The Oaken Throne

by Sara C. Roethle

  He laughed, feeling sick and dizzy, but also relieved. He didn’t know what the future held for him, but at least it wasn’t a dark descent into the life of a blood-thirsty Faie.

  “There are more Faie to address,” Finn said with a sigh. “They will all be freed with a request to keep to the Marshlands and forests. That will at least give An Fiach pause if they ever decide to travel east again.”

  “And if they revolt,” Anna added. “There’re plenty of mages around to put them down.”

  Kai shook his head. Both women seemed to have gone a bit mad, but they were right. The Faie might have magics, but so too did the humans. It was a new, magical world. Surely more wars would come about, but the dwellers of Garenoch would not be the ones to submit, at least not as long as they had Ealasaid at their head.

  Later that evening, Finn rested within the grand estate in Garenoch. Sitting in a cushy chair with her legs curled about her, she sipped a pewter mug of wine by the fire. In the chair next to her sat Àed, and at his feet snored Naoki. Loinnir had accepted a place in the estate’s stables, far finer than where she’d been housed at the old Druid fortress.

  Most had retired, but Finn knew Iseult would be lurking somewhere nearby. The return of his soul hadn’t outwardly changed him much. His heart seemed lighter, and he smiled a bit more, but he was still silent, brooding, and overprotective to a fault . . . and he was still hers.

  “What will you do now?” she asked distantly.

  Àed sipped his whiskey. “I imagine I’ll stay here for a time, make sure me daughter willnae get herself into any more trouble.”

  Finn smirked, knowing that’s exactly what Keiren would do. Bedelia had opted to stay behind as well, though she and Finn had sat down for a long talk about plans to meet in the future.

  “Ye know,” Àed began, seeming uncomfortable, “It’s not me secret to tell, but the girl, Bedelia, suffers from a Faie bite. It’s slowly killin’ her.”

  Finn smiled. “I know. She’d been trying to hide it from me.” She looked at him pointedly. “She also admitted what happened with Sativola. Though you were both foolish to hide such truths from me, I gladly healed her.”

  He raised a bushy brow at her.

  She grinned wider. “I cannot shed my past without shedding what I was. I give my immortality freely, to care for those I love.” She had not hesitated in the choice. She’d shared her magic with Kai, Iseult, and now Bedelia. She was more human now than she’d ever hoped, though her natural gifts were unlikely to leave her.

  “I’d like to make the same offer to you,” she added. “I know Keiren crippled you long ago. I can likely fix the damage.”

  He waved her off with his hand not holding the whiskey. “Don’t ye dare lass. I’ve lived a long life, and I have all that I want now. Me girls are all safe. That’s good enough for me.”

  “Girls?” she questioned.

  He sighed, blushing beneath his heavy brows and bushy hair. “Ye know what I mean, lass. I’m glad to see ye all safe, and movin’ on with yer lives.”

  She laughed, more than ready to do just as Àed wanted. It was time to move on. She ran her fingers across the piece of tattered fabric in her lap. With a heavy sigh, she lifted the Faie Queen’s shroud, the last relic of power from an era coming to a close. She’d been unsure of what to do with it, but now she knew. She may have disrupted the balance in the land, but a new balance would be found. True balance. She tossed the shroud into the fire. There was a brilliant flash of light, then the fabric burned, turning to ash along with its dark past.

  Àed sipped his whiskey, not bothering to comment.

  She settled back against her chair, turning a warm smile to her friend, her family. She’d never really considered that Àed might understand the loss she felt for her daughter. He’d lost one too, after all, even though he had her back now. In some ways, Finn felt like she had Niamh back too. Her spirit was free, and would return to her in some shape or form, in this life, or the next. The pleasant scent of woodsmoke curled around them, soothing her further.

  “Of course,” Àed grumbled finally, “I’m not pleased to see blasted Kai and Anna still around. No good thieves, that pair.”

  Finn snorted. “I believe Anna is entirely different from the woman we first met, and Kai,” she smiled, glancing at Àed, “he was always a better man than either of us wanted to admit.”

  Thinking of Kai, she knew she’d need to speak to him. There was so much to say. He was her best friend, and she loved him in many ways. Part of her felt that their souls were fated too, just like hers and Iseult’s, and Niamh’s, even Ealasaid’s and Anna’s. They were all bound together, through more than just friendship and strife. They were her new world, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Branwen tossed and turned in her bed, unable to still her thoughts. She’d actually succeeded in her task, and had survived. Soon she would make the journey back to her family’s archives. She would record the tale of Finnur, and the stories Druantia had told her. Her brother would have given anything to be the scholar to record those tales. It was the least she could do for him.

  A throat cleared.

  She startled, then tumbled out of bed, landing hard on the stone floor.

  “How graceful,” the voice commented.

  Her eyes darted around the room until settling on a small round mirror above her washbasin. Niklas’ face was framed in the reflective surface.

  She staggered to her feet, whipping a blanket off the bed to cover her underpinnings. “What do you want? I did as you asked, didn’t I?”

  He nodded. “You have done quite well, child, but there is still work to be done.”

  She shook her head. “No, you no longer hold sway over me. Now with the barrier broken, the power that animates me is all around. You cannot take it away.”

  He smirked, revealing a few pointed teeth. “I am not threatening you my dear. I am offering you an opportunity. Many changes are soon to come. The Ceàrdaman have been granted great power, as have many other races. New borders must be made, new empires built.”

  Her heart raced. “What does any of that have to do with me?”

  “You are a cartographer, are you not?” he inquired. “Someone will need to map the new kingdom. We will begin with the Realm of the Mages. Perhaps the Realm of An Solas, as they like to call themselves.” He tapped his chin in thought.

  “You’re mad,” she breathed. “You can’t just create an entire new empire based on your whims.”

  He tsked at her. “M’dear, the Ceàrdaman have manipulated history for centuries. Now we are more powerful than ever. You cannot expect us to not have any fun with it.”

  She slumped down onto her bed. She hated the Travelers. They treated humans like dolls, there for their entertainment. Yet, if her brother would have been impressed with the histories she intended to write, how would he feel about her being the historian and cartographer for an entirely new, magical world? Her choices were to go home and continue living her life in the shadows, barely seen by others, or . . .

  She raised her gaze to the mirror. “What do I have to do?”

  “Good girl,” he replied. “Leave the burgh now, and I will join you. Then we will begin to make our plans.”

  As Niklas faded from the mirror, Branwen stood and began gathering her few belongings. She was utterly mad for even considering this new task . . . or was she? She was still a wraith. Those around her barely noticed her. She’d traveled between realms, spoken to goddesses, gone to the brink of death and back. She was no longer a normal human girl, so why was she trying to fit into such a role to begin with?

  No one saw her leave as she departed the estate, and Niklas found her soon after. A new world was coming, and this time, she wouldn’t be the one left behind.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Anna was up with the sun, though she was utterly exhausted. She was simply too grateful to be alive to waste her time in bed. After hastily washing herself and changing, she hurried out into the h
all, nearly stumbling over Eywen, who was seated right outside her door, leaning against the wall. She hadn’t even sensed his innate magic. While she felt more magic within her, and without, it was no longer jarring. The shine did not sting her eyes. Probably because it now truly belonged in this reality.

  “Are you trying to stop my heart!” she growled, quickly recovering from the sudden shock of Eywen’s appearance.

  He rose fluidly from the floor. His silken black hair appeared clean, as did his white tunic and black breeches. “Forgive me, I’ve been waiting for a while.”

  Her heart skipped a beat for another reason. “Whatever for?”

  He stepped toward her, taking her hands in his. “Most of my men have dispersed, but a few have remained with the intent of escorting Finnur wherever she should choose to go. We are not sure of our place in this new world. I’m not sure of my place . . . ” he eyed her intently.

  “Well don’t expect me to tell you,” she answered reflexively. “It’s not like I know my place either.”

  He lifted one hand from hers, pushing a strand of her loose hair behind her ear. “Anna,” he began patiently. “I would like to remain with Finnur for a time, if only to ensure that this state of freedom for my people is not temporary.”

  She pulled away and crossed her arms. “I told you I won’t be telling you what to do.”

  He smiled. “Nor I you. What I’m trying to ask, is if you’ll come with me.”

  Her shoulders relaxed. “Follow Finn across the land to make sure she doesn’t get herself into any trouble?” she questioned.

  He nodded. “At least for a time.”

  She sighed, dropping her arms to her sides. “Well, it’s not like I haven’t been doing that already. The woman would be dead ten times over if it weren’t for me.”

  He laughed, then pulled her into his arms.

  She slid her arms around his waist, though remained somewhat stiff, uncomfortable with being in the middle of the hallway where anyone might walk up.

  “Anna,” he muttered against her hair. “Would you be willing to bond yourself to me, not now, but perhaps some day?”

  She pulled away, her heart once again racing. “What in the gods does that even mean?”

  He continued to smile. “I am immortal. Now that I no longer need a queen, I am truly immortal. If we were to bond our magics together, it would be similar to what Finn has done. I would take a measure of your mortality, and you a measure of my immortality.”

  She crossed her arms again. “Which would mean?”

  He closed the space between them again. “I would eventually grow old, as would you, but we’d do so on a similar timeline.”

  She blinked up at him. “You’d be willing to do that for me?”

  He nodded.

  This man was utterly mad. She debated throwing caution to the wind, but she simply was not that type of girl. “Perhaps, some day in the far future, I might consider making such a choice.”

  He grinned. “That was all I needed to hear.”

  She realized she had an equally sweet grin on her face. She quickly smothered it, but a small smile remained. “Let’s go find some breakfast. Surely with all this finery, there must be a hearty meal to be had. We should make the most of it while we can.”

  He took her hand and walked with her down the hall. Truth be told, she couldn’t wait to leave the estate and go back on the road with Eywen, even if Finn and Iseult would be coming along. There were still many adventures to be had, and she didn’t want to waste a single moment.

  Keiren faced Ealasaid in the meeting room. They’d spent a great deal of time there together, perusing maps and making plans. Now there was more tension than ever before.

  Ealasaid crossed her arms. “Well? Say what you have to say. There are preparations to be done for the feast, and I haven’t much time to spare.”

  Keiren’s shoulders slumped. Had she not been humiliated enough?

  Bedelia cleared her throat behind her. She was the only reason Keiren had been granted a meeting in the first place.

  Keiren gritted her teeth. “I would like to apologize,” she mumbled.

  “What was that?” Ealasaid asked smugly. “Do speak up.”

  Keiren rolled her eyes. “I would like to apologize for using you, though I had very good reason to do so.”

  Bedelia cleared her throat again. Blasted woman.

  “I might have had good reasons,” Keiren continued, enunciating each word, “but it is not an excuse for the pain I have caused. I should have been honest with you about why I wanted to break the barrier. Truly, I believed my way the only way.”

  Ealasaid replied with a curt nod. “Very well.” She moved to walk past her toward the door.

  Keiren blinked at her. “Very well?”

  Ealasaid nodded. “Was there something else?”

  Thoroughly defeated, she snapped her mouth shut. There was no way she’d be asking to stay to help with the mages now.

  Bedelia stepped forward, halting Ealasaid’s progress. “Keiren would like to stay here for a time. She would like to help in the training of young mages as penance for her actions.”

  Ealasaid turned to her, mischief glittering in her eyes. “Is this true? You would like to help others, with nothing to gain in return?”

  She clenched her jaw. There was an empty hole in her heart where her mother had been. At some point she’d have to accept that she would never get her back. She had to move on with her life, and there really was nowhere else to go. Plus, an army of mages could prove handy when she finally acted out her vengeance on Niklas.

  “Yes,” she said finally. “I would like to stay and help others. I do not expect your forgiveness, but I expect you will do what is best for your mages.”

  Ealasaid rolled her eyes. “Well, no one has moved into your chamber yet. You may as well fill it.” With that, she finished her progress toward the door, quietly exiting the room.

  Keiren’s hands balled into fists. That impertinent little—

  A hand alighted on her shoulder. “It’s a start at least.”

  Keiren turned to blink at her.

  Bedelia let her hand fall.

  Keiren opened her mouth to speak. To say what, she was not sure. She’d treated Bedelia worst of all, even though she was the only person she’d actually come close to loving all these years.

  “Why?” she asked finally. “Why do you care what happens to me?”

  Bedelia smirked. “I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it because that’s the type of person I want to be. Finn taught me that.”

  Keiren felt her mouth twisting downward. It always came back to Finn. She could see Finn’s magic within Bedelia now, running through her veins. Finn had been able to heal her illness, where she could not.

  Bedelia grinned smugly. “You know, she’s your friend now too.”

  Keiren scoffed. “Hardly. Finnur cares not what becomes of me.”

  Bedelia rolled her eyes. “You’ll see in time. Now let’s go and see if we can help with preparations.”

  “I’m not a cook,” Keiren hissed. “Nor do I intend to sweep floors.”

  Her back already turned, Bedelia led the way toward the door. “If I can cook and clean, you can cook and clean.” She didn’t bother to glance at Keiren’s reaction to her words. She was her own woman now.

  A small smile on her lips, Keiren followed. She still wouldn’t be lifting a broom, but she could humor her one-time lover, and perhaps only true friend, at least for now. As soon as things became boring, she’d take off and become someone to be feared once more. At least, that was what she’d keep telling herself.

  Kai watched the festivities from a nearby hall, not entirely feeling like celebrating. Though he was glad they’d all survived, he felt a little melancholy that the excitement was over. It meant things were coming to an end. He no longer had a quest, or even a place in the world . . . if he ever really had.

  After leaving the Gray City and his family behind, he’d roved
about finding adventures with Anna, but he’d never really fit anywhere. Now everyone had a place but him.

  “Kai,” a hesitant voice said from behind him.

  He turned to see Finn walking toward him. He hadn’t seen her in a dress for quite some time, let alone the violet silks that now clad her body. She was looking healthier now, more human. He supposed it was a result of her sharing her immortality with Iseult and Bedelia.

  “What are you doing out here?” she questioned, reaching his side to peek in at the festivities.

  “I could ask you the same question,” he smiled.

  She let out a soft laugh. He couldn’t quite remember the last time he heard her laugh.

  He didn’t mean to ask it, but the words seemed to slip out of their own volition. “Where do we go from here?”

  She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Iseult and I are going to return to the fortress for a time. The Pixies have gone ahead to bring news to the remaining Aos Sí, but we would still like to return there, at least for a while to decide where we’ll go next. Anna and Eywen will be joining us until they figure out what they want to do. Branwen was going to come too, but she seems to have gone missing again.” Finn sighed and shook her head, then looked back up to him. “Regardless, I think you should come with us.”

  He smirked. “Travel with two couples? How thrilling.”

  She removed her hand from his shoulder to smack his arm. “I love you too, you know.”

  “But you love him more,” he countered.

  She sighed. “Not more, just differently.”

  He thought about joining them. He had to admit, despite the mild discomfort, the idea appealed to him. They were his only friends in this new world. A world where he fit even less than before. There was no saying what might happen as the new magics settled into the land. If he could still help his friends . . .