Day 211 (189th)

Day 211 (189th): 1 day until coronation
Set woke me by landing on my chest. He was hysterical to the point he could not speak. It took all seven of us girls and swords to get the whole story out.
Set had found a rat and was in the process of eating it when the military men exited their room. Seeing a dragon, they attempted to kill him. Set ran and flew as fast as panic would allow until he remembered his popping ability and arrived upon my chest.
As I held and consoled him, we heard stomping and slamming coming down the hall. A few servants were shouted at, demanding the location of "that unholy beast". When they received no answer or not the answer they wanted, more shouting echoed down the hall. They reached our door a breath ahead of Kendar and Gavin. Seeing Set in my arms, they drew swords and demanded Set surrender for immediate extermination. Set buried deeper into my embrace, shaking hard enough to wiggle the bed.
"See here," started Kendar, "what prompts you to demand such? Sarroset is only a baby and could not have done anything against you."
The oldest of them, the one claiming to be an heir, confronted Kendar, "He is a dragon. His very presence is an abomination. The fact he hides behind maidens further shows his evil. How can you allow this filth in the royal palace? If you value the princess' life, destroy him at once," he demanded, arrogance surrounding him like a shell.
Kendar and Gavin began to protest when a loud roar from our balcony interrupted them. Leo pushed open the doors with his snout. The soldiers nearly dropped their swords. They were all shaking.
"This is not the way to start the day, gentlemen, especially since you are guests. Were you not told that dragons aided the routing of the Baalocs from this land?" Leo asked calmly.
"One...one evil...supplanting another evil," the claimant stammered, "The princess and her prince were obviously tricked into allowing such aid. I will educate them on that fact as soon as possible."
"Please, sir, educate me on the evils of dragons," Gavin said sarcastically, "Apparently witnessing several dozen dragons and riders plus a few independent dragons do everything in their power to free this land from demon control isn't enough of an education. By the way, I am Prince Gavin."
The soldiers paled and went down on one knee as quickly as possible. The claimant looked up.
"Forgive my lack of courtesy, you Highness. I did not expect to see you out of your protected areas."
Gavin looked puzzled, "Are you saying you expected me to confine myself and Princess Mara to secluded areas of this palace where only hand-selected servants tend us and the public rarely sees us? Are you insane? Raval is not ruled that way and neither shall Selvis."
The claimant stood, "Good prince, it is the proper way in which Selvis of old was governed and all kingdoms should be. The Royal Family cannot allow common people to sully them with any contagion they may carry. I am amazed the Royals of Raval have survived being around mongrels in their personal areas. Pure-blood royals are among the fairest of humans."
"I know that voice and those words," Mara said from the door, "I remember being chastised like this for giving a poor girl a cookie I had. I was told that common people or mongrels carried diseases pure-blood royals like me could die from if we touched them. Farlane? Is that you?"
Farlane, the claimant, clicked his heels and bowed, "At you service, Princess Mara. I am please to see you alive and well. I only put in my claim to verify that it was truly you and not some impostor. You are the image of your mother."
"Thank you, Farlane. Now, listen to me. To survive, I became a servant in the household of Lord Carmon of Thantos. For years, I served her, Lady Alice of Thantos. Every day, all day, I was one of the common people, the mongrels, you chastised me for touching. I am healthy, none of their illnesses killed me. Also, dragons and their friends and riders are not the evil, Abyss-born monsters that you told stories about to scare me. I have even met Falcon, whom my father called upon for aid for this kingdom. If you seek to return to my employ, then you will change your attitude. The Seven Sisters here can purge the stains upon your soul if you find it too difficult on you own."
Farlane was at a loss for words as he and his men processes Mara's words. Then, Farlane looked at us, "The Seven Sisters of the Swords? I had heard rumors that most of this was your handiwork. What payment have you extracted for your service?" he asked accusingly, looking down on us like a noble born.
"We have extracted nothing," Lisa stepped forward to speak, "We have shared food with them and been close by where they could call upon us as needed. After their coronation, we have planned to depart both palace and kingdom."
Still standing as if to judge us, Farlane asked, "What do you plan to take from them upon your departure? How much treasure will you extort?"
Lisa, remarkably, kept her temper in check, "Nothing. We will leave with what we had when we arrived. We expect nothing more."
Farlane looked around the room. He saw our meager bags and the common clothes we wore. Something snapped and he lunged at Lisa. In short order, his sword was in the corner and he was on the floor with Lisa's foot on his throat. Kendar and Gavin barred the other four from rescuing him. Mara walked over and looked down at him. Farlane struggled in vain under Lisa's heel, sputtering partial orders.
"Once again, Farlane, I offer to allow you back into the employ of Selvis if you change you attitude. If that is too hard, then leave, I have no use for you."
Farlane, still on the floor under Lisa's foot, looked around at Mara, Leo, Set, us, Gavin, and Kendar.
Clearing his throat as best he could, Farlane stated, "I may need an education of my own. The reborn Selvis is far different from the rule of old."
Lisa removed her foot and helped Farlane to his feet. Kendar guided them out of our room, explaining how seasoned soldiers were needed to train the Baaloc soldiers who had joined Selvis. Leo puffed and excused himself to find breakfast. Mara assured Set that no dragon would be unjustly executed as long as she and Gavin ruled. Set's tail thumped upon my bed and small smoke puffs exited his nostrils. He did not leap into her arms as she would have been knocked over by the force and his weight.
A valet interrupted our dressing by announcing the carriage had arrived. We got downstairs in time to hear the woman ordering servants to take their things to the Royal chambers so they could being restoring "their" palace to its "proper glory". Mara ordered them to stop. The woman started to protest, then took on a cordial air when she realized who had spoken.
"You must be Princess Mara. A pleasure to meet my sister-in-law. Your brother, Donlas, was my husband, rest his soul. He thought you had died, celebrated each of his family's birthdays every year until his own death. I only hope to honor him by placing his daughter on the throne."
Mara looked at her, puzzled, "Ma'am, did you say Donlas? By tradition, all royal children's names start with M. Even my cousin's name begins with that letter. I had no brother named Donlas."
The woman paled, "He...must have taken that name to save himself. His real name was... Marik?"
Mara shook her head.
"Maverick?"
"No."
"Myron?"
"No."
As the woman searched for more M names, the girl began to cry. Sarah went over to her.
"Why do you cry? Do not be afraid to speak. What is wrong?" she gently asked.
"She's lying," the girl said between her tears, "She cooked this whole thing up to con you out of money. She's hoping you will pay her to 'forget' I exist so she can live a life of ease."
"Shut up!" shouted the woman.
She walked over as if to strike the girl, who cringed like one who'd been hit before. Sarah stepped between them. The woman was soon encircled by not only the seven of us and Mara, but the servants as well, keeping her and the girl far from each other. Trying to save herself, the woman tried to regain her cordial composure. Sarah turned back to the girl.
"Are you even her daughter?"
The girl shook her head, "I am an orphan. She picked me out of the streets a week ago. She's beaten me, starved me, and imprisoned me to use in this con. All this stuff is stolen. She only has two dresses that are actually her's. Even the carriage and horses are stolen. The man is an accomplice, promised a percentage to help her carry this off," the girl explained between sobs.
Servants and soldiers went outside and apprehended the man on the carriage, who protested until he saw the woman was also in custody. He began a litany of swearing mixed with blaming her for every aspect of their deception. Mara called for the judicial council and placed both the man and woman in their charge as being under arrest for child abuse, forgery, extortion, and, for the woman, high treason. They both begged as they were dragged off. The girl stood there in stunned silence. The servants began gathering the stolen items and returning them to the stolen carriage. A valet began drafting a notice for those who had been robbed or conned to reclaim their property. Before long, the entrance was empty of stuff, servants, everyone but the girl, us, and Mara. The girl looked around, unsure of what she was suppose to do.
"What is your name?" Mara asked her gently.
"Cathy," she responded in a whisper.
"Cathy, my name is Mara. I need what is called a handmaiden. Sometimes, I have to wear fancy dresses and I can't get into them by myself. Also, my hair has to be put up in pins and combs. Would you like to stay here as my handmaiden and help me with all of that?"
"What else would I be going?" Cathy asked a little louder, looking to see if this was real.
"Generally, helping me while I take care of things, and, when I have children, taking care of them as well."
"That sounds interesting. I would like that."
"Good. We'll get you settled and properly dressed. I have a big day tomorrow and I need you all ready by then," Mara said as she summoned another servant.
Mara handed the girl off to the lady in charge of the servants. As they left, we heard them discuss clothes, shoes, and other items Cathy would need for her new station. Mara was happy to have given the girl a great boost to insure her survival.
We walked outside to see people swarming over the stolen items. To their credit, I saw no deception and only honest folk claimed what was rightfully theirs.
Amid the chaos, our third claimant arrived. He watched the activity with mild curiosity.
"The one before you was a con and their stolen goods are being returned to the right people," Mara informed him.
"I see my information was correct. You have established a fair and just government. Others would have kept it all for their own purposes. Do I address Mara, Princess of Selvis?"
"You do, good sir. May I know your name?"
"Malachi, my lady. Currently Brother Malachi, actually. Monk of the Four Winds Monastery. My Abbot said I am a royal heir, but I remember little of life before the monastery. However, he and the others have taught me history, diplomacy, and other things suitable for an heir. It is my hope you remember me."
"Malachi, hm. None of my brothers had that name. I had a cousin Malachi who was the brother of Marrissa..."
"Marrissa! Yes! I remember my baby sister was named Marrissa. I called her Rissy. I remember a monster holding her as the Abbot dragged me away from a fire."
"She is alive and well. Maalicus kept her as a slave to use as a loose tie to the land. She is in Raval being courted by a landed lord, a distant cousin of King Droland and a captain in his army."
"That is good to hear. So, do you believe I am who I say I am?"
"Alice, what say you?" Mara asked over her shoulder.
"He is Marrissa's older brother, second son and fourth child, two years older than Marrissa. His claim is legitimate," Alice reported plainly.
"How...how do you know this? Who are you, a seer? A diviner?" he asked hesitantly.
"She is part of them, who are the Seven Sisters of the Swords," Mara proudly informed him.
"The...they...seven...assembled..." he stammered, a bit at a loss.
He looked at us closely. When he stopped before me, Set growled and stood between us. Malachi stepped back and regarded us both.
"Am I in the presence of a queen? Not a human queen either," he asked barely above a whisper.
"The only queen here is Queen Darla of Raval who is upstairs. I am the heir to the Faerie Queen, but far from that title as of now. Set, he means no harm. I appreciate your protection, young emperor, but all is well," I patted Set's head to calm him.
"Emperor? Of course, the horns, the coloring, the size for being so young. How is an emperor dragon in your company?"
"I am his rider," I said as I showed him my harness set.
His eyes widened, "That was not forged by mortal hands, any fool can see that. Might I ask?"
"Brimagor, the god of dragons, gave it to me while I was in the Faerie Realm," I informed him.
He stumbled backwards. His expression spoke of the difficulty he was having with this information. Mara gently took his arm and led him inside the palace. She snagged a servant and instructed her to get Mattis to send a message to Marrissa concerning her brother. The servant smiled and said it would be her honor.
As she went, she told everyone she met another Selvis heir had been found. I saw joy spreading in her wake like a colored ribbon. We went to the living quarters and was finding Malachi a room when Gavin found us. He had heard and was glad to meet more of Mara's family. Malachi was a little overwhelmed and asked, after we found him a room, to rest and process all this information.
After he left us, we assured Gavin that he was of Selvis blood and that having him here was strengthening the land magic. I could see the magic growing. We returned to the ground floor. The servant proudly reported that Mattis had contacted Marrissa and conveyed the news. Marrissa and her fiance, the captain, would be arriving in Selvis Prime by morning to witness the coronation. Mara and Gavin went to finalize their fittings.
We watched the people continue to sort through the stolen items. Although we were never asked directly, each time a citizen claimed an item, the servants and guards looked at us. Since we gave no protest, the citizens were allowed to take their rediscovered property. Having us there discouraged many would-be thieves from attempting to claim anything.
By dinner, over half of the woman's ill-gotten goods were gone. The rest was wheeled away to a side building to await any more claims.
Malachi had processed his new position and the information we had shared. He joined us, Gavin and Mara, the Raval Royalty, Kendar, Mattis, and Mamar in the royal dining room which was only slightly smaller than the formal one. Leo had left shortly before dinner and said he would back for the coronation. Once Malachi got over his initial shyness, he openly chatted about his life at the monastery and the lessons the Abbot had taught him. The Four Winds was one of the last dedicated to the Old Ways, which is why he knew about the swords, Faeries, and dragons. Droland said he would be pleased to have their order in Raval to bring back some forgotten knowledge that had been lost. Malachi was honored and said he would let his Abbot know as soon as possible. Malachi also told us all he could remember of the battle that separated him and Marrissa. He said he witnesses Mara being pinned by a Baaloc arrow, yet he was already being pulled by the Abbot and could not aid her. From the sights he had seen, it was no wonder they were all believed to be dead.
It was deep into the night when we all separated to go to our rooms. A big day was soon to dawn.