When she was completed with her meditations, she bowed her head, breathed deeply, sighing at the weight of the burden given to her in regard to these powers. She allowed her body to remain relaxed, but could feel her thoughts tensing at what might now be ahead in The Realm. She silently hoped that their journey would be incident-free, but quickly ran through some of her lesser powers, just in case.
When she breathed her final deep breath, and then sighed, she raised her head and opened her eyes, “Healer. What are you doing here with Me?"
"Waiting to see if my healing was needed. Were you able to complete your meditations?"
San'lr'in’ nodded, “A shortened version."
"I could sense that your fifth meditation was troublesome. These new powers of yours? Are you well prepared to use them?"
"As you say, they are troublesome. I will try to work through them during the ride."
"Perhaps this eve I can assist you through your first three meditations. Perhaps then you will be able to separate even more from them."
San'lr'in’ nodded, “Thank you, Healer. Now, we must depart."
Chapter X
The Great Powers
Sle'nel’ had prepared her weapons while waiting for her lover, then helped Sele’ onto Sam's horse, as Sam would tend to Sele’ this turn. When The High Queen had finished, and when all had said their farewells to the Women in the Trees, everyone mounted. Ann'wn saw that the Elf carried her own staff upon this turn, so went to her.
"Elf, do you have need of me to carry your staff?"
Sle'nel’ shook her head, “I will carry it throughout the journey, Force Leader, in hopes it will not be needed, but to keep it at the ready."
She bowed her head slightly, “As you will, Elf,” then left, taking quick note that The Healer remained alone.
San'lr'in’ gave a few last commands to Ann'wn, and their journey began. They once again headed due west, quickly away from the forests of the Women in the Trees and onto the great empty shelf of the open lands. As directed, Ann'wn remained within eyesight of the great northern forests, but well enough away from them to avoid ambush. They rode like the wind, knowing that haste was far more important than silence. Ann'wn could sense that her High Queen was anxious regarding whoever now stalked them. She watched her High Queen remain excessively vigilant during the remainder of the turn, seldom seeing her do as such.
As the sun's set began, The High Queen called for a momentary halt. Unknown to Ann'wn, she had sensed her raptor in the skies far above her. She held out her arm while yet sitting on her great horse, waiting for her messenger to land. It dove down to her quickly, pulling up at the last moment, landing gracefully upon her arm. She petted the back of its head as it relayed its message.
"Thank you, My Messenger. Go and be safe. Fly high, but watch over us carefully."
Ann'wn moved her horse back to The High Queen, “Is all well, my Queen?"
San'lr'in’ looked about her into the forests, “There is a large band of enemies up ahead, hidden in some caverns, but they seek My sister, and not us. I think they will try to avoid us. But I now worry for the High Priestess. By which route did they travel?"
Ann'wn relaxed a little, thinking it a good report, “Not this way, my Queen. More south of here by a great deal."
They began their journey once again, pushing their horses into great speeds. Well past the sun's set they traveled, forcing themselves forward so that they might reach the Skr'kinges’ by eve's fall the next turn. As it became almost a moonless dark, Ann'wn halted them.
"My Queen. The horses must rest. There is a stream nearby, and they need food and water. Should we spend the eve, here?"
San'lr'in’ shook her head, “For half the eve, only. Everyone can rest, but they must do so quickly. We will leave well prior to the sun's rise. Draw a large circle upon the ground, and keep everyone within that circle after you have watered the horses. I will place a wall of protection around us for this eve."
"A wall of protection, my Queen?"
She waved her hand, dismissing the question, “Ask not, Ann'wn. Get the horses watered as quickly as possible."
"I will prepare your bed for the eve."
"Just for the Elf and the Young One. I must remain up this eve to tend to the wall of protection."
Ann'wn had a very large circle drawn upon the ground. Sle'nel’ watched, hearing of what was to occur, “San'lr'in'. What is this wall of protection? Have you ever used it prior?"
"No. Until this moment, many of My powers have remained hidden from The Realm. But now you carry the key to the Elfin domain. The magnitude of this now commands the great powers’ usage. Does the Young One sleep?"
Sle'nel’ nodded, “So you rest not this eve?"
"I cannot. But you should, My Desire."
The High Queen told Ann'wn, “I will guard us this eve, Force Leader. Rest, as in the morn, our ride is to become ever the more dangerous. But you will have no need to worry over us this eve."
Ann'wn wanted to object, but knew better, “Yes, my Queen."
She went and lay upon her own ground cover, guarding over her queen silently. San'lr'in’ walked to the circle, looking down at it for a moment. Suddenly raising her hand to the sky, she began to incite one of her long-silent powers, “The powers of unseen light, come forth upon this circle.” It took her many moments to call the power to the circle. When it was finished, she placed her hand lightly against some unseen wall, feeling its energies. Ann'wn watched with great interest, seeing that her Queen removed her hand quickly upon feeling the wall of protection.
San'lr'in’ moved back away from the wall a little, then turned back to it, moving into the eighth meditation, one she seldom used. As she finally arrived into it, her body became still as a rock as her senses took over. Nothing else occurred in her mind as she moved her mind into total sensual awareness of their surroundings. No sound went unnoticed by her this eve. No bird flew far overhead without her hearing it. No small breeze passed by without her knowing. The Healer also watched, noticing that she had slowed her breathing and heart rate down to unusually slow patterns, moving all her energies into her eighth meditation.
The Healer went to Ann'wn, knowing that she watched over her Queen. She placed her hand upon her shoulder, unknowingly causing Ann'wn to shiver at the touch, “I must be there for her when she returns to The Realm. She has entered a most difficult space, and it will be exceptionally difficult for her to return. Allow me to sleep a few moments, and then we will trade. I must be there to help her breathing return to normal when she begins to move out of her meditations."
She looked at The Healer's hand upon her shoulder, recognizing that she welcomed the touch. She nodded at The Healer's statement, concerned, “It is sad that she feels she must do this."
The Healer kept her hand on Ann'wn's strong shoulder, liking the feeling, but knowing it meant nothing to Ann'wn, “She knows more of The Realm and its ways than you, Ann'wn. She knows that the ones who would seek to halt the Elf from reaching her home are not like the enemies you fight.” The Healer touched Ann'wn lightly on her head, then left.
The eve passed quietly, and Ann'wn woke The Healer per their agreement, allowing herself some sleep. She bent down to her and shook her lightly, thinking her beautiful even in her sleep, touching her hand to The Healer's cheek, “Healer. It is the moment for you to watch over The High Queen."
The Healer woke, sleeping only lightly, now looking at Ann'wn, wishing she were lying next to her, “Thank you, Force Leader."
Ann'wn rose and held out her hand to The Healer, helping her to rise, “Would you like me to remain with you?"
Yes. Would forever be fine with you? She shook her head, “No, thank you. I will be fine.” She let Ann'wn help her to rise, feeling and liking the strength in her hand. She moved her hand to Ann'wn's cheek, “Thank you."
Ann'wn felt faint from the most desired touch, but knew that The Healer did this same gesture to many others, for little reason, “Call me if you have ne
ed of me."
The Healer sat close to her Queen, watching for the signs she knew well that her Queen was returning. As The High Queen returned into her third meditation, The Healer rose, placed her hand lightly upon her Queen's head, and entered her mind.
I am here to help you re-enter The Realm. Breathe slowly. Slow down your meditation from here. Focus. Move back into your center.
Without thinking, The High Queen relinquished her meditations to her Healer, grateful for the assistance. It had been a long journey to the eighth meditation, and she was now exhausted. As The Healer helped her move into her second, and then first meditations, The High Queen's breathing and heart rate began to return to normal.
Aloud, The Healer finally said, “Return now, my Queen. Hear my voice."
She staggered a little as she re-entered The Realm, but her healer steadied her, “The eighth meditation, my Queen? I could have helped."
Softly, and somewhat weakly, she replied, “It is enough that one of us must do this. Thank you, Healer. What would I do without you?"
The Healer just smiled at her, “Are you hungry? There is some food left."
"No. We must leave, and quickly. I cannot keep the wall of protection alive for much longer."
With great haste, Ann'wn moved everyone into full preparation.
When everyone was finally mounted and ready, The High Queen raised her hand once more to the skies, “Powers of the unseen light. The eve fades as now does this wall of protection.” She continued returning the power to her. When she was done, the journey was once again begun. As they moved off into lands yet filled with darkness, they did so with great urgency. The High Queen looked about them briefly, seeing that Sele’ now traveled with Caitha this turn, while all the others had their weapons ready, or nearly so.
Just prior to returning her mind to The Realm, San'lr'in’ sensed about them more broadly, searching for their enemies. With relief, she hadn't sensed any. As they now rode, she took a moment to rest. Ann'wn placed Uthrn in charge as she saw her Queen slump slightly on her horse, a well-known sign to Ann'wn that their Queen slept. Ann'wn had never quite known how her Queen managed to sleep while their horses were as such speeds, but had never questioned her Queen on this, accepting that it must have been part of her long-prior training. Ann'wn remained at her Queen's side, riding alongside her until The High Queen awoke.
Sle'nel’ kept her senses tuned for anything unusual, not knowing what they now ran from. She slightly sensed the Deep Mystics off in the forests, so placed them far from her mind, but began to sense something else, uneasy in its feeling. She looked to the forests, trying to probe their deepness, hearing unrecognizable sounds.
She moved up to Uthrn, asking her to halt the group for a moment so that she could listen better. Uthrn halted the group, causing The High Queen to awaken. She saw Sle'nel’ searching into the deep northern forests well apart from them, turning her own senses to the same forests. She dismounted, moving slightly away from the horses, and began to move as quickly as she could into her eighth meditation, eliminating the others, although a difficult process. She focused, trying to clear her mind from The Realm, into a reality of only senses. Finally, she heard what Sle'nel's ears were trying so desperately to understand: A battle.
She felt a hand upon her head, “Slowly for a moment. Breathe. Focus, and breathe."
The jolt upon returning to The Realm directly from the eighth meditation caused her much disorientation. She stood, not knowing where she was, looking unseeing upon her Healer.
"Hear my voice, Highness. Breathe, and focus. Concentrate."
San'lr'in’ felt her inner urgency swell within her, understanding nothing but its great need for her to return quickly to The Realm. She saw The Healer's lips move, then struggled to concentrate upon her words. Finally, she heard them.
Moving quickly back to her horse, she shouted to Ann'wn, “A battle in the forest. The Deep Mystics now fight the evil ones. Move quickly, Force Leader. I wish not to fight them unless forced."
Just as she mounted, Sele’ sent her thoughts to her, I can help listen to these—
Suddenly, San'lr'in’ turned to Sele', enraged, “Never enter into My mind without permission. You have now just given our location away, Foolish One."
San'lr'in’ knew that she was overly harsh on such a young one, but was angered that the evil Mystics would have been able to hear Sele’ send her thoughts to her as clearly as if they were within speaking range. Even Sle'nel’ was surprised at the error, thinking that the sorcerers should have taught her this lesson earlier.
The High Queen turned back to Ann'wn, taking a deep breath, then sighing, “They now know we are here. Make haste. We halt no more unless we must."
Ann'wn motioned for Uthrn to guard the rear, Meera to guard the side near the forest, and for Sam to guard the other side, along with the other guards. Ann'wn began them running tightly together, keeping them at a great speed, hoping to outrun the evil Mystics and sorcerers.
The sun rose high into the sky yet they kept the horses running, knowing their endurance would end soon. Ann'wn was beginning to think that they would outrun their battles, seeing that they approached a great river. But as they neared it, she saw them. With regret, she halted their journey.
The High Queen rode up next to her, also seeing them. She turned, looking behind her, and saw yet another group of enemies far behind them. She then turned to her left side, looking off into the distance, knowing she would see them there also, sensing that they now tried to surround the travelers.
"So, our Deep Mystic friends have prevented only the ones in the forests from reaching us. It would appear we now have no choice but to the fight."
"We could turn to the forest, High Queen."
San'lr'in’ shook her head, “Our horses are exhausted, as are we. The chase would be short. At least here we can see them and hope that our Mystic friends, if any survive, will come to assist us."
Uthrn came up, “There are at least two-hundred of them, High Queen."
Meera rode up to her, “I am ready, my Queen."
San'lr'in’ laughed lightly, “My Warrior Woman. You please Me well. But this is not your fight."
She dismounted and looked to Sle'nel', but speaking to her warriors, “This is My fight, alone. You cannot fight against such as these. You have no protection from their powers. Ann'wn, draw a circle, quickly."
Caitha walked up to her with Sele', “Sele’ wishes to speak with you."
San'lr'in’ looked at Sele’ who was being held by Caitha, “I have no moments, Young One. They are upon us and come quickly."
"I can help, Highness. I have powers that they cannot fight against."
"You are unskilled and unpracticed. And if I die, you must live to protect the Elf. And know this. If I die, prepare yourself to accept My powers. They must not be lost."
"But my Queen—"
"Never question Me. I know what I do.” She winced slightly as a thought entered her mind, I hope.
She went quickly outside the circle, speaking to Ann'wn, “Allow no one outside this circle, unless I die. No one, Force Leader."
"Yes, my Queen."
She looked at the circle, focused her thoughts, then placed an impenetrable barrier around them. No Mystic or sorcerer spell or magic would get past her barrier, at least for a short while, but the battle against them now depended completely upon her abilities. She looked at the group of evil Mystics to their south, as they were the nearest and approaching the most quickly of the three enemy groups. She focused her powers, closing her eyes, seeing the power, practicing it in her mind, then reopened her eyes.
Sle'nel'. My Desire.
Sle'nel’ responded, but The High Queen was no longer able to receive any thoughts, her mind singularly focused on using her great long-unused powers. She held out her arms in front of her, pointing them toward the Mystics that now approached. She muttered some words that none of her travelers could understand, then began to direct her powers. Great sheath
s of lightning came crashing down upon the enemy Mystics, causing them little harm but meant solely as a distraction to the real power source. They focused upon the lightning, using their own lesser powers to keep the lightning from injuring them, while San'lr'in’ prepared the power.
Sam watched with widened eyes as her sister created a small reddish-orange fireball that seemed to breathe as if alive. The moment The High Queen released it, the fireball grew immediately into an enormous wave of fire that moved directly toward the evil Mystics, enlarging and spreading as it went.
Trusting in the power's ability to rid them of their enemies, San'lr'in’ turned away from it, moving her attention to the Mystics and sorcerers behind them. Closing her eyes, and knowing there were few moments, she focused quickly upon her next power, bringing it to her mind, practicing it. At the moment Ann'wn had halted them, San'lr'in’ had determined that the most dangerous of the enemy Mystics and sorcerers were the ones near the large river. Realizing such, she moved rapidly to eliminate the lesser enemies so that she could focus singularly upon the strongest of their enemies. She sensed that the second group on which she was now focused contained more of the evil sorcerers, and fewer of the evil Mystics.
She reopened her eyes, yet seeing the power in her mind. She held out her hand, palm up, and once again began inciting the power to her. As the evil sorcerers came closer, Ann'wn wondered if her Queen could unleash her powers soon enough to halt them. Even now, Ann'wn saw that they were sending spells against them, but that the protective barrier prevented anything from harming them—for the moment.
Caitha and Sele’ watched The High Queen blow lightly upon her hand. Suddenly, her small breath of air turned into a gigantic raging windstorm that rushed toward the evil sorcerers, raising them high into the air, turning and spinning them around, and as suddenly, dropping them back to the ground from far up in the skies.
The Realm's Mystics [Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book 3] Page 58
