by Unknown
“What?” She gaped.
“Don't mess with me anymore, Aalish,” and yes, I was deliberately leaving out her title. “Don't plot against my fey. Don't even think bad thoughts about me or mine. I will know and I will come for you when you're least expecting it.”
“What?” She closed her mouth and swallowed with difficulty.
“Maybe when you're drinking out of that pretty flower cup, in your pretty garden room,” I mused.
“How do you...” she trailed off and gaped at me.
“You've done nothing but piss me off since the day we first met,” I growled, “and the really stupid thing is this is all about those pixies. Whom you could have kept as loyal subjects, had you only treated them with a little kindness. But nooooo, you gotta be a mega bitch and you expect them to give you their loyalty for nothing!”
“They are earth pixies!” She screeched.
“You couldn't care less about them,” I narrowed my eyes on her. “You're mad because I showed you up in front of the other royals and then you found out what pretty jewelry the pixies make. A double insult.” I took an earring off and threw it at her and she flinched. “Here! Take it,” I threw another one. “I don't care about the jewelry, I care about them and you will never have them again.”
“They're of Earth!” She shouted.
“Yeah, see, funny you mention that,” I climbed out of the carriage. “Come out here, I've got something to show you.” She stayed put. “Come out here or I will drag you out by your yellow hair!” I heard a light twittering of laughter come from the road.
“Fine,” she growled and got out of the carriage.
I walked her back to the road and she stopped in her tracks when she saw the group of once-earth-and-now-fire pixies standing there with their weapons drawn.
“The pixies have something to tell you. You will face them with respect and listen to them because size has no bearing on honor,” I looked over at Diarmad and gave him a wink. “And because I'll kick your ass if you don't,” I nodded to the pixies.
“We're done with Earth,” Artair stepped forward and leveled his sword at Aalish. “We renounce your claim upon us and vow our allegiance to Fire!” The pixies behind him shouted in agreement. “And if you should ever think to come for us again, know this; even if you do, by some miracle, make it past our swords and those of our fellow fire fey, you shall never know peace in your kingdom. For we shall wait till you lie asleep and then creep into your rooms to stab you with swords of steel and murder you in your beds!” Another cheer.
I admit my own eyes widened at that and when I looked at Aalish, I saw both her and the dryad cringing in fear. Pixies may be small but everyone was vulnerable when they slept and having the sanctity of sleep threatened by a needle through the eye would be an unsettling prospect.
“The Kingdom of Earth acknowledges your vow and supports your new allegiance,” Aalish whispered the words like every one of them hurt. “May there be peace between us now and forever.”
A shout came from the pixies that was echoed by the fire fey, who'd followed behind us unbeknownst to me. They had the captured earth fey with them. I nodded to Taran and he set the dryads and spriggans free to go running back to their queen.
“I forgive you this trespass,” I said to them as they ran past me. “You did as your queen bade. But come again into my lands with the intention of harm again and I shall burn you to ash.”
“Yes, Queen Vervain,” they stammered and went to pull Aalish's carriage from the trees.
I corralled the fire fey back into the castle as Aalish and her cronies ran away, back towards their own kingdom. I needed to go and mirror the High King so he could tell Arach to come home.
“I didn't get to use my hand,” Nuada pouted.
“Oh,” I blinked at him and gestured to the fleeing coach. “Feel free.”
“Really?” He brightened. Literally.
“Yeah, just don't kill anyone,” I nodded and waited to see what this silver hand could do.
“Excellent,” he grinned and pointed his glowing hand in the direction of Aalish's carriage.
The light intensified until it burst free of his fingers and went shooting toward Aalish. It hit the back of the coach and the light spread over the entire vehicle, making the marching earth fey leap back from it in alarm. The wood went completely white and then changed into water. It held its form for a brief second before the whole thing went down with a whoosh and a splash, leaving a very wet Aalish sputtering in a puddle of mud.
She screamed and pounded her fists into her skirts, sending sprays of mud shooting out all around her. By some miracle, I was able to hold my laughter until I made it inside the castle. Then all of us let it loose, laughing so hard we teared up.
“That was one of the most wondrous things I've ever seen,” I finally announced.
“Why, thank you,” Nuada bowed gallantly.
“Yep,” I smirked. “I gotta hand it to ya. That was quite a show.”
He groaned as Beira giggled.
“I really appreciate you giving me a hand back there,” I continued.
“No,” Nuada shook his head. “Please stop.”
“You really gave us the upper hand,” I continued as Beira and my fey began to chortle.
“Why did I come here?” Nuada asked the ceiling. “Why did I help these people?”
“Because you're someone who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty,” I continued to harangue him all the way to the dining hall, where I then made up for it by introducing him to our faerie wine.
Chapter Fifty-Six
“So it wasn't Aalish,” I said again. “Who would have thought? Not you,” I looked at Arach just in time to see him roll his eyes. “Nope, you thought I was so wrong in thinking that we should search for more obvious culprits.”
“Vervain, please,” Arach huffed. “Enough. I said you were right.”
He'd just gotten back from the Castle of Eight, passing by Nuada and Beira, who were returning to conclude their visit with the High Royals. I admit I'd been ragging on him a bit ever since.
“Arach,” I got a little serious. “Why don't we have any magical security measures to protect our kingdom?”
“Because we're the Kingdom of Fire,” he said as if that explained it.
“Uh huh,” I huffed. “And that's helped us how?”
“Yes, I see your point,” he huffed back. “Maybe we should look into getting some.”
“So you're saying I'm right again?” I went back to teasing him.
“Oh for fire's sake, are you done?”
“You like that line, huh?” I laughed at his obvious theft of Brigit's phrase.
“Yes, it works well for me,” he nodded. “Do you mind if we contact King Guirmean now or would you like to continue gloating?”
“No, I'm finished. Please proceed,” I waved magnanimously(because that's what queens do when they're right).
Arach rolled his eyes again(because that's what kings do when they're wrong) and went immediately to the mirror. “King Guirmean of the House of Water!”
The mirror fogged over and after awhile it cleared to reveal Guirmean's strained face. He was standing in the main hall, judging from the background, and there were water fey talking in groups behind him.
“King Arach,” he said with some measure of relief. “I'm glad you mirrored. Is it the dark fey causing this?”
“No, it's definitely not the Dark this time,” Arach said firmly. “They're rather busy with their own good fortune. One of their number has conceived.”
“Oh,” Guirmean's face went blank and then brightened slightly. “Well that is good news and at least we can rule them out. I admit I'm not upset to find that I don't have to face them in battle.”
“Yes, that would be complicated,” Arach smiled briefly. “We've also determined that Queen Aalish is not behind it either. I won't go into the details of it but we're quite sure it's not her machinations this time.”
“Oh?” Guirmean l
ooked surprised.
“Vervain has a few suggestions,” Arach nodded, “I'll allow her to explain,” he held a hand out to me and I joined him at the mirror.
“Hey, King Guirmean,” I grinned.
“Queen Vervain,” he smiled back, though it wasn't as bright as it normally was.
“I think we should focus first on those who have water magic,” I continued. “I know it's hard to suspect your own people but as soon as we rule out the most likely candidates, we can move on to more unlikely ones.”
“You think it's a water fey who's doing this?” He frowned as the conversations going on behind him started to die out.
“It's the most obvious possibility,” I said apologetically. “How much power would a water fey need to create those maelstroms?”
“Quite a bit,” he frowned deeper. “There are maybe twenty fey in my kingdom who could possibly accomplish it but, Queen Vervain,” he protested. “I know none of my people are guilty of this.”
“Are you absolutely sure?” I pressed. “Are there none who opposed your becoming king?”
“Well,” he blinked rapidly. “I guess there are a few. Mainly those who stepped forward for the vote.”
“What?”
“The ones who ran against him for king,” Arach explained, looking rather pleased with himself for using a modern term.
“Ah, of course,” I nodded. “Are any of them powerful enough?”
“Yes, all of them,” Guirmean looked a little green around the...uh...gills. Okay bad choice of phrase.
“They'd have to be powerful to be considered for kingship,” Arach explained further. “King Guirmean, call these fey to the castle. We'll join you shortly.”
“Alright,” Guirmean cast a hesitant look over his shoulder. “Please hurry.”
The mirror went foggy again and by the time it cleared, we were already halfway down the stairs. Arach shouted for the carriage as we went and I was supremely pleased that he cared enough about Guirmean to rush. Then he cursed and started pulling off his shirt.
“The phookas won't be fast enough, Vervain,” he called back to me. “I want to get there before the traitor, if there be one, chooses a more straightforward attack. We'll have to travel as dragons. I can carry you, if you prefer.”
“Carry?” I scoffed. “Please. I'd rather fly myself.”
“That's what I thought you'd say,” he smirked in a approving way. “Forget the carriage!” He shouted to Isleen again. “We're going to fly. But send the troops to the Water Kingdom after us.”
“Yes, my King,” Isleen called as we passed her on the stairs.
Then we were out the door and transforming into dragons. I bundled up my clothing and gripped the bundle with one foot as we launched into the air. The wind beat cool against my scales and the wild beasts inside me delighted in this freedom. Even my wolf and lioness loved being able to soar. Possibly even more than the dragon... nah.
We crossed Faerie in minutes, descending to Castle Deuraich amid shouts from the water guards. Guirmean came running out and then pulled up abruptly when he saw what all the commotion was about. He grinned at us as we landed and directed me to a corner of the castle where I could change back without an audience. Arach, as usual, just changed in front of everyone.
When I came back around the corner, dressed and looking human again, Arach and Guirmean were peering over a sheet of parchment. I walked up and saw it was a list of names. A short list.
“A few are here already,” Guirmean tapped the sheet. “The rest are on their way. How do you suggest we handle the questioning?”
“My King!” One of the water fey guards yelled and pointed.
We looked back toward the ocean, where the guard was pointing, and saw a massive tornado forming. Except it was all water. What do you even call a water tornado? A waterspout? I think it's a waterspout but I don't think waterspouts actually sucked up water. This one did.
It wasn't made of air at all, it was purely water. A vortex pulled upward into the air. There were things in the water too; plant life, chunks of undersea buildings, statuary, sea creatures, and even some water fey. We watched in horror as the spout created a spiral over the surface of the water, gaining momentum and size. The living beings caught within its grip were tossed helplessly about.
“Hell no,” I growled and ran back to my discreet corner. I pulled off my clothes and changed back into a dragon. It was too late for the water fey to save their people but I had a slight advantage. I could fly and I had big claws.
I took off into the air and headed straight for the vortex. I heard shouting behind me but I focused on the shadows in that column, shadows of bodies. There was a heavy spray coming off of the vortex and I had to narrow my eyes against the sting of saltwater but soon I was close enough to touch it.
My wings cut through the spray with great, wet, drumbeats of sound as I hovered in place, trying to follow the movements of the bodies within. Then my claws shot out, piercing the water, and latched onto a body. Unfortunately, I hadn't anticipated how strong the water would be. I was pulled along for a few moments until I got control and pulled back, yanking both myself and the body within my grasp out of the vortex.
I looked down and saw a selkie man lying limply in my grasp. I flew back quickly towards the castle. Everyone had gone through the main hall and were now congregated on the back clearing, in front of the tunnels leading into the Water Kingdom. I laid the selkie down and he was immediately taken inside the castle by some of the guards. I glanced around, surprised that Arach was nowhere to be found. Then a shadow passed over me and I angled my head up to see him passing by in dragon form. I screeched in approval and shot after him.
It took several flights to save all the fey and the marine creatures inside the vortex. They all miraculously lived, due, I was told, to our quick response. The sea creatures and some of the fey who couldn't survive out of the water, we simply placed back into the ocean at a safe distance away. Healers were dispatched to tend them underwater. The others we brought back to the castle where they were given fey first aid.
It was amid the chaos of a room full of injured fey that a woman came screaming. She was a kelpie, her seaweed hair and horsey teeth immediately putting me on my guard. I know, it wasn't fair. Just because a kelpie tried to kill me once doesn't mean all kelpies are bad. It was just an automatic, visceral reaction. Plus, she was screaming like a bean-sidhe. Alright, that was another bad comparison.
“King Guirmean,” she screeched. “Come quick, it's Lady Lorna.”
“What about Lorna?” Guirmean came to attention. “Is it the baby?”
“I don't know,” she squealed. “She's in a state, moaning and thrashing about. I don't know what to do.”
“I need a healer!” Guirmean shouted and one of the water -sidhe who'd been helping the injured fey recover, stepped up and followed Guirmean from the room.
Arach and I exchanged a worried look before we chased after them. They went down a few corridors and then into an open doorway. We went in to find a beautiful, airy room, all done in light blue and white. It was obviously feminine, with way too much lace on everything and way too many bottles of who-knows-what on the dresser top.
In the large bed was a small woman. She had nearly white hair with bluish highlights in it, spread across a fluffy white pillow in tangled disarray. Her light blue skin(she matched the damn room) was wet with perspiration and her silver eyes were wild. Guirmean took her hand and she clung to him.
“Lorna,” he put his other hand to her forehead and then turned to look at the healer. “Do you know what this is?”
“No, my King,” the man leaned in on Lorna's other side and laid his palm to her face. She moaned and then her hands shot down to her belly. The healer gasped and backed away.
“What? What is it?” Guirmean shouted.
“The babe,” the healer's eyes were round. “There's something wrong with the child.”
“What?” Guirmean let go of Lorna's hand and start
ed towards the healer.
“Guirmean,” Nora came striding in behind us. “I heard there's something amiss. I just got here-”
The rest of Nora's speech was cut off by a scream from the bed and we all stared in shock as Lorna pointed a finger at Nora and shouted, “Get out of my chamber, you fire bitch!”
“My King,” another water fey came running into the room as we gaped at Lorna. “The vortex is moving. It's heading straight for us!”
“Get her out!” Lorna screeched.
We all watched, mesmerized, as the water on Lorna's skin collected into a mini vortex. It swirled before Lorna and her silver eyes glowed until they were white. The water shot out towards Nora but Guirmean launched himself in front of it and it splashed harmlessly around him.
“Lorna!” He shouted as he pushed Nora out the door. “What's wrong with you?”
“The babe,” she moaned. “It takes my anger and manifests it. I'm sorry. I can't stop it.”
“Why are you angry?” Guirmean approached the bed slowly.
“My King!” The man who'd notified us about our approaching doom, yelled. “The vortex!”
“This is the source of the vortex,” I slapped the guy's shoulder. “Or didn't you get that when she threw a little mini one at your king?”
“Oh,” the fey's face fell.
“I'm having your child,” Lorna was answering Guirmean. “I helped you save our people and yet you pant after a fire fey. A phooka, no less. She cannot be our queen. She's not worthy of such a title.”
“Hey!” Nora's voice came from outside the chamber and Lorna sat up in bed, her hands curling into claws.
“Get her out of here,” I whispered to Arach as I ran to the bed.
“Lorna,” I caught her attention. “I don't know you but I know Guirmean. If he chose you to do the ritual with him, he must have seen something wonderful in you, which means that this,” I waved a hand over her, “is not how you normally behave.”
“I know that,” she growled. “Didn't I just say that?” She moaned again and rubbed her stomach. “The child magnifies everything I'm feeling. It takes my emotions and pushes them outward. The babe is strong, stronger than I.”
