We can't leave that be now, can we?"
Melody found herself brought into a large kitchen. Half of the far wall was taken up by an enormous set of ovens, one of which was large enough for a person to fit into. A vast stove took up the other half, a single well-used kettle sitting upon it. There was a large open fireplace to the side, a thick spit running across it and three pot hooks extending from the wall. Embers still glowed warm in the ashes. The other walls were blanketed with glass cupboards, mountains of plates, glasses, and utensils stacked within. Three pot racks hung from the ceiling, an assortment of copper pots and pans dangling from them. There was an open entryway on the left wall leading off to what Melody imagined was another part of the kitchen. An immense cutting table filled the middle of the room, twice as large as Melody's bed with specks of flour dusting the corners. The air inside was warm, filled with the scents of countless recipes.
"Just you wait there, dear!" said the woman. She went forward, gliding straight through the table to one of the cupboards and pulling out a tea tray and cup. She made a beckoning motion to the entryway. "Up you get! Yes, you! We have a guest! Make yourself useful!"
Melody's eyes widened as a stool came gliding out of the far room, sliding up behind her and sweeping her off her feet. She looked down, trying to see what allowed the stool its supernatural movement, yet saw nothing. Lobos turned and walked into the wall, disappearing to wherever he desired.
"Now then…!" said the woman as she moved the kettle farther back on the stove, then took a shovelful of embers and set them in the chamber underneath. "What would you like, your highness? I'm afraid it'll be rather simple, but I should be able to make something to hold you over till morning."
"Um…just some bread is fine." Melody's stomach growled again, and she blushed in embarrassment. "Or a sandwich, if it's not too much trouble."
The woman smiled at her. "I know just the thing!" She clapped her hands three times, and the kitchen came alive. Melody saw a pair of knives and forks fly out of a cupboard, hovering above the table. A serving tray came floating in seconds later, half a loaf of bread, a block of cheese, a jar of butter, and the remnants of the ham on it. The tray set down on the table and the knives set to work, one cutting off two slices of bread and cheese while another scooped and then spread butter on the faces. The first knife quickly went and sliced off a thick piece of ham, draping it over itself and then laying it on the bread. The knives flipped the ingredients together, forming a simple sandwich and then carried it over to the fireplace, toasting it above the embers.
"What do you take with your tea, dear?" asked the woman as the knives returned, depositing the sandwich in front of Melody. "Cream? Honey? Sugar?"
"Just cream, thank you." Melody picked up the sandwich, looking it over. It seemed ordinary enough. A waft of the bread and meat found her nose, and her stomach growled its loudest yet.
"My, my!" said the woman from the other room. "You must be starving! Mister Glenn did say you barely touched your plate. Was the dinner not to your liking, dear?"
"No!" said Melody. "I mean, yes! It was great! Really! I wasn't feeling good is all." She took a bite, the savory flavor of the meat and cheese mingling with the warmth of the bread. Her appetite returned with a vengeance. She bit hungrily into the sandwich again, unable to control a small moan of pleasure as the first morsel reached her stomach.
"No need to apologize," called the woman. She returned carrying a glass jar filled with bits of dried red and yellow plant leaves. "One of my personal blends. Just the thing to help you off to sleep."
Melody kept eating, slower this time as she watched the ghost work, spooning some tea leaves into a teapot and then removing the now steaming kettle from the stove, adding the near-boiling water to the pot. She moved with a practiced steadiness, humming a simple tune as she worked. Melody had just finished her sandwich when the woman poured out the tea.
"Careful, now," warned the ghost, holding out the cup for her. "It's quite hot."
Melody carefully accepted it. "Thank you, Miss…?"
"Potts, darling," said the ghost, fetching a small pitcher of cream and setting it before her. "Mrs. Potts. And my pleasure."
Melody brought the tea to her nose and sniffed. The aroma was fragrant and warm. She brought it to her lips, blowing gently before taking a small sip, feeling the warmth travel down her throat. The comforting flavor matched the aroma. It reminded Melody of a brew Carlotta used to make in the winter seasons. She remembered sitting around the fire with her family on cold evenings, listening to the crackle of the flames as they enjoyed the quiet only winter could bring. But no sooner had she remembered it than the memory turned mournful, recalling what her mother told her regarding their head housekeeper's fate–butchered by Remora's own hands. Just like Louis. She remembered sneaking down to his kitchen many a night as a little girl. He always greeted her with a smile, whipping up something delicious from seemingly nothing. Grief wrenched her heart and tears began falling from her eyes. One of them fell into the tea, causing a brief ripple.
"Oh, goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Potts. "Did you burn yourself, your highness?"
"No, it's…it's not that." Melody set the cup down, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "This reminded me of something our housekeeper used to make. I miss her." More tears came out, and she wiped again, this time sniffling as well. "I miss her so much. I miss all of them. Carlotta. Louis. Elaine. Grimsby."
Mrs. Potts smiled sadly. "Understandable, dear. I heard all about it from Mister Glenn. Terrible thing!"
Melody felt her heart starting to crack, and she was powerless to stop it. The tears began flowing freely. "There's so much I wanted to tell them! That I should've told them when I had the chance! And now they're gone! They're all gone! I'll never get the chance!" She clutched at her chest, wringing the fabric of her nightgown tightly as her expression turned from sad into a mournful grimace. "I didn't even get to say goodbye! Just like Will!"
A look of motherly woe took Mrs. Potts as she floated to Melody's side, wrapping her arms around and holding her. Melody did not reject it, leaning into the ghost's form as she sobbed. It felt like dipping her face into a tepid bath, yet there was substance and sympathy to the spirit's ethereal form. Her tears fell through her body to the ground, staining the stones dark. Her voice came out in broken heaving wails that shook her whole body.
"There, there," said Mrs. Potts, comfortingly stroking the princess' hair. "You shed all the tears you need to, love."
"It hurts!" Melody whispered hoarsely through her sobs. "It hurts so much, and I don't know what to do with it!"
"May I offer some advice, your highness?" asked Mrs. Potts. Melody nodded her consent before breaking into sobs once more. "In my experience, grief never disappears completely. Yes, it lessens with time. You rebuild, and you move forward, and life goes on. But the grief doesn't go away, no matter what anyone may tell you. Not entirely. And you shouldn't wish it to."
"Why not?" asked Melody. "Why would anyone want this sort of pain?"
"Because grief is proof of our love for someone who's no longer here. It's all the love we want to give them but can't. So, it gathers in our eyes, building and building until it spills over as our tears." Mrs. Potts gently separated from Melody, lifting her chin to look at her face with kind eyes. "Never be ashamed of your grief, princess. It's not weakness. It's love enduring. And there's very few things in this world as powerful as love."
Melody felt her nose threatening to drip and gave a loud sniffle. The pain was still in her heart, but it was a little lighter now. "I'll try."
Mrs. Potts smiled at her. "That's the spirit!" She took Melody's tea, pouring in a small amount of cream and mixing it before handing it back. "You're a very brave young lady, you know. Your mother and that lady knight, too! Coming so far, all on your own! Reminds me of another brave young princess I had the pleasure of knowing!"
"Am I brave?" asked Melody before taking another sip. The cream cooled it enough she could drink without concern for the heat.
"Oh, yes!" said Mrs. Potts. "I should think so!"
Melody looked down at her tea, seeing a pale reflection of herself. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, cheeks flushed red. For some reason, she became aware of her heartbeat, feeling each pulse within her chest. "Then why do I feel like such a coward? That I should've stayed and done something rather than run away?"
"Now, now," said Mrs. Potts, drifting through the table to place a comforting hand on Melody's arm. "You're only human, after all. It does your loved ones no good to put yourself in needless danger. I'm sure they'd be pleased to know you're safe. And you are doing something! Or, you will be once this mess has blown over."
Melody looked at Mrs. Potts. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, child."
Melody turned the cup in her hands. "When you died, what was it like?"
"Oh, goodness me!" Mrs. Potts clapped a hand to her heart.
"I'm sorry," said Melody, feeling she just asked something she should not have. She set her cup down and started to stand. "Forget I said anything."
"No, no!" said Mrs. Potts, ushering Melody to sit again. "Let me see… you know, I don't remember how it happened. I just went to sleep one night and…well, that was that!"
"Did it hurt?" asked Melody.
"No! I didn't even realize I'd passed till I was on the other side! Though, that was my experience! Can't say the same for more than a few of us! Poor things! I did ask the Captain once about his experience. He said it was like…" Mrs. Potts paused for a moment. "Like letting go of a breath he never realized he was holding."
"What's it like?" asked Melody. "On the other side, I mean?"
Mrs. Potts gave an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid I can't say that either, dearie. Something about the journey back here doesn't let us bring those memories with. But, if you ask me, I don't think it's such a bad place. I stayed there for a good long while before returning here."
"Why did you come back?" asked Melody.
"Hmm…" Mrs. Potts looked at the teapot for a moment, then back to Melody. "Because I wanted to."
"You wanted to?"
"Well, I couldn't very well let Mister Glenn run this place by his lonesome, could I?" Mrs. Potts gave a small chuckle. "He's only one man! And Lady Mina is such a wonderful girl. Lovely, too. Much like yourself." She leaned in close. "And an utterly irremediable flirt!"
Melody managed a small laugh, unable to stop a smile from gracing her lips. Mrs. Potts reached out and lifted Melody's face, smiling in turn. "Now there's a smile! Just needed a spot of tea to warm it up. Now, finish that up and off to bed with you. It's well past when you should be asleep!"
"Yes, ma'am." Melody took a final sip, draining the cup. "Thank you."
"My pleasure, your highness. Would you like me to show you to your room?"
"I think I can find my way."
"Then I hope you have a restful night. And feel free to drop by whenever you need! I always keep a kettle warm!"
"I will." Melody gave a polite curtsy. "Good night, Mrs. Potts."
"Good night, princess," said Mrs. Potts, curtsying in turn. "Sleep well."
Melody walked out of the kitchen, the door slowly closing behind her. She took a breath, feeling the pain in her heart lessen along with her hunger. She did feel a bit better. Not just sated, but steadier in spirit as well. She placed a hand over her heart, feeling it beat underneath. It still hurt, but now the pain was slightly more bearable.
"Love enduring," she whispered to herself. She walked back through the dining hall and was about to head towards the foyer when she saw the door to the library cracked open. She heard voices from inside. Then she realized she heard crying as well.
"Shh…" came Mina's voice, almost too quiet to hear. "It's all right."
"It's not all right!" replied Lara's much louder voice. "None of this is all right!"
Melody cautiously tiptoed to the door, pressing her eye to the gap. Lara and Mina were seated on one of the sofas, a fire burning in the hearth. Lara was in her tunic and pants now. Mina was in a ghostly white flowing nightgown, her hair hanging loose around her. She was rubbing Lara's back with long comforting strokes as Lara wept, her face buried in her hands.
"There was nothing more you could have done, Lara," said Mina. "It happened too fast and there were too many. You said it yourself."
Lara straightened up. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were red and glassy with tears. Large wet streaks revealed themselves on her cheeks in the firelight. "I was supposed to protect them, Mina!"
"And you did!" said Mina. "Ariel and Melody are alive because of you! So are Arista, her baby, and many more!"
"And ten thousand times as many are dead! John, Isaac, Jane, Teddy, Gramps, Carlotta…they're dead! They were my friends and I let them die!" A chocked sob tore itself from Lara's throat as she clenched her hands, pressing her eyes into the heels of her palms. "I swore an oath, Mina! An oath! I promised I'd keep them safe! That I'd protect the kingdom! And I failed! I failed Eric! I failed Seahaven! I failed all of them!"
"You did your best," said Mina, scooting closer to Lara. She moved some of Lara's orange hair behind her ear. "I know you did."
"Tell that to them! And the rest of Mel's family!" Lara said, sniffling as she wiped her eyes. "If I'd done my best, they wouldn't be prisoners right now! They'd all still have a home!" She sobbed again, letting her head hang defeatedly. "I might as well have killed them myself, for all the good I was!"
Melody clapped a hand over her mouth, silencing the sharp inhale she took. The last time she saw Lara this distressed she was suffering through a flashback of Lao Xan. Was this how she had been feeling since they were forced to flee? Why did she not say anything to her?
Mina took both of Lara's hands in hers. "Lara, look at me. Please." Lara turned to face her, but she did not lift her head. "Do you think any of them would blame you for what happened? Or that Ariel and Melody are angry with you for it?"
Lara sniffled again. "They have every right to be. I let them down."
Melody felt as if Lara just punched her in the gut. Did she really think Ariel and Melody blamed her for all this!? That it was her fault Seahaven was overthrown? That her father and the rest of her family were captured? That they were forced to come all this way to find a way to free her own father? Of course not! Nothing was further from the truth! But why would she think that in the first place?
Mina reached out and lifted Lara's chin, a few tears dripping off her face as she did. "I know their memories, Lara. And forgive me if this sounds patronizing, but I know them in a way you may never. I hope one day you do, because then you will know how they truly feel about you. How much they care for and accept and love every part of you. They have never blamed you. Not once. Not for their family. Not for Maelstrom. Not for what happened to Seahaven. None of it. You are family to them in everything but blood. They would walk into the Pit and back for you, same as I know you would for them. That isn't something that comes by whim. And it's not a bond that is easily broken, either. So, please don't doubt it. Don't doubt them. Understand?"
Lara took a shaky breath and then nodded. Mina smoothed Lara's hair back and then planted a kiss on her head. "Come on. Let's get you to bed. We can talk again in the morning." She started to rise, but then Lara grabbed her hand.
"Please…" she said, her voice a plea just above a whisper. "Stay with me. I don't want to be alone."
Mina stopped, turning to face Lara. She lifted her hands to her face, gently cupping her cheeks as she wiped a tear away. "Is my company all you want tonight?" Lara looked at Mina for a moment, her expression betraying fear and uncertainty, afraid to answer. "You can tell me."
Lara gazed at Mina for several moments more. Then she swallowed and said, "No. Not tonight."
"Okay." Mina sat next to Lara again. She smiled at her, sadness, empathy, and tenderness in that simple expression. Then, to Melody's shock, she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Lara's. Lara stiffened at first, and then she melted against Mina as the countess ran her fingers through her hair to the back of her head, nails gently scratching across before pulling her close as the kiss continued. Mina let out a soft moan as Lara's hands lifted to hold Mina's face. Then she wrapped her arms around her middle, pulling Mina's body against hers. Mina deepened the kiss in response, swinging a leg over to straddle Lara's hips. Their kisses turned hungry and longing, soft noises reaching Melody's ears as she kept watching. Then Mina broke the kiss, her thumbs coming up to wipe more tears off Lara's face.
Lara reached up and clasped Mina's wrists. "Mina, I–."
Mina cut her off when she leaned in and kissed her again. She planted a trail of soft kisses along Lara's jawline to her neck before straightening up. Lara tensed for a moment and then let her hands fall away, resting at her sides. Melody's breath hitched as Mina shrugged her nightgown off her shoulders, the fabric pooling around her hips as the firelight danced on her naked back.
"It's all right," she whispered, kissing Lara as she guided her hands to her waist. "Just be here with me."
Melody felt her body tense as Mina grasped the hem of Lara's tunic and began to lift, exposing her toned stomach. It was almost off Lara completely when Melody turned and ran, praying to whatever deities might be listening that no one heard her frantic footsteps against the carpet. She sprinted all the way back to her room, closing her door as quickly and quietly as she could, though it still sounded deafening in her ears. Then she leapt into the bed and pulled the covers over herself, trying to quiet her panicked breaths and drumming heart. Then those breaths turned into sobs, the tears returning in a torrent as a flood of grief, anger, guilt, and confusion overtook her. Melody grabbed one of the pillows, burying her face in it to muffle her voice as she wept once again.
Melody groaned as the light stirred her. It was well after dawn, bright daylight revealing the castle and the valley beyond her windows in all their splendor. She slowly sat up, wincing as a headache made itself known. Her body felt heavy, her eyes weary, and her head foggy. Her memories of the previous night were cluttered, but she barely had her feet on the ground before they organized themselves. First of her breakdown with Mrs. Potts in the kitchen. Then of overhearing Lara and Mina in the library. And then witnessing the start of their "intimacy" before she bolted back to her room, crying herself to sleep.
A tightness clasped her chest and she placed a hand over it. It felt like her heart was a raging lantern with ropes wrapped around it, the bindings constricting down with each beath, threatening to shatter the glass and set itself ablaze. The image of Lara and Mina kissing flashed through her mind, and the tightness increased, the fire inside her flaring with anger and hurt as her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Why did that sight distress her so much? And why did she feel such a profound sense of betrayal from it? That Lara was stabbing her in the back? Or that Mina was stealing from her? Lara was not hers. Melody had no ownership over her. No one did. And she certainly did not feel for Lara in a romantic way, nor did she think Lara felt the same way about her. The love they shared was sisterly. Familial. The sort of love one feels for someone that they want present in their lives. At least, that was what she thought it was. Was this jealousy, then? Had she unknowingly developed feelings for Lara without recognizing it? Was this pain from realizing Lara may not hold the same feelings for her? Melody saw enough in those brief moments at the door to know there was genuine tenderness and desire between those two. Had it reminded Melody that the person she wanted that connection with was no longer among the living? Was she envious that Lara was able to experience something Melody was robbed of? Or that Lara was sharing it with someone other than her? Or was she hurting because she not sure her heart ever would, much less could, feel that for someone again?
Her headache worsened, pressing against the back of her eyes. Melody closed them and shook her head. Whatever the circumstances or motivations for what she saw last night, it was none of her business. What Lara and Mina did together was between them. Who Lara chose to love was her decision to make, and hers alone. Though, that did not make her feel any better. She went to the vanity to start brushing her hair. She quickly made herself presentable, slipping into a light blue dress and then leaving the room. She walked down the hall, looking over the paintings to distract herself, albeit unsuccessfully. Most were portraits of former nobility, with the odd landscape or image of some person of importance scattered throughout. None of them did anything to ease the turmoil in her heart. She glossed over another painting before turning the corner.
Mina was walking her way. Melody barely caught a glimpse of her before she darted back, pressing herself against the wall. Her heart was thundering in her chest now, a new sensation of dread and panic joining the others. She was so focused on herself that she forgot she would have to face Mina again at some point. What would she do? What would she say? Did she confront her about it? Or pretend she saw nothing? Could she even do that? What if Mina knew? What if she saw her? What if she was coming to confront her about it?
"Melody?" came Mina's voice. "Is that you?"
Somehow Melody's heart found a way to beat even faster and harder. She was caught. If she fled, Mina would definitely know something was wrong. But she was not ready to face her. She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall. She had to calm down. She had to think. She had to calm down so that she could think.
Her attempts to do so were shattered when a hand grasped her shoulder. "Is everything–?"
Melody let out a sound between a shriek and a squeal, darting away. She trod on the hem of her skirt and fell, landing hard on the floor and momentarily knocking the wind out of herself. She looked up to see Mina standing over her. The countess was wearing a white blouse under a dark leather corset and a long red skirt. Her hair was done in a long braid, secured at the end by a single red bow. The outfit reminded Melody of something the barmaids wore at the Mermaid's Trove. It was rather plain and casual compared to what Mina wore previously. She held a woven basket in her right hand, the ends of several rolls of parchment sticking out the top.
"Are you okay?" asked Mina, offering a hand to her. A flash of anger bloomed in Melody's chest at the offer, gone as quickly as it came. Melody stared at the hand, debating if she should take it or not. To refuse it could be seen as rude or could arouse suspicion. But there was also the feeling that, if she accepted it, she was somehow conceding to what she witnessed last night. That she was admitting defeat, though to what Melody was not sure.
"You're not hurt, are you?" asked Mina, keeping her hand out. Her face and voice belied no ulterior motives, and her crimson eyes held genuine concern. Melody hesitantly took Mina's hand, and she pulled Melody to her feet with surprising ease.
"I'm okay," said Melody, smoothing out her dress. "You just surprised me is all."
Mina gave a small apologetic smile. "I'll remember to wear a bell next time. But this is perfect! I was just coming to find you!"
The tightness in Melody's chest squeezed down like a snake, now involving her stomach. "Y-you were?"
"Yes! I was about to go into town, and I wanted to ask if you would join me!"
"The town?" said Melody, feeling the constriction loosen mildly. "What for?"
"For starters, I need to deliver these to the council," said Mina, gesturing to the basket. "It's the development plans I spoke of last night. I also need to help them start preparing the town."
"Oh. Right. Preparations…" Melody looked at the basket and then back to Mina. "Is Lara coming with?"
Mina's expression became worried for a split second, and then it vanished. "I just checked on her. She's still sleeping." She took a step towards Melody, cupping a hand to her mouth. "She had a rough night."
Melody's stomach and heart did simultaneous flips, conjuring hidden meanings from Mina's words as she remembered the library yet again. "Oh. I didn't know."
"I think it's best we let Lara rest," said Mina. "She's worn out, both physically and emotionally. She came to see me last night after you went to sleep and…well, let's just say she hasn't been doing as well as she let on. So?" She gave the basket a nudge. "Would you like to come with?"
Melody's fingers unconsciously fidgeted with the fabric of her skirt as she weighed her answer. What was the right one? If she went with, there was no telling what might happen. Her emotions were so tumultuous she was not sure she trusted herself to keep them in check. Could she really spend that much time with the countess, knowing what she did? Did she pretend nothing was different? Did she confront her about what she saw? What if she slipped up and gave herself away? What if she angered or offended her? What if Mina did the same to her? Her mind calculated a hundred different ways it could all go horribly wrong. But if she refused, would that come across as suspicious? And what else was she going to do here all day? This castle was so large she could easily get lost in it. That, or stew in her own thoughts and feelings by herself. And Lara…how was she going to deal with her? Did she even want to right now?
"Um…sure," said Melody. "I'll go with you."
Mina beamed ear to ear, her pearl white fangs on full display. "Great! Do you need anything to eat before we go?"
"I'm okay. I'm not very hungry this morning." It was partially true. She did not have much of an appetite again, though it had nothing to do with her snack in the kitchens last night.
"Are you sure? It's no trouble if you do."
Melody nodded. "I'm sure. Just give me a few minutes." She stuck her foot out, showing the flats she now wore. "I need to change shoes."
"I think that would be wise," said Mina. "The roads are still muddy." She turned and started walking away. "I'll meet you in the foyer!"
Melody watched as Mina left, the countess humming a tune as she went. She took a breath and sighed before heading back to her room. She had no idea what she was doing. But she knew that nothing would change if she stayed cooped up here. Maybe the fresh air and change of scenery would help settle her. At the very least, it would give her a chance to put her thoughts in order. And to get to know Mina better.
Melody stopped. Now that she thought about it, what did she really know about the countess? She knew her history both before and after Lara. And she knew a bit about her magical abilities. When it came to the person, however, she actually knew very little. She seemed kind and polite and friendly enough, but that was really all she had to go on. She started walking again, the door to her room coming into view. Perhaps this outing would be an opportunity to find out more about their benefactor and her feelings for Lara. Maybe that would help Melody make sense of her own.
Sängril town was already alive and bustling when Mina and Melody arrived. Tempest's muddy hooves clopped down the cobblestone street alongside the dun mare Mina rode, leaving an obvious trail in their wake. People were hard at work amidst the morning air laced with the scent of rain. Teams of men were milling lumber into usable forms. Others were sorting tools. Windows were being boarded and doors reinforced. Others were assembling barriers of sharpened wooden spikes, setting them between buildings or across streets. Others still were loading wagons with supplies and food, moving them to safer locations in anticipation of the coming battle. They heard the beating of hammers and the drone of saws amidst the muddle of sounds. Heads looked up and hands waved as Melody and Mina rode by, the townsfolk greeting them with cheer despite the grim work they were undertaking. Mina led them towards a long building with several stone and mortar chimneys atop it, heat radiating from all of them. The air around the building felt warmer. Melody saw a man spot them and then run inside. Seconds later a familiar bald bearded man emerged, waving as he spotted them.
"Good morning, your excellency!" called Rowan as he walked up, pulling a pair of thick leather gloves off his hands. His face was smeared black with soot and ash, clearly having been at his forge for a long while already. "And to you too, princess!"
"Good morning!" Mina replied, holding out the basket of papers. "Here are the plans I promised!"
"I'll see to it the rest of the council gets them!" he said, taking the basket.
"Seems you're already off to a strong start!" said Mina, looking around. Melody followed her gaze to a trio of men lifting a heavy barricade over a window, two holding it in place while the third hammered nails around the edges.
"Since first light!" said Rowan, pounding a fist to his chest proudly. "Lots of work to be done still, but we'll be ready! Make no mistake about that! I imagine you're here to speed things up?"
Mina smiled and nodded. "That we are! Have you seen Olivia and Michael this morning?"
Rowan nodded over his shoulder. "They're at the great hall. Someone has to make sure this whole thing comes together right. Me? I'm better working with my hands!"
"Could you tell them help will be arriving shortly?" asked Mina. "Just need to make a quick visit to the Field of the Dead!"
Melody felt the hair on her neck stand up as Rowan nodded. "Aye! Can do, countess! We'll be watching for them!"
"Much appreciated," said Mina. "Well, the field awaits! We'll come back to help as soon as we're done there. Just let us know where you need us."
"That'd be a question for Olivia! And we appreciate the assistance, as always!" He bowed again to them. "Your excellency. Your highness."
Melody steered Tempest after Mina, watching Rowan walk away for a few seconds before putting Tempest into a trot to catch up to the countess. "Did you say we're going to the Field of the Dead?"
"Correct," said Mina. "I'm going to recruit some extra hands."
"As in, from the dead?"
"Of course," said Mina, as though it were a completely normal answer. She gently urged her horse into a trot. "Follow me."
They rode on for about twenty minutes, following a dirt road out of the western part of the town. Fields of newly sprouting wheat and corn flanked them, small birds flying about as they picked off insects on the wing. There were no people in the fields, all the farmers having left to help barricade the town. Then Mina turned a sharp left onto a narrow wagon path, following it until they arrived at a wide grassy meadow. Melody saw hundreds of wooden posts rising from the earth. Some looked recently placed with names and numbers carved into them. Others were old, their wood gray and cracked with weathering. She saw many that had broken and decayed, rotted wood lying around the remnants. A few were propped up with piles of rocks at their base. There were also large low-lying mounds scattered about, their surfaces blanketed by short shrubs and bunch grasses. Wagon tracks wound their way across the field, weaving a web of intermingling lines. Some of the posts and mounds had flowers, jars of food, and other items placed before them. A single hitching post stood at the entrance, which Mina guided her horse towards.
"Welcome to the Field of the Dead," said Mina as she dismounted, tying her mare to the post.
"What is this place?" asked Melody as she did the same before following Mina out onto the field.
"A graveyard," said Mina. "Or, that's what its purpose is now. It used to be the burial ground for the slavers, though I would hardly call what they did a 'burial.'" She nodded at one of the mounds as they walked past. "They would pile the dead into carts and them dump them into a pit before covering them up. No marker. No names. Just tossed in a hole and buried like trash. The people sometimes came later and placed markers for them. This field is effectively one mass grave."
Melody stopped, looking down at her feet. "You mean there's dead people underneath us!?"
"Very much so," said Mina. She stopped and looked around. "This should be fine. I recommend you stand next to me."
"Why…?" asked Melody, already stepping towards the countess.
"You'll see." Mina brought her hand to her mouth and bit into the side of it, fangs piercing her skin with ease. She held her hand out and clenched it into a fist, squeezing a few drops of blood from it.
Melody expected her blood to splatter on the ground. Instead, the drops fell into the earth, melding with the ground like rain into a lake. The ground seemed to ripple outwards, gently rising and falling under Melody's feet. She quickly moved next to Mina, pressing close as she watched the ground. Tense seconds passed with nothing happening. Melody looked around, trying to see what effect Mina's offering had.
"Just wait," said Mina. "They'll be here soon."
Melody gulped. "They? Who's they?"
No sooner had she asked than she felt the earth begin to tremble. It started as a low vibration and then quickly built into a tremor. Melody clutched Mina's arm, eyes darting about with confusion and alarm. Some of the older posts leaned or fell as the shaking grew. Then a cold wind blew through, causing Melody to shiver. A gust blew over her neck like a frozen breath, and she clapped a hand to the spot to shield it. Tempest and the other horse reared and neighed in fright, pawing the air with their hooves.
Mina slowly extended her hand out, red eyes glowing softly. "You who would answer, I bid you rise."
Melody screamed as the earth of the closest grave post began to bulge upward. Then, like something out of a nightmare, a decayed hand pushed through, grasping towards the sky. An emaciated decomposing arm followed, the skin ashen and riddled with holes revealing bone and desiccated tissue. Then a head emerged, male face sunken and skeletal with jaw hanging at an unnatural angle. Both of his ears were missing, and strands of wispy dead hair clung to what remained of his scalp. A long, drawn-out groan crawled from the corpse's throat as he pulled himself free, bracing his hands against the earth as he emerged. Tattered dirt-encrusted clothes hung loose on a skeletal frame, bits of his ribcage visible through the threadbare and torn fabric of his jacket. He yanked free a leg that was almost entirely devoid of flesh, disturbed soil pressing through the gaps of his foot bones. He stood and turned to face them with one milky unblinking eye, his left socket dark and vacant.
"Mina…!" exclaimed Melody as more dead began freeing themselves of their graves. The entire field was coming alive with them. Hundreds if not thousands of corpses were rising out of the earth, bodies eaten by time and decay. The moment they stood they turned to face them, slowly shambling forward. Melody moved to run, but immediately realized there was nowhere to run to. They were surrounded by undead on all sides!
"It's all right," said Mina, patting Melody's hand. "Stay with me."
The undead closest to them stepped forward, his gait lurching and unsteady. He moaned as he approached, long-deceased eyes fixed on Mina. He stopped in front of her, hunched over and groaning. Melody hid behind Mina, though it made little difference given how many undead now encircled them. The corpse's dislocated jaw opened, a moan rattling out his throat. Then he doubled over coughing, repeatedly whacking at his chest with a fist. Dirt fell out of his body as he did so. The moan became a choking noise as he reached into his agape mouth, fingers fishing in the back of his throat to produce a clod of dirt. He looked at the clod and then tossed it away. He grabbed his jaw and pushed it back into position with a cracking noise that made Melody's skin crawl. He then turned around and reached back into the hole he came out of, pulling out what was left of a very old muffin cap and affixing it to his head. Then the corpse straightened up, turning to face Mina and Melody.
"That's better," said the corpse in a wheezing lifeless voice as he brushed himself off. His behavior was more human now, a far cry from the jerky unnatural movements of a moment ago. He started to say something but stopped, reaching up and feeling his empty socket. "Did either of you happen to see…?"
An undead woman walked up, the remains of her dress interwoven with roots and large wriggling earthworms. She tapped the corpse on the shoulder, holding out a mummified hand with the other eye in it.
"Much obliged!" The corpse took the eye, quickly fished out the last bits of earth from his socket, and then popped it in. It rolled about twice and then righted itself with the other one. Melody felt her stomach churn at the sight. "Sorry about that, milady. Hard to keep track of your bits when you're buried."
"Understandable," said Mina, unfazed by the corpse's actions. She gave a polite bow. "Thank you for answering my call."
"We were wondering when you'd call on us again," said the dead woman, picking a worm out from between the bones of her left forearm and dropping it on the disturbed earth.
"Who's the girl?" asked a gruff and rather large male undead, leaning against a grave post as he reattached his right leg to his hip. Melody clung to Mina, feeling scores of undead eyes focus on her. "Friend of yours?"
"This is Princess Melody," said Mina. "And yes, I'd consider her a friend."
"She sure is cute!" said a female corpse, half her face a skeleton. She reached towards Melody, causing her to scream and slap the dead hand away. It fell off at the wrist, writhing and squeaking on the ground like a pained rat before crawling under the corpse's dress to hide. Melody scrambled to the other side of Mina, shivering with fright. This was a nightmare come to life.
"Easy now," said Mina, putting a protective arm around Melody. "This is her first time seeing undead. Try not to frighten her too much."
"Little late for that," said the male corpse from earlier. He pulled his hat off, pressing it to his chest as he bowed to Melody. "No need to fret, miss. We won't hurt you. I promise our bark is a lot worse than our bite."
"Speak for yourself!" said a corpse missing his lower jaw and both eyes. "You still can bite!"
Melody looked about as the reanimated corpses laughed at the jab. All around she saw undead sorting themselves out reattaching limbs, removing dirt and debris from their bodies, and straightening out what remained of their clothes. Some were fixing posts and markers that were disturbed by their rise from the grave. There were too many to even begin counting.
"So, what seems to be the trouble?" asked the male corpse. "Got a bit of an idea from your offering. Something about a mermaid, magic charms, and a bunch of bad guys looking for them?"
"More or less," said Mina. "There's a battalion of nine hundred coming here for the princess and her mother. They should be here in roughly two more days. Which is why the town is preparing for them. So…"
"You thought they could use some extra hands."
"Precisely. You'll get your instructions at the great hall."
The male corpse gave a loud, "Ha!" and adjusted his cap. "Say no more!" He turned to the other undead. "You heard the lady! Trouble's coming and our living kin need all the help they can get! Let's get to it!"
"Soon as I find my other arm!" called back an ancient-looking skeleton as he dug through the dirt with his single hand. "Confound it! Blasted thing never stays on!"
"Then get after it and catch up!" said the corpse. "The rest of you, move out! There's work to be done!"
As one the undead began marching out, heading in the direction of the town. Melody watched as they left, a horde of bodies given unnatural life. Yet they moved, talked, and behaved no different than living people. Someone bumped into her, and she turned to see a heavily mummified man before her, his skin dry and taught around his skeleton, both eyes long gone.
"Apologies, ma'am," he said, voice dry and raspy as he was. "Bit tough to see sometimes." He stepped past her, following the rest towards town.
"Well!" said Mina, rubbing her hands together. "Shall we get going, too?"
"G-g-going where?" said Melody, eyes wide and anxious as she watched the dead stream past them.
"Back to the town! I did promise to help!"
"W-with them?" asked Melody, stepping back as a woman missing large patches of flesh from her torso sauntered by. "Aren't th-they–?"
"Dangerous?" said Mina. She gave a brief chuckle. "If you're worried they will try to make a meal out of you, don't be. They aren't mindless flesh-eating ghouls. They don't need to eat in the first place. They are all themselves as much as when they were alive. But do avoid using the 'Z' word around them. It's very offensive." She took Melody's hand, pulling her along as she started back to the horses. "Come on! There's still a lot of work to be done!"
Ariel opened her eyes, looking up to the bathwater's surface. She gently pushed off the bottom, allowing herself to float to the top. She emptied the salted water from her lungs and breathed in, exchanging it for the humid air filling the room. It was certainly a bath befitting a noble. The immense tub was carved from a single immense piece of marble, deep enough that Ariel's head just broke the surface from a kneeling position. Her wheelchair sat by the edge, a thick towel folded on the seat. Thick columns of red stone supported a frescoed ceiling. A pair of white marble wyverns wound themselves around the columns closest to the door, their snarling visages fixed on the entryway as if guarding her.
There was a knock on the door. "Your majesty?" came Glenn's voice. "May I enter?"
"You may," Ariel called back.
The door slowly opened, steam swirling in the air as the sharply dressed skeleton stepped inside. "Is the bath to your liking?"
"Very much!" said Ariel. She gave her tail a gentle wave, righting herself as she leaned against the far wall of the tub. "This salt mixture is amazing! It almost feels like real seawater! Where is it from?"
"There is a large red salt deposit approximately ten miles due north-northwest of here," said Glenn. "In olden days, it was a source of significant wealth to this kingdom for its culinary and cosmetic properties, both of which you have enjoyed. Unfortunately, the mine collapsed some seventy years ago after the cave-in of the nearby dwarven mines, and efforts to reclaim it were unsuccessful until this past year."
"But isn't that dangerous?" asked Ariel.
Glenn gave a knowing chuckle. "I assure you, the countess took many measures to reduce the risk to the laborers." He pulled out his watch, checking the time. "If I may take your leave, your majesty."
Ariel nodded, and Glenn bowed before turning to go. He was halfway out the door when she said, "Wait!"
Glenn stopped, turning to her. "Yes, your majesty?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"But of course!"
"How did you and Mina meet? And what's your…your…?"
"Relationship?" asked Glenn.
"I suppose," said Ariel. "I'm just…I feel like I know plenty about Mina, but nothing about the rest of you. And I've seen a bit of magic in my life, but you're all so different than anything else. What I'm trying to say is I'd like to know more about you. And Captain and Lobos, too."
"Ah." Glenn stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him. "Well, that is a bit of a story. One I would be happy to tell, if your majesty doesn't mind the company."
"Not at all," Ariel pulled her fins under her, sitting on the bottom of the tub as she gestured for Glenn to sit.
"I will start with myself," said Glenn. He went and sat on the edge of the tub. "I was born a very, very long time ago and very, very far away from here, in a small kingdom in the northeast of this continent. I served as the head butler to the House of D'Artrem, a prominent noble family of the region. My duties were as you might imagine–management of the estate, care of the guests, this and that in between–as well as protecting the lord's family. He was especially concerned for the safekeeping of his wife. Such a creature of grace and beauty she was. Adored by all who met her. I daresay there was not a soul in the estate that would not lay down their life for her, and I was no exception to this. Unfortunately, my former master came to mistake my heartfelt devotion for covetous affection. Especially following the loss of their newborn son, which left the lord and lady grief-stricken. I dare say my efforts to console her served to deepen our existing friendship, but not once did we partake of each other. My loyalty would never permit it, nor would her love for her husband."
Glenn looked down into the bathwater. "One night, his lordship called me into his private study for a drink. It was not an unusual request, so I thought nothing of it. Many an evening we had spent over a glass of liquor. But I had barely swallowed my first sip before the poison took me. It burned something fierce as it wound its way to my heart. As I lay dying upon the floor, his lordship spouted venomous envy from his lips, accusing his wife and I of all manner of fictional infidelity. He even imagined the death of his son as some villainous plot between the two of us. Of course, I denied every part of it wholeheartedly with my dying breaths, but he would hear none of it. Before I expired, he assured me his wife would be waiting for me on the other side, for he had already slipped the same poison into her nightly tea."
"That's terrible!" said Ariel.
Glenn nodded sadly. "Indeed. I pledged my life and service to this great man, only to be felled by his own paranoid jealousy. My only desire had ever been to protect them both, and to bring whatever ease and prosperity I could to their lives. I do not know what became of the lady's body or soul, but I imagine she found rest. As for my remains, they were placed in a deep grave on the estate. Death came for me, but I did not move on. I remained in their home as a specter, roaming the halls unseen, unheard, and unfelt, watching the consequences of my lord's actions unfold. No accusations or judgements were brought to him–none successful, that is. None needed, either, as my lord became his own judge and executioner as his anger turned to sorrow, then guilt, and then shame, ravaging his broken heart till he could bear no more. He fired all the staff, set his home on fire, and then imbibed the same poison that brought about my end. I took no pleasure from any of it. Only more sorrow at what became of the place I once called home and the man I once held in the highest of regards. But even in death, I remained a servant. I haunted the ruins of the estate, scaring off those who would disturb my masters' resting place. I do not know how many tens or hundreds of seasons passed as I stood watch. Eventually the kingdom fell to ruin, and the forests reclaimed it along with the estate. And then, one day, the strangest of things happened. A young woman, dressed in heavily traveled clothes, wandered into the estate. Naturally, I attempted to frighten her off. However, instead of fleeing with all haste, this woman proceeded to speak with me as easily as I speak to you now."
"Mina?" asked Ariel.
"The very same. She inquired as to the reason for my presence. After divulging my story, she offered to give my master a proper burial. I showed her to what was left, and she collected his remains with utmost care. I recommended laying him to rest within the stables, as riding was my lord's fondest pastime. With only a stick in hand, she dug a small grave and placed his remains within. Out of respect for her kind gesture, I offered my services as her attendant, and have been at her side ever since. The rest is history."
Ariel gently swam closer, resting her arms on the edge of the tub. "How does that work? I'm afraid I know very little about magic. And nothing about necromancy."
"Shh!" Glenn flinched, putting a bony finger to his nonexistent lips. Ariel darted back, causing the water to splash. "Apologies, your majesty. But I would advise against all utterances of that branch of magic in milady's presence."
"I'm sorry," said Ariel, cautiously approaching again. "I didn't mean to offend you."
"As I am sure," said Glenn. "However, Lady Mina has suffered no shortage of spite and prejudice for her gifts. Often under the gross mischaracterization of her abilities as necromancy."
"What's the difference?" asked Ariel.
Glenn gave a pensive "hmm," bone scraping along bone as he stroked his chin. "I am no expert on matters of magic. But I shall do my best to elaborate. First, you must dispel the notions of 'good' and 'evil' magic. There is no such thing. Only good or evil intent in using it. Take, for example, a knife. It can be used to carve great works of art from a simple block of wood. It can be used to prepare food for others. It can be used defend oneself against attackers. Or it can be used to threaten and kill without provocation. But these are the actions of the wielder, not the blade. The action is what dictates good or evil, not the materials. The same is true for magic."
Ariel nodded. This was not an altogether new concept to her, though not one she gave much thought to before this moment. The few misadventures she and her friends had involving the trident gave weight to Glenn's words. Her father used the trident to heal and protect as easily as Ursula and Morgana used it to enslave and destroy. Lara's berserk rage at the marina and then in Kodama's lair added further weight to the butler's argument.
"Necromancy is no exception to this," continued Glenn. "However, necromancy is a particularly sacrilegious branch of magic, for it deals directly in the manipulation of the soul. It is cruel and unnatural by its foundational principles, forcing the bodies and souls of the departed into the service of the caster. This inflicts great torment on the soul and obstructs their passage into the afterlife."
"Then, when Morgana was using William's body to speak with us…" said Ariel, an uncomfortable realization growing inside her. "She was controlling his soul?"
"I am afraid so," said Glenn. "It is an unspoken rule among honorable mages that the soul is not to be tampered with. It is to be left unsullied and unrestrained so that it may find its proper rest when it is time. Necromancers, to put in plainest terms, deliberately spit in the face of this. To perform necromancy is to engage in the foulest form of slavery, regardless of one's intentions."
"So, if Mina isn't a 'you-know-what,' then what is she?" asked Ariel.
"That is a question for minds wiser than mine, your majesty," said Glenn. "In much the way Dame Anclagon is dragon and human, Lady Mina is both vampire and human, yet also neither. And though her magic is not necromancy, I cannot think of another word or descriptor that would do it justice. What I can tell you is that neither I nor any of my fellow undead are under any form of coercion to be here, much less serve the countess. Her magic 'invited' us into this realm, and it is by our will that we remain. The circumstances of myself, Captain, and Lobos are unique, as we serve the lady as her familiars."
"Lara mentioned that before," said Ariel, resting her chin on her hands. "What is a familiar?"
"To put it simply, we are spirits that have a direct bond to the lady's magic," said Glenn. "Unlike necromancy, however, this relationship is both voluntary and beneficial to us. We are joined to her until such time as one of us sees fit to end our union. We serve as her eyes, ears, and voice. She is always aware of our place, and we of hers. She can call to us over any distance, and we can appear to her at will. And we are granted additional abilities beyond what we possessed in life."
"If you don't mind my asking, how did Lobos and Captain join you?" asked Ariel. "I'm assuming it happened after she found you, since you didn't mention them being with her."
"A sharp observation, your majesty," said Glenn. "Yes, I was the first. Lobos came second. Milady discovered his remains on display in the tavern of a small farming town. He was a lycanthrope that roamed the nearby fae forest."
"Lycanthrope? What's that?"
"Lycanthropes are unique beings. Fae creatures able to shift their forms between animal and something vaguely more human. Werewolves and such things are the result of mankind's failed attempts to wield their strength for themselves. They are very powerful both in body and magic, and extremely rare."
"What's a fae?" asked Ariel.
"Faeries. Nymphs. Sprites. Beings of natural magics in various forms and shapes, inhabiting the most ancient and enchanted lands of the world. Some are benevolent towards mortals, provided they are appeased appropriately. Others are tricksters and love to engage in practical jokes on humans, though their forms of humor rarely overlap. And some are hostile, intolerant of any trespassers upon their territory. I understand her majesty and your companions came across one such forest before coming here?"
"You mean Kodama? He's a fae?"
"Perhaps, though I daresay the other creatures of his domain that Dame Anclagon described most certainly qualify. Returning to Lobos, his end came about when a group of hunters killed his mate and pups for sport. His sorrow became blind hatred, and he attacked the village for revenge. Many of the villagers died, but he was felled in the end. Then they burned the fae forest, killing all that fled the flames. Angered by the human's malice, the remaining fae placed a curse upon the village, turning their lands barren and the rivers and wells dry. The villagers' lives had been most harsh ever since. However, Lobos was not spared the fae's fury, for it was his actions that led to the death of their forest and kin. They bound his soul in his bones, sentenced to remain in this realm forevermore. His remains were put on display as a message to all to never trust in the fae or magic. Lady Mina accidentally cut herself while investigating his claws, resurrecting him in all his fury. He proceeded to resume his massacre of the town, but milady intervened. She convinced him to abandon his revenge in favor of joining us. Though, when the villagers pleaded for her to commune with the fae on their behalf, she refused to do so. Milady felt the blight upon them was a warranted punishment."
"What about Captain?" asked Ariel.
"Captain is in fact a native of Sängril," said Glenn.
Ariel leaned forward a little more. "Really?"
"In life, he was a young squire who dreamed of becoming a knight of the kingdom. However, he lacked the build of a warrior, and was rather…erm…how best to put this? I do not want to speak ill of a colleague, but surely you have noticed he is not the most elegant man."
"You mean he was clumsy?" offered Ariel.
Glenn gave a nod and a shrug to indicate Ariel hit the proverbial nail on the head. "To the point of being a laughingstock, I fear. Inept with swords. Cumbersome with spears. Dangerously incapable with bow and arrow. Always dropping this or that. Tripping over his own two feet. Forgetting to secure his lord's armor correctly, causing pieces of it to fall off at random times."
"That explains a lot," said Ariel.
"But the lad's heart was pure and his resolve as ironclad as his virtue," said Glenn. "He had all the spirit of a knight, but none of the capability. One day, his lord was set to travel for a tournament. They were a day out when the boy realized he'd forgotten his lord's armor in its entirety at the castle! He turned back, planning to wear the armor and ride back with it the next day. Unknown to him, a large gang of bandits were waiting to raid the castle. He had just donned the armor when they attacked. They mistook Captain for the lord, demanding he surrender to them. Captain refused, taking command of the castle in his lord's stead. He rallied their meager forces against the enemy, slaying no shortage of their combatants in the battle. He was able to hold them back until reinforcements arrived, routing the bandits. However, the wounds he suffered were numerous, and his exhaustion equally fatal. Before passing, a fellow knight granted his wish, allowing him to pass on with his dream accomplished. He was buried with all the honors and glory befitting his station and efforts. But his loyalty to the kingdom was so strong that he remained in the castle, keeping vigilant watch as he honed his skill with a sword. After Sängril fell to the slavers, his damaged armor was put out front as a false example of what would happen to all who challenged them. Milady discovered him after the barbarians were vanquished, and like myself, accepted her offer of familiar-hood so that he may be of service to the kingdom and to her."
Ariel realized she was now leaning on the edge of the bath, fins absentmindedly swishing back and forth as she listened to Glenn's story. "That's…remarkable. I mean, all of you! You're all remarkable!"
Glenn adjusted one of his lapels. If a skeleton could look proud, he certainly did. "Your words flatter me, your majesty. I am simply a butler, endeavoring to serve my countess as best I may with the opportunity granted to me." He pulled the pocket watch from his breast pocket. "Goodness! Look at the time!" He stood, placing the watch back in his pocket. "A thousand pardons, your majesty, but I must be going! Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?"
"I think I'm okay," said Ariel. "I'd like to soak in here a bit longer, if that's possible."
"Of course. Simply call when you are finished and I or another will be glad to assist you." Glenn bowed to her and turned to go.
"Glenn?" said Ariel as he grabbed the door handle.
"Yes, your majesty?" asked Glenn.
"Um…" Ariel licked her lip nervously. "I owe you an apology."
Glenn turned to her. "Whatever for?"
"For how I acted when we first met," said Ariel. "And how I've treated you since."
Glenn waved a dismissive hand. "No offense taken, I assure you. I realize I am not the most–."
"No, I mean it," said Ariel. She pulled herself out of the bathtub, sitting on the edge. "When we met you that night, I was absolutely terrified of you. I was still scared of you yesterday, and I was rude to you because of it, even if it wasn't obvious. And it was for no other reason than because of what you are and how you look. Yet you've been nothing but courteous and an utter gentleman not just to myself, but to my daughter and Lara. And I want you to know, I'll try my best to do better not just by you, but everything else in this castle. Sorry, everyone else in this castle."
She held out her hand to him. Glenn looked at it for a moment, then at her face. He slowly walked over and took it, giving it what could only be described as a perfect shake. "You honor me with your words, your majesty. I shall endeavor to live up to them. And I assure you, whatever may happen in the days to come, I and every other soul in this castle will do our utmost to keep you and your family safe."
Ariel smiled at him as he released her hand. "I guess I should let you go. I've probably kept you longer than I should have."
"Yes. But I find it was time well spent." With that Glenn went to the door, stopping momentarily to bow to her. "Enjoy the rest of your bath, your majesty."
"Thank you." Ariel watched him until the door was shut. Then she slipped back into the bath, closing her eyes as she submerged beneath the surface.
The sky was burning with the first traces of sunset when Mina and Melody strode through the main doors of the castle, Hattie leading their horses away to the stables. Both women were covered with dirt, dust, and sweat stains from the day's work. Melody's hands and forearms had several scrapes on them. There was hardly a single part of her body that was not sore, her muscles aching and exhausted from prolonged labor. Yet she felt far better now than when she left the castle that morning.
When Mina said there was a lot of work to be done, she was not exaggerating. No sooner were they back to town than Mina took herself and Melody to Olivia and Michael, volunteering both for whatever was needed on the condition they be kept together. Seeing as Melody had no significant skills in terms of manual labor, she and Mina were assigned to help moving the town's grain stores to a safer location. They barely started when the undead arrived, entering the town in a vast mob. Contrary to what Melody expected, they were not met with frightened screams or people fleeing in a terrified stampede. She saw people greeting corpses like long lost friends. Some shook hands and even embraced! A small number peeled off on their way into town, inserting themselves into whatever task caught their attention, while the remainder made their way to the great hall. A long line of reanimated dead soon formed into the building, entering one by one before departing to their designated task. Within an hour the town was full of working tireless undead, outnumbering the living almost two to one! As a result, progress took off at a flying pace.
Melody wished she had been a tenth as productive. The longer the day went on, the more it struck her just how privileged and easy her life was until recently. Years of swimming gave her body strength, but it was different from the strength needed for labor. Barely halfway into loading the first wagon and she was sweating profusely, droplets beading across her brow and staining her shirt. One of the townsfolk offered her a strip of cloth to wrap around her head, soaking up most of the perspiration before it could reach her eyes. There was little that could be done about her physical capability, though. People seemingly flew past her with their grain sacks, handing them off two or even three at a time with ease. Meanwhile, she was struggling to keep up with her solitary sack. It did not take long before her body was burning with exertion, arms shaking and breaths faster and deeper. The final straw came when she almost dropped the sack she was carrying, falling to the cobblestones to stop it from splitting. An undead quickly took the sack and walked off, filling her place in the line. Melody quietly excused herself and went to sit on the nearby steps, her pride more bruised than her knees and side. She felt pathetic in that moment, struggling so visibly alongside those people. She was just starting to feel sorry for herself when bells rang out, announcing the midday break for lunch. Living and dead alike set their work aside, heading to whatever places they did or once called home. Mina came and fetched Melody, bringing her to the sole local tavern.
The Red Stag was possibly the oldest building in the town, and Melody sensed that the moment she walked in. There was an air of untold history to the place, from the worn spots in the floor by the door to the countess scratches and scrapes on the bar, the edges rubbed smooth by countless hands. Antlers, mounts, and other trophies lined every inch of the wall. People and undead were already strolling in, rapidly filling the tables. Mina took Melody to a cozy spot in the corner by a gentle fire, ordering food and drinks from the owner. He barely left when Mina asked Melody to tell her more about the sea.
"But don't you already know about it?" asked Melody. "You know, from our blood?"
"True, I learned a great deal about it from you and your mother," said Mina. "And lots from the library. But I've never seen it. And there's more to it than memories and words in a book, yes? Besides, it's not every day I get to share a meal and pleasant conversation with a beautiful young lady. Or a princess for that matter." She leaned on the table, a twinkle in her crimson eyes and a coy smile on her lips as he rested her chin on her hands. "Please?"
Melody was not sure if it was the atmosphere, her tiredness, or the way Mina looked at her that made her speak. She had not forgotten about what she witnessed between Mina and Lara last night, either, or the uncertain storming feelings inside her. But the more she spoke to Mina, the easier it became. She told her about the beach. About the reefs. About the kelp forests and deep canyons and sandy undersea plains. About Atlantica and the merfolk and all the creatures she had met under the sea. Mina listened with rapt fascination, eyes never leaving Melody's face as she drank in every word. Then the conversation drifted elsewhere, meandering where they wished it. They kept talking up till the bells sounded the return to work and continued doing so as they carried out their duty. This time Mina stayed with Melody, carrying the load between the two of them. It was still hard work, but Melody found the strain greatly lessened Mina's aid. That, and the distraction of her company.
The more Melody talked with Mina, the more she began to realize there was far, far more to her than vampirism, undead, kissing Lara, and being countess of a kingdom. She was patient and attentive, never tuning Melody out or cutting her off. There was a warm charm to her humility and a genuine enthusiasm to her curiosity. Melody found herself asking more and more about Mina as the day went on, and Mina was happy to answer. She liked books and learning about far-away lands and ages long past. Her favorite so far was a collection of stories about the great wizard Merlin, though the adventures of Flynnigan Rider were a close second. She had no favorite season, instead finding herself drawn to the transitions that lay between each. The flowers shedding their seeds with the promise of blooms in the coming spring. The first touch of autumn's colors in the leaves of trees. And the gray clouds heralding the arriving slumber of the land beneath a white blanket of snow. She wanted to visit the ocean one day, even more so thanks to the memories Melody and Ariel shared with her. She quietly confessed that, if such magic existed, she now wanted to experience it as a mermaid. She told Melody about all the Sängril royalty of dynasties past she met in the castle, going down a list of one fairy-tale character after another that had Melody slack jawed with awe. She told her about life in the castle and all the antics Captain, Lobos, Glenn, and all the other departed denizens got up to on a regular basis.
The longer they talked, the more Melody found herself smiling and laughing, and the less her prior feelings of anger, jealousy, and hurt became. Mina shared many traits that Melody saw in herself, but she was also unique and fascinating in her own way. Her words were as thoughtful as they were sincere. She had a way of smiling and laughing that was as delightful. And Mrs. Potts was spot on when she called Mina an irremediable flirt! Mina made Melody blush on no fewer than a dozen occasions. Yet she did so in a way that was as witty as it was friendly and magnetic without crossing into obscenity or impertinence. By the time the bells sounded to indicate the end of the day Melody's opinions on the countess had drastically shifted, and for the better. The people said their goodbyes to them and to the dead before they returned to their field, preparing to slumber eternally till summoned again. Which, as Mina indicated, was likely to be tomorrow.
"Melody? Princess Melody?"
Melody blinked, realizing she had drifted off into her own thoughts. Mina was staring at her with a puzzled expression. "Huh? What?"
Mina gave a small grin. "I was asking if you wanted to take a bath."
"Oh! Yes! A bath would be great! I–." She stopped when she heard the distant sound of something hitting against metal. That, and muffled voices. "What's that?"
Mina looked up the foyer stairs to the window. "It's coming from outside."
The two made their way up the stairs and down a set of halls till they arrived at a wide window overlooking the gardens. From there they could see out across the grounds in their totality. The greenery was tinged with the warm light of dwindling day, shadows just now beginning to lengthen. Lara and Captain stood on the lawn facing each other. Lara was dressed in her breast wrap and pants, bokken clutched firmly in both hands. Captain held a longsword, hefted upright by his shoulder as the two stared each other down. Suddenly Lara lunged at him, swinging for his torso. With deftness and grace that took Melody by surprise, Captain retreated a step to avoid her and then swung his own sword for her shoulder. Lara quickly brought her sword up and blocked it, a muted clang ringing out as she grimaced against the force of the strike. She parried it aside and swung at Captain's helm, only for him to turn the sword over and block her. The softened noises of wood against metal came through the window as Lara and Captain traded blows in earnest, neither managing to find an opening on the other.
"Wow," breathed Melody as Lara ducked a swing from Captain and then tried to slice up into his chest, only for Captain to bring his sword back and parry her weapon away. "I didn't know Captain was so good."
Mina's grin returned, this time with a sense of pride. "He might be clumsy at times. But Captain is unmatched when it comes to swordsmanship. Or his devotion to this kingdom."
Melody returned her focus to the duo in the garden. Lara dodged aside as Captain took a heavy overhead swing with his sword, the blade biting into the ground. She immediately rushed in, thrusting for his head. Captain expertly avoided it, wrenching his sword free and swinging it at Lara. She turned her thrust into a leaping roll, narrowly avoiding the blade as she tumbled across the grass and righted herself, bokken at the ready. Now that Melody looked closer, she saw Lara had smears of dirt and grass on her body, and she was breathing with some effort. Captain, by comparison, was spotless save a few minute marks on his arms and chest.
"Good!" said Captain, giving his sword a spin. "Very good! You have dexterity as well as power, and no shortage of courage. But you still lack control."
"I've got control aplenty!" said Lara as she got to her feet.
"Then do me the honor of demonstrating it." Captain readied his sword and stance once more. "Again!"
Lara charged at Captain, swinging at his torso. Captain blocked her blade and Lara spun around, turning her slash into a thrust. Before she could reach him, Captain grabbed her wrists with one hand and yanked her past him, tripping her on one of his feet. He knocked the top of her head with the pommel of his sword on the way. Lara stumbled and fell, rolling over the grass before she stopped.
"No!" said Captain as Lara stood, rubbing the growing egg on her head. "Again!"
Mina gave an amused chuckle as Captain and Lara locked blades, the two pushing against each other. "Nice to see that fire in her again." She looked to Melody. "I just realized I haven't thanked you or your mother yet."
"For what?" asked Melody.
"For what you did for Lara," said Mina. She folded her arms together, eyes watching the two combatants intently. "When we met, Lara was not the person she is today. She was fierce, bold, brave, and straightforward, just like now. But it was grief, anger, loss, and pain that drove her. Especially pain. It made her powerful, which allowed her to survive in those unforgiving lands. But it also made her cold and vicious."
A grim sternness crept over Mina's face. "I saw it when we fought my grandfather and the vampiric houses. She didn't hesitate to kill a single one of them. She didn't offer mercy to the bounties we took together, either. Her nickname as the Hellhound was well-earned." The sternness turned sad and penitent. "I thought about her often after we parted. I sometimes wondered if I should've stayed by her side. More than a few times I felt I made the wrong decision. After she showed me her memories I certainly did. I thought, 'maybe none of it would've happened if I was there with her. Maybe she would still have Yumino. Maybe Lao Xan wouldn't have been incinerated. Maybe Lara would've left with me if I had waited a bit longer. Maybe she wouldn't have had to suffer so much.'"
Mina looked to Melody, and she saw the sadness turn to…she did not know what. She had no words to describe the look Mina gave her. Apologetic? Wistful? Grateful? Relieved? She reached out and touched Melody's shoulder. "But I think I can accept that this was the right path for both of us. Because if I hadn't left when I did, we may never have met again. And Lara may never have met either of you. And I'm so glad she did. You, your family, and your people gave Lara what I always hoped she would find one day. What I found here in Sängril. You gave her somewhere to belong in this world. Somewhere to heal."
Melody was taken aback when Mina pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "Thank you."
She did not know what to do at first. Then, as though acting on their own, Melody's arms slowly came up and wrapped around Mina, lightly at first and then just as snugly. Her feelings from that morning came unraveled in that embrace. She now knew exactly what kind of person Mina was. She was someone who only wanted what was best for Lara. Someone who would never betray her. Who would never abandon her. Just like Melody. How could she ever feel those things towards someone like that? Or spite Lara for choosing someone who cared for her this much?
"Thank you, too," said Melody. "For sending her to us."
Mina held Melody just a little tighter for a moment, and then she relaxed and released her. She stepped back, still bearing that smile and her eyes a little glassier than before. A yell caused them both to look back to the window. Lara was swinging a flurry of strikes against Captain, who was blocking and parrying each one. They were starting to move at a speed where Melody had trouble following them. Then Captain swiftly parried one of Lara's blows aside and then struck her across the back with the flat of his blade. Lara went stumbling forwards and then spun around, a touch of awe and frustration on her face as she attacked Captain once again.
"Seems Lara's met her match!" said Mina. "In this state, at least!"
Melody shifted nervously. Her anger and jealously at Mina seemed so foolish and empty now. A guilty weight settled in her shoulders. "Mina, I um…I owe you an apology."
Mina turned her face back to Melody. "What for?"
"It's…" Melody looked downward slightly. "It's about last night. I, uh…I saw you and Lara."
Mina's lips parted slightly as she drew a small breath. "You did?
"I didn't eat much of dinner, so I got hungry later. I went to the kitchen for something and met Mrs. Potts. She made me this sandwich and…it's a different story. But after I left I overheard you and Lara talking in the library and I…" Melody swallowed, feeling it pass by a lump in her throat. "I saw you kiss."
"I see." Mina knelt slightly to meet Melody's eyes. "Did you see anything more?"
Melody was at a loss for words with that one. All she did was nod, but her blushing cheeks told Mina more. A coy grin appeared on the vampire's lips. "Oh?"
"I-I didn't mean to!" Melody blurted, backing away from her. "I'm sorry!"
Mina smirked, walking after her. "How much more did you see?"
Melody blushed even harder as she kept retreating, remembering the sight of Mina lifting Lara's shirt away.
"Oh my!" Mina chuckled as Melody turned redder by the second. "Seems you saw plenty!"
If Melody blushed any further, she was sure she was going to get a nosebleed. Mina strode up to her, a seductive sway in her hips and a sultry grin on her lips, her sharp left canines exposed. Melody kept retreating, only to run into the wall. Mina kept coming, now standing perilously close to her.
"Tell me, Princess…" Mina leaned close to Melody's ear. "Did you like what you saw?"
Melody had no idea what a fuse was or what it meant to blow one. But between Mina's proximity, the feel of her breath on her ear, and the memory of the dalliance between the countess and Lara the previous night, right then she blew three at the same time. She could not manage a response beyond nonsensical stammering. "I…I…I, uh…"
"Or…?" Mina brought her face close to Melody's, smiling at her. "Maybe you'd like a taste yourself?" She leaned towards Melody, tracing a finger down the line of her jaw. "I promise to be gentle."
Melody lost the ability to speak as she stared into Mina's ruby red eyes. The feel of Mina's touch was as electrifying as the dulcet tones of her voice. It was causing her to feel things she was not sure she should be feeling. And honestly, there was a part of her that wanted to feel them more. Mina's lips were barely a finger's breadth away now. She could feel her breath and the heat from her skin. Just a bit more and she would…
Mina leaned aside and planted a chaste kiss on Melody's cheek before stepping back. "Sorry. I took that a little far. But I make a point of not sleeping with someone else's friends. Besides, you're a virgin, aren't you?"
"I…" Melody took a deep breath, calming her racing heart. Her face was flush with heat, and she felt herself on the verge of sweating again. "How did you know?"
"Blood, remember?" Mina smiled again and winked. "And I can tell. I would love to introduce you to the joys of being a woman–and I genuinely would! But I don't think you're ready to explore those waters. Not right now, at least. As for Lara and I, last night she was feeling fragile and needed someone to hold her, if you catch my meaning."
"So, are you two…?" Melody started.
"A couple?" Mina shook her head. "No, no. Just very good friends who haven't seen each other in far too long. And who aren't shy about giving or asking for comfort from each other. Much as I adore Lara, she's not 'the one' for me. And I'm not the one for her. And that's okay."
Melody looked at Lara again. "Does she…?"
"Love me?" said Mina. "She does, and I love her too. Same as I imagine you both love each other. But she's not ready for the romantic kind of love, if that's what you were wondering. And, if I may be so bold, neither are you."
Melody felt sadness in her heart, looking down at the floor. "I know."
"You miss him," said Mina. "William."
Melody nodded. "Will was everything to me."
"He was a good man," said Mina. She reached out and took Melody's hand, giving it a squeeze. "I understand why you fell so hard for him. And why he still holds a place in your heart. Just like Yumino holds a place in Lara's."
"My heart was his before I even realized it," said Melody. "I couldn't imagine life without him. If he'd asked me to marry him, I would've said yes without a single doubt. But with him gone, I…" She reached up, expecting to find his ring hanging around her neck. But she grasped only the Oceanstar, painfully reminded that his ring, much like her home, was destroyed. "When I saw you and Lara, it scared me. You're right. I'm not ready for that kind of love yet. But I'm afraid I'll never be able to feel that way about anyone agai. Or that I'll never be brave enough to let myself feel it because I'll be too scared of being hurt again." Her hand started to tremble as she looked up at Mina, her eyes starting to water. "I don't want to be alone, Mina! Not forever!"
Mina hugged Melody again. "Give yourself time. You'll know when your heart is ready."
"How?" asked Melody.
"You just will. Did you know the moment you were in love with Will?"
Melody shook her head. "No."
"Same for this. Have patience and faith. It'll come."
Melody wrapped her arms around Mina. She felt warm, her scent welcoming and soft. Melody closed her eyes, accepting the embrace completely. "You really think so?"
"Of course. You'll find someone. You're far too kind and wonderful to go through life alone."
"Same for you," Melody whispered to herself.
The sound of ringing metal caused them both to look out the window. Lara and Captain had their blades locked once again, pushing hard against each other. Lara's face was set in a grimace, her feet slipping against the grass as she fought for ground against Captain. Then Captain gave a shout and pushed Lara back before slashing in an arc for her middle. His sword moved like a streak of light, and Melody swore she saw sparks fly as Lara deflected it away. They were both moving beyond human capabilities now, blades and feet working just beyond the edge of what Melody could follow. Lara and Captain separated and then slammed back together, their swords moving as blurs. She saw gusts of air and cuts appear in the grass as the blades smashed against each other, neither Lara nor Captain giving an inch. Then Lara suddenly parried Captain's sword aside and charged in, slashing at Captain's middle. Captain quickly darted back, skidding across the lawn and then dashing back in, thrusting hard for Lara's chest. Lara stepped aside, swinging her blade straight up with a yell. Captain's sword was knocked upwards, leaving him open as Lara spun and swung her heel around, burying it straight in Captain's exposed chest. He went shooting backwards, tumbling across the ground before righting himself, bits of lawn jammed into pieces of armor.
Mina smiled for a moment, but then it faded into a worried frown. "Can I ask you to do something for me, Melody?"
Melody turned to her. "Yes?"
"When you all leave, please keep watch over Lara for me."
"I'll try. Though, there's not a lot I could do to protect her. You know how strong she is."
"That's not what I meant."
Melody turned to Mina. "Then what?"
"It's…" Mina licked her lips, a worried expression on her face. "When Lara shared her blood with me, I felt something. Something inside her. Something that wasn't there when we were in the east."
Now Melody faced Mina completely. "Inside her? What kind of something?"
"I don't know. It was only for a moment. But whatever it is, it's powerful. And ruthless. And very, very angry." She looked to Melody, gently biting the end of her thumbnail. "I think you know of what I speak."
Melody did not need Mina to say anything more. She knew exactly what she was talking about. She vividly remembered the monstrous form Lara took in Seahaven's marina. Those four igneous red eyes. The glowing lines searing their way across her armored skin. And that expression of blind boundless fury on her face as she roared with rage. She was an avatar of a dragon's wrath, bent only on obliterating all she hated and burning away anything and anyone that got in her way.
"You're right about Lara being strong," said Mina. "But we both know her wings and tail aren't the only things that are dragon-like about her. Her anger doesn't burn unless lit. But when it is, that fire can burn dangerously hot and without care for who gets caught in the flames. And I worry it may become harder for her to resist them."
"But what can I do?" asked Melody. "I'm not strong like her! And I don't have magic like you both, either!"
Mina smiled. "You are so much stronger than you realize, Melody. I hope someday you'll realize it for yourself." Mina held her eyes for a moment. Then her smile widened. "Come on! Let's see about that bath!"
As Melody followed after Mina, both of them heard a distressed skeleton's cry from outside. "What in the…you two!Stop that this instant! Look what you've done to the garden!"
"All clear!"
Ursula folded her arms as the clockman in front of her knelt, its kneecap flipping up as it aimed its leg cannot into the rockslide. There was a loud FOOM and then an explosion tore into the wall of rock and soil, blasting out the far side. The rockslide shuddered and then started moving, sliding down into the gorge below. The flow surged forth, dragging massive boulders and thick slabs of rock with it. The roar of breaking earth thundered in the valley until, its mass spent and dwindling, the last pieces tumbled away. Only a small pile remained in the path, and for the first time in over a day, Ursula could see the road forward.
"That's it!" she shouted. "Move out, on the double! We've got a lot of time to make up for!"
She swirled her hand through the air as her army began to form ranks, the vanguard already tromping over the remains of the slide. The map appeared with a whisp of inky purplish smoke, and she quickly unfurled it. The red circle had not moved, still slowly rotating on the parchment.
"Still haven't moved, eh?" She rolled the map up and dismissed it with another wave of her hand, the paper vanishing in a puff of smoke. "Doesn't matter. Here, there, I'll find you all the same! You and your precious girls!" She chuckled evilly as she walked back to her litter, ignoring the angry calls of the crows circling overhead.
A/N: Hello again everyone! Hope you all had a happy Halloween! I am already at work on the next chapters, so hopefully I'll have more posted before the year is out! The next one should be particularly spook-tacular!
This chapter is dedicated to the late Angela Landsbury, who brought life to Mrs. Potts and so many other great characters! She will be sorely missed by myself and many others!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own "The Little Mermaid," Disney, or any of its associated characters and intellectual property. Everything else, however, is mine =)
