The Evil Queen

Just some Truths

"You there! Halt for the King!" The voice was very demanding. Algar walked his horse slowly to the edge of the road before stopping. Three men, one being Lord Bergamot rode alongside to him. Lord Bergamot bore into him with eyes like fire. "I'm Barwick, advisor to his Lordship, we are looking for some thieves." Algar snickered, "I haven't seen any, I don't think." Barwick didn't even blink, "They would be two men, traveling with a young woman. A small young woman." He shook his head, "Sorry sir I haven't....." Bergamot cut him off, "My wife, we are looking for my wife. She is Elvan. Brown hair, green eyes. Big heavy iron chains." He slowed the words looking for a response, then continued, "Are you sure you haven't seen her? There is a handsome reward for her return." Algar felt the color drain from his face, "The Queen?" Bergamot nodded still looking hard at Algar, "She was plucked from her room." "And the men who stole her?" "Cowards they were. Coming at night and running like foxes." Barwick seemed outraged. "I will make sure they survive for a short time, I do wish to express my personal distaste for their foolish actions." Algar swallowed hard, "Bastards only have what is right." Bergamot cracked a small smile and nodded. "Good day, sir." Barwick nodded and they raced down the road.

"Dax, please stop the horse." When he got down he helped Theo and pulled her chain around a tree. "What if a wolf comes?" Dax smiled, "There are no wolves in the West. They were killed off." She giggled, "I'd be eaten." He started a small fire. "I'd save you." She narrowed her eyes, "Well, Dax Hunter, next time you should just let them eat me!" He gave her a cynical look, then poked the fire. "Your brother is mad! And you...I can't read you." Dax straightened up, "How is Algar mad?" "He wants to drag us into the depths of the Fae caves for a start. They are evil little creatures. You know they deal with the devil. He is planning something horrible for the south" Dax frowned, "We're from the south, I'm sure whatever he has planned it's not as malevolent as you think." "I don't think you realize how dangerous he is Dax. Your brother is a monster." He glared at her, "And your Bergamot was innocent do-gooder?" She shook her head, "He was. But I made him evil, just as I will make Algar a monster." Dax shook his head, "Do not think you can tell me the good of the tyrant Bergamot. My brother is nothing like Bergamot." Theo shook her head, "No, Bergamot has nothing on the depravity I have seen in Algar's mind. Bergamot was a beautiful and kind child. The power of invincibility is what made him evil. Knowing every move of your opponent makes you an unstoppable force and that power was too much for him. And Algar will be even worse." "But he is giving you to the highest bidder, isn't he?"

She frowned she didn't feel like herself. This new drug was very strange, she looked up at Dax. He was giving her that sad look like a boy who was lost. "Do you want to know how it works?" Dax snapped to attention, "Of course." She patted the ground beside her. Dax moved over to where she was sitting, as he settled down and turned to her she kissed him. Where she had lightly placed her lips on his, he braced her head and kissed her deeper. Her hands came to rest on his chest. He engulfed her in his arms.

There wasn't an evil thought anywhere in Dax's blonde head, at least not at that moment. His only thoughts were on her, and her green eyes; her soft hair; her pale thighs; and her pouty lips that he was kissing. Nothing in his head was helping her figure out what Algar was planning. Then something, the water bladder had been filled with drugged water. She pulled away from him and looked down, he brought her chin up. Her eyes were black. "What do you see?" She felt her cheeks redden. "Your uncanny obsession with my thighs." It was Dax's turn to redden. He stood up abruptly and held his hand out, "We need to get to the caves." "I can't travel." Theo could barely keep her eyes open, "Dax?" Then everything went dark.

First Dax was touching her skin softly, it was distorted but he was smiling and there was a lot of heat. The light was bright in a pure white room, Theo could smell roses. Then running first woods dark and musky, then on cobblestone, over a bridge and into icy water. He was holding on to her, the water was too fast. And he was gone and it felt like a piece of her was gone. The screaming in her head brought her to with a jump.

She nearly fell off the horse Dax caught her quickly in his soft strong hands. "What the hell was that?" "I don't know." He peered down at her, "Was it about me?" She felt a pinch in her stomach. "Yes Dax it was." She felt him stiffen. "Was it bad?" She shook her head, "I don't know." She looked around it was too dark to see. "Do you know where you're going?" She wasn't sure but she thought she heard him laugh, "I have traveled this way since I was very small Theo, I won't get us lost." Moments later she could see the large cavernous opening that was the mouth of the Forbidden Caves. They dismounted and Dax and Theo set up a small camp in the gully. Dax shivered in the new colder air, "You'd think it be warmer south." Theo pointed at the cave, "Not at the opening of that. I can feel the draft like a northern wind." "You're not cold?" She smiled "Creature of the North." Dax nodded and poked the fire. "You can come sit by me, Ashcroft always said I put off a lot of heat." Dax smiled as her moved to be closer to her. She was right, she was putting off a lot of heat. They slept in moments that night, ghastly sounds rose up from the cave.

She awoke in the light of dawn, she turned noticing Dax was no longer by her side. She sat up. Algar was poking the coals of the fire, "Morning." She looked at him and noticed Dax sat across from her staring hard at her. His expression left her feeling insecure. "I said, morning." Theo looked up at him, "Morning." "I met the most interesting man on the road yesterday." She looked curiously at him, narrowing her eyes. He looked at her with irritation, "Can't you see?" She shook her head sleepily, "No." "I think we bonded Algar." It was the first time Dax had spoken since she had woke. He whipped his head at Dax, "How?" Theo looked at Dax hurt, "She kissed me she saw a couple things." "How very interesting. Almost as interesting as finding out you're not only a foreseer but a queen." Theo straightened, "Bergamot?" "You failed to mention you were married, your husband is very insistent on getting you back, handsome reward too." Theo changed her manner, "So return me and I'll tell him you rescued me! You can collect and live your lives. I won't tell him the truth." Algar sneered, "I considered it, but I have other plans for you, Queen." Dax stood up wearily, "I'll go scout just to makes sure it's clear. I'll be back.

Theo stood and watched as Dax rode out of sight, she didn't feel safe alone with Algar. As she turned to Algar he caught her by the throat and slammed her into the tree behind her. Theo fought for a moment to get Algar's grip to loosen enough to take a breath. "I need to know what happens in those caves." Theo shook her head. He tightened his grip, "You see what I'm going to do?" She shook her head again and pried a finger off her windpipe, she desperately sucked air in, "Bond is broke." "Kissing my little brother." She struggled to nod. He pressed his mouth on hers, she struggled back and forth. As he pulled away her eyes swelled to black. "I know what the old woman was talking about now. I needed to wait until Dax was away, his kind heart would have protested. "She watched in her vision what he was about to do, she gritted her teeth. "You're depraved." Her voice was shaky.

Algar lifted Theo up the tree several inches, holding her by her throat. She struggled, and kicked as he lifted up the bottom of her skirt exposing her. "You see what I'm going to do?" She moved her hands to the arm that was holding her throat, pulling up slightly to breathe. She didn't have enough air to scream. Her black eyes stared lifelessly into the sky. Moments after she finished struggling against him Algar had finished. He had successfully built a strong bond to her and she was on her knees in the dirt deep in vision. "What happens in the Caves?" She responded her black eyes lifeless, "There is great danger waiting for you. Dax is taken, kept, they want him even now. If he goes in, he will never come out. The mission will be successful without him, and you will learn what you need to know from the Fae."

Some ways back in some trees a young man stood watching the events unfold. He stood horrified seeing the barbaric treatment of the prisoner. His stomach turned with her premonition. Who would die? His light blue eyes were full of questions, mostly of who this woman really was, if she ever was a prisoner and why he was so enthralled with her. Dax silently turned his horse back around and lead her back to the caves. Anger welled inside him the more he thought about what he had just seen. How could Algar be so cruel?