“Empress, I—” began the healer.
“No. No one is to speak a word about this,” the woman said sharply.
Everyone nodded, and turned to leave. The Empress sighed once the door had been closed behind them and rolled up her sleeves. She laid a hand on Dimitri’s shoulder. He turned to her, and the once strong, young man looked entirely lost and helpless.
“She does not know she is doing this. She cannot help it. She’s—”
“I know,” said the Empress kindly. She reached for Dimitri’s hands, and carefully removed the orenite cuffs from his wrists. Dimitri looked at her, fear spreading more fiercely across his face. “It’s going to take all of us to bring her back.” The Empress said.
“Back from where? What’s going on?” Jayson asked, his voice shaking.
“Her mind has turned inward, hibernating if you will. To protect her. What she does not know is her magic will soon drain her of all her energy, and she will slowly die.”
“What?” exclaimed Leo, “She can’t die!”
“She’s not going to,” the Empress said calmly. “I need you all to do exactly as I say. Even you, Jayson. I have no magic, but I can pray to Rashiri to guide us, to guide her.”
Jayson, who had been staring grimly at Piper, jerked around at the mention of his name. “How do you know who I am?”
“I have been consulting with the oracle much lately. I will explain more at a later time. Please, we must all join hands around her.”
The humming of the lightning that continued to envelope Piper sent the air into a buzzing, static frenzy. The boys could feel the hairs on their bodies standing up. The Empress began to chant in a strange, growling language, and everyone’s palms tingled.
“Dimitri, I need you to call her,” she said, her eyes still closed in concentration. “Bring her back to us. Now, everyone, place a hand on her. And whatever happens, do not break the connection. Rashiri…”
They all placed their hands on Piper’s arms. The Empress stood at Piper’s head, her fingers on the girl’s temples. She began chanting again, and nodded toward Dimitri.
“Piper. Piper, can you hear me? Piper, please come back to us. Listen to my voice. Follow my voice, please, Piper.”
There was an intense electrical sensation as the lightning moved faster. They all winced, but no one dared release from the strange spell. Magical, religious or both, they could not say, but Jayson, Jack and Leo would do anything to bring Piper back.
“I know you’re scared. I know, I— I should have protected you. Please come back to me.” Dimitri whispered.
The lightening flashed wildly, blinding them all, then ceased. Piper took a deep breath, as though breathing life back into her lungs again. She still remained unconscious. The boys felt drained. Even more exhausted than their day long trek up the mountain. The Empress released her hands from Piper’s temples and smiled.
“Well done,” she whispered. She applied more of the herbal poultice to Piper’s arm, and laid a cool, wet cloth on her forehead.
“Why isn’t she awake? What’s wrong with her?” Jayson asked. He looked frantically between Piper and The Empress, and back again.
“She is tired, dear. Her body is still fighting the venom. She will be fine, with rest and medicine. Dimitri, please call our friends back inside.”
Dimitri hesitated and swallowed hard. He looked for a long moment at Piper before resigning to do his Empress’s bidding. He nodded covered the length of the room as quickly as he could. When he opened the door to the hallway, he hurried back to Piper and stroked her hair. The guards, healer, and the two other ladies waited anxiously outside.
“Please take Piper to the Sapphire Quarter. I want her as close to me as possible,” said the Empress. “And please find rooms for our guests as well. The Emerald Quarter should do nicely.” The crowd bowed to Jack, Leo and Jayson, and then to the Empress, their hands flat on their thighs. Two guards stepped forward to carry Piper away on a wooden stretcher the boys had not noticed hung on one of the walls. Dimitri looked to the Empress, and the woman nodded with a smile. Dimitri followed close behind the guards that carried Piper. The boys hurried after them, leaving the Empress and the ladies alone with the healer.
Chapter Seven
Of Law and Limestone
The boys waited anxiously in the room they had been assigned in the Emerald Quarter. Leo bit his nails. Jack stared at the door, lost in thought. Jayson paced frantically in circles around the sofa and chairs in the middle of the room. The room was large and just as grand as any of the halls they had passed along the way. But they were too on edge to take notice.
Two bedrooms led off on either side of the common room area with two beds each, complete with gosling stuffed mattresses and tapestries on every wall. The common room had several carved high backed wooden chairs with soft green cushions, and a green fainting couch. There were murals on every wall, and even the ceilings, depicting what they assumed were scenes from the history of Chartile. The founding of Mount Kelsii, the gifting of the Draconian Runes by the Dragons to the Dwarves, and something to do with a griffin nesting atop a mountain.
All of this was being completely ignored. Jayson, Jack and Leo had hardly noticed the emeralds and jade around the door frames, nor the stained glass in the windows overlooking the mountainside. Piper was all they could think of at the moment. Piper and what had just happened. The thought of her lying unconscious somewhere unknown scared them. Without her, they were lost in this strange land. Without her, they did not know what to do.
There was a knock on the door. They jumped at the sound, coming back to reality. Jack rose from his chair, and crossed to open the door. He turned the intricate handle, his hands trembling. Before him stood the Empress, but she was not alone. Four guards had escorted her, and a pretty young girl Jack thought he recognized from the healer’s room stood against the far wall in the hall beyond.
“Greetings,” The Empress said. Her voice was gentle and reassuring. “I am Empress Nefiri. Might I have a word?”
Jack nodded and opened the door for the Empress to enter. To the boys’ surprise, she closed the door behind her, leaving her entourage to wait in the hall again. The guards seemed unalarmed at this. Leo wondered if meeting with guests in private was a common occurrence with the Empress. Jayson didn’t seem to notice. He sat on the couch, then stood again, and resigned to leaning against the wall. Jack wondered who the girl waiting in the hallway was.
The Empress glided across the room, and perched herself on the edge of a chair. She arranged her skirts neatly around her and folded her hands on her lap.
“Now, I am sure you have questions. Shall we begin?” she asked matter-of-factly.
At first, no one spoke. The hundreds of questions the whirled through their minds were not so easy to make sense of.
At last, Jayson spoke. “How is Piper? What the hell just happened? Was that some magic ritual or something? Is Piper going to be okay? Dimitri said that thing was a vampire? Is that true?”
Nefiri held up a weathered hand to silence him. “One question at a time. I will do my best to answer them all.” She sighed deeply, fidgeting with her skirts, then continued. “Piper is still unconscious though we are confident she will make a full recovery. Based on Dimitri’s description, it does appear it was a vampire that attacked you. This matter will need to be looked into further. Many believe vampires to be nothing more than myth, and those who do believe in their existence agree they haven’t been seen since the days of the old kings. They are called The Lost Legends for a reason. Right now there are matters of law and war that are more pressing than myth at this time.
“Now, as for your questions of magic. No, it was not a ritual. I am a Priestess of Rashiri, our patron Mother Goddess and protector. I have the ability to direct her life energy toward the subject of my prayer, if it is Her will. This is different than magic, because, in the end, it is Rashiri who controls the energy, not I. I know some rumors of you three from my informants in
Outland Post.” She smiled at them. “I took a chance that you are what we believe you to be. You were unharmed and Piper was safe.”
“Wait,” said Jayson, “Are you saying that if it wasn’t for us doing…magic…that Piper wouldn’t be okay?”
“Actually, I want to hear more about these informants of yours,” said Leo. “No one is supposed to know where Piper is in those mountains except her grandma.” He folded his arms before him, and raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Have you been spying on her? On us? Why?”
“There are rumors that say you are the reincarnated souls of the old kings, sent here to right the wrongs that have occurred. Is this true?” Nefiri asked. Leo sighed as it was clear the woman had dodged his question by asking another. He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to answer, but Jack got there first.
“Well, that’s what everyone keeps saying,” said Jack. “But honestly, we aren’t anyone important where we come from.”
“So how did you come to be here?” Nefiri continued, folding her hands once more upon her knee.
“We’re not sure, really,” said Leo. His voice was calmer. “There was this weird light, we blacked out, and woke up here just before Taraniz tried to attack Outland Post about two weeks ago.”
“So you have no proof that you are the old kings?” Nefiri asked.
“Well, we did all have this weird ability to use these weapons we’ve never used before.” Jack shrugged.
Silence fell, and Nefiri nodded curtly. “Very well,” she said. “Then shall we move on to the matter of why I have asked you here?”
Jayson, Jack and Leo nodded, though they seemed to have more questions now than answers.
“In five days’ time, there will be a meeting of The Council of Elders. The Council is made up of representatives from each of the quarters in Mount Kelsii and the Tutarian Mountains. The Elders are elected by the residents of each quarter, and the elders then appoint the Princesses and Queens. When an Empress steps down or passes, returning to the stone, one of the appointed queens steps up to take her place, and her princess then takes the queen’s place. A new princess is appointed, and her training begins. I am an Empress of Peace. I was never appointed to carry out such duties pertaining to war. Furthermore, I am old. I wish to spend the remainder of my days carrying out the will of Rashiri, and leave the matters of state behind me.”
“So?” Jayson shrugged. “What do you need us for?”
“Queen Isla of the Tutarian Mountains would be the Elders’ first choice to become Empress. She has been trained in the ways of war, and her princess, Faeridae, would make a wonderful successor.”
“That sounds great!” said Leo.
“Dimitri tells me he has told you that our Princesses, Queens and Empresses may not wed.” The boys nodded at Nefiri’s declaration. “And you are familiar with The Black Diamonds?”
“Yeah, but we aren’t Black Diamonds,” said Leo. “Why do you need us? Or Piper?”
“My informants in the Tutarian Mountains tell me that Isla has been courting a known member of The Black Diamonds. We believe her to be a sympathizer to this rogue organization. Without sufficient evidence however, we cannot commission the Elders to strip her of her position.”
“Why do you hate these Black Diamond guys so much?” Jayson asked. “In our world, men and women are equal. Why don’t you just give these people some of what they have asked for?”
“You are not Dwarvik, my dears. The abilities of the genders between races are not equal. Even if they were, I will never allow an organization to have a voice amongst our Elders that finds ruthless methods of sabotaging our mines and killing our innocent husbands a means of negotiation. In the last five years nearly one hasana from every household has gone missing. The entirety of House Sehtvar has disappeared, or was found dead. These people are killers. We fear that Isla will work to get them a voice on our Council if she is made Empress.”
“What are we supposed to do?” asked Jack. He bit his lip and shuffled his feet on the floor beneath him.
“Queen Una of Mount Kelsii, though younger than Isla, is trained in both war and peace. She is the first queen in many generations to be trained thus, and it was by her specific request. Though there may be many on the Council that would vote for her, her successor, Princess Gemari is very young. Many would argue that Gemari is not ready for the responsibilities of Queenhood. We cannot allow Isla to become Empress. I need your help to convince the Council of this, and I will agree to continue to train Gemari, as I was Queen of Mount Kelsii before my succession as Empress. It is the only foreseeable solution.”
“Why don’t you just stay the Empress, at least until after we get this Taraniz situation figured out? Wouldn’t that solve everything?” asked Jack.
“I am not trained in the ways of war. This is how it has always been. If you truly are who many believe you to be, then you should have little difficulty in swaying the Council’s decision.” Nefiri’s face was beginning to look more worn and lined as she continued.
“You do realize we’re only fourteen years old, right? I’m on the debate team and all, but this is different,” argued Leo. “I don’t know how three teenagers who aren’t even from around here are going to have any effect on anything.”
“But that’s it, isn’t it?” asked Jayson after a moment’s silence. “The way we talk and act is proof enough that we’re not from Chartile. So, even if we aren’t actually these reincarnated kings, it’s not too hard for these people to believe it. I mean, think about it. If aliens came to our planet and they had this technology that was different from ours, it might be thousands of years out dated to them, but we’d think they were, like, super geniuses, just because of the stereo type about aliens. You want to use our existence and presence here to help you.”
Jack and Leo tried not to let their mouths hang open as they stared at Jayson. Nefiri looked at the floor, scowling and sighed.
“I think that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said, Jay,” said Leo.
Jayson smiled. “What can I say?” he said. He crossed his arms and attempted to lean against the wall behind him. “This place seems to be rubbing off on me.” Instead, he misjudged the distance and nearly fell over.
“Will you at least consider my offer?” asked Nefiri, “I will ensure that your use of magic is never discovered. You would be awarded Ambassador status among the Dwarves. I can find you permanent quarters of your choosing at the Tutarian Mountains.”
“We’ll think about it,” said Leo. He smirked at Jack and Jayson who nodded in agreement.
“I can ask no more,” said Nefiri, unable to entirely hide the defeat in her voice. “Do you have any further questions I can answer?”
“Yeah,” said Leo, leaning back and refolding his arms again. “Who are these informants, and how do they know about us?”
Nefiri nodded. “I can say only so much. Please understand, as the leader of my people, it is my duty to have eyes and ears everywhere. I have had them watching Piper for many years now.”
“Why?” Jack asked quietly.
“If you do not know the answer to that, you will very soon. It is not information I feel is my right to give.”
“If you had all these people watching Piper, how come they didn’t try to help her?” asked Jayson. His face grew flush as he spoke. “I mean, she was starving out there. If she’s so important, why did you let her suffer?”
“She is an elf. Though an admittedly important one, her fate is in the hands of her people, not mine. It is regrettable, but it is the way of things.”
“That’s bogus,” Jayson huffed.
If there are no further questions, I would like to continue to our next matter at hand,” Nefiri’s voice raised with more enthusiasm. She rose, and headed for the door. Jayson, Jack and Leo remained where they were. Nefiri opened the door and bowed low. The young girl from the hall entered. She bowed stiffly at the waist to the boys, her hands flat against her thighs. Jack, Leo and Jayson hurried return the gesture,
if rather clumsy.
“My Lords, this is Princess Gemari, Queen Una’s successor. I have charged her with ensuring you are taught the proper etiquettes of our people. She will be your guide in the days leading up to our meeting with the Elders.”
“My lords, it is an honor to meet you,” Gemari said sweetly. Her eyes locked with Jack, and she blushed scarlet before looking away.
“I have arranged for our tailors to outfit you in the best garments available. Please, rest for today. Gemari will return tomorrow to take you on a tour of the mines, and have you properly garbed. If you have no further need of me, I shall take my leave of you.”
Jayson took a step forward as Nefiri and Gemari turned for the door. “You’ll tell us as soon as Piper wakes up, right?” he asked.
“Of course,” said the Empress before shutting the door behind her.
Piper’s eyes fluttered open. The mural on the ceiling before her. Visions a unicorn and phoenix by a golden fountain swirled together and made her dizzy. She closed her eyes again, and concentrated on moving one part of her body at a time. She was stiff and sore, but thankful for the softness beneath her. For a moment, she thought she had died. The pain was horrible, and had given way to terrifying nightmares. Her mind raced with thoughts from the attack, and she sat up quickly. The room spun around her, and she felt instantly sick. A firm hand pushed her gently back to the bed. She resisted, but the pounding in her ears became overwhelming.
“Piper, everything is alright,” said a male voice. A cold compress was placed on her head.
“Dimitri?” she asked. She couldn’t focus. Her mind and her eyes were a blur. “What’s happened?”
“Piper,” said a different voice, this time a woman. “My name is Nefiri. You are at Fortress Kelsii. You and your companions are safe and well. Please stay lying down. You are not yet fully healed.”
Chartile: Prophecy Page 7
