The Queen Of The Forest

Chapter 6

The cheers that echoed around the hall deathened my ears. I looked up at my father in shock as he looked around with a huge smile on his face.

Robert, who was beside me, had let go of my hand. I looked at him and saw an unreadable look on his face.

"Your engagement, it seems, is already set in stone, and what would my place be? Your piece on the side…. Please excuse me, your highness," he stood up and walked over to his father, bending down to talk in his ear.

I got up to follow him but was stopped by my father.

"Sit down, girl, the announcements are not over. Remember, as of yet, I still have the controlling say of the masters. Without their support, you will be a queen without a people.”

I watched my mother walk over to us from where she had been sitting before. I had never seen my mother look so angry. Her eyes were going from my face to my father's.

"Gracious people, as has been requested by the masters and their elders I will be staying on in my regency as a supervisory role to the queen for the next four years in till she becomes twenty five"

At this point, I had had enough; Peter beside me also didn’t look happy and seemed to be in a whispering argument with his father. I watched Robert make his way towards the large doors at the end of the hall. I knew if I let him walk through them, he would walk out of my life forever; this couldn’t happen. The pain I felt by watching him get closer to them intensified with each step that he took, till I felt like I couldn’t no longer breathe.

"STOP!" I found myself on my feet, my chest tighter than I could bear.

"Father, I believe you have made a mistake and forgotten about newer developments in your rush to announce my marriage. Good people, my people, I am thankful to be your queen and hope to follow in my mother’s footsteps, and like my mother, my own heart will be by my side. Who better than the person chosen for me by Gaia herself? I would like to introduce you to Robert Adamson of the Waterseed coven. As fate would have it, he came to me today. He will take his rightful place by my side if he accepts"—my eyes found his, and he had obviously stopped at some point and moved closer to me.

"I accept you, my queen. I will be yours and by your side from now till the end of time." Robert smiled at me.

The cheers that accomplished my speech were not as loud from others, but they felt more heartfelt than before.

My mother grabbed me into a hug. "I’m so proud of you," she whispered.

"I’m not done yet, mother," I whispered back.

"Furthermore, while I understand the elders' and masters' fears about my age, let me propose a different agreement. In one year's time, we will revisit this stewardship, and if I have proven myself to you, it will come to an end.

Let us not forget, that the power and positions given to you were by my ancestors as a way of maintaining peace and a structure so that all felt safe even in the further reaches of my kingdom. I know I am the youngest queen known in our history, but if my mother didn’t feel like I was capable, she wouldn’t have abdicated and left my father in charge. Do you doubt your previous queen?” I made sure to catch the eye of every master in the hall "So you have given me your vows already; will you agree to my request?"

The six masters and seven elders stood up from their chairs. One by one, they agreed until it got to Elder Harkenfield. He was an ancient man by now and needed David to hold him in place.

"The queens of the forest have kept us safe and protected. I followed your grandmother and then your mother. I would be proud to follow my own brother's granddaughter. If he was alive, he would have been so proud to see the woman you grew into.”

"Thank you, uncle." I nodded, wiping a tear from my eye.

"Master Harkenfield, what do you say?" The one I feared the answer from the most "Will you join your peers and come to your first agreement with your queen?" I looked toward Peter's father on my right.

"It seems I have no choice, but discussions will have to be had on the next day about certain developments before any more announcements are made. The timing of some of these is highly suspicious." He glanced at master Lorain.

My father, who had cleared his throat, took this moment to address the room.

"Well what an eventful evening, I hope you can excuse this old man’s brain, it seems in my rush and excitement of the day I forgot a few things," this was met with a chorus of laughs, "now please enjoy your evening, and which ever way there is a wedding coming up to which you will all be invited too."

I watched my father sit down and take a huge gulp of his drink before he turned to face my mother's wrath.

I zoned out and excused myself from the table; I wanted out of the hall and used the excuse of tiredness as I made my way towards David. People stopped to congratulate me. I felt Logan follow behind, as she was now in her place.

Finally, I met Robert at his family's table, where they all stood up to offer me their congratulations and to welcome me to their family. I don’t think I have ever met a more happy and genuine group of people. I could understand my mother's warmth toward Anastasia. The way she looked at her son was the same way my mother looked at me. She looked at me and curtsied.

"Your highness, I believe you will always be the queen your mother was before you, and if you ever have trouble with this one," she gestured to Robert, "you let me know, and I will set him straight."

I couldn’t help but laugh at her words while I felt David beside me groan.

"Thank you, madam Anastasia, I will make sure I do." I smirked at her.

"Ana, dear, we are to be family; no need for formalities anymore."

"Only if you call me Lori," I offered back.

"Now if you'll excuse me, it’s been a long day, and I have a date with a tree," I glanced at David.

"Traditionally, I would walk alone, but will you accompany me to the grove?"

"I would be honored, mother, father, if you could please excuse us."

As we make our way out of the castle, I notice the stars have started to appear.

"I’m sorry about my father; he genuinely only does what he feels is best for the people. When my mother got sick, he was thrown into the position of leadership. He means well but finds it hard to deviate from an original plan."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Lori; I understand your father's position; my own father has trained me my entire life for the day I would become the master of the coven; it must have been hard to be thrown into it," he said understandably.

"Now this date with a tree?" "Should I be worried? Is there something else that would take your hand?"

I laughed at his goofiness: "Nope, this tree takes it all, I’m afraid; we are heading for the ancient tree in the center." I saw the shock on his face. "I'm not sure what is to happen; my mother wouldn’t tell me, but I know it is of great importance that I visit tonight."

"Wait, the tree!" He finally seemed to have found his voice "The one that gives us all magic" David’s face had a look of wonder on it.

"The very same one, and I promise after tonight I will take you to see it, but tonight I must go alone. Great care is taken to make sure I’m the only one allowed to enter the forest tonight. The people of Amberwood have been busy the last couple of weeks placing spells and charms."

As we reached the path into the forest, we stopped walking.

“Logan, my guard will stay here, and we must now say goodbye. Will you meet me here tomorrow?"

"I will stay here all night to guard your path."

I swear I felt my legs turn weak, his words reaching an unknown place inside of me.

"Thank you; till the morning then."

I walked along the path, finally alone. Today has been an eventful day. As I moved deeper in the forest, I heard the hum of the forest. The leaves seemed to stretch toward me. I feel my power come alive and notice how I seem to be glowing.

I finally see the ancient tree, and everything is wiped from my mind. I see the priestess from my coronation ceremony standing in front of it smiling.

"Welcome queen Lorelei, now is the time for your oath to be made to the tree." I heard a rustle behind me and saw that the path had disappeared. The trees had created a wall, but I felt no fear. I felt calm and protected.

"My oath?" "What oath?"

"Like all queens before you, you will become the keeper of the magic. Without you, there can be no magic for our people; you are the vessel through which the magic flows. A blood oath is needed, you must once again cut your hand with the crystal blade and offer it to the tree. If the tree accepts you, we will know and your reign will begin.”

She handed me the blade, and I will admit I was scared. In the earlier ceremony, she cut my hand for me. Swallowing my fear, I quickly sliced my palm. I offered my hand toward the tree and waited. What would happen? If the tree didn't accept me, what would that mean? My anxiety was growing with each passing second. I glanced at the priestess; her face hadn’t changed expression, and she still stood there smiling.

I just stood there with my hand in the air, pointing towards the tree. I was starting to feel hot. I felt a flash of scorching fire across my hand. I tried to drop my hand and realised I was stuck in place like a statue.

"I’m sorry, your majesty, but this is where I must leave. I am only permitted to be here to witness the beginning of the joining; you have been accepted; the rest is for your eyes only." And with that, she disappeared, shimmering away. Leaving me alone as the heat intensified