The Mage of Orlon: The beginning (26 page)

“
I over exerted myself.
”
He said with weak grin.

“
You know, you can
’
t save everyone.
”
Ezra said quietly.

“
No I can
’
t!
But I can try Ezra!
I lost someone I had gotten close to in Cravenwood!
She died because of my choice!
I might as well have killed her myself!
”
The last was said through tears.

“
You love Lela, Nathan.
You had to make a choice and you chose Lela.
”
Ezra said as she wrapped her arms around the weeping mage.

“
I see Ileana in my dreams Ezra, she calls for help and burns to death because I am not there.
I only sleep three hours at a time.
Any longer and I dream of her.
”

“
It is not your fault Nathan.
Lela told me what happened out there.
She is feeling guilt too.
”
Ezra explained.

Nathan looked at the tiny elven healer.
“
Lela feels guilty too?
”

“
Yes, she liked Ileana, it was tragic that Santrose was her village, but Lela was trying to do the right thing.
”

“
Lela tried to kill Ileana, or at least what she thought was Ileana.
”
Nathan said.

“
Ileana had betrayed Lela twice.
Ileana tried to sedate Lela with an herb for alone time with you.
She turned on Lela when she learned it was Lela
’
s spell that caused Cravenwood.
”
Ezra said.

“
The king said Cravenwood was done on purpose, Ezra
”

Ezra looked down at her feet.
Nathan
’
s head snapped up.
“
You know something about that don
’
t you?
”

“
All high priestesses know what happened that day Nathan.
Lela
’
s spell didn
’
t go wrong
…
it was switched!
”

Nathan was in shock!
Who would switch the spells?
The answer hit him.
The king had switched them!
It had to be the king.
But why not tell Lela?
She might not have stayed an elder, but the guilt she feels was not hers to carry.

The orcs had been gathering in the forest outside the elven castle.
The horses stamped with unbridled anticipation, the soldiers
’
swords all had a fine edge on them.
All the preparations had been worthwhile, victory was theirs this day!
The Queen had indeed given the soldiers a heavier dose of the love potion.
These orcs would fight until every last elf was destroyed and the mage was thrown to her feet a bloodied stump of what had once been a man!
As a bonus, the Dark Queen herself was riding into battle with them.
Their Queen would keep them focused and under control.

“
Attack!
”
the Queen screamed.

The army of orcs raced forward, there were no arrows or boulders that would fly.
The attack plan was simple, the orcs would simply go through the holes made the night before and take the castle.
The elves had time to make repairs, but not on all the walls and the walls that didn
’
t fall were weakened!

A horn blast cut through the air and the elven castle gates opened!
Two cloaked elves wearing hoods emerged, carrying Nathan between them.
Nathan was being dragged to the battlefield he looked to be unconscious!
The two elves dropped the mage on the ground and raced back to the castle.

The Queen saw this display.
It made no sense!
He was their weapon, and they drop him on the battlefield and leave him!
It must be a trap!

“
Halt!
”
Tirana screamed.

The army stopped immediately, eagerly waiting their Dark Queen
’
s next desire.

“
You two.
”
She pointed to the two orcs closest to the mage.
“
Bring him to me.
”

The two orcs bowed and went to retrieve the mage.
When they touched him the Queen had expected the two to be destroyed in a rage of fire, or melt, but when they brought the mage to her, she was even more confused.
This wasn
’
t supposed to happen!
The curse for more land raged through her veins, if she didn
’
t conquer a land soon it would kill her!
She kept this to herself.

“
Pull his head back, I need to know it is the mage.
”

The orcs obeyed and pulled Nathan
’
s head back to show his face.

“
What trickery is this?
You in the castle, why have you thrown your mightiest weapon out like garbage?
”
The Queen yelled.

“
I am Mordenar King of the Elves.
The mage grew too insolent; he stormed my throne and demanded to be heard as an equal!
I told him he could have whatever he wanted to defeat you, and slew him when he wasn
’
t looking!
Do with him what you will, but accept his death as a bribe to leave the elven people alone!
”

The Queen couldn
’
t believe her ears!
The little cowards killed their only hope of survival to bribe her to leave them in peace!
The curse hit her body and caused the Dark Queen to fall forward in her saddle, she recovered by laughing a dark evil laugh.
It appeared as though she was doubled over from joy when in reality the curse was ripping her apart on the inside.

“
My answer to your bribe is.
Attack!
”
She screamed.

The orcs over ran the barriers the elves had set up.
The pit falls they had dug soon filled with orc bodies, but the orcs simply ran over their dead.
When the castle gates fell and the orcs met no resistance the day was the Dark Queen
’
s!
The battle was over as soon as it had begun; unlike most of the battles for land the orcs encountered not one elf in the entire fight.
The traps that had been set where sprung, but not one elf was in sight.
The store rooms were empty, the armory was as well.
Not one important thing had been left behind by the elves.
The castle was deserted.

The Dark Queen was astonished, the elves really were cowards!
They had left before the army had got back into position.
It was the only explanation!
They had killed the mage so she couldn
’
t get the whereabouts of the new village from his lips!
The curse that tore at her insides stopped, sated by the newest castle added to the Dark Kingdom.

The orcs looked to the Queen for their new orders.
The Queen thought about it for a few moments.
This battle had not gone the way it was supposed to, but what if the elves were waiting on them to leave to retake the castle?
That seemed more likely.

“
I want forty of the orcs to man the elven castle, the rest will return with me.
Bring the mage
’
s body.
I don
’
t trust the elves; he might be of use to me yet!
”

The elves watched silently from their perches in the trees.
The camouflage was excellent, even the birds couldn
’
t tell what was tree and what was elf!
The mage
’
s plan had worked so far, but all they could do now was wait for the orcs to leave.
When they saw that so many orcs were remaining behind their hearts fell, it was up to the mage now.

The Dark Queen stormed into her bedchambers.
“
Chama!
”
She screamed.

Chama appeared with wide eyes.
The Queen had never yelled at her before.

“
Get Tehara now!
When she is here, no one is to disturb us is that understood?
”

“
Yes my lady, right away!
”

Chama reappeared a few moments later with Tehara.

“
You summoned me my Queen?
”
Tehara purred looking through up turned eyes.

Her whole demeanor had seemed to change Chama thought.
The last time Chama had left the slave in with the Queen she seemed nearly scared to death, now it seemed as if she were aroused by the interaction.
Chama shook her head, it was the Queen
’
s business what went on behind her closed bedroom door.
Chama left closing the door behind her.

Tehara circled the Dark Queen smiling seductively.
Her circles drew Tehara closer to the queen until she was behind the armor clad Queen.
Slowly she began unbuckling the snaps that held the armor in place.
When Tehara was done, the queen stood naked and Tehara circled again.

“
Do you remember the last time this happened?
You were so scared of what I was going to do to you.
”
Tehara said.

The Dark Queen stood upright, a single tear slid down her cheek.
Tehara quickly ran up to the wet cheek and licked the tear away.
With a sinister smile she quietly said.
“
You are still afraid of what I am going to do to you?
I have already taken your body, what more is left?
”
Tirana said.

“
Tirana I have news, things didn
’
t go like we thought they would.
”
The Dark Queen said.

Tehara slapped the Dark Queen,
“
Fool if anyone knew we had switched bodies, it would be your lovely virgin ass burned at the stake not mine!
”

The Dark Queen bowed her head.
Tehara
’
s body walked closer.
“
Tehara, I am sorry for the slap, but you must know that the mage is tricky.
I have to out trick him, now what happened?
”

The tear strewn face of the slave girl trapped in the body of her queen quickly told everything about the mage
’
s death and the elven castle being empty.
Tehara watched as her face went from seductive to thoughtful.
When her own eyes landed back on her Tehara felt fear race through her.

Tirana moved closer to her body.
She placed Tehara
’
s hand on her naked breast and tilted her head.
“
You know Tehara if I chose to have sex with you right now it would be as if you were watching yourself have sex.
Wouldn
’
t that be an all-time first for masturbation?
”
Tirana blew in her ear.

Tehara was appalled that the Queen
’
s body responded so completely to having her ear blown into.
A thought entered her mind if the Queen wanted to do this she couldn
’
t stop her!
The body Tirana possessed was hers, but the Queen commanded this body too!
Tehara
’
s soul cried for mercy.
She had heard rumors of the Queen
’
s perverted sexual appetite and had hoped never to be the target of such things!
Tirana then whispered again in her ear, the vibrations caused the body to shiver.

“
All the rumors you have ever heard about my sexual appetites are sadly under stated, Tehara.
If you don
’
t want to find out how under stated they are then you will do exactly as I say!
”

The Queen
’
s Head bobbed frantically.

“
I am going to give you a special dagger, you are to plunge it into the mage when you find out what is causing him to play dead.
Is that understood?
”

“
Yes, my Queen.
”
Tehara said.

“
No, you are the Queen dear, I am a slave girl who if you screw this up will become so overwhelmed
with grief that my queen has failed, that I will sleep with ever orc male and female until you no longer recognize the body that I am wearing!
”

“
Tirana, if I kill the mage, can I have my body back?
”

With a smile that had never graced her face Tehara heard her body answer.

“
While I like being inside your body, and it is fresh and tight, I prefer my own body.
My power right now is cut in half, but before you get any ideas of having me thrown in the dungeons or whatever, know that I can switch back bodies with you even in chains.
My essence does still hold some of my magic, but my body controls the orcs, so be careful with it!
”
With that Tehara
’
s body left.

The mage was lying on a stone slab in the throne room.
Tehara approached with the dagger already pulled out and at the ready in her left hand.
There had to be something that was keeping him under.
The Queen had coached her a little on her power, she mumbled a few words and her right hand began to glow a faint green.
Tehara swept the glowing hand up onside of Nathan
’
s body and down the other side, her hand turned a faint red when she held it over his left arm.
Carefully pulling back his cape she found a slender bracelet.
She laughed to herself, even the most inept court magician knew better than to use such a trinket to make one appear to be dead!
Robbers alone would steal it.
Without thinking Tehara unsnapped the clasp.

Nathan
’
s eyes opened up and he quickly re-snapped the bracelet on the Dark Queen.

“
I know it doesn
’
t kill, all I have to do is take the bracelet off!
”
Tehara said.
Her confidence turned to terror as she realized the bracelet wasn
’
t coming undone.
She wedged the dagger under the metal band on her arm and tried to break it, the dagger
’
s blade snapped instead.
Then she felt all her strength drain away.
The Dark Queen fell backwards, trying to escape what was happening.
The bracelet drained her of all her magic, but it also stopped the curse as well.
Tehara started to laugh, it kept the curse away!
It wasn
’
t a cure, but it was close enough!
Her happiness was short lived as she noticed the orcs around her they were all grabbing their stomachs and falling to the ground.
The orcs were shriveling up, and they lost their teeth that stuck out of their mouths, they were turning back into humans!
The true horror struck Tehara, she couldn
’
t do magic, and if the bracelet kept the curse away then it would keep the Queen from returning her back to her body.
A graver problem arose when the first of the orcs stood up as men again, they were angry.
An arrow flew at Tehara!
Oh no they think I am the Dark Queen!

The people began to look around confused at first, then anger filled the crowd.
The woman that had destroyed their lives, their villages, everything now stood before them helpless.
The mob of people in the room began to advance on the Dark Queen.
She would die the victim of this mob.

Lela appeared as if by magic, she was wearing the invisibility cloak, she joined Nathan and watched as the Dark Queen half crawled up to her throne.

“
Nooooo!
”
The small angry voice screamed.

Chama landed in front of her queen with a war hammer in hand.
The hammer looked comically huge compared to the three foot tall woman holding it.
Chama began spinning the hammer end over end stopping the huge weapon
’
s spin with ease.

“
I am Chama weapons master of the mountain shakers!
You will not have her!
I will not let a single one of you pass to harm my queen!
”
The little woman
’
s voice sounded between a yell and the screeching hiss of a cat.

“
Out of my way the bitch queen owes me a life!
”

The man lunged out of the crowd with sword drawn only to be met with the war hammer
’
s head.
The sword shattered and the man flew into the wall ten yards away!

“
Dwarf, let us pass to deliver the long overdue punishment to your mistress!
”
Lela hissed.

“
No!
”
The one word rang through the great hall.

“
Chama, please leave me.
”
Tehara said.

“
No, my lady, they do not know.
They do not know of the curse placed on you.
I will not let harm come to you!
It is not fair!
”
The last was screamed by Chama as the war hammer slammed into the floor causing a shockwave that repelled the attackers backward.

“
You will have to kill me to get to my queen!
”
Chama screeched.

The arrow slid into Chama
’
s flesh causing her to drop the weapon.
The dwarf woman slowly regained her feet as blood began to flow from the arrow.
Chama picked up the war hammer and began to run towards the angry mob.
A second arrow struck her in the arm, then a third in the leg, and finally an arrow made its way past the handle of Chama
’
s mighty weapon into her chest.
Chama
’
s momentum carried the war hammer down once more striking the floor hard enough to open a hole to the dungeon below.
The mighty dwarf tried to breath, in air only every breath burned.
Chama knew she was dying, but she had given her life for her queen, she could have solace in that.
Chama felt water drop on her face, it was her queen.
Why was she crying?
This was a good death, what she had always planned to do if this sort of thing ever happened.
A smile played across Chama
’
s face.

“
Dear, why do you cry so?
”

“
You silly dwarf!
You are my only friend.
You are dying because of me!
I will be alone because I could not protect myself, and you did what I could not do.
”
Tehara said through choked tears.

“
I will be okay my queen. I was a warrior in my village.
This is only a minor injury.
I am afraid though that I will need some rest dearie.
”
The words came labored, even on the brink of death Chama was still trying to comfort her.
The revelation caused fresh anguish to rip at Tehara
’
s heart.
Her best and only friend was dying in her arms and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
The last thought brought an unwelcomed voice.

“
Still playing Dark Queen, Meeka?
”

“
Have you come to watch the people tear me apart?
”
Tehara screamed.

Nate and Lela exchanged a confused look.
Who was she talking to?
She was not even looking at them.

“
Show yourself specter, or whatever you are!
”
Tehara screamed.

The white robe appeared in front of Tehara.
The same slip of a smile played across her mouth.
Her head angled so even now Tehara could not see the white robed woman
’
s face.
Who was she, and why call her Meeka?
What gain could she possibly get by being so close and still not show Tehara her face?
Then it occurred to Tehara, it did not matter Chama was almost dead, the little woman
’
s body still fighting to live, even if only by fighting for every shortening breath.