Shrouded Kingdom

by Rachel Medhurst

  “What is it Trenton? Surely, a royal fairy isn’t afraid of the dark?”

  Not waiting for a reply, I took several steps forward. A hand brushed my back, the warmth of it only just reaching me through my cloak.

  “You should let me go first.” Larnika gently guided me out of the way.

  Handing him the torch, I tapped his shoulder to let him know that I was happy for him to take the lead. I had been prepared to march through the tunnels first, but my heart was skipping loudly in my ears at the thought. Still, I would have to pretend I was brave until I actually was. I was the princess of Althea. Apparently.

  "I am not afraid of the dark," I heard Trenton tell Sarsia as I followed Larnika further into the tunnel.

  Trying my hardest not to laugh, I paused when Larnika's footsteps slowed. The rough walls were made from earth, the material impacted to form tight tunnels. There was only a breath of air between Larnika's head and the ceiling.

  "I wouldn't go too far without my direction." Daniel's voice echoed as the tunnel started to widen.

  When it was open enough to allow people to pass, Daniel squeezed past the others and joined us at the front.

  "That’s right," Trenton called from behind. "Leave the short man at the rear. He can die first if anyone attacks from behind!"

  The laughter left my mouth before I could stop it. Sarsia giggled beside me, but the men didn't join in on our hilarity.

  "There’s a specific route we need to take," Daniel said, his eyes shrouded in shadows as the light from the torch flickered over the walls. "Most of the tunnels are empty, so we should be swift."

  As he went to step away, I grabbed his arm. "Most?"

  Looking at me, he bit his lip. I narrowed my eyes on him, my suspicions raised.

  "There is a cavern where three homeless Unseelie live. They've been hiding here for many years. We have a mutual understanding between us, however..." He sighed as he glanced at Larnika. "... they despise the Seelie, so we have to be careful. I've timed it so we pass through when they're out collecting their daily meal."

  "Is there anything else we need to know?" I asked, my teeth clenched as I waited for his answer.

  Shaking his head, he grinned at me. "No, Princess. Just be on guard at all times. I swear that shadows lurk in these tunnels, but I am a paranoid human, so I'm sure I overreact."

  Waving for them to continue, I grasped Sarsia's arm and pulled her to stand beside me. Her hand gripped mine, squeezing once before letting go. The small intimate gesture reassured me.

  Larnika might have given me the sword of Althea, but that didn't mean I knew how to use it. If we were attacked deep under the earth, I wouldn't be able to defend myself.

  Marching ahead, Daniel went in front, Larnika close behind. I went next with Sarsia by my side. The tunnel had opened enough to allow room for two people to walk together.

  Trenton grumbled to himself as he brought up the rear. The fairy wasn't quite as brave as I had first thought.

  After ten minutes of walking, I heaved out a breath and clenched my hands together. It was warm down in the earth, which was a surprise. Sweat lined my forehead as I glided my hand across it.

  "We're coming up to the Unseelie camp," Daniel announced. "Stay silent."

  Our footfalls were the only sound as the walls stretched away from us, the tunnels opening up wider. A flickering light from up ahead caught my eye. They had torches to light the way into the camp. If there were only three of them, surely it wouldn't be a camp?

  Listening for the sound of voices, I kept one hand on the handle of my new sword and the other by my side. I didn't know what I would do with the sword if we faced danger, but that didn't matter, the weapon made me feel protected.

  Daniel eased into the opening ahead of us. Larnika waved for us to stay back. We did as he commanded, our breath low as we waited. Disappearing from sight, Daniel went all the way into the cavern.

  The moment of silence gave me pause to think. Just a week ago, I had been having my lessons with Mr Kingsman in the town hall. My life had been completely different. I had been a human, living an uninspiring life supporting my parents. A pang of sadness tightened my chest as my gaze focused on the flickering flame of the torch in the sconce ahead. My parents would have no idea where I was. They might have tried to search for me for a day or two, but there wasn't far for a girl to go around the village. What did they think? Maybe I should have forced the others to let them know that I was safe.

  "It's clear," Daniel called from inside the cavern.

  Releasing my breath in a rush, I followed Larnika out of the tunnel. The instant we emerged, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. The sound of Larnika's sword being drawn was followed by my own. Almost losing my grip as my gaze landed on Daniel, I just managed to keep hold of the handle.

  "Be still!" A man with pointed ears had a dagger held to Daniel's throat from behind.

  The pink in Daniel's cheeks intensified when his gaze landed on me. He had been caught by the Unseelie creature in his own domain, which meant they had probably heard us approaching.

  Keeping my body pointing towards the pair, I moved my eyes around to study the inside of the cave. Torches flickered high, their flames burning bright. There were three fur beds lined up next to one another by one wall. Two tunnels led away from their home, the third one directly behind us where Trenton now hovered, his blue eyes shining bright in the shadows.

  "My friend," Daniel said, his hands held up in surrender. "Please, allow us to pass. We want no trouble."

  Larnika glared at the man, his stance ready for a fight. Sarsia chewed on the inside of her lip. She had been quiet for most of the morning, but a glint in her eye made me watch her closely.

  "I don't have time for this, Elf!" she announced suddenly, striding into the centre of the room. "Release him!"

  Her hand flew in the air as she chanted a spell.

  The Unseelie's arms came away from Daniel as his face screwed up in pain. The knife trembled in the assailant’s hand, almost falling from his grip. His eyes widened when Sarsia marched closer, her hand flicking to the side. His arm bent in the same direction, the loud crack followed by his scream an indication of the damage the elemental witch had caused. The dagger scattered to the ground where Daniel seized it.

  "You'll pay for this!" the elf screamed as he fell to his knees.

  "What's going on?" A female voice travelled down one of the other tunnels.

  "We need to leave!" Daniel took hold of Sarsia and shunted her towards the tunnel to the left of the beds.

  Larnika took hold of my arm and dragged me in the same direction. A shout of warning came from the elf as we passed. Larnika kicked a boot into his face causing his head to snap back and rebound off the wall behind.

  As we were about to exit the cave, I caught the glint of something silver in the corner by the last bed. Larnika forced me into the tunnel, marching after Sarsia and Daniel. Pulling back, I managed to wrench out of his grip.

  Trenton overtook me as I slowed, my instincts drawing me back to what I thought I had seen.

  "Wait here for me," I told him when he frowned over his shoulder.

  Being a subject of mine, he had no choice. He frowned as I spun and went back into the cavern. The elf was still clutching his arm, but he was up on his feet. He froze when I went over to the beds.

  "What are you doing?"

  The thundering footsteps from the approaching elves made my heart pound in my head. Moving near the bed, I bent down and grasped the metal brooch that had been lying on the floor. A blast of warmth entered me, the power almost knocking me to the floor. My eyes closed as my whole body shook, the magic from the brooch filtering into me slowly.

  "Wait," I heard someone say quietly.

  Opening my eyes, I watched as bright light danced above us, the intensity causing me to squint. The movement of shadows drew my attention as the elf stepped towards me.

  "It's you!" His words were laced with hatred.

 
A woman and two men came into view as my vision cleared. They stepped forward, their pinched faces growing even tighter when they saw what I held.

  "You're the Lost Queen!"

  The elf with the broken arm ran at me.

  The echoes of the others calling me reached my ears as I ducked out of the way of the elf. They couldn’t come for me, my command forcing them to stay where they were.

  The elf spun, his teeth gritted as he gripped his arm. "Get her!"

  The other two elves came for me. My belly rolled as I backed away, my fingers sliding on the handle of my sword as I tried to clutch it.

  Spinning away as they reached me, I fumbled with my weapon, only just grabbing it out by the time they reached me.

  One of them managed to catch hold of my hand that held the brooch, while the other tried to retrieve my sword.

  "I don't think so!" Daniel came into view, his arms wrapping around the other man's waist, pulling him away.

  The woman clenched my hand so hard, the brooch cut into my skin, stinging my palm. Before I could react, her arm came around my waist, tugging me to her. A blade was held against my throat, the cold sharp steel biting into my skin. Closing my eyes briefly, I remembered what Larnika had told me about breaking out of a hold.

  "Pretty princess won't live to see another day," the foul-smelling woman sang in my ear.

  Thrusting my elbow back, I almost fell when she released me. Gripping my sword in both hands, I swung around as fast as I could, the weapon held out in front of me. The tip of it cut through her dress, slicing the skin deep on her stomach before my sweaty hands released the handle and it clattered to the ground.

  "Bitch!" The woman held her hands against her belly as blood soaked the rough material.

  "We have to get out of here!"

  Daniel marched over and offered his hand. Glancing at it, I recoiled at the blood that lined his palm. The other elf was on the ground, his head no longer attached to his body. The elf with the broken arm was no longer in the cavern. The woman fell to her knees as she sneered at me.

  Taking Daniel's hand, I let him lead me out of the cave and into the tunnel where the others waited. Trenton shook his head when we appeared, his trembling hand shaking the torch. The shadows flickered as he threw an arm around me, checking to see whether I was harmed.

  "You cannot do that!" Sarsia snapped at the same time as Larnika spoke. "What happened?"

  "We can't stay here," Daniel said. "… We must go."

  Trenton thrust me ahead of him, not giving me a chance to refuse. My hand still clasped the brooch, but I didn't let them know that I had it. The silver rose in a star was something I had seen embroidered on my father's tunic when Sarsia had given me the image of my parents. The brooch had been nestled at the neck of my mother's gown. The emblem of our name.

  Placing the brooch into the pocket of my cloak, I swallowed hard as tears came to my eyes. The feeling of familiarity that had slunk through my veins had told me the truth. It had shown me that I could no longer doubt who I was. Only a princess of Althea would be able to access the magic in the brooch. That's what had resounded in my head as the magic had entered me.

  "We're almost there," Daniel announced.

  My feet had walked of their own accord, the time ticking by much faster than I realised. My mind had been full of questions as we traversed the tunnels in silence, each one of us absorbed in our own thoughts. The winding passageways grew smaller and smaller as they sloped upwards, the earthy floors rising to the ground above.

  Daniel stopped us when we reached a heavy wooden door. The black hinges were rusty, the red a contrast to the paint. My mind was in a fog as he spoke, his words blending into one another and not making sense.

  "Layanna?" he said, waving a hand in front of my face.

  "Sorry." Glancing at the others, I smiled sheepishly. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

  "You've just made your first kill, I understand." Daniel immediately went back to what he was saying. "This door leads to the basement of the blacksmith right next to the gates. Once we exit the back entrance, we'll dart across the tiny courtyard and straight out of the city. Once through, we'll walk as if we're leaving after a nice stroll around the streets."

  "First kill?" Larnika said, grabbing Daniel's arm and yanking hard.

  Thrusting him away, Daniel frowned. "Well, if the woman's not dead yet, she will be soon. She gutted her." Jabbing his finger in my direction, the human shrugged. "What does it matter? We need to go!"

  Larnika and Sarsia shared a look. They glanced at the sword, their eyes wide. They had mentioned something about the sword being invoked when I made my first kill with it. My skin went cold as my breath grew heavy. I hadn't killed anyone. I had just hurt her to prevent her from harming me.

  "We do need to leave." Trenton indicated that Daniel should open the door. "The woman isn't dead yet, so let's get out of Loridon before she dies."

  Everyone nodded, except me, who stared down at the sword that was safely tucked into its scabbard.

  Trenton was right, I had to clear my mind and get outside the city. The dragons were out there, hopefully able to help us defeat Jordeek. We had to reach them before the King of Althea caught us.

  Pulling open the door, Daniel checked that the way was clear by sticking his head out first. Waving once, he disappeared through it.

  I didn't hesitate when Larnika took my hand and pulled me through the blacksmith’s shop and outside. The courtyard had three sides, but the gates were on the edge of the last building on the right. Not far at all. Daniel was already halfway across, his steps even but fast.

  "Keep your eyes ahead." Larnika linked his arm through mine, forcing my cloak to flow out behind me.

  "I'm feeling a little light-headed," I whispered as the world swum around me.

  His strength kept me up as the blue sky grew so bright, I had to partially close my eyes. My feet kicked up dust as we ran for the gate. The others followed behind, their footsteps loud in my ears, even though they were a few steps behind. No one was around, the sun only just peeking up from the mountains in the distance.

  "Keep going," Larnika ordered as my legs started to wobble.

  Daniel slowed as we came nearer to the gates, falling back to join the group. We all marched around the corner of the building together, our heads held high.

  Two guards were standing beside the drawbridge, their stance rigid as we passed by. Once through the gates, we looked towards the brow of the hill to freedom... and immediately froze.

  "How?" Trenton whispered at the same time as Larnika swore.

  "They must have known," Larnika said, glaring at Daniel.

  He raised his hands, his eyes wide. "I promise, this isn't on me."

  My eyes traced the hundreds of men who lined the brow of the hill in the distance. In the meadow below us stood Herk, dressed in armour and waving a Loridon flag from the saddle of his horse. He was flanked by his guards, their armour reflecting the rising sun. The air grew cold suddenly, ice gripping my limbs.

  "She's shaking," Larnika said to Sarsia. "Something’s wrong."

  Stepping away from his support, I instinctively reached for my sword. Pulling it out of the scabbard, I held it high in the air. My whole body shook violently, my legs only just keeping me upright. A bright blue light lit up the elaborate swirls that were carved into the sword's blade. I kept my arms strong as Larnika rested one hand under my elbow.

  Sarsia was on the other side, making sure my other arm stayed high in the air.

  "Is that the sword of Althea?" Herk shouted at the top of his voice, his legs already marching him closer.

  As the light grew brighter, the men on the hill started to cover their eyes, unable to look at it. I stared up at my weapon, unable to look away as a new swirl, in the shape of an L, appeared on the silver blade. I was about to relax my arms, not able to hold them up anymore, when the light shot out of the end of the sword and came back down, crashing into the top of my head and knocking me t
o the floor.

  My head pounded so hard, I couldn’t open my eyes. Pain gripped every part of my body as a black mist swirled in my inner vision. The last words I heard before I passed out was from Heck as he approached.

  "If the lost queen is dead because of you, we'll all be dead within the hour. King Jordeek is on his way."

  Chapter Sixteen

  "Layanna?" The rich velvety tone of his voice filtered into my mind. "Are you there?"

  My eyes fluttered open as the sun stroked my face, the warmth caressing my skin. As my eyes came into focus, I encountered a man bending over me. Tears sprung to my eyes as my father stroked my cheek. His eyes were pinched, the lines around them deep.

  "My child, how I've longed to see you."

  Tears trembled in his eyes as I sat up. Looking around, I gasped at the beauty of the throne room. The stained glass I'd seen from afar threw coloured patterns across the stone floor. The trees stood proud, their branches entwining with each other. The feeling of home resounded throughout me, a call so strong, it made my chest ache.

  "How are we here?"

  Cupping my cheek, my father smiled at me. "You've inherited the magic of the Fairling rulers. You're weak. You won't be able to defeat Jordeek today, so you must run. The power that runs through your veins takes a year to settle, which means you're still going to have to ask the dragons for assistance, but you must be careful, Layanna."

  "I can't believe you're here. It's been..." My chest squeezed as the memories of the last week flooded through me. Death, threat, fear. Emotions that I had never felt so strongly in my life.

  "I know it's been challenging, my child." Getting to his feet, my father pulled me up with him. "But, it will be worth it in the end. The universe tests our strength to help us grow into who we're supposed to become."

  "I'm not sure I like being tested this much. How can I be the ruler of Althea when I’m so weak?"

  Taking my hand, he led me to the steps that rose to the platform that held the throne. There was only one, its glass distorted in the most beautiful way.

  "You've got to dig deep inside yourself, child. The challenges you face in life will only break you if you abandon yourself. You are the power you seek, not the magic outside of yourself."