Antlered Crown

by Yasmine Galenorn

  “There’s a lot about the dragons that unsettles me,” Angel said. “Ashera is very nice, I’m sure, and while she did save your life, I still feel cautious around her. The dragons are more arrogant than the gods.”

  “True,” Raven said. “They consider themselves above most gods, because their parents were Titans. Storm has a long road ahead of her if she expects to save her sister, but when I asked her if she was sure she wanted to do this, she said nothing, just nodded. I have the feeling that she and her family don’t get along, but there is a loyalty to her that exudes like sweat. She’s willing to put her life on the line even if she isn’t as enamored of her kin. Her own family seems like a dysfunctional mess, but she seems to have come out of it with her head on her shoulders.”

  “What do you mean? It seems like the hedge dragons would pull together against the dragons,” I said.

  “You would think so, but there’s more infighting among the hedge dragons than anywhere else. I think it’s because they feel so squashed as a group. They take it out on one another. That Storm is even considering rescuing her sister is a miracle. Kipa knew a few of the hedge dragons who managed to get out of the Forgotten Kingdom before it was shut down. To the last one of them, they snipped and squabbled among themselves.

  “Also, don’t be full-on sympathetic,” Raven added. “Some of the hedge dragons themselves sell their own kind into slavery. They work with the slavers to corral their vulnerable members into a position where they can’t fight back.”

  It occurred to me that sometimes one’s own family could be one’s worst enemy. That had certainly been the case for me.

  As I sat there, I realized that most of my luggage had been brought in and put away. The maids worked quickly, I had to give them that. I still hadn’t met my lady’s maid, and I wasn’t in any mood to right now. I’d have to soon enough, but that could wait until later.

  “So, when’s the wedding?” Raven asked me.

  “Samhain. Herne wants the castle to be in order by then. Our wedding’s going to be a far more massive splash than I expected. We’ll hold a private ceremony a little later. Meanwhile, I’ll look around and see who I can find to send with Storm. I like her. I don’t want her going into Wildemoone alone, not when she’s got a target on her back because of what she is.”

  “Have you seen her change into a dragon yet?” Angel asked.

  Raven grinned and nodded. “The hedge dragons aren’t as big as regular dragons, but they are impressive. They’re probably as large as an elephant, and they can do a lot of damage. And I like Storm. I wish I could go with her, but Kipa won’t let me. He says it’s too dangerous, and Väinämöinen wouldn’t let me either. I’m neck-deep in my lessons.” She sighed. “Honestly, I feel like I’ve been run ragged. By the end of this internship, I’ll either be an incredibly powerful witch or I’ll keel over from exhaustion and sleep for a hundred years.”

  The thought of someone capturing Storm and skinning her for her hide made me want to puke, though I could see how, for shady adventurers who wanted sturdier protection than regular leather armor could provide, she’d be a prime target.

  “Do you think she has a chance to find her sister alive?” Angel asked.

  Raven shrugged. “I’ve been over in Wildemoone a number of times. Kipa and I have taken a couple of vacations there. It’s a beautiful place, vastly different than Annwn or Earth, but it also has a deadly side, with a lot of pitfalls. Some of the cities—Owlanvine in particular—aren’t exactly concerned with human rights. Owlanvine is a hedonistic city, and the family that rules it began as nomads, raiding the villages and gathering the people under their flag. From what Kipa told me, they founded the city a thousand years ago, and eventually wiped out most of the nearby villages, turning Owlanvine into an empire.”

  “A city is considered an empire?” I asked.

  “Granted, it’s a small empire, but they didn’t build their empire by being nice, or by enforcing a code of honor. They rule by the sword, and while they trade with the rest of Wildemoone, if you step on toes there, you tend to disappear.”

  “I’ve never been there,” I said. “I’m not sure I want to, given what you tell me.”

  “Don’t blame the realm for one city. Wildemoone is beautiful, with wild grassy plains, and massive mountain ranges—one of the mountain ranges comes down from the Forgotten Kingdom through Pohjola into Wildemoone. Their tallest mountain makes Everest look like a baby. The oceans are wild and tumultuous. There’s a lot of pristine land over there, and unsurprisingly there’s a large population of elves. Also, Saílle and Névé will be moving their cities over there before too long. Kipa verified that.”

  “Well, that’s going to be interesting,” I said. Saílle and Névé didn’t play well with others, and it was hard for me to imagine them finding a space where they would be welcome, especially given they took control wherever they went.

  “They’ll fit in,” Raven said. “There’s a lot of uninhabited country and they should be able to find space for their cities. Although how they’re going to build them up again so quickly I don’t know. Are they deserting the buildings over on Earth? That real estate is going to be worth millions. Perhaps billions. The Fae don’t skimp on décor.”

  “I have no idea how this is all going to play out,” I said. “But if Saílle and Névé move to Wildemoone, I’m going to have to go visit them. I still have some unfinished business with them, and my great-uncle lives in TirNaNog.”

  Raven sighed. “Thank you for allowing Storm to stay. Kipa and I’ve come to like her a lot. I wish she wasn’t traveling alone.”

  With that, we headed back to the living room, where I was determined to get to know Storm a little bit better.

  But when we returned to the living room, only Kipa and Herne remained.

  “Where did Storm go?” I asked, looking around.

  “I asked one of the maids to prepare a room for her.” Herne patted the seat cushion next to them. “She was exhausted. Come, sit by me,” he added.

  I snuggled up next to him, curling my legs under me on the sofa. Raven settled into the rocking chair, and Angel sat in a recliner. With the fire crackling, and the door shut, the room felt almost cozy. Even though I still missed our home over on Earth, I realized the sting was diminishing. Those days were gone forever.

  Kipa and Herne were talking over some sort of logistics involving cattle and ranching and livestock, and I found my mind wandering. Angel had picked up her knitting from her room, and she was staring at the pattern, a confused look on her face.

  “Problem with the yarn?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m just still new to knitting.”

  “I’d help but I can’t even sew on a button,” I said.

  “Don’t look at me,” Raven chimed in.

  Herne turned to me. “You’ll be meeting with the head housekeeper. You need to keep me informed on how much meat the castle needs.”

  “What?” I stared at him, totally clueless.

  “The head housekeeper. You’ll meet with her weekly to go over larder stores. She’ll also be consulting with you weekly in terms of the menus for our meals. You have to approve them before the staff can cook for us. As far as the servants’ meals go, that’s up to the head housekeeper and the head cook. They make up the menus for everybody who works here.”

  Once again, it dawned on me how different life would be. Instead of a multitude of small families living in a village nearby, everybody who worked in the castle, lived in the castle, and everyone was a cog in the system. This must be how it works for the Queen of England, I thought. Or some of the foreign monarchies or empires.

  “Elta will fill you in on everything tomorrow. She’ll get you situated in your Morning Room, where you will attend to your business.” Herne paused, and then said, “I don’t think you realize how much of a job being a goddess is. You don’t get to go floating through life doing what you want, and even though you make the rules, you have to keep to a sche
dule. Your tutors will help you sort out what you’re going to be doing on which days.”

  It was then that I realized that I had a new job as well as a new world and a soon-to-be new husband.

  The next morning I had finished breakfast, and was feeling rather lonely. Herne was off tending to business, Angel was eating with DJ and Cooper’s family, and everybody else seemed to be scattered to the winds. Mr. Rumblebutt sat on my lap as I finished off my eggs and toast. I scratched behind his ears.

  “It’s awfully quiet in here,” I said aloud. “I never thought I’d say that I missed TV, but at least it would be some company.” Mr. Rumblebutt purped at me, his wide eyes staring at me. “I don’t mean that you aren’t good company. I’m not used to so much quiet.”

  Back in Cernunnos’s palace there had been a constant bustle as people moved through the hallways. I suspected that within a few weeks it would be the same here once everyone had settled in. But the castle felt huge compared to the number of people who were currently in it.

  “Good morning,” Elta said. She bustled in with her arms full of books and a clipboard. “I hope you don’t mind me intruding into your breakfast, but we have a lot to do today. You have a fitting this afternoon for your wedding dress, and this morning we need to get you situated in your Morning Room, and we’ll go over the schedule you want to keep. You’ll need to interview secretaries, of course.”

  “Why can’t you be my secretary?” I blurted out. “I already know you and we get along.”

  It was true, I liked Elta a lot. She was never condescending when I didn’t understand something, and she did a good job of explaining why I needed to know certain things for my new position. A couple of the tutors looked at me with suspicion, as though I wasn’t deserving of becoming a goddess. They always deferred to me, but there was something behind their assumed respect that told me they weren’t happy with the situation.

  Elta stared at me for a moment. “Are you serious? Do you truly want me to be your secretary? That would be quite a step up for me.”

  “Can you do both? Would it be too much of an imposition?”

  She laughed. “It’s not for me to tell you that you’re imposing. Your will is my command.”

  I stared at her, frozen in my seat. She meant it. She would do anything I asked her to, without complaint. Even if it ate into her time or energy.

  “Are you all right?” Elta asked. She seldom called me by my title, because I had asked her not to. It made me uncomfortable to hear “Your Majesty” or “your ladyship” in every single sentence.

  “I think I just realized that I don’t have to ask for things, do I?”

  It wasn’t the same as being a kid alone in a candy shop. In fact, the realization overwhelmed me. What if I hurt someone without meaning to? My powers were growing and I felt the need to keep them in check. But the realization that anything I said would be obeyed almost made me queasy.

  Elta set the books on the table and pulled up a chair beside me.

  “Lady Ember, you have to get used to this. And you will. I’ve been around a long time, and I understand what you’re going through. At least from the outside. Remember, I helped Lady Morgana through the same situation. She was terrified she would make a mistake. To be honest, you’re doing quite well compared to how she weathered the transition. Now, you wouldn’t know that she was nervous at all. Those nerves have worn off after so many centuries. But it took her a while to adapt, and she didn’t have a great many friends by her side.”

  I worried my lip, turning over her words in my head. “I know that her father didn’t favor her choice. The Merlin wanted her to join the Force Majeure.”

  “Her mother was happy about the situation—it meant that she would never go poor or hungry. But Lady Morgana’s friends turned away. Some were jealous, some were afraid. None of them wanted to stick around.”

  “I didn’t know that,” I said, suddenly grateful for my friends who had joined us here in Annwn. When I thought about what it would be like to make this transition by myself, with only Herne by my side, I began to relax.

  “It was hard on her. She had to start from the ground up. But his lordship Cernunnos was always by her side. And eventually his people began to accept her. He assigned me to guide her through the changes, and we became good friends. She still invites me over for tea to her castle by the sea.” Elta’s eyes were kind, and the warmth shone through them.

  “I’m grateful that she assigned you to help me. And yes, I would very much love for you to be my secretary. I trust you, and you’ve been nothing but kind and patient.”

  I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. If Morgana could get through this, with no friends by her side except for a very patient Elven tutor, then I should be able to make the transition with all of the friends I had.

  “I can probably still help tutor you as well as being your secretary. Come, now. We have a busy day ahead of us.” She stood, gathering the books and clipboard. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll get you settled in your office. While it’s called the Morning Room, I think you might feel more comfortable using your own terminology.”

  “Office” was a term I was familiar with and could deal with.

  “All right, let’s get a move on. So, what’s on the schedule today?” I asked as we headed out the door and she led me down the massive hallway.

  Chapter Six

  My Morning Room—or office—was down the hall, and up a stairway to the second floor of the castle.

  “How many floors does this joint have?” I asked.

  “Seven,” Elta said, looking at me. “It’s actually rather small compared to most of the gods’ palaces. There are seventy-five rooms in Briar Shore. That doesn’t include the outbuildings—the stables and larders and storage sheds. And the workmen still have to build the stone barrier around the castle and its outbuildings. After that, the village can start to grow.” She gave me a sideways glance. “You do realize that a village will be built down in the forest?”

  I nodded. “Herne told me. I will say, I’m grateful for the sea. Considering I’m connected to the water element, it gives me the opportunity to recharge my magic.” I suddenly stopped, thinking of Marilee back home. She had taught me my magic, or rather—taught me how to control it. I hope she was okay. She had declined the invitation to join us over in Annwn, and I prayed that she was still alive. Who knew what the dragons were up to at this point?

  The double doors leading to my office were large and imposing, with beautiful forest scenery painted across them. I stared at the paintings. There were some talented artists in Annwn. Elta stood back while I examined the mural. It was exquisite, and I was determined to find out who had painted it and commission some artwork from them.

  “Can you find out the name of the artist for me? I’d like to see them after we get settled in.”

  Elta gave me a satisfied nod. “I thought you’d like this. I happen to know who painted them. He’s actually quite famous and he’s painted murals for most of the gods. I assume that’s why you want to see him?” She opened the doors and ushered me in.

  “Yes, I think I’d like some artwork for the bedroom and my office.” I looked around, taking in the room in which I would probably be spending most of my time. Large and spacious, my office had windows that looked out over the sea. I caught my breath as a wave came rolling toward shore to crash on the rocks at the base of the cliff.

  “We must be directly over the edge,” I said, unable to pull my attention away from the rolling water. “I know it’s not an ocean, but it sure makes up for not being on the coast.”

  “The sea has an incredible history. You’ll learn about it your studies. A number of ships have gone down, pulled below by some great monster. But it’s the quickest way if you want to go north, and not far from here—about twenty miles—there’s a marina that acts as a port. A caravan is stationed there, ready to carry the goods to various villages. They will be under his lordship Herne’s control—he owns all of this lan
d.” She flushed and hastened to add, “Your control as well, my lady.”

  “It’s all right. I realize that there’s going to be an adjustment period for everyone.”

  I walked around the office, getting a feel for my new workspace.

  My desk was large, carved from oak with a marble top. There were actually filing cabinets in the corner, made of wood, and I smiled as I stared at them. Another nod to my old home. A sofa and loveseat sat to one side, and the woven rug beneath them was intricately hand-embroidered. A coffee table sat in front of the sofa. On the other side of the room was a small table with four chairs around it, and a smaller desk. Elta put the stack of books and clipboard on the small desk and turned around, leaning against it.

  “This will be my desk, if you’re serious about me being your secretary.”

  “Yes, of course I’m serious. I’m glad that you want the job. So, what do I do here? What’s my job? I know I’m not just Herne’s wife—or will be Herne’s wife.” I still hadn’t figured out what my position entailed.

  “It’s your job to manage the castle,” Elta said. “The head housekeeper, the head cook, the head gardener, they all report to you. You also organize the social calendar for you and his lordship. It will be your responsibility to decide on holidays for the village, to hear requests from villagers for leniency or for help, and to approve any changes to the castle or the surrounding areas. The hunters will report to you, the villagers will bring their rents and tithes to the treasurer, and he will report directly to you and his lordship. There are a hundred different things you will be responsible for.”

  She paused, then added, “Do you see why you need to understand the way things work here? And why you need to know the various hierarchies involved?”

  “I do now. I never realized I’d have so much responsibility.” I steadied myself on edge of the desk—my desk. “I am capable of learning everything I need to learn. I’m not complaining, and I’m trying not doubt myself. Herne would not have asked me to marry him if he thought I wasn’t up to the job.”