The HeartStone Path

The HeartStone Path cont.

CHAPTER 31

I didn’t sleep that night.  We poured over everything that had opened itself up in the chamber.  There were spells, histories from when Hel was imprisoned eons before, and bits of blood runes and dunrunes to round out the chamber’s weird way of helping me.  I didn’t like the idea of using dunrunes and blood runes, but I didn’t have much of a choice.  The knowledge had been lost long ago, but with their recent use by King Einal’s men made me think that the knowledge wasn’t as lost as some people would like to think.

It was just before dawn when I trudged back up to my rooms.  I had only a short time to shower and dress for the day.  Rhiannon knocked on my door as I was fighting with my stays.  I was too tired to do it myself and welcomed the help.

“Are you not sleeping,” Rhiannon asked me.

“Not really,” I sighed.

“Aerron,” she said flatly.

“No,” I answered.  “It has nothing to do with him.  I was alone last night.”

“We don’t have to do this, Mor.  We can find another way to draw out Hel,” Aine said from the door.

“I can do this,” I said with more conviction than I actually felt.

They didn’t push any further and finished helping me get ready.  We made it to the Queen’s door just as she was opening it and stepping out ahead of her husband.  He smiled at me sadly, then turned to his guards.  Tristan purposely avoided looking at me, though Cam and Rafe had sad smiles for me, as well.  It was a rather somber procession for the mood we were supposed to be in for that day.

Once we reached the main floor, the whirlwind of activity swept us up and carried us along with it.  Nobles were pouring in from the city with their families and piling gifts on the tables in the main hall.  The cooks and servants were a blur of frenzied activity.  The Lady Gemadine had somehow appointed herself in charge of the decorations in the main hall when we walked in.  The Queen subtly took over and changed things around to where she wanted them.  I hid a smile behind my hand when Lady Gemadine huffed and left the hall with her own ladies in tow.

“Since when do noble ladies of this kingdom have ladies in waiting,” Rhiannon mumbled next to me.

“Since they have decided to style themselves Queen of their own lands,” the Queen answered.  “A man of ours reported that they have finished building their own palace in their mountains and are in talks with their neighboring lords to form their own nation.”

“That is treason,” Aine hissed.

“It is,” the King said, stepping up next to his wife.  “But we have everything we need now to call them on it.  Given that Morrigan’s performance tonight is enough.”

“It will be,” I said.

It had to be.  If Hel gained a foothold before we were ready, it would be catastrophic.  I wasn’t sure how they planned to remove the King and Queen, but I was sure it was meant to be bloody and paint the Mineralage family as saviors.

The celebration began with the noon meal that was spread out for everyone to eat any time they wished.  The more formal meal would be later that evening.  The King and Queen opened their gifts and thanked each family personally for their well wishes and thoughtfulness.   Through the entire day, I made it a point to avoid the Prince and the people were slowly taking notice.  I kept myself in the middle of the Queen’s ladies and thus unreachable by anyone.

By the evening meal, everyone was whispering about my cold brush off of my betrothed.  True to form, the Lady Gemadine kept casting smug looks at me through the meal.  It wasn’t difficult to ignore her.  I had been digging down deep in to my well of power all day to prepare myself for the show I was going to give.  I had to make sure that anything that I did, didn’t show up in Tristan.  It wouldn’t do if anyone knew he was my Tuillaryn.  Not yet, anyway.  I had my own ideas about that.  It was going to be a hell of a show, but I had to make sure I got Hel’s attention first. 

After the tables were cleared and moved out of the way, the Queen asked for the band to play a Bahltuen to celebrate my betrothal to his grace, Prince Aerron.  It was a seductive number that would require my body to be molded to his.  That was my cue.

“No!”, Tristan yelled.

I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth tightly together.  He had beat me to it.  I hadn’t had to say or do anything.  Prince Aerron gave my hand a tight squeeze before he turned us to face Tristan.

“Do we have a problem, my lord,” he said in a dangerous voice.

Tristan looked to the King and then back to the Prince.  He seemed shocked that he had said something out loud.  “Mor, what are you doing?” he whispered to me.

“How dare you address me like that,” I hissed at him.  I flinched inwardly at the pain in his eyes.

“You can’t be serious about this,” Tristan tried again.

“This isn’t up to you, my lord,” Prince Aerron said through clenched teeth.  “She is mine.  As she should have always been.  You didn’t deserve her then.  You don’t deserve her now.”

I pulled my hand out of the Prince’s grip.  “What?”

The Queen stepped down from the dais and approached us.  “Lady Morrigan, we talked about this.”

I looked at my sisters and Tristan.  “I’m sorry.  I gave my word to Prince Aerron.”

The Prince took my hand back and pulled me to him until I was close enough for him to put his arm around my waist.  “I told you, Tristan.  She would be mine.  You have no hold over her.  No one does.”

That was all it took.

“No.  She is my Tuillaryn.  She is not yours.  She never will be.  She serves the Order.  She will never bow to you or anyone!” Tristan yelled.

I flinched at the touch of madness in his voice.  “Tristan, don’t.”

“Morrigan, don’t do this.  It’s not worth it.  There has to be another way.  Please,” Tristan begged me.

“Silence,” the King commanded.  “The treaty has been signed.  You dare question the Queen’s authority.”

I let the grip on my power slip the tiniest bit.  “Stop.  Tristan let it go.”  A tremor rumbled through the hall.

Rhiannon stepped forward.  “Morrigan, be careful.”

I made a show of closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.

Prince Aerron’s hand clamped down hard on my upper arm, hard enough to leave bruises on a weaker arm.  “Get hold of yourself, Lady.”  He did his best to add a sneer to his voice.

I felt the rage rolling off of Tristan and I let it fuel what I had to do.

“Let her go,” Tristan said in a deadly calm voice.

I loosened my grip just a little bit more. Blue light swirled around me and I felt raw power crackling through the room.  Everyone looked properly horrified and intrigued.  It didn’t take much of a push for Lord Mineralage to step forward.

“Your majesty, were you aware that you harbored such power within your household?”, he asked, amused.

“A suggestion from my husband, your grace,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Because I know what’s coming,” the King said, glaring at her.

“And what is that,” Lord Mineralage asked, clasping his hands in front of him.  He was practically salivating as he watched the King and Queen staring each other down.

“I am the only hope you have,” I said in a dangerous whisper.  “She is coming, and I am the only hope of stopping her.”

Lord Mineralage turned to face me.   The grin on his face widened until it bordered on madness.  He had taken the bait. 

“You,” he said.  “With these parlor tricks.”

His daughter laughed behind him, a laugh that didn’t belong to this realm.

“You, foolish girl,” came a wicked, ancient voice from Lady Gemadine’s mouth as she stepped forward.

Before Lord Mineralage could stop her, Lady Gemadine walked towards me until she was standing right in front of me.  She looked me over from head to toe, smirking to herself.  Her eyes held a faint red glow that told me that Lady Gemadine was no longer in control of her body or mind.

“My lady,” Lord Mineralage said, putting his hand on his daughter’s arm, “not now.”

“How dare you address me,” the thing that was inside Lady Gemadine hissed at him.

I stood firm, waiting for the people around us to figure out what was going on.  Behind us, Cleo had stepped in front of the Queen and guards were closing in on the Lord and Lady Gemadine.

The thing inside Lady Gemadine laughed again.  “Foolish peasants.  You think a little Ranger can stop me?!  I have seen your pathetic lives, your puny armies.  Such greed.  So easy to mold,” she said, raking her eyes over Lord Mineralage.  “Just the promise of power and they will do anything you ask of them,” it purred.

I was losing my full grip on my power and fast.  I didn’t want her to know what she was facing yet.  “Hello, Hellas,” I said loudly.

“Ah, someone who recognizes me,” she said, turning to me again.  “And you, you are not what you appear to be either, are you.  Such a lovely hidden gift my sister has given me.  And weak.”

“Let her go,” I demanded.

The goddess laughed again and Lady Gemadine’s body twirled under her power.  “Such a lovely host, don’t you think?  She didn’t really even fight me.  The promise of being Queen of her own lands and a man she desires was all it took,” she said wickedly.

I let go of nearly every tether I was holding on to that was keeping my power at bay.  Blue light flared to life behind Lady Gemadine as the runes danced to life across Tristan’s skin.  I slammed my power into Lady Gemadine’s body, trying to force the goddess out of her.

“How dare you,” said Lady Gemadine, in her own voice.  “I command her.  I will be Queen.  You, worthless peasant.  An orphan who somehow became a Ranger, it would seem.  Such lowly company you keep,” she said turning to the Queen.

Then Lady Gemadine was gone.  “Fool of a girl,” that ancient voice said again. 

“Release her and face me!”, I yelled, getting her attention again.

“Oh, I will face you soon enough, sweet child of the moon.  Keep your pathetic mortals.  I am coming for the Relic.  And I am coming for you,” she said in a voice that made my skin crawl.

Lady Gemadine screamed as a red mist tore out of her mouth and out through an open window to her right.  No one in the hall moved or even breathed.  Lord Mineralage didn’t even try to take a step towards his daughter who was sobbing on the floor.  Shadows were swirling around Cleo’s feet, covering the dais where the Queen was standing, clutching her husband’s arm.  The King took control of the room and yelled for his guards. 

Our Tuillaryns and other guards rushed forward and clamped chains on to the wrists of Lord Mineralage and his daughter.  The Lord, not to be left out to hang on his own, began yelling at his co-conspirators for aide.  As a precaution, each person named was taken in to custody and taken down to the cells to await questioning by the King. 

I leashed my power again and sagged in to Rhiannon’s arms as she reached my side.  Across the room, Tristan stared at me in disbelief.  Cleo still guarded the Queen but had pulled in the shadows.  It was enough that the other people in the room noticed her gifts.  Her own parents stared at her like they had never seen her before in their lives.  Prince Aerron, to his credit, rushed to my side and took my other arm.

“What were you thinking,” Rhiannon whispered.  “That was too much.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Tristan said, suddenly at her side.  “It wasn’t even a sliver of what she can do.”

“Not now,” Prince Aerron said, glaring at Tristan.

“Rhiannon, give me my Tuillaryn,” Tristan growled, returning the glare.

Rhiannon wisely handed me over to Tristan and let him pull me to his side.  No one tried to stop him when we left the chamber.  Behind us, the King called for his war council and pulled the Queen with him, falling in to step behind us.

“Deal with that later, Tristan,” the King growled from behind us.  “I need you both in council.  Now.”

Tristan nodded and stepped aside to let the King take his place in front of us, leading his council to the chamber.  Guards escorted people to their rooms and to their houses out in the city.  I hoped the Prince didn’t try to rip me away from Tristan at any time.  It was a battle that we couldn’t afford right then.

“What were you doing,” Tristan whispered angrily.

“What you couldn’t,” I hissed back.

“She could have killed you,” he said, squeezing my arm.

“Not in that body, she couldn’t,” I said, trying to pull my arm out of his grasp.

“If you think I’m letting go of you after that stunt, you are sorely mistaken,” he said through clenched teeth.

“You don’t give a damn what happens to me,” I hissed at him.

“Shut it, Mor,” he warned.

“Or what,” I demanded.  “You will deny the rites completely?  f*****g try me.”

He glared at me but couldn’t answer.  We had reached the council chamber and were forced to take seats around the table.  I had no choice but to sit next to him and Rhiannon wisely took the seat on my other side to put a buffer between me and Prince Aerron.  The Fae Prince looked as if he was about to rip her out of that chair when Lord Roman stepped up next to him.  He glared at Tristan but sat down on the other side of the young General.

CHAPTER 32

The council moved quickly.  Everyone present was in favor of questioning the lords and their families that had been taken away and immediately declaring the Mineralage lands forfeit and giving them back to the crown.  The King demanded that all paperwork that could be found in their houses be seized at once and brought back to him.  The guards in the room didn’t waste a single moment carrying out the King’s orders.  At his side, the Queen smiled at her husband, the father of her child. 

When the council room finally emptied, the Queen turned to me.  “You and your sisters are on watch tonight.  I want to know the second it happens if Hel retaliates.”

Rhiannon nodded and pulled me out of my seat and out of Tristan’s grasp.  When he made to grab me again, my sister rounded on him, backed up by Prince Aerron and Lord Roman.  “I don’t give a good gods damn what you have been doing these past months, but if you grab my sister like that again, you won’t have hands.  If you want to be useful, arm yourself and meet us in her rooms.  I trust you won’t m**m anybody on your way there.”

I saw nothing of the man I knew in Tristan’s eyes when he faced Rhiannon.  Something inside of him had been broken, but he was hiding it well.  He looked at them for a moment, considering how much damage would be done if he did fight for me, then decided against it.  Cam and Rafe pulled him away to go find their own armor.

“Will he be okay,” the Queen asked after our Tuillaryns left.

“I don’t know,” Aine answered.  “He broke part of his oath to Morrigan.  I don’t know exactly what happens to someone who does that.  There is no record of it.”

Prince Aerron turned to look at me again, something of pain and accusation in his eyes.  And sympathy.  Rhiannon let him gently take my hand and lead me to my rooms.  We didn’t talk on the way there, not as he stopped at his rooms for his armor or when we reached my rooms and Kai tackled him at the door. 

She bared her teeth at the male underneath her paws and slowly unsheathed her claws, pushing in to his skin.  I wrapped my arms around her neck and pulled her off of him.  To his credit, he didn’t flinch or even cry out.  He just took it as if he deserved it.

I mumbled an apology while I ripped at the dress to get it off of me.  A quick swipe of Kai’s claws, and the dress was shredded and at my feet.  I glared at her.

“Aine is never going to forgive you for that,” I scolded her.

She rolled her eyes and huffed at me and settled on the bed to watch me.  My Guardian growled at the Prince when he sat on the bed next to her but didn’t attempt to attack him again.

He watched in silence until I fumbled with the clasps on my bodice.  He gently took over, finished the clasps and helped me with the weapons I wanted.  I couldn’t look him in the eyes any more than I could face Tristan.

“How long have you known,” he asked quietly while he braided my hair back.

“Since a few weeks after we arrived,” I sighed, not meeting his eyes in the mirror.

“Depending on what he did, you can sever the bond,” he said softly as he turned me to face him.

“I know,” I whispered against his chest.  The tears I had been holding back were threatening to run down my cheeks.

“What will you do,” he asked, lifting my chin until I was looking at him fully.

“Face Hel, save the realm,” I said simply.

“That isn’t what I was asking,” he frowned.

“I know,” I said again, lowering my eyes.

Tristan burst through the front room doors then, the others behind him.  I stepped away from Prince Aerron and slid the bookcase away to lead the others up to my garden.  When I reached the silent roof, I was gripped with the sudden urge to burn it all.  I stifled my power that flared up in response to my anger and tucked it away safely inside of me. 

No one stopped me when I moved away from everyone and took up watch at the southern wall.  The others fanned out and found their own places to stand and watch the lands carefully.  The moon was full and high above us.  I had never felt so alone than I did in that moment.  I knew that I could break the bond with Tristan.  I had every right to.  And I also knew, that if I did, Prince Aerron would step in to the place of my Tuillaryn.  That would save me from being Queen and still possibly guarantee the use of his father’s armies.  King Einal couldn’t trump the sacred Rites no matter how much he tried.

CHAPTER 33

Nothing happened that night, or the night after.  Or many nights after.  The days bled in to one another.  Tense meetings and training filled my days.  I locked everyone out of my rooms at night, so my nights were filled with studying ancient tomes with the Master or fitful attempts at sleep.  Hel didn’t show herself in any way for quite some time.  It wasn’t until my patience was nearly frayed beyond repair when the first signs of demons were spotted in the southern forest.

I hadn’t spoken more than a handful of words to anyone in weeks when I saw the fires from my perch on the wall.  I tried to blink away the telltale signs of the demon fires but sighed when I realized they were real.

“Rhiannon,” I called out to my sister.

She was instantly at my side, squinting in to the darkness.  Aine and Prince Aerron were right behind her, he settled his arm around my waist as he looked out in to the night.  The others crowded around the wall next to us, straining to see what I was pointing out. 

“Aine, we need a better look,” Rhiannon said.

Aine nodded and turned to the in question.  He frowned and shifted with her and they took off into the night, flying straight for the fires.  I wanted it to be a simple scout and I wanted it to be the army.  I wanted everything over and done with.

“Can we talk,” Tristan said from behind me.

I nodded and let him lead me away from the wall.  “What,” I sighed.

“I never meant to hurt you,” he said, taking my face in his hands.

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at him.  “I don’t care, Tristan.  It’s over and done with.”

“You don’t mean that,” he whispered.

The pain in his voice made me open my eyes and look at him.  “The betrothal isn’t real,” was all I could think to say.

His eyes fluttered closed as he rested his forehead against mine.  “Thank the goddess,” he said, pulling me close.

“I’m not going to break the bond with you, either,” I said quietly.  “We need to face Hel together.  We won’t survive alone.”

“The fairie,” he asked.

“Understands that the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few,” Prince Aerron said from behind me.

I flinched and stepped away from Tristan.  “How many,” I asked, turning to face him.

“It’s an advanced party,” he said curtly.

Rhiannon swore darkly.  “I’ll tell the Queen.”

Cam pulled at Tristan’s arm.  “Come on, Tristan.  We have to help the King.  The whole city needs to be woken up and readied.”

Tristan let his friend pull him away, leaving me alone on the roof with Prince Aerron.  “I can’t break the bond with him,” I said sadly, “not yet.”

“I know,” he said.  “The prophecy says you must face her together.”

“That stupid prophecy,” I growled, startling myself.

“I agree.  I don’t like it, either.  Being your Tuillaryn would make things a lot easier,” he said.

“We have to go, Aerron,” I said as I turned for the doorway.

He didn’t argue with me, just fell in to step behind me as I made my way down to my rooms. He stopped me in my bedroom, though, holding my face in his hands.  The tears broke free then.

“Oh, my heart,” he said as he wiped the tears from my face.  “You only have to make it through the war then you can break the bond.  I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you from him.”

I didn’t correct him.  Let him think that I was crying over Tristan.  I hadn’t told anyone what the Master and I had found.  These last few days were all that I would have.  With anyone.  Tristan’s touch moments before was probably the last time I would feel his hands on my skin.  Prince Aerron holding me was possibly the last time anyone would ever hold my body close with any sliver of love.  Kai leaning against me would be the last time I could wrap my arms around her neck.  So yes, tears flowed down my cheeks.  But they had nothing to do with Tristan breaking parts of our bond.

He kissed me through my tears, but I didn’t let it linger.  “We have our jobs to do,” I whispered.

He nodded and led me out of my rooms.  I took a deep breath and swallowed down the pain and tears that were threatening to break free at any moment. 

The castle was in chaos.  Messengers had been sent racing down the Sky Fae roads.  Soldiers, servants and nobles raced through the halls and corridors.  Noble families were moving in to the castle to leave their houses in the city for people from the outlying villages.  Inventories were taken of every resource in the castle and the city.  My place was with the Queen, though, and Prince Aerron’s place was with the King.

In the council chamber, the Prince took his place at the King’s side as the young man argued with his generals about the best defense.  On our side of the chamber, the Queen was going through correspondence with us that she had received from the other kingdoms. 

Over the course of the night, emissaries from every kingdom arrived and joined us in the council chamber.  With their solid numbers to add to the maps, the King and generals were able to shape a better way to protect the city and the castle.  Prince Aerron, however, was called back to his father’s lands to lead the armies.

It took a mere two days for most of the armies to arrive, thanks to the Sky Fae roads.  On the land outside the city, another city had sprung up almost overnight.  The armies separated themselves but trained together during the days.  Dwarves had arrived and their makeshift forges were flaming night and day.  Reports were pouring in from the south where Hel had been seen and was gathering her legions to push north in to Queen Arianna’s lands.

Boudicca arrived at the head of the Vahl’strael army with her husband on the morning of the third day.  Their armies added their tents to the already massive tent city.  She swiftly took charge of everything and not a single general dared question her.  She was a legend and they knew it.

The skies above the castle were filled with dragons, gryphons and Sky Fae.  On the ground, horses, dragons, gryphons, and Immortal Kindred jostled for space to train and exercise.  High above all of it, I stood in my garden looking out over the southern forest and the ever increasing number of fires I could see to the south.  We had been right.  Hel would be coming from the South where there was no resistance. 

A green and gold dragon landed on the wall next to me and lowered herself to her belly to allow her rider to slide out of the specially crafted saddle.  She was truly otherworldly and awe inspiring.  The rider walked over to stand beside me and looked south.  He was the Lord of their armies.  I had taken an immediate liking to him when they arrived.

“Our reports put her a day’s march away,” he said quietly.

“Good,” I said, “I don’t know how much longer these lands can hold such an army.”

“Indeed,” he chuckled.  “It has been centuries since the call has gone out for aide like this.”

“It was necessary,” I answered.

“I agree.  I never thought I would live to see the prophecy fulfilled.  I was a child when my grandfather told me of it,” he said.

“I have had my fill of prophecies,” I said angrily.

“I am sorry that your life is not your own, Morrigan,” he said sadly.

“A small price for the lives of everyone in the realms,” I sighed. 

“Surely, you don’t see it that way,” he frowned.

“How I see it is irrelevant,” I sighed.

He let the comment pass and stood with me in silence for a little while longer.  We watched a formation of mountain gryphon head south to get an updated report.   The army had gone silent, each person preparing for war in their own way.  In the city, soldiers were making sure people were ready for the worst possible outcome.  On the walls, captains were deciding on the spacing between magic users and soldiers.  It was rather sobering to watch.

“When we come out of this, Morrigan,” the general said, “you are always welcome in our mountains.  We would happily shelter you.”

“Thank you, your grace.  I appreciate the offer,” I said sincerely. 

I had had similar offers from the Elves, Yova, Immortal Kindred and even the Dwarves.  It was difficult to be around people who had so much faith in me.  It was bad enough that my own sisters had faith in me to fulfill the prophecy, but people I didn’t even know was too much. 

The General bowed and returned to his saddle, then to the skies.  I was alone in the garden again.  For the hundredth time, I wondered where Prince Aerron and the Fae armies were.  I didn’t want to admit that I didn’t want to go into war without him.  My bond with Tristan was nearly broken.  It seemed foolish to hope that we would be able to face Hel now.  The sky was filled with heavy clouds.  I hoped the snow would hold off at least until the fighting was over.  We were at the end of winter, but that didn’t mean that significant snowfall wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility.  Kai nudged my hip towards the door and what would probably be the last night in my bed. 

Someone had left a tray of food on my table.  I didn’t have the appetite for it, though.  Instead, I went through the motions of getting ready for bed.  I ran the stone over my blades and made sure they were ready for anything.  After I had finished with my weapons, I sat at my desk and wrote the letters that I had been avoiding.  I wanted my sisters to have certain things if I didn’t walk off of that field.  I had packed everything of importance in my trunk and had given Cleo a small vile of my blood in case she needed to open my trunk one last time.  It was in case of an emergency and I didn’t really expect her to have to use it.  If I died, she was supposed to give it, along with a letter to Boudicca who would pass it off to the Master.  If the reports were right, we had roughly 24 hours left.