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

by Robbie Collins

  For the first moment since serving her Queen, Ann'wn now understood why she had always been cautious in this regard, She guarded her skills and abilities all these cycles just for such a moment as this. Against her traitors—so as to surprise them.

  "You hid your strengths and powers? From The Realm? You always were a most intelligent of students."

  San'lr'in’ laughed, “Then why is it I thought My name as ‘Stupid’ for many cycles?"

  Sle'nel’ remained watchful over the other Masters. When she saw one make a move to a hidden dagger, she let loose an arrow, having aimed it directly into the Masters arm. She shook her head as her arrow missed its destination once again, having landed firmly into the Master's hand. She also winced from the great pain caused by pulling on the arrow with her well-injured shoulder. Ann'wn's guards were instantly holding their swords to the Master's neck, allowing no movement.

  "Well aimed, Elf."

  Sle'nel’ looked grumpily at Ann'wn, “I aimed for her arm. My aim is off."

  Ann'wn's eyes widened, never knowing if the Elf was jesting or not.

  The fight continued far longer than anyone thought possible. Sam came up to Meera and Ann'wn, “I cannot even hold a sword as long as this, yet their moves have not diminished."

  Meera responded, “I have seen a slight decrease in our Queen's moves, but know not if this be yet a trick."

  Ann'wn watched her Queen for a few moments, then shook her head, “Look at her eyes, Warrior Woman. This will tell you."

  San'lr'in’ had in truth backed off from her strength in hopes of wearing down the Master even further, but the glint in her eyes told Ann'wn that the battle was yet far from over.

  "You grow tired, San'lr'in'thel'ineln'. Should we rest a moment?"

  The Master was trying to taunt The High Queen, truly unaware of who The High Queen had become during her cycles. The High Queen laughed as she moved back into her aggressive moves, “Tired? Be this your wish, that I tire so easily? In truth, Master, it would appear that I am stronger than you had come to believe of Me. What are your plans now, Master? Are you afraid to lose? Should I give you a moment of rest?"

  San'lr'in’ continued to laugh wickedly as she moved against the Master, surprising everyone around her. While her forces knew her to be strong and unyielding when necessary, they never knew her to be as fierce or as aggressive as this. The glinting sparkle in her eyes caused fear in every warrior about the camp, as they knew not this Queen. They knew not this wild stance from her.

  Ann'wn watched her Queen, finally seeing why her Queen refused this stance upon all other prior moments—it required all her strength to stand as such in The Realm. Upon this moment, Ann'wn suddenly felt pity for the Mungardies should they not desire peace, as she now knew that this Queen would not relent in her efforts, Even now, her stance grows in its fierceness; in its rightfulness.

  After many, many moments of fighting each other, The High Queen yet appeared to the Master as unrelentingly fierce and tireless. The Master was gasping for breath, and her arms were aching from wielding her sword, “I have taught you well, San'lr'in'thel'ineln'. And you have become strong."

  San'lr'in’ saw that the Master was growing tired. In truth, as was The High Queen, but she kept her powers focused to her, drawing strength from them continually, “Pity you didn't teach yourself as such."

  Even after all the moments, no sword tip had touched the other's skin. No blood had been drawn, but suddenly, in her anger at her own growing weakness, Ll'strin'll attacked as if she were half-crazed, drawing her sword fully across San'lr'in's side. San'lr'in’ groaned as she felt the blade open her skin, her blood flowing freely from her. She felt a sudden surprise as her side burned as if a fire had been placed on it.

  Roen was correct. Her sword is with poison.

  Holding her sword in her left hand, she quickly clasped her right hand to her side and, using her powers, halted the blood's flow and partially closed the wound. Even though she didn't wish to use her powers in this fashion, she knew that she had to provide her healing powers to her, or she would begin to grow weaker from the blood loss as well as from the poison.

  Angered that the Master had drawn first blood, San'lr'in’ grew even more focused toward ending the fight, “You draw first blood, Master. Consider yourself as lucky, as now the fight changes. Now the challenge is mine, as you also soon will be."

  True to her word, San'lr'in’ finally drew all her remaining powers to herself, becoming even stronger, even more fierce in her stance. The High Master having achieved inflicting the first wound, The High Queen was now fully motivated to end the fight. She began to move quickly, as if the battle had just begun. She became ruthless in her strength, blow after blow, strike after strike, moving solidly and steadily against the exhausted Master. No matter what the Master offered in return, San'lr'in’ countered it with a more aggressive move.

  Ll'strin'll was gasping greatly. Try as she might, she knew that she was losing to this overly strong High Queen, “In truth, San'lr'in'thel'ineln', you are stronger than I believed. I have been arrogant. This is my weakness."

  San'lr'in’ grew angry, “No, Master. This is not your weakness. Your weakness is that you became a traitor, as did all the other Masters. You are now all as useless. All these skills, Ll'strin'll, as useless."

  Ll'strin'll was, in truth, shocked, “A traitor, Student? But I have given my entire lifespan over to The Realm."

  San'lr'in’ grew even angrier with Ll'strin'll's words, “As a selfish aim only. In truth, you desire to be High Queen. Only this. All this training, for only this. Long-prior, I held you in esteem. No longer, Ll'strin'll. I see you as a traitor, only. It is not our abilities that make us who we are, Traitor. It is the manner is which we use them that gives us our titles."

  The Master was exhausted, and her moves were now as any other warrior to San'lr'in'. Finally well tired of the challenge, she called upon all the powers of The First High Queen's sword.

  Great Sword of the Legends. Great Sword of The First High Queen. Bring your powers to Me to help Me rid The Realm of this traitor.

  In a move unknown to even her, San'lr'in’ cut off Ll'strin'll's sword arm, then quickly changed direction and pushed the tip of her sword through Ll'strin'll's other hand. For a mere wisp of a moment, she wondered at her own sword's powers. She then watched as her long-prior esteemed teacher fell on her knees to the ground, gasping for breath, greatly pained, and finally defeated. The High Queen knew that Ll'strin'll would soon bleed to death, if no other way was given. After all these cycles, San'lr'in’ was the first to ever defeat her.

  Ll'strin'll looked up at her, panting her exhaustion and pain, “I am no traitor, San'lr'in'thel'ineln'. I just wanted the best for The Realm. Surely you must see this as truth."

  San'lr'in’ refused to show pity upon her, seeing her teacher as she truly was, “What I see as truth, Ll'strin'll, is that you have always been unrestrained. Never should you have been allowed to achieve the skills of a great Master, as a great Master also has the same greatness of mind. You do not. You are in truth a traitor to The Realm, to Me, to the Deep Mystics, and to all those who live in The Realm. A traitor, Ll'strin'll. Nothing more. I now strip you of your title. You will never be known as the High Master, Ll'strin'll. Your title henceforth will be Traitor Ll'strin'll, and will be set in all the stories in this fashion."

  The hatred that showed in San'lr'in's eyes left everyone shaking in fear. Never had they seen or heard as such from their High Queen.

  "I am no traitor, Student.” San'lr'in’ ignored what the Master had called her. “I am High Master. I will not be known as traitor."

  San'lr'in's eyes grew narrowed. She placed the tip of her sword into Ll'strin'll's neck, then looked up to those in the camp, “From this moment on, I command that this defeated woman kneeling before Me be titled as Ll'strin'll the Traitor."

  "Nooooo..."

  Ann'wn had begun to come toward her Queen, seeing that the challenge was over and that her Qu
een had won. She was preparing to take Ll'strin'll under her watch, when suddenly, The High Queen raised her sword and beheaded Ll'strin'll, just as she had been objecting to the new title. Ann'wn's eyes became wide with surprise at her Queen's move, never having seen her Queen behead another. No one moved. The camp was paralyzed at The High Queen's unexpected move.

  Ann'wn watched Ll'strin'll's head roll on the ground, just in front of her feet. She looked up to San'lr'in', wondering what would next occur, and saw that San'lr'in’ didn't even look tired.

  San'lr'in’ looked at the other Masters through narrowed eyes that yet glinted of their strength and stance. She saw that a few of them had bowed to her. She turned to Ann'wn, “Force Leader. Kill those who yet stand, and quickly so."

  "My Queen, could we not—"

  Ann'wn had momentarily thought that they might question the remaining Masters, but seeing that her Queen looked upon her as if she now gave thought to beheading her as well, she changed her mind, “Yes, my Queen. To your will."

  Ann'wn was shocked at her Queen's stance, but as her Queen had bid, she gave the command to her forces. Within a breath, arrows were released, killing all the Masters who had not deferred to The Realm. Seldom in The Realm had San'lr'in’ commanded such an action without some prior thought to it.

  "The others, my Queen?"

  Ann'wn decided to take a different stance with her Queen for the moment, allowing her the commands.

  "Bring Fon'elnn’ and Ern'seln’ to Me."

  Ann'wn nodded, noting that her Queen was now holding her hand to her injured side.

  San'lr'in’ spoke briefly and privately to the two, then motioned them to their task. Fon'elnn’ selected one of the remaining Masters and challenged her, handing her a sword. Fon'elnn’ fought the Master for a few moments, then halted the fight and looked at her Queen. The High Queen gave her signal, and Fon'elnn’ turned back to the Master, beheading her with one quick movement of her sword.

  Ern'seln selected an Apprentice-Master about her age, then challenged her as Fon'elnn’ had done. The Young Apprentice-Master was struggling not to cry, in her fear of what she had seen, but did as she was told. Ern'seln fought against the Apprentice-Master for a few difficult moments, then halted the challenge and turned to her Queen. The High Queen nodded.

  Ern'seln turned back to the Apprentice-Master, “You have been given consideration. Kneel and wait."

  Fon'elnn’ and Ern'seln challenged the remaining Masters in this fashion until the task was completed. While the challenges were occurring, San'lr'in’ probed the minds of the remaining Masters, examining them carefully for their loyalty to Ll'strin'll, or their loyalty to The Realm. As she had guessed, the younger ones were bright-eyed and naïve in their loyalty to The Realm, while the older ones remained loyal to Ll'strin'll, having bowed to San'lr'in’ out of fear.

  When the task was complete, only five remained, all frightened beyond anything they had prior seen or experienced. San'lr'in’ had noted that to a one, they had all been treated as Ll'strin'll had treated her, but all were somewhat trained, yet now well confused.

  "What would you have us do with them, my Queen?"

  She turned to Ann'wn, examining her as well, “You are also afraid of Me, Force Leader?"

  "If you sense as such, it must be so, my Queen, but if I were to respond I would tell you that I am just stunned at your new stance, Highness. I have never prior seen you as such, my Queen."

  San'lr'in’ stared at her for what felt like many long moments to Ann'wn, then suddenly smiled, softly, but with her eyes twinkling, “Did you not say you trusted Me, My Force Leader?"

  "I did, my Queen. And I do with all my heart."

  "Yes, I sense this as so within you, and am grateful for such.” She placed her hand on Ann'wn's cheek, “If one has done no wrong, there is no reason to fear this stance, Force Leader. It is merely the stance of the High Master and a High Queen."

  Fon'elnn’ and Ern'seln returned to their Queen, “My Queen. The remaining five?"

  "Bring them to Me."

  The remaining five were brought to The High Queen. Ann'wn saw that they were all young, and all well frightened, “Kneel before The High Queen of The Realm, and the First High Master."

  The five had been well informed by Ll'strin'll of The High Queen, but what they had seen hadn't matched what they had been told. Instead of a meek and mild queen, they saw before them the most fierce warrior in all The Realm. They knelt so quickly as to almost fall to their knees. And they bowed their heads well to the ground, “High Queen."

  San'lr'in’ almost laughed at their fear, “Look at Me."

  Shaking, they did so. She almost laughed again, as none of the five had any stance of a Master. She looked at the first one, and in a harsh and cold tone unknown to her forces, she demanded, “Who do you serve, would-be Traitor of The Realm?"

  The young girl was trembling, and barely squeaked out the words, “You, Highness."

  "What is it you are called by?"

  She bowed her head, unable to face The High Queen, “Sren'trn, High Queen."

  "Why did you seek to become a Master?"

  "I didn't. High Master, I mean, Ll'strin'll the Traitor forced me into her service. My Birth-mother needed food, and I was traded."

  "Rise, Sren'trn."

  She handed a sword to her, “Fight Me."

  She dropped her sword and thought of running away, but stood her ground, “Oh no, High Queen. I could never fight such as you."

  "Fight Me, or you will feel what Ll'strin'll did."

  Well afraid but not wishing to be beheaded, Sren'trn picked up her sword and raised the tip to San'lr'in's. Then she took a pitiful swing, and although it was with all her effort, San'lr'in’ didn't even have to move her sword to halt it, rolling her eyes in disbelief as she watched the young girl shrink away from the ensuing sword return.

  The High Queen sighed, seeing that Sren'trn was all but crying with fear, “What is it you would like to do, Young One, if given the opportunity?"

  Sren'trn broke down, dropped her sword, fell to the ground, and sobbed. San'lr'in’ rolled her eyes in dismay and impatience. She had no way of understanding such weakness. Ignoring the young girl, she did the same to the remaining four. She found that only one of them wished to be a Master, and all but the one had been forced into the ranks. She looked around and saw her sister. She beckoned to her.

  "Yes, my Queen?"

  "Could Woden use four Mystics of a most gentle nature, Highest of Woden?"

  Sam looked upon the four who were indicated, but remained confused, “My Queen?"

  "Highest of Woden. These four have been well mistreated in our realm, and would like nothing more than to spend the remainder of their turns in a most quiet of locations. I have two choices. I could send them to keep A'lon'lden and Yyeoiraa company or to send them to Woden under your command. It might provide an interesting solution to Woden remaining overly apart from The Realm. Plus, it might make these four feel somewhat useful and needed in this Realm.” To herself she thought that the four might help bring more of the Mystics’ ways to Woden, yet in a quiet fashion.

  Sam considered the moment, then nodded, “Of course, my Queen."

  "Thank you.” She looked at the four, “Rise and meet your new Queen. This is the Highest of Woden. You will be under her command. She has agreed to take you to Woden, a most gentle of places. I think you will be pleased at this choice."

  She turned to the one remaining, “Tell Me what you are called by."

  She bowed her head, “Krl'lnn', High Queen; High First Master."

  San'lr'in’ saw that she held her fear well, “And you wish to be a Master?"

  "Yes, High Queen."

  "From this moment on, Krl'lnn', Apprentice-Master, you are under the command of Master Fon'elnn', and under the care of Apprentice-Master Ern'seln'."

  "Thank you, High Queen."

  "Hear Me well, Krl'lnn', Apprentice-Master. You have been under the command of Ll'strin'll the Traitor,
so have much yet to learn. While your mind remains loyal to The Realm, your future actions will tell us all where your loyalties truly lie. One misstep, Apprentice-Master, and you also will lose your head, as you are now invited into The High Queen's ranks."

  Krl'lnn’ looked at The High Queen and bowed her head once again, “I vow my loyalty to you, High Queen, unto my death.” She kneeled, then placed her lips to The High Queen's boots, “You are my Master, Highness."

  "We shall see, Apprentice-Master. High Master Fon'elnn', she has My leave."

  * * * *

  After the long challenge and final moments were completed, San'lr'in’ closed her eyes and let loose her powers. They flowed away from her as if a river, allowing her to feel lighter for the first moment since the beginning of their overly extended journey. She knew that the trip to El'fs'nd'lle would now be quiet and safe, having learned that Ll'strin'll had already defeated whatever enemy had awaited them. And while she also knew that there would be one more group of Masters at the Gates, they were a small group and would be easily turned at the moment of the arrival, if needed.

  She breathed in deeply, then recalled her new wound as the pain came rushing to her. She winced, surprised at the burning intensity of it.

  Roen has saved My life.

  She placed her hand even more tightly on the wound so as to relieve the pain, but found overly weakened healing powers left within her.

  "My Queen. Perhaps we should tend to your wound?"

  Breathing now being a painful act, she replied, “Healer. You are a most welcomed voice."

  The Healer placed her hand on her Queen's head, sensing her deep pain. But she also sensed her Queen's surrender to her even deeper exhaustion