The Queen (5 page)

Luana tightened her grip on the sword. “If
there is no other way.”

“There isn’t, my love,” Baylin said, his
brow furrowed in an apologetic expression.

“Isn’t there?” asked a voice from the
dark.

Baylin spun, pulling his sword and tucking
Luana in tight behind him. “Who goes there?”

Luana held her sword securely in her hands,
turning the knuckles a pearly shade of white in the moonlight.
“Baylin… What do… What do we do?” Her voice wavered as she
trembled, waiting for an attack to occur.

“You need not fear me,” the voice stated,
coming from the darkness of the forest. “I am here to aid you, son
of Ashmur and daughter of the moon.”

“Daughter of the moon?” Baylin repeated
softly. “What do you speak of? Show yourself.”

The Elven King Rydel emerged from the trees
like an apparition in the moonlight. Luana sucked in a deep breath
and gripped the hilt of the sword.

In the moonlight his hair seemed to glow,
sweeping around his handsome, angular face like sheets of snow. His
deep-set eyes glowed a pale shade of blue, like twin orbs floating
in the night. He wore a long pale green tunic that appeared to
shimmer in the night, billowing behind him in the wind as he walked
gracefully toward them.

“Lord Rydel,” Baylin said, bowing his head.
“To what do we owe this honor?”

“King Rydel?” Luana whispered through a
wavered breath. “He… But he is…”

The elf glided up to the couple, placed his
hand over his heart and dipped his head elegantly. “I have come to
assist you, Luana, daughter of the moon.”

Her heart began to race in her chest.
“Daughter of the moon? I… I don’t understand. What is going on? How
are you even here? I thought King Rydel was a myth… an elf King
that was said to have died hundreds of years ago.”

The Elf-King looked up into her green eyes.
“Has no one told you of your heritage, my child?”

Baylin stiffened, putting an arm in front of
Luana. “What do you mean? She is of Open Shaw, daughter of Hal-john
and Fersa. That is her heritage.”

“Is it now?” Rydel raised an eyebrow and
showed the slightest upturn to the corner of his mouth. “I suppose
that is what you would remember, child. But has no one told you of
how you came to be in Open Shaw?”

Luana pushed past Baylin to approach the
elf. “I was born of my mother, Fersa; that is how I came to be in
Open Shaw. She married my father, Hal-john, and they had me and my
sister, Lesta.”

“Yes, child, they are who raised you.” King
Rydel’s eyes softened. “However, they are not who gave you
life.”

Luana’s forehead wrinkled as she furrowed
her brow, turning to look at Baylin in confusion.

The Prince reached out and pulled Luana into
his arms. “What is it that you speak of? Do you not see you are
upsetting her?”

“My apologies,” the Elf-King said, bowing
his head. “I do not mean to give the girl any distress. I merely
desire to enlighten her. She has been kept in the dark for far too
long. It is my wish to show her the light.”

“Then please, my Lord, explain,” Baylin
pleaded. A distant roll of thunder bellowed across the sky and the
breeze began to pick up, blowing the blades of grass so they bowed
at the King’s feet.

“Luana, dear child. Do you ever see things
that have not yet come to pass?” the King asked. “Perhaps you have
been able to touch someone and see what could be their future?”

Luana’s pulse raced in her chest. She
thought of the scene she saw when she had touched Isla in her
bedchamber. “I did… I have…” She looked up into Baylin’s eyes.
“When Isla was preparing to return to Grasmere. She came to the
chamber. She mocked me and went to slap me, but I caught her arm.
When I did, I saw something. It was like being in a dream. I saw
Isla with flames behind her as a forest burned. Then I saw a hooded
figure chanting over a tattered old book. I saw a quick glimpse of
your mother in mourning clothes. Lastly, I saw Lord Cadman holding
a crying baby… our baby.”

Baylin sucked in a breath, hugging Luana in
his arms. “I had a similar vision when the young elf maid visited
me in my camp in Mirstone. She gave me a gift to see the best way
to defeat the enemy. At the time I assumed it was the troll hordes.
In the dream, Isla and Cadman were after our son.” He turned his
gaze to the elf. “When I had the vision, it was with a special tea
your sister had given me. What is this? How does Luana have these
dreams, the visions?”

“It is her birthright,” Rydel explained.
“She has the ability of foresight. These gifts can, at times, feel
as though they are more of a curse than a blessing. Especially when
you do not have the knowledge to interpret them. However, I will
help you with this, my dear Luana.”

“I still don’t understand,” Baylin said,
wrinkling his forehead. “How can something like this be? You speak
of powers and gifts. She was raised in Open Shaw. Her family has
lived in Grasmere for generations.”

Still clinging to Baylin, Luana looked up at
Rydel wearily. “You called me a daughter of the moon earlier.”

The Elf-King took in a deep breath, as
though he were anxious. “Yes, my child.”

“Why?” she questioned.

“Because that is what you are, Luana,” the
Elven King said, his expression soft and thoughtful. “You are a
daughter of the moon. You are my niece.”

Luana felt her heart seize in her chest as
his words poured over her.
His niece? An elf? How can this
be?
Her knees became weak at the weight of the knowledge. The
wind grew colder as clouds slowly crept into the sky, threatening
to block out the moon.

Baylin supported Luana as her body began to
slip to the ground. “Forgive me, my Lord, but you must be mistaken.
She is no elf maid. I have known her since she was a mere child.
She lived not far from here.”

“Yes, she was raised by Hal-john and Fersa
on their quiet little farm,” King Rydel said, turning his back to
them to gaze off into the distance toward where Open Shaw lay. “We
have kept watch over her, from afar of course, these past nineteen
years.”

Luana looked up at Baylin as he held her to
his side. Worry was written all over his face while he stared at
the Elven King.

“I’m sorry, my Lord,” Baylin said, “but I
must insist that you explain yourself. You cannot simply show up
out of the darkness, profess that Luana’s life has been a lie, and
expect us to take it as truth.”

“Certainly not, Your Grace,” Rydel said,
slowly turning around with a soft smile on his lips. “For to do so
would make you a fool, and we both know you are no fool. I will
happily explain if Luana so wishes it. Just know that once all is
explained, it can never be undone. Such knowledge can carry a heavy
weight. With it comes much responsibility and obligation at
times.”

Luana looked from the elf to Baylin, both of
their eyes on her. She found she could not find her voice but
managed to nod at the King.

“Hal-john and Fersa are, in fact, the only
family you have known,” the Elven King continued. “But it is not
their blood you share.” He extended his hand. “Well, not entirely
their blood.”

Luana placed her delicate hand into the
King’s pale palm. She saw how similar their skin shone in the
glimmering moonlight.
Could it be?
She glanced at Baylin,
worry written on his face, then turned her gaze to Rydel. “If not
their blood, then whose?”

Rydel led Luana to the edge of the forest.
Baylin followed them closely, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
I want to trust this Elven King. However, Cadman’s treachery has
taught me a very valuable lesson. Trust could get you
killed.

The three of them stepped into the lush,
dark of the forest, the trees creating a canopy too dense for the
moon to penetrate. Baylin grabbed Luana’s other hand, making sure
he did not stray from her side.

The forest was dark as death, yet alive with
sound. Though Baylin could not see it, he heard the near silent
sound of silky soft wings go overhead, followed by a hoot as an owl
called after its mate. Tiny insects called out rhythmic chirps to
one another, the nearest of those going quiet as the three of them
stepped quietly through the woods.

Baylin finally broke the all-consuming
silence. “Why must we travel into the forest for you to explain
your meaning to Luana? Do you not understand she is in danger?”

“She is in no danger here,” Rydel
replied.

“All of Grasmere is in danger,” Baylin
retorted. “War could be set upon us at any moment.”

“War will not come for some time yet,”
replied the Elven King. “We have been keeping a close watch on all
fronts. Mirstone and Kardell still have much to accomplish before
they will be ready for a war.”

Baylin stopped in his tracks, keeping his
hand around Luana’s. “You knew Mirstone was in league with
Kardell?”

“The elves know many things,” said Rydel
through the darkness.

Baylin felt the heat rise to his face as
fury began to surface. “You knew? You knew and you did not warn
us?”

“We elves do not li—” the King began.

“Yes, you have made it perfectly aware that
you do not like to interfere with what the gods plan,” Baylin spat.
“But at Fagin Forest, you promised help. You promised assistance to
stop this madness.”

“And so I have come,” Rydel said.

“What you have done is given us riddles. You
promised answers if we followed you into a black forest full of who
knows what kind of dangers,” Baylin roared. He pulled on Luana’s
hand. “Come on, my love, we are leaving this place.”

“But Baylin,” she whimpered. “I must know
what he means. I must know who my true family is.”

“I am your true family now,” Baylin
retorted. “Our son is your true family.”

“As am I,” replied Rydel. A small ball of
light began to grow in the palm of his hand. The soft blue hue
reflected off his already pale features.

The light grew, brightening the forest
enough for Baylin to see Luana. Her features were so similar to
those of the elves.
The pale skin, long, soft silvery hair,
those almond-shaped eyes. Though hers are green, not blue. She
couldn’t be.
“She’s elven then?” He knew the truth of the words
even as they left his lips. Seeing her standing in the forest next
to the King, she was no doubt of the elves.

“She is.” Rydel nodded. “She is the daughter
of my late sister. She perished days after Luana was born.”

“But how?” Luana whispered, stepping over a
log. “I thought elves were immortal.”

“We are. We do not succumb to ailments,
diseases or old age,” he said, leading them again through the woods
by the light of his blue orb. “However, we can perish at the end of
a blade or the piercing point of an arrow, like all creatures of
the world.”

“She was killed?” Baylin’s brow
furrowed.

“Yes,” Rydel stopped, looking toward his
feet. His usual controlled features softened as he appeared to
reflect on a time past.

“Please,” Luana begged, “if it’s not too
hard to talk about, please tell me.”

Rydel released the glowing blue orb into the
air. It floated away a short distance, widening as it went to light
up a large clearing in the wood. In the center of the clearing was
a large pool of still, silvery water, surrounded with large, smooth
stones. The water seemed to glow in the light of the orb.

“What is this place?” Luana asked, taking a
step forward. The light seemed to draw her forward.

Baylin gripped her hand tighter, while
keeping his other hand on the hilt of his sword. “No, don’t.”

“She is safe here, Prince of Grasmere,” came
a voice from behind the party.

Luana and Baylin turned to see a young elf
maid standing in the darkness behind them. She had a soft smile on
her lips. “Hello, brother.”

“Faylen, I trust you ensured that the area
is clear,” Rydel asked. He appeared not surprised by the appearance
of his sister.

She bowed her head ever so slightly. “Yes.”
She looked up at Luana, then Baylin. “It is good to see you again,
Your Grace. I see you arrived safely. And how is your commander
Ferric?”

King Rydel hissed under his breath, causing
Faylen to lower her eyes. Her blush was evident even in the pale
light.

Luana turned to the King. “What is this
place? Why have you brought us here?”

Before he could answer, Faylen walked up
beside the group. “This is where our dead are brought to join our
ancestors. It’s where we can come to converse with them when
needed.”

“It’s a grave?” Baylin asked. “Here in
Grasmere? How can we not know this?”

“With all due respect, the elves have been
around long before the race of Keld was birthed into existence,”
King Rydel. “You cannot be surprised that this place survives even
after your people decided to create the Kingdoms.”

Baylin’s brow furrowed. “But how—”

“Our magic protects it,” Faylen cut in.
“That is to say, it is masked from all who are not elves; unless
brought of our own free will. Otherwise, this area appears so dense
with trees that anyone walking through the wood would go around to
avoid it.”

“So why have you brought us here?” Luana
asked.

“To see your mother, of course,” Rydel
responded.

“But you said she was dead,” Luana
retorted.

“Elves don’t just die, Luana,” Faylen
laughed, not noticing that no one else got the humor of her
statement.

“What my sister means to say is, our bodies
can cease to draw breath, but our souls can still travel into the
mortal realm from time to time when summoned,” Rydel explained.
“When our people die, they are brought here and laid in the pool.
The pool draws the soul from the body, freeing it for a new
life.”

“So, her soul is trapped in the pool?” Luana
asked, stepping closer to the water’s edge.