The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] (17 page)

She looked over to Sele', who seemed a little overly pleased with herself. She looked back at Meera and touched her cheek, “You did well, Warrior Woman. You have My word on this. Ann'wn, see to it that this one receives the honor due her this turn. The Realm has waited overly long for this brave deed."

"Yes, my Queen. It will be done."

"Sister. Leave Me for a moment. Young One, come to Me."

Sele’ looked at her High Queen, startled at the voice. She wondered if The High Queen suspected something, so went to her, trying to look innocent. The High Queen crouched down, with great, great pain, placing her hand upon Sele's young head.

Tell Me!

You are in great pain, my Queen. I can feel this within you. You should be seen by your Healer.

Play not with Me, Young One. I have no patience for you at this moment. TELL ME!

She bowed her head in shame,
I bent their minds to my will, Highness.

Meera's?

And Birth-Mother's, Highness.

When did you learn to use this power?

I was born with it, my Queen.

What other moment have you used it?

No other. This is the first moment. But, my Queen, I felt it—

SILENCE! You have much to account for, Young One.

You are displeased? Did you not want her dead?

You know I did. You have the memories of all of them, and know full well that all of them have wanted her dead. DO NOT ASK ME QUESTIONS, Sele'm'tinel'ti'non'n. Tell Me, Young One. Tell Me why I am upset with you.

You think I risked overly, Highness?

Of course this, but think harder, Young One. I know you are not as stupid as this.

My Birth-Mother will be angered at me?

I certainly would guess as much, wouldn't you?

And Meera? She will be angered at me?

She now has the legend of killing all The High Queens’ Grandmother, Stupid One. Do you think she wants such a legend tied to her?

You made her seem as a hero, my Queen.

Lucky for you, arrogant Young One.

More, my Queen?

Yes. Much more.

I used my powers selfishly?

What will be a fitting punishment for your actions, Selfish One?

You want me to tell them, High Queen?

Sele’ was crying now, unable to halt her emotions, but The High Queen remained relentless, knowing that this Future Supreme Sovereign needed to learn to use her powers far more judiciously. Although she was pleased in the final results, she knew that it had been a moment close to complete disaster for the entire Realm.

How were you able to use this power against the Grandmother without her using it in return?

A simple mind-twist, my Queen. She was unable to detect its simplicity.

How are these sorcerers supposed to train the likes of you?

High Queen?

I will have to turn you over to the great Master, most certain. These sorcerers know nothing about handling such as your abilities.

No, my Queen. Please do this not. I wish to remain with you.

You have displeased Me, Young One. You selfishly risked all that has been done for The Realm. You did this only for yourself, Young One.

No, my Queen. It was a gift for you. This is truth!

You took a life as a gift for Me? Do you not see how twisted this is, Young One?

She bowed her head again, sobbing,
Yes, my Queen, but she deserved to die.

No one's death should be as easy as this for you, Young One. Who made you judge over all The Realm?

Everyone who made me.
She stood straight now, defiant.

You allow the dark powers to call to you, Young One. Beware of this.

No they don't. I know what I do. Just because you don't understand doesn't mean I am wrong.

The High Queen stood, taking all her energies to do so, from the pain. Frowning deeply, with an eyebrow raised, she looked down at Sele', her displeasure displayed fully upon her face. She spoke softly and slowly, well angered, “Do you dare to speak to The High Queen in this fashion, Sele'm'tinel'ti'non'n?"

"I am the Future Supreme Sovereign of The Realm. My rank is over yours."

The High Queen glared at her for a long moment, Sele’ fully seeing that she had just made a most severe error of judgment.

The tension between them grew heavier as The High Queen continued to glare at her, “I am fully ashamed for you. Never will you be My ruler with this kind of thinking. You play overly with others for My liking, much like Grandmother. No one in all The Realm will ever follow such a callous ruler as this. The Realm's respect must be earned, not commanded. Leave Me."

Sele’ began crying again, unable to remain in her defiant stance, “Please, my Queen. I am sorry for my actions. Please allow me to remain with you. I only did this for you. I meant not what I just said."

"I care nothing for your words. You have disappointed Me greatly this turn. If you wish to remain in My presence, then think through your prior and future actions. Give Me a reporting of these reflections, if or when you have managed to pull yourself away from the dark powers. Otherwise, trouble Me no further. I have no need for another such as Grandmother, and this is the direction you now head."

"Please, High Queen."

San'lr'in'thel'ineln’ had begun to limp away from her, then turned back, “You shame your Realm, Sele'. Fully this. And Sele'?"

She was sobbing and sniffing, but looked up hopefully, “High Queen?” She had heard The High Queen call her by Sele', and knew what this meant. It wasn't a good name to be called by The High Queen.

San'lr'in’ narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow, “If you ever attempt to use your rank over Me again, know that at that moment we will forever be enemies."

She lowered her head again, fully sorry, “Yes, my Queen. I am truly sorry for this."

The High Queen bent down once again causing herself great pain, and made Sele’ look into her now well-angered eyes, “Know this, Sele'. You, as Future Supreme Sovereign of The Realm would always regret making Me an enemy."

"Yes, my Queen."

"All the legends would know of the truth in it, and would have you banned."

San'lr'in'thel'ineln’ winced and groaned from her back pain, but looked at Sele', “The path you choose at this very moment will have many consequences for you. Choose it wisely, as I cannot choose it for you. Think, Sele'. Only this. This is the moment to think, and think wisely. Act not in your anger. It will make enemies for you. And I am not an enemy you would desire. Choose your words wisely if you return to Me, as the words you have chosen to share with Me this turn are like a knife in My back. You have injured Me more than what My Grandmother did to Me. Do you understand this, Sele'? I would take her beatings any turn rather than hear these words of betrayal from you."

Sele’ hung her head, yet crying, fully ashamed of herself, recognizing that she had lost all the trust she had worked so hard to gain from this High Queen, “Yes, my Queen. I understand. Please call me not by this name, my Queen. I know what it means when you do so. I am sorry, Highness. I will do as you say. I will remove these dark thoughts and powers from me. I have heard your words, my Queen, and know them to be correct. I am sorry for the words I have chosen."

The High Queen moved her fingers under Sele's chin and raised her head, making her look at her, “I love you, Sele'. In truth, I am amazed by you. I want us to continue to grow through our cycles together, but you have done wrong. You have fully betrayed My trust. I need this not from you. I need you to be wise and strong, not murderous and vengeful. I need you to think through your actions. I need to be able to trust you in all things. I have great need to be able to trust every one of your thoughts and actions. I need us not to stand apart, as enemies. But I could never live with another who could take a life, or manipulate their own Birth-Mother as easily as this."

"I am sorry, Highness. Truly sorry.” She was sobbing beyond control.

"The dark powers try to turn us all, Sele'. They have a hold on you now, and you will now choose to go that route with the Dark Sorcerer, or to remain true to The Realm. The dark powers call you fiercely to them, as would I if I were them. I want you as fiercely as this also, Future Supreme Sovereign, but you will come to The Realm willingly, or not at all. It is the only choice given to you. I need you strong and wise. I need you to be a strength like never prior. I need you to make Me proud, Young One. I need you to stand tall because what you have done is correct, not to stand in defiance against what is correct."

"Yes, Highness. Yes, Great High Queen."

"Long prior, the dark powers tested Me as well, when I was living with this Grandmother of ours. She vowed Me all the powers I could ever dream of, and told Me that I could use them whenever and however I wished, and on whosoever I wished. It was as a vision, but I saw through her vows. They were nothing but the dark powers calling to Me. Don't go there, Sele'. I will seek you down to your death should this occur. And while I love you well, this act I would do unto My last breath. This is how much I have dedicated Myself to The Realm, Sele'. It is My vow as High Queen. I will allow no one, not even you, to harm The Realm in any fashion. No one will stand against these vows."

"Yes, High Queen. I am sorry for my jealous actions. Envy has grabbed well hold of me."

"Go away from Me now. You have offended Me beyond measure. If your act wasn't bad enough, you carved in stone upon My heart with your evil and mean words. Leave Me. Think on what has been said and done here this turn. Come to Me if you have removed yourself from the dark powers."

After Sele’ left, San'lr'in'thel'ineln’ tried to stand, but no longer could, having overly much pain from her back, and having bent down overly long in having to deal with Sele'. She cried out a little, an unusual moment for The High Queen, and The Healer, Ann'wn, and Sle'nel’ came running to her, having been only slightly apart from her. They had witnessed the occurrence between her and Sele', but said nothing of it, knowing that Sele’ now had to deal with The High Queen's anger directly.

"I can't move, Healer. The pain."

"Move your foot for me, Highest."

She did so.

"Now your toes. Can you feel your toes?"

"Yes, yes. Overly so. Thank the mothers."

Sle'nel’ touched her shoulder, “She hit you with great strength, San'lr'in'. She was a mean one. Had you no kindness from any in your past?"

The Healer moved her fingers quickly and nimbly across The High Queen's spine, checking her back, “I need to move you to a better place, my Queen. I am going to have Ann'wn carry you back to your shelter. The evil one has well injured your back, but not broken the bones. You are not in this danger.” She placed her hand lightly on The High Queen's head, “Try to relax, my Queen. It is not like prior. I will remove this pain in but a moment. Let us move you first."

The High Queen nodded, lying down fully upon the sand, having no strength to continue to fight the pain. Ann'wn bent down, “I am sorry, my Queen, but I am about to cause you some pain. Try to relax fully as I lift you. Don't try to help me, as it will increase your pain."

She looked at Ann'wn for a moment and nodded, but said nothing. As Ann'wn lifted her, she groaned, unable to keep it within her, and winced from the great pain. She placed her head against Ann'wn's strong shoulder as she was carried to her shelter, grateful for her Force Leader, exhausted from having to deal with overly much pain throughout the event. The Healer worked quickly to remove some of the deep pain, then cut away The High Queen's gown so that she could look upon the wound inflicted by the now dead Grandmother. The High Queen was lying on her side, unable to tolerate the pain while lying on her stomach.

The Healer shook her head as she saw it, seeing that the wounds were inflamed welts straight across The High Queen's back, fully swollen in their anger. The Grandmother had hit The High Queen so hard with her cane that it had broken some of the skin across her back, as it had also broken some of the skin from The High Queen's long-prior back wound. The Healer wasn't pleased.

"I may speak out of place, High Queen, but that one deserved to die for what she has done to you. There is a law of instant death against any who strike a High Queen, so the deed was correct."

The Healer began to remove some of the pain nearer to the wounds, but not directly on them, avoiding touching them until The High Queen could better manage her pain.

"Can you move to your stomach, Highness?"

"No."

"How long were you with the Grandmother, High Queen?"

"Long enough to wish her dead. I guess My wish came true."

The Healer could tell from her voice that The High Queen was finally able to move away from the greatest of the pains. She continued removing more of the smaller pains for a few moments, then halted, needing her Queen to move so that she could apply an ointment.

"I need to rub an ointment on your back, Highness. It will cause some immediate pain, but will then help to mask it. Can you move onto your stomach yet if I help turn you?"

The High Queen sighed, then did as The Healer asked. Sle'nel’ came beside her lover and looked at her as The High Queen turned her head sideways, now lying on her stomach.

"What do you see, Elf?"

Sle'nel’ smiled, “The High Queen as helpless. It is a rare moment."

"Wager no bet on this, Elf. You might lose."

The Healer was glad for Sle'nel's help, choosing this moment to begin rubbing the ointment onto the wounds, directly.

The High Queen groaned more loudly than any of them had prior heard, except for The Healer. Sle'nel’ made a funny face at her, kissed her cheek, trying to distract her lover from her pain.

"Personally, San'lr'in', I think The Healer is correct. That one needed to die, or I wouldn't have felt compelled to call the Sorrows of the Stones."