“No. It means both of us might get a break from royal duty now and again.” I told him. He just smirked.
“I will call the team helping arrange the coronation and make the small changes needed to the ceremony.”
“But we don’t have the other courts’ agreement yet.” Mercy said.
“I’m sure it’s just a formality.” River told us. “They would not wish to turn down a simple request from the Winter Court. We are not one to make an enemy of.”
It was true. Our soldiers were cold, brutal, and feared.
River went through the rest of his agenda. “Okay so any other business?”
I explained about Dawn, Billy, and Aaron.
“Ah, yes. That was an unfortunate matter.” River said. “The council have no opinion on this, you are about to be Queen, or Queens.” He looked at my sister and back to me. “Your decision on whether or not to let them return will be seconded by us all.”
“Then it shall be.” I confirmed.
“And how will these persons travel from Earth to Andlusan?” Tredby said. His face was etched with lines of tension. The man was old; he must have been in his late-sixties. I felt it was time for him to retire and leave someone new with fresh ideas in his place, but it was something to deal with at a later time.
“I know someone who can perform a spell to get them here.”
“Those in your mother’s inner circle knew of how and why Dawn Mandrake was banished from Andlusan. So how will you announce this to the village? Will you say she was kept prisoner and her sons raised in secret? Or will this come with the blatant use of magick?”
“It is our intention to remove the ban on the practice of white magick and herald a return to the old ways.”
“And you know a lot about magick, yes?”
This old fool was beginning to infuriate me.
“I know Mercy and I are descended from witches and like with anything new, we shall learn of our heritage and of how to embrace it. The craft is not something to fear. It can be used for good, for healing.”
“How quickly you forget it killed your father.”
“That was an accident and Dawn Mandrake has suffered enough for it.” I said curtly. “I would ask that you remember your place here as treasurer and keep your opinions to that of the courts finances, Mr. Ollerton.”
Tredby bowed his head. “My apologies, Your Highness. My concerns are just of what side effects could occur from this. You must remember I have been around the palace for a long time.”
“Let’s move this along and end the meeting.” River said, looking pointedly at me with an expression that said, ‘shut up’. “We need to get this change to the coronation finalised and right now, that’s where people’s focus should be. Tomorrow we shall convene again at the same time, where hopefully our emissaries will have returned with good news, and we shall bring back the Mandrake family. Do you have someone in mind to perform this ceremony?” He looked from me to Mercy.
“Yes, our dear friend Isaac Stafford will help with this.” Mercy announced. “And if anyone is not keen on the use of magick,” she looked at Tredby, “they can be excused. In fact, it is probably better that it should just be myself, Isaac, Lord Mandrake, and my sister.”
“I shall be there too to ensure the safety of you both as I promised my sister I would.” Our uncle said. “However, yes, I do not feel any other council members need to be present for this. Right. I call the meeting closed.” He closed the book he wrote in and I imagined him instead holding an iPad and I sniggered.
“Something amusing, Miss Aleatha Rose Northcote?” River sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest.
“No, Uncle.” I bit my bottom lip to stop it from curving up.
Mercy tugged at my arm and we nodded to the council and then left.
“So what are we doing today, sister?” Mercy asked.
I looked at her, my eyes wide.
“Are you not staying in your chambers dealing with court issues?”
She shook her head and winked. “Nope. You said we were to have fun. Do you know we don’t use the East Wing enough? It has a beautiful ballroom. I think we should go explore and see what we could use the wing for. Maybe a series of rooms where the focus is on fun and spending time together? With large screen televisions and computers. We might have to magic a WiFi connection.”
“Were you possessed while you travelled to earth? Where is my sister and what have you done with her?” I was startled at the change in her and found it hard to believe it was because of the surly Aaron Buckley. All I’d ever really got from him was derision and a sneer.
“Do you think my maidenhood is still actually intact here in Andlusan though I lost it on Earth?” She said sweetly before laughing at my dropped jaw, a wicked glint in her eyes.
“Goddess, what have I started with my travels?” I did a mock faint. Then laughing we ran down to the East wing.
We were so busy having fun that my nightmare faded away into the background, dismissed as any other. After my evening meal, I gathered a few of my books on magick. Isaac had called in during the afternoon and had agreed to teach us the old ways properly. He’d given us some homework about simple things like reading up on the history of magick, and how to do protection spells, wards, and simple healing, along with how to call to the elements. We were quick to learn, and he said the magick was strong within us. Although we’d both done greater magick than he was teaching us, he warned us it was important we started at the beginning and learned wisely and with patience. Mercy had guffawed at that and asked if he’d actually met me.
I sat within my piles of pillows, all tucked up, and began reading through the first book. After an hour, I became bored of reading the basics and started to browse through later chapters. I found one called the Dark Arts, one word from the chapter standing out—trapped.
A shiver ran up my spine as I remembered the nightmare in full as if I’d just experienced it.
I began to read.
Protection spells should always be used, and for the most part are efficient in keeping you safe. However, there are malevolent spirits within the planes looking for an opportunity to escape their bindings. You may hear of possessions, or the worshipping of devils. All of this is explained within this chapter. We call these the Dark Arts. For where most witches and wizards practice good magick, there are those who would attempt to use it for ill. Those persons run the risk of possession or being lost, trapped between planes, in what is termed ‘the void’.
I felt uneasy. I had been trapped within the planes, and at the time of the crash and my opening the portal to try to get back to Andlusan, I had not had a spell of protection. However, Isaac had helped me perform the cleansing rite so I should be safe, shouldn’t I? The feeling of unease had left me since then. I read on looking for anything that mentioned protection.
While protective spells are largely efficient, those working the craft need to remember and bear in mind that there are dark entities out there that could be stronger than they are, for whom the spells have little or no effect.
I closed the book. Reading it was just creating madness in myself. All I’d had was a simple nightmare. What I needed to do now was to concentrate on the fact that after my night’s sleep there would be a brand new day where my boyfriend would arrive in Andlusan. I called Ramona to help me tidy and prepare for bed and I asked for a sleeping draught. Although a crease came to her forehead, Ramona brought me the brew, and left. I murmured some words of protection, drank the brew and slept.
Chapter Three
Mercy
Thank the Goddess my sister was returned and safe. We had some very busy days ahead of us and I was mindful that I would need to keep a close eye on my sister. She had been trapped between the planes and yet there was no time for recuperation, not with the coronation upon us and the return of the Buckley family. I wondered if they would change their names back to their father’s and become Mandrakes?
Isaac had told us that
Lord Thomas had cried when he’d heard his wife and sons were to return to Andlusan. The man had cared for us for years and we thought on him like another uncle.
I still had my reservations though about my sister, and her residing in Andlusan, settling in to life as a Queen with its restrictions. She had a restlessness to her soul, she always had. I hoped that the return of Billy and the many changes that would come to Andlusan would be enough to calm that restlessness within her.
Because otherwise I did not know what we could do to help her.
Chapter Four
Leatha
It took me time to come around, the lasting effects of the sleeping draught in my system making me yawn uncontrollably.
“Shall I leave you to have some more sleep?” Ramona asked. She was not used to coming to my chambers early; I usually rose late. However, it was a time of fresh starts and new routines, and the tingling sensations in my belly alerted me that sleep was no longer an option. Soon I would see Billy Buckley again. It was just I had to endure another council meeting first.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead our uncle met us alone and told us that there had been no objections to our joint rule. In fact, the other courts had welcomed it, thinking it was only fair on a twin birth. The rest of the council were off working and helping with the final preparations for the coronation. Tomorrow we would be crowned. I had far more enthusiasm for seeing Billy again but I kept that to myself.
River ran through the order of the coronation and the day’s events. When he was convinced we knew what we should be doing, he ended the meeting.
“So, now for the reuniting of a family. What arrangements have you made?”
We took River with us to the ballroom on the East Wing. “So this is where you’ve been escaping to.” He said looking around. “Such a beautiful room. It should hear music and see dance once more.”
“I would rather we stuck to holding our celebrations in the main part of the palace. I like the idea of keeping this area for ourselves. Mercy and I are thinking about transforming the wing into a modern palace. We have such things to show you uncle from Earth that you would believe we were already heavily involved in magick.”
“Just remember that we can’t be travelling back and forth to Earth. So you must understand that you can’t move Andlusan into a time of these phones and computers without engaging with the black market, and I wouldn’t recommend that.”
“Oh there must be another way. But there is plenty of time to look into such things. For now let us get our boyfriends back.”
“Oh Goddess. I hadn’t thought about the implications of this. Young love. When I agreed to be your guardian, your mother had just spoken of arranged marriages between the courts, alliances. What have I landed myself with? I shall have grey hair before the week is out. Am I supposed to vet these people? I can’t very well do background checks when they’ve not lived here. Perhaps I should just show them the palace dungeons and warn them that’s where they will spend their days if they step out of line?”
Mercy slipped her arm through his. “Perhaps we shall just concentrate on getting them back here and reunited with their father. I have a feeling that they, and we, shall be too busy for romance for the next couple of days at least.”
I wondered how the family would take to being in Andlusan after having all the spoils of Earth available to them. I imagined they would feel like they’d fallen down a rabbit hole. It made me realise that the days ahead weren’t necessarily going to be the fun times I’d been imagining.
Saira knocked on the door of the ballroom. Behind her stood Isaac and a trembling Lord Thomas.
Mercy jumped up. “Lord Thomas. Is everything all right?”
“He is fine.” Isaac reassured her. “Just extremely nervous about his family travelling the planes.”
“Then let’s get this performed forthwith.” I said.
Isaac had been travelling between here and Earth in order to prepare the family for their travel, but he had warned us that after they were here, he would travel no more. We thanked him, knowing we could ask no more of him. Travel could be dangerous, I was testament to that, and Isaac had a fiancee here in Andlusan.
Isaac cleansed the room, throwing salt around at the corners. Once again, I watched my uncle, bemused at his reaction. He’d obviously not dealt in the craft when it had been around Andlusan before. Eventually, satisfied, Isaac called us all to arrange our chairs in a wide circle. Drawing a pentagram on a large piece of paper, Isaac blew burning sage leaves across it before placing it in the centre of the circle.
“I need everyone to concentrate on my words.” He commanded.
“Goddess, we give thanks for all your blessings and ask that the journey to be undertaken by Dawn, Aaron, and Billy be protected by yourself and the angels.”
He stood and placed an amethyst stone in the centre of the pentagram, before returning to his chair.
“My guides, hear these words and keep from harm,
Dawn, Aaron, and William. Please send them this charm.
May they pass through the planes
Clear from all strife
Please hold them in your blessed arms,
On the travel to their new life.”
Dawn
Time still passed on earth while we waited to return to Andlusan. Except we stayed home. We rang in sick to work. We cancelled plans with friends. We waited. And then I felt a warmth at my neck and found a pendant there with a glowing amethyst stone.
“Boys, it’s time.” I yelled upstairs.
Feet thundered down, and I smiled. Usually I’d have told them they sounded like a herd of elephants and to take their time so as not to break their necks, but this time I took a seat at the kitchen table and followed the instructions given to me by Isaac. My body welcomed the use of magick once more. It felt like home, because it was. My magick and Andlusan calling to me.
Our makeshift altar was blessed. I looked at my sons in turn.
“Last chance to change your mind.”
“Nope. I want to go home.” said Billy.
“Say the spell, Mother.” Aaron added.
“Okay. Here we go.” I took a deep calming breath.
“Send us in flight, our blessed friends.
Accompany us to our destinations end.
With our feet on the earth; with the heat of fire.
Please assist us on travel and ensure we don’t tire.
With the breath of air and the cleanse of water,
We ask that you protect your daughter,
And your sons,
Please grant us safe passage until our journey is done.”
The candle in the centre of the table set alight, burning brightly. Then a sharp gust of air rattled the windows and blew out the candle and my children disappeared before my eyes.
Leatha
The next I knew there were three people standing in the middle of our circle of chairs. They were clutched on tightly to each other. Then slowly they broke apart, looking at their new surroundings.
“Please stay there just a moment while I complete the spell.” Isaac stated as Lord Thomas rose from his chair. “Goddess, we thank you for the safe journey of your children. Blessed be.”
We all repeated ‘blessed be’ and Isaac closed down the spell, thanking the elements. Then Lord Thomas burst forth and there were hugs, smiles, and tears as an estranged family reunited.
“We will leave you in here to enjoy some privacy. We will be in the sitting room next door when you are ready to receive some refreshment after your journey, and then we shall ensure you are escorted home-in cover of darkness for now-so that you may recover from the journey.” River said to the family.
Lord Thomas nodded, while Dawn looked at Isaac from her place within her husband’s strong embrace. “Thank you for everything you have done for us. Your kindness shall not be forgotten.” Lord Thomas appeared twice the thin man he’d been before and I realised just how much losing his family had affected him. H
e had always cared for us greatly, but there had always been a weariness to him, a frailty, and now I knew why.
We retired to the sitting room next door. The room smelled fresh, the windows open, and I raised a brow at my uncle.
“I may have arranged for this room to have been cleaned yesterday. Some of us have to think about what might be needed around here.”
I walked over and hugged him. “And that’s why we keep you around. This room is stunning. It is such a pity so many parts of the palace are unused.”
“Well, we shall have to add it to our forthcoming plans for after your coronation. A re-organisation of the palace and its wings. I trust Mercy will keep your ideas in check.”
“Actually, I think you’re going to find a more serious Leatha and a more frivolous Mercy in the future.” I shot back.
“Isaac. Do you have a protection spell against wayward nieces? I fear for my heart.” River jested, though I’m sure there was a small element of seriousness to his request. With boyfriends and the re-introduction of magick, our uncle had more than our new rule to become accustomed to.
Time passed and eventually the family joined us in the room. Dawn hugged Mercy and then I; and then her and Lord Thomas stood chatting to Isaac leaving us with Billy and Aaron.
“I guess this is going to take a lot of getting used to?” I said, weirded out by the distance between Billy and I despite our close proximity.
“Yeah.” He rubbed his chin. “I feel like I’m dreaming. Look at you in your weird clothes.” He pointed at me. “Apparently I have a wardrobe full of new things to wear. It’s like I’m in a play, not real life.”
First Rules (Sisters of Andlusan Book 2) Page 2
