Their Promised Queen

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

            “You’ve got this! You just have to focus!” Ruby yelled at me from across the training room. “Focus on what you want to achieve and how you want to do it.” 

            We have been working on my beaming for the last few hours. It was draining but they said this is one of the easier powers to command. The elements could be fickle as some of them didn’t don’t always come when I call. I haven’t had any new visions and my projections still work but Jyr thinks I should be able to project to more people and project many more things than just myself. He wants to work on that next along with the illumination I showed on the day of my birth and my 18th birthday. 

That night seems so long ago but it’s only been a few weeks in the human world. I should be enjoying the summer before college starts. I should be heading to the pool with Ruby and working on my tan. But instead here I am trying to protect a whole realm of fairies that I didn’t know existed a month ago. 

“Queen….Elora?” Jyr asks. Breaking through my thoughts. “Are you ok?”

            “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking. Can we take a break for a moment? Beaming is more exhausting than the others.” Everyone nodded and we walked out to the garden right outside the training room doors where some snacks and drinks were waiting for us. 

Jyr bid us a good day for now and headed back into the castle. So it was just Zeke, Ruby and I left alone. We hadn’t talked about US since yesterday. I knew it had to come sooner or later though. I was nervous especially after my relationship with Dan. I don’t really know what to expect. 

“Are you really ok El? You seem pretty distracted.” Ruby asked. 

“Yes, really. I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind. Just a few weeks ago I was at home, waiting for graduation and my 18th birthday. Now look where I’m at. Queen of a whole realm I didn’t know existed. Soul mate to two protectors. I just…feel overwhelmed.” I told them honestly, hanging my head down. 

“Can I, I mean can we, show you something?” Zeke asked, looking at Ruby then back at me. I nodded. He grabbed my hand and I grabbed Ruby’s and they walked me around the castle. The gardens here are absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful, bright flowers and huge butterflies. We reach a row of cottages and stop at the third house. Zeke knocks on the door and after a few heartbeats a lovely, older lady opens it. 

“Hello Salzavere, Rumaliza, and…” she greats Zeke and Ruby and when her eyes land on me she freezes. “My queen…welcome.”

“Oh, please don’t do that. Just call me Elora, please.” I tell her. “I’m not used to the whole queen thing.”

“Your mother didn’t like being called queen either, but she was definitely the finest queen. My name is Sernasas, but you may call me Sarah. I know you are more familiar with the human names than that of the fae. Please come in,” she waved us into her humble home. Once we got inside though, it was much bigger than the outside of her home let on. 

“Wow….” I gasped, looking around. It was huge! Sarah chuckled.

“Yes, I figured that would be the response. It is magnificent isn’t it?” she asked, seemingly to no one in particular. “Every time I enter, I am still surprised by the magick here.” With that she had us follow her to the living area and motioned for us to sit.

“What do I owe this visit to?” she asked us.

“We need to borrow your abilities for a moment. Could you help us?” Zeke asked her.

“Anything for you all. You are family after all.” She smiled at Zeke. “Who am I helping?” 

“Elora.” Ruby told her.

“What? Me? What do I need help with?” I asked, looking around at everyone.

“Sarah helps open past memories up, ones generally forgotten,” when Ruby sees my confused face, she continues to explain. “We live a very long time El. Sarah has been around longer than Jyr. Her power is to bring back old memories lost in our mind or memories that have been hidden.”

“How old are you?” I asked. Realizing a little too late it isn’t the most appropriate question. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have asked.”

            “It’s alright my queen. Elora.” She said, correcting herself. “I have been alive for about 11,000 years. Or a little over 100 years old in the human world.”

“How does everyone know their human names and years if they spend all of their time here?” I asked them. 

“Fairies are allowed to go back and forth between the realms. Many who do not have fated pulls find love in the human world, bearing children there, having jobs, going to school. We do not mind mixing with that realm but cannot be there long. The longer we do, the more vulnerable we become. Once we reach a certain age, we cannot come back to the fairy realm as we have lost our magick.” Sarah explains.

“Then how come Ruby, my aunt, and I were able to live there so long?” I ask. Confused. 

“Because of Ruby’s powers. She was able to create portals that brought a little magick back to you and your families occasionally. Your bodies were like sponges, soaking that magick in whenever it could.” She told me. I looked over at Ruby.

“So why don’t all fairies do that?” I asked Ruby.

“Because I am the only fairy who can create their own portals. It is part of the protection powers that I have.” She smiled at us. My how that smile pulled at parts of me that just want to kiss her and lay down with her in the comfort of my bed. Ugh.

“Okay. So can someone tell me what I am here for? I know you said she brings back lost memories, but what memory could I possibly need help bringing back?” 

“She’s not bringing back one of yours. She is going to show you one of hers.” Zeke told me. “She was at your birth as one of the midwives to your mother.”

“Oh…” I looked at her and she smiled, nodding. “Ok. I would like that very much.”

“Ok. Then why don’t you come sit next to me and I will show you.” She told me, patting the spot on the couch next to her. I left my spot next to Ruby and sat down with Sarah. “I need to put my forehead to yours to start the process. You just need to close your eyes and open your mind. This will be the easiest way to show you.” I nodded and closed my eyes. She placed her warm forehead against my shaking body, knowing that I am so nervous to see my parents. 

Warmth started to spread through the spot where her forehead was pressed to mine. I could feel it move down my face like a shower. Once the heat had completely encompassed me, my eyes started to see a milky light spread through them. We were in a darker room lit only by candles in all the corners and around the bed. On the bed was a woman who looked a lot like my aunt Claire. Her black hair and light-colored eyes contrasted each other just perfectly. This was my mom, laboring in front of me. How beautiful she looked even though she was covered in sweat and her hair was everywhere. My father, a tall man, sat on the bedside next to her, holding her hand and saying soft words to her. Turning around, I could see both Zeke and Ruby standing by their families, just waiting for me to arrive. It felt odd, seeing everyone like this. 

“My lady, it is almost time to push. Your contractions are speeding up and are more powerful than before.” I heard Sarah say. Turning to look towards Zeke’s family she motioned for Zeke’s father to come to her. “Grandson, what are you doing here? Only family should be in here right now.”

“Rumaliza and Salzavere will be family. They were both pulled to her.” He told her, rubbing his face. “I’m not sure how it is possible to already have happened, but it has. Salzavere woke us up and said he had to be here. That he couldn’t miss it. Rumaliza’s family said the same about her.”

“Hmm…that is odd. Okay. Go ahead and stay then. We can talk more afterwards.” She told him, hugging him and smiling. 

“Sarah! I think she’s ready.” My father shouted out. A scream was pulled from my mother’s mouth as her body sat upright with the force of the contraction.

“Ok. Elysia, you must push with the next contraction. Do you understand?” Sarah told her. My mother nodded in understanding. Elysia…such a beautiful name. Her face started to contort into a look of pain. “Alright, here comes another one. Push my lady.” 

After only a few contractions and pushes, the midwives said I was about ready to be born. When all of a sudden, the bright light that everyone mentioned shone around us. For a moment, I felt blinded. But then I could see that my mother’s contraction was over and she had birthed me. Zeke and Ruby had run to the bedside while the nurse cut the umbilical cord and handed me to my mom. When I looked outside, the stars were still shining brighter than they should have. Almost like daylight in the middle of the night. 

“Wow….how can she do that?” Ruby asked aloud. When I looked back at the bed where my family was, everyone was looking at the baby. Well, at me, but as a baby. I walked over to see what they were talking about and immediately was taken back. My eyes were shining bright. That blue/green light that I had become familiar with just pouring out of my eyes. 

The fire from the candles danced against the walls, the wind howled outside, the pond in the garden made sounds as if it were singing, and the earth rumbled as if giggling. Could this be the elements approval of me? Or a congratulations to my mother?

My mother leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I love you little one. You are very special. Your father and I couldn’t be prouder. Welcome to our family.”

I could feel tears prickling up in my eyes and suddenly the warmth started to leave my body. As soon as Sarah’s forehead left mine, I opened my eyes. Tears flowing freely down my face. 

“What was all of that? All the things that happened?” I asked, wiping the tears quickly from my face. 

“Those were your powers, accepting you and coming to you. Another thing from that memory that I wasn’t able to show you was that your mother healed quickly afterwards. Quicker than most fairy women do. Our belief is that you also have the ability to heal people. But I do not believe you have ever needed to use it.” Sarah said.

“Actually…when we were in the infirmary after she saved me, I healed really quick. Quicker than they thought I should have. I had been lying next to her all night and when I woke up, nothing was wrong with me anymore.” Ruby told the group. 

“Then, Elora, your mother was correct. You are very special, and you are also in a lot of danger. Chara will not stop until she is either rid of you or using you.” Sarah mentioned worriedly. “Please be very careful my queen. We cannot lose you either.”

I sat there thinking of everything that I already knew and everything I had just witnessed. “I will protect everyone. I promise.”