The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] (11 page)

The High Queen turned to her attendants, “Thank you. You have My leave.” She then looked at her Healer, then Ann'wn, and saw that both were trying to appear as normal, “Force Leader. You requested My audience? By the way, where are we?"

"We are at the last water, my Queen."

She nodded, pleased in the report, “Is all prepared for our drought-like forced conditions for the next few turns?"

"Every water-holder we have has been filled, my Queen."

"Healer, are all well among us?"

"Except for some minor wounds from our prior fight, all are well."

"Force Leader, how far to the lightning strike?"

She bowed her head briefly, “A turn. Two at the most. It is hard to know the distances in this flatland, my Queen."

The High Queen looked at her, “Is something wrong, Force Leader? You look nervous."

She bowed her head once again, feeling very nervous, “No, my Queen. All is well."

"And Healer. Why are you so quiet this turn? Are you not going to pry into My affairs, per your usual? And why does your face look so flushed as this?"

"Uh? Oh, yes, my Queen. Will you be tending to your meditations this morn?"

"This eve. I am yet overly tired from the use of My powers.” She turned to Ann'wn, “Force Leader. We will turn north after finding our lightning strike."

"Yes, my Queen."

"Then we travel to the Sorcerer's Forest."

"The Sorcerer's Forest, my Queen?"

She nodded and laughed lightly to herself, winking at Sle'nel', “Where nothing is as it seems, Ann'wn. Much like those about Me."

They began their long journey into the vast wastelands, yet weary from the prior battle, weary of the overly long journey, yet willing themselves to remain watchful and alert. Although many of them had traveled much of The Realm's expanse, water was seldom an issue to consider except in terms of its vastness. Few of them knew what it was like to face such dryness, many of them looking back upon the river they now left behind, watching with a foreboding dread as it disappeared from their sight.

They traveled well into the eve, The High Queen wanting to turn north as quickly as possible, unpleased about not reaching the lightning strike within the turn, but mostly hoping to avoid a confrontation with the Grandmother. Ann'wn had a few guards scout all around them, with two of them reporting that they were within quick reach of the lightning strike in the morn. Finally satisfied, The High Queen allowed them to halt for the turn.

At the next morn, The High Queen rose early, anxious to discover who was able to call such dark sorcery to them. As Ann'wn had vowed, they reached the site of the lightning strike by midmorn, most fully surprised at the massive damage it had provided. A large crater now faced them as they rode forward. The High Queen dismounted and called her Healer, Sele’ and the five sorcerers to her, then walked to the middle of the large crater. She wondered briefly to herself,
If they were here, then Grandmother must be near, for surely their forces are joined. But then, are we not a few turns from her dwelling?

Ignoring her growing frustration in the moment, she turned to the others, “It was here they stood as they sent their long-dead forces into battle to meet us. We must find a way to discover the Dark Sorcerer's identity. There always remains some residue from a spell, so this is where we must first begin. Sorcerers, cast a spell to open us to this Dark Sorcerer's leftover energy force. Sele', you must now help Me."

Sele’ bowed her young, but growing head, “I am at your service, Highness."

San'lr'in’ looked at her Healer, “Healer. Your service is most essential this morn. While you hold not the powers to help us in our search, you alone must ensure that the Young Future Supreme Sovereign and I remain in The Realm, as our search will now take us to its very edge. You will need to prevent us from stepping over into this OuterRealm."

"Yes, High One. How do I do this?” She remained outwardly calm, but her mind was screaming,
OuterRealm? Surely this is far overly dangerous.

"I know not. Never has such been attempted, of which I am aware. But we now must trust in your ability to do so, as you know My meditations better than any other. Should we step over the edge, save our Young One first. We must then trust that I can return on My own."

"This sounds overly risky, Highness.” She thought her statement a gross understatement, at the very least of it.

San'lr'in’ looked at her, thinking on her words, “Indeed, Healer. It does, as you say. And so it is. But I must try to find this information. The Dark Sorcery must be removed from The Realm, once again; and as quickly as possible. Remain close in our minds, Healer, but not overly so. This you know how to do. If you require assistance, call the sorcerers or My sister to you and use what powers they have."

She looked down at the Young One, “Ready, Future Supreme Sovereign of The Realm?"

Sele’ looked up at her and nodded, unfazed by the potential danger to her, “Of course, Highness."

The High Queen nodded, pleased with Sele's detachment from the danger, “We will go to My eighth meditation together. I will guide our way. And then we will jump into another meditation, long from The Realm. One I have not used for long, long prior."

"The eighth, Highness? You will allow me there with you?"

"It seems the moment, Young One."

The High Queen crouched down so that Sele’ could place her hand upon her head. It was a difficult position to obtain such remoteness away from The Realm, but San'lr'in’ thought it necessary so that Sele’ could have a close attachment. She began taking them through the meditations, as The Healer placed her hand lightly on The High Queen's head, following their progress. Sle'nel’ watched from just outside the crater, hearing the sorcerer's chanting and watching as her Birth-daughter, her lover, and The Healer entered into a place far from her.

"What do they do now, Elf?"

She sensed Ann'wn next to her, but kept watching the intensity of her lover's concentration, “They move to the edge of The Realm toward the OuterRealm."

"The OuterRealm, Elf? What is this?"

"A place where few can go. The edge of all sorcery and magic. A most dangerous of places. It is said to be the beginning of much magic and sorcery."

"How do you know of such?"

"The memory of it was given to me, most recently."

"The Healer goes with them?"

"No. She is there to bring them back, if necessary. She watches over them.” She turned to Ann'wn, smiling gently to her for the first moment in many, “Concerned about your lover, Force Leader?"

Ann'wn looked at the gentleness of Sle'nel's face. It had been long since she had seen it provided to her. Her heart melted at its kindness, “It is as you say. That and The High Queen and the Young One's safety, my Elf."

"It is not easy to stand on the border, Ann'wn. It is something you will have to learn."

Ann'wn was surprised, “You know that we have come together, then?"

Sle'nel’ laughed lightly, “As do all in our camp. It is a small camp, after all. Treat The Healer well, Force Leader. Our Queen loves her well and would have it that nothing harms her. Not even you. Our healer is not wise in the ways of love, and has not ventured onto this path in many turns. Betray not her trust. She will take it as hard as I did with The Highest. Her heart is hard-won, but when given, is almost as strong as an Elf's. No Mystic can get closer to an Elf-kind than with this Healer."

Ann'wn touched Sle'nel's shoulder, “I have been a long moment in coming to this love. I am not about to throw it away. Lying in her arms is like lying on a cloud."

Sle'nel’ looked for a moment at Ann'wn's hand upon her shoulder, thinking she was hard on this Force Leader, “Much is required of you, Force Leader. And you give much, as well. You deserve this happiness. I am glad it has come your way."

The High Queen and Sele’ had moved their way into the eighth meditation, where sensing was the only awareness present. Sele’ had never prior experienced as such, anxious in learning more of it, yet having no fear of it. The High Queen gave her thoughts to Sele’ occasionally, guiding her along the long passage. The High Queen could also feel that The Healer remained observing, present, but distant, as needed of her.

As San'lr'in’ moved into her eighth meditation, she remained there for a moment, merely sensing. Sensing the crater. Sensing any sign of another's presence upon this land. Sensing any remainder of their sorcery. Using Sele's growing powers and strength, she sensed even deeper, trying to remain in the eighth meditation rather than jump to another realm, a place she didn't wish to go. After many long moments in this state, The High Queen sensed all she could, sensing far deeper than ever prior, with Sele's assistance.

She could sense the dark powers, but could sense nothing more. She could bring their smell to her, but nothing more. She knew the Dark Powers had stood upon this spot, and could sense their being, and their aliveness, but nothing more.

And she needed far more. She needed their identity. She needed to know what they looked like. She needed to see them. To know them. She moved back slightly from her sensing, moving to the far edge of the eighth meditation, taking a deep breath, something seldom done in this stage, then jumped her senses to the edge of The Realm, into the edge of the OuterRealm.

The OuterRealm was a place where the physical being was both slightly detached, yet attached to the mental being, but neither alive nor dead, and neither fully present or fully absent.

Where are we, Highness?

Think not. Sense. Move not from this moment.

Sele’ gave her senses over to her High Queen, now knowing The High Queen's concern. San'lr'in’ saw the edge of their realms collide together. She had been this far only one prior moment, but knew of its danger well. It was at this edge that long prior, one of The Realm's long-prior teachers of one of The High Queens had willingly stepped into the OuterRealm to rid The Realm of the long-prior dark sorcery powers. She had never returned, and no trace could ever be found. It was at this place that the recently returned Dark Sorcerer had to have come to retrieve the long-prior, long-hidden dark sorcery.

San'lr'in’ walked about, searching for what she knew not. She kept her mind opened for anything, hoping for any clue. She sensed Sele's slight fear, but moved away from it, as she moved Sele’ slightly back into their own realm so that she could remain connected to The Realm through her.

The OuterRealm wasn't a dimension understood to any. It wasn't a place, and it wasn't within understanding of the living. It was; and it wasn't. It had no appearance in any known regard, and it had no elements to sustain life, but it also had no elements to take life. It was a state of eternal nothingness, and a state of all. Life came from it, and life came to it, but it neither cared nor took notice. To enter into the OuterRealm was to remove oneself from everything sensed or thought. It was a state of stasis, yet of eternal change.

She stood where she was, far enough into the OuterRealm, yet connected to The Realm through Sele'. Without the powers of the Young One, she couldn't have come this far. To move further was to risk losing her way back to The Realm. So she stood, watching and sensing. As she merged slightly more into the ways of the OuterRealm, she began to somehow move herself into its way of being. She began to see some long-lost ones who had entered, but never re-emerged, and began to see paths. Paths that led somewhere, but nowhere. San'lr'in’ knew better than to think these paths as real, having learned through her teachers that these paths were simply of sorcery to compel the living deeper into the OuterRealm.

She could sense Sele's and The Healer's thoughts as they tried to keep her in her own realm. She knew they were there, so took one step further into the OuterRealm, hoping that Sele’ would be able to hold on to their connection. One step is all it took, and all that was needed.

She found the long prior lost teacher who had so willingly given her life to remove the Dark Sorcery from The Realm. The teacher came to her, neither seeing her, but seeing her. Neither speaking nor sending her thoughts, but giving her what had occurred with the one who came and stole-back the dark sorcery. Giving her in some unknown fashion to San'lr'in', the identity of the Dark Sorcerer. As the tale was completed, The High Queen reached out her hand, trying to take hold of the teacher, to lead her back into The Realm.

A clear message came into her mind,
You are coming overly into the OuterRealm and are at great risk of losing your way. You cannot return with me. Go. Go now.

She tried to send a message,
Take My hand. Come with Me.

She could feel Sele’ and The Healer pulling her, yelling at her to return. She kept her arm held out to the teacher,
Take My hand
.

She felt herself being pulled back, as she struggled against it. It was peaceful here, yet she knew she couldn't remain,
Come with Me
.

The long prior teacher held out her hand, struggling to touch this Mystic, this living entity in the place of the non-living,
I cannot. Go. I am having forgotten how.

Try. Take My hand. Touch Me. I can hold you. The Realm needs you.

The long-prior teacher struggled. As she finally got near to San'lr'in', The High Queen moved forward slightly and grabbed onto her just as Sele’ used all her unknown powers to pull her beloved High Queen back to the edge.

As San'lr'in’ sensed herself now back at the edge, she also sensed that she was now holding onto the long-prior teacher. She sent her thoughts to Sele',
Now, Future Supreme Sovereign! With all the powers you and The Healer hold, pull Me. Pull Me hard. I hold onto another.

The Healer had called The Highest and the sorcerers over to her and Sele', connecting into their powers so that Sele's were greater. The sorcerers gave up their powers easily, but Sam didn't know how to do this. Quickly, The Healer sent Sam into a state of unknowingness, and channeled into her powers without Sam's awareness. It was finally enough for Sele'. Using all their combined powers, she concentrated on returning her Queen to The Realm. She could sense the weight and burden of more than just her High Queen's, but ignored it as she continued to concentrate and struggle, sending her Queen her own powers,
Feel my strength. Come to me, my Queen
.