She stands there looking at her jewelry as the three men and a woman stand on the other side, looking at one another waiting for some sign that the battle has started. They get their wish. Without even looking up, balls of fire and wind shoot across the arena. She picks at the dust on her dress while lobbing what is essentially lava at her opponents. They dodge and try to use magic to get out of the way without burning to a crisp. The woman tries to rush in, holding a blade that gleams unnaturally. I ready my magic in case I have to intervene.
I needn't have worried. Elainne doesn’t even look up from scuffing her shoe on a pebble and cussing at it. Water and wind combine, picking the female warrior up and smothering the fire she has summoned. Elainne holds her in there until the Elvin female is close to drowning. Then she drops her from the height, she does not cushion her fall.
The others take up positions around the arena and try to pincer her in. She looks at Viktor who stands in front of her, across the way, lobbing magic at her. None of it makes it through her air shield. She summons up golems. Real rock golems. I had only shown her that spell this morning. How can she have mastered it so amazingly? They take damage from the other Elves but don’t stop until they have a hold of them and squeeze. Bones crunch and screams fill the air. Then, when the screams stop, the Elves are dropped and the golems return to the earth as a pile of rocks atop the downed men.
Viktor stands alone on the field. His eyes are full-on dragon, his nails are claws and his scales gleam. She drops her magic and walks towards him. He circles back and forth, looking for magical tricks. She has none. He can absorb magic, but only a certain amount before it backlashes and knocks him out. She gives it to him. In one blast of air he goes flying, his scales fall off, turning to dust. His claws go back in, his eyes go human and he is barely able to hold his head up to look up at her once she reaches him.
She leans down and smacks him across the face.
"Pull another stunt like that again and we are finished. I let you make your own choices, so let me make my own as well."
She stands and walks back over to me, neither a speck of dirt on her nor a single hair out of place.
"Someone take them to the healers. I will be sending instructions to keep them from death, but they will heal naturally on their own. Anyone caught helping them heal will be put to death. Do not mistake my compassion for weakness again. I am too busy to need to repeat this fiasco."
She leaves the arena, beckoning me on; I likely would have still been standing there in shock if left on my own. When we are far enough away and hidden, she leans back against the wall, letting out the largest sigh I have ever heard leave someone's mouth.
"That was so terrifying. I was worried I would kill one of them."
I was worried that she was going to be stabbed with an enchanted knife, but yeah, let’s go with her priorities…
"I cannot believe you did that without asking me first."
"Viktor needed to be punished, and visibly, so everyone would know not to disobey me; because if I would punish my Kemp that way, imagine what I would do to others."
I know she is right but I still don’t like it. Still, I knew she was a magical powerhouse, but I really didn’t know just how much.
"I do not see why you need a magical bodyguard."
"I did not plan any of this. Me being this powerful. Even so, I tend to try to trust first and give everyone a chance. I need someone magically inclined that is far more likely to doubt."
"That I understand."
She straightens, smiling at me and even chuckles. She hasn't had much in the way of reasons to laugh lately.
"You fit the requirement quite well. You are powerful, a good reminder to others that I have powerful allies. You tend to believe the worst in others and you are not afraid to speak your mind. These qualities are what make it easier to keep you with me at all times."
I am likewise glad that I can get along with the person I have agreed to spend the rest of my life protecting. If she’d been anyone else, I don’t think I could do it.
"Just try to be more careful from now on, please."
She smiles and reaches up, ruffling my hair. I would return the favor, but that crown - announcing her station loud and clear to everyone -will stab me.
"I hope to not have to repeat that experience."
That is a relief. Next time I will stand-in for her, as is a champion’s right. I am not as strong as her, I can admit that, but I can’t let her die. This country is too unstable and if I am here to protect her, that is what I will do.
"What now?"
She bites her lip and sighs, looking up at the ceiling.
"I found a spell. It will allow my father access to the power that was once his, as long as we both wear the cuffs."
"So, he could govern."
She nods, walking away without saying anything. That doesn’t bode well.
"Are you going to let him?"
She stops and looks at me.
"No."
She continues on her way and is a few feet ahead by the time my brain catches up with my feet. This is unexpected. He is not anyone's first choice for a leader, but I didn't expect this.
"I need to elect a new council. I want Aiden to be a part of it, so I know that the finances of the country will be kept in mind with all decisions. I also thought it would be good to have a mage on the council to represent their interests. Do you think Aldamon would agree?"
He is a good choice. He doesn’t hate the elves; he made a daughter with one. He is loyal to Elainne because of his grandson.
"He might be persuaded."
"He is old enough to have wisdom and experience, but not so old that I will have to replace him in a few years, and without all the ingrained prejudices the elderly often come with."
Those are very good points as well.
"I hadn't thought of that but I believe if anyone will be able to work with an Elvin council it will be him. Shall I send a message to him?"
"Magically please, Talon. I want no prying eyes."
I nod and leave my place by her side to go outside. It will be much better if the magic is already outside and can fly straight to him. Magical messages can still be decoded, it is not easy and takes great amounts of magic, but it can be done. It is harder still if you have to try to catch it floating in the air.
Elainne
Talon leaves to do as I ask and I go to the healer's quarters. I haven't checked on the warriors I broke.
"Your majesty. Please let us heal them. Some of them are in so much pain, they might not survive. It could kill them."
The apprentice healer is bowing while speaking and tearing up. A true healer. She lives to heal the injured and not being able to do so is hurting her. I put my hand on her shoulder and try a calming spell. She stops crying but still looks very upset.
"They assumed, since my first act as steward was to heal, that I was weak and that they could disrespect me. Instead of accepting that I tried to right the wrong made against them, that I healed people that have always looked at me as worthless, and thinking I was a bigger person for it they attacked and disobeyed. I gave them what they needed to prove I was a leader willing to do what needed to be done. Now they need to see that I am serious by healing at the pace of a human. I have cursed them all, so none of them would be able to use their Elvin healing. Anyone attempting to lift that curse will also be cursed. Please just focus on feeding them and making them rest."
She curtsies and goes into the kitchen to make mushy foods, easy for the injured to eat. They have all heard me. You can tell by the looks on their faces. I have ensured that they won’t die, but will spend longer in pain, healing at a snail's pace. It is a complicated spell but it is worth it. I hate it as much as the healer but I know my logic is indisputable. I need them to accept me without always pushing against everything I say or do.
I walk over to Viktor's bed. He cannot be cursed like the others. Not to the extent of healing like a human. His dragon blood fights the
curse every step of the way. It takes a lot of energy to keep it on him and working as well as possible, but I need him to learn this lesson. I don’t want to have to choose between his free will and mine.
"Viktor. How are you feeling?"
"Terrible, but I assume you already knew that."
I smile and sit on the edge of his bed.
"I suppose I did."
I play with the ring on my finger.
"I do not like how this situation turned out. I guess it is too late for me to agree to run off to an unknown corner of the world, just the two of us."
He smiles and flinches.
"You never were going to agree to that, Elainne."
I look at him, my eyes holding all the sorrow I feel, knowing he is right. "No. You still had no right."
"I know. It was the safest path for you to take."
I look at the others that I have put here because of a path he and Avren put me on.
"Is it really any safer? So far, it doesn’t seem it to me. It seems like I will have to become my father. Something I never wanted to do. He said he was proud of me for the takeover. He wouldn’t be proud if he didn’t see me turning into him. Is that what you want? Me to be like him?"
He looks as sad as I feel.
"You won’t be."
"I have to rule the Elves. They only respect domination."
"You can change that."
I slam my hands on the bed next to him.
"What makes you think that?! What makes you think that is what I want?! You are supposed to love me! That’s what you said! But if you truly did, you would care more about how I FEEL than what you want of me!"
Everyone else turns away. I turn away from him as well.
"Viktor. You stupid, stupid man. I love you too. We could have… we could have been together. I would have given up my uncle's throne for it. I would have left without another glance if only I had known."
"I know."
I look back. He had. Yet he still did this.
"I hope your ambitions were worth the loss of what we could have had."
I get up and walk away. Viktor is my Kemp. He always will be. That won't and can’t change now, even if I want it to. That doesn’t mean I will pine. I can’t afford the luxury of pining. There is too much to do.
Epilogue
I sit on the throne picking at my burgundy gown, heavy jewelry holding me in place. One-step down sits Talon to my left and Viktor to my right. Avren has shrunk to a size that can wrap around the throne, his head propped up on pillows by my hand so that I can stroke his head while nervous, and his tail wrapping down by Viktor.
We have heard it is an imposing sight. It is meant to inspire confidence in me. Look what is willing to follow me, so imagine how strong I am despite my appearance. That’s what Avren says. So far it seems to work. The horns blast. Well, it is time to drop the bomb.
My aunt walks through the doors and I smile. It is my court smile because as much as I have accepted my fate, I am resigned to it rather than happy with it.
My coronation had been a silent affair, without the wasted money on the pomp that would usually go along with it. Missives had been sent out to the many nations to announce a change in leadership. Royals and ambassadors keep showing up to meet the new leader of the Elvin people.
"Hello, aunt. Tell uncle I refuse to prove my worth to him anymore."
Champion
Book 3 of the champion series
By Francheska Fifield
Copyright © 2018 Francheska Fifield
Edited by Corey Brooks
Chapter One
Talon
Elainne has taken her new mantel with elegance and kindness. She hasn't had to make an example of anyone since her run-in with Viktor and the other warriors when we first came to the Elvin kingdom. Our takeover is complete and things have settled. The people are mostly for her now. The once noble families have been broken and set to other things; they have issues but none dare bring them up to her.
The mages have moved in as her elite guard and stalk the palace hallways, playing with magic like it is a toy. That makes most people nervous enough to discourage them from rebelling. If that fails, there is always the Kemp ready to tear your throat out for even breathing too close to her. Oh, and let's not forget the dragon willing to burn you to ash or eat you. All in all, her court is a powerhouse no one dares to mess with. In the center of all the power is a queen kind enough to heal the sick and save the poor. It is her preferred method. Inspire loyalty, not fear. In her case, it works; she has enough of her own magic to change her mind and become unstoppable. Everyone knows it. The fact that she chooses the peaceful approach first has most people loving her.
Viktor is training the mages and has become commander of the Elvin army. Avren singles out anyone with magical ability he knows to be loyal to the queen and trains them. It makes it obvious who is on our side and who is not. Dragons can smell lies, and after he ate the first person who lied, no one tried again. They all saw Elainne scold him and tell him he can’t deal with people that way, but let's face it, no one wants to take the chance that he might shrug off her warning.
"Talon. You said you needed to talk to me."
I sigh. I hate to do this. Viktor and Elainne still don’t speak unless it is about our defenses or military training. She won't like being left alone with him.
"You have noticed my magic acting up."
It is not a question. I know she has. It had been unmanageable for a few days. She caught it before it got out of hand, but I can’t live like this forever. It will hinder more than help.
"Is Avren singling you out at practice? I knew he was angry when you tried to help me escape before the coronation…"
He had been peeved, but I can't blame him for this.
"No. I am twenty-one in about a week."
She looks at me, slightly confused. She puts down her pen, rests her chin on her hands and stares at me as if waiting for a story. She should know better, I don’t say nearly as much as I think.
"Mages go to a sacred space to cement their power at twenty-one."
"No one told me anything about it. You think Aldamon would have mentioned that when I gave him a spot on the council so the mages would have everything they needed."
He had likely been worried more about Elves and mages cohabitating.
"I need time to journey to the sacred spot in the mountains and take the trials."
"Of course. When do we leave?"
"We?"
She smiles and nods. I am not going to like this am I…?
A few days later:
"Talon, if you had let me use translocation to move us closer, we wouldn’t be gone so long. You cannot complain about me being away from the throne if you won't let me make the journey shorter."
I sigh in exasperation once again. She may be queen, but she is not even seventeen and right now she is acting every bit like the child she is.
"I told you to stay at home."
"You are my champion, which implies I stay with you so you can protect me."
"You have a Kemp, use him!"
She flinches and I instantly regret the harsh tone. I know what transpired. Viktor admitted his love for her, but ignored her feelings and forced her on this path. She had been willing to give up everything to be with him… he chose to lead the army.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"I didn’t want you to go alone, Talon. Everyone knows who you are now. You could be in danger."
Ignoring the issue at hand is not something Elainne does… unless that problem is named Viktor. The standoff between them is driving both Avren and me insane, the only thing we do agree on lately.
"You are aware I guard you, not the other way around."
She laughs.
"Oh, please. If you haven't figured out the lengths I will go to protect my people, let alone those I care about, you are blind."
I know and it is what has me worrying constantly.
&nb
sp; "Was it really ok to leave Aiden in charge as your steward? He isn't strong enough to hold the throne."
"Avren gave his blessing and promised to protect him. As did Viktor and Aldamon. By that time, the entire council offered their services. Aiden is on the council anyway, so it will basically be a majority rules situation in any case. It's just that, if Aiden knows I wouldn’t agree with what they want, he can overrule them in my name."
Of course.
"Besides, I tried to leave Avren in charge and he practically burnt down my room… and that was when he was hand-sized!"
That explains how she got bangs. He often hangs around her neck like a living ornament. I bet she told him to run the country in her absence and he coughed out fire in a panic.
"You cannot ask the world's most reclusive being to rule the world for you."
"He was hidden from the world. Keyword being was."
I nod. Can’t argue with that.
"This way."
She smiles and we keep walking. This trip will be the most interesting one a mage has ever taken to win full rights to his power.
Elainne
I follow Talon. I really hope he knows where we are going. He insisted on going on foot, which is slow. I feel like a snail. I can teleport us both much closer, across kingdoms, without feeling the drain now. I have been working with Avren on controlling my magic so it won’t drain me so badly. The channeling process is exhausting to learn. Well worth it though.
"Talon, are we going to the same mountain I found you on? It seems like we are going close, but not quite in the right direction."
"It’s the neighboring mountain."
"I see." I still haven't the faintest idea of what to expect. I can only hope it won’t end up causing as many issues as my trip to the orb cave. That just won’t sit well with me. I am already annoyed that I am the queen of the elves; I really don’t want to deal with any other magical shenanigans.
Champion Complete Series Page 41
