by Eric Vall
I glanced over at Carmedy and saw that even as the feline sniffled and dabbed at her eyes, she smiled all the same.
Morrigan stepped forward as Fea and Macha landed back on her shoulders. The elf’s eyes widened for a moment as she watched the spheres collide and come closer to her in particular. I stepped to her side and, in one swift movement, lifted her left hand that held the soul stone in her wedding ring. I stared down at its milky white surface and remembered back on the night I had stood in the cold darkness of the Tamarisch battlefield and pooled all the soldier’s souls together to create the soul stone for Morrigan. I stroked the stone with the back of my thumb then lifted my eyes to my white-haired wife.
Morrigan looked at me in confusion, but I gave her a knowing smile as all the orbs rushed forward and combined into one large soul orb. I reached out over the water for it and listened to the soft voices that rose from it as it came closer. The combined souls of the Rusalka were milky white like the soul stone encased in Morrigan’s wedding ring, and I held out the small orb to the elven woman.
My white-haired lover took the combined essences tentatively and, with unsure hands, held it out over the ring. Bright light streamed from the soul orb as all of the Rusalkas’ spirits were pulled into the soul stone I had given to my second wife. We hadn’t used the soul stone yet, but with the added souls inside, it would only make the power to detect lies even more powerful.
I looked to Annalise but her back was turned to me as she knelt beside the cool water of the pool. I crossed to her but the High Queen barely raised her head to me as we listened to the soft movement of the Riese. Annalise’s supple lips pressed into a tight line as her dark chocolate brown eyes moved over the confines of the pools and the stone room much like the nexus of the Tichádáma. We were silent as she knelt beside me, but I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and let her take as much time as she needed. When I glanced down at her again after a few more minutes, I saw that fat tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
“It’s so painful to be down here,” the swordswoman whispered as she dipped one of her hands into the water by her feet, and my gaze softened on her back.
“You don’t need to speak if you don’t want to,” I told her in a soft whisper but the high queen shook her head as her tight braid fell from her shoulder.
“No,” Annalise barked out forcefully and all of my other minion’s and Ines turned in shock at the sound.
The swordswoman rose to her full height next to me as she glared down at the water then she lifted her face to mine. I saw then that she really was crying, and she reached out for me with desperate hands.
“This place was so many women’s watery grave, and if I hadn’t run away when I did, it would’ve been mine too,” she pronounced through her tears. “I’ve never been so glad to see someone die in my life, I’ve never been happier to see the light leave someone’s eyes than I am today. Tintagal and the women of the surrounding countries will suffer no more from this day forward. Baudouin will never lay his hands on another innocent woman.”
“I am glad to see him die too,” Morrigan whispered as she took a step forward and held the soul stone close to her chest, where the Rusalka’s souls now rested in peace. “My only wish is that I could have been more instrumental in his death, I wish I could have seen his soul leave his body. The only consolation I have is that his wicked soul will be digested by both Fea and Macha, never to return or wander the earth.”
“M-Master?” Carmedy whimpered, and I turned my attention to the small feline as she too swiped at her teary eyes.
“What is it, my love?” I asked in a whisper as I brought the feline closer.
“A-are the Rusalka at rest? Are they happy in the soul stone with the others?” Carmedy asked as she buried her face in my chest, and I stroked her black hair as I thought for a moment but Morrigan answered for me.
“The Rusalka are happier here with me, I can already feel it in their souls,” the white-haired elf said as she cupped the ring in her palm and looked into Carmedy’s eyes gently. “They will never have to suffer again, no longer left to roam on the water or suffer at the hands of Baudouin.”
“Two birds with one stone.” Rana smiled as she helped Ines to her feet.
Ines clung onto the redhead with feverish hands and allowed Rana to guide her as we turned towards the exit of the cave. With Baudouin gone and the Rusalka avenged, my minions and I led Ines back up the hall then up the spiral staircase. Ines walked unsteadily, and a few times, she had to lean on me or one of my minions.
We headed back towards the ball, prepared to announce the death of Baudouin and my ascension to his throne.
Once we got closer to the ballroom, I could hear the loud laughter and music from below that signaled that the ball was still in full swing. I looked back to Ines and though she looked pale and unsteady on her feet, she nodded to me that she was ready to face the crowd. I pulled back the curtain that led to the balcony and all six of us stepped out onto it.
I glared down at the revelers below. When none of them seemed to take notice of us, I reached into my void pocket and retrieved the God Slayer from within. I slammed the great polearm down onto the marble at our feet and the sound exploded upward then cracked around the entire room. My women held onto Ines as the poor woman struggled to stand upright on her own from the impact. Some guests gasped, others only turned to stare at us, but one thing was for sure, the room fell silent as they laid their eyes on me and the High Queen as Annalise stepped forward to my side.
“I-it’s the High King and Queen!” a man yelled as he held his hands to his chest.
“Where is Baudouin?” a woman screamed as she searched for the lord amongst our group. “Our Lord would never allow you two into the palace!”
I moved my eyes through the crowd as I lifted both hands into the air for silence, and reluctantly, the Tintagal citizens quieted. I gestured with one hand towards Ines, and Rana helped her forward to the railing for all below to see. The assembled citizenry gasped loudly at Baudouin’s bride’s disheveled appearance.
Ines blushed but gripped onto the railing as she rose to her full height beside me.
“Baudouin is dead,” I boomed as I looked down to everyone in attendance of the ball, and whispers exploded all around the room as I let my words sink in for a moment. “His evil will no longer taint the land of Tintagal.”
“You killed him!” a man screamed as he pointed a trembling hand directly at the center of my chest.
“No, I would have spared his life if only he had handed over the land of Tintagal to the powers of Tamarisch,” I said pointedly as I looked to Ines, and she nodded once to confirm what I said was true. Whispers and cries rose from the ranks of the citizens below as I continued my speech. “And in truth, I didn’t kill him, the spirits of the water did. The Rusalka, the women he married then killed and gave to the water are the ones who sent him to his early grave. Ines?”
“It’s true,” Ines started as she moved her eyes over the crowd below. She seemed to find the strength to speak as her back straightened, and she leaned over the railing to look into the faces of the people below. “Lord Baudouin took me down into the belly of the palace to the pools where the Riese swept in. He threatened me with a dagger, he attempted to cut off my dress, but that’s when the High King and Queen appeared to save me from his clutches. If it weren’t for them… I too would be one with the water right now. I too would be a Rusalka.”
I could tell from some of the crowd that they believed what Ines said. Most of the men who nodded in agreement to Ines’ words looked like sailors, and I assumed that they too had experienced run-ins with the spirit women on the water.
“Baudouin is dead, and Tintagal is now under Tamarisch rule,” Annalise said in a firm voice from beside me. The people of Tintagal glowered up at us, some people looked relieved while others looked mostly confused. “As the High Queen and King, we will treat you not as a country added to our empire, but instead as a part of our
country that was already there. Tintagal will hurt for nothing with new trade routes put in place. Food, clothing and anything you could dream of will be in abundance. Let us step into the fruitful future together and forget the fighting of the past along with Baudouin. Let all of our grudges and misgivings falls away, and let Tintagal and Tamarisch finally become one country under a single ruler.”
The citizens of Tintagal listened intently to Annalise’s impassioned words, and soon, I saw the anger and hatred fall away from them as they imagined a world where they had the luxuries that Tamarisch had on the daily. I raised my eyebrows in surprise as the people below began to cheer and chant Annalise’s name. I knew that the swordswoman deserved her title as High Queen, but watching her whip a crowd that was once unhappy with her being there into a cheering frenzy as she changed their minds completely was astonishing. Tintagal wasn’t a poor land, to say the least, but they didn’t have the extravagance or indulgences that Tamarisch did.
“We will be good to you, we will show you that you can trust in not only Tamarisch, but trust us as your leaders too,” I boomed and the faces below stared up at me with wide eyes. “I am in control of Valasara, Tamarisch, Machstein and now, Tintagal. We will be unified countries under one ruler, and I will provide for each and every one of you. Don’t be afraid, the times of trial and tribulation are over.”
It took me a moment to realize what was happening below. It looked like a swift wave rushing through the citizens and people alike, but soon, each and every person took a knee and bowed their heads to me respectfully. Tintagal accepted me as their leader just as the others had, without qualms or disruptions.
I would do as I promised, I would take good care of Tintagal along with the other countries I possessed and provide them with everything they needed. I was surprised as just as suddenly, the people below rose to their feet, bowed to me once more and turned back to the party like something had happened. I stared down at them in shock, but Annalise crossed her arms, shook her head, and giggled softly to herself as she leaned against the railing.
“What in the actual hell is going on?” Rana sighed as she watched the guests jump back into dancing as the orchestra began to play once more.
“I think I can explain a little better,” the swordswoman said as she looked over the edge of the balcony to the rejoicing mass below our feet. “Baudouin married and remarried so often that it seems that Tintagal is used to quick changes. Shifting between leaders mustn’t be as difficult as I thought it would be.”
“D-Does this mean we can go down and enjoy the rest of the party?” Carmedy whispered to me as she tugged at her tail anxiously.
I kept my face serious and stoic as I looked the petite feline in the face. Carmedy looked nervously at me as she hopped from foot to foot, her eyes pleaded with me to allow them to go down and dance again. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked into the faces of the rest of my minions. They wanted to celebrate not only the fall of Baudouin but the revenge of the Rusalka and taking Tintagal for our own. I stroked my chin thoughtfully, then my expression broke into a wide smile as I leaned in close to Carmedy and the cat’s cheeks flushed red.
“Absolutely, my dears.” I grinned as I offered my hands to them. Each of my women eagerly grabbed onto me and dragged me down into the mass of people to enjoy the rest of our evening as the new rulers of Tintagal.
Chapter Twenty-Three
A few days later, as the rest of my minions got ready to leave Tintagal, I sought Annalise out in particular. I found her in the massive bedroom that once belonged to Baudouin. Thankfully, she and a few of the servants had taken down the massive portraits of the cruel lord. There were at least three on each wall of the palace, and Annalise personally took it upon herself to rid Tintagal of its last ruler, a most noble task in my eyes.
I came up behind her quietly as she brushed off her hands and stared up at the plain wall in front of her. I placed a warm hand on her shoulder, and she turned slowly with a wide smile on her face as she realized it was me. The High Queen enveloped herself in my arms, and I held her tightly to my chest. I breathed in her natural scent for a few moments then pulled away to look down in her face.
“Come with me,” I instructed her in a soft voice. “There’s something we must do.”
Annalise’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion but she followed after me anyway. I held out my hand to her, and she took it as I led her out of the palace where Rana waited with our Bantams. The swordswoman looked to me still puzzled, but I gave her no answer as I gestured towards the birds. The redhead helped my first wife onto her bird, and I threw my leg over mine as I slipped into the saddle. I urged my Bantam forward and Annalise followed after as we trotted through the city of Tintagal then to the wall that surrounded the whole town. Once outside, I followed the directions one of the courtiers had given me perfectly.
“Where are we going?” Annalise asked from beside me, and once we were close to the spot we needed to be, I turned to look at her.
“Do you remember our short visit to Toscal?” I answered her question with a question as I turned in my saddle and leveled my eyes at the High Queen.
“Toscal?” Annalise asked as she scrunched up her face and thought for a moment. “The port town where we chartered our ship to Machstein?”
“You are correct, my love.” I smiled to her as I reached out my hand to her. She took it as I looked out over the rolling hills, the steep and craggy gray cliffs, and the deep royal blue of the Riese. “Do you remember what we talked about on the pier?”
Annalise’s mouth opened then closed as she thought deeply. Her dark brown eyes lowered to the grass below her Bantam’s feet, and she sat in the saddle quietly for a few passing minutes. I took my time as I listened to the waves crash below on the rocks and cliffs. The day was much warmer than any other we’d spent in Tintagal, and the breeze that brushed up the hill we climbed ruffled both our hair.
Suddenly, Annalise’s expression broke as she stared at me in shock then her lips upturned into a wide smile as she clamored for me.
“You were on the pier… and asked me about the fish that bobbed up to the surface. I told you about the Yellow-tail Razorbacks, and how Baudouin trapped the endangered fish in the Riese...” Annalise recalled then looked to me in disbelief, but I only smiled in return as she looked up ahead of us to the man-made dam that rose close by. “Master? Really? A-are we going to free them?”
“You were very upset when you told me, and it touched me. That story stayed with me for a long time, my love.” I nodded to her as we came over one last swell and stared down at the massive stone dam blocking the mouth of the river from access. “I couldn’t turn my sights towards Canarta without doing what I promised you we would do.”
From our position, I could see directly down into the deep water of the Riese, and even from this distance, I could see the colorful and beautiful fish as they cut through the frigid water around the bottom of the dam. I slid off the back of my Bantam, and Annalise followed after, pressed close to my side. As Annalise had told me, Baudouin had put this dam in place because he wanted to trap the gorgeous fish in the river. The fish used to spawn in the pools below the castle, and Baudouin would spend hours down there as he watched them. The cruel lord wanted to keep them here forever, even if it meant killing off the whole species.
I would do anything for my minions, especially if it were a direct request. Annalise wanted the dam destroyed, she hadn’t said it directly, but I could tell from the way she shifted anxiously from foot to foot, and so it would be done. I moved my eyes over the smooth stone put in place and separating the two waterways from each other. My wife and I were completely silent as I dropped her hand and stepped closer to the edge of the cliff we stood on with the near perfect view of the dam.
As I brought both hands up in front of me, I breathed softly through my nose. My power surged up and forward out of my avatar to ripple across the ground towards the solid rock dam. As my power moved closer, I feel every i
nch of the dam in my mind, and I felt for any weak points on the rock as I moved along it. Baudouin had used a master of the trade to create this dam, and I found no weak points or damage to the outside which only meant one thing.
I would have to take it down myself.
I crossed to the edge of the cliff with Annalise trailing after me as she intently watched. I breathed out deeply and opened my eyes as I brought my hands in close to my chest then forced all of the air out of my lungs as I slammed my hands down through the air. My telekinetic might flowed and moved with my gestures, and as it fell onto the dam, my hands felt some pressure against them as if there were an obstacle attempting to block them. I pushed harder, channeled more of my dark power, and my hands broke through the resistance without much effort. As I lifted my eyes, the dam followed suit as it crumbled in two places under my divine might.
Royal blue water leaked from the cracks and with a downward smack of my hand, another chunk of stone came loose with the roar of water spilling back out into the Riese. I raised my open hands into the air, concentrated on the last remaining stone and snapped my hands closed. The remaining stone crumbled into the Riese with that final gesture as water from the river mouth spilled in.
Annalise gasped loudly as she pressed herself into my side, and we watched together as the water burst forward for the first time in years. Once the surface calmed and the crumbled dam walls fell to the bottom of the river, we both saw the first movement under the surface. It was subtle at first, just a few ripples as a large body pushed through the river but we could see what was happening. A single Razorback swam up to the opening of the mouth and inspected it warily.
Annalise held her breath from beside me as she stared down into the water for a few passing minutes, then we both saw it. The water rippled as the first Razorback swam up and out of the Riese to the river mouth. She gasped as we saw another and another swim up and out of the Riese, and before our eyes, the water became a tremulous ocean of moving bodies as more and more of the Razorbacks surfaced and plunged forward into the river towards the open ocean.
