Shrouded Kingdom

by Rachel Medhurst

  "Keep trying! You will stay in this room until you find her!"

  Lifting her arm, she forced words I didn't recognise from her mouth. My body jerked away from her, forcing me to release her neck. Flicking her hand, she sent me flying through the air. I screamed for my guards when I crashed upright into the wall, the force of her spell keeping me pinned high against it.

  "Let me down!"

  "No!" The witch held her arm in the air, her fingers bent into a claw. "I'm more powerful than you are, Unseelie!"

  "How dare you!" I squirmed against the wall, unable to get loose from her spell. "I'm the Seelie King!"

  Tilting her head to the side, she swayed her hips slightly, causing the hem of her maroon skirts to brush against the floor. The detail was minor, but the impact was big. Guards swarmed into the library, but a wind pushed them back, forcing them to stay away.

  "If you're genuine royalty, I dare you to shape-shift into your spirit animal."

  Rage pounded in my head, the ache unbearable. How dare she challenge me? I was King of Althea, the ruler of the Seelie Court. My father was the great Pryon. He had slayed the King and Queen.

  "Go on!" she cried, her voice rising louder than the wind that kept my guards from helping me.

  Unable to do as she requested, I calmed myself, ceasing to struggle. Staring her in the eye, I kept silent. Her arm lowered slightly, her own anger abating. As the wind died down, my guards rushed for her. A smile came to her lips when they crashed into an invisible wall, not far from where she stood.

  "You can't do it, can-?"

  An arrow flew across the room, lodging into her hip. She screamed as she fell to the ground, clutching at the offending weapon. Her spell released, sending me crashing to the wooden floor. Before I could register the ache of my ankles as they twisted, I pushed myself up and rushed to the witch. Flinging my body on top of hers, I wrapped my hand around her throat again and squeezed.

  "You will never do that again, do you hear me?"

  She squeaked an affirmative as tears streamed down the side of her face. Why was she crying? She had just threatened the King of Althea, she should be punished.

  Making the mistake of staring into her eyes, I loosened the grip I had on her throat when I spotted the sadness that swum beneath the depths. The emotion evoked something within me, propelling me to scuttle off her. Breathing hard, I watched as Laliya turned onto her good side and curled into a ball, her legs tucked close to her chest as her hand supported the arrow that was still tucked into her hip.

  My guards were nearby, waiting for my order. I shook my head when Jin pointed at his sword. No, I couldn't kill the witch, even if a part of me was tempted. Resistance in any way was a blow to my power. However, no one would hear of today's scuffle. The fact that the witch was powerful enough to inhibit me, meant that she had the magic I needed to end Layanna Fairling once and for all.

  "Laliya," I muttered as I dropped to my knees beside her. "Let me remove the arrow."

  "Go away," she sobbed, knocking my hand away when I reached for it.

  Sighing, I sat on my knees, not bothering to say or do anything for a moment or two. Allowing her to cry might help me to gain her trust. Well, attempt to, anyway. She had no idea that I wanted the best for the kingdom. She saw me as a threat to her people, my people.

  "If you don't take it out and get your wound tended to, it will get infected."

  Reaching for her hand, I moved her arm so it was away from the arrow. Using one hand, I pressed her hip on either side of the entry point, at the same time as tugging the arrow. She cried out as the tip extracted, slicing her skin even more. Her dress ripped where the sharp points dragged free.

  Getting to my feet, I turned to Jin. "Take her to her chamber and find a healer woman to tend to her wound. I can't have her succumb to it. I need her."

  "What for?" The whisper came from the witch.

  Looking down at her, I took a breath as our gaze met. She pleaded with me, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "I want peace in these lands. We need to protect everything that has been built in the past. Our shrouded kingdom is in danger of disappearing with the shroud death. Will you work with me to save it?"

  As a guard went to grab her roughly, I took hold of his arm. "Did you not just hear me? I need her. Treat her well."

  The guard changed his attitude, lifting her gently into his arms. Although she grimaced in pain, Laliya reached out a hand to stop the guard from moving. "It's not my choice to help you. However, I will do my best to help our land."

  Nodding, I indicated that she be taken away. Her strength was in her vulnerability. I would use that to my advantage. No matter how hard things got, I had to remember what I was fighting for. A kingdom where fae were free to roam, just like my father had wanted.

  Seelie or Unseelie, I would bring peace to our magical lands. And, the witch would be the one to help me do that.

  Chapter Eleven

  "He's got far too many Unseelie in Althea," Larnika muttered as he tugged his tunic over his head.

  When his under-shirt followed, I looked away, soaking the cloth that Marli had given me in the hot water that bubbled in the cauldron. When we had landed on the cold hard ground outside the cottage, the other three fae had come rushing out.

  Sarsia had gone to Larnika, checking the arrow that was sticking out of his arm. Snapping it off, she yanked the smaller end hard.

  Larnika had shouted out in pain, his face contorting as he gritted his teeth.

  "Hold still," Trenton warned as he readied the needle that Marli had also provided.

  Apparently, the fairy was an adept nursemaid, having sewed many fairy clothes and wounds. I had been a little surprised when he had ordered me to assist him. Waving me over, Trenton indicated that I should wipe the skin clean of the blood that trickled from the wound.

  I recoiled as Larnika jumped, his teeth still locked together. I was as gentle as I could be, considering the entry point was gaping.

  "Please, Princess," Trenton said. "Hold his shoulder for this part."

  Glancing at Larnika's face, I waited for him to nod his agreement. Slowly lowering my hand onto his shoulder, I almost ripped it away when heat seared from me and into him. He jumped slightly, but looked away when Trenton pushed the needle into his skin. My head became light as warmth enveloped me.

  "I can't believe he's allowing the Unseelie to roam around our kingdom," Sarsia said from the table.

  She was grinding herbs into a mortar, the ingredients spread all over the table. Marli was assisting, her anger making her heavy handed with the pestle. "I'm going to kill him. I don't know how, but I've got to rescue my sister."

  Larnika placed a hand over my hand, gripping me to him. Looking at his face, I gasped. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. It looked like...

  "That's your healing power," Trenton whispered so the others couldn't hear.

  Trying to grab my hand away, I stopped when Larnika grunted in pain. Trenton shook his head roughly. "As much as you don't want to believe it, Princess, all evidence is pointing to the contrary."

  Swallowing, I relaxed, allowing the warmth to flow from me and into Larnika. The fae had defended me so gallantly, it would be unkind of me to withdraw my support. That's what he craved, a woman's support.

  "Did you know," Trenton said as he pushed the needle in and out of Larnika's skin to close the hole that gaped in his arm. "…that I'm royalty myself."

  "You are?" My heart raced when he glanced up at me.

  His long nose screwed up as he turned back to concentrate on the matter at hand. "Yes. My parents were rulers of the fairies. King Fairling allowed each race to keep their high-born leaders. It was his way of making it fair on everyone. He was over-king, ruling the whole kingdom, but each High Fae ruler was responsible for their people."

  “I didn’t know that. And, you are the High Fae of the fairies?”

  “Was…” Larnika whispered as Trenton nodded.

  “Larnika is right. I was the
High Fae of the fairies until Jordeek exiled me. I was surprised that he didn’t kill me in the forest, but I’m only a small blight in a kingdom of threats.”

  Blinking, I released Larnika when Trenton finished the final stich and tapped my arm with his little fingers. I had judged him to be a low-born fae, helping because he had passion for the land. When in fact, he was a ruler in his own right. The others hadn't even mentioned it to me, which was a little odd considering it was an important bit of information.

  "And there's other High Fae ruling their people?"

  Taking a seat next to Larnika as he flexed his arm, I watched Trenton wave his hand over the bowl of water I'd placed beside him. A soft gold powder landed on the liquid. Swirling it, he mixed it with his finger before he handed it to Larnika and demanded him to drink.

  "Fairy dust isn't going to-" Larnika started.

  "Just drink!" The small man's sharp demand was met with raised eyebrows.

  He seemed humble, not in the least bit inclined to the grandeur that most rulers were accustomed to. It was his warm presence that made me feel comfortable around him more than anyone.

  Sarsia was hard, her demeanour not easy to read. Larnika had been the protector, his male dominance obvious from the start. Trenton had been powerful in his own quiet way. Since seeing him as a tiny fairy, I had felt more at ease in his company, maybe finding comfort in the belief that he couldn't harm me. If his attack on Marli was anything to judge him by, he was easily capable of harming others.

  "Now that's done, it's time to talk about our plan of action." Larnika downed the fairy dust water mixture before nodding his thanks to our companion.

  Marli and Sarsia had been whispering among themselves. They looked up from their seats around the table, their expressions weary. It had been a long night, leading to an unproductive day.

  "The Unseelie are hidden from the guards," Larnika said as he tugged his under-shirt back on.

  Picking up the damaged tunic, Trenton re-strung his needle and settled back on his stool to repair it. His lips moved as he sewed quietly, his concentration solely on his task. A fairy king, I just couldn't grasp it.

  Clearing my throat, I glanced at the others. "He sent the guards away to talk to us. That's when the Unseelie revealed themselves. They were..." My gaze dropped to the ground as I pictured all the creatures who had stared at me. "... intimidating."

  Sarsia waved me over. Getting up, I left Trenton to his own musings as I joined the witches at the table. Taking a marble bowl, Sarsia poured a bit of water into the mortar. A hiss expelled as steam rose up. Digging her fingers in, she extended them towards me. The paste on the tips was a dark red with brown tones. I had no idea what it was, or what she wanted me to do with it.

  "This is mugwort, pig's blood and lavender. It's a protection elixir. I plan to use it when we travel to Dragonscale. Smell it!"

  Turning my head away before she could thrust her fingers under my nose, I shook my head roughly. Pig's blood? That wasn't something I wanted close to my nose, especially if a witch had been casting spells with it. I was still trying to get over the prejudice that I'd inherited from the people of my village.

  "It's not as bad as it looks, I promise." Her gentle encouragement made me lean forward and inhale.

  I could’ve sworn a puff of red smoke shot up-

  "Sorry," Sarsia said when my head grew light.

  "What did you do?" Larnika caught me as I swayed on the stool.

  Marli shrugged as Sarsia glanced at her. I could only just focus on the pair, but their shared look of caution sunk into my blurry mind.

  "I may have cast her with an Eye-See spell."

  The thump of footsteps came from behind me. Trenton was suddenly by my side, his hand on my head. "That was dangerous! Only high-born fae can handle that spell."

  "Not only that," Larnika interrupted. "It's an invasion of privacy!"

  "W-What.. is an...?" My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth as I tried to talk.

  Rushing away, Trenton came back with water in a cup. "Here." He pushed it to my lips. "Drink this."

  "The Eye-See spell is cast when someone wants to see what you see. Sarsia and Marli can now tune in to you wherever you are and see what you're seeing, where you are and who you're talking to."

  My heart plummeted to my belly. What an incredibly unfair thing to do without my permission. As my head started to clear, I stared at Sarsia. She dropped her gaze to the table, her dark blue braid falling to cover half her face. Yes, she should be ashamed.

  "Why did you do that?" My words were soft, spoken only to her.

  "Never mind that," Trenton snapped. "Reverse it, Sarsia, now!"

  It was kind of Trenton and Larnika to come to my defence, but the pain that flashed across Sarsia's face when Larnika placed his hand on my shoulder made me pause.

  "Sarsia," I said in my kindest, yet most authoritative tone. Not that I was accustomed to being authoritative. Living in a village where I was mostly ignored had made it hard for me to be assertive. "Please will you help me collect firewood?"

  The blush of her cheeks made me rise to a stand. My legs were strong, my head clear. The spell's effects had only lasted a moment, but they had given me pause to remember that I wasn't invincible.

  When Sarsia got to her feet, I picked up my cloak and attached it to the buttons on the leather fighting dress that Sarsia had dressed me in.

  "Stay safe outside these walls," Marli said as I opened the doors. "They managed to get through my barrier spell to kidnap Laliya."

  Nodding, we both left, shutting the door behind us.

  The cold night air caressed the skin on my cheeks as I gathered my cloak around me.

  Sarsia didn't even have her cloak on, preferring to gather the wood in just her dress.

  We stayed silent as Sarsia grabbed the wood basket and followed me further into the woods. The shadows danced where the moon cast the pattern of black leaves on the ground. It was a bright night, a full moon. Both witches had been uneasy since our return earlier in the day. If the full moon rose on a conflict, it could last until the next full moon. I didn't need a lunar cycle to tell me that our conflict with the King would last as long as a month, probably more. Jordeek wasn't going to give up the kingdom of Althea willingly.

  Reaching a little clearing, I set about the task of finding kindling for the fire. Marli had given up her bed for me the night before, and would again tonight, which meant I wanted to do something in return. The others had slept on various surfaces, including the floor. I had tried to protest, getting on the floor myself, but the others had insisted that the princess sleep on a bed. I promised myself as I listened to the various stages of sleep from the others that I wouldn't ever allow anyone to be worse off than me. That's what I would tell the heir that was found once Jordeek was overthrown. Yes, I would insist that they treat every Seelie creature equally.

  When Sarsia came closer, I braced myself to speak. "How long have you been in love with Larnika?"

  She had been bending to retrieve something in the shadows when she froze. Her back was hunched, her arm reaching forward. "I don't know what you're talking about."

  As she straightened, she turned to me, the basket bouncing on the ground as she released it. I kept my gaze steady on her as she stared at me, the light of the moon highlighting the white around her dark blue irises. The rise and fall of her chest was unsteady as I took a step forward.

  "Don't come near me." Sarsia's voice was tight.

  Ignoring her, I moved again. She came for me, her arms extended and a growl coming from her chest. The thumping in my heart increased as I turned away with the intention to run. Blocking my retreat was a fox, the bright orange of his fur glaring into my eyes as the moonlight reflected it.

  Before I could react, Sarsia's arms came around me, forcing me down. My cloak tangled around my body, trapping me to the leaves on the cold hard ground. Trying to push Sarsia off me, I paused when my gaze caught that of the fox.

  Transform.<
br />
  The word vibrated in my mind. Was the fox talking to me?

  "Sarsia!" I shouted as she grappled with me.

  It was as if she had turned into a mad witch. Why was she so angry? What had I done?

  Trying to buck her off, I gritted my teeth before she cried out and the weight of her lifted. I spun around, my hand out in front of me for protection, in case she attacked again.

  She was on her knees, clinging to her arm. The fox was next to me, his teeth bared. Had he just protected me? Why would the creature do such a thing?

  "He bit me!" Staring at the fox, Sarsia shook her head before she burst out laughing.

  I kept my arm up, a little confused at her sudden outburst. A moment ago, she had attacked me, and now she was bent over laughing, her cheeks bright red where she struggled to breathe. The fox came closer to me, nudging my arm aside. I pulled away, not wanting the creature to bite me too.

  "Don't panic," Sarsia said as her hilarity calmed. "That's your spirit animal."

  "My what?"

  The fox butted my hand, encouraging me to stroke his head. I scratched the soft fur behind his ear, smiling to myself when he licked the tip of my finger. I had always loved animals, but I hadn't touched a fox before. They were too quick to run away from me, even when I had tried to encourage them nearer.

  Taking a deep sigh, Sarsia sat back on her bottom, her legs stretched out in front of her. The skirts of her dress had risen up slightly, revealing her sturdy leather boots. The bottom of them were worn, the material scuffed from a lot of walking. The witch had been quiet, not opening up to me. That had to change.

  "As a high-born fae, or royalty in your case, you have the ability to shapeshift into your spirit animal."

  Giving me one last nudge, the fox retreated, quickly disappearing into the woods. The darkness was growing thicker as clouds started to block the moonlight.

  "I'm sorry," I said, clambering to my feet. "… but, I have no idea what you're talking about."

  Letting her head drop forward, Sarsia sighed again. "I've loved him for three years. However, he doesn't see me. His only mission in life is to see you on the- I mean, to overthrow Jordeek."