The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV]

by Robbie Collins

  She sat straight up in her bed, shocked into full alertness, “NO!"

  Sle'nel’ stirred, awakened in her sleep by San'lr'in's sudden movement. The High Queen looked at her, “Forgive Me, My Elf.” She got up and hurriedly threw on her garments, grabbing for her long hooded cloak as she half-ran out of the alcove where Ann'wn and The Healer were yet working out their relationship. Sle'nel', dazed, just stared after her.

  "Please, Healer. Let me lay beside you this eve."

  The Healer looked into Ann'wn's eyes, every part of her body and mind craving her. She drew in a big breath, then released it, sighing. For the first moment since being in The High Queen's bed many cycles prior, The Healer had decided to take a chance on love.

  Just as she began to say yes, she saw San'lr'in', “High One! What is wrong?"

  Ann'wn jerked around to The High Queen at The Healer's shocked expression, and saw The High Queen staring at them, looking confused. She didn't respond to The Healer, but instead gave a quick whistle, calling her horse to her.

  Ann'wn ran over to her, “My Queen. What is wrong?"

  "I must go. There are no moments to spare. But it is good that you are here."

  Her horse came up to her and she began to mount it. Ann'wn stood holding onto the horse's mane, “My Queen. You cannot go alone."

  The High Queen ignored Ann'wn's statement, “Force Leader. Prepare everyone. Now! Battle comes."

  "I cannot leave you, my Queen. You must take someone with you."

  The High Queen looked around, seeing that Sle'nel’ stood off to one side with a cover wrapped around her. Seeing no one else, she said, “I waste moments speaking with you. You must tend to all the forces, Force Leader. Prepare them, and quickly so.” She held out her arm, reaching down to The Healer, “Come!"

  The Healer grabbed her arm and jumped up onto the back of The High Queen's horse. The High Queen looked at Ann'wn one last moment, “Bring Sam'r'in'thel'ineln'. And bring The High Queen's sword. Quickly, Ann'wn! Full weapons, Force Leader."

  She began to leave, “Oh, and Force Leader, know this. Have the Elf well-guarded this eve."

  "How will I know where you are?"

  She took only a moment to think on the answer, then responded, “Tell Ern'seln’ to lead you to the far west tunnel. The one that exits into the valley far below. She will guide you to Me."

  With that, she took one last look at Sle'nel', looking into her eyes, then made her horse to take off like thunder, moving as rapidly as she could through the tunnels, lighting them as they rode. The Healer held on tightly, as the ride was quick but filled with turns and narrow passageways, and a deadly steep descent. She thought that The High Queen didn't really know she was with her, and felt useless. She knew that the only reason she was with The High Queen at this moment was that no other had been available.

  Of what use am I to The High Queen?

  The High Queen heard The Healer's thoughts but ignored them, intent on what the voice in her head had said, Your first test awaits you.

  She knew of no one who had powers such as hers, as the Deep Mystics had said that there were no other such powers. Now she saw that this statement was being challenged. She was troubled, knowing that whoever this enemy was, this enemy was now testing and watching her.

  Perhaps they deceive, only. Perhaps they have no such powers, in truth. Yet...

  She guided her horse through the countless tunnels, racing through them with little caution. She cast off the possible danger within the tunnels, well knowing that whatever danger within them was no comparison to what she now faced on the outside.

  She recalled the feeling of the voice, This is the power that sent the long-dead to Erthrn's town to kill the Elf. And the same power that tried to kill My Elf in the battle against the Dungaras. But who is this power?

  When they finally reached the ledge at the end of the long downhill tunnel passage, The High Queen reached her arm out to The Healer, helping her down. She then quickly dismounted and half-ran to the tunnel's exit that looked out onto the valley below. She stood staring out into the distance, hoping she wouldn't see what she expected to see.

  But she did.

  The Healer's voice was a strangled whisper, “By the mothers, what is that, High One?"

  The High Queen's heart sank in dread. So softly that The Healer could barely hear her, she replied, “Sorcery that has been not in The Realm for long-prior. Someone has called the ancient arts to them."

  "Sorcery, my Queen? Such as Sle'nel's?"

  "No, not such as hers. What you now see is the Dark Sorcery long hidden from The Realm. Sadly, it has been found."

  "Hidden? Found?"

  The High Queen ignored the questions, knowing now what she needed to do.

  Yet, it could be a mere deception. This could be the greatest of their sorcery, and are just using it to frighten us.

  But she knew better. She knew that this was just the beginning. And she knew that this was frightening enough.

  "What is it we now look upon, High One?"

  Studying the scene before her through narrowed eyes, she replied, “That is the Dark Sorcery's legion. A thousand or more of the long-prior dead."

  The Healer screamed her thoughts silently, A legion of the long-prior dead?

  The High Queen stood staring at the sight far in front of them, knowing that whoever created this huge enemy force did so at great cost to their own sorcery powers, as this had taken much effort.

  Much effort, indeed. But most skilled effort.

  She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, summoning her great powers to her as she waited Ann'wn's arrival. She knew that as she defeated this enemy, she would have one, but only one chance to discover the master of this sorcery.

  Who is this? I must find who created this sorcery.

  The Healer looked at her Queen, ever awed in her presence. Who wouldn't follow this woman? A thousand or more enemy approach, and yet she displays only assuredness. Who else could do as such?

  The High Queen stood slightly taller than The Healer, and their stance in The Realm was as opposites. The High Queen held herself in an ever regal fashion, always fully formal in appearance, while The Healer knew herself to care more for her potions and spells than her own appearance. She admired how The High Queen looked in even this most alone of moments, but saddened that such a burden was placed onto this most extraordinary woman. The Healer looked out at the hundreds and hundreds of torch fires in the distance, wondering who controlled what her Queen had called the Dark Sorcery, never prior having heard of such.

  There she stands, defiant, even if only to the lightly whispering wind. No enemy affects her stance. How is such an assured manner as this possible?

  Feeling useless in the enormous magnitude of the situation, The Healer watched in amazement, wondering how her Queen appeared so calm in the face of such outstandingly overwhelming odds. She wondered what her Queen would conjure up to defeat this enemy, guessing that such would occur. As The Healer waited for Ann'wn and the others, and as she stared off at the distant yet approaching fires, she recalled her just-prior moments with Ann'wn, realizing that her Queen had interrupted them just as she was about to give Ann'wn her answer. She shivered at the thought, recalling Ann'wn's kisses and embraces. She was intent on her memories of the moment, but the movement of the lights then captured her attention. The sun's rise was yet far from emerging, so guessed that their battle was to be in the early morn, just prior to the sun's rise. She wondered if they would live to see the new turn, watching as the enemy thundered ever closer.

  The Healer stood by her Queen throughout the late-eve, watching the lights slowly but steadily race toward them.

  After many long moments, The High Queen's forces finally arrived, Ann'wn leaping from her horse and running to The High Queen. As Ann'wn came near, without any acknowledgement of having heard her, The High Queen held out her hand for her sword. Ann'wn placed its hilt in her hand, noticing that its red stones were now glowing and emitting smal
l red sparks. It was as if The High Queen felt the nearness of her sword. Ann'wn had never prior seen it do as such, but saw that The High Queen's sword was actually trembling as it came nearer to The High Queen.

  The High Queen spoke, but her voice was unlike ever prior, Ann'wn thinking it sounded as if it were from well outside their realm, “Bring Sam'r'in'thel'ineln’ to Me. Give her the Warrior Woman's sword, and stand well away from Me. Use no weapons unless it is commanded, but remain prepared."

  Ann'wn finally turned toward the yet unseen enemy, her eyes widening at the size of the enemy's force.

  Her eyes wide in shock, she looked back at her Queen, but kept her thoughts to herself, How can we possibly halt such a force as this? On the tip of her tongue was another question to The High Queen, Use no Weapons? but she also held that thought in. Her heart was beating with an intensity she seldom felt in battle—a beating of fear—of certain death.

  The High Queen held the sword in both hands straight out from her with its tip toward the sky. She bowed her head and began to chant what Ann'wn thought sounded like some long-prior ancient chant in some unknown tongue.

  Strn’ too non dey an noo doh ney...

  Frn’ den-sto-ney an doo ny doh...

  Dom stn’ non-ney an noo doh ney...

  Sac’ tra’ fos-sen an tey no non...

  Many moments passed, yet the chanting continued. All eyes moved back and forth between their rapidly approaching enemy and The High Queen. An'ther'on was one of the bravest women in The Realm, but even she stood shaking at the sight of the approaching enemy forces. A thousand or more were now riding quickly to them at full speed, and with full weaponry readied. The enemy forces were comprised fully of the long-prior dead, and were nothing more than skeletons. Even their horses were skeletons. And their sounds of death and war were fearful; their numbers stunning. Their war cries the chilling sound of terror unleashed.

  The High Queen's sword began to hum a low droning sound as she chanted. None had ever heard such prior, and stood awed in the moment. Ann'wn saw that a small field of energy now glowed and circled around each of the stones. Suddenly, shocking everyone fully, lightning hit The High Queen's sword. As surprising, The High Queen continued to chant as if nothing had occurred. All watched as lightning bolt after lightning bolt hit The High Queen's sword, moving through it into her. All listened as The High Queen chanted in a soft but quickly cadenced monotone:

  San’ rn’ Doc’ rn’ nl’ nin’ ae non...

  San’ rn’ Se’ le’ Drn’ trn rn le'...

  Dey niln San’ rn’ Doc’ rn nl’ nin...

  Frn’ dern’ non-ney an noo doh ney...

  The High Queen's five sorcerers listened to the chant, seldom knowing the powers their Queen summoned to herself. But on this turn, they gasped. Sle'nel’ tuned her ears to them, wondering what they had heard.

  Sele’ confirmed their unspoken question, “She summons The Realm's Watchers; the long-dead High Queens. She summons their powers."

  While Sle'nel’ believed that Sele’ had heard correctly, she looked at her lover in full disbelief, How is such a thing as this possible? Who *is* she?

  The rhythmic chanting of The High Queen along with the droning sound of The High Queen's sword and the increasing intensity of the pounding horse-hooves gave an eerie cast to the pre-dawn moment, making all wonder and fear what The High Queen was calling to her.

  Sele’ pointed off into the distance, “Look. It is the prior High Queens!"

  To everyone's complete disbelief, Sele’ was correct.

  An'ther'on could barely breathe, “By the mothers, this is not possible."

  Far off to The High Queen's side began to emerge visions of the prior High Queens. They stood slightly apart from each other, looking as if half-spirit and half-real. They stood un-moving, each holding onto their own High Queen's sword.

  The Healer gasped quietly as she saw that San'lr'in’ stood as they did—fearless. And that she looked as they did—powerful. To a one, The Healer saw that the long-prior, long-dead High Queens were stunning in their beauty, also appearing as uncompromisingly determined and intimidatingly intelligent. As San'lr'in’ began to complete her chanting, they began to come together slowly, as if there were no urgent moments about them.

  When San'lr'in’ completed her spell, the long-prior, long-dead High Queens all raised their swords and touched their tips together. San'lr'in’ raised her sword and bowed her head to them, acknowledging their presence. The Healer heard all The High Queens’ swords droning the now wordless chant. Suddenly, as all their sword tips touched, and as San'lr'in’ held hers out to them, a red lightning bolt emerged from their swords and flew straight into San'lr'in's. With that done, they lowered their swords and waited.

  The enemy was almost upon them. Standing nearby, Sam watched as the lightning finally halted, and saw her sister draw in a big breath, then lower her head. San'lr'in’ then looked up, and for the first moment since her arrival, looked about her, seeing all her forces prepared and waiting her command. She made eye contact with Ann'wn.

  As if there were no concern or hurry, she raised an eyebrow and gave a mischievous grin, “Trust Me, Force Leader?"

  Ann'wn bowed her head, unable to smile, “Always, my Queen."

  The High Queen turned to Sam, “Trust Me, Highest?"

  "With my life, my Queen."

  "The pain will be great."

  "I do as you need."

  San'lr'in’ sent an unspoken message to her sister. Now knowing what was needed of her, Sam followed her sister's lead. Together, they raised their swords to each other, crashing them together and holding them as if joined. The impact was astounding, but the force of The High Queen's power flooded through Sam's sword, almost knocking her to the ground, but, while in great pain from the energy flowing directly into her, she held fast. The long-prior, long-dead High Queens did the same, making a sound of an earthquake when their swords came together. A giant arc of red lightning suddenly formed between them, San'lr'in’ and Sam.

  "NOW, HIGHEST!"

  Sam followed her sister's commands, using all her strength to remove her sword from the vibrating and humming red arc, striking it solidly into the ground, holding tightly onto it. The enemy was upon them and Ann'wn thought they would now have to fight. Any more moments, and they would surely die.

  Abruptly, the enemy forces halted just in front of them, forced to do so by the strength of the spell Sam now held tightly to her, through her sword. The High Queen stepped in front of Sam, addressing their enemy, “I am San'lr'in'thel'ineln', High Queen of All The Realm. You belong not in our Realm. Our long-dead leaders have come to lead you home. Bow now before Me, or live forever in the eternity of torment."

  Sam saw that her own sword's powers served as the force field that was now holding the enemy forces away from them, while the long-prior, long-dead High Queens and her sister's connection of the red arc had begun to silently spread over the enemies. The long-dead enemy forces looked between San'lr'in’ and the long-prior, long-dead High Queens. But none moved to bow to her.

  One of the long-prior, long-dead High Queens stepped slightly forward and held up her sword. As an example to the enemy forces, a bolt of lightning attacked a small portion of the enemy forces. When the lightning bolt had disappeared, so had those enemy forces.

  "I am Drn'rn'thel'ineln', First High Queen of All The Realm. Return with Me or be tortured throughout eternity. This is not our Realm. We no longer belong in it."

  Sle'nel’ gasped, “The First High Queen."

  She knelt down on her knee and bowed her head, as did all of San'lr'in's forces. All were in shock, The First High Queen.

  San'lr'in’ turned back to her enemy, “Bow before Me, or never die. Bow, NOW, or suffer an eternity of torture."

  Slowly, many of the skeleton enemies dismounted and bowed before her, as did their horses. Without hesitating or allowing any more moments, San'lr'in’ moved her sword to a horizontal position over the bowed enemies’ heads. A r
ed lightning bolt flashed in a blinding flurry over the enemy before her. Each enemy who had bowed before her was suddenly consumed in a spark of fire, finally, after all these long cycles being returned to their mothers.

  Ann'wn was horrified at the entire event, not knowing what to think of any of it, and now, up to half of their enemy were fully disappeared. And yet the other half yet faced them, more than ready to fight.

  "Now, Highest! Let go of your sword."

  Without hesitation, as their enemy was upon them, Sam followed her sister's command and let go her tight grasp on the sword. As she did, a great fog began to emerge from the ground around the sword. It grew rapidly, almost beyond understanding in its speed, and began to encase their enemy within its gray-cloaking. The enemy disappeared within the swirling and pulsating fog, and their tortured screams were loudly heard as the all-consuming fog ate its prey.

  Her part in the dispersing of the enemy completed, San'lr'in’ turned to Ann'wn, yet needing to tend to many other events with haste, “If any of them emerge from the fog, behead them. It is the only way they die. But under no circumstances must our forces enter into the fog, as they will not return."

  She went to Sam, knowing that she would be in great pain. Sam had fallen to the ground, no longer able to endure the pain of her sister's powers. San'lr'in’ placed her hand upon Sam's head and removed some of the pain, “Thank you, Sister. You have done great service to Me and to The Realm."

  The High Queen stood, then raised her sword back up and faced her long-dead High Queen counterparts. The long-prior, long-dead High Queens did the same, touching their sword tips together, and once again, the great blood-red arc flew across the sky, connecting San'lr'in’ to them, as if connecting the eons together into a single moment. She chanted her spell once more and bowed her head. For many moments, the arc pulsed as if alive, humming its energy, and then suddenly shot across the sky to a spot well west of them, hitting the ground far from their sight. The High Queen lowered her sword, moved forward yet apart from her forces and slightly closer to the long-prior, long-dead High Queens. She bowed her head to them. They lowered their swords, also walking somewhat closer to San'lr'in'.