Day 246 (224th)

Day 246 (224th):
No bell, chime, nor horn woke us. Being above ground, we saw the sun was up and had been for an hour or so. We dressed and went to find the Crowns. The Palace was strangely quiet. Finally, on the first level below ground level, we found people about. Smiling servants escorted us to a kitchen and allowed us to eat at our leisure. Bone and other bits they planned to toss became Set's breakfast, as Dawn and Bo ate what we ate. The giggles of the servants startled him, but I told him they only laughed at his enthusiasm, not him. He puffed a bit then went back to eating. He was still munching away after I had finished. I proceeded to tend his growing skin and scaleless areas. The servants watched us curiously. I explained the purpose for this and they understood. We asked about the routine at the Palace and received a chorus of giggles.
"There is no routine, milady. The Crowns stay to themselves most of the time, with their private servants tending them. The Palace, as those assembled last night are collectively called, each have their own servants and their own duties. That is part of the chaos here. No order, no authority, no centralized leadership. The Crowns are trying, but the Palace is being difficult," the head cook informed us, "We, however, have a bit of a routine as we cook for the guards and the rest of the household. You girls arrived at the tail end of breakfast."
We thanked her and the rest for their kindness. We were nearly done when a man came puffing into the kitchen. He breathed heavily before speaking.
"There you are. Several members of the Palace are very upset with you. That deal we made has caused a fair amount of ruckus. A few claim their hands will never be normal again."
"It is not our deal, sir," I said, "We gave it to Fate and it is Fate who deals any punishments."
"Be that as it may, you girls are not well liked right now," he puffed, still out of breath.
"If they abide by the agreement, no punishment will result," Lisa barked.
"They are use to things a certain way and use to doing as they please with no consequences. I dare say many of my fellows are like spoiled children. The chancellor gave up keeping them in line. The Crowns are fighting tooth and nail to bring them in order, but the Palace, as a whole, is very stubborn. Anyway, besides them, the Crowns are looking for you to take up last night's inquiries. If you will follow me, the Throne Room is not far."
Taking our last bites, we thanked the kitchen staff again and followed him out the door. We went back above ground to a set of elaborate golden doors. Gretta said they sang both of value and age. The man cheered a bit at her appraisal and opened them for us.
The room was noisy as the doors opened, but went deathly quiet as we entered. We followed him towards twin thrones, each was empty. Seven chairs were set up to face the empty thrones. We were told to sit and wait for the Crowns. We arranged ourselves and sat. Set sniffed the room and the assembly. He shook his head as he conveyed his impressions.
"The taint still clings to them. Some more than others. A few keep re-tainting themselves as I can smell layers of it upon them. Some have tried cleaning the taint from themselves. I can smell different soaps, perfumes, and other stuff," he informed me.
"Thank you, Set. You have confirmed my sight of layers of both corruption and cleansing. The Crowns may want this knowledge," I praised him as I patted him while we sat before the empty thrones.
We were there only a short while when a horn sounded and everyone rose. The Crowns strode in from a side door parallel to the thrones. They were not as finely dressed as yesterday, but still elegantly attired. We waited until they sat before we sat back down. They looked very tired. Sarah was extra concerned. We warned her to stay seated, but we did begin funneling some healing energy to aid them.
No sooner had the assembly been seated than a cluster of people jumped up and began assaulting the Crowns with accusations about us and them. Each of them had a strange aura that hurt to watch.
"They cursed us!"
"The deal you made us sign is a deal with the Abyss!"
"My hands are forever maimed! My servants laugh at me and will not obey me!"
"Punish them! We do not need them to better Crialas! This Kingdom is fine without them!"
More shouts and accusations flew. The Crowns seemed to shrink under the weight of it all.
I noticed a strange thing. The energy we were giving was being siphoned to those yelling. I told my sisters to stop. I watched the last ribbon of energy not reach the Crowns and be taken by the yelling assembly. Looking around, I saw others being drained as well.
"They need to be stopped. We cannot prosper with them pulling every one's energy away," I told them.
"Will the soul poison spell do the trick?" Lisa asked, a bit angry, ready to attack.
The swords hummed. Sloth gave us another option.
"There is a mask. They are not who or what they show to everyone else. That must be removed before we can proceed."
Set got everyone to be silent with a roar and a controlled small fireball that exploded far above us but well away from the ceiling. The inhaled breaths silenced the yelling. The seven of us rose and faced the Palace, which resulted in more gasps, since it meant turning our backs to the Crowns.
Lisa stepped forward and spoke boldly, "I am Lisa of the Tree Singer clan. I am also human, a soldier, and a Sword Sister. I and my sisters have been honest and open to all we have met. Some here are not as they appear. They are draining this Kingdom, even from the Crowns themselves. We shall remove the masks and show friend from foe."
Stepping back to join us, we took hands and started the chant. The swords rose and encircled us, to both aid and protect us. The room began to glow. Everyone looked at themselves and each other. The auras I saw normally were now visible to everyone. The ones with the strange auras tried to beat the colors and shadows off their bodies. Ten elves rose and writhed out to the open floor. While we still chanted, they began to change. Pale skin became paler, nearly white. Eyes lost color to become strangely yellow while hair turned an odd blue-white.
One female not in this group screamed, "Slayzoule!"
The rest of the Palace reached for weapons. We finished the chant but the swords still encircled us. The King rose, comforted the Queen a moment, then confronted the creatures.
"Slayzoule, where are those who's faces you wore? Where are my people?"
"We are your people. We embraced the changes, welcomed the other realms, and gave ourselves to new powers. We have prevented any attempts to heal or change this Kingdom except to our advantage. Your precious Sisters' energy was feeding us quite nicely. We may keep them to feed us."
The King sneered, "Egal Slayzoule, energy life-drinkers, foul creatures. Wizards caught a few entering through the portal. They come from a realm that they have nearly drained of all energy and life."
"We found one who escaped. She shared the glory of her powers. We intend to make Crialas the new home of all Egal Slayzoule and the like."
The King reacted so swiftly, everyone was amazed. He drew twin swords. Like one possessed, he slashed at the creatures, lobbing a couple of heads to bounce on the stone floor. Once the creatures got over their initial shock, they converged upon the King. Lisa grabbed Gluttony out of the air and raced to join him. A few others from the assembly ran to protect their King. The creatures dodged many blades. Some, wisely, headed for the door. I extended my hand and told the doors not to open. Four remaining creatures tried with all of their might to open the doors. The King, Lisa, and two others painted the doors as they beheaded them. I opened the doors and allowed a flood of people to pour in. Some became sick at the sight. Others, fortunately, kept their heads and stomachs and went about the grizzly task of collecting bodies and heads. As everyone returned to their places, a small army of servants arrived to clean up the mess. The King did not sheath his swords as he stood before his throne. We seven sheathed our swords and sat before the Crowns. With blood still clinging to his swords, the King began talking to the Palace.
"This is what I have been trying to fix in this Kingdom. Monsters in our own Palace. Outrageous! Now, now, do you see the need? Do you see that there is a problem here that needs to be solved? The portal must be resealed. Those that claim 'no harm' has come from the portal remaining open and unguarded need to look at those empty chairs, the blood, and the bodies. Will you put aside these petty quarrels for the good of the Kingdom?"
The assembled Palace looked at the empty chairs, the blood being cleaned from many surfaces, and, then, focused on the King.
One male elf stood, raised his sword, and shouted, "All Hail King Sarvicnal and Queen Elenvarna! All Hail!"
The room erupted with "All Hail" issuing from all the members as full understanding hit them. The King finally smiled as he took his seat. Queen Elenvarna was weeping happy tears. King Sarvicnal faced us as the hails died away.
"Now, Sisters, we need the portal resealed, but there is a problem. The powers we have spoken with say that we cannot simply renew the deal, but must create it anew."
"Beg pardon, Your Majesty, " Anna spoke up, "but could you give us a bit more detail. We know very little of this portal and the taint makes reading the land difficult."
"Of course," King Sarvicnal said, "but Narisha can explain better."
The elderly-looking elf woman from last night rose to stand near the Crowns. Then, she began her tale.
"Thousands of years ago, the spot where Crialas Pagoue stands was open land. A ring of earth was all that indicated anything special. A band of elf travelers encountered this spot and found what lay in its heart. A portal to other realms, so ancient that no power could tell them when it had formed. They found it randomly connected to these other realms and for random periods of time. Working with other elves, the Founding Fifteen, and the powers of this realm, they created a stable, predictable gateway to allow visits to these other realms and a safe return. In fact, 'Crialas' is a fey word meaning 'gate' or 'gateway'. With the portal now stable, visitors began arriving to use it. The Founding Fifteen saw a need to protect it, regulate its use, and police those who wished to use it. They began 'Crialas Town'. Soon, others realized that those using the portal needed special equipment, provisions, food, plus other services. Crialas grew into a city, the remaining Founders reinforcing the gateway, as it grew unstable after so much use. By two hundred years after the first stabilization, Crialas Pagoue was a full city with an elected mayor. People still arrived to use the portal and the Founders continued every year to reinforce the gateway. The city became a target for invasion. The people rose their mayor to Prince to prevent invasion. After he orchestrated the defeat of five attempt to conquer Crialas Pagoue, they crowned him King. He took the daughter of one of the Founders as wife, making the Crowns a part of stabilizing the gateway. Now, with so much time having elapsed since the last reinforcement, it is as if no gateway ever existed, plus, the use of the portal has allowed these other realms to freely cross to us. You girls have witnessed what three centuries of hemorrhaging has caused."
In the quiet following Narisha's tale, the swords hummed and murmured below our hearing. Narisha returned to her seat in silence. The Palace remained quiet, waiting on our response. I stood when the swords had finished their discussion and told us their conclusion.
"Our swords, the ancient entities who are embodied in steel, have discussed the situation. We, however, need some first-hand information to form a plan with them. Is it permitted to view the portal?"
King Sarvicnal nodded, "The area is the most tainted, but it can still be reached and used, however it is very unpredictable."
"Understood, Your Majesty, we only wish to see it, not use it. Other than that, we need to explore the city to see if any taint can be removed without repairing the gateway. Lastly, records need to be checked to find any even remotely related to the Founders. Once that is done, we can focus on finding any powers or deities around who might be sleeping or too weak to aid on their own. Is this acceptable?"
Many heads bobbed along with agreeable muttering, plus audible "Sensible" and "Good plan" heard among the Palace members. King Sarvicnal raised a hand and brought silence.
"Randal and Vala, escort the ladies to the portal. After their assessment, bring them to our quarters for the mid-day meal. Then, we shall go about the city to inspect it. We shall end the tour in the archives to see what they can find."
The Palace rose to their feet, bowed to the Crowns, and filed out. A male and female elf approached us as the room emptied.
"Ladies, we are the Gate Keepers," the male, Randal, told us, "We shall take you to the portal."
We bowed to the Crowns and followed Randal and Vala. As we left, four guards entered and approached the Crowns. A pair each flanked them so that two guards were between the Royal Couple. They walked out as if being taken to jail.
"Gate Keepers, may we ask a question?" Sarah quietly inquired of our escort.
"You may, what do you wish to know?" Vala replied.
"Why are the Crowns kept from each other? Why do they need guards against each other?" Sarah asked gently.
Twin sighs issued from the pair.
Vala began, "When the Crowns returned, the city was a mess. Paranoia was rampant. Every member of the Palace had guards, each wary of the other Palace members and the other guards. All of those guards practiced separately, lived only with their patrons, and participated in killing other guards. It was feared that the Crowns would turn on each other. They were under constant and total surveillance for many months before they were allowed alone. As you saw, in the public areas, they are still highly guarded. Only in their apartments are they free to walk without guards. Still, only very select servant attend them and only as called upon. Social interaction is prohibited between the Crowns and their servants."
"They must be very lonely," Gretta commented.
Another twin set of sighs.
"It is regrettable, but necessary. Perhaps, when the Kingdom is restored, the situation may improve for them as well."
The rest of the trip was outwardly silent. Inwardly, we batted around ideas about what we might see or experience. We descended deeper under the castle.
I could feel the increase in "weight" as we neared the portal. It reached the level of pain long before we saw the doors. Sloth's exercise did nothing to ease the pain. Set whined, but I told him I could handle it. I saw my sisters wince and struggle with their own pains. Finally, the Gate Keepers stopped at a set of large metal doors.
"When the gate was functioning, this is where the instructions to the travelers would be given, what to expect in the realm they plan to visit, and staging. Now, it is where we warn them that there is no guarantee of their return or safety and beg them one last time not to use the portal. More than half follow our advice, the rest.... we regret their loss," Randal sadly told us.
"As we are only looking at it and not entering," Lisa reminded them, "our loss will not occur."
They bowed slightly and opened the doors with a chorus of squeaks and scraping. Sheer reaction brought up the mental shield Brimagor had given me. Like a sun, the portal shown too brightly. It took a moment to adjust enough to walk around it. Similar to Starlight's portal, but on a much larger scale. Leo could have squeezed through, but Falcon would never fit. We watched scenes shift wildly across its surface. From perfection to horror and everything in between played before us. I could barely tell that Callie was assessing its strength, but was certain that was what contorted her features. Sarah was weeping openly. Gretta placed her hands over her ears from time to time as the images shifted. Lisa kept her face stone-like, but her eyes shown with her internal struggle. Alice was watching the changing scenes, but confusion marred her features. Anna could barely stand, each scene crashing information upon her like storm fueled waves. I was becoming overwhelmed by this, between their emotions and those radiating form the other realms, I felt near to fainting.
Suddenly, I heard an unfamiliar male voice call out, "That is enough."
Instantly, we were no longer there. The seven of us, swords, companions, and the Gate Keepers were back up in the Throne Room. The Gate Keepers looked at us, but we were as confused as they. Before us, but the thrones, a tall male materialized. Human in height but dwarf in build, he made a powerful presence by just standing there. The Gate Keepers began to speak, but the male held out his hand and a large blacksmith's hammer coalesced across his palm.
The Gate Keepers fell to their knees, muttering "Beleger! (Mighty one) Hera en amin! (My Lord) Yaaraer! (Ancient One) Builder of Worlds!"
He let them speak for a moment, then quieted them.
"It is good you remember me, but be silent," He looked at us, a bit puzzled, "I felt the presence of beings not normally near the portal, but I see only seven young girls."
Set roared, which brought his attention to the other occupants of the room. Dawn trumpeted while Bo rose above Lisa's shoulder. He took this in, but it did not erase his confusion.
"I still do not understand."
"Sir," I stepped forward, "perhaps I can explain. Sarroset, this dragon, is an emperor dragon. Dawn, this bird, is part phoenix. We carry swords which are immortal entities of ancient origin. The seven of us are from diverse bloodlines."
He listened and looked at us intently. Finally, he asked, "Is one of your bloodlines of the water folk?"
"Yes," Sarah replied, "my great-grandmother is a mermaid."
He laughed, "Such an inland place gets very few of those beings. I also felt an air being, who might that be?"
We looked at each other, not sure who he meant. Bo slid off of Lisa and coiled up his leg to his ear. Bo hissed a few times then returned to his usual spot on Lisa. The male nodded with understanding.
"I see the being of fire, the phoenix bird. Who is the being of earth?"
"That would be me, sir," Callie shyly told him, "My ancestors and relatives are dwarfs."
She showed him her family shield. He nodded again.
"Lastly, I felt an entity of spirit, old energy not of this realm."
"There are two possible sources, both from me," I stated, "I am of Faerie blood and I wear a god-forged item," showing him my riding set.
Satisfied, he smiled, "As they said, I am known as the Builder of Worlds. I lay the foundations for new worlds so other gods and powers can make their places. Only the combination of all of these elements can call to me. Why were you at this malfunctioning portal?"
We explained our purpose. He agreed that inspecting it was a wise idea. He was able to tell us that he remembered that the construction ritual had been written down at the time, which gave us hope. He tossed us a miniture version of his hammer. Gretta caught it and put it in Greed's sheath.
"When you are ready to remake the gateway, toss that into the portal. I shall aid in its construction."
With one last smile and a wink, he vanished.
It took the Gate Keepers a few moments to collect themselves. When they had, they told us to follow them to the Crowns' private apartments. We went down again, not as deep as the portal but well underground. Four guards stood at their doors, two for each the King and Queen. The Gate Keepers informed them that we were joining the Crowns for lunch. The guards seemed confused, but let us in. One of each followed us as the Gate Keepers led us to the royal dining room. Their personal servants must have been informed of our invitation as seven seats were added to both the dining room and a sitting room outside it. The Crowns were sitting on opposite ends of a long table. They looked at us as if we had rescued them from something.
"Sisters, welcome," King Sarvicnal nearly shouted as he stood to greet us.
Queen Elenvarna also stood and approached us. We stepped forward to bridge the space between us. The guards raced around us and stopped us.
"You are not allowed to touch the Crowns. There is to be a minimum of five paces between you and them at all times," they both recited.
Queen Elenvarna began to cry. King Sarvicnal began to get red with anger. Instinctively, Sarah went to the Queen. Alice took the King back to his seat. The guards were torn as to either grab them or hold the rest of us. Lisa stepped forward, Bo wrapped around her like a sash of authority, and berrated the guards.
"We are here by their invitation. Do you think they would have people who would harm them here? This entire situation is deplorable! We have met a few royal couples and none of them are treated with such disrespect. Go back to the door, you're no longer needed here," she ordered.
The guards were about to counter with something, but Lisa bellowed, "Now, soldier! Move!"
Training kicked in and the pair left quickly. The Gate Keepers were shocked. During Lisa's speech, Sarah and Alice had moved the Crowns to the same end of the table and arranged their table settings accordingly. The servants looked at this new arrangement with mixed emotions. The older ones smiled while the younger ones were puzzled or angry. Some attempted to undo the new arrangement, but were stopped by the older ones who told them all was well. The seven of us arranged ourselves and got seated. Set and I ended up at the opposite end from the Crowns. Elenvarna had quit crying and was holding hands with a now calm Sarvicnal. The Gate Keepers stood off to the side. They reported our reactions to the portal and the entity that arrived at our presense. The Crowns shot us twin looks of amazement. The Gate Keepers were dismissed.
Food and drink were brought. I could see the happiness from the older ones while the youngers wrestled with mixed emotions. I stopped an older one.
"This is the way it use to be, isn't it?" I asked in a whisper.
Nodding slightly, she told me, "It was the chancelor who set up this policy of fear and separation. He feared the Palace and their underlings. In these separate apartments were the only places he felt truly safe. Those who know nothing else are confused and bewildered."
I thanked her and let her continue her work. The Crowns were still mulling over the Gate Keepers' report.
Finally, Sarvicnal asked, "Did you ladies summon the World Builder? I am unsure on that count."
"Your Majesty," I began, "the World Builder told us that we were the combination of five elements; earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. That combination called him, not a voiced summons nor invitation. He said all of those had to be present to call him."
Understanding brightened the Crowns' darkened features. Knowing our mere presense brought such attention lifted their spirits. They began questioning us as to our impressions of the portal. Callie told him how weak it was, which was allowing the corruption of Crialas. Sarah and Lisa explained the contaminating effects of the other realms on this one. Alice apologized that, since no people were near the portal, she got very little information. Anna told of the massive histories that assaulted her each time the scene changed. Gretta reported how some realms sang while others were silent. I relayed the emotions and energies pouring through the portal and into Crialas. The Crowns and their servants listened with interest. The younger servants had begun to accept the new seating arrangement and seemed to relax. They even introduced themselves, not only to us but to the Crowns. This created a much more pleasant atmosphere in the room.
Set's bark came a mere breath before a sound outside the room got every one's attention. We watched the doors be ripped open and several members of the Palace plus many Royal Guards rush into the room. Murmurs and exclaimations bounced around the crowd. We and the Crowns stood and faced them. The Crowns clasped hands which elicitated a collective gasp. Some Palace members stepped forward.
"So, it is true," one of them stated, "The guards told us that the Sisters were destroying proticol. Seating the Crowns side-by-side in private and having no guards when others," glaring at us, "are present in the private chambers. This is what we feared would happen. These girls are evil! Guards! Seize them!"
The Royal Guards advanced to obey. The Crowns moved between them and us.
"Now see here!" Sarvicnal barked, "I am King! We rule Crialas! You obey us!"
Several Palace members laughed, which unsettled the Crowns. The guards moved around the pair like a river around a boulder. The Crowns stared at the Palace members, who smiled at their impotence.
"The Crowns have no real power anymore. The chancelor gave it all away to us. Once the portal is repaired, you two are useless and will be tossed along with these evil girls," the spokesman told us all.
The guards reached us and ordered us to go with them. When we did not move, they tried to grab us. They all jumped back as pain shot through their hands as they tried to touch us. After several painful attempts, they told the Palace they could not secure us. Angrily, they marched over and tried the same, with the same results.
Finally, one of them shouted, "What power is this?"
"Mine," a familiar female voice echoed through the room.
They looked around fro the source. The fireplace, on the other side of the table, was replaced by a shining silver doorway. The Faerie Queen, in all her splendor, walked through and into the room. All of the older servants and some of the older Royal Guards bowed low as she glided over to us.
"I will not allow such barbaric behavior towards my heir and her Sisters. The Palace has become a group of spoiled children who make their own rules without supervision. The Crowns are the rightful rulers of Crialas Kingdom by blood and law. You have no right to call yourselves elves when you act like trolls," she chastised them like a mother towards unruly children.
For a few moments, no one spoke. Finding his voice, the speaker confronted her.
"Who do you think you are to speak to us like this? Identify yourself."
Aloriana laughed, along with the older servants, guards, and us. The room became polarized; those with us and her and those who didn't know her. The Crowns stood between the groups, quite confused.
"I am the Queen of the Faerie Realm," Aloriana announced.
This resulted in a few more servants and a couple more guards joining our side. The Palace and Crowns, as well as the other servants and guards, looked at her wide-eyed and slack-jawed. The speaker recovered.
"What kind of fool do you think we are? We are not impressed."
He stepped around the Crowns and stood before Aloriana, half a head shorter than she, and tried to seem imposing, "Show your true self, not this illusion. Many have been to the Faerie Realm and reported the Faerie Queen's appearance. You look nothing like those tales," he sneered at her.
"First of all, 'many' have not been to the Faerie Realm. During my lifetime, only twenty-seven non-fey mortals have been in the Faerie Realm, and my lifetime is several thousand years. Second, I can change my appearance at will and have over many years many, many times. Third, you show your kind of fool every time you open your mouth."
Stiffled giggled sounded around the room, including the Palace and guards. The speaker tried to stare them down, but failed. He turned back to Aloriana.
"Even as such, you have no authority in Crialas. These girls are causing havoc. They have killed members of the Palace and broken numerous rules. They must pay for their crimes and, as the true authority of Crialas," he directed the "true" at the Crowns, "it is up to us to punish them. You," raising his voice a bit at Aloriana, "will allow them to be arrested."
As Aloriana and this elf, whom we were told was named Weelrom, stared at each other, neither giving an inch, a thunderous "boom" sounded, causing many to jump. The shining doorway changed from silver to a reddish copper. From it stepped a magnificent being, elf in appearance but clearly much more. The elves on our side knelt to the floor. My bracelet set hummed as he approached us. Aloriana gave a slight nod as he joined her. His voice filled the room, but was not loud.
"King Sarvicnal and Queen Elenvarna carry the oldest unbroken bloodlines in Crialas. The Treaty of Scarlet proclaims them as the true rulers and powers of Crialas. The Treaty is still i n effect. I know this because those," pointing at the jewels the Crowns were wearing, "are clear and intact. If the Treaty were broken, they would also be broken."
The Palace looked at each other, puzzled. The Crowns held each other, a mixture of relief and fear playing over their features. Weelrom faced the newcomer.
"What treaty? What are you talking about? Who are you anyway? More of their tricks?" indicating us.
"The Treaty of Scarlet, the ancient agreement that allowed Crialas to be founded. I am known as Galvadore in your words, called the Father of the Elves."
Every guard and servant came over to our side of the room. The Palace, the sixteen who were before us, stood alone. I could see they were racking their brains, trying to remember this treaty and how it was denying their leadership. Weelrom found new courage and stood nearly nose-to-nose with Galvadore.
"More lies. Galvadore is a child's tale. There is no 'Father of the Elves'. Our society rejected the notion of 'gods' centuries ago. Return to where you came from, false god, we reject you."
The Palace stood, nodding in agreement. Galvadore sighed unhappily. He motioned for the Crowns to stand by him. In the empty space between us and the Palace, the rest of the Palace suddenly appeared. Confused, they looked around. Seeing both Aloriana and Galvadore, the newly arrived Palace members collapsed into bows, full to the floor bows. Galvadore gave them permission to rise. They saw the polarity of the room.
The elder spoke, "What goes here? Lords and ladies, why do you face off with Their Majesties and these Glories?"
Weelrom puffed, "These girls are playing tricks. Expecting us to fully believe that this," sneering at Aloriana, "is the Faerie Queen and he," snapping at Galvadore, "is some kind of god."
The elder, named Liam, marched to Weelrom and firmly slapped him across the face.
"You fool! If, IF, you had studied the ancient texts and participated in our morning chants, you would know the Ancients, Galvadore being promenent among them, and the Faerie Queen. I am ashamed by you and for you."
The sixteen Palace members, including Weelrom, looked confused at each other. They murmurred and whispered among themselves.
A female stepped apart,"Elder? Do you mean that stuff you do at dawn at the fountain every morning?"
"Yes, Nia, that is our focus every day. It gives us strength to endure."
She silently bowed and joined Elder Liam at his side to a chorus of shouts from the other fifteen. She faced them.
"My parents did that ritual every morning. I did until they left Father's Palace position to me and crossed over. I didn't get invited to the ritual, so I did not join in. Weelrom, this is real. They are real."
Weelrom and company huffed. Elder Liam and his group whispered.
Liam asked, "They gave you his post? You weren't elected by your village? That is not the way the Palace is filled."
Nia shrank as Elder Liam faced the fifteen again.
"Were any of you elected?"
They all shook their heads, Weelrom included.
"Did any of you sign your fielty pledges?"
Confused expressions blanketed them. A few exclaimations of "What's that?" were heard among them.
Suddenly, the Palace members on our side were holding scrolls, save for Nia. They were of varying ages, but still intact. At Liam's feet, sixteen new scrolls appeared. Galvadore raised his hand and they floated before Liam.
"The easy solution," Galvadore said, "is for the rest of the Palace to read and sign these pledges and accept the Treaty of Scarlet and the true authority of the Crowns. Those who do not are to leave the Castle and let rightfully elected people take you places."
Noise erupted. Angry shouts assaulted us. Nia quietly grabbed a scroll, opened it, read it, and, finding quill and ink, signed it. I felt a small "click". Galvadore gave me a knowing look, but said nothing. Some of the fifteen had grabbed a scroll and read it. Almost all of them yelled about not signing "this foolishness". Another female and one male joined Nia at the table and signed their's. I felt two more "click"s. The remaining thirteen adamately refused, even tearing the scrolls into pieces. When they ran our of venom, they stood silently, glaring at us. Galvadore stepped into the open area between us and them.
"Do you refuse to sign? Do you not accept the Treaty of Scarlet?"
With some swearing, they confirmed their decision. Sarvicnal started to pronounce judgement, but Galvadore stopped him.
"They have broken my law, not yours, King Sarvicnal. It is I who gave them the option to correct their error and it is I who pronounce sentence."
Sarvicnal stayed at Elenvarna's side, bowing slightly to the god. Galvadore made a sad noise and faced the thirteen Palace members. He waved a hand, sweeping the area before him. The Palace members froze in place, still as statues.
"To rebuild the gate requires living monitors. The first were a small built clan of the Stone Race who controled and operated the gate and portal. Later, dryads planted special trees so they could control the gate. The last were a unique and intelligent form of gargoyles. When it is rebuilt, you will serve as its controlers and monitors. Until then, you will be with me, being trained and conditioned to be proper monitors. You will either learn or not survive the process."
While they could not make any physical protests, the emotions poured from them in waves. I actually staggered from the force. Set whined, but I let him know all was well. Galvadore bid farewell to all of us and he and the thirteen vanished.
"Well, now that is settled," Aloriana stated playfully, "we can get to rebuilding the gate. Sisters, I have been informed of several powers near by that can aid, but must be convinced to help."
"That is great, Mother," I told her, "The finding, we feared, would take forever."
A piece of light paper appeared in her hand. Aloriana handed it to Gretta, who was closest to her. Gretta, Sarah, and Alice, being close together, looked at the list. Sarvicnal dismissed Palace and Royal Guard back to their duties. Nia and the other two were receiving instruction in the real way the Palace behaved as they left. I walked Aloriana back to the once again silver doorway to the Faerie Realm.
"Mother," I inquired softly, "when they signed the pledges, I felt something 'click' into place. There is not so much tension as before. Can you tell me what that is?"
Aloriana smiled, "Like pieces of a puzzle, the pledges align the Palace with the Crowns. The tension was the mis-match of the other Palace members. With those gone, new members that fit can complete the puzzle and stabilize the Palace."
I thanked her and watched her walk through the shining door, the door glowed slightly, then the door vanished, leaving only the fireplace as if nothing had happened. We returned to the table in our former places. The paper was passed around. We questioned the servants about places mentioned that the Crowns did not know. Soon, we had a plan. Anna, Alice, and Callie were going to the archives to find any other descendants of the Founding Fifteen. Sarah, Lisa, Gretta, and I were setting out to find the fey on the Faerie Queen's list. At sunset, we would meet back in the royal apartments to discuss our findings. The building was already feeling cleaner and less chaotic. As we left, we saw the former Palace members' items being sorted and farmed out to the population of Crialas. This started peeling some of the distrust off the relationship between rulers and ruled.
We left our sisters to the archivist, borrowing Dawn from Alice. I had a feeling she might be useful. We headed to a well just outside the city. Aloriana's list said a water sprite resided inside. As we walked, Lisa spoke low to me.
"When we get back, may I use some of Set's cream? Bo has developed some rough spots. I hope it will ease them until he can shed."
Smiling, I told her she was welcome ot it. I looked closely at Bo and did see two distinct spots about a hand length from his head that looked a bit rough and slightly raw. I stroked his head to reassure her and him.
At the well, we looked for signs of the sprite. Sarah called in the mermaid language. From deep in the well, an echoed reply sounded weakly. We all concluded the same idea and focused energy down the well to the source of the voice. A blue blur shot out of the well like a mortar round. When it returned, a male slightly taller than Dawn hovered above the mouth of the well.
"I haven't felt like this in ages. To whom do I thank for this boon?"
We introduced ourselves and explained why we roused him. The sprite, who told us to call him Rollis, explained what the chaos had done to him.
"In the beginning, it was easy to keep my well pristine. As more corruption occurred, it became more difficult. Now, until you arrived, all I could do was keep myself in a clean bubble and let my well suffer."
As a deal, we purified his well and the area around it in exchange for his aid with the portal. Rollis told us something I'd never heard about.
"Tears of maidens will help me continue to keep this well pure. Your tears, being who you are, will greatly help."
It took a few moments, but we managed to add tears to Rollis' well. Even Vanity added her tears. Rollis did back flips and cartwheels in the air. He said that we had so added to his power that he could influence the underground source of his well. Indeed, I could feel something below us almost relaxing, as if the very ground had been very tense and could, now, release that tension, pressure, or whatever it was. We bid Rollis farewell and heard a loud splash as he returned to his well.
Next on our list was a little vague. It read:
"Elm, Oak, and Pine winter at Lost River."
We asked citizens for directions to Lost River. We received good directions plus explanations that the river got its name because it meanders, even to the point it had four "mouths" wher it met the lake it fed. We followed the winding course until we found an elm, oak, and pine tree huddled together. I could feel emtions from these trees. At first, I thought I was feeling dryads inside the trees, but it did not feel like Lyrica's energy.
I called out, "Elm! Oak! Pine! May we enter your presence as friends?"
The three trees moved, turning as no tree could turn, and faced us with faces molded from knots, color changes in the bark, and leaves. We stood still as they examined us as well.
"Come forward, daughters of flesh. Tell us why you seek us," the Elm addressed us.
Bowing respectfully, we entered the area where they stood, a small clearing surrounded by stone outcroppings. They looked down at us.
"Elder Race, we thank you for this courtesy," I said, bowing again, "We have sought you out to aid us in restoring the balance of this land by repairing the portal under the elf city."
The three treants looked at each other. They spoke in a language that sounded like wind blowing through branches. They turned back to us.
"What can we do? The elves hate us, make our land unlivable, and destroy our forests. Why should we help them?"
We tried to explain about the portal and how it was the cause, but they turned it all back on the elves. We nearly gave up. Dawn flew up and chirped at them. They spoke in their language back at her. For several minutes they talked. Finally, Dawn returned to us, perching on Set's back.
"The bird has told us much. When you are ready, saplings will be sent to you to build the portal gate."
A bit overwhelmed, we were silent for a second or two. Recovering, we thanked the treants and left the area. At the edge, we sent healing energy to the trio. We turned to leave when a "WAIT!" stopped us. Turning back, we saw them approaching us. We bowed respectfully when they drew near.
"That energy? Did you do that?" Pine asked.
"Yes, Elders, we did," I replied nervously.
"Why? What made you give that to us?"
"Gratitude, Elders. You agreed to aid us. It seemed only right to give a gift to allies."
The trio looked at each other. I could feel their confusion. Faerie knowledge moved through me. Rapidly, I spoke to them in Faerie, not even truly certain of what I said, exactly. Dawn cheeped a few times during my monologue. When I was finished, feeling a bit drained, they actually smiled.
"We understand, Faerie Daughter. The saplings we send will be our best. May we ask for purification of this area? It would help us strengthen the saplings."
With a nod, we joined hands and claws and recited a cleansing spell. While not as powerful as the cloister's ritual, it did make the area more comfortable, the same relaxing feeling as before. The treants nodded and we parted company.
Heading back to the Palace, I continued to feel the relaxing sensation under the ground. At the Palace, however, the portal's influence either eliminated or masked that feeling.
We met our sisters on the way back to the Crowns' apartments. Within seconds, we knew the tangle of history and lineages they waded through since we left them. In turn, they knew about Rollis and the treants. By the time we entered the Crowns' chambers, it was as if all seven of us had never parted. We were pleased to see the Crowns together at one end of the dining table. They were talking with some of the older servants. The energy of the room made me smile. No fear, suspicion, nor distrust, only honesty, respect, and, amazingly, love. Not just the Crowns' love for each other, but the servants' love of their royalty, who had earned it and, by my sight, needed it badly. We were warmly greeted by all. We took our previous places around the table. The servants, somehow, had found a very low chair and table that fit Set perfectly so he did not have to eat off the floor or sit on the cold marble. Set purred as he settled into the blue-green material and ran sharp claws over the table's smooth surface without leaving a trace upon it.
After we were served, the Crowns asked how we faired. Our reseachers told of the errors in both the histories and geneologies. They were on the trail of six bloodlines and had hints on two others. The Crowns were impressed and encouraged them to continue their task. Turning to the rest of us, they asked about our progress. News of Rollis, Elm, Oak, and Pine caused all movement to stop. Crowns and servants all looked at us in silence. Orania, the eldest of the servants, broke the silence by asking the location of Rollis' well. After we told her, she explained that his well was a point of dispute. Some claimed it holy, others cursed. The same went for the Treants. Some held that they were natural beings of the forests while others said they were cursed trees, elves cursed to being trees, or trees possessed by those that had been hung upon their branches. Dawn's chirp voiced our feelings about their dispute. We added to it by telling them that the Treants were not cursed in any way and they would see for themselves when the saplings arrived to rebuild the gate. Several made warding signs against their perceived threat. The Crowns, however, were fascinated and questioned us on many points, once they found their voices again.
We talked well into the night. It was Set snoring that alerted us to the lateness of the hour. Heaving his increasing bulk, we bid the Crowns and servants good-night.
Back at our room, I gave Lisa some cream to treat Bo, who was looking a bit ragged. Bo curled and looped as Lisa applied the stuff to the raw patches and head to tail. Set's growth spurt was nearly at an end, with no scaleless skin showing and the new scales fitting nicely into the existing ones. We were all asleep in short order.