The High Queen's Vow [The Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book IV] (64 page)

"Not as yet, but nearly so. There are yet three or four more ceremonies, my Queen. But all are fully excited."

Sle'nel’ nodded, smiling at the thought, “I have seen them flying above in our skies. It is a most wondrous sight."

Srn'threln’ looked puzzled, “I know this not, Elfin Queen. In our moments long prior, there were many more of them. It is strange to us to see so few as this."

When they reached the end of their path, they stood at the edge of one of the great waterfalls in their valley. Sle'nel’ looked around, “I have not yet been here, but it would appear that we have reached the end of our path."

Srn'threln’ smiled and gestured to behind the waterfall, “You have not this memory, my Queen? Please follow me. There are many surprises behind these falls."

Sle'nel’ looked at Srn'threln’ and smiled in return, enjoying the rare moment of exploration. She began to follow Srn'threln', when suddenly she sensed something of urgency.

She stood completely still, exploring the feeling, when finally she recognized it, “Srn'threln'. I must leave. Immediately."

Srn'threln’ saw that Sle'nel’ had received a feeling, “Is there something I might do for you, Queen Sle'nel'?"

"I must leave. San'lr'in’ has been wounded. Please call R'lodin'lindor to me."

"Does she live?"

Ann'wn had been pacing near where The High Queen had been laid, watching as The Healer had first removed The High Queen's gown, then slowly inspected the knife's entry point.

The Healer was singularly focused upon her Queen, so didn't respond to Ann'wn's question.

The Healer's slow and methodical movements were overly painstaking to Ann'wn, “Healer! Does she live?"

The Healer looked up to her lover, “Have my assistants bring my surgery knives and instruments, Force Leader. With the greatest of haste. And bring Sume'. I may have need of her magic. You must ensure that I am not bothered."

As Ann'wn left the room, Erthrn quietly asked, “Has it touched her heart?"

The Healer shook her head, “I know not, but it must be close if it has not."

"Will she live?"

The Healer looked up at Erthrn, removing her eyes from her Queen. She sighed deeply, “I know not, Erthrn. She is bleeding on the inside. And if it has touched her heart, removing the blade may create more damage."

Erthrn placed her hand on The Healer's shoulder, “Her life is in your hands, Healer. Much is placed on your shoulders now."

"As if I knew this not, Erthrn?"

While waiting for her assistants and surgical instruments, she cleansed what she could of The High Queen's wound.

She felt The High Queen's hand on her arm, “Sume'."

"Sume'? Your sister?"

The voice was strained and sounded in great pain, barely a whisper, “The Realm must not lose My powers."

She placed her hand on The High Queen's cheek, “You are not going to die while in my hands, High One."

San'lr'in’ opened her eyes, and The Healer saw that a few tears escaped, “This knife, Healer ... is in My heart. There is nothing to be done. I can feel it as so. I am dying. I ... must ... transfer ... My ... powers."

Before The Healer could argue further, Sume’ entered the room, “I am here, Healer. How is she?"

Even in her deep pain, San'lr'in’ had heard Sume's entrance. As Sume’ came close to her, The High Queen conjured a small ball of energy to her, said a few words, then held it out to Sume', “There are ... no moments. I am dying. Take this into you. You are ... of the line. Tell My Elf ... of My love."

Giving her no moments to think on the moment, San'lr'in’ took Sume's hand and placed the ball of light into it, then moved it to Sume's chest. She softly spoke another spell, then pressed the ball of light firmly against Sume's chest, where it disappeared. Sume’ suddenly felt an immense surge of overwhelming power within her, astounded in all the memories and powers that had overly quickly become hers, but also saw that The High Queen had passed out. She stood fully shocked in the moment, trying to come to some understanding of what had just been given to her.

When The Healer's assistants finally arrived, she gave an order to Ann'wn, “Bring Sele’ to me, and have her wait. She may also be needed."

She took the surgical knife from one of her assistants, then took a last look at Sume’ and Erthrn, “No one must know of what just occurred, Erthrn."

Erthrn nodded, “It will not leave this room, Healer."

Sume’ spoke quietly, yet fully surprised in the moment, and deeply saddened, “You must save her, Healer. I cannot carry this burden. She alone can hold these fully within her. There is no understanding of the immensity of these powers. I am, in truth, more overwhelmed in the moment than I ever could have expected. She must be saved. No other can carry these powers."

"I am trying, Sume'."

"Then try harder, Healer! You know not these powers. These are an impossible burden to hold. We cannot keep this realm safe without her. You must try harder, Healer.” Sume's desperation and concern were without question, her tone more than frantic. “
Save
her!"

But while The Healer was the most skilled Healer in all The Realm, even she recognized that her skills meant nothing given the great damage that had been done to The High Queen. After making the needed incisions, she removed the blade carefully so as to not create further damage, then looked at The High Queen's heart, shaking her head.

"What is it, Healer?"

She looked up and across the room to Ann'wn, “Even with all my training, I haven't the skills or abilities to stitch together this heart."

Suddenly, The Healer saw that The High Queen's heart halted its beating. She reached inside into the heart and used her hand to massage it, forcing it to continue its life-saving beating, knowing that she had already risked The High Queen's life greatly by doing so.

"Bring Sele'. Take my assistants away from this room. With haste!” She looked at Erthrn, “Quickly. Come and breathe life into our Queen."

Erthrn did as commanded, but was greatly saddened and concerned over her High Queen's condition. She knew nothing of what The Healer was planning.

"Sume'. Cleanse yourself. You must now save our High Queen."

"How am I to do this?"

"You have her powers. You now hold the power that she used to save your life.
Think
, Sume'. We cannot lose her."

Sume’ looked frantic, “No, we cannot lose her, most certain. You are correct, Healer. And I know fully that I cannot command such powers as these. Who is she that can do as such? They are a heavy burden.” Sume’ went to Sele’ as she spoke, then placed her hand on Sele's head, sending her a message.

"High Queen gave you her powers?"

"She knew she was dying, Young One. Help me do this?"

Sele’ nodded, “I know the spell, but I haven't the power."

"I do, but remain uncertain of the spell."

Sume’ looked at Sele', who was now standing in a chair near her, “You speak the spell, and I will supply the power. Then let us hope that this will be enough. I may be The High Priestess, but San'lr'in's powers are far beyond anything of which I am aware."

Sele’ concentrated for a moment, “I cannot recall all the spell to me without my powers."

Sume’ grew hysterical, “You must, Young One! CONCENTRATE! This is your High Queen."

Sele's voice was now soft but firm, “This is my Mother, Aunt High Priestess. Give me but a moment.” In spite of Sele's youth, her bloodline from the long prior High Queens allowed her a calm and assured stance no matter the moment as she searched deeply into her memories for the needed spell.

Both Ann'wn and Erthrn were surprised, “Your Mother?"

Sume’ looked up at her, “I am not surprised in this, given the Spirit Mothers. Now, call this spell to you, and quickly so. I command this as so."

"Yes, Aunt High Priestess.” She concentrated for a moment, “I have it."

The Healer spoke to Erthrn as she removed her own hand from The High Queen's heart, “Erthrn. It is the moment to halt the breathing."

Working quietly together, Sele’ cited the spell as Sume’ provided the necessary power that The High Queen had given to her in desperation. As when The High Queen had returned Sume's life to her, the moments for such were intense and long, requiring many powers and many spells. The Healer watched quietly through her own desperation, looking at her now dead friend and former lover lying so cold and quietly before her.

Who is she, indeed, that pulls so much love and devotion to her?

Suddenly, as had occurred when The High Queen had restored Sume's life, and as lightning seemed to occur about them, The High Queen's heart began to beat again on its own. The Healer watched in amazement its first new beatings. At the same moment, The High Queen drew in a deep breath, then moaned. It was the most welcomed wondrous sound of great pain The Healer had ever heard.

The Healer placed her hand on The High Queen's forehead to remove some of the pain.

To herself she spoke, “She is with great pain, but I care not. She lives."

She began to close the wound, noticing that the heart seemed to have already begun its healing. She smiled as she worked the many moments necessary to close the wound completely, then looked up at Sume’ and Sele’ for a quick moment, “You did it!"

When she was done, and when she was done fully bandaging The High Queen's wound, she moved to another cleansing bowl and began to remove the blood from her arms and hands.

"Will she live, Healer?"

Deep in her own thoughts and relief of the moment, she had forgotten that others were about. She turned and looked at them, “It is certainly my plan that she does as such, but now it is up to her."

Sume’ looked at Sele', “Do you know how I might return her powers to her?"

Sele’ nodded, “I think so. But you will have to do it. I recall the spell she used to do as such."

"Can it be done without harming her?"

Sele’ nodded again, “They are part of her after all these moments. It will make her feel improved by having them returned. The process carries pain only in the removal of them."

"This is not so, Young One. There was great pain as the Deep Mystics instilled these into her."

"But they have now become a part of her, Healer. All will be well."

Erthrn placed her hand on Sume's arm, “The High Queen wouldn't have these great powers lost to The Realm, High Priestess. You must be certain she will live."

Sume’ looked squarely into Erthrn's eyes, “And I wouldn't have this great one lost to The Realm, Erthrn, my lover. It is not the powers we need to save, Erthrn. It is the woman that now lies before us.” She moved her glance to her gravely wounded sister, examining the limp body lying before her, “Many can wield these powers, but none so greatly as this one.” She touched her hand gently to her sister's cheek, “And this I now have learned fully, as never prior. For all my prior moments, I have been jealous of her powers, but I was wrong to be as such. She was chosen with great wisdom, Erthrn. It is this woman that must be saved. These powers mean nothing without her. I most certain cannot command them. They are useless without her."

Erthrn nodded and backed away, “You speak with great wisdom, High Priestess. Return her powers to her."

As Sele’ had done when reciting the life-giving spell, she placed her hand on Sume's head, “I am prepared."

Sume’ nodded, then held her hands out as The High Queen had done when transferring her powers. Sume’ was pleased when she saw the ball of energy form in her hands. After she had moved The High Queen's powers back into the ball of energy, with some pain, she began to place the ball of light into The High Queen's chest, when Sele’ suddenly halted her, “No, Aunt High Priestess! These must enter through her mind. Place them into her head. She placed them in your chest only for safekeeping. Her mind will re-incorporate them."

The Healer was surprised to see The High Queen's body physically jerk as Sume’ transferred the powers back into her. After a few moments, The Healer could see that The High Queen's breathing returned to a more normal pattern. Suddenly realizing that she had been holding her own breath, she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

San'lr'in’ opened her eyes, looking in great pain from the incident, “My powers ... must not be lost."

The Healer moved close to The High Queen's face and spoke softly to her, “Then you must remain alive, San'lr'in'. It is the only way to save them for The Realm. Save yourself, High One."

The High Queen moaned quietly, yet in great pain, and stared at The Healer for a moment. She turned her head toward Sume', placed her hand on her sister's arm, then closed her eyes and drifted into unconsciousness.

The Mystics of the Valley were in full shock as to the attempted assassination. Many of those who had gathered to watch the procession remained to hear word of their High Queen. Even The High Queen's Counselors waited in their meeting room for any word that might come their way. There was no report to lift their spirits, though, as The High Queen continued fully in her unconsciousness.

The Counselors discussed the Valley's law regarding such an incident, and decided to fully ignore it for the moment. They had no desire to instate another as temporary Queen, choosing to remain on the positive side.

While all those close to The High Queen tried to remain with great hope, they well concealed their deep worries. Mil'der'in was standing around dazed, fully shocked from the moment, knowing well the consequences should The High Queen die. Her thoughts were so filled with disbelief that she found herself fully paralyzed in the moment, not knowing what to do, where to go, or what to say. She paced the hallway endlessly.

She must live!

The moment was quietly desperate for all those now waiting any word of the outcome. The Valley's residents, in their own display of shock and dismay, waited outside The High Queen's complex for any word. The Valley was so quiet in its shock that it was if a death toll had been commanded.

Sume’ and The Healer had refused to leave The High Queen's side. The Healer continually checked her breathing and heart rate, while Sume’ remained unusually quiet, standing vigilantly near her. They both absolutely forbade any entrance into The High Queen's chamber.