‘So we can’t tell other people about her, I presume?’
‘No, that can’t just be it. She could kill us, easily, to avoid us going back. And it is too simple that she wants to see us suffer in here for her own entertainment; for she seems agitated because we ask too many questions. We would surely get on her nerves, but yet I feel she has some use of us, if only we could find out what that would be.’
A frown creased her forehead while she thought.
‘You are a real queen and if you serve her that will satisfy her somehow. It is like you said before – only a human bending to her would do, not a Wood or Windchild.’
‘Hmm. Still too straightforward. She does not hate us, not really. I can tell if someone does. If she was to hate us, and we would serve her, that would satisfy her I guess. No, she is intrigued by us.’
‘Perhaps she seeks a successor and she thinks we are worthy enough to be taught the things she knows? She wants to teach me how to see from a distance,’ Tirsa said with big eyes.
‘From what …’ and Artride lowered her voice whispering, ‘Eolas told us …’
‘From what he told us we should take her life and not reason with her anymore, or even try to understand her further. It will lead to nothing.’ Tirsa interrupted her sharply and looked suddenly severly at her. ‘And we should do it tonight!’ she whispered so only she could have heard it. ‘And he will be free to make us a spell and we can go home at last.’
Artride nodded. ‘Of course.’ And she bit her lip. Tirsa saw the hurt in her eyes and laid a warm hand upon hers.
‘Stop thinking what her intentions might be or understanding her actions before it is too late.’ It was like she was her conscious speaking.
~ ~ ~
They spent all day strolling around the lovely garden Sempervirens made for them. It had everything a Royal Garden would have outside the cave; a neat, large grass field, flowerbeds, trees and a working fountain with a realistic statue of a dolphin. The ceiling was so high and blue: it could be mistaken for the real sky. It even had the feeling they were outside, for a summer breeze blew swiftly through the garden.
Both women still wore the white night gowns they had been given the night before. It was warm enough and certainly better than being nude. It hung loosely around their breasts, but was girdled with a small golden cord at their waist. They almost looked like members of the TalamhClann themselves with their fair skin and surpassing beauty.
Not a single glance of the sorceress was to be seen all day. It was like she was hiding from them. But patiently they waited for the night to come with beating hearts, for they worried it would not be that easy to simply kill a powerful sorceress, particularly as she most likely expected it.
Tirsa kept close to Artride in her bedroom as they waited, she had not forgotten she was her bodyguard. One could hear the other breathing, both their minds too occupied to speak.
When they thought it was late enough, for it had been some hours since they had gone to bed and they assumed Sempervirens would be asleep by now, they stood up silently. The room was faintly dimmed by an unseen source. Well aware of all watching eyes, Tirsa opened the light door without a sound. The doorknob was made of solid gold and felt oddly cold to her hand.
The corridor was dark and the lights were out. They had to make their way by intuition. Of course, they had no idea where her bedroom was, even though they had been searching the day before.
Oddly, this reminded Tirsa of that first day she was looking for Artride, who also happened to be in her bedroom when she found her. It all seemed ages ago now. She would tell her of the similarity later, if they made it out alive. She searched for one of her hands in the dark and squeezed it tight. She noticed she was trembling softly.
‘Don’t be afraid, Artride.’ She tried to reassure her.
The corridors all looked alike and were as poorly lit, but all rooms they entered seemed to be on the same level – the kitchen, the dining room, the bathroom, the garden, which even had a fake moon casting its light on the trees and plants. But of course it would be, if it was in fact a cave.
Her bedroom was very far off, anyhow, near the bedrooms of her slaves who were all fast asleep. It was as though she wanted to be found; for her door stood slightly open. Lightly dimmed as their own room was, they could make out her bed.
There she was; her face serene, her dark features as pure and breathtaking even asleep. Her eyelids with their long lashes closed, she looked so innocent. Artride thought about her history and that she once had been a lonely innocent child; hurt, battered, craving love and attention like any toddler and that now, years later, she got that attention in a wrong way because she did not know how to get it any other way. She was too ruined for that. Even Eolas couldn’t heal her.
When Tirsa entered first and got nearer she noticed Sempervirens was not alone. A fair- haired lad with the whitest skin she’d ever seen lay next to her with his arm draped loosely around her waist. First she thought he was a dead Woodchild and this was some cruel trick of hers, but then she saw his shallow breathing and realised it was a Windchild and he was alive.
How can he survive in here? She remembered the Windchild in the cloud had mentioned abductions of Windchildren as well, but until now they had seen no evidence of them. Tirsa would have thought they would die in this cave, without the wind they needed for their survival. How was this possible? Her spell on him must be great, however wicked, to keep him captured and alive in here. Her blood boiled in anger and silently she gripped one of the many pillows. Artride’s blue eyes were wide and showed fear, but she nodded at her when she glanced for approval.
Tirsa held the pillow above the face of the sorceress and reassured herself that her death would serve a greater purpose, side-glancing at the pale, sleeping lad before pressing it down. For you.
They heard a soft sigh underneath the pillow, so Tirsa pushed harder with effort.
‘How you disappoint me!’ they heard her say as she easily shoved the pillow aside. She pushed back with all her strength, but the pillow remained hanging above the woman’s face!
Easily she shoved it completely aside and Tirsa had to let go, before noticing Artride had a worried expression on her pale face.
Shaking her head, she made a clicking sound with her tongue. ‘And I’m thinking by now they would be all over each other, instead of me! What a pity, all that precious time wasted.’ And she rose up; not ashamed of her beautiful naked body, waking the Windchild with her movement. His eyes grew big when he saw the audience and stared at his queen. Dressing herself in a lovely auburn-ebony nightgown, she showed him the door. He grabbed a white sheet, wrapping it around his waist before running off.
She laughed at the women who were confused, but alert.
‘Instead of having some fun, like me, you try to … what … take my life?’ and she laughed loudly. The women glanced at each other, holding their silence.
‘What good would that do? You can say goodbye to your spell if I’m dead, not that you would succeed of course. But …’ and she raised an arched eyebrow, smiling, pleased.
‘I will forgive you for this, for I am in a good mood. Besides, you are no threat to me. In fact, I like you even better now that you try not to win me over to that good side of yours anymore, but show yourselves to be just as bad. You are dismissed.’ And she waved them away; still standing aside her bed she turned her back to them.
Side glancing at one another they both knew what had to be done. Tirsa nodded at Artride who pressed her lips together nervously.
She walked over to Sempervirens, who heard her footsteps from behind.
‘Have you not heard me, woman?’
‘I have. I just want to say I am grateful you do not punish us.’
Sempervirens turned slowly to face Artride, for she knew the word punish all too well and she had not heard it in decades …
Her face was a little milder, it seemed.
‘You have found my bedroom, as you have found my hom
e. How can I punish a determined, clever person?’ she said in a serene voice.
You see? She is already changing by our mere presence! Artride thought.
‘Then you understand we have come here for you. Deep down inside, you know this to be true. You want to be saved.’
Sempervirens face screwed up a little before she smiled, but it was a wicked smile.
‘Save me by killing me, hmm?’ she said ironically and she made a hissing sound and smiled. ‘Wouldn’t I just have invited you over?’
‘You did by letting us stay,’ Artride said in a steady voice.
‘Well, you can believe what you want to believe, I won’t stop you. People tend to explain everything that happens to them in life; over analysing, how tiresome. Tss, saving me!’
‘Well, I just believe that things do not happen for nothing,’ Artride quickly responded.
Sempervirens narrowed her eyes somewhat. ‘I knew you were different and I’m not all as displeased as I sound. I will be honest with you; now that you have been honest with me.’
And she looked straight through them when she said, ‘I want to meet more people like you if they exist. I want them to come to me.’
‘Why?’ Tirsa asked stepping forward with curious eyes.
‘Well, not to save me!’ And she laughed at her own joke. ‘For my … ultimate revenge. The human race has not been … kind to me. But that does not matter anymore for their time is over. My time, however, is at hand, in which I and I alone shall rule.’
‘So you do want more people over to … serve you?’ Tirsa asked.
She smiled. ‘Only those who succeed can join me, the rest, which will be the majority, will fail and I will watch them stumble and fall with pleasure.’ Her eyes glittered with joy.
‘I should have known.’ Artride sighed disappointed, nodding her head.
‘Why would they even bother to come over here?’ Tirsa asked raising her hands.
‘Why did you come here?’ Sempervirens reminded her.
Tirsa rolled her eyes. ‘What makes you so sure other people will? We had no other option; there are very few advanced sorcerers. But most people will find it too risky to even try to travel through the Magical Land.’
‘I will make sure they will come. I will lessen the dangers and I will send messengers, spreading word about a hidden treasure within this cave and the most powerful person in the world to grant them any wish. Greed and curiosity will make them come.’
‘What good would that do? Why bother?’ Artride asked suddenly, trying her new approach.
‘Why talk about revenge?’ she sounded kind, stepping closer. ‘Can you not see you avenge yourself by simply hiding from the world? Watching people suffer, you are reminded of your own hurt. All you do, living all this time in here, is to avenge yourself really. Justice I believe in, but vengeance after all these years – after all these lives lost and everything gained: power, knowledge, wealth, what have you really learned? Do you think I have not lived with hate in my heart for the sorcerer who caused my people and me so much grief? But he is long dead now and I cannot kill him anymore; nor would it do any good to take it out on other people. I must deal with the consequences of his actions today. And I have learned to avenge my father and all those who have died because of this dangerous curse with love; love for my country, my people, my freedom and love for life itself. Hate only lets itself be beaten with love. A soldier like Tirsa fights with love in her heart too, not with hate. Let go of your hate that eats you up inside like a parasite. Be a soldier of peace. Fight your own hate with love.’ And she made a fist to empower her words and placed it over her heart.
Sempervirens stared plainly at Artride as she seemed to weigh up her words. Then her eyes seemed to glow as she said, ‘Was it your love that made you kill your father’s brother?’
Artride reddened and her mouth trembled slightly at the thought. But then she seemed to strengthen herself again and she spoke with a steady voice, ‘Yes, were it not for the love of my country and its people I wouldn’t have killed. I would not even be here. For this and my love for life I will do almost anything.’
‘Even take a life, your uncle and mine … Then we are not so very unalike, you and I.’
‘No … you seem to be able to enjoy hurting people; torturing them, preventing them from a life of freedom, forcing your will upon them. That itself gives you power; that makes you feel good about yourself. I, however, detest this. I could never live with myself knowing I hurt other people intentionally.’
‘Perhaps you’ve never known true cruelty like I have.’ And Sempervirens seemed to shudder.
‘Most likely not. However, no one can ever undo the hurt caused to you by people long gone. No matter how many souls you capture; no matter how many you torment, no matter how many innocent lives you take. It won’t heal you; you’ll never get yourself back doing this. You are more human than you will admit, Sempervirens. You talked about turning away from the pain the human world causes; that’s a start. But you yourself still live with pain. You brought it with you. You cannot seem to leave it behind.’
She sighed heavily, wanting to close her ears, getting restless.
‘Not only do you punish other creatures now for your revenge, whereby you think luring and testing human beings is the most thrilling of all. You are still punishing yourself at the same time, even if you live in luxury and pretty illusions; you’re still utterly alone and lonely, with no one who truly loves you. You even had to cast a spell on your poor TalamhClann servants to like you.’
Sempervirens’s eyes had grown bigger and redder while the queen had talked and a frown showed on her forehead. How did she know so much about her? It was like she was reading her so clearly … It angered her, soothed and confused her at the same time. Had she, after all, found the book with Eolas trapped and … spoken to him?
‘Do not try to analyse me, Artride!’ she said out loudly, and stood her ground with narrowing, dangerous eyes.
‘I do not have to. I know … we know … the truth about you.’
She saw Sempervirens swallow more nervously than she expected, replying quickly,
‘What do you mean?’ and she flickered her eyes nervously as they had not seen her do before. She was losing her control.
Artride pulled the amulet from underneath her night gown and showed it to her.
The eyes of the sorceress showed humour. It made sense to her now. The amulet of Honesty and Truth.
‘So, you found one of my pieces of jewellery?’ and she rose her shoulders lightly and sighed, relieved.
‘Yes, but we know what it can do.’
‘Alright, you found that out; I told you I thought you most clever. You are indeed worthy.’
‘Yes, but you have underestimated us. We are more than clever. We have met your friend … Eolas.’
Her whole body seemed to freeze in hearing his name, and for a moment she could not speak. Then her almond shaped, dark eyes grew wide and she showed fear and fury at the same time.
‘That cannot be!’ she spat.
‘Don’t be alarmed. We only want to help you.’ And she pulled the amulet over her head.
‘Look, and now you’ll believe all I’ll tell you to be true.’
‘You will not lecture me anymore!’ and an invisible hand grabbed the necklace from her neck, pulled so that the cord broke and threw it away. The women saw it hitting the wall before it fell with a sharp sound to the floor … in tiny pieces … broken.
‘You will leave my room at once if you want to live to see the day!’
Artride swallowed away her fear and licked her lips before she replied, ‘I guess we won’t ever be seeing daylight again, if it’s up to you, will we?’
‘Not if I can help it, now be gone!’
The women turned to the door as if to leave, but as Tirsa left, Artride froze before turning. If not now, when?
‘No, I will not leave.’
Sempervirens’ eyes grew narrow and her mouth twisted in
scorn. Someone had disobeyed her and they would pay the price.
‘You dare to disobey me?’ her voice was loud and echoed through the room and beyond.
‘Please, listen to me,’ Artride stepped back towards her.
‘I will not let you corrupt my mind any longer. I have tolerated it too long!’
Tirsa quickly grabbed Artride’s arm and pulled at her. ‘Come on.’
‘Yes, listen to your guardian angel, Artride,’ she ironically said, and laughed wickedly.
‘No, Tirsa, we shall have it my way now.’ And as they walked away she shook her arm loose.
‘Your way did not work, nor will it ever, can’t you see?’
Sempervirens laughed madly and it filled her bedroom. It would have shrunk them if they weren’t too angry for that.
‘Stop it! Stop your juvenile behaviour and listen to me!’ Artride screamed going back.
She stopped laughing alright, but her expression was not to be fooled with. The sorceress was furious and fire was building up inside of her. Her dark eyes grew scarlet.
‘I am sorry to speak to you like this; but only harsh words seem to work with you. Somehow you seem to respect that more than kindness. I only want to understand you and make you see that you have to stop hating! You have watched us all this time.’ And she looked at Tirsa. ‘And watched our friendship grow and our love for one another, haven’t you? But you make it look like something sick, while it is pure and real! Can’t you see, did you not learn anything? You have been playing with us and tried to destroy everything we have; yet you failed, because love is stronger than hate, stronger than you!’
‘Is it?’ and Artride felt herself being lifted up and up, and being thrown with force through the doorway against the wall of the corridor.
With a smack and a thud she fell to the floor. Tirsa ran to see to her and fell down on her knees beside her. Gasping for air, the queen lay on her back and stared at Sempervirens in horror. She could not see her eyes, but was sure she saw a flicker of concern washing over her face.
‘Nothing is more powerful than me!’ her voice thundered before the door slammed shut with a loud bang.
The Queen's Curse Page 35
