Sele’ placed her hands on the Circle of Power as San'lr'in’ chanted a few words over it. The High Queen then placed one hand on Sele's head and her other hand on the Circle of Power. While no one could see anything occur, both Sele’ and The High Queen could feel the surge of power that left Sele', as her powers moved into the Circle of Power. The High Queen removed her hand from Sele's head, then placed the Circle of Power fully within her own hands. She said another short chant, and the Circle of Power began to disappear, moving back into her.
When it was over, she looked at Sele', “See this not as a punishment, Sele'm'tinel'ti'non'n, but as a challenge to you. Face this challenge as the leader you are meant to be. This is the first of many tests now before you. Grab it fully to you. Learn from it. Take it on willingly. Allow yourself not to fall into the depths of self-pity. Be brave and stand tall in this challenge, as if you do this, all will begin to regain their trust of your abilities."
She crouched down to her once more, looking into her eyes, “Show us the Sele'm'tinel'ti'non'n you want to be, Young One. Defy our present thoughts of you. Defy the dark powers. Show us that your powers are less important than the Supreme Sovereign who stands before Me. Show Me that you can be greater without your powers than you can be with them. Show Me this, Sele'm'tinel'ti'non'n. Can you do this for Me? Can you do this for yourself? Can you do this for all The Realm?"
Sele’ was crying softly, but maintaining. She felt alone and abandoned without her powers, but she returned The High Queen's look, and tried to stand tall before her, “Yes, my Queen. I will do so."
San'lr'in’ nodded, “It is done. Master Apprentice Ern'seln'. I give you charge over our Future Supreme Sovereign. She faces a most difficult of tasks, and will need your full support and guidance. I expect much patience from you in this regard, but also much strength in helping her to remain on her path. Upon each turn, you are to help her through her first three meditations. Only these, as she will now be unable to go any further. Even now, the first three meditations will be most difficult for her. And upon each turn, you are to teach her the Master's ways in the sword, remembering that she has no powers to match yours, and that her body is yet overly young."
Ern'seln’ knelt and bowed her head, “Yes, Great High Queen. To your will."
* * * *
Sle'nel’ had accompanied Sele’ to her shelter, with Ern'seln’ directly behind. She quietly helped prepare Sele’ for bed, knowing that Sele’ needed some comfort from her, “How are you feeling, Birth-daughter?"
She sniffled, “I am embarrassed, and sad."
Sle'nel’ wiped her tears, “You need to place these events away from your mind and look to your new challenges."
"I am frightened, Birth-Mother. I feel overly abandoned without my powers."
"What would your High Queen do?"
"She would face it bravely."
Sle'nel’ smiled and nodded, “She would. Most bravely. As you must now do."
"I am not like her."
"None of us should be as another. You need to become who you are. The best of who you are."
"But I make overly many mistakes. I have never seen or heard High Queen make a mistake."
"Perhaps we should ask her about this, as I would wager that she has upon many moments."
"You do?"
"Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone, without exception. I am just gladdened that you are making yours while you are yet young."
"I fear I will be able to contribute little during this moment of no powers, and I have become most useful in helping High Queen."
"Even she will have to manage differently now, Sele', as will you. But the moments will pass by more quickly than you can imagine, and then your powers will be restored to you. But by then, you may no longer recognize them."
"I cannot imagine as such, Birth-Mother. If your eyesight were taken from you, and then returned to you six moons later, would you not welcome it back?"
Sle'nel’ sighed, “I would, as you say, but I would have also learned other ways as well that I would hope I wouldn't lose. Perhaps my sense of hearing and smell would become much more powerful. And you will also develop other senses in this regard that may become most useful to you later."
Sele’ hugged Sle'nel', “I will sleep because of the comfort you have given, Birth-Mother. But I am sorry for what I did and for what I said to you and High Queen. I shouldn't have said such things."
"She is not your Birth-Mother, Sele'. You must always remember this. She is High Queen and is vowed to protect The Realm from all possible danger."
Sle'nel’ made certain that Sele’ was prepared for bed, then left, returning to her lover. She thought that Sele’ would manage for the next few moons, but hoped that it wouldn't be overly easy for her, as she needed to always remember this moment.
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Chapter IV
The Realm's Hidden Treasures
She went to their shelter, but didn't find San'lr'in'. She looked outside the shelter, and at the fire ring, but couldn't find her. She looked about, trying to find her boot prints, but couldn't see through the darkness to separate them out from the others. She looked for many moments longer, then began again from the fire ring, guessing that The High Queen had first left the fire ring, going in the direction toward their shelter.
Ann'wn approached her, “I am looking for The High Queen, Elf. Have you seen her?"
"No. I do as well. She is not in our shelter or at the fire ring."
Ann'wn instantly called for more guards, becoming concerned over The High Queen's whereabouts. Sle'nel’ was going to tell Ann'wn about her own search, but hadn't been given the moment, so she continued on alone.
With the help of a small torch, she finally found her boot prints. She followed those to just prior their shelter, then saw that they turned and headed off in another direction. Meera had seen Sle'nel’ examining the ground, wondering why she did so.
"Sle'nel'. What do you look for?"
Quietly, she responded, “The High Queen. I cannot find her."
"I will go alert Ann'wn."
"No, Meera. Ann'wn is already gathering many guards to her. She knows that The High Queen is missing. But you and I can find her. I have her boot prints just in front of me."
"Perhaps she is in danger though."
"Give me just a few moments, Meera. Come. Help me track her."
Meera was a superb tracker, the best in Woden, and now the best in all of these guards now about her. And Sle'nel', having been trained by the Sorcerer Women of the Mountain, was also an excellent tracker. Together they followed The High Queen's tracks with great skill, both ensuring they didn't lose them. After many moments, and far longer than Meera had patience for, they saw a large trap door opening into the ground and guessed it to be the entrance to the Grandmother's dwelling.
"She shouldn't have entered alone."
"She assumes that others follow her. A safe assumption in that they always do, except at this moment."
"She could be in danger."
"Meera, the guards lost her. They should have followed her better. When she is used to being followed about at all the moments, then she would assume as such at this moment, as well."
Neither spoke as they descended under the vast lands. Sle'nel’ was amazed at the largeness of the tunnel, seeing that it could fully allow horses to travel down into it, guessing that such was made so as to deliver any supplies that were necessary. As they went lower into the tunnel, they noticed the air becoming cooler around them. Upon two occasions, Sle'nel’ saw that the tunnel broke off into other paths, but followed San'lr'in's boot tracks that kept traveling down what looked like the main one. After many moments, they came to another door that had been left opened. They looked into a very lit dwelling, and into what looked like a large receiving hall.
They were in the first room, but yet didn't see San'lr'in', so moved into the next room. Sle'nel’ could see that it was the first real room of the dwelling, being a sort
of sitting room. The room contained richly colored woven carpets, some soft chairs, and some assorted-sized tables. There were also many cases filled with alchemy testings, books, journals, notes, artifacts from The Realm, assorted weapons, dead and stuffed animals, jars filled with a liquid and animal parts, mortars and pestles, a long table with benches on each side of it, and other such relics.
"I will keep looking for her, Elf."
"I hear her voice. She is speaking to someone."
"My greatest fear. Quickly. Lead me to her."
Sle'nel’ led them to the next room, a sort of bedroom, down a long hall and through another room, then, almost running by now down some stairs and into another room where they finally found The High Queen. With great relief, Meera and Sle'nel’ were surprised to see that The High Queen was speaking to a young woman, perhaps of seventeen cycles, who was standing in a corner, shackled by her wrists to large rings in the rock wall. Except for a small waist and hip covering, she was unclothed. Meera and Sle'nel’ saw that she had a large ring placed through each breast, another smaller ring placed in her nose, and many scars across her legs and arms. Her face was tattooed on one cheek, her head was shaven clean, and two of her right-hand fingers were gone, apparently painfully removed as indicated by the rawness of the scabbing. Sle'nel’ winced as she saw a puddle of blood at the young girl's feet. When she looked to its cause, she saw the inside of the girl's legs caked with dried blood.
Sle'nel's attention was drawn away from the tortured scene upwards to the young girl's face as she heard the young girl murmuring and talking to herself, wild in her fear. Sle'nel’ could tell that this one had many emotional issues embedded deeply within. The High Queen sensed someone's presence and turned her head slightly around, “Warrior Woman. Good, you come. Call The Healer to Me. Her services are needed."
Sle'nel’ responded, “Ann'wn is looking for you. I would guess that she will bring The Healer with her."
The High Queen looked back to the young woman, “We are here to free you. You have no need to fear us. We would only like to remove you from these chains, give you some clothes and food, and tend to your needs.” Sle'nel’ saw the girl's eyes wild, but deeply sunken, almost blackened looking.
The young girl grew hysterical, whimpering in her fear, shaking her head back and forth endlessly.
Meera came forward, “I will bring help, and then we will look for the key to release her from these shackles, my Queen."
She looked at Meera, “There is no key, Warrior Woman. It is a spell. I will release her in a moment. Be prepared, as she fears us greatly. Grandmother beat great fear into this one."
She looked back to the young girl, “I can take away your pain, Young One. You need have no fear of us. The Grandmother is dead."
The girl whispered, “Please touch me not. She will torture me again."
"Wouldn't you like to be removed from these chains?"
"She will torture me again. Please go away.” Her eyes darted around the room, looking in fear for her torturer.
The High Queen shook her head, “Grandmother is dead. She has been killed."
In a whisper, the girl said, “No one can kill that one. And now she will hurt me for speaking to you. Please leave."
"She is dead, Young One. I saw her die. She died by the hand of this warrior woman."
The High Queen continued to talk to the young girl until Ann'wn came, accompanied by The Healer and many guards. Saying nothing to Ann'wn, San'lr'in’ turned to her Healer, “Help Me?"
"Of course, High One."
The High Queen moved closer and spoke softly, “I also hung by those shackles long prior, Frightened One. But I broke free of her powers and left. Now I am returned to free you from them, but you must make Me a vow. You must vow that you will not try to run. We only wish to help you."
"Please touch me not. She will torture me even more."
All those present were saddened for the young girl, but none knew what to think when their High Queen informed the girl that she also had hung from these shackles. Sam heard the statement and became more astounded at her sister. Sle'nel’ began to grow even further in her distrust of The High Queen's former teachers, in learning they had allowed as such to occur.
The Healer just looked at her Queen, “You were tortured, my Queen? Here?"
The High Queen returned her Healer's stare for a brief moment, but said nothing. She turned back to the young girl, and began to slowly approach her, “The Grandmother is dead, and we cannot leave you here as you will die hanging from these chains. We are going to help you, Frightened One. With all your might, you must try to be brave. I am going to place My hand upon your head, but you will feel no pain. Are you ready to have Me do this? And then we are going to remove your shackles from you for always. Never again will you feel such pain as has been inflicted upon you."
The girl was becoming more hysterical, so San'lr'in’ decided to hurry rather than try to reason with her. She and The Healer placed their hands on the girl's head, sending her into a slight state of unconsciousness so that she would no longer worry, and then The High Queen waved her hand at the shackles, making them to open. Meera and Ann'wn's guards lowered the girl to a small carrier and began to try to clean her some, while The Healer examined her wounds.
The Healer looked quickly over her shoulder to her Queen, “Tell me of what you know of her wounds, High One."
She looked to Ann'wn, “Remove the guards."
Ann'wn told them to wait in the entry room, while San'lr'in’ went closer to The Healer, “This must remain between us only, Healer."
The Healer heard the concern in her Queen's voice and nodded, “It shall be as you say, High One."
"First we must determine if she is with child. I will then show you her injuries. Her mind and body have been as tortured as A'lon'lden's, but the tortures are in different places."
The High Queen placed her hand gently on the young girl's womb, and The Healer followed her example. They took only a moment, then looked at each other knowingly.
"Do you sense this child, Healer?"
"I do, my Queen. It is as you feared, and as you were told. One of the Dark Sorcerer's children. But the child no longer lives. It is dead, Highness."
The High Queen nodded, then moved her hand to another location, silently showing The Healer all the damage that had been inflicted on the young girl. As they moved around the girl's body, Sle'nel’ watched, observing that The Healer would often flinch after she had learned of the damage.
When they were done with the examination, The Healer shook her head, “Death must be welcomed by this one, my Queen. As you have shown me, I have seen only such damage once prior. I now understand your upbringing a bit more, my Queen."
The High Queen leaned into The Healer some, and from there they spoke only in whispers so that no others could hear, except Sle'nel'. The High Queen had forgotten about Sle'nel's exceptional Elfin hearing, or not cared she overheard. And as they whispered, even Sle'nel’ was as shocked as The Healer to learn more of The High Queen's earlier cycles. She remained silent, deciding to speak to her lover later about such, and watched as San'lr'in’ and Shr'dler'in worked together to remove some of the young girl's pains from the tortures that had been inflicted upon her.
The High Queen spoke quietly to The Healer, “Tend well to this one, Healer. I have great need of her, if she is of the culture I think her to be."
When they could do no more, The Healer informed the guards to take the young girl back to camp. San'lr'in’ and her close traveling companions remained behind to examine the dwelling. The High Queen returned to the first room, examining some notes and some alchemy. She looked up, searching for something, “Healer? Can you tell Me what she was testing?"
Shr'dler'in examined the notes, then the potion that had been made. She stirred the ingredients for a while, then re-examined the notes, “She made good notes, but had little ability as to what ingredients to use. These ingredients react not to each other. All of these
ingredients are dormant only. From the notes it appears she was trying to make a sleeping potion. A simple enough potion, but I suppose she wasn't trained."
"Sleeping potion. And this one?” The High Queen pointed to some more notes.
The Healer examined them for a moment, then did the same with the bowl that contained some of the ingredients, “She took excellent notes of the reactions of the ingredients, but knew little of the alchemy needed to cause the reactions necessary. This one looks as if she were trying to create a magic potion to create disappearance. All these ingredients would do, though, is to create a very small explosion, but nothing that would harm anything."
"A sleeping potion, and a small explosion. I wonder...” The High Queen let her thoughts drift away. She looked at one more, “And this one, Healer?"
The Healer read the notes, examined the potions nearby, then shook her head, “These go not together, High One. Her notes speak to a spell, with no potion needed. She was trying to create a spell from a potion, a spell to remove powers from another."
"Or, Healer, perhaps a spell to break a sleeping potion?"
The Healer stared at The High Queen for a moment, then nodded, “Of one placed in a deep sleep? From a potion? Perhaps. I see your thinking in this, and it could be so. But why would as such be important to her?"
San'lr'in’ looked at her for a moment in deep thought, but said nothing, as if in fear of the possible answer, “Examine the other notes, Healer, if you would. See if any of this fits together into something larger than we are presently seeing. Sle'nel', go through her journals to see if there is any sign of what she was thinking."
The High Queen looked around the room further, then left Sle'nel’ and The Healer to finish it, “Sister, come with Me. Ann'wn and Warrior Woman, you also. Let us look in her bedroom."
"What do we look for, Highness?"
"I know not. I just know that long prior, well prior to our lives, something was removed from The Realm. Something that is well needed but has gone missing all these many cycles."
The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] Page 16
