“Oh? And why is that, Sistina?” The fey monarch asked, her smile widening as the music swirled behind Sistina, the sounds derailing the elf’s thoughts and making it hard to focus.
“Because . . . it’s hard enough to retain control of myself even now. If I come closer to you, I don’t think I can manage to retain my senses,” Sistina managed after a few moments, gulping hard. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and it terrifies me.”
Quara’s laughter was beautiful and bell-like, ringing through the strangely breathable water with perfect clarity, and the music faltered for a moment before continuing. The fey queen spoke happily, her eyes dancing with amusement as she did so. “Oh, you’re the most delightful young woman, aren’t you? Do you know how few men or women can retain their senses in my court? Vanishingly few, young lady. I do wish that you were interested . . . but I will not press the issue. May I ask what brought you into the Eternal Wood, Sistina?”
Bowing her head slightly, Sistina swallowed hard. She’d almost lost her composure utterly at Quara’s admission, and a tiny part of her was regretting her reluctance. A moment later she looked up again, avoiding Quara’s eyes as she replied. “We are here on a pilgrimage to the Eternal Court, Your Majesty. In particular, we are going to pay our respects to the Eternal Empress, and visit the Overlook.”
“Ah! I see indeed! That means that you have a definite time limit on how long you can visit my court, doesn’t it?” Quara replied, disappointment in her voice as she frowned. “I had hoped for guests that could bring some liveliness to my court for a time, but . . .”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but we’re also expected back home within a month of our original departure,” Sistina told her, swallowing the honest regret she felt at the fey queen’s reaction. “We can spare perhaps a night or two, but more than that and things may go badly.”
“Ah, but at least we have the night!” Quara’s eyes brightened again, and the fey queen stood, extending a hand toward Sistina and asking gently, “May I have this dance?”
Sistina hesitated a moment, torn as she looked up at the brilliantly gleaming beauty before her. Seeing her reticence, Quara grinned, showing pearl-like teeth as she added gently. “I give my word, Sistina, you will be able to continue on your journey as planned.”
“In that case, I will gladly accept, Your Majesty,” Sistina replied in relief, a smile blossoming on her face. Fey were well-known for keeping to their word, so she nodded and took the queen’s hand, shuddering as an ageless manifestation of nature’s beauty swept her onto the dance floor. The intense magic of the presence of so many fey took away all sense of time from her, as they danced under the moonlight.
Chapter 4
“Did that really happen, or was it just a dream?” Ryvan asked, his normal petulance completely absent as he stared toward the trees separating them from the lake. “It feels so unreal, yet . . .”
Looking up from taking down her tent, Sistina spoke as calmly as she could, suppressing the impulse to blush at her own memories. “It was real. I’m just glad that the fey were kind enough to send us on our way as quickly as they did. I’ve heard of people disappearing into a fey court for decades.”
They had spent a full night and the following day with the fey. Sistina could only remember scattered fragments of the experience, but she knew that she’d woken up next to Queen Quara, a fact which she was firmly intent on never letting any of the others know about. She was certain that nothing had happened between them, but the invitation to come back whenever she wanted had quite firmly stuck in Sistina’s mind. When they woke back in camp this morning, she’d found a string of rainbow-hued freshwater pearls and a tiny wooden fish painted to match the fish of the lake on her pillow.
None of the others seemed to have as clear of memories of what had happened, but all of them could remember fragments. Uvara was avoiding looking at anyone else, and the guards had quickly made themselves scarce. The only person Sistina didn’t see was Alain, which worried her.
“I’m not sure that would be such a bad thing . . .” Bevall murmured, the young man’s arrogance somewhat softened as his eyes grew distant, pausing in his packing. “That was an incredible experience.”
“I rather suspect that your father would disagree with you,” Sistina countered, her eyes narrowing. “No going back to the lake. If you do, I’m not coming in after you again.”
“T-thank you for getting us out when you did,” Uvara spoke up softly, looking over at Sistina as she swallowed. “I appreciate it.”
“You’re quite welcome, Uvara. I admit, it was a near thing. I nearly lost myself right at the beginning as well, and who knows what would have happened then?” Sistina replied with a shrug. “Still, all’s well that ends well. The only question is where Alain is, since I know the fey queen promised to send all of us on our way.”
“He was up first,” Ryvan replied, and nodded toward the trees. “I saw him walk toward the lake.”
“Oh, that stupid . . . give me a minute; I’ll be right back,” Sistina swallowed a curse and dropped the stake she’d just pulled out of the ground, breaking into a jog as she headed toward the lake. Internally, she glowered as she pondered how to lecture her guard.
Sistina all but skidded to a halt as she came into sight of the shore, only to see Alain standing on the pale sand, holding hands with a fey woman. The woman looked much like a beautiful human with light blue skin, dark blue hair, and sea-green eyes. She wore a dark blue dress and had a shawl that almost looked like woven sea foam over her shoulders, and Sistina blinked at the sight of the gentle smile on her face. Seeing Sistina, the woman nodded toward her, and Alain quickly pulled his hands away, standing up straight as he turned, his face slightly flushed.
“Milady! I’m sorry, I hadn’t expected to see you yet,” Alain spoke hurriedly, almost standing at attention. “Is there something I can do for you?”
“I was afraid that you were about to go walking back into the lake and that I was going to lose my bodyguard,” Sistina replied mildly, crossing her arms as she raised her eyebrows. “What’s this?”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Milady. I was just speaking with Vanessa, and she volunteered to act as our guide to the Eternal Court, and to help us avoid any delays from other fey,” Alain replied, flushing slightly as he avoided meeting Sistina’s eyes. “I was just getting ready to come and ask you if you would be willing to allow her to come with us.”
“Vanessa, is it? May I ask what type of fey you are, and why you wish to come with us?” Sistina looked at the woman, who met her gaze with a slight smile.
“Of course you may, Lady Constella. I am a nereid, and I also wish to pay my respects to the Eternal Empress, and extend the regards of My Lady to her as well,” Vanessa spoke in a water-smooth voice, before glancing at Alain and continuing with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “I also wished to grow more familiar with Alain and see whether a deeper relationship was possible or desirable before you reached Rainbow Waters again.”
“Vanessa!” Alain’s slight blush turned brilliant crimson as he yelped in shock.
“I . . . I see. Well, I’m glad you are honest,” Sistina replied, somewhat stunned herself by the admission. It took her a moment before she asked. “What will you do if it is possible and desirable?”
“I will ask you for permission to accompany you back to Everium, that I may pursue Alain properly,” Vanessa’s response was simple, and she smiled gently at him. “I rather enjoyed his company.”
Instead of continuing the vein of questioning, Sistina quickly turned her attention to Alain, trying not to think about what they had been up to. So she asked him. “Alain? Are you fine with her coming along, given her stated reasons?”
“Yes, Milady. I just didn’t expect her to be so . . . so forthright about it,” He shuffled his feet as he looked down in embarrassment. “I do hope you aren’t upset?”
“Of course I’m not upset. I’m more annoyed that you wandered over here without tel
ling me anything,” Sistina scolded him, looking at Vanessa and smiling. “And you are welcome to our company, Vanessa. I’m afraid that the only seat left is on the front of the carriage next to Alain, though. He’s been acting as the drover on the trip so far.”
“Thank you for your consideration and acceptance, Lady Constella. I deeply appreciate it, and such a seat is perfectly fine,” Vanessa assured Sistina, smiling more as she nodded. “I also should not delay you any longer. I have a few things to acquire from my home before we set out.”
“Of course. We should leave within half of an hour, so please be quick,” Sistina asked, and gave Alain a pointed look. “Which also means you need to get your tent packed.”
“I’ll be there in time,” Vanessa promised, and quickly turned and dove into the water, vanishing without so much as a splash.
Alain had the good grace to look embarrassed, nodding as he replied. “Of course, Sistina. Sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking. I just . . .”
“It’s fine, Alain. I just was afraid you’d do something stupid,” Sistina interrupted, shaking her head as she gestured back toward camp, starting to walk back. “You’re supposed to be protecting me, not the reverse!”
“True enough. I’m sorry,” Alain agreed, his head hanging slightly as he followed along.
“Still, I’m glad that something good came of our interesting encounter. If she can keep us from getting grabbed like that again, so much the better.” Smiling a little, Sistina gave Alain a sidelong glance as she added, “If it means that you find a beloved, though? Well, that makes the entire trip worth it. I was starting to wonder if you’d ever find someone.”
“Milady!” Alain protested loudly, prompting Sistina to break down into giggles that lasted until they reached the camp.
Just before they were ready to leave the campsite, Sistina opened her bags and searched through it for a minute. Finally, she found a blown glass sphere, delicate-looking strands of green, yellow, and red glass crossing the interior of the orb. She paused for a moment, then nodded to herself, murmuring, “I think this will do.”
She quickly walked toward the lake, and when Alain looked at her askance, she spoke up. “Just giving a gift to our hosts, Alain. I’ll be right back.”
Reaching the lake, Sistina paused, then spoke calmly, almost conversationally. “This is a gift to Queen Quara for honoring us with her presence and hosting us in her court.”
Gently setting the glass orb into the water, Sistina watched it slowly float outward among the gently lapping waves of the lake. Finally, she turned to go back to the camp. She never saw the hand emerge from the water to pull the orb under the surface.
“What did Uvara mean about you getting us out of the lake?” Bevall asked Sistina, a frown on his face as he looked out the carriage window. He hesitated before adding, “I would have asked sooner, but I think my mind was clouded earlier.”
Sistina blinked once, surprised at how much of Bevall’s arrogance had vanished overnight. Perhaps the fey had been good for him. Finally, she answered patiently. “As I said before, the fey have an odd sense of time. They think almost nothing of delaying someone for a few weeks, months, or even years. According to the texts I consulted before coming here, the Eternal Wood only amplifies that tendency, since little ever changes within these borders. It isn’t malevolence, just that they don’t think about it. I managed to keep control of myself when Uvara and I encountered the siren, Grace, but only barely.”
Uvara colored slightly at the mention of Grace, Sistina noticed, but she ignored it as she continued. “When I reached the fey court, I was able to ask their queen to send us on our way after a short time, before losing control of myself. She agreed, which is quite fortunate for us. Really, all we had to do was ask, but the problem is having the presence of mind to ask in that sort of condition.”
“Why do they even have that effect on us, anyway?” Ryvan interrupted before Bevall could speak, the young man seeming far happier than he’d been before they left Everium City. “I’ve never met fey before.”
“I’m drawing from what I read again, so I just want to warn that what I’m telling you may not be entirely accurate,” Sistina warned, prompting the others to nod, and took a deep breath as she played with her pendant slowly. “Fey are supposedly a manifestation of nature itself. Though no one knows if such actually occurs or not, it’s said that particularly verdant groves might spontaneously birth a dryad, or lakes a nymph or siren. As they are such primal manifestations of nature, magic itself cloaks them in an aura of enchantment and enthrallment, making it more difficult for others to harm them. This is primarily in regard to animals, but you all experienced it yourselves. Their very voices, their presence, can enchant us. In the rare cases that they turn to true evil, fey can be incredibly dangerous since their presence can turn those whose minds are weak into slaves, but most fey simply don’t care. With as many fey as were at that court, it would be a wonder if anyone short of someone with mental shields could control themselves.”
“Oh.” Ryvan’s voice was soft, and his eyes wide. When he said nothing further, Bevall cleared his throat.
“That does explain a fair amount. I hope that your books were accurate. It does explain why I succumbed so readily, which is somewhat comforting,” he admitted, shaking his head. “How did you even manage to resist? I was entranced the moment that the woman said a single word.”
“Me too,” Uvara agreed softly.
“Actually, I did as well. The thing was, a part of me noticed something was wrong,” Sistina shrugged helplessly, smiling as she added. “It was just like a voice in the back of my head was asking why I was so happy to meet a complete stranger. It snapped me out of my trance.”
“Drat. I was hoping it would be something I could learn.” Bevall sighed softly, settling back in his seat. “My father was right. I have a lot to learn.”
“I . . . well, maybe I do,” Ryvan admitted, frowning. “I just don’t like studying.”
“One of my early teachers taught me that nothing worthwhile comes easily. I’ve since learned that isn’t entirely true, but it’s a good basis to work off of,” Sistina offered, shrugging. “I study because I don’t have any other real strengths. I’ve got strictly average magical talent, enough to activate magic items and the like but not enough to learn magic easily. I also don’t have the physique to be a skilled warrior, so that doesn’t leave me many options. So I choose to study and learn. If I know how things work, I can prepare myself to deal with them. Besides, the information will help when I become Marquess Constella.”
“Huh. I don’t know . . .” Ryvan murmured, frowning slightly.
“Look, it’s actually pretty simple, Ryvan. You’re going to be a Duke eventually. Do you want to be in charge, or do you want to have your advisors run everything?” Bevall interjected impatiently. “If you don’t learn how and why to make your decisions, you’re either going to be incompetent, or almost a puppet for the people in your duchy to manipulate.”
“What? They wouldn’t dare!” Ryvan protested hotly, but then he paused, looking back and forth between the others. After a moment he asked more nervously, “Would they?”
“In a heartbeat. That’s what happened to Baron Herth a century ago,” Sistina told him grimly, shaking her head, and all of the others blanched. Baron Herth was a cautionary tale in the kingdom. He’d been a useless ruler, and had been manipulated by one of the local churches, which had actually turned to demon worship. By the time anyone had realized what had happened, the demonic cultists had taken over and it’d taken a long, bloody campaign with thousands of deaths to purge the corruption from the remnants of the baron’s eastern lands.
“I suppose I’ll have to think about it. Thank you, both of you,” Ryvan finally murmured, sitting back in his seat.
“Don’t mention it,” Sistina replied softly, and turned to watch the landscape roll by outside the carriage. Her slight depression at the mention of Baron Herth was washed away as she heard
Vanessa’s laughter mixing with Alain’s. The two seemed to be getting along well.
Chapter 5
Over the course of days, the sight of a distant ridge could be seen, blocking the view of the center-most regions of the Eternal Wood. Their journey had grown smoother with Vanessa along with them, as her presence brought numerous fey from apparent hiding. Foremost among these were a satyr, dryad, and even a clan of tiny brownie-like fey that had tended to their campsites over the next few days. Vanessa had danced for the satyr, sung for the dryad, and given the small fey five beautifully carved stone flutes. Each of the groups of fey had produced food and drink, and thrown the travelers a small party. It was that morning, after the small fey had left, that Uvara had finally asked why she’d done so.
“Among fey, nothing is as valuable as art or things which you’ve crafted with your own hands. Coins are meaningless among us, unless they are unique, self-crafted pieces,” Vanessa had explained patiently, smiling gently as she continued. “A song or dance is a unique piece of beauty that is more valuable than gold to most fey. So long as it is made with passion and all their heart, a crudely carved wooden statue is a piece beyond price, for in our eyes it contains a fragment of the soul and passion of its maker. Remember, neither gold nor jewels are those things which my people prize. We prize emotions, passion, and the power of a strong will.”
Sistina found herself amused to see how the other three had immediately begun trying their hands at carving and the like during their breaks during the day. None of them dared risk it in the carriage, but they were definitely already working on it. She’d heard similar things well before the trip, so she’d stocked up on appropriate gifts beforehand. The glass orb she’d left for Quara had been one Sistina commissioned from a brilliant young artist in the city, in fact. The things she’d made herself were being saved for the Empress, though.
Marin's Codex Page 35
