CHAPTER TWO:
The sun rose high above the clouds the next morning. The city bustled with activity once the sun reached the horizon line. I could hear the clinking of the Smiths’ hammers on metal, and the clop of the horses’ hooves that echoed through the town square. I heard babies cry out and the delighted laughs of children.
I’d found myself a place to sleep in the Inn. It was placed just outside the village, and allowed anyone who needed somewhere to stay, a place. I dressed in a linen dress, and let my hair out of it’s braid. This way, I would be more inconspicuous.
I left my belongings inside the room that I’d rented, and paid the small fee for the room. Rhea waited outside the Inn for me. She had feathers stuck to her long canine teeth, and a bit of blood smeared across her coat. “Found some poultry, did you?” I scratched behind her soft ears. I heard her pleased purr.
“You’re going to have to stay here for the day,” I told her. “We attracted a bit too much attention yesterday.” Rhea’s ears fell back onto her head, but she accepted this and lumbered back into the forest.
A party of soldiers marched by, holding their heads high with their swords swinging at their hips. I recognized one to be Beriadan. I glared at him coldly. Her smirked. Beriadan was truly the stuck-up type. He thought himself too good for others. How lonely he must be to act like that. I did not think myself better than others, because truly, I was better than others.
Desoulas was quite the city during the day. It was more busy than yesterday had been. More and more people were shopping at the markets, the town crier was announcing something as he stood on his podium, and a dancing bear was occupying the attention of the young children. How bad I felt for that bear. I would tame it and use it as my mount, but Rhea would probably attempt to kill the poor thing. I thought better of it.
I approached the gatehouse again this morning. Suiadan looked sleepy, with large bags under his eyes, his blonde curls scraggly and matted. A smile lit his face when he saw me. “Hello there, Fainauriel,” he emphasized my 'name.' His helmet slipped over his eyes. He pushed his back up with the end of his spear.
“Hello. Would you care to join me for some lunch today?” I asked politely. I thought I saw a faint blush in Suiadan’s face. “Yes. Of course I will join you.” he smiled. I saw one of the guards on top of the gatehouse smile down at me. My expression stayed cold.
“Meet me at one o'clock sharp outside these gates.” I leaned over then, and whispered into Suiadan’s ear. “And bring no one. I have a serious matter to speak with you about.”
Suiadan’s eyebrows pulled together, but he nodded his head down once. He said nothing, but just motioned for the guards to open the gate for me. I snuck underneath and walked into the inner ward.
It was even worse inside. Tailors and maids were bustling around each and every way, nearly crashing into me. I merely continued in the direction I was headed. The keep was made out of the same gray stone as the rest of the castle, with the climbing vines that entangled most of the stones. Purple, yellow and pink flowers lit up the gray stones, making the place warm and inviting. In front I saw two guards standing without expression.
The Princess also stood in front of the keep with her maid. She was set to be married in a few days’ time, from what I’d heard, and she had also apparently had a run-in with the Banshee. Her eyes were bloodshot, from lack of sleep, and her silky blonde hair looked to be tangled and unkempt. She was trying her hardest to look lively, but I knew that she was worried.
The sun glinted off of her silver headband and bracelets, reflecting off her face. She had a scar running down the right side of her face on the hairline. It glowed like moonlight when the sun touched it. She wore a lavish thistle-coloured dress that blended well with the flowers in the vines, and I also realized that she was holding an Ancient sword.
A young maid stood beside her, discussing some important matter with the Princess. “No, I think you should wear the yellow cream colour. It makes your hair glow golden, and it also brings attention to your eyes,” the maid said. Yes, it was true. The Princess did have beautiful blue eyes, the colour of a running stream.
The two looked up when they heard my approach. The Princess’s gaze followed my every movement, until I lowered my head and bowed in front of her. “Your Highness,” I said, “I have come to ask a favour of you.”
The Princess had a slight grin on her face as I brought my head back up from bowing. “Do you?” she smiled. Her gaze was piercing, and she carried herself with dignity. She expected respect from me. “Yes. I have come from the apprenticeship of Master Hereon to ask you of something.”
Her gaze was intrigued; she was interested in what I wanted. “Ah, Master Hereon. He was a close friend of my father’s, until we were forced to banish his presence from this village. What was it that he needed?”
She looked to the maid and pointed at the yellow fabric. The maid hurried off to find a tailor to begin sewing the dress. “Master Hereon requests that you give him the rights to see his family again. Every single one. His wife, his daughters, his parents, his cousins, his brother...”
The Princess snorted. She clutched her stomach with laughter. “Ha! Like that will happen! But what if I accepted this offer? What is in it for me?” I grinned. A sly, masochistic grin. It spread across my face, only the slightest hint of a smile. “Immortality. He will make you, and your Beloved fiance Immortal, if you grant him proposal.”
Her gaze broke from it’s steady , proud stare, and became sullen and sombre. “Well, I—” Princess Gwedhiel broke off. “Immortal, did you say?” I nodded my head down once. She stuck out her hand. “Deal.” I took her hand and shook it back. So this plan was going to work to the full extent. How perfect.
Just as the Princess turned on her heel to walk back into the castle, she stopped. “What is the consequence I’ll pay for immortality?”
“No consequence, Your Highness. But only that simple trade. Happiness for happiness.”
The Princess looked sceptical, but she continued into the keep. I turned as well to meet up with Suiadan for tea. When I arrived at the castle gates, the sun glimmered down on the city, warming every inch of the cold stone, and peeking through the looming trees.
Suiadan was out of his guard’s uniform, wearing only a pair of woolen pants and a linen tunic which still were too big for him. The shirt hung off his one shoulder, and his curls fell loosely into his eyes. He had a carefree expression on his face.
As I approached him I saw his smile broaden. “Nost— Fainauriel!” he called out. I tried to smile a little, to show him that I was pleased to see him as well. “Where shall we head for tea?” Suiadan asked. I looked up at the sun, squinting my coal black eyes. “Hm... I was thinking maybe we could venture to the forest. I know how to make a pretty good cup of Gnome’s Tea.”
Suiadan smiled. When we were younger, we had always drank “Gnome’s Tea.” In fact, it wasn’t really even called that. We named it after a gnome who taught us how to make it. “The key is to get the organic stuff,” the old gnome had smiled, the wrinkles in his face lifting. “Go out into the forest, and search in all the places that would make a good gnome house. Then, when you do, all the moss will be clinging to the trees near by.” So we dubbed the name “Gnome’s Tea.”
Suiadan pondered this for a moment, then nodded his head. “And what about Hobbit Hash?” he asked. I chuckled. “Okay, Hobbit Hash too.”
Me and Suiadan sat in the forest, reminiscing about the “old days.” It was not until the sun was starting to move towards the west when I popped the question. No, not a question of marriage, but another very important question. Suiadan was still laughing when I asked. He'd found most things funny this afternoon, but I found no enjoyment whatsoever in it at all. Suiadan was nice, but he wasn’t my type of people.
“Are my parents still alive?” I asked randomly. Suiadan caught his breath from laughing. “Yes. Yes they are,” he said breathlessly. “Why do you ask?”
I gazed up at the canopy of leaves. Some fairies were probably skittering around looking for bedding. If I wasn’t careful one may come up and grab a few pieces of hair. Finally, I took a breath. “I— I just wanted to know. That’s all. I thought by now the old folks would be dead.”
Suiadan looked at me seriously. His eyes held my gaze steadily. “Don’t even think about rushing them towards death, okay Nostariel?” I rolled my eyes. “Yes Master Hereon.”
Suiadan mock-gagged. “I hate that guy. He’s so stuck-up and arrogant. A hog’s butt if you ask me!”
“I have respect for him, unlike you,” I retaliated. “Master Hereon has taught me everything I know. Yes, that does include the technique for scaring men out of their wits!”
“I’m sure that was the first lesson he taught you!”
I giggled for real this time. It was probably around five o’clock now. “Well, thank you for your company,” I curtseyed. “I have to be off.” Suiadan looked up at me. He smoothed the curls out of his eyes and pulled up his tunic that had fallen over his shoulder. “But you only just got here!” he whined.
“I have been wondering for months, Suiadan! It’s due time I went home!”
Suiadan sighed. “Fine. It was nice seeing you again though.”
“Much agreed. It was a pleasure to speak with you as well.”
“Please, do visit again,” Suiadan begged. “Please.” I gave him a half-hearted smile. I will Suiadan, I will. All in due time.”
“Just don’t wait until after I’m married!”
“Why is that?” I grinned.
“I don’t want my wife thinking that you were another lover.” I threw my head back and howled in laughter. “Only you would say something so absurd!” And just as twilight was beginning to roll in, I made my escape, running back through the forest.
Rhea growled as the wind howled through the tower. Most people were in their hovels having dinner. The limp corpses of my parents lay motionless on the ground, horrified expressions frozen on their faces for eternity. I’m sure that all who attended their funeral would wonder who— or what killed them. They would never know, though. The dead always keep secrets the best . I can always rely upon them.
I had already traced out the circle, but was letting the blood cool before I would add a drop of my blood to each bag. Whenever I did these sorts of rituals, I used a drop of my blood. Master Hereon had once said: “When summoning something, always add a drop of your blood to the blood of your ‘sacrificial lambs.’ This way, whatever you summon will listen best, for it was your blood that it now holds in their veins, too.”
I touched the deer stomach pouch that the blood was in. It was cold enough. I slit my wrists and took a drop from each and tapped the knife. The blood slowly dripped and fell into the bags. “Rhea, stay at the door and make sure that no one comes.” I pointed towards the doorway. Rhea huffed but rose to her paws and slunk down the stairs.
I dipped my finger into the blood and traced each line that I had carved into the ground. Once complete, I stepped into the circle and sat. Closing my eyes, I took a few steadying breaths before beginning. “Sacrifas, sumun, blud, obetya. Sacrifas, sumun, blud, obetya. Sacrifas—,” I could feel the blood running through my veins. It was as if their spirits had risen, and were now binding themselves to my heart in order to complete the ritual. I kept my eyes closed, now lifting my hands into the air, just in front of me. I had placed one hand behind the other, and I had scratched “Leadership” or “Ledrashi” into my hand in summoning writing.
I felt he energy flow through me in a pulsating motion, like lightning pulsing through my body with a thousand watts of voltage. I felt the letters on the circle begin to rise into the air around me, weaving and twisting faster and faster, becoming only a blur. I kept my eyes sealed shut and my hands held in front of me. Only when I heard the unearthly scream did I open my eyes.
Her face was pale white, with huge bags beneath them. She hadn’t slept in years, so I do not blame her. Her eyes were bloodshot with crying. Her tangled and singed black hair hung over her shoulders and thinly in her eyes. A slight grin played on the edges of her lips.
Her green dress was ragged and torn, and her dingy gray cloak smelled of death. “You’re the little weakling who called upon me?” the Banshee Queen’s voice sounded so soft and sweet, nothing like her appearance. “I must not be weak, for I was able to hold your power.”
“And what is it that you need my power for? Were you the one I spoke with?” Her gaze had been trailing along every inch of this room, and finally it rested upon me. A chill ran up my spine as her bloodshot eyes studied me over. Finally her grin turned malicious. “You need me to make you immortal? Do you not?”
“It is not me, but the Princess and her fiance that will be made immortal.”
The Banshee Queen’s head twitched from side to side, such a blur but choppy as if someone was painting her picture at every angle, but moving at such blinding speed that it blurred. As her eyes rolled back into her head, I knew that something had gone terribly wrong. “The ritual is wrong!” she screeched. A million voices joined hers as she spoke, no longer sounding soft and gentle, but sounding of the demon she is.
“I did every part of it right!” I pointed to the circle, though I was slowly backing away from the queen, who was now out of control. Rhea pressed her wet nose into the palm of my hand. She attempted to comfort me, but I knew that she was ready to pounce at any moment.
“Your heart is not stabbed with a thousand needles in the death of those you sacrificed. I know the one you long to keep safe, and tonight, one is more than enough!” my mind quickly flipped through all those who were closest to me. Even I didn’t care that much about Master Hereon, so who could it possibly be?
Then it came to me. Suiadan. She was going to kill Suiadan! My back finally pressed against the wall knocking the wind from me as I was so unprepared. The Banshee Queen stared at me, her head twitching from side to side. Her hair blew with an unearthly breeze, and her body hovered above the ground. Her breathing rough and harsh. I knew what I had to do.
I was feeling for Rhea’s back, never taking my eyes of the Banshee Queen. No matter how much of my blood I would’ve used, the Banshee Queen could ever be tamed. Not in a million millennia. Just as I found the sway in Rhea’s back, the Banshee Queen opened her mouth and let out a blood-curdling cry. No doubt the whole village would hear. I hopped onto Rhea’s back and kicked her sides. I pulled the sword from my sheath and held it into the sky. Lightning pulsed through it, and as I felt the energy running through me, too, I stuck the wall with all the strength. The whole side came crashing in, tumbling and blocking the path of the Banshee Queen. I heard her scream once more, but I just told Rhea to run faster.
I held my sword at my thigh and steered Rhea around with one hand. People were gathered at their doorways, watching me run from the crumbling tower, and listening in horror to the ominous scream. “Hide!” I yelled. “Find safety! Run! Do something before she escapes!”
The guards were running towards the tower already, calling out commands and drawing their swords. I found Beriadan closing the gatehouse. “Where’s Suiadan!” I yelled at him, Rhea skidded to a stop. Beriadan's eyes were filled with the slightest fear, but his expression remained still. “I don’t know,” he whispered.
“Open the gatehouse for me! I have to find him!”
Beriadan shook his head vigorously. “No. You cannot. No one is allowed in or out!” I growled at the foolish child. “Look. I have to find Suiadan. If you don’t open this gate for me, I’ll have to do it my—!” a huge explosion came from the town square. Behind me, an enormous green fire was engulfing the tower, and nearby hovels as well as the guards and their armour.
Then I saw Suiadan. As people fled, Suiadan was backing away slowly, for the Banshee Queen knew who her next kill was. Suiadan drew his sword, and held it in front of him, the whole sword quivering. His helmet fell backwards and clattered to the floor.
As the Banshee Queen’s fingers reached out for Suiadan, Rhea lunged forward and we barrelled towards Suiadan. “Do not get in my way!” The Banshee Queen cried. A ball of black magic began swirling in the palm of her hands as her head twitched around.
Suiadan was just about to be struck when I flung my sword from ten metres away at the Banshee Queen. The sword flipped and spun through the air, landing straight in the place where the Banshee Queen’s heart was supposed to be. As it stabbed all the way through, the silver glinting with black blood, all went silent. Not a body made noise, not even the flames cackled with joy as they engulfed the poor men. The world stood still for a few seconds. And then I dropped from Rhea’s back to the ground, my whole world going black.
