Svana hopped out of the boat, water splashing on the back of her legs and soaking into her boots. She ran the last few steps to shore, and after glancing back to look at the island one last time, she turned her focus to the Tellurian castle.
I mustn’t get distracted, Svana thought, fighting the urge to look back again and again. Only Jakobe and her friends were behind her. The future, and the peace of the lands of Verdil, lay ahead.
Her feet carried her down the familiar paths, through the courts and toward the castle of Telluris. Everything was a blur until she ran along the hallway to the staircase by the king’s bed chambers.
“Svana! You’re back!” Emmeline stood up from the bed, startling a servant in the room.
“Yes, how is he?” Svana could see for herself that the king had not moved the entire time she had been gone.
“They’ve not been able to lower his fever, and his breathing has gotten worse. I fear it’s only a matter of time,” Emmeline said softly, tears streaming down her face.
Turning slightly, Svana reached into the leather pouch at her side where she had stored the aquaberry plant. “Servant, I beg of you, please fetch me hot water?” Svana’s voice was kind, but stern.
The servant nodded her head and hurried from the room.
“What is that?” Emmeline crossed the room to her, and Svana held out her hand, exposing the thin green stems, with jagged leaves. “I don’t recognize that plant.”
“It’s called an aquaberry plant. Its healing powers are hidden but their nearly strong as magic.” She peeled back the base of the leaf, exposing tiny nearly cerulean berries hidden in the stem.
Emmeline gasped. “I thought it was made up?”
“You told me to find something that could help… I think this can, but we need to hurry.”
The servant entered the room, a steaming pot and cup on a tray. She set it down next to the bed, and Svana hurried to pluck as many aquaberries as she could from the delicate plant. She mashed them in her hand, and then tossed them in the water, swishing it around in the cup. When the water had taken on the soft coloring of the berries themselves, she held open the king’s mouth and poured it little by little down his throat.
At first there was no response, the water poured from the sides of his lips, and Emmeline paced back and forth, wringing her hands.
“Don’t worry, it’s going to work. It has to work.” Svana brushed her wild hair out of her face, even more focused on the task at hand.
Svana lifted the king’s head slightly and continued to pour the fluid little by little into his mouth. The rotund servant with chestnut colored hair, moved to the opposite side of the bed, and leaned over to hold the king’s mouth closed. The women watched with hopeful anticipation as they watched him swallow a little.
“Yes, your majesty! He partook of it!” the servant shouted jubilantly. Emmeline stopped her pacing and returned to the king’s side. Gradually the man’s color evened out, and his breathing became more regular.
“Is it working?” Emmeline asked, her voice barely hopeful.
“I still have more,” Svana continued pouring the healing liquid into his mouth, a smile spreading across her face as he gradually swallowed the rest of it. Perhaps there is hope after all! Perhaps when he is well, he will want the alliance.
“Oh, Svana… look at him? He looks wonderful. I wonder if he’ll wake soon?”
“One can only hope,” Svana said, dejection in her voice.
“What’s the matter?”
Svana set the cup down on the table next to her and walked to the foot of the bed, studying the king’s demeanor. “Before he went under, he had talked of an alliance. I can only hope that was truth, and not just something he said for his own self-preservation.”
“Svana, somewhere in there, my uncle still exists. I’d like to believe it was him who asked for the alliance, who spoke of a truce.” Emmeline spoke with such regal candor.
Svana couldn’t help but think that it was Emmeline who would make a grand queen one day, and not Svana herself. Perhaps she is right, she thought candidly.
Except she’s not, Svana. Dare you forget that the king is not being honest about all that is going on with him? Lingaria reminded her.
I had forgotten all about that, my hopes were that he would see I had saved his life, despite his actions. I had hoped that good would triumph.
As do I, Svana, but we cannot pretend like we know everything that is going on, Lingaria continued.
“I must tell the others of his improved conditions!” Emmeline’s joy was contagious, and though Svana knew now that king had not meant what he said, she hoped for his niece’s sake, that some part of it was true.
“Go on, I’ll stay here and keep a watchful eye on him,” Svana smiled at her.
Emmeline nodded, leaving the room, the servants following her. When they had left, and the room was silent, Svana began pacing again. She couldn’t stop thinking about the sinister cloud that hung over the king, and the way he had changed. The way Emmeline had said he had changed over time. If there was a good man in there, and Emmeline believed there was, Surely, he can be brought back?
Deep in thought, Svana was startled from her thoughts as a man entered the room. The air of darkness he carried with him was palpable, and Svana felt a chill crawl up her spine. Covered from head to toe in dark robes of black, accented with navy blues and hints of silver, he had a salt and pepper beard and hair touching his shoulders.
The man took a step back, seemingly as surprised as her that anyone was in the room with the King. Their eyes met, and his stare was like ice slicing through her. He narrowed his gaze, a dark cloud descending on his face, and Svana felt a tangible change in the air. The man sent a chill straight through her being.
“Who are you?” she asked, her voice steady, hand on her sword’s pommel.
“I should ask the same of you,” he replied.
“I am King Armand’s head Captain of the Tellurian army, Svana of the Sword,” she answered coolly. Her voice unwavering, she could tell by his erect posture that he meant to intimidate her.
Svana would not be intimidated.
“I am the king’s head advisor; I have only come to check on him.”
They locked eyes for a moment and would have stayed that way if a soldier had not come into the room. He glanced from Svana to the man without a care.
“Svana, Emmeline requests your presence.” He bowed slightly and left the room.
Svana gave the aging man another glance, a cloud of unease settling over her, before she left the room. Clearly the guard recognized him and felt no fear. Perhaps it’s all in my head. Without another glance, she left the room, feeling his gaze on the back of her head as she exited.
33
Hekla
Some secrets are held so tight that they will follow you to the grave, but—you must ask yourself. Are they worth taking to the grave, or would it be best to confess your burdens to another, to open your heart and soul instead of anchoring it down with the burden of secrets?
Eonnueth, The Clever, Sixth Dragon Elder, Seventh Age of Verdil
Once Hekla was sure that Jakobe was in good hands, and that he would be able to rest, she hurried to the sloping hillside descending into the water. Jetevius would wonder what had kept her for so long, and if he’d had any luck bringing anyone to their side, they would need training.
Speltus, help me, the only battle I’ve had to do is with my scepter.
You’ve battled before. Melifera trained you well, do not forget that, Speltus reminded her, sending flashes of memories through her mind of days back on Volican. Days when the three sisters had practiced hand to hand combat, and archery. She wondered how he knew of such memories, but she remembered her mind was an open book to him, and he could just reach back in her memories to bring them to the surface.
Thank you, Speltus. Oh, how I miss those days, things were much simpler, Hekla thought.
Do not miss them too much. You were young in mi
nd in those days. Not someone I could have ever pictured as queen of an underwater kingdom, but now…. His voice in her mind trailed off, and she smiled slightly, knowing it was his way of saying that she had grown, and that she could do whatever lay ahead.
You can say it, you know, I won’t let it go to my head. She teased him, before saying the words that would allow her to breathe underwater.
“Orbium Expandum Aquum purum,” she said the words as if they themselves were as easy as breathing. The scepter danced from her hand, glowing and vibrating with the power of the spell, before it manifested itself into an air bubble that embraced her from head to toe. Confident it was complete, she dove into the water swimming downward, her eyes searched for her furry brown friend who had come to visit her earlier.
Sadly, he was nowhere to be seen, but the bright lights of Aequoris called Hekla down, and now one with the water, she took long graceful strokes. Her feet paddled quickly behind her. Silence engulfed her, bringing about a peace she only knew when she was in the thralls of the magical kingdom.
Getting closer now, she could see the people of Aequoris gathered in a group, Jetevius and Ecthelion at the center of them.
“I’ve returned!” she called out loudly, still growing accustomed to the sound of her voice underwater.
“Hekla, all these people. These Aequoran people, they believe in you and what you hope to do. They’ve come to fight,” Jetevius said, his sea-green gills flaring at the side of his face, his eyes wide with surprise.
As she ascended onto the pathway, she could hardly believe what she was seeing. The number of people having doubled from before. Some were soldiers, some were simple Aequoran farmers, and others she didn’t know.
“Thank you, my people, for coming today.” Hekla nodded her head gracefully at Jetevius, who returned the gesture. Comrades. He believed in her, and Speltus believed in her, and as much as she had grown in the past days and weeks. She was still a woman who needed people who believed in her. “I do not know what lays ahead; I do not know how much the king will fight back. I only know that you must know how to fight. If he sends out his remaining soldiers, those who are trained in the area of combat, innocent lives will be lost, and I cannot have that on me.”
They talked among themselves, looking to Jetevius for answers, but Jetevius only turned his attention back to her. “She is correct, my friends, you will have to learn how to fight. Though I side with you, and some of the Aequoran army sides with you, we need everyone to be able to yield a sword. Whether it be against the king and his men, or against the Tellurian soldiers on land. We do not know what battle awaits, only that one does.”
Jetevius crossed the group of people, as they muttered to one another about what was said. “Hekla are you sure they can fight?” he asked, worry etched in the soft green lines of his face, and wide cerulean eyes.
“I will not bring your people, our people into battle without being equipped. If you can get them the weapons and armor, I can teach them.”
Ecthelion towered over her by a great deal, but his voice offered only respect. “Hekla, I was once trained to be a strong combatant in battle if the need arose. I was never one for a fight, but I can help if you need me.”
“Thank you, Ecthelion. These people need training, and I can only do so much.”
Ecthelion nodded his head at her. “Let’s practice basic defense and attack moves with a sword, and see where they stand?”
“I agree… Jetevius…” She turned to the Aequoran captain. “Can you please get us more weapons?” Hekla knew she was putting him in harm’s way, but she also knew that without weapons, everyone who stood among her was as good as dead.
“Yes, I believe some of the soldiers have brought extras. It will take me a short time, but I believe I can acquire the weapons we need,” Jetevius turned to face the people once more. “If any of you have weapons in hiding, or know of where there are any extras, now would be a good time to get them.” Ecthelion tugged on Jetevius’s arm.
“Come, I’ll go with you to the castle. With most of the soldiers here, there will be very few left to guard the castle. I’m sure the rest will be with the king,” Ecthelion reasoned with him.
“You make a good point… you and I can probably be in and out without being detected,” Jetevius said. He nodded his head at Hekla and the men before heading toward the castle.
The soldiers who held secondary weapons handed over swords and daggers to those without. Then the soldiers spent a few minutes trying to explain the basics of how to use the weapons to the others. It grew restless as they all waited for Jetevius and Ecthelion to return. Hekla borrowed a sword from the nearest soldier, a young man who seemed too young to have been acquired for an army, but his armor bore the Aequoran seal.
With the sword, Hekla showed foot stances on the cobbled road of the city, and she practiced lunging and deflecting, while the Aequorans watched. Another soldier stepped forward, and the two of them sparred briefly. His elegant swordsmanship like an underwater dance, rather than the skill of survival.
From there, she went to hand to hand combat, clenching her fists tight and showing them how to land strong punches, which weren’t quite as effective with the water pushing against her movements.
“Hand to hand will work better in the open air, but if you drop your weapon, or it gets knocked from you, please remember that your fists can be quite effective until you can recover it.”
The people began practicing the movements, excitement building as some had never been in battle but were eager to do so for their kingdom. Hekla worried that their excitement would get the best of them if they had to fight, and she worried it would be a weakness. As minutes turned into hours, and what felt like days to Hekla, she had to question if the men had been caught and captured. Until she saw two smiling green face swimming toward her.
“Jetevius, Ecthelion… you’ve returned! I feared you’d been caught!”
“Not with this wiley devilfish with me. Ecthelion knows the ins and outs of that castle better than anyone I know. He led me down pathways and through corridors I had no idea existed.”
Behind them, the men pulled a small cart with swords, shields, daggers, and old, aged armor filling the inside.
“Here my people, take what you need and make sure that no one goes without.” Jetevius stepped away from the cart and almost immediately, the people flocked to it.
“I’m absolutely speechless!” Hekla said jubilantly, smiling wide at Ecthelion who looked rather proud of himself.
“I’m just happy that the king never closed off those parts of the castle. I thought for sure he would, as I knew it to be his way to escape when things got to be too much. Not to mention, there wasn’t a guard in sight. He must be worried for his own safety, and has them all in the throne room,” Ecthelion continued.
“I’ve no desire to kill him,” Hekla said, honestly. “I only want peace, and that peace is extended to the kings.”
Jetevius shook his head at her. “Hekla, the man who holds the throne of Aequoris will never agree to peace. Surely you have seen that for yourself?”
“I have, but I will not just march forth and kill him. I believe that anyone can be reasoned with, if you can find the right language.” She nodded toward the weapons, and the people equipping themselves.
“You mean to scare him into surrender? Or into a peace treaty?”
Hekla shrugged. “I don’t know just yet. I do know that none of these people will last if they are not trained correctly.”
“I can work with them, Hekla. If there are other things you need to do?” Ecthelion volunteered, an excited youthful glow evident in his eyes.
“That would be helpful, thank you, sir. Yes, I have much to do. I need to know who still sides with the king, and what exactly we are dealing with for opposition. Will you all stay here, while I do more digging? Practice, fight each other, learn, but most importantly, prepare for battle. Whether it be above or below.”
Ecthelion nodded, and
Jetevius threw his hands up in the air. “Yes, I suppose we can do that. Just don’t get yourself into trouble, Hekla. There will be no one there to help you.”
Hekla nodded, but hid a smile inside as she thought of her dragon companion and headed toward the castle. Growing shouts and yells of the people grew louder behind her as they began to practice. Ecthelion yelled attack commands at them, and Jetevius countering those commands with defense moves. The people of Aequoris would be in good hands while Hekla did some digging.
The castle loomed large in the distance, and she knew that journeying inside would provide her with no more answers than she already had. The city lay behind her, and she knew swimming upward would lead her to the floating cities.
“Is there anything behind the castle? Are there any other cities here, or only what I’ve seen?” she said aloud, only wanting to hear the sound of her own voice as everything was unnaturally quiet this close to the castle.
I Imagine there are lands beyond the castle, maybe far beyond. The sea stretches farther than you can imagine, Speltus said in her mind.
“Well then, I suppose I will continue on,” she continued, swimming to the right of the castle, not sure what she was looking for, only knowing that she needed answers. There had to be something, a clue as to what had happened with the king that fateful day when he took the life of his own queen.
Hekla wasn’t sure what she hoped to find, but the people in Aequoris who were training to fight, relied on her to find something. She relied on herself to find something.
“I just can’t get it out of my head, Speltus. Something is terribly off around here,” she said aloud as she swam around the outer courts of the castle.
How do you mean, mistress Hekla?
“I mean, the king… a good and kind man, generous… just suddenly turns people away, and then kills his wife? Something must have happened.”
Dragon Bow Page 22
