Original Stories Fan Fiction / Other Fan Fiction / Realism Fan Fiction ❯ Darkness Eternal ❯ Eleven ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter Eleven

Queen

 

 

Soren stared around in dismay at the blood that coated the throne room floor. Soldiers still picked through the carnage, tending to their fallen comrades and hauling the bodies onto stretchers to be taken to their families.

 

With Grent as her guide and Chimadori as her support she maneuvered through the mess without falling until she came to a soldier kneeling beside a particularly mangled body. “What happened here? Did this happen before or after the Riagenkai left the palace?” she asked, making the man jump slightly. He turned to her, a slightly rueful smile gracing his lips at being caught off guard.

 

“Ah, Lady Fayra,” he said, mistaking her for the younger Kiragashi heir. “We're not entirely sure. One moment the ministers were preparing to overthrow the queen and Riagenkai and the next three dragons attacked us. They didn't pause in the slaughter and before long there were only a handful of us left because we had scattered in our panic. When they left we waited an hour to be sure they weren't coming back and then we began the cleanup. Unfortunately the Queen got caught in the middle of everything and didn't make it.”

 

“Oh, that's unfortunate,” she said, completely dead-pan.

 

The soldier gave her a startled look and said, “You seem different than the last time I saw you, Lady Fayra. How did you come by those scars?”

 

“I got in a fight with a bear,” she replied mildly before turning to the ripple that marked Grent's presence and asking, “Where to next, wolfie?”

 

Grent growled in annoyance as he materialized. “Do not call me that, majesty,” he said. “Even Farin is not allowed to call me that. It is disrespectful to an extreme, so unless you wish me to call you some obscene name like-”

 

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by appearance of a white wolf slightly smaller at the shoulders than him. They exchanged a short series of growls and barks that seemed to be a sort of animal speech. Then she disappeared and Grent turned back to Soren and said, “The Riagenkai is awake and his wounds have been tended to. He requests that you join him when we are done.”

 

“Is he fully rested?”

 

“No, but he has eaten,” Grent informed her.

 

Soren considered weighed request for a moment then nodded. “Return to him and inform him that I shall be there momentarily.” The wolf Kingen did not protest her orders and disappeared the moment she finished speaking.

 

Leaning heavily on Chimadori and grasping a handful of her warm fur to steady herself she allowed her familiar to escort her from the throne room. As she reached the door she heard the soldier call after her. She paused and looked back, annoyance flickering through her eyes. “I am not Fayra,” she said with a clipped tone and then continued on her way.

 

Is it really necessary to wander around on your own when you should be resting? You've not fully recovered since you collapsed four days ago and you'll need every ounce of strength you can get when Farin publically recognizes you as his queen, Chimadori reproached her.

 

It is if I want to get a feel of the place before everyone knows who I actually am.

 

The least you could have done was accept Coran's offer of escorting you.

 

No, this is something I needed to do on my own. Besides, Sora needed someone to watch after her while she was recovering her strength. I highly doubt that any minister or noble will accept her re-installment as a second Riagenkai quietly.

 

You truly want her as one of your dragon guardians after everything you've heard from her about the last ruler she had? Can you trust her not to betray you like she did him?

 

There were circumstances that led up to that betrayal. Can you really not imagine me trying to murder my mother after everything that foul bitch has done to me? In a twisted sense I'll be betraying her because she betrayed me.

 

You avoided my question. I asked if you could trust her?

 

Soren paused before answering. Trust is a fickle thing for me, but, yes, I do think I can trust her to a certain extent. After all, it's not often that someone takes it upon themselves to rescue a complete stranger from a slave trader intent on breaking them for sale to an unknown entity.

 

Chimadori allowed her form to appear so she could give Soren a skeptical look. Is that the truth or are you looking at her as a replacement for your mother?

 

She raised an eyebrow at her Kingen, but did not reply as she allowed the familiar to escort her back to the room where she had left Fayra to watch after Farin until he woke. The last time she had seen him he had still been unconscious and bleeding badly as the wound had not even begun to clot and the white wolf had been hovering over him as she tried to heal her master. Soren had not wanted to see him in such bad shape so she had opted to take a tour of the palace to familiarize herself with her new settings before everything became muddled by politics.

 

Now, with each step she took back towards the room she could feel a tension building in the pit of her stomach at the thought of seeing him again. He was the first being away from her father that had actually shown an interest in her as a person and fought to protect her because he wanted to. She didn't know how much of his protective nature came from his choosing her as his ruler, but oddly enough she found that she didn't care.

 

Chimadori halted in her steps before the double doors that bore the intertwining dragons with angry, ruby eyes. Soren released her Kingen and straightened before turning the handle and allowing herself in. She was met with the sight of Farin sitting on the edge of his bed speaking in quiet tones with Fayra.

 

She suddenly had the very uncomfortable sense that she was intruding on an intimate conversation. For a moment she felt out of place and like she had no place among them. Then she let it slide beneath her mask as she let the familiar sensation of numbness and indifference settle over her. “Farin,” she said casually and they visibly jumped. “You asked that I join you and now I'm here. What was it?”

 

Fayra cast her a guilty look before turning her eyes down and backing a step from the dragon Riagenkai as Farin turned equally dark eyes to his queen. Something in his gaze might have frozen her if not for her ice state, but she continued her walk until she was barely a foot from him.

 

“Two things really,” he said, watching her with a guarded expression. “First I want to know why you thought it safe to be wandering around with just my Kingen as protection when the both of you are completely exhausted.”

 

Soren allowed amusement to show for an instant before it was dispelled. “There was no danger and I also had my own Kingen acting as a protector with him. Besides everyone mistook me for someone named Fayra.” She didn't miss the way his eyes darted to the other girl for the briefest of moments before he held her gaze again.

 

She broke the hold he held over her and studied the other teen for a moment. “You do look more than a bit like me. Are you Fayra?”

 

“Yes,” she said and, after a slight hesitation, added, “Our mother's were twins.”

 

“Ah, that would explain a few things,” Soren said mildly, as though commenting on the weather, “more than a few things, actually.” Then she turned her head back to Farin and said, “Your father paid the palace a visit last night and he and his two remaining guards did quite a number on the palace guards before the queen was caught in the middle. Would you mind explaining that before we get around to your second question?”

 

Farin let out a quiet sigh and rubbed the back of his neck in an awkward manner. “The bitch was my half sister. Just before I was forced under a false blood seal our father saw fit to force her on my throne in an attempt to both thwart any attempt you made to claim the throne and to provoke the people to riot because she was a right disaster as a queen.”

 

“I see,” was all she said on the matter, “Your other question, then.”

 

His gaze was piercing as he demanded, “Why is the former Riagenkai of my post here with you? What is your purpose for allowing her to come back? You have to know what she did before she abandoned her post.”

 

Soren's eyes took on an icy sheen as she turned her head from him to stare into the wall. “Have you any idea what happened to my father? Did you wonder why you found me alone in the middle of a school forest instead of with family?” she asked, bitterness finding its way into her voice despite her best efforts to repress it.

 

“No. I had assumed that you were an adult by that society's standard,” he said, trying to puzzle over her unrelated question.

 

“No, I still had another year before I would have been free of their clutches,” she said quietly. “I wasn't with my parents because my father was murdered when I was twelve and my mother was the bitch that beheaded him. It took a year for the authorities to catch up with her and they screwed even that up. She got away and I was stuck at a boarding school where they put teens they deal with.”

 

Out of the corner of her eye she watched as the color drained from Fayra's face. In some corner of her already mangled soul she felt a surge of vindictive pleasure at the knowledge that she wouldn't be the only one to suffer for the knowledge. Very carefully, she squashed that reaction and let it pass from her mind, all without showing any outward emotion.

 

Farin was silent for a moment before asking, “And what does that have to do with anything related to what she did before she disappeared?”

 

“Her name is Sora and she did exactly what I'm going to do the next time I meet with my mother,” she informed him rather bluntly. “There was a reason to her betrayal and if you weren't so intent on being so narrow minded you would ask her. As to her reasons for being here and my purpose for allowing her to come back with me, well, I would like her as my second Riagenkai, seeing as there won't be many I can trust for a long while.”

 

His face flushed a deep crimson. “I had not thought of that, but I very highly doubt that anyone will accept her as a second Riagenkai all things considered.”

 

“Then I guess it's a damn good thing that the decision will remain private between the two of us. If she accepts, and I think she will, then I will install her as a second Riagenkai,” Soren sighed. “As I told Chimadori earlier, I highly doubt that the nobles and ministers will take her re-installment quietly, but I also don't hold high hopes that they'll accept me as queen, not from what I've heard about them from Coran.”

 

“You've given this matter quite some thought. Would you really trust her not to betray you the first chance she got?”

 

She ran a hand through her hair, feeling her mask crack a little from her mounting frustration. “Why would she have rescued me from Jestiry and his slave band if all she planned to do was betray me?” she asked, allowing her voice to soften for a moment.

 

“I see your point, majesty,” he finally conceded. “Though, should she ever show the slightest hint of betraying you, I won't hesitate to kill her.”

 

In an odd way, it was comforting to know the lengths to which he would go to protect her. A slight smile thawed her features. “I appreciate that,” she said with a nod. “Do you need to rest and actually regain your strength or should we get the spectacle over and done with?”

 

A throat cleared before Farin could answer and they all turned to see Coran waiting to be acknowledged in the doorway Soren had left ajar. “Sora sent me to tell you that she's ready for the formal recognition whenever you are,” he said, annoyance at being ordered by the female dragon apparent in his voice. “And on another note, the other dragon that returned with us has decided to take up residence in the hall not far off the Kiragashi hall and requests permission to add his strength to the new queen.”

 

“Coran,” she said suddenly, “Is Homuna still with Sora or did he wander off and go exploring?”

 

“I believe he followed Torun when he and Maixim returned to their barracks for some rest, majesty,” Coran informed her, his manner more than a little distant. “He seemed rather keen to familiarize himself with his new surroundings and thought that following after my men would be a good idea. No harm will come to him as long as he remains among my soldiers.”

 

Farin rose to his feet when his queen suddenly began to look a little ill, though he paused when she asked, “Was he in human or dragon form?”

 

“Human,” the Heshen replied. Then with a short bow he added, “If that is everything, then I shall return to my barracks and reclaim my rightful rank from the current general.”

 

“Actually, Coran,” Farin said, studying the younger man's face for any indication of his thoughts, “I would like you to accompany us through the recognition. It would be better if you were there since you still command most of the soldier's loyalty still, especially if the ministers decide that now would be a good time to strike at us.”

 

“If you think it best, Riagenkai.”

 

* * *

 

In short order three dragons, Soren, Fayra, and the former Heshen were standing among the grim faced ministers and nobles that had survived the rampage of Farin's father. They looked on in silence as the dragons knelt together before the older Kiragashi heir with the general and her sister to either side.

 

Being the first Riagenkai Farin began the formal recognition by saying, “I swear never to desert my post before your throne. I will protect you now and always. My life is yours to command, yours to take if necessary. My power and rights by blood are freely given and freely sworn. Any command given will never be disobeyed. You are my master and I the servant to serve eternally. I pledge my undying loyalty to you alone. No matter the distance, no matter the circumstances that drive us apart you will always be my queen, my royal. Do you accept?”

 

“I do,” she responded and she could feel his power flowing between them, melding their minds into one.

 

It was Sora's turn to swear her oath.

 

“I swear never to desert my post before your throne. I will protect you now and always. My life is yours to command, yours to take if necessary. My power is freely given and freely sworn. Any command given will never be disobeyed. You are my master and I the servant to serve eternally. Do you accept?”

 

“I do.” Another surge of power joined Farin's and they began to resonate within her body, harmonizing them to her will.

 

All eyes turned to the enchanter, curiosity spiked as to how his oath would work.

 

“I, Tahirn, swear never to desert my post before your throne. I will serve you to the best of my ability and never betray you. My power is yours to command. My life is freely given and freely surrendered. I swear, now and always, to protect you. Do you accept?”

 

“I do.”

 

Tahirn visibly flinched as his power was almost forcibly tugged from him and added to the growing pool within the new queen's body. He quietly sighed as he felt the old ties of the Blood Seal washed away, broken and replaced by the bonds he had formed with the young woman before him.

 

The power ebbed and flowed through her until she could no longer feel where one ended and the others began. She could feel their minds on the outskirts of her barriers and when she turned to look at each of them she saw their pasts and knew them for themselves. Something inside her snapped and the power rushed from her to rejoin the three dragons.

 

It was only then that she became aware of the soft mutters echoing through the throne as the ministers talked amongst themselves. “Rise,” she instructed them, keeping half an eye on the court officials that seemed mutinous about something. As the dragons rose, they followed her gaze and turned to face them, blocking her slender figure from view.

 

“Have you something to say?” Farin asked coolly.

 

The voices dropped off abruptly as his features visibly darkened in a way few had seen before. A few shifted uncomfortably and looked away from him, though more than a few smirked and held his gaze as it swept over them.

 

“We refuse your queen. We refuse to even acknowledge the likes of you as Riagenkai,” a burly, sour faced minister boasted. “A child such as her could never quell the riots that are sure to break out when they discover another of their queens has been murdered.”

 

“Harimetia was never queen. She was a puppet dragon installed by our father because he want-”

 

Looking back she would never quite understand what made her do it. All she knew was that a mixture of dread and anticipation coursed through her when one of the other, stockier ministers fingered his sword hilt with an almost impish smile that Farin missed. As it was, her fingers closed around Sora's sword and by the time she had yanked it free of its sheath the minister had drawn his and begun his advance.

 

The distance between them closed rapidly and then their swords met with a ringing clash of metal on metal. Soren was the first to break away. She slashed to the right, brought her sword around in an arc and slashed at his chest. Her sword connected solidly with his skin and ripped a wound the length of his left hip to his right shoulder. She sprang lightly back, grinning at him.

 

The minister growled and shot straight for her. Soren raised her sword and blocked his attack. He pushed her back and she slid on the blood that still slicked the floors. Taking advantage of her moment of unbalance, he lunged forward and brought his sword around in a downward arc and sliced her chest from shoulder to hip. For her credit, she did not scream for all the pain that exploded through her body. She stumbled back and slipped on blood again.

 

As she fell, Farin moved to intercede the fight, but a strong hand gripped his arm. He turned to snarl at Sora, but her eyes made him fall silent. “She has to do this. If you interfere now, she'll never forgive you.” Farin yanked his arm free of her grasp, but made no move to help her as he turned back to watch.

 

The minister stepped back, smirking, and allowed Soren to rise to her feet and gingerly touch the wound she now bore across her chest. She grimaced as pain shot through her body and then looked up at him, smiling suddenly. “Congratulations, you're only the second male that has wounded me like this.”

 

Without warning, she struck, her hand flashing in a complex overhand pass that brought her blade within inches of his unguarded side. Only a quick step back saved him from losing an arm. She swept her sword up and under. Though the minister turned to the side, he still caught a glancing blow that tore at the thin shirt he wore and left another wound across his chest.

Soren lunged forward again and he feigned back, then struck out at her side. She twisted her torso midair and propelled herself into a roll that sent her crashing into the ground. Rolling several more times, she regained her feet and immediately attacked. She faded, and then lunged to the side and the front, coming at him in a straightforward strike. He met her: their sword hilts locked again.

 

The other ministers watched in grim silence as the fight progressed, each marking her strength and agility. She really was something else, this new queen that Farin had chosen, to bring three dragons under her control and then still be able to outfight one of their better sword fighters,

 

Breaking away, she came back instantly from the side and knocked his blade away. The flat of her blade struck his cheek and cracked the bone. He moved before she could spring away and brought the flat of his blade smartly against her ribs, making her gasp for air.

 

Jumping out of range of his next attack, she touched down barely a foot away from him. The minister lunged forward to follow up his advantage. Soren brought her sword up in a half circle and parried his blow, though it jarred her arms to do so.

 

Sweat dripped down her forehead and into her eyes, blurring her vision and making it difficult to see her opponent. She stepped back and wiped the sweat away on her sleeve.

 

“Watch your back!!” she heard her sister call.

 

Jumping back blindly, she tripped and went down once more. As she did so, the minister's blade passed within a centimeter of her face, slicing away several strands of hair.

 

Landing, he stood directly over her, his feet braced on either side of her thighs. She kicked up and caught him in the balls with her shin. The man bit back a scream of pain and quickly drew away from her. She leapt to her feet again, grinning wolfishly at him. “Don't get careless just because I let my guard down,” she advised him.

 

“I'll do as I please,” he growled, then attacked.

 

He lunged forward again, though this time Soren swung her sword at his exposed stomach, having already learned that he did so when bringing his sword down from over his head. Not having time to block or move from the blades path, his sword sank into her shoulder while hers sliced open a deep gut wound. Both fell back, panting and sweating profusely. Blood poured unheeded from their wounds as they waited for the other to make the next move.

 

Soren advanced and brought her sword through another half circle. He brought his sword up to defend himself. Their swords clashed, producing a clear ringing sound. His sword shattered.

 

As the pieces of his former sword fell to the ground Soren swept her sword around and smacked the blade against his legs, knocking them out from under him. Standing over him with her sword at his neck she said, “Yield or die.”

 

The minister smiled a nasty smile. “I choose neither, queen,” he sneered, a laugh forming in his throat.

 

She felt ice chill her blood before she thrust the sword into his neck, cutting short the scream. He writhed for a moment, choking on his own blood, before he stilled forever. Crimson flowed freely to mix with the pools spilt from the earlier battle.

 

With a callousness that shocked her dragons she yanked the sword free of his neck and flicked the blood from its blade. Her silver eyes were ice as she turned her gaze from one minister to the other. “Any more challengers?” she asked, her voice a deathly whisper.

 

No one answered, no one moved.

 

Coated in the crimson of her own blood and the blood of her enemy she stood before them, a proud new queen that would forever hold true. Never would she waver from her chosen path, nor would she let others sway her.

 

And so began the reign of the “Ice” queen, whose rule in some ways would be as cruel as it was wonderful.

 

 

 

 

 

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