Fate, My Elementals & I (Breaking Borders)

A Queen's Duty

*** Evony's Pov ***

Three days have gone since the fight and it is the first time I exited my room. After my long early morning, full-filling Cannon's fantasies, after he explained what a rim job was, we went to sleep cuddled. By the time we all woke up again, except Addy, it was past noon. I couldn't be interested in socializing while Addanon was still unconscious. Being a queen does require a certain amount of duty to my people, but once Fero explained the situation, they all just wanted to know what they could do to help. Some elders left a cooling gel for Addy by the house and the boys took turns to get us meals.

Fero teased me and said I was too young to nest. I had no idea what he meant, but I am sure it had to do with keeping my Elementals close. As far as I was concerned, I should keep them on short leashes. Every time I leave them alone, one of them is in mortal danger. Threats of being held captive hang over their heads. Worst of all, the culprit escaped. Cannon's only living parent's life now hangs in the balance.

There were so many questions I had, but the loudest was, What did Can mean he was sure the ancient one was going to kill Addy? How? Many's been quiet since holding my body hostage. My conscience took over my consciousness. What are the odds?

My only hope was that Fero could find the eldest Fatum here, bring them to my office and they could remember anything that could help. I need to know why the previous fire holder not only sniffs out mine, but has the capability to damage their humanoid forms to such extents. Brennon's scar through memories, I saw the madman give it to him, is unable to be healed. Now Addanon's wounds, though healed to an extent, will never be the same again. His smooth muscular back is marred for life. I am honestly beginning to tire of the vengeful feelings I have to fight off.

Entering into my office, I felt the distance and it took a fair amount of control not to call them over or return to them. Shaking my head at the longing that had nestled into my heart, I took my seat.

"My queen, good to see you. How is the Earth doing?" the kindly elder nymph asked.

"He's fine, thank you for the sap, you and the earthen have outdone yourselves. It seems to have soothed the angrier scars," I replied.

She nodded with a smile, then asked, "The Empath was quite cryptic in asking me to leave the ponds to see you, my Grace, how may I help you?"

"I wish to ask if you remember exactly when the curious queen split our realms and any information you may have on her Elementals?" I inquired, quite cautiously. Elder Fatums are usually agitated when asked to remember their earlier years, usually because they don't like times when they weren't in control of their powers, or without their Fated. Mrs. Fury, in particular, a blazer, is much younger than the nymph in front of me, yet acts as though there was never a time before she found her partner.

"Oh my, that was a while back indeed. As you know, my Fated was a seedling just before my seventeen hundred years after I became fully matured. I remember her ascension. Lleana. She was a tall skinny little thing. Always curious, mischievous and running away. I remember once we had to save her from the rapids. My bearers were still alive then as well," she smiled, remembering a long lost time. Most likely a memory she hasn't found a need to recall for quite some time. She does not look old, as she and her Fated decided not to birth any seedlings until we had returned home. However, her mind and experiences ought to be muddled. As I said before, we were never meant to be immortal.

"Yes, I hoped that there might be some information in your memories. Like, why would the queen need help in the rapids? Fero only knows what he was taught. He had barely matured when the coup happened. Though he is much more knowledgeable due to being an Ementals spawn, there are still many unknown details," I tried guiding her.

"Very well. I speak what I do know. Her predecessor, had a short reign. She found her Fated quite early and only had one Elemental. They did not wait and had four seedlings. Of the four, three were like the father. One was more mental. You know the type with unknown powers until stressed or frightened, like Fero. Anyways, none were females. She watched them mature and the aging process for some reason sped up. I believe her Fated was quite bored already, having been at least two millenniums older than her. The babe was found at least a moon before her last breath. Lleana was not the typical queen. As you know, she is half the reason mortals have so many supernatural stories. Her Elementals were activated once the previous queen passed, taking her Fated and only Elemental, Air I believe, with her. I remember a huge celebration in the woods, to celebrate. Mortals were always creative and inquisitive. Once they started infiltrating our forests, we weren't safe. There's a rumor I remember. So many half-breeds started popping up. Scaring the mortal parent they were left behind with. She recalled them, causing seedlings to enter our forests due to her song. This I believe was the beginning of the rhyme, the one with the piped piper. Stealing babes from their beds. Mortals are such creative and imaginative beings, aren't they?" she asked, with a glassy look in her eyes.

"Yes, cleaver," I answered.

"Right, so the lovely Lleana, noticing that because the barely matured Fatums were dying before meeting their Fated because they reproducing with the mortals, therefore accepting a mortal life, proposed a law. No underaged were allowed to have relations. This was a fool's wish, she soon realized. We are of the planet, procreating is part of our magic. We sustained life. So, in order to control the loss, she separated us from the humans. Whispers were that she had relations with her Elementals to activate that power," she said scandalously, making me blush.

"I meant no shaming you, your highness. It's just all three of them were matured. The Fire himself, well I think he had already chosen his partner to sire with. Of course, none of us were truly privy to the ins and outs in the main tree," she added.

"Main tree?" I asked.

"Oh yes, we have large trees in our forest. Magnificent and as ancient as our kind. Lleana, over the years, allowed the eartherns to modernize our living, but hallowed out trunks were most homes. At least for land dwellers. She said if we didn't improve and grow with the time surrounding our safe haven, we would be lost in time and cease to exist. So she allowed only those matured, entry to the mortal realm. For some time, usually when the mood suits her, she would do another song call. Making those who ventured out know it was time to return. Any half-breeds with activated genes will find themselves wanting to travel and once they do, they always find themselves at one of the gates. Very few choose to leave, the others, though stubborn at first, eventually find their Fated and stay. Very rare did any choose the mortal realm. Some find a mortal to love having half-breeds. They have more hope than full-blooded Fatum do of surviving longer. As the humans say, a ripe old age. Ha! Their puny minds wouldn't even be able to comprehend waiting for the perfect one, the other half of your soul through time. That twenty-two hundred of their years had to pass for me sense a glimmer of hope. Only to wait another five hundred to be sure. My Fated is devoted to me, wants time with me. I wish to bear. See my seedling play in the whirl pools that I did. Show them the exact spot, on the river bank, where my mother birthed me. Swaddle them in a pod from the same giant lilies that would never be found here. Mortals have damaged their world, tainted it. We need to go home, my queen. I'm ... I'm sorry.." she trailed off crying about the life she has yet to experience.

My heart went out to her. Knowing that drudging up so much history was not good for her, I asked her if she wished to continue another time. That I would wait. If she remembers anything of worth, concerning the Elementals, feel free to approach and let me know. While comforting her, I had Fero bring her Fated to take her back to the wet lands and to ease her heart.

As I watched how she visibly became more stable and turned back to promise me, just before leaving, "I promise my Grace, I, Victoria, named after the lily, will recall more. I yearn for our home. Any help I can give, I will."

I smiled and thanked her for all she had already done.

"Did you get anything from the water snake?" Fero asked, as they walked out of my home.

"Must you? She just nearly had a mental breakdown trying to tell me anything she knows beyond our knowledge and you are calling her names?" I chastised, wondering if he would ever grow up.

"Listen, before that nymph found her partner, she was like a snake whip. Dozens, if not hundreds, could attest to her offering fun times in the river bed. So excuse me for not forgetting the reason I know how old she really is," the arrogant Empath said.

"I got some information. Here I recorded what she said. Forward a copy to Cannon as well," I said, handing over my phone. "They need to hear this as well. I wished she would have kept her head steady a bit longer. Fate knows her thoughts were already scattered about. Anyways, you said I had another meeting today? Who is it?" I asked.

"You must greet our new members, Evony," he said in that stern voice.

Great, I thought. I have been trying to forget that there is yet another woman vying for my Rock's attention. I am not sure that I am mentally prepared to deal with this girl, to be honest. How do I tell her off and still be the caring ruler I always strive to be? The morals surrounding this situation were not easy to navigate. On the one hand, she offered him assistance, when he was nothing but a stranger. Many of their friends passed, according to Fero, and all this happened because she thought Addanon to be good looking. i***t woman.

"Send them in," I ordered, knowing that it made no sense to prolong the inevitable. Despite my dislike of that one, the others deserve an audience with me. Fero bowed and left. I leaned on my chair back, wondering if I should ask the boys to come in. I do miss them. Oh, who am I kidding? I want them around to show her where their loyalties lie and to keep me calm.

Hearing my door open, I knew it was too late to change my mind. Fero came in alone to ask if to send them in together or one at a time. I decided on a group greeting, as I did not wish to be alone with that blazer. They all shuffled in, standing in the centre, heads bowed. I soon understood that I had not left the best first impression on them, especially after such a traumatic event.

"Please sit. Is there anything I can get any of you? Drink, food?" I inquired, like the perfect hostess Fero nutured.

"No, thank you...." the crossdresser trailed. Must not have known how to address me.

"I will start. Please look at me. I swear I am not as scary as I seemed on your first night here. I was worried for my Rock and trying my best to understand his wounds. I apologize for the command and the way I dismissed you, but I hope you know just because I am queen, I am not perfect," I offered a white flag.

"No apologies are required by your highness. We were emotional and flustered as well. Everything was new and scary and wild and..." the crossdresser stopped when I raised my palm.

"My name is Evony. At least for this conversation address me as such. You saved Addanon's life, when you could have just handed him over to the darklings to save yourselves and your friends. You are all heroes to us. May I know your names?" I inquired.

"I'm Jazz. This adorable nymph is Bubbles. Philo and Amarie are over there. Creed is our youngest. Red here, has been in the mortal realm longer than me," Jazz, introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Also, very saddening it is under such circumstances. I have had some of our people search your home, bringing what wasn't destroyed. We only found three bodies though. In honor of their sacrifice and those missing, we would like to hold a remembrance once Addanon is awake. In the meantime, Cannon would have encased those who met Fate in ice coffins to preserve them. Is that satisfactory to you?" I asked as gently as I could. I may have been a bit of a hermit the past few days, but I used my telepathy to get things done through Fero.

"Why ask now if you have already made your decisions? You're the queen, do you even need our permission?" the insolent blazer asked.

Before I could answer, or even react, the boys stormed in. Looking up in question, they walked to my side of the desk and each found some part of me to touch.

"You have done us a great service, by helping our brother. We will forever be grateful for that. Make no mistake that it means we will endure you insulting our Queen. Addanon would want to be a part of the ceremony. It was my idea to preserve them. I do not care particularly about being polite. Sprite over here is a softy. We are not. Our purpose and Addanon's is to protect her. I have no interest in saving every single Fatum. The mortal I grew up with taught me only to appreciate and exploit. You have been weighed Red, and in my books you've been found wanting. Now, why don't the rest of you thank her and be on your way?" Cannon suggested.

Protective much?