The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] (7 page)

The Healer gasped quietly as she saw that San'lr'in’ stood as they did—fearless. And that she looked as they did—powerful. To a one, The Healer saw that the long-prior, long-dead High Queens were stunning in their beauty, also appearing as uncompromisingly determined and intimidatingly intelligent. As San'lr'in’ began to complete her chanting, they began to come together slowly, as if there were no urgent moments about them.

When San'lr'in’ completed her spell, the long-prior, long-dead High Queens all raised their swords and touched their tips together. San'lr'in’ raised her sword and bowed her head to them, acknowledging their presence. The Healer heard all The High Queens’ swords droning the now wordless chant. Suddenly, as all their sword tips touched, and as San'lr'in’ held hers out to them, a red lightning bolt emerged from their swords and flew straight into San'lr'in's. With that done, they lowered their swords and waited.

The enemy was almost upon them. Standing nearby, Sam watched as the lightning finally halted, and saw her sister draw in a big breath, then lower her head. San'lr'in’ then looked up, and for the first moment since her arrival, looked about her, seeing all her forces prepared and waiting her command. She made eye contact with Ann'wn.

As if there were no concern or hurry, she raised an eyebrow and gave a mischievous grin, “Trust Me, Force Leader?"

Ann'wn bowed her head, unable to smile, “Always, my Queen."

The High Queen turned to Sam, “Trust Me, Highest?"

"With my life, my Queen."

"The pain will be great."

"I do as you need."

San'lr'in’ sent an unspoken message to her sister. Now knowing what was needed of her, Sam followed her sister's lead. Together, they raised their swords to each other, crashing them together and holding them as if joined. The impact was astounding, but the force of The High Queen's power flooded through Sam's sword, almost knocking her to the ground, but, while in great pain from the energy flowing directly into her, she held fast. The long-prior, long-dead High Queens did the same, making a sound of an earthquake when their swords came together. A giant arc of red lightning suddenly formed between them, San'lr'in’ and Sam.

"NOW, HIGHEST!"

Sam followed her sister's commands, using all her strength to remove her sword from the vibrating and humming red arc, striking it solidly into the ground, holding tightly onto it. The enemy was upon them and Ann'wn thought they would now have to fight. Any more moments, and they would surely die.

Abruptly, the enemy forces halted just in front of them, forced to do so by the strength of the spell Sam now held tightly to her, through her sword. The High Queen stepped in front of Sam, addressing their enemy, “I am San'lr'in'thel'ineln', High Queen of All The Realm. You belong not in our Realm. Our long-dead leaders have come to lead you home. Bow now before Me, or live forever in the eternity of torment."

Sam saw that her own sword's powers served as the force field that was now holding the enemy forces away from them, while the long-prior, long-dead High Queens and her sister's connection of the red arc had begun to silently spread over the enemies. The long-dead enemy forces looked between San'lr'in’ and the long-prior, long-dead High Queens. But none moved to bow to her.

One of the long-prior, long-dead High Queens stepped slightly forward and held up her sword. As an example to the enemy forces, a bolt of lightning attacked a small portion of the enemy forces. When the lightning bolt had disappeared, so had those enemy forces.

"I am Drn'rn'thel'ineln', First High Queen of All The Realm. Return with Me or be tortured throughout eternity. This is not our Realm. We no longer belong in it."

Sle'nel’ gasped, “The First High Queen."

She knelt down on her knee and bowed her head, as did all of San'lr'in's forces. All were in shock,
The First High Queen.

San'lr'in’ turned back to her enemy, “Bow before Me, or never die. Bow, NOW, or suffer an eternity of torture."

Slowly, many of the skeleton enemies dismounted and bowed before her, as did their horses. Without hesitating or allowing any more moments, San'lr'in’ moved her sword to a horizontal position over the bowed enemies’ heads. A red lightning bolt flashed in a blinding flurry over the enemy before her. Each enemy who had bowed before her was suddenly consumed in a spark of fire, finally, after all these long cycles being returned to their mothers.

Ann'wn was horrified at the entire event, not knowing what to think of any of it, and now, up to half of their enemy were fully disappeared. And yet the other half yet faced them, more than ready to fight.

"Now, Highest! Let go of your sword."

Without hesitation, as their enemy was upon them, Sam followed her sister's command and let go her tight grasp on the sword. As she did, a great fog began to emerge from the ground around the sword. It grew rapidly, almost beyond understanding in its speed, and began to encase their enemy within its gray-cloaking. The enemy disappeared within the swirling and pulsating fog, and their tortured screams were loudly heard as the all-consuming fog ate its prey.

Her part in the dispersing of the enemy completed, San'lr'in’ turned to Ann'wn, yet needing to tend to many other events with haste, “If any of them emerge from the fog, behead them. It is the only way they die. But under no circumstances must our forces enter into the fog, as they will not return."

She went to Sam, knowing that she would be in great pain. Sam had fallen to the ground, no longer able to endure the pain of her sister's powers. San'lr'in’ placed her hand upon Sam's head and removed some of the pain, “Thank you, Sister. You have done great service to Me and to The Realm."

The High Queen stood, then raised her sword back up and faced her long-dead High Queen counterparts. The long-prior, long-dead High Queens did the same, touching their sword tips together, and once again, the great blood-red arc flew across the sky, connecting San'lr'in’ to them, as if connecting the eons together into a single moment. She chanted her spell once more and bowed her head. For many moments, the arc pulsed as if alive, humming its energy, and then suddenly shot across the sky to a spot well west of them, hitting the ground far from their sight. The High Queen lowered her sword, moved forward yet apart from her forces and slightly closer to the long-prior, long-dead High Queens. She bowed her head to them. They lowered their swords, also walking somewhat closer to San'lr'in'.

Drn'rn'thel'ineln’ came forward, bowing her head as well. Without a word, she raised her sword to San'lr'in', then laid it down on the ground in front of her. She and San'lr'in’ stared at each other for many long moments. Finally, San'lr'in’ knelt before her.

"First and greatest of all High Queens. I have not enough words to thank you for your assistance. But now I show you a Realm that is once again in turmoil. I stand ashamed before you, unable to show you a peaceful Realm for which each of you, in your turn, worked overly hard."

"It is the nature of The Realm, My daughter. You will see through it. You are made from the best of all of us."

"It is lonely, this affair of High Queen."

Drn'rn'thel'ineln’ nodded her head briefly, “It is as you say. But we have done better through you, as the Young One is now with you. And so shall it be from hereon."

"The humans come."

"We know."

"There is overly much killing."

"Find another way. You are High Queen. You have to accept not the ways of The Realm. It is up to you to inspire another direction."

"The burden is heavy.

"It is truth. It is. Stand up to it, San'lr'in'. It is your duty, and your privilege. You are of our line and were chosen to do as such. And your path is strong. You will return the Elves to The Realm. You will provide The Realm with a long lasting peace. Your name will be sung with praises for many reigns after you are long-gone."

"As are yours. But I seek not as such."

"What is it you seek, High Queen?"

"Peace."

"As did I. As did we all. Then make it as so, My daughter. The Realm is in your hands now."

San'lr'in’ stood, letting her tears fall silently. Drn'rn'thel'ineln’ raised her hand and caused a tear to come to her. She felt it and examined it, then looked back up at San'lr'in', “Life is more precious than you can know. Be good to yourself in your life."

She held up her hand, yet holding the tear within it, “Sele'm'tinel'ti'non'n is of such."

San'lr'in’ was surprised, “I am told it was a pairing of Sam'r'in'thel'ineln’ and the Elf."

She smiled gently, “Do you always believe as you are informed, High Queen?"

San'lr'in’ looked at her for a moment, saying nothing. She brought her patience to her, sensing that The Realm had overly many secrets, “Perhaps it best I know not."

"She knows. As do you. You just deny its presence. But I will hold this tear for you. Should you ever desire a Birth-daughter of all our line, call Me to you once more. I will come for such, as one is greatly needed."

"A Birth-daughter? Me? With the Elf?"

Drn'rn'thel'ineln’ looked over at Sle'nel', “It is strange to think of her as the only Elf remaining in The Realm. There were so many during My reign. Take good care of her, My daughter. I also wished for the love of an Elf, but it was meant not for Me, even though I was half Elfin. There is no better love than this. But no, My daughter. This Birth-daughter would be of our line, in the great part. Of the Elves only a little."

"You loved an Elf?"

"I did. For a short moment only. She died in the tunnels, along with overly many of the others."

"You risked much as High Queen and lost all the ones you loved. The story of the great beast of the UnderRealm is truly sad."

"It was so, but I loved well enough.” She smiled lightly, “Perhaps not all the stories survived, as I did manage to maintain one great love for a short moment, as you do now. And yours will be for far longer."

Having heard enough, San'lr'in’ knelt and bowed her head deeply, “Greatest of All First High Queen. High Queens."

Drn'rn'thel'ineln’ looked sadly upon her, “Think us no better than you, San'lr'in'thel'ineln', as we were not. You are perhaps the greatest of us, as you hold more true to your path than any of us managed, but you have much yet before you. All of us made our way the best we could. None no more than this. Each of us had to cut our own path. In truth, your path has been most difficult as The Realm meets a great crossroad in your reign, and for this I am sorry. I also faced as such, and it required much of Me. Overly much, at moments. Deep sadness seems to be a constant across us all, as we have all lost much more than we ever gained for ourselves, but we all gained much for The Realm, and that was our path and our purpose."

"But many of you gave your lives overly soon to The Realm."

And at such moments, it was often the easier path, to die overly soon. At least the burden was no more. As you said, the burden is great. It was for all of us. Each in their own way."

The long-prior, long-dead High Queens each looked at San'lr'in’ for a moment, knowing well what she now went through. They then all turned and walked off, disappearing into a mist. San'lr'in’ looked down upon the ground, seeing that The First High Queen's sword waited for her.

A great gift.

She walked to it and picked it up,
So many cycles prior, and yet here it is. The sword that began the Era of High Queens.

She examined it, noticing its lack of refinement as compared to her own, in the present era, but admired its strength. She was slightly surprised to feel how correct it felt in her hand, pleased at its weight and balance. Even this old, the sword shone in its magnificence, and the red stones remained as shiny and beautiful as her own. She walked back to her forces, beginning to feel the exhaustion from her use of powers. Each step began to feel heavier than the last. She was so exhausted that she didn't realize the turn had passed and that it was now early eve.

"Force Leader."

If it were possible, Ann'wn and all her forces were now in even more awe of their High Queen. As The High Queen had spoken with the long-prior, long-dead High Queens, Ann'wn and her forces had been busy fighting against those that had escaped through the fog.

She knelt and bowed her head, “Great High Queen."

San'lr'in’ sighed, suspecting that the burden had been even greater for Drn'rn'thel'ineln', “Did you see the final lightning strike?"

"Yes, Great High Queen."

"On the next morn, after we bury our Master, we go to where it struck the ground."

"Yes, High Queen. My Queen?"

She looked down at her kneeling Force Leader, “Not now, Ann'wn. I can do no more this turn. I must rest.” It was seldom that The High Queen denied her Force Leader a moment, so Ann'wn easily accepted the depth of The High Queen's statement.

The eve passed quietly as The High Queen slept. The Healer remained nearby, worried over her Queen's condition. All the travelers now worked together to bring all their supplies down from the tunnels, as well as the great Master for her burial in the morn. Ann'wn's forces ensured that the Master's final ride upon her horse was as each would desire for their own funeral.

In the morn, The High Queen rose early so as to prepare herself for the funeral. As she began to prepare for her meditations, Ern'seln’ approached her, “Great High Queen?"

San'lr'in’ turned to the voice that sounded so new to her, “Ern'seln'. Daughter of the Great Third Master, Be'rn'. What is it you ask of Me?"

Ern'seln’ shook with fear at being in the presence of this most powerful High Queen. As The High Queen looked upon her, Ern'seln’ knelt and bowed her head, “It is as my Birth-Mother had told me."

San'lr'in’ wanted no more praise, but knew she needed to give this one-turn great Master her moment, “Tell Me."

"You are the greatest of them, my Queen. My Birth-Mother told me this story. She said that the long-prior High Queens knew that your reign was to be as such. It is in the stories. It is why they come when you summon them."

San'lr'in’ wondered about these stories, but wanted no part of them for the moment, “Ern'seln'. You need to prepare yourself. We approach the moment of the Great Third Master's funeral. Do you require My assistance in achieving your sixth meditation?"