The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] (16 page)

The Grandmother looked down at Sele', “So, this is yet another Granddaughter of mine. Come over here, Young One. I want to see you better. We yet know not each other. Perhaps I would have greater luck with you."

Sele’ stood slightly in front of her, but apart from her as well, “I know you well, Grandmother. I have been given these memories of you. And I will never train with you. This will not occur."

The Grandmother looked upon her through narrowed eyes, wondering, “Who gave you these memories of me that you hold so dear to your heart as if they were truth?"

San'lr'in’ was well interested in how Sele’ stood so firmly against this Grandmother of theirs, wondering what memories of her she had been given.

Sele’ stood fully erect, brave in her delivery, “Your Mother, Grandmother."

All heard the slight gasp from the Grandmother, “So. She yet betrays me. Even in her death."

San'lr'in’ began to move away from her hatred, “I have had enough of you, Old One. No more will you linger in My mind. I will now hold this final meeting between us as a great one, as no further will I have any need to reflect on our moments together. Everything I have long wondered on has now been displayed as truth. You are solely wicked and evil, and wish nothing but harm to others. We leave you to your realm of sand and dust. It is where you belong. The First High Queen was correct to leave you in these barren lands. Never will I tread upon your door again."

The Grandmother was desperate to hold San'lr'in’ to her, knowing that her granddaughter left her once, but was now leaving her again permanently. She couldn't have this as so, “I can help you go through the Sorcerer's Forest easily."

San'lr'in’ waved her hand, “We will manage, and as I have done all these cycles without your assistance, as you refer to such."

She began to walk away again when the Grandmother said, “I can help you find and capture the Dark Sorcerer."

San'lr'in’ turned around and stared at her, thinking. Sele’ walked back to her, “We can do this ourselves, High Queen."

San'lr'in’ looked down at Sele', then to her Grandmother, “Tell Me."

Fon'elnn’ had also walked over, hearing the commotion, wondering what was going on. When she arrived, she saw the Grandmother, and gasped, “Not being her!"

San'lr'in’ had watched the Master's emotions change as she saw the Grandmother, then realized that this was the First High Queen's Birth-Mother's Birth-Mother. She found it odd that after all these cycles, Fon'elnn’ would re-enter a realm knowing no one but this so-loathed Grandmother.

The Grandmother looked at Fon'elnn', then laughed wickedly, “So. You have finally returned. Your beloved couldn't manage it though, could she? And even she refused to use my powers to bring you back. She left you there, Fon'elnn', even knowing that I could help return you to The Realm, easily."

Fon'elnn’ staggered a bit at this remark, unsure of the truth within it, but stunned at the possibility that her High Queen had the way to bring her back but refused to use it.

San'lr'in’ intervened, “Fon'elnn'. Listen not to her deceit. No High Queen could risk using her powers for something such as this. You know this well. It comes at overly high a cost. Think on this. It would have cost your High Queen her realm. All of it. She would always be indebted to this one. She couldn't sell The Realm to this one. Never. You know this to be truth. She loved you well, Fon'elnn'."

The Grandmother cackled again, “Not well enough, it would seem.” She turned to Sle'nel', “See, Elf? Even your great love won't use my powers to save you if such occurred."

Sle'nel’ showed no emotion, “I would be disappointed in her if she did. But you are correct, gratefully, she wouldn't."

Fon'elnn’ turned to The High Queen, “She could having saved me?"

San'lr'in’ felt saddened for Fon'elnn', but angry at her grandmother for having used her so well. These evil manipulations of others are what helped force San'lr'in’ from her, long prior.

She nodded, “Yes, Fon'elnn'. She could have saved you, but would have risked all The Realm for it. It was against all her vows, though. It was part of the test to be High Queen. We cannot go so far against our vows. This one that now manipulates your heart so well cannot use her powers alone, as great as they are. She must have a vessel to do so. It is why she has sought every High Queen to her, so that she can use their powers to control The Realm. No High Queen would allow this to occur, Master. You know this well. Allow this one not to control your heart. You will be forever sorry for it."

The High Queen winced from the pain in her back, but looked at her Grandmother, “Tell Me how you could help defeat the Dark Sorcerer."

Sele’ pleaded, “No, High Queen. Listen not to her. Her words are like sweet poisoned wine."

Everyone was startled at Sele's analogy. The High Queen laughed lightly, “An interesting example you use, Young One. At another moment, you will have to tell Me more of this.” She looked back to her Grandmother, “Tell Me. What have you withheld from The Realm for your advantage?"

The Grandmother looked offended, “You trust me not, San'lr'in'thel'ineln'? After all I have given you, you use such words as these against me?"

San'lr'in’ laughed in a half-crazed, maniacal fashion, “Trust you? I trust you, Grandmother. This is most certain. I trust you well to be who you are.” Suddenly, she turned serious, “Tell Me what you withhold from Me, but will now share to capture My attentions."

"He is of your line."

Everyone gasped, including Sele', but San'lr'in’ rolled her eyes, “I care not if he is My brother, Grandmother. He will die by My hand for his long-prior deeds. Per chance, Grandmother, was this one also trained by you?"

The Grandmother knew she was losing ground with San'lr'in', “A union between you and he would create the strongest ruler to ever live, Granddaughter. No human could ever step foot onto our Realm again. Ever."

San'lr'in', while yet in great pain, felt herself finally move her mind away from this long-hated Grandmother, “You are tedious in your petty attempts, Grandmother. I can see you have nothing to offer Me but barren bribes and empty words."

"The Spirits of the Falls were correct. You should have been killed when you were born. We never could trust you. I told them that you wouldn't interfere into their affairs, but I was wrong. You did. And the Future Supreme Sovereign should have been theirs to command. I should have killed you when I had the chance. You never were any good to us."

The High Queen looked hard at her, studying her, “So ... you were the one behind their deception of Woden and The Realm. I should have guessed this far long prior. You have been in continual contact with the Spirits of the Falls, would be my guess. While I know not how you managed as such, now I know this as truth. What did they give you as payment for your services, Grandmother? More young pretty girls that you are so overly fond of to play with at your desire? Perhaps young Woden girls?"

"This is not your affair! You are vicious, San'lr'in'. But yes, I was in contact with them, and they treated me well, as they would have done to The Realm if you had given them the opportunity."

"Good to The Realm, you say? You cannot think this as truth, Grandmother. They have lied, allowed humans and Mystics to die, and have manipulated many so that they may control The Realm."

"They should have controlled it, rather than you."

"I don't do so now. I am High Queen, certainly, but serve all those in The Realm."

"They are overly stupid to know what they want. They need to be controlled."

"I know not why I even speak with you. You are a waste of The Realm's moments."

San'lr'in’ began to turn away once again, when the Grandmother pulled out her last available manipulation, “He breeds, San'lr'in'thel'ineln'. You may kill the Dark Sorcerer, but you know not of his offspring. I do. His off-spring is much like the Young One here."

Every muscle in San'lr'in's body twitched in her anger at this Grandmother. Given the opportunity, she would kill this one in a moment, but knew that she couldn't do so, as the powers she would use would only strengthen the Grandmother's evilness. No power could successfully be used against her. It would only serve to feed her. And San'lr'in’ couldn't command another to do so, as the same thing would occur. Only an innocent of this knowledge could kill the Grandmother without being commanded. But across all these cycles, none had been able to do this. It further infuriated San'lr'in', but she could only hope that others would take whatever action they deemed appropriate. She couldn't use her powers against this one, or she would lose her powers to her.

Sle'nel’ had stepped back slightly, observing more of this Grandmother of theirs, listening more carefully to her words. Watching the interactions and hearing the words, she began to discover why her lover couldn't use her powers against this one, and began to suspect the rest of it. Surprising Sle'nel', she suddenly felt her eyes turn cold, as she felt her heart turn to stone. She knew that the Sorrows of the Stones had begun to call to her.

San'lr'in’ had forgotten about Sle'nel’ being the High Sorcerer of the Sorrows, as Sle'nel’ seldom chose to heed their call. As she began to see the sky turn dark from the clouds that now raced in, she heard her Grandmother mutter quietly to herself, “Yes, Elf. Bring me the powers of the Stones. I have long awaited for such powers as these."

Of all those about, no one had yet pieced together the story of this Grandmother. None of them yet knew that The High Queen couldn't use her powers against this one, as the powers would only serve to feed her evilness further. None of them had guessed that The High Queens, each in their own era, had each wished for this one's death but could do nothing about it. None of the ones now holding a sword to the Grandmother's neck or standing near her had figured out that this Grandmother could only die by an innocent's hand, except one.

Sle'nel', now unable to do otherwise, held her staff out from her, beginning to call the Sorrows to her. The High Queen struggled to prevent it, knowing she couldn't use her own powers, “NO! Sle'nel'. NO! YOU MUST NOT! She will take these powers from you. NOOOO!!!!! She must not have these powers!"

Suddenly, Meera also, unlike all the other innocents far before her, had finally pieced the puzzle together. In the chaos of the moment, and now knowing her Queen's true desire, she suddenly removed the knife from her belt and plunged it deeply into the Grandmother's greedy and hateful heart. But the act wasn't an act of a warrior, and Meera was uncertain as to what compelled her to it, as the Grandmother had been unarmed.

No one had expected as such, especially the Grandmother and The High Queen. The Grandmother fell to the desert sands, her eyes showing their disbelief. She had been so close to becoming so very powerful in The Realm through the Sorrows of the Stones. She held out her hand toward Sle'nel’ as she fell dying, tasting her new powers,
After so many eons, I came so close as this.

Hearing her lover, Sle'nel’ moved her staff close to her, taking back the powers into her that were unfulfilled, allowing herself the great pain this took, while Sele’ stood calmly aside, pleased in her Birth-Mother and Meera's response, but saying nothing. The High Queen, yet in great pain, looked quickly about at the scene, wondering what made Meera and Sle'nel’ to act in such uncharacteristic fashions. As her eyes darted quickly about, she saw Sle'nel’ move the remaining Sorrows into her own body, Meera troubled in her action of killing the Grandmother, Ann'wn stunned at Meera's action, her Grandmother lying dead, finally, after all these long eons. And then she saw Sele’ standing quietly, as if she had done nothing. Too quietly.

She turned to her Healer, “Quickly. Help Sle'nel’ to remove her pain."

She then turned to Sam, “Help Me walk over to Meera."

When they arrived to the bloody scene, she knelt down to Meera, who was now in shock at her own action, and who was crouching down near the grandmother. The High Queen said loudly enough for all to hear, “Well done, Warrior Woman. After all these eons of evilness, she is finally removed from The Realm. All thanks to your quick intelligence. If I could have done so, I would have, but it required an innocent such as you. I knew that your human background would serve The Realm well, Warrior Woman. I and all The Realm are in debt to you for this service. And all well know as law of The Realm that anyone who touches The High Queen in such a fashion as the Grandmother has, faces a quick death."

She reached her arm up to Sam, needing assistance to stand. She looked at all those now about her and told the story, “This, in truth, is the Grandmother of all The High Queens. But for all these eons, she has lived in evilness only, removed from The Realm by The First High Queen so that she could no longer feed from the powers of the Mystics. No power could be used against her, as it would only serve her evilness further. Across all these eons, each of The High Queens has wished this one dead, needed this one dead, but couldn't command it as so. Such a command would also feed the evilness within this one. It had to take a quit-witted innocent to solve the puzzle and to take this brave but seemingly murderous action."

She turned to Meera, “There hasn't been a turn in My lifespan without this one entering unwelcomed into My mind, speaking to Me of bringing The Realm to her knees. There hasn't been an eve without her in My head as I slept, torturing Me as well as each of The High Queen's prior. But we were powerless against such evil. Thank you, Warrior Woman. You have lifted a great weight from The Realm."

She looked back at Sle'nel’ and saw that The Healer was helping her. She looked at her now disintegrating Grandmother one final moment, “You should have died long prior, Grandmother, when the moment was correct. You outlived your ability to feel kindness and love. You lived on only through feeding yourself from the innocence of others. No longer. We will solve the mystery of the Dark Sorcerer ourselves, as we may, but The Realm has no further need of your tortures."

"You wanted her dead, my Queen?"

She turned to the voice, “Yes, Warrior Woman. Each of The High Queens has wished it so, but no innocent has ever stepped forward, in fear that what they did would be seen as murder. You are the only brave one across all these eons. In truth, I would have removed her from The Realm Myself, long prior, if I had been so able. But I will speak more of this to you at a later moment."