The Changeling

by Jennifer Lyndon

  When we rode through the Village of Lareem, it was nightfall. The streets were virtually empty. Those who were out were not expecting the Fae Queen to ride past them, and so our progress went unnoticed.

  Once we reached the gates of the palace, everything changed. Shiroane rode up to announce us, and a flurry of activity began. The torches along the outer wall were lit, and a moment later a crier was calling throughout the town that the Fae Queen was returned. Before we’d reached the main entrance of the palace, lights shown from almost every room in the palace, as servants and politicians alike rose from their beds to see with their own eyes, the return of their lost Queen.

  When we reached the steps, Pet raced down, breaking protocol to throw her arms around M’Tek. She only held onto her cousin for a moment, before breaking away to wrap her arms around me.

  “I thought you were dead, both of you. You scared me,” Pet said heatedly, for the first time in our acquaintance, speaking to me in Fae.

  “It was not by choice, Pet,” I replied as she dropped her arms from around me and stepped back.

  “I had to flee your country in the middle of the night,” Pet added. “You could have at least warned me you were leaving. I would have gone with you. I might have been of use.”

  “There was no time,” I said. “I’m truly sorry.”

  Pet approached Shiroane, and then gave her a hug as well. M’Tek was grinning when I turned my attention back to her. As the horses were led away, we turned to observe Pet, inveigling information out of Shiroane. The four of us then walked into the palace together. Tired from our journey, I wanted nothing more than to disappear through the garden door, and head out to Cliffside. I turned to search for M’Tek, ready to drag her off to bed if necessary, but her expression was hard. She did not like the news Pet was sharing.

  Apparently, rumors of M’Tek’s sudden death had already spread east from Vilkerdam. Tensions were high between Faeland and Vilkerland, as the Fae demanded the return of both the Fae Queen and their Prime. Military was gathering on both sides of the border, and war was expected. My own people were under the direct control of my council, as I had been assumed incompetent and possibly dead, while Pet had assumed control of Faeland. I was thought to have lost my mind over the Fae Queen’s death, and wandered off into the wilderness. My throne was clearly threatened. Shiroane had become a romantic figure, as she was believed to be on a quest to find me.

  Needless to say, I was not pleased when I learned of my supposed madness. All thoughts of sleep vanished from my mind. Pet draped an arm across my shoulders, trying to comfort me as M’Tek sat at the nearest table writing orders out to her generals as quickly as her hand would move across paper.

  “Well, the Fae love you more than ever,” Pet pointed out to me. “They light candles to your effigy in the temples, and pray to you for guidance in love,” she added.

  “So, while it’s possible I’ve lost my throne, I can console myself with my new role as a love goddess for the Fae people,” I summarized, shocked at such a disastrous turn of events. Pet shrugged.

  “It’s not so bad. My cousin can handle all of this,” Pet said trying to soothe me. “Let her fight to bring the Vilkerlings back into submission. She’s quite good at it.”

  “Do you honestly believe I’ll fight for my throne a second time?” I asked. “I won’t,” I said sharply. “I’ll fight for the Western Noge Territory if it comes to it.”

  “I don’t think you should worry about your Noge,” Pet observed. “I’ve armed the Noge, both Eastern and Western. They’ve assembled a substantial force on the border with Vilkerland,” she said, softly breaking the news to me. “The Noge don’t believe the reports of your sudden madness. They suspect a coup has removed you. The Eastern Noge Territory has respectfully requested release from Fae rule in order to rejoin the West, which has declared you the Noge Queen. They’re demanding your safe return within two days, or they’ll attack Vilkerland.”

  “At least I managed to reunite Nogeland,” I said, laughing at my apparently catastrophic management of power. “This is my fault, all of it,” I observed.

  “What do you mean?” Pet asked softly.

  “I’m not certain when was the last time I paid any sort of attention to governing my realm,” I replied. “I’ve been obsessed with finding a way to save M’Tek. She’s been ruling in my stead, even as she was dying, for the past several months.”

  “You did what had to be done, Lore,” Pet whispered, glancing over at M’Tek, who was still feverishly writing out orders. “The last time I saw my cousin, she was a shadow of herself. That’s the only reason I believed she was actually dead. You knew she was dying from the beginning,” Pet added. “You even asked me about it once, but I was too blind to see what was happening to her.”

  “I only knew because M’Tek told me,” I replied.

  -CH 15-

  M’Tek rose from her task two hours later, raising her gaze to find me half asleep, sitting beside Pet, at the other end of the banquet table she had been using as a desk. She offered a partial smile, beckoning me with the tilt of her head. I rose and went to her.

  “More than almost anything, I wish we could go to bed,” M’Tek said when I reached her. “But we need to ride. You have to be at the border between Vilkerland and Nogeland above Vilkerdam before noon the day after tomorrow. It’s the only way to stop a war from starting.”

  “I want a bath first,” I said. “And a change of clothes.”

  “That’s already been arranged,” M’Tek replied.

  I stumbled my way up the stairs, and nearly fell through the doorway into our apartment. M’Tek walked past me, heading for her own bedchamber. I shed my dusty travel clothes, as I made my way toward the steaming bath awaiting me. Sighing, I slipped beneath the hot water, and began to feel human again. I scrubbed the travel grit from my skin as quickly as possible, taking a little longer with my hair. For a moment I thought I might lack the strength to drag myself out of the tub, but I knew we needed to leave, and so I mustered the energy.

  Still bundled up in a bath sheet, I braided my wet hair, twisting it up and pinning it to my head. I then headed into M’Tek’s apartment to search through her clothes for something I might wear. I half dropped the bath sheet as I pilfered through her underclothes. About that time she emerged from her bathing chamber. She stood watching as I chose the most comfortable among the selection.

  “Why don’t you wear these?” she asked, offering a private, captivating smile, as she produced a delicate silk ensemble, in purple, with elaborate silver stitching.

  “I’m choosing comfort over beauty,” I replied. “I don’t mind if you wear those, however,” I added, letting my gaze travel over her naked form. An eyebrow lifted as she came over to me, her mouth taking mine hungrily. It was the first moment we had been truly alone together since rejoining Shiroane. My fingertips caressed her nipples, as she took a sharp breath through her teeth.

  “Deus,” she said so gently it sounded like an endearment. “Should we just let them go to war?” she asked, as she dispensed with my bathing towel. “Your Vilkerlings will lose,” she whispered, her hands tightening around my waist. “They’re being attacked from the north and the east,” she added, leading me to believe she was seriously considering having sex with me, instead of stopping a war. I drew back from her.

  “We’ll have a great deal of time for sex later,” I whispered. M’Tek seemed to ignore my words as her lips traveled deliciously over my neck, but then her hands loosened from around my waist, and she found my lips again offering a last gentle kiss.

  “All right,” she said, taking a deep breath as she stepped back from me. “Now I have one more reason to dislike your Vilkerlings,” she said, her tone teasing.

  We dressed quickly, and made our way out to the waiting horses. Sabea and Twyneth were still tired from our trip, and so I was offered a chestnut gelding I’d never seen before. M’Tek rode a grey. Shiroane was not coming with us, but a portion of my guard wa
s blended with M’Tek’s. I was pleased to see familiar faces, and to greet old friends, even though I was tired. We left the palace about three hours after we had arrived, heading north. We needed to reach the border shared by Nogeland and Vilkerland without taking the pass, which meant crossing difficult country, and treacherous mountain trails.

  We rode straight through the night, at a conservative trot, making every effort not to overtire the horses. We crossed from Faeland into eastern Nogeland at around four in the morning and changed horses at the first estate we encountered. We continued on, taking few breaks, through the sunrise, feeling it warm our backs. Throughout the day we pressed on. I actually dozed while riding at one point, only to be jarred awake when my nameless horse stumbled. I found it was night again. We pressed on through to the morning, and just before midday, managed to reach the war party. We arrived with about a quarter of an hour to spare. A patrol stopped us as we approached the militia. They were already armed and dressed for battle.

  When I dropped the hood of my cloak the nearest Noge soldier’s eyes grew large as his gaze shifted from me to M’Tek. She was astride a big bay gelding a few riders back in the line. After a moment, M’Tek lowered the hood of her cloak as I had done and rode forward to my side.

  “Queen Loredana,” the soldier stammered.

  “Who is the general in command?” I asked.

  “Lord Carlen of the House Vischieu,” he replied.

  “Will you take me to him, soldier?” I asked politely. The soldier turned, escorting us through the camp.

  We narrowly missed the start of a war. Lord Carlen was mounted already upon his horse, and about to announce the charge, when I rode up to him. He was the son of Dame Frisaine, and recognized me immediately, dropping down from his warhorse and offering a formal Noge bow.

  The militia was gathered to witness my presence, and cheer their victory in securing my safety. I never pointed out that my life had been at no risk throughout the ordeal, or that they had only prevented what clearly would have been quite an enjoyable evening with M’Tek from happening. Instead, I thanked them for their loyalty, and allowed M’Tek to inform them that the Noge of the east were free to rejoin the west under my rule.

  Their cheers showed a lack of graciousness toward M’Tek, I thought, as she had been quite benevolent with these people. She didn’t seem troubled by their reaction, however. On the contrary, she actually seemed slightly bored, and overtired, and ready to be through with the lot of them. I informed them that Vilkerland no longer held dominion over the west, in the hopes of smoothing out their response. My tactic was quite effective as in an instant their focus shifted to freedom from the Vilken savages.

  As soon as I was able to extricate myself, we left. We rode southwest, in an attempt to avoid being mistaken for a war party, and came at the Vilken border division cautiously. They were quite visibly overjoyed by my return, and surprisingly, relieved to find the Fae Queen still alive. They suggested we ride to the eastern border, as the Fae were demanding the return of the Fae Queen.

  I did not take their advice. Instead, we rode south to Vilkerdam Palace. We were exhausted, and in need of a bed, and we knew the Fae were aware of M’Tek’s good health already. My reception upon arrival at Vilkerdam Palace, with my rather extended guard, was slightly awkward at first. The men of my council stood at one side of the entryway, my household staff at the other, as we entered the palace. Aunt Kessa was stiff in her greeting until I hugged her, and then she began to relax. Never a demonstrative woman, she did seem a little pleased to learn I hadn’t gone mad after all. Uncle Toblin wanted to hold a council meeting immediately, but I refused him, explaining that I had already prevented Vilkerland’s involvement in war with both the Fae and the Noge, and I was tired.

  The horses were led away as M’Tek and I dragged our weary bones up to my apartment. I’d like to say I tore her clothes off and had my wicked way with her the moment we were alone, but I lacked the energy, and so, I think, did she. Instead, before the sun even set, and just after eating our fill of fruit and nuts from the kitchen, we passed out on my bed for a full fourteen hours of sleep.

  I woke to the sun streaming across our bed, the peach gold light dancing through M’Tek’s beautiful white hair. Dark roots were already beginning to show, marring the pristine beauty of M’Tek’s hair, which was so unlike anyone else’s. I gathered a lock of hair in my hand and lifted it to my face, inhaling the faint scent of citrus. I brushed the soft ends across my lips, and for only an instant, considered cutting a section of her hair, to keep hidden away. She opened her eyes as I was contemplating this act.

  “Why do you want to cut my hair?” she asked gently, easing closer to me.

  “Because I love it,” I replied. “I want to keep it with me forever. Wait,” I said quickly. “How did you know what I was thinking?” I asked, grinning.

  “I’ve been doing it since before Lareem,” she confessed. “You were so tired you stopped blocking all of that noise for me. Luckily, it had faded away to little more than a buzzing sound even without your help. The entire time I was writing to my generals, and to the Noge, I was pushing that persistent hum away. I simply didn’t have time to react to it, and so it stopped,” she explained. “And then, during the first night, when we were riding, your expression was extremely stern. I wanted to know what you were thinking, and if you blamed me for what was happening.”

  “How could I blame you?” I asked, surprised she could even consider that.

  “Easily,” she replied. “First, I manipulated you into accepting my proposal to join. You should know, I set that situation in motion, with my cousin’s help.”

  “You did what?” I snapped.

  “I wanted you, for whatever time I had remaining. I no longer cared about the consequences, for either of us, or for our people,” she said. “And then, you had to leave your realm without a word to anyone, in a heated rush, to save my life. Those two situations led us to the brink of war.”

  “But I almost killed you,” I said. M’Tek shook her head. “It was my fault you nearly died.”

  “No. You were trying to save me,” she argued. “What you did, during our binding, it worked.”

  “You almost died in my arms,” I pointed out.

  “But I would have died without that plague in my body,” she said. “Whatever you did, you destroyed it.” I swallowed. “And then you tried to sacrifice yourself to save me,” she whispered. “You offered yourself to Sim’Nu, told her she could have you if she’d help me,” M’Tek said.

  “How do you know that?” I asked, astonished. “You were unconscious.”

  “You were tired last night,” she replied. “It wasn’t difficult for me to sift through your memories.”

  “I didn’t even know that was possible,” I said.

  “So you haven’t been digging around in mine?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow. I shook my head.

  “I have not. You asked me to keep out of your head. I was blocking the Sim’Sci, but that’s all,” I explained.

  “Well, I showed less restraint,” she admitted. “When you wouldn’t tell me what had happened, I couldn’t stop myself,” she said in a strained voice, as if admitting something difficult. “I was afraid what you had seen in my mind, in my memories, might have changed the way you feel about me.”

  “Nothing could ever change how I feel about you,” I replied. “Don’t you understand that yet? You were always worried that I saw your sickness. But I only ever saw you.”

  “I know,” she agreed. “It was difficult to believe you before, when you tried to explain that, but I feel it now.”

  “M’Tek, I…”

  “Please, let me finish what I need to say,” she interrupted. I nodded. “You see, I love the way you look, and the soft smooth feel of your skin. I love your firm breasts, and tight stomach.” She raised an eyebrow. “And I love the way you taste and smell,” she added. “I thought that was love, this physical connection we share, the intensity of our desire f
or one another. I couldn’t see how you’d still want me when I looked the way I did. I found myself repulsive.” I was about to speak again, but she shook her head. “But now I know, you didn’t really see me as I was. You saw beauty and strength when you looked at me, not weakness. You saw me as powerful and desirable. You wanted me still.” I nodded, agreeing. “And I will feel that way about you,” she assured me. “When your skin is loose, and I still look the same, I’ll find beauty in you. I know that now, and I’m no longer scared that when you grow old we’ll lose what we have. We won’t.”

  I waited to see if she was finished, and then I took a deep breath, and grinned at her. I shook my head. “I’m relieved you feel that way, that you honestly love me, unconditionally,” I said, “but I won’t grow old, M’Tek,” I replied.

  “Of course you will. Everyone grows old,” she argued. “Unless you mean…” She looked alarmed. “You don’t mean you plan to die before you get old?” she asked. “I won’t allow that. I demand every second we can possibly have together.”

  “You won’t grow old,” I reminded her. “Why should I?”

  “Because everyone grows old, Lore,” she said, confused. “Unless. Are the Sim’Sci trying to help you remain young?” I shook my head.

  “No. You did that, already,” I said evenly. “My body adapted whatever it is in yours that keeps you young,” I explained, still not getting through to her. She looked skeptical.

  I had an idea. I scrambled over the side of the bed to find my right boot, discarded haphazardly on the floor the night before, and retrieved the knife I kept sheathed inside. I sliced my hand quickly, and then held it out for M’Tek’s inspection. My knife was sharp, but the cut was not very deep. After a small amount of blood pooled in the wound, the slice sealed, leaving a pale silver line. M’Tek’s eyes opened wider as she took my hand examining my palm closely.

  “You’re like me, Lemu,” she said with wonder in her voice. “How is that possible?”