“Piper, I’m sorry.” It was all Valin could say. He was at a loss. The guilt that rose in him because he had killed Taraniz made him ill. Perhaps they could have found another way. It was his fault. Deep down, he knew this.
Piper lifted her head from Dimitri’s body. His tunic was drenched in her tears. Her eyes fell on Taraniz’s body lying several feet away. Agony and anger washed over her. It was as though she could feel it filling her from the inside out.
“I can’t!” she screamed, and took off down the hall.
“Piper, wait!” Valin ran after her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Aftermath
Valin followed Piper back toward the noble’s wing. He watched as she leapt up a flight of stone steps and when she reached the top, slammed the door in his face. It wasn’t locked, and he could have entered, but the tormented cries behind the door were heartbreaking. He stood silent at the top of the stair, one hand clutched against his heart, the other poised to knock on the door.
“Dimitri,” he heard her sob. His hand fell to his side, and he left her alone.
He hurried back to the scene of the fight. Several guards were converging on the boys. They stood back to back, their weapons on the floor in front of them and hands raised in surrender.
“We are the returned kings foretold in your prophecy,” he heard Leo telling them. “We mean no harm.”
“Gentleman,” called Valin as he rounded the corner. There were a few faces he recognized, but none he knew by name. He hoped they recognized him as well. “The evil that has possessed your princess has been destroyed. Princess Taraniz and Dimitri of Mount Kelsii have sacrificed themselves for the sake of us all. I implore you to call a meeting of the nobles immediately. Aramor and Runa’s lost daughter and Taraniz’s sister has been found. Kaytah Chaudoin of Outland Post will have the records to prove this. She was brought here several weeks ago under Taraniz’s orders. We must call off the attack on our brothers at Mount Kelsii, and dispatch messengers and carrier birds at once!”
The guards exchanged looks of confusion and uncertainty. Several looked at the body of Princess Taraniz lying sprawled on the floor before them, and looked at their hands or rubbed their temples.
“Quickly!” Jack urged them. He had nearly forgotten about the attack on Mount Kelsii. Gemari’s face flashed before him as Valin had spoken, and fear rose within him for her safety once more. The guards jumped at his voice. Most hurried away as ordered, but others still continued to survey the scene before them.
It took some time to calm and convince all of the palace guards of the events that had transpired. It wasn’t until they had persuaded Leland, the Captain of the Elven Guard that plans began to move forward. They found Runa’s journal in the tower with Piper. She told them how she had found the tower, and her conversation with Taraniz through unrelenting sobs. Between what they could make of her tale through her tear, and a bit of magic on the part of Jayson, Jack and Leo, Leland was finally made to believe.
Word returned the next day from the lords and commanders marching on Fortress Kelsii. They had marched from Cannondole as soon as Piper had left the town. The soul of Duke Noraedin had known all along. But the soldiers’ minds became clear as they battled the dwarves on the Great Plains when Noraedin was finally defeated. An immediate halt was called, and the soldiers retreated to their encampment at the edge of the forest. That night, the elven commanders received messages from Leland, and Leo sent word to Kylani, Brande and Frejah. Jack had sent a letter to Frejah as well, though his was to be given to Gemari when she returned from Tutaria.
Nobles from all across Chartile began trickling in over the next several days, including with Valar. The trek was too far for many, but they sent messages via carrier bird ahead. Leland and Valin, who had assumed some sort of command in the chaos, introduced Jack, Leo and Jayson to the Barons, Lords and Counts as they arrived. With their minds now free from the manipulation of Noraedin, the nobles saw the boys’ magic as a wondrous sign of the fulfillment of the prophecy, and a dangerous power. It was the magic of Taraniz and Noraedin that had placed them all in their current predicament, and it made many even more uncomfortable than Valin.
Gran was found safe at Harpy’s Point, and she returned to the palace shortly after her summons was received. Jayson, Jack and Leo ran to her, forgetting their manners entirely. They had grown fond of her during their time in the mountains when they snuck in to see her at night to receive the items she had traded for them. She embraced them warmly and kissed them on their cheeks.
“My dears,” she said. “Look how much you’ve grown!” She squeezed Jayson’s chin where his stubble had begun to grow. “I am so proud of you. How are your glasses, Leo?”
“Doing great, Gran,” he said, and she hugged him again.
“Where is Piper?” she asked when their third round of hugs had been given. Solemnly, they explained that Piper had yet to come down from the tower. She hardly spoke to anyone, but the boys made sure to meet with her every night and to tell her everything that had happened. She barely ate or slept. She spent most of the time staring out the window and ignored all else.
“Take me to her. At once,” demanded Gran.
The boys took off, through the golden halls, Gran keeping up with their quick pace. When they reached the base of the stone stair, Jack held the door for the woman, but they did not follow.
Gran reached the top of the winding stone stair with her knees creaking more than she would have liked. She knocked gently on the door in the manner Piper had once done to tell Gran it was her when she came down from the mountains. She was greeted with silence. Gran pushed the door open, and found her granddaughter a few paces beyond the entrance. Her eyes were puffy and blood shot, and her face pale and drawn. Piper looked up and paused only a moment before she flung herself into Gran’s arms.
Gran did not speak. She squeezed Piper as hard as she could for several long minutes. When Piper’s grip loosened around her, she led her granddaughter to the freshly laundered bed and stroked her hair.
Piper cried long and hard. She cursed herself for all the times she had done so in the last several weeks, then melted again into uncontrollable blubbering. Finally her sobs subsided to hiccups, and Gran sat her up. She held Piper at arm’s length and moved the hair plastered to her cheeks behind her ears.
“I am sorry for your loss, my darling,” she said softly. Piper bowed her head, squinting her eyes as if to cry again. Gran put a finger under her chin, and lifted her head. “No one and nothing will ever take away your hurt. I will not tell you that you must forget them, but my darling, you are stronger than this.”
“Gran, I wanted to marry him. I’m lost,” said Piper, her voice dry and breaking. She reached for her grandmother’s hand and squeezed it hard. “And Taraniz – Ani – I never knew she went by Ani. She was kind, and caring. I could have learned so much from her. I cannot understand why everyone I love gets taken away from me. Even the boys. Leo is trying to find a way home for them. Why do they all leave me?”
Tears trickled down her face, and she wiped them away. She wanted to be strong, but she couldn’t find the will anymore. Gran pushed her red hair back. She straightened Piper’s shoulders, and lifted her chin even higher.
“I do not know, my darling. But what I do know is that life can be cold, and hard and cruel. Only the strong can rise up to overcome those challenges. And a leader must be strong. She must be capable in every undertaking. Steadfast and true. She must be kind, courteous, and eloquent. Your mother and father, Ani and Dimitri will never be gone from you so long as you hold them in your heart, and allow the best in them to shine through you.”
Piper hung her head again. She had not been much of a queen to her people lately. She had not been the queen she knew they needed.
“And,” continued Gran more gently, “I certainly have no intention of going anywhere.”
A week after the death of Princess Taraniz and Dimitri of Mount Kelsii, those part of the Concl
ave of Nobles who had made it to the palace finally met. It took the entire day, and was well into the evening before the Conclave was willing to make Piper their new queen. Plans for her coronation were put into action immediately, though Jack, Leo and Jayson noticed many of the nobles still cringed and shifted uncomfortably at any sign or mention of magic.
Piper left the conclave wanting nothing more than to fall into bed, but it was not to be. That night, a pyre was made, and Princess Taraniz was returned to the sky by earth and fire. Piper conducted the traditional ceremonies as her first duty as the Queen-to-be and attended to proper receiving and banquet afterward with Jack, Leo and Jayson at her side.
Dimitri’s body was escorted back to Mount Kelsii with Empress Nefiri. Piper demanded a full royal elven processional following in honor of his sacrifice. Jack accompanied them as the newly appointed Ambassador to the Dwarves. At first, he had protested, insisting Leo should take the role. Piper held up a hand to silence him.
“There is yet too much controversy surrounding Leo and his involvement with the Black Diamonds,” she said quietly. “You have the upper hand, due in part to your connection with Gemari.”
Jack blushed scarlet. “It’s forbidden,” he mumbled, shuffling his feet and fidgeting with his fingers behind his back.
“Not for long!” said Leo, giving him a gentle punch on the shoulder.
“What’d ya mean?” Jack asked.
“Now that we’ve proven who we are, no one will try to stand up to us,” Leo replied with a wide grin.
“Isn’t that abusing our power?” Jayson asked, his usual chipper air gone since the battle. He was quiet, and let Leo and Jack make most of the decisions. He immediately looked at his feet, and hugged his arms close.
Leo shrugged. “Maybe. But, Jayson… dude… this man’s heart…it’s on the line here! There’s love in the air!” He gave Jayson a small shove, and a smirk began to spread across Jayson’s face as Jack blushed deeper. “Besides,” Leo added “I’ve been working with the nobles to try and find a way to get us home. I don’t really have time for all that pearl wine anymore.”
The company rode hard to Fortress Kelsii. Nefiri wanted to return to her people as quickly as she could. Now on horseback, and not cutting across the forest terrain, they made the trip in two short days. Trumpets sounded as the procession approached the front gates. There had been no rain recently, and blood stains still littered the nearby rocks along the path to the gates.
The glittering doors were thrown wide to receive them, and the company rode straight into the grand entrance way. Jack dismounted stiffly, grateful the trip was over. He was extremely saddle sore. He had never ridden a horse that long before, and had taken to strapping himself to the saddle so he did not fall from his mount as they hurried back to the mountain.
“Jack!” called a voice behind him. He turned, and saw Gemari pushing her way through the crowd gathered in the main entrance. His face brightened at seeing her. She wore a golden chain with a small diamond pendant around her neck. It was the favor he had sent with his message to her. He had asked Piper for something, and she had obliged with a gift from the royal treasury.
Jack ran to her, and scooped her up into his arms, kissing her. It was only the gasps of those standing by, and the whoops and cheers from the Black Diamonds that brought them to again. They stopped, pulling away from each other, and stared in shock into each other’s eyes.
“I suppose some change is to be expected with every new generation,” said Nefiri passing beside them. She gave a small smile before turning to the escorts beside Dimitri’s body.
Jack and Gemari had little time to spend together, however. There were many dead from the battle, short lived as it was. Among its casualties were Kylani and Isla, who had refused to let her lover fight alone. Jack sent word immediately to Leo, and with Piper’s permission, Leo took a small company to the mountain. She sent a few select lords with him bearing gifts of peace to honor the dwarves who had fallen. It was to no one’s surprise but Leo’s that he was asked to help bear Kylani’s body to its final resting place.
No sooner had the ceremonies ended did Jack and Leo return to the elven palace for Piper’s coronation. There seemed little time to grieve their losses, though Jack preferred it that way.
“Have you found anything yet?” Jack asked Leo as they rode back to the elven palace. “Anything that might help us get home?”
Leo shook his head. “No. Most of the documents on magic were destroyed when it was outlawed. Brande suggested I go to Tutaria. Their libraries are bigger, and they don’t have as much aversion to magic as the elves.”
Jack nodded and turned his attention back to riding. They had recently slowed the horses to a walking pace for a bit, and he took the opportunity to tighten the rope around his waist.
“Jayson’s doing better,” said Leo, breaking the silence once more. “He’s been helping Leland and Piper hear the cases of the prisoners, and helping to deal out punishments. He’s been suggesting a lot of community service stuff. We need the help anyway.”
“I’m worried about him,” said Jack, shifting in his saddle. “I didn’t think he’d take what happened so hard.”
“Jack, he killed someone. What would you do if you killed someone, especially the way he did?”
They rode on in silence, lost in their own thoughts.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Coronation
The morning sun rose warm that day, when all the others had been cool and crisp. Piper sat up in bed, staring out the window of the tower. It was the day of her coronation. In a few short hours, Piper Romilly, born Eva Ruani, daughter of King Aramor and Queen Runa, would be crowned the queen of all the elves in Chartile. She took several deep breaths, and turned to look at the dress hanging beside the newly repaired dressing table. It was her mother’s dress that she had worn when presented to the Council of Elders at Mount Kelsii.
Valar had stepped up as her temporary advisor, until she had time to choose his successor, and so Valin could return to his duties in Cannondole. He had insisted she wear something new for the occasion, but Piper put her foot down. She had declared a period of mourning for her people for the loss of their princess, and since her coronation gown was not a requirement for the mandatory day to day workings of the elves, she refused to make them work on a new dress for her. It was Valin who had convinced her to let only the seamstresses who wanted to work on her dress apply some golden thread and embroidery to the gown. When she saw the eager faces of the young girls, she couldn’t deny them the pleasure of saying they had worked on the Queen’s coronation gown.
Soon her beck-ands would be up to help her with her hair and beauty paints. The tugging and pulling, and the oils and perfumes were enough to drive her mad. Piper pushed back her bedcovers and hurried to the dressing table. She quickly tied her hair back and pulled on plain traveling clothes and a gray wool hood that fell past her shoulders.
She picked up the bow that rested beside her bed and slung a quiver of arrows over her shoulder. They had once belonged to Jayson, and she was bound and determined to somehow get them back to him. But right now, she wanted to be Piper one last time.
She crept down the stone steps and carefully peeked out into the hall. It was bustling with nobles, guards and beck-ands, all excited and preparing for the day’s coming coronation.
Carefully, Piper opened the door to the tower stair, but did not step out. The air around her began to shimmer. She could feel the temperature dropping, and she shivered beneath her hood. She moved slowly and tiptoed quietly into the corridor, keeping to the wall. She made her way into the library and halted immediately. Yet more nobles gathered there, whispering amongst themselves beside the bookshelves. She continued along the outer walls of the library. Jack would have called it a ninja-stealth-walk, and she had to stifle a giggle at the thought. There was a door to her right that led from the library out to the gardens beyond. Piper knew the door creaked horribly. She removed the magic she used to
conceal herself, and forced the remaining energy toward a large stack of documents on the table beside the cluster of nobles. The pile cascaded to the floor, and the nobles dropped to the mossy ground to retrieve the fragile parchment. Piper slipped out the door and ran to the training yard.
She fought the urge to throw back her hood as she went, and bask in the warmth of the sun that filled the small clearing. The trees surrounding the elven palace were the largest and tallest trees in the forest. They hid the palace well but did not allow for much sunlight to filter through. For Piper, who had been raised at the base of Mount Kelsii, it was almost as suffocating as a prison cell. She took a deep breath, breathing in the fresh autumn air. It was her favorite smell in the entire world. The heat of the sun warmed the dying leaves, and it sent pleasant chills down her spine.
A few archers had already assembled themselves at the shooting range. Every guard was to be on stand by and at the ready during her coronation, and she assumed these young men were getting in some practice before hand. She took the target at the far end of the field away from the other archers. She stabbed a few arrows from the quiver into the ground and lined herself up. The first few were slightly off, but by her last arrow, she had hit the center target a handful of times.
Setting her bow to the ground, she looked up and down the line to make sure it was safe to retrieve her arrows. The group of young archers turned quickly away, and resumed their stances rather untidily.
“I don’t think anyone ever expected their Queen to be such a good shot,” said a voice behind her. She turned, ready to deny to whomever this stranger was that she wasn’t the Queen-to-be. A familiar freckled face grinned at her slyly. It was Jayson. She smiled and hugged him as he approached.
“I haven’t seen you for two days,” she said as they both traipsed onto the field to retrieve her arrows. “Where have you been? I admit I was worried you would not be here today.”
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