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sidhe_faerie) wrote2016-06-30 01:10 pm
sidhe_faerie) wrote2016-06-30 01:10 pm
The Fall of the Northern Court (Part 6)
Part 6
Word Count: 1098
Aura walked forward and lifted the sheet on the first body she came to. It was Queen Taralen. She took a step over and lifted the second sheet. Cara was under it.
Victra sobbed and nearly collapsed. Aura and Endora rushed to her and caught her before she fell. Aura held on to Victra as Endora reached out and brushed a curl from her grandmother’s face.
“She knew they were coming. She sent me away to protect the realm. She knew the barrier wouldn’t fall if I was still alive.” Endora kissed her grandmother’s cheek.
“I believe she did. That’s why she summoned our mother. So she wouldn’t be alone at the castle. It would look like the barrier would fail.” Aura sighed. “I didn’t even know you were the one doing the ritual not Mother.”
Endora brushed away a tear. “Mother was never going to be queen. It made sense that I would be the one connected to the barrier not her. I’m surprised that Mother stayed. She had to know what was coming.”
Captain Janlou shifted on his feet. “Majesty, she didn’t know. Queen Taralen ordered that she not be told.”
All three women looked at him with shocked expressions.
“Everyone thought Princess Cara would be the next queen. Even I did, until Queen Taralen told me otherwise.” The man admitted.
“When Lord Chancellor reads the succession decree, he and everyone else will get a surprise.” Endora looked at her mother. “My mother was removed before I came of age.”
“Blessed Danu.” Captain Janlou rubbed his face. “Here I thought…. It doesn’t matter.”
“You thought what?” Endora asked.
At first, I thought she was being indulgent with your mother, letting her go off on her own, like she has always been with you. I had no idea that she was passing her own daughter over.” Captain Janlou looked at the sisters. “But you all knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” Aura reached out and covered the bodies with the sheets. “Endora, we need to prepare you for your coronation.” Aura looked at the Captain. “A messenger needs to be sent to the Draconis’ estate to fetch the Queen’s maid and the crown.”
Endora nodded at the Captain. “Dionne will know what to bring. She has it memorized. Grandmother made her repeat the list several times.”
“There is one other matter. Queen Taralen ordered the crystal removed from the Great Portal.” Captain Janlou shifted on his feet. “She told no one where it was hidden.”
“Dionne will bring that as well. Grandmother gave it to me before I left.” Endora told him. “She didn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands. She gave me the one from the Northern Court as well.”
“There is only one Court of the Tuathe de Danaan now.” Captain Janlou sighed. “The men that Queen Taralen sent are still looking for survivors but it doesn’t look good.”
Endora shook her head. “Humans. That fool would hire human mercenaries to do his dirty work.”
“You know who the man in the image was?” Victra asked.
“It’s Prince Hareem from the Peri court. He came here looking to marry me so our army would help the Peri fight the Jinn. When I said no, he came into my chambers in the middle of the night to assault me. Grandmother banned him.”
“You should have run him through.” Captain Janlou shook his head. “I wonder what the Northern Court did to anger him.”
“Princess Naladine was around my age. She probably turned him down too.” Endora started to walk to the door. “Victra needs to lie down and I want to see what the men have found in the camp.”
“East tower?” Aura asked.
“Yes.” Endora nodded.
Aura hugged Victra and shimmered to the east tower.
Captain Janlou frowned. “I always forget she has fae magick as well as dragon powers.”
“She doesn’t use them often. She has difficulty controlling them.” Endora glanced back at the bodies. “How soon can they be prepared for entombment? I want them at peace as soon as possible.”
“I will call the women from the village to see to the preparations.” Captain Janlou glanced over at the bodies. “I will have to have the stone masons work through the night to build the crypts. The sculptors will take a bit longer.”
“That’s fine. All we need are the crypts right now.” Endora walked toward the door. “I need to get my bearings. I will be in my chambers. Send someone for me when the men come from searching the encampment.”
“I will, Majesty. I will send your maid to you when she arrives.” Captain Janlou bowed. “Oh Majesty. There is one more thing.”
“What is it?” Endora turned to look at him. She braced herself for more bad news.
“You will need to choose a personal guard.” Captain Janlou said.
“What do I need a guard for? I am more than capable of taking care of myself.” Endora was annoyed. “I am not that little girl who you used to give sugar candy to behind my nanny’s back. I am a warrior well trained.”
“I would swear that I gave you sugar candy just yesterday.” Captain Janlou shook his head in disbelief.
“Captain Janlou, you didn’t answer my question.” Endora reminded her.
“Protocol Majesty. You need to have one because of protocol.” Captain Janlou told her. “There is no way around it. There are five commanders that have already asked about the position.”
“There are only six commanders in the entire Sidhe guard. Which one doesn’t want the job?” Endora asked.
“That would be Armid. He’s about to retire.” Cap looked worried. “You must choose someone soon.”
Endora sighed and started walking towards the entrance. “Invite them to tea tomorrow. I will make my choice after I speak to them.”
Captain Janlou followed her out of the crypt. “All at once?”
“It will show how they interact with each other and how much respect they have for each other.” Endora took the stairs leading to the section of the castle where her bedchambers were.
“Queen Taralen taught you well.” Captain Janlou chuckled.
Endora stopped suddenly on the stairs. “Are any of them unmarried?”.
“Yes. Three of them are unmarried.” Captain Janlou looked up at her on the stairs. “I see what you’re up to.”
“I’m not up to anything. I’m just remembering something my grandmother told me about queens and princesses.” Endora looked in front of her and started walking up the stairs again. “I will make my choice after I speak with them.”
“Thank you Majesty.” Captain Janlou bowed.
Word Count: 1098
Aura walked forward and lifted the sheet on the first body she came to. It was Queen Taralen. She took a step over and lifted the second sheet. Cara was under it.
Victra sobbed and nearly collapsed. Aura and Endora rushed to her and caught her before she fell. Aura held on to Victra as Endora reached out and brushed a curl from her grandmother’s face.
“She knew they were coming. She sent me away to protect the realm. She knew the barrier wouldn’t fall if I was still alive.” Endora kissed her grandmother’s cheek.
“I believe she did. That’s why she summoned our mother. So she wouldn’t be alone at the castle. It would look like the barrier would fail.” Aura sighed. “I didn’t even know you were the one doing the ritual not Mother.”
Endora brushed away a tear. “Mother was never going to be queen. It made sense that I would be the one connected to the barrier not her. I’m surprised that Mother stayed. She had to know what was coming.”
Captain Janlou shifted on his feet. “Majesty, she didn’t know. Queen Taralen ordered that she not be told.”
All three women looked at him with shocked expressions.
“Everyone thought Princess Cara would be the next queen. Even I did, until Queen Taralen told me otherwise.” The man admitted.
“When Lord Chancellor reads the succession decree, he and everyone else will get a surprise.” Endora looked at her mother. “My mother was removed before I came of age.”
“Blessed Danu.” Captain Janlou rubbed his face. “Here I thought…. It doesn’t matter.”
“You thought what?” Endora asked.
At first, I thought she was being indulgent with your mother, letting her go off on her own, like she has always been with you. I had no idea that she was passing her own daughter over.” Captain Janlou looked at the sisters. “But you all knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” Aura reached out and covered the bodies with the sheets. “Endora, we need to prepare you for your coronation.” Aura looked at the Captain. “A messenger needs to be sent to the Draconis’ estate to fetch the Queen’s maid and the crown.”
Endora nodded at the Captain. “Dionne will know what to bring. She has it memorized. Grandmother made her repeat the list several times.”
“There is one other matter. Queen Taralen ordered the crystal removed from the Great Portal.” Captain Janlou shifted on his feet. “She told no one where it was hidden.”
“Dionne will bring that as well. Grandmother gave it to me before I left.” Endora told him. “She didn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands. She gave me the one from the Northern Court as well.”
“There is only one Court of the Tuathe de Danaan now.” Captain Janlou sighed. “The men that Queen Taralen sent are still looking for survivors but it doesn’t look good.”
Endora shook her head. “Humans. That fool would hire human mercenaries to do his dirty work.”
“You know who the man in the image was?” Victra asked.
“It’s Prince Hareem from the Peri court. He came here looking to marry me so our army would help the Peri fight the Jinn. When I said no, he came into my chambers in the middle of the night to assault me. Grandmother banned him.”
“You should have run him through.” Captain Janlou shook his head. “I wonder what the Northern Court did to anger him.”
“Princess Naladine was around my age. She probably turned him down too.” Endora started to walk to the door. “Victra needs to lie down and I want to see what the men have found in the camp.”
“East tower?” Aura asked.
“Yes.” Endora nodded.
Aura hugged Victra and shimmered to the east tower.
Captain Janlou frowned. “I always forget she has fae magick as well as dragon powers.”
“She doesn’t use them often. She has difficulty controlling them.” Endora glanced back at the bodies. “How soon can they be prepared for entombment? I want them at peace as soon as possible.”
“I will call the women from the village to see to the preparations.” Captain Janlou glanced over at the bodies. “I will have to have the stone masons work through the night to build the crypts. The sculptors will take a bit longer.”
“That’s fine. All we need are the crypts right now.” Endora walked toward the door. “I need to get my bearings. I will be in my chambers. Send someone for me when the men come from searching the encampment.”
“I will, Majesty. I will send your maid to you when she arrives.” Captain Janlou bowed. “Oh Majesty. There is one more thing.”
“What is it?” Endora turned to look at him. She braced herself for more bad news.
“You will need to choose a personal guard.” Captain Janlou said.
“What do I need a guard for? I am more than capable of taking care of myself.” Endora was annoyed. “I am not that little girl who you used to give sugar candy to behind my nanny’s back. I am a warrior well trained.”
“I would swear that I gave you sugar candy just yesterday.” Captain Janlou shook his head in disbelief.
“Captain Janlou, you didn’t answer my question.” Endora reminded her.
“Protocol Majesty. You need to have one because of protocol.” Captain Janlou told her. “There is no way around it. There are five commanders that have already asked about the position.”
“There are only six commanders in the entire Sidhe guard. Which one doesn’t want the job?” Endora asked.
“That would be Armid. He’s about to retire.” Cap looked worried. “You must choose someone soon.”
Endora sighed and started walking towards the entrance. “Invite them to tea tomorrow. I will make my choice after I speak to them.”
Captain Janlou followed her out of the crypt. “All at once?”
“It will show how they interact with each other and how much respect they have for each other.” Endora took the stairs leading to the section of the castle where her bedchambers were.
“Queen Taralen taught you well.” Captain Janlou chuckled.
Endora stopped suddenly on the stairs. “Are any of them unmarried?”.
“Yes. Three of them are unmarried.” Captain Janlou looked up at her on the stairs. “I see what you’re up to.”
“I’m not up to anything. I’m just remembering something my grandmother told me about queens and princesses.” Endora looked in front of her and started walking up the stairs again. “I will make my choice after I speak with them.”
“Thank you Majesty.” Captain Janlou bowed.