by Dixon, TJ
“Please don’t expel her, nyyynyyya!” I protest.
“Enough with the annoying sounds you make.”
“Annoying sounds, nyan?” I ask confused.
“Whatever, just shut up.” The teacher says. “We will begin with…”
So the lesson begins and I am really worried. It is lunchtime and there is still no sign of Aventurine. I race back to our room, flying through the corridors in a panic. Thankfully I avoid hitting any walls and reach our room, but it is empty. I then race to the lunchroom. No Aventurine. I am close to tears now.
“Hey Neko.”
“Cherry, Sherry.” I say but my voice breaks as I speak.
“What’s wrong?” One of them says. I can’t tell them apart, so I’m not sure which.
“Ahh, ah, Ave, Aventurine…”
“What happened to her?”
“Nu, Nu, Not, su, suure… Gu, gone. Ex, ex, ex…” But I can’t continue. Tears start to flow from my eyes and there are lots of people watching now.
“Let’s take this somewhere more private.” One of them says and grabs my hand. They port us and then we are in a bedroom. Theirs I guess. “Aventurine’s gone, and you don’t know where?” She says and I nod. “When did you last see her?”
“Yesterday. Morning.” I say taking a deep breath between words.
“You share a room don’t you?”
“Yes. She, went, to, family. Not, back.”
“What was her family?”
“Divine. Flame.”
“That’s a really famous family. They’re not going to expel her for missing just one day.”
“They’re not?”
“No.”
“You know where… where it is?”
“Yes, but it would be a problem if we turned up uninvited. We would cause Aventurine a lot of trouble. We should wait until tomorrow to do anything. She’ll probably turn up as if nothing happened. Noble families can be complicated.”
“Just, wait, nyyya?” I ask unbelieving.
“I think it would be best. You’d really be helping Aventurine by being patient.”
“Helping Aventurine? Ok. I want to help Aventurine. So I’ll wait until tomorrow, but if she isn’t here tomorrow?”
“Talk to us tomorrow at lunch time again. You can let us know she’s back, but if she isn’t then we can decide what to do next.”
“Ok.”
“Do you want to get lunch now? Some food might calm you down a little.”
“Can you port me to the forest edge? I want to eat something tasty.”
“Um, ok.” She says looking doubtful. She ports me there and waits whilst I find a sleepy bird. It is tasty. I then find a couple of squirrels. I head back quickly so I don’t keep her waiting.
“That’s better, nya.” I say a bit more relaxed.
“You have blood on your mouth.” She says looking a little funny. I lick my lips and then wipe my mouth.
“Gone?”
“Yes, gone.” She says. I go to touch her for the return port but she says, “Wait, I’ll do it.” Then she holds my wrist weakly and ports us back to her room where her sister is waiting.
“Better?” Her sister asks.
“Better. Thank you. I’m sorry, but I still can’t tell you apart, but thank you, thank you.”
“Don’t worry. Other than our family the only one who can tell us apart is Peter.”
“And he’s just weird.”
“Yes.”
“Peter is nice!” I protest.
“Nice, but weird.”
“Yes, really nice, but really weird.”
“He’s not weird.”
“We’d better get something to eat. Is there anywhere else we can port you first?”
“No, thank you. I’ll leave through the door.” I say. Outside I walk away but can’t help hearing one of them whisper. They can’t have closed the door properly or the magic would prevent me hearing.
“She had blood on her mouth. She must have eaten some animal raw!”
“Disgusting!”
They helped me though, so I try to forget what they said. They don’t mean any harm. Most people here seem to be unaware how lovely raw meat tastes. The afternoon lesson is slow and I keep hoping to see Aventurine stroll into the classroom like nothing happened. Then I head to training and though I am not surprised I am still disappointed not to see Aventurine.
The Year 2s seem a little different to normal. With most of them I can’t quite place what is different, but Rin is clearly furious. I feel sorry for Yusa who works with Aventurine and Rin. Peter on the other hand seems distracted, though I suppose I am at least as distracted.
“Where’s Aventurine?” Peter asks everyone in the wind group sounding worried. He then looks at Cherry and then at me. “You’re in the same class aren’t you Neko?”
“Yes.” I say nervously.
“Did Aventurine say anything about being late today?”
“I haven’t seen Aventurine today.” Before I can say anything else though tears well up in my eyes and it is all I can do not to burst into tears. Then Rin is there having left Yusa on her own.
“Neko…” She starts to say but Peter interrupts.
“Not now…” He starts to say but she snaps at him.
“Yes now! That bloody Aventurine chooses today of…”
“I said not now!” Peter snaps back at her and she glares at him. Then she stamps away clearly even more furious than before.
“When I find her…” I hear her whisper with glacial cold anger.
“Cherry, Neko, come with me. Emma, handle the training for now.” Peter says calmly. I can tell Emma is a little panicked. She normally only works with a few of the better students.
“Ok, everyone…” She starts to say but I don’t listen to the rest because I am lost in thought. We walk a little way. Nobody else can see or hear us now.
“Cherry, what do you know?” Peter asks abruptly.
“Well, I spoke to Neko earlier, and it seems Aventurine is with her family. She was visiting for the day but she didn’t come back. She’s a noble though so family matters can be a little… complicated. I’m sure she is fine.”
“When was she last seen?” Peter asks sounding very concerned now.
“Yesterday morning.” Cherry says.
“Has anybody tried to contact her?” Peter asks.
“It could make matters worse.” Cherry says.
“Where does Aventurine live?” Peter asks.
“It really isn’t a good idea for you to visit.” Cherry says nervously. “Most nobles would be very unhappy to have a visit from a boy to see their daughter.”
“A visit from another noble wouldn’t be an issue though, right?”
“Well, no, not if it was a noble girl.”
“Or a noble woman?”
“Or that, but who are you thinking of?”
“I have a couple of ideas. Do either of you know anything else of relevance?” Peter says. I shake my head and so does Cherry.
“No.” Cherry says.
“Then return to training both of you, and Neko, try not to worry.” Peter says.
“Thank you, nya.” I say relieved that he is going to do something. Then we do as we are asked.
(Queen Emily)
“Report.” I command. There was a time when I wouldn’t have commanded anyone. My father would have, but even he was a minor noble in a minor country. Then he ran away and left me in charge of defending our people. So I turned to Gold. Not that I chose him. He chose me. I just summoned a powerful demon. One of the hundred he was fighting. He came after it, and for a moment I was sure he was going to kill me too. Instead he enslaved me, and ruled my people. My people were safe so it was a sacrifice I was happy to make. Then he fulfilled his ambition to gain vengeance against the Queen of Contractia, but at the cost of his life. Unknown to me though, I was heir to his power, and as a result I became a very unlikely Queen. Not through choice, or at least not my choice.
Now
I am Queen of the most powerful country of all. Or at least it was supposed to be most powerful. Unfortunately we seem to be losing more and more battles. I can only hope this is going to be one of those rare victories.
“Your majesty, I am sorry to report…” Nothing good ever started with ‘Your majesty I am sorry to report’. “…the enemy has eluded our forces in the Minerva region. The city of Minerva is holding out, but the people are running out of food. If we can’t destroy the enemy and reopen the gates within a week or two we will have no choice but to evacuate the city. Many villages and towns in the region have been destroyed, but due to your timely orders the people of the region are all in the city. This has however reduced the supplies that were intended to last in the event of a siege. What are your orders?”
“I will need to consider the options.” I say. Truthfully I am not a master of the art of war. I would have preferred to avoid war, but the enemy leaves us no choice. Ironically it was Contractia that declared war on the enemy, but it was before my time as Queen, though it seems Gold played a part. I have to rely on my trusted advisers, and they are few. Trusted ones that is. Advisers are many, but most have aims of their own, that are rarely the same as mine or the Queendom of Contractia. “I will summon you when I have made a decision.”
“Yes, your majesty.” She says and leaves. The next woman approaches my throne. As she passes the audience curtain though I realise it is not she but he. In fact someone I had not expected to see for a while. “You changed your mind?”
“I am sorry your majesty, but I need your help.” Peter says.
“And I need yours.” I reply annoyed.
“How about a trade? I solve one problem for you, and you solve one for me?” He says. I consider it for a moment. Perhaps he could solve the Minerva problem for me.
“What is your problem?” I ask.
“One of my club members is being detained by her mother. She is at risk of expulsion, and perhaps much worse. At the moment she is chained up and hasn’t eaten for days.”
“Mothers do seem to have rather a lot of rights over their children in Contractia. It may seem harsh, but I would face a rebellion if I tried to change that.”
“For all of Contractia, yes, I suspect you may be right. I am asking only to help with one person though, not to change the law.”
“Who is this person?”
“Aventurine Divine Flame.”
“Of the Divine Flame nobility?”
“Yes.”
“They are a powerful family. I might have serious problems if I interfere with their personal matters.”
“Is there nothing you can do?” He asks sounding desperate.
“I suppose I could enrol her into the military immediately. Is she a good mage?”
“Umm… She has potential.” He says, and it sounds like he is just being polite to her.
“So she isn’t a good mage yet.”
“She certainly isn’t ready to fight in the war.” Peter agrees.
“Who is her mother?”
“Ragia Divine Flame.” He says and I sigh.
“Head of the Divine Flames. It really would be a problem to interfere with her. If it had been a lowly branch member it might be less problematic.”
“What was your problem?” He asks.
“I have a city that is running out of food, and an enemy that prevents me from opening a gate to it.”
“That would be a problem… How were you panning on my helping with it?”
“I’m sure if you took power from my slaves and servants again you could defeat the enemy.”
“On my own?” He asks dismayed.
“I could give you a small team, or you could choose your own.”
“How about putting Ragia on the team? If I prove myself perhaps she might change her mind. If not we could discuss our options later.” Peter suggests.
“Put Ragia under your command?” I ask in astonishment. “She might not take too kindly to it, but… it might work. Perhaps just so she doesn’t have to work for you again she might give in. Is there anyone else you want on the team?”
“What do you know about the enemy?”
“They’re a people who serve the fallen angels. They call themselves elves. They use wind, water and earth magic mostly. They are very hard to find, and even harder to beat.”
“Fire should work well then… How many elves are we facing?”
“Possibly as many as three.” I say.
“I thought an entire city was under siege.” Peter says confused.
“Not under siege. The surrounding towns and villages are being destroyed, but their people are safe in the city. The elves however are stopping us from opening a gate to supply the city.”
“They sound powerful.”
“They are. I might be able to defeat them myself, but if I go it could prompt the fallen angels to enter the war too. If I go and fail it would be a disaster.”
“Another flame user or two wouldn’t hurt.”
“I could send Trinity Divine Flame as well. She isn’t as powerful as her mother, but it would make sense to send both of them. There are few fire mages who can compete with the Divine Flames, and I can’t spare too many fire mages. Fire mages are some of the most valued in my army. It would be good to get the younger sister fully trained too. It would be a waste for her to get expelled.”
“She isn’t a fire mage. She’s a water mage, but I do agree it would be a waste.” Peter says. I am shocked to hear this, but relieved that Peter seems willing to take the job. I also don’t believe that he is concerned about the waste. He is thinking of a friend, and if I was in his position I would be too. “I also want Yu Kii from my own team. She isn’t that powerful, but her senses would be invaluable.”
“Do you have a water mage in mind?”
“Is there much water where we are going?”
“No. It is a very dry land. Parts are desert.”
“Then we should be ok without one.”
“Is there anything else you will need?”
“The items you gave me and my friends to communicate. It would be very helpful to have something similar for the team so we can communicate more effectively.”
“That should be possible.”
“I’d also like some for my club members.”
“That can be arranged, once you have completed the task.” I say. It is actually a pain to make them, but he is doing this even though I am not able to promise to help him with what he wants. I really don’t get the impression that Peter is someone I can just order around. I get the impression doing so would turn him against me, and he is the only person in Contractia who has been able to use power similar to my own. A valuable ally, but a dangerous enemy. I didn’t think like this before, but time running a powerful country has changed me. Perhaps the power inside me has too.
“So how soon do we leave?” Peter asks.
“Get as much power as you can today and then get some more tomorrow. You can leave after that. I will have Yu Kii and the Divine Flames join us.”
I have the head of their academy bring Yu Kii, but I personally go to the Divine Flames with part of my personal guard. To say they are surprised to see me is an understatement.
“To what do we owe the pleasure of your majesty’s visit?” Trinity Divine Flame asks as she greets me at the front gate. She is trembling though, which is very unusual for a noble of one of Contractia’s most powerful families.
“We will speak in private. Your mother too.”
“She is not…” Trinity starts to say but I do not entertain her.
“You are both summoned to the palace. Be there in five minutes. Do not be late.” I say and my voice is as cold as ice. It was hard to sound cold or commanding when I first became Queen. Now it comes more naturally than speaking casually. Unfortunately I have had much more practise at cold than at casual recently.
Chapter 8 (Multiple)
(Peter)
I dread to think what Rin is going to say, or do,
when I get back. She was furious that I went after David on my own, but I am glad I did. If I had anyone with me I am not sure I could have won. I am also concerned about this brother of his. Now though I need to focus on the task at hand.
Yu Kii seems more nervous than I am. Normally she would be one of the more powerful mages around me, but this time she is probably the weakest. The Divine Flames are professional and renowned mages. I am much more powerful than normal thanks to the power I have taken. The enemy it seems are legendary but neither of us had heard of elves until recently, so they don’t have the same effect on us that they seem to on most people. What Yu Kii is most nervous about though, is probably meeting the Divine Flames, and not the enemy.
“They’ll be here any moment.” Yu Kii says fidgeting with her fingers.
“Stop fidgeting then. You’re making me nervous.” I say.
“Sorry!” Yu Kii says and puts her hands behind her back, but I can tell she is still fidgeting. At least it is less obvious.
A young woman and an older woman port in. I can see the resemblance in the sister, and though it is less obvious in the mother I have no doubt who they are. The young woman appears a little nervous but the older woman is outwardly calm. Her aura however reveals that she is furious. It isn’t going to be easy to win her respect, but hopefully I will manage it.
“Ragia Divine Flame.” She announces and bows politely.
“Trinity Divine Flame.” The younger woman announces and bows.
“Yu Kii.” Yu Kii announces bowing back.
“Peter of the Wind.” I announce and bow back as well.
“It seems we will be working together.” Ragia says smiling but her aura reveals her true feelings.
“Indeed. Are you aware of the details?” I ask politely.
“Yes. It would seem we are to face the evil elves and free the fair city of Minerva. It would also seem we will be under your command in this campaign. It was a little unclear who else would be with us though.”
“It’s just the four of us. That should be plenty.” I say. Her mask drops for a fraction of a moment, but is back up again almost instantly.
“I had heard that the royal army was forced to retreat. It doesn’t sound like they will be easy foes.” Ragia says.
